My dearly beloved in the Lord,
Good books are not the least part of the church's treasure and furnishings, but there is not any book to be compared to that Book of Books, the holy Bible, or books of canonical Scripture, which were indited by the immediate dictates of the blessed Spirit, penned by holy men of God, and do contain the whole of man, and open God's heart to the sons of men. This precious book is the common magazine of the saints, the shop of all soul-physic, the greatest treasure of heavenly wisdom and science (says a good divine) that the whole earth has in keeping. He that eats and digests this book cannot but be well-liking. He that digs in these golden mines cannot but be rich. And he that makes this book his main study must needs be learned, holy, and happy. The best men have delighted most in the Word of God, and they that have delighted most in it have become the best men. Of some famous men it is recorded that they read every day fifteen chapters in the Bible, many years together. Of others it is said they read it above twenty times over in their lives, with special observations. Of others, that by long and assiduous meditation of the Scriptures, their breasts became libraries of Jesus Christ. And indeed it is the duty and property of a gracious soul to meditate in God's Law day and night, and to set a higher estimate upon it than upon the richest treasures of gold and silver, pearls or precious stones. It were better that all other books were burnt (as Luther said) than that they should abate Scripture-study. Yet secondarily the choice treatises of eminent divines in all ages are no mean part of the church's treasure, as helps to understand and improve the treasures of knowledge contained and couched in those sacred pages. These are as so many Philips to the studious eunuch to take the laborious passenger by the hand, through the deeper fords of Scripture studies. These are as tender nurses, to lay the breasts of the two Testaments to God's babes, and feed them with milk or stronger meat, as they are able. These are those mineralists that dig out of this precious quarry such gold and silver ore, that if it have the stamp of God upon it, will much enrich the souls of spiritual merchants. Only let the spiritual man, who judges all things, try the spirits, and distinguish between the dross of error and the solid gold of saving truth. Let no poison, dropping from the pen, infect the eyes, and so bewitch the heart. It is a blessed thing to have a solid judgment, and an honest heart, to prove all things, and to hold fast that which is good. Blessed be God for good books, which are a better treasure for the church than the Romish stock of merits and indulgences. These are as so many sweet reflections from the Sun of Scripture upon the dark and doubting soul. They are as pipes to convey the streams of salvation from those blessed fountains to private houses and troubled hearts. And there is an advantage in writing, when preachers are dead or cannot speak, books may remain and instruct their surviving people, and what is wanting to the ear may be compensated to the eye (which some have called the learned senses), and through the eye the heart may be affected. And why may not life be conveyed through the eyes to the heart? As death came in that way, so God can by his Spirit make pen and ink characters, to leave lively characters, not on paper and parchment, but on the fleshly tables of the heart.
This in part is my apology for putting my sickle into this harvest, and taking this pains in composing this treatise, whether it shall ever have the advantage of publication by an impression, I know not, but if the Lord will make any further use of it, for the good of his church, I shall accept of that opportunity, and leave myself and these poor labors to the service of that God, to whom I have devoted myself and all that I have or can do. I look upon myself as the weakest and unworthiest of all those that wait at God's altar, yet as the Lord has put me in trust with the gospel, so I have desired in my measure to be faithful to the Lord and to your souls, and having obtained help of God I continue a mirror of Providence to this day. I am not worthy to preach, much less to print anything of these glorious mysteries. I rather wonder that God has had the patience with me thus long in his work; my God has humbled me among you, you know how I have served the Lord with many tears and temptations, which have befallen me many ways, yet God is faithful who has not suffered me to be tempted, beyond that strength he has supplied me with, and has at last made a way to escape. Let God glorify himself whatever become of this vile wretched worm; the good of your souls lies near my heart, God is my witness how greatly I long after your spiritual welfare; it much grieves me to think of leaving any of your souls without a saving treasure after all my soul-travel over you, and serving two full apprenticeships among you. Let not my sins or sufferings blemish my doctrine or practice, or be a stumbling-block before any of you: what you have seen good in me, imitate it, what has