Mind of Bellarmine; That it will be beft to reft upon Chrift alone for Salvation when they come to die: They will then fee that they had no caufe to abule the Servants of Jefus Chrift, that have made it their Bufines to exalt Chrift and FreeGrace. Fourthly, Knowing my own Infufficiency for fo great a Work, as to appear to Publick View. Fifthly, Becaufe of many things that might be left out in the Printing that was Preached, I not Preaching by Notes, cannot remember many things which were delivered to you when the Sermons were Preached; but here you will find the principal Heads of what I delivered, being taken from my Mouth by a Servant of the Lord when Preached. I have done my endeavour to fupply what I could that was wanting, and to correct what I saw out of Order; but it cannot be expected fo well as it would have been, if I had Writ the Sermons I had Preached at length; yet finding the earnest Defire of most of you to have them Printed, and the many Arguments you used to have them haftened to be Published, notwithstanding the many Struglings I have had against the Work; yet the dear Love I bear to you, and the earnest Defire I have to ferve you in the Lord, hath overcome my Unwillingness in this Work, having received an account from feveral of you, the fweet Comforts many of you received when you heard them preached, and have alfo declared how much it would add to your Comfort and Edification if they were Printed; I hope through Grace, that you will not be difappointed of your Expectation. Some of you have declared that the Preaching was as Marrow and Fatnefs to your Souls; I hope that you will fuck out fome Spiritual Sweetness in the Reading of them. As God.

was

was graciously pleased to answer your Prayers, in raifing me from a fick Bed, to Preach thefe my Sick Bed Meditations amongst you; I hope, through Mercy, your longing Defire to read them will be fatisfied, in receiving that Comfort you expect to Reap to your Souls in Reading of them. What is faid of Money, that it Answers all things to the Subfiftence of the Body, may be much more fald of Chrift to them that Live upon him; he anfwers all their Wants, fupplies all their Needs: He that hath Chrift wants not, he that hath not Chrift, Inherits not what he' feems to have. Chrift enjoyed in the Soul, makes bitter things Sweet, heavy things light; where Chrift's Prefence is, Darkness is made Light, and Sorrow turned into Gladness. How precious are the Enjoyments of them that have fuch a precious Pearl as Chrift is! He is the chiefeft of Ten Thoufand, he's amoft Excellent and lafting Good, Heb. xiii. 18. All the bid Treasure of Wisdom and Knowledge is in bim, Col. ii. 3. What an Excellent Knowledge have ye attained unto, that truly know Chrift? How doth this tranfcendent Worth affect your Hearts, changing them into his own Image and Likenefs? When a Soul comes to have a faving Knowledge of Chrift, he is changed then from Vir Terranus an Earthly Man, to Vir Caeleftis an Heavenly Man. Ignorance of Jefus Chrift, causeth Men to reft in Shadows and in Forms, in poor and low things, compared with Chrift and his Excellency, all are but Drofs and Dung, fa the Apostle esteems them, Phil. iii. 8. It is only a real faving Knowledge of Chrift, can draw the Heart of a vain and perifhing World to seek things that are above. It is not a Speculation, but an Ap plication of Chrift, that brings home to the Immortal

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mortal Soul what it ftands in need of; Life, Light, Pardon, Peace, Purity, Righteoufnefs, Counsel, Comfort, Healing, Deliverance, Grace, Glory, all flows to the believing Soul from Christ, in whom all Fulness dwells. The Soul that lives Chrift hath a good Livelihood, John vi. 51. He fhall live well for ever. It is not an outfide fhew of Religion will be to the Soul what it ftands in need of, as Redemption, Forgivenefs, ReconciFation, San&tification, Confolation, Salvation. Chrift is the Believers fafe Sanctuary in all their Troubles and Temptation, Ifa. viii. 14. In this fmall following Treatife, I hope you find fome Difcourfes of the fulness of Jefus Christ, and the emptinefs of the Creature; for that is my Defire in all my Labours among you, to get an Efteem in your Hearts for Chrift above all other things, and that the Name of our Lord Jefus may be Glorified in you, and ye in him: I hope I need not doubt of your acceptance of thofe plain following Truths. I do not think you will refufe it for its plain Drefs, but rather Embrace it; for I know, as for the moft part of you, that you had rather have Chrift plainly Preach'd, than fuch Difcourfes that are bedeck'd with Rhetorick, or painted over with curious Words of Art. I may expect it will not be free from the Slighting Scorn, and Contempt of many, that are ready to undervalue every thing but what they do themselves, and do find fault with that they cannot Mend. But I have learned not to value any of their Undervaluings: For if a thousand to one flight it, yet if one in a thousand get good in their Souls by it, I fhall blefs God that ever it was printed; what Evil Report foever I may receive from Evil Men of Evil Minds for

the

the Works fake; I hope I fhall not value the Frowns of Men, as one well faith, Better to lofe the fmiles of Men, than to lose the Souls of Men; and I am fure without Chrift bé our Life, we are poor and undone dead Sinners. I know I have many Enemies, who have through their Envy and Malice raised many falfe Reports of me: But I defire to be an Enemy to none, but thofe that are implacable Enemies of Chrift in Doctrine and in Practice; but tho' they are Enemies, yet I freely pray for them. But I cannot expect to fare better than those that have abundantly excelled in Grace and Knowledge, that were both burning and fhining Lights, whofe Works praise them in the Gate, and their Sweet Savour in Chrift made known to Saints and Sinners; many Hundreds I believe, have caufe to Blefs God that either heard them Preach'd, or have Read their Works: And yet how are thefe Men railed againft as not worthy to live, and their Works to be Burnt by the common Hangman, as one with more Zeal than Knowledge declared: Because Men have not received that meafure of Knowledge and Experience as those Men, they rail against them as Ignorant unlearned Men, their Books not fafe for any to Read. Do not these Men go quarrelling in the Dark, because their Brethren have received more Light than they? Perfons are grown to fuch a fond Conceit of themselves and their own Opinion, they will not hearken to Gofpel-Experiences; they will not fo much as try thofe Truths they revile by the Scripture, but proceed with Lies and Slanders against thofe good Men, though they never knew their Perfons, nor Read their Books. I am perfwaded, if thefe Perfons had Knowledge of thofe Perfons and Truths they speak against, if the Lord were pleased

to reveal himself to them, had they a Tafte and Sight of the Lord Jefus, who reveals himself how and to whom he pleaseth, instead of biting and devouring them, and spending their time to raife Evil Reports of them, they would enquire after the Knowledge of Chrift, as the Daughters of Jerusalem did of the Spoufe; Whether is thy beloved gone, that we may feek him with thee, Cant. vi. 1. If Chriitians would fpend their time in enquiring after Chrift, and receiving and imparting their Experiences to each other, as they fpend in Contentions, and taking up, and carrying about Evil Reports of them that excel themfelves in Godliness, they would find more Peace and Comfort to their own Souls, and bring more Glory to God, bring more Souls to Chrift, and would be a Means for the Beauty of Holiness, and Power of Godliness to fhine with greater Luftre to the World.

This is my Comfort, whatever Mens Thoughts or Words, Cenfures or Contempt are of these my poor Labours, I can truly fay, I feek not my felf, but the exalting of Jefus Chrift, and his Truths and Kingdom in the World. InSinglenefs of Heart I have imparted Truth to you, as I learned them in Jefus: I had rather have the Scorn of Men for the Plainnefs of Truth, than you fhould have plain Truths hid from you. If I am the Object of Worldlings Scorn, fo Chrift be the Object of your Faith, therein I fhall rejoice.

Behold, as I have granted your Request in Printing my unworthy Labours, which were done chiefly at your Requeft, and for your fake; I pray grant me fome few Requests, