New Englands True Interest Not to Lie, Title page – To the reader
NEW-ENGLANDS True Interest; NOT TO LIE: OR, A Treatise declaring from the Word of Truth the Terms on which we stand, and the Tenure by which we hold our hitherto continued Precious and Pleasant Things.
SHEWING What the blessed God expecteth from his People, and what they may rationally look for from him.
Delivered in a SERMON Preached in Boston in New-England, April 29. 1668. being the DAY of ELECTION THERE.
By Mr. W. Stoughton, Preacher of the Gospel in Dorchester.
Isa. 51.7, 8.
Hearken to me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law, fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be afraid of their revilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wooll: but my rigeteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.
Haggai 2.4.
Yet now be strong, O Z…r…hbabel, saith the Lord, and be strong, O Joshua the High Priest, and be strong all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work: for I am with you, saith the Lord of Hosts.
Psal. 81.13, &c.
O that … people had hearkened to me, and Israel had walked in my wayes—their time should have endured for ever, &c.
CAMBRIDGE: Printed by S. G. and M. J. 1670.
An Advertisement to the Reader.
Christian Reader,
COncerning this Sermon which is now offering it self to thy hand and heart, I must say what I am fully perswaded of, viz. That it containeth words of uprightness and truth, and such as to many Auditors present at the publick Preaching of it, were very acceptable: when they came warm from the mouth and spirit of the speaker, I doubt not, but they carried with them sweetness through the ear to the heart of each rightly prepared hearer. To receive with affection, is good, but not all the entertainment we owe to messages, sent by the God of Salvations to his Covenant-people. Words of wisdome must be as Nails fastened, Eccl. 12.11. the word of Christ must abide, Joh▪ 15.7. and dwell richly in us, Col. 3.16. The helping forward of so good a work, hath occasioned a Person of Worth, eminently affected to thine, and this poor Countries best good, in subserviency to the glory of the blessed God of Truth, to adventure the publishing, of what the pious Author was well-nigh invincibly unwilling should ever have come forth. In hearing, the attention minde must hold pace with the speaker, following him through all particulars from the beginning to the end of his Message: but in reading we have this advantage, that we may stay and dwell upon what we have first a minde to, and by serious thoughts and humble prayer, improve it to our good, without depriving our selves of opportunity of doing the like, with any other part of it afterward. Thou hast now a help to reminde thee of many useful (but possibly forgotten) passages. God, whose Providence hath brought this to thy hands, expecteth a sutable improvement: an awakening, humbling quickening, is the best use we can make of it. Visible benefit and fruit, is l…ke to prove the best expedient to ease the spirit of the too-unwilling Author, of that … which an excess of modesty may have made him capable of, for being by a friendly violence thus thrust out upon the Stage. Some persons, not born, but cut out of their Mothers Wombs, have proved considerable for Action, if Histories may be credited. That Heavens blessing may make this seasonable Sermon …, is the hope and shall be the humble prayer of him who is unfeignedly
Thine …