Dedication to Edward Lord Dennie (Book 2)

Right Honourable. It was not without special cause, that the famous Apostle of the Gentiles, entering into a serious meditation of the calling and work of the ministry, and growing at length to some issue of his thoughts, cries out (as it were) in terms of complaint; And who is sufficient for these things? For if inquiry be made into the reason of his demand, the Scripture shall answer for him; That ministers are the angels of the Lord of Hosts; the interpreters of his will; the salt of the earth; the light of the world, and their calling is, to carry the embassage of reconciliation; to manifest to man the pleasure of the Highest; to season the corrupted heart instrumentally with grace; to enlighten the darkened mind, by the dispensation of saving knowledge, as the sun does the air by the brightness of his beams.

Now these high titles and great works, evidently declaring the weight and worth of that honorable commission, are not either given or assigned, only in respect of public and ordinary duties, wherein by divine ordinance they be made the mouth of God to man by preaching, and again of man to God by prayer. For these are determined upon certain times and places, when and where they are to be put in execution, according to the laudable constitutions and canons of particular churches. But in a further regard, as they have received from God the tongue of the learned, and are endued with knowledge and ability, to inform the consciences of men touching every action, whether personal appertaining to particular states, or relative employed in the worship of God, and practice of Christian virtues, a gift, as no less necessary, so of a far larger extent than the other, and consequently performable without limitation of time or place, in season, out of season, whenever the mind requires resolution in case of doubt, or comfort in distress. The light of this candle is therefore erected upon high, and set in open view, that it may communicate itself not to all in gross, but to every one in person. The Lord's interpreter in this sense, is to dispense his will in every place and time, to the poor widow of Sarepta at her own home; to the noble [illegible] of Ethiopia in his travel; to David, that he may be drawn to confession of his sin; to Peter, for his restoring after his fall; to the weak, that they may be supported; to the strong, that they may stand; to the wavering mind for resolution; to the troubled soul for comfort and relief.

Hence it is apparent, that this messenger of God must be (as Paul says) a complete man, in every respect, armed and well appointed with necessaries appertaining, for all purposes, to the honor of his Lord, and the credit of his calling. He should be not only a learned text-man, mighty in the Scriptures; a positive divine, established in the truth; a man provided ad oppositum, to withstand and con[illegible] the adversary; but a skillful casuist, ready at all assays upon good grounds of knowledge and observation, to give a rule, to yield a reason, to speak a word in time to him that is weary.

Which last property, to omit the rest, being so essential (as it is) to the calling and condition of a minister; yes, of that importance (as heretofore I have declared to your Lordship) it seems strange, at least in my poor conceit, that among so many grave and learned discourses, published by way of definition and disputation in matter of religion, few or none have been framed and contrived to this purpose; that in this flourishing estate both of our church and commonwealth, none have employed their endeavors in the unfolding and displaying of this subject; yes, whereas they of the Popish church have been so plentiful, or rather lavish in their Summes, Manuels, Aphorismes, Instructions, Determinations, etc. for direction of their confessors in case-points; that our Protestant divines for the most part, have been so sparing and silent in speaking or writing of this argument.

Howbeit, the Lord in his most wise providence, has not wholly denied this benefit to our church. For notwithstanding so great silence and forbearance in matter of devotion, as touching the rectifying of the conscience, there has been of late years trained up to this end, a special instrument of his glory, who being in time thoroughly grounded in the principles of one part of the cases; by many grave counsels, and comfortable directions, fetched from the word, and gathered by long observation, has cured the wounds of many a distressed soul. And those divine tractates of his, now gathered together since his death, and communicated to the church of God, are full of heavenly meditations to that purpose. And as himself desired to leave to posterity, some memory of his knowledge in that kind, so the talent he received was not buried in his grave, but again revived in the person of that faithful minister of Christ, the author of this book, a man both for learning and piety deservedly reverenced and renowned in the judgements of all those that love and embrace the truth. Who happily attempting the same course, and referring the whole body of his labors in preaching and writing thereunto principally; proceeded with much advantage, added to the cases of distress other heads of questions, and in his latter time reduced them into such a frame and order, as might best serve for an introduction of case-divinity, for the help and encouragement of others.

The first part of which frame being formerly commended by me to your Honor, I have again emboldened myself to present you with the rest, that so the whole may have the freer passage from you, to the common use of others. Wherein I have taken up no new fashion, but kept myself to the commendable custom of writers in ancienter times, who have entrusted the church of God with the fruits of their endeavors, under the patronage of honorable and virtuous nobility. [illegible] namely of that renowned physician of Antioch, and of Saint [illegible] who dedicated their sacred writings, the one to the noble Theophilus, the other to the elect lady and her children.

And that which moved these holy penmen of Scripture to this practice, has also encouraged [◊] upon the same respects, to offer this Treatise to your honorable favor: First, because your Lordship has been long acquainted with the person, life, and labors of this man, and well grounded in the truth of Religion, the main subject of all his discourses. Secondly; the Lord has enlarged your heart by his grace, to yield entertainment to that truth which he did teach and write: and the manifestation of your willing mind to accept of any Treatise compiled by him, gives sufficient proof of this point, even in mine own knowledge. Thirdly, you have not contented yourself to be barely informed in the knowledge of the truth, but have further desired confirmation and assurance in the same. One instance thereof I must needs remember in this place: That sundry years since, it pleased you to set him a special task, the interpretation of that golden text touching the gain of the greatest commodity in the world (Philippians 3:8), for your further understanding of the same, as himself reports to your great commendation: And great reason, you should taste both of his former and latter fruits, who by your motion was encouraged to take the pains, and no doubt rewarded for his labor by a plentiful measure of your love.

Upon these motives, I have now at length exhibited to your Lordship the remainder of this present Introduction, my debt by bond of promise, and your due, by special right of patronage. If I be happily challenged of slack payment thereof to this time, I desire to be held excused. First, for that the total sum which remained behind unpaid, was the greatest part, and thereupon required further respite, that it might be more easily collected, and more fully defrayed. For though it be but one entire heap, yet it consists of sundry particulars, all which were to be thoroughly examined, that upon the account, there might be a mutual agreement of the whole and the parts. And further, it was my desire, that seeing the debt must needs be discharged, and that to an honorable person, it might be tendered in pure and current coin, which might bear the trial of the touchstone: A thing necessary in these times, wherein so much corrupt stuff in this kind, passes abroad from hand to hand.

And thus heartily wishing that these holy rules of religion and virtue, may be perused at your Lordship's best leisure, and entertained in practice for your daily comfort and direction: craving also your honorable acceptation of my careful endeavor in publishing them to the common view of the world, I most humbly take my leave: Beseeching the Almighty, who has already graced you with the true rewards of virtue, honor, and nobility, to establish the same both in your person and issue in this world, and after this life ended, to give you that eternal inheritance of honor and happiness, in the kingdom of glory. From Eman. Coll. in Cambridge. Novemb. 20. 1606.

Your Honor's in all Christian duty to be commanded, Thomas Pickering.