by Christopher Love
in ePub, .mobi & .pdf formats
Showing The Nature, Signs, Necessity and Difficulty of True Mortification.
This text has been initially updated from EEBO-TCP by Project Puritas (Logan West, with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf.) www.puritansearch.org. Further revision and editing done by Monergism. Copyright Monergism via universal text usage permission from the above.
The Author of these Treatises is sufficiently known and approved, his works do praise him in the gates. He was indeed a workman that needed not be ashamed: He was not a blazing comet, to show his own parts, but a genuine star to lead men to Christ. It is the unhappiness of our age, that men desire rather to have their ears tickled, then their hearts affected; and it is the sin of many jingling Preachers, that they mind rather the humoring of their hearers fancies, then the saving of their souls, little considering that of Seneca, Aeger non quaeritmedicum eloquentem sed sanantem, sick men are not bettered by Physicians sugared words, but by their skillful hands. Such an one was not the reverend Author of these Sermons; we that had the happiness to be better acquainted with him, can truly say that he did not preach himself, but Jesus Christ his Lord, and himself the Churches servant for Jesus sake.
Here are presented to thee old Doctrines which will not gratify that itch of novelty which is now become epidemical. Here are common Doctrines which will not humor that affected singularity of which most men are sick. Here are plain Doctrines that will not comply with the curious palates of this wanton age. How ever do thou remember that counsel of the Prophet, Enquire for the good old paths, so shalt thou find rest for thy soul; It may be thou hast wandered through all the points of the Compass, and hast perceived in thyself nothing but disquietness and unsettlement: It will therefore be thy wisdom to return to the right point, to come to thy first husband, for then it was better with thee then now. Here thou wilt find if not placentia, yet sanantia, if thy palate be not pleased, thy heart may be bettered, if thou dost not willfully hinder it.
The first part concerns Mortification, in which the Authors judgment is the more to be valued, because his heart was a Commentary upon his Text, and his own experience was a seal to his Doctrine.
The second part is concerning Sincerity, a thing never more in men's mouths, and yet we have just cause to fear, never further from their hearts. If thou hast sincerity, here is a glass wherein thou mayest see thy face with comfort; if thou wantest it, here is a glass also wherein thou mayest see the beauty of it, and be enamored with it.
The third Treatise relates to that great duty of Thankfulness and sin of Unthankfulness: Here is a Book wherein thou mayest read thy engagements to be thankful, and thy doom if thou art not thankful.
Lastly, here are two short exercises concerning hearing the Word of God, which were delivered at the Morning Exercise, and so calculated to the shortness of the time allotted for that work.
We have only this to add, that these Sermons are not irregular births, but have been either Collected out of, or Compared with his own Notes, and taken from his own mouth by the pen of a ready Writer. Our desire is that thou wouldest candidly accept of them, diligently read, and conscientiously practice those great duties that are here pressed. This, as it will tend to the comfort of thy own soul at that great day of account, so will it exceedingly refresh and encourage
Thy servants in the work of the Gospel,
Edm. Calamy,
Simeon Ashe,
Jer. Whitaker,
Will. Taylor,
Matt. Poole.
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Table of Contents
CHRISTIAN READER
SERMON, I. Romans 8:13
SERMON, II. Romans 8:13
SERMON, III. Romans 8:13
SERMON, IV. – Romans 8:13
SERMON, V. – Romans 8:13
SERMON, VI. – Romans 8:13
SERMON, VII. – Romans 8:13
SERMON, VIII. – Romans 8:13
SERMON, IX. – Romans 8:13
SERMON, X. – Romans 8:13
SERMONS ON SEVERAL SUBJECTS.
-- SERMON, I. - The True Israelite - John 1:47
-- SERMON, II. – The True Israelite - John 1:47
-- SERMON, III. – The True Israelite - Luke 17:17-18
-- SERMON, IV. – The Mischief of Unthankfulness
-- SERMON, V. – Directions for Profitable Hearing - Luke 18:18