A SHORT PREFACE, By Mr. BURGESS. ING Solomon made filver in Jerufalem as ftones and cedars, as the very fycamore-trees for abundance. would be allowed to fay, the Author of this treatise is a NewTeftament-Solomon, a right princely divine. His works are truely filver and cedar ones; excellently rich in their fubjects; and the management of them. His rare and royal liberality (which the Title-page is commanded to publish) maketh them as plenty, and as eafy to be come by, as the writings of vulgar fcribes are. Unto my difpofal it pleased him to commit a good number of these his books, which, without his commiffion or knowledge, I affume to fend forth with these short advertisements. The author is that Mr. Fleming, of whom, in another trea tise, * thou haft the honourable thoughts of Dr. Bates, Mr. Mede, Mr. Howe, Mr. Cole, Mr. Sylvefter, Mr. Williams, Mr. Showers. A treatife laden with the praises of several eminent church-men, as well as diffenters, (as we must still unhappily distinguish.) This work of his, full like unto Mofes, was born in evil days; not at all propitious unto fo mafculine facred issues. By reafon whereof, it was in a manner hidden in these dominions, while extolled beyond the feas. Indeed the zeal of good families in Scotland, (and of fome devout ones in England) kept it clofe unto their holy Bibles, valuing it next thereto, because of its mighty service to the faith, life, and joy thereof. But till (through the kindnefs of God) the forefaid winter-days were past, and their rain was over and gone, this flower appeared not much in our land. So that this third Edition is unto us but as a firft. Heartily I congratulate the needy age, this antidote against Atheism, and medicine against the languors of faith and virtue: for, though I do competently know how rich our London-Empory is in both, I do not know any equal to Mr. Fleming's, that are to found in our shops. Wherefore I praife and thank thofe religious perfons, who have promifed to make known this hitherto hid trea fure. And I humbly and earnestly befeech, both minifters and private Chriftians, especially gentlemen, and the few noble who love God, and are known of him, to confult well this book themselves, to commend it unto their relations, and to bestow it upon the poor in their neighbourhoods. With this facrifice God will be well pleased; and by this service shall they gain the good report of all good men, and of the truth itself. So teftifieth, One ambitious to promote the common falvation, D. BURGES. Bridges-freet, near *This Preface was prefixed to a number of copies of the Third Edition, printed in the year 1681, that was unfold at this time, which was fome more than a year before the author's death, he dying July 25th, 16942 TO THE READER. READER, It is like "T is like you may expect fome account anent the rife and occafion of this difcourfe, that on fo great and weighty a fubject, fo fmall an essay should venture abroad, especially in a time, when it seemeth more fafe and prudent to keep filence, to be swift to hear, and flow to speak, which feldom hath an after-challenge: the author will fay little for his apology herein, though he hopeth he may find it more easy to fatisfy others, than he did himself; this freedom only he shall take, to confefs, that sometime it hath been matter of earneft, yea, hath caused fome toffing and exercife upon his fpirit, and preffed a more serious enquiry and fearch, with a respect to his own cafe, to be perfuaded anent the Scripture's divine authority, that godliness is not an empty name or fhadow, but of an undoubted truth, which indeed of all other things is the greateft, and of moft near concernment; and truely, anent that, this grave convincing argument of the Scripture's certain accomplishment, hath not only oft ftared him in the face, with a fatisfying discovery and impreffion thereof, as a most quieting and unanswerable demonstration of the truth, but he muft alfo fay, that by very remarkable confirmations from the Lord, this hath been fo convincingly witneffed to his experience, as leaveth him under engagement (were such a poor teftimony of weight) to put his feal to the word, that it falleth not to the ground, neither doth the promife of God fail. It is a dark time now with the church of Chrift, which we fee every where almoft fuffering and afflicted, whilft the whole earth befides feemeth to be at cafe. Chriftians alfo, even beyond others, in their private lot, tryfted with very sharp trials, though I think fuffering may be the leaft of our fear at this day, while Atheism doth now appear on so formidable a growth, and hath a more threatening aspect, than the rage or violence of men, We fee a fad decay likewise on the churches abroad; religion every where under a great confumption, and wearing out, that feemeth to have reached it in its vital parts. Men fearch after an unusual way of finning, as if they scorned to be wicked, at a common and ordinary rate; prejudice eafily taken up, and entertained against the way of God, whilft the good man doth, alas! perish, without any affecting obfervation thereof; the choice and excellent of the earth pluckt away, and none to fill their room; Chriftian burials now frequent, but the birth and in-bringing of such to the church rare. This is indeed a fad fubject, and fo much the fadder, that few are found, whose eye affecteth their heart, whofe tears and groanings feem to answer such a stroke and ruin, which now is like to fall under our hand. But I fhall leave this. Prayer will be the best cure, and is this day more fit than complaining, to turn unto him who feeth the ways of his people, that he may heal them; and can prevent these with mercy, who feem least fit for the fame: only two or three fad remarks of this time, I cannot altogether pass, which indeed are strange symptoms of the church's prefent cafe and distemper. 1. To fee men own the doctrine of fanctification, who yet can profeffedly difown, yea, make it their work, by reproach, to beget a prejudice against the practice thereof; oh, strange! to find fuch as will dip their pen in gall, against a tender and strict walk in religion, and revile it in the power thereof, whilft they do not deny thefe truths and principles, that neceffarily oblige to fuch a tender practice; who in the moft grave concerning duties of chriftianity, think it enough to charge their brethren with pharifaical oftentation and hypocrify, whilft they must confess these duties to be unqueftionably binding, and that they can be no competent judges. of fuch a challenge, which the great witnefs of the heart and inward parts of men, can only determine. |