been amiss, cover it with the skirt of love, and beg a pardon from heaven for me. Some may think better of me than I deserve, and others worse, but as I pass not for man's judgment, so both have tended to humble me, because I do not answer the apprehensions of the one, and my corruptions exceed any grounded censures of the other; it were but a sorry business to undertake a vindication of myself (except wherein the gospel is concerned). Oh that you and yours might be and do that which is good, though I should be as reprobate and unapproved. Let Christ live though we die, let souls be enriched, though we be impoverished; would to God poor souls did reign as spiritual kings, for though they should seek to exclude us as means thereof, yet we also would reign with them as sharers therein, and in thankfulness to God for their mercy. Let people be truly rich in grace, and we must be full of comfort, indeed, our people's faith shall comfort us in all our affliction; oh, how much would our people's spiritual gains countervail our temporal losses? 'Tis better, infinitely better that you be rich with our wares, than we with yours, our greatest treasure as ministers lies in your souls' riches, we seek not yours, but you, and it will be transcendently more comfort if you give up your souls to Christ, than if you should give all your estates to us. We shall get riches enough if we make you rich, (as Constantius said once) this is one of Paul's paradoxes, oh that it might be verified in our success also, as poor, yet making many rich (2 Corinthians 6:10).
Concerning the birth and bulk of this treatise I must tell you, that the occasion of it was this: I heard a godly minister preach a sermon upon this text, and I was much affected with it, and resolved when I came home to search into it. I studied and preached three sermons (as I remember) upon it, with which some were so affected, that several entreated me to give them copies thereof, which I set myself to; but as I wrote it, it swelled in my hands to this magnitude at last; and when some had perused it, they entreated me to let it be printed, and some would be at the charges. It was a sudden, and (to me) a strange motion, for I never yet judged any labors of mine to be of so much worth as to be exposed to public view, yet I did not know what hand and end, the Lord might have in this motion. I sought God about it, and desired to search my heart, and purge it from the leaven of vanity and ostentation, which (God knows) I found too much working in me; then I told my friend I would communicate it to some reverend ministers, and should be ruled by their judgment and advice. I did so, and four or five eminent men in these two counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire have moved me to publish it; and if Providence clears its way, I am freely content, the Lord do with me and it, as seems good in his eyes.
The subject I am sure, is of great importance, nor have I ever seen any treatise of this nature; if it were profitably handled it might be of singular use. What is of man, I hope God will pity and pardon the unworthy instrument; and what proceeds from his blessed Spirit, may through the help of the Spirit reach and teach the spirit, as this has been (in a sort) painful, so has it been very pleasant and delightful to me. And this I can say, I never found variety of matter so flowing into my mind at any time, as in writing this book I have experienced: if the Lord do good by it, I have my end.
Devout Bernard begins an epistle to a great man with this text, A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things: and toward the close of that epistle he has these words, Truly for myself, I read myself in your letters, not what I am, but what I would be, and that I am ashamed that I am not. Just so may I say in this case, I have written of the heart's treasure, but alas, how little have I attained of that whereof I have written? The Lord grant that my own book may not rise up as a witness against me, but 'tis the desire of my heart to have such a treasure, as is here described, if it set our souls on longing and praying for it, some good is done by it.
I shall not any longer detain you in the porch, I entreat you read it deliberately, and practice what you read and find backed with the scripture of truth, and God forbid that my preaching, or this writing should rise up in judgment against you. God forbid that any of you should be found without this Heart Treasure of saving grace at death or judgment. My dear Friends, pray for me, who have you much upon my heart, when I am upon my knees, pray for me that utterance may be given to me — that I may make known the mystery of the gospel. Pray, that I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed, for the perfecting of that which is lacking in your faith, that so you may have a treasure of grace in your hearts laid up in you, and a treasure of glory in the heavens laid up for you, which is the constant prayer of
From my study at Coley-Hall June 14, 1666. A sinful worm, that desires to continue with you for your furtherance and joy of faith, Oliver Heywood.
