Albeit the expressions of a gracious heart by lively voice breed deeper impressions, (God attending his own ordinance of preaching with a more special blessing) yet writing hath in this respect a prerogative, that holy truths thus conveyed to the world spread further, and continue longer. ⟨image 3⟩Those therefore deserve well of the Church that this way impart those things to public and future use, by which God wrought on the hearts of the hearers for the present. In which respect this funeral Sermon preached out of love and honour of the graces of God in a poor, yet well esteemed Christian (Master WINTER) may gain acceptan••, as being not only for matter sound, for handling clear, but for the times seasonable. For what more necessary in these times, wherein many are ashamed of the downright profession of that religion by which they hope to be saved, than to press constant faithfulness in known truths, unto which all promises are entailed? Particular points have been much and long urged amongst us, it is very needful that constant clea•ing to all those blessed truths likewise be enforced. And from what stronger encouragement can this be, than from a crown of life here promised to the crown of all graces, Perseverance? Since the fall, one dangerous disease of the soul, is unsettledness in good purposes, especially when either discouragements or allurements are offered. But ⟨image 3⟩what will not a soul break through, that hath in the eye of it a crown held out to all that hold out to the end▪ by him who hath both obtained it for us, and keepeth it for us, and us for it? There is a mutual passage of trust between God and us (for thus graciously he condescendeth to us.) We trust him with the salvation of our souls, he trusteth us with his truth, which if by grace we be enabled to keep, it will keep us▪ and raise up our hearts to an expectation of all good from our faithful and good God, even at that time when our souls gasp for comfort, at the hour of death. And at the day of judgement the sentence will pass, not according to greatness of parts and place, but according to faithfulness, Well done, not learned, wise, rich, but faithful servant, &c.
ALbeit the expressions of a gracious heart by liuely voice breed deeper impressions, (God attending his own ordinance of preaching with a more speciall blessising) yet writing hath in this respect a prerogatiue, that holy truths thus conueyed to the world spread further, and continue longer. ⟨image 3⟩Those therefore deserue well of the Church that this way impart those things to publike and future vse, by which God wrought on the hearts of the hearers for the present. In which respect this funerall Sermon preached out of loue and honour of the graces of God in a poore, yet well esteemed Christian (Master WINTER) may gaine acceptan••, as being not onely for matter sound, for handling cleere, but for the times seasonable. For what more necessarie in these times, wherein many are ashamed of the downeright profession of that religion by which they hope to be saued, than to presse constant faithfulnesse in known truths, vnto which all promises are intailed? Particular points haue beene much and long vrged amongst vs, it is very needfull that constant clea•ing to all those blessed truths likewise be inforced. And from what stronger incouragement can this be, than from a crown of life here promised to the crowne of all graces, Perseuerance? Since the fall, one dangerous disease of the soule, is vnsetlednesse in good purposes, especially when either discouragements or alluremēts are offered. But ⟨image 3⟩what wil not a soule break thorow, that hath in the eie of it a crowne held out to all that hold out to the end▪ by him who hath both obtained it for vs, and keepeth it for vs, and vs for it? There is a mutuall passage of trust between God and vs (for thus graciously he condescendeth to vs.) We trust him with the saluation of our soules, he trusteth vs with his truth, which if by grace we be inabled to keepe, it will keepe vs▪ and raise vp our hearts to an expectation of all good frō our faithfull and good God, euen at that time when our soules gaspe for comfort, at the houre of death. And at the day of iudgement the sentence will passe, not according to greatnesse of parts and place, but according to faithfulnesse, Well done, not learned, wise, rich, but faithfull seruant, &c.
