For even all know with what vain arrogance, malice, party spirit, and eager lust of attacking the labours of others, the minds of many are corrupted and in- fected. Not only, then, was it necessary that I should anticipate and digest in my mind the contempt and scoffings which these bantering, saucy, dull-witted, self- sufficient despisers of others, or any of such a contemptible race, whose greatest pleasure it is to disparage all kinds of exertions, however praiseworthy, miglit pour out against me; but I likewise foresaw that I should have to contend with the soured tempers and prejudiced opinions of others, who, being carried away by party zeal, and roused by the unexpected state and condition of public affairs,^ and who thinking themselves to be the men, and that wisdom was born and will die with them, look down wdth contempt upon all who differ from them ; and not with these only, but I likewise knew that I had a more severe scrutiny to undergo from some learned men, to whom, it was easy to conjecture, this work, for many reasons, would not be acceptable, — for there are some by whom all labour em- ployed in the search of any more obscure or difficult truth is accounted as misem- ployed, nor do these want the ingenuity of assigning honourable pretences for their indolence. I should, however, be ashamed to enter into any serious argu- ment with such, nor is it woi'th while to enter upon a review of their long decla- mations. And although these, and many other things of such a kind, may ajDpear grievous and hard to be borne to your dainty gentlemen, who eagerly court splen- dour and fame, yet, ingenuously to say the truth, I am very fully persuaded that no man can either think or speak of me and my works with so much disregard and contempt as I myself, from my soul, both think and speak. And having in no re- spect any other expectation than that of contempt to myself and name, provided divine truth be promoted, all these considerations had long ago become not only of small consequence to me, but appeared as the merest trifles ; for why should we be anxious about what shall become either of ourselves or our names, if only we " commit ovir souls to God in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator," and by con- tinuing in well-doing, stop the mouths of ignorant babblers? " God careth for us ;" let us " cast our burdens upon him, and he will sustain us." Let but the truth triumph, vanquish, rout, and put to flight its enemies ; let the word of the cross have " free course and be glorified ;" let wretched sinners learn daily more and more of fellowship with Christ in his sufferings, of the necessity of satisfaction for sins by the blood of the Son of God, so that he who is " white and ruddy, and the chiefest among ten thousand," may appear so to them, " yea, altogether lovely," till, being admitted into the chambers of the church's husband, they drink " love that is better than wine," and "become a willing people in the day of his power, and in the beauty of hohness ;" and 1 shall very little regard being "judged of man's judgment."
Since, then, I not only have believed what I have spoken, but as both my own heart and God, who is greater than my heart, are witnesses that I have engaged in this labour for the truth under the influence of the most sacred regard and 1 This treatise was written in the time of the Commonwealth.— Tr.
490 PREFACE.
reverence for the majesty, purity, holiness, justice, grace, and mercy of God, from a detestation of that ahominable thing- which his soul hateth, and with a heart inflamed with zeal for the honour and glory of our dearest Saviour Jesus Christ, who is fairer than the sons of men and altogether lovely, whom with my soul and all that is within me I worship, love, and adore, whose glorious coming I wish and long for (" Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly"), for " whose sake I count all things but as loss and dung ;" — since, I say, I have engaged in this labour from these motives alone, I am under no anxiety or doubt but it will meet with a favourable reception from impartial judges, from those acquainted with the terror of the Lord, the curse of the law, the virtue of the cross, the power of the gospel, and the riches of the glory of divine grace.
There are, no doubt, many other portions and subjects of our religion, of that blessed trust committed to us for our instruction, on which we might dwell with gx'eater pleasure and- satisfaction of mind. Such, I mean, as afford a more free and wider scope of ranging through the most pleasant meads of the holy Scripture, and contemplating in these the transparent fountains of life and rivers of consola- tion; subjects which, unencumbered by the thickets of scholastic terms and distinc- tions, unembarrassed by the impediments and sophisms of an enslaving philosophy or false knowledge, sweetly and pleasantly lead into a pure, unmixed, and delight- ful fellowship with the Father and with his Son, shedding abroad in the heart the inmost loves of our Beloved, with the odour of his sweet ointment poured forth. This truth, [however, which is under our consideration], likewise has its uses, and such as are of the greatest importance to those who are walking in the way of holiness and evangelical obedience. A brief specimen and abstract' of them is added, for the benefit of the pious readei", in the end of the dissertation, in order to excite his love towards our beloved High Priest and Chief Shepherd, and true fear towards God, who is a " consuming fire," and whom we cannot serve " acceptably" unless with " reverence and godly fear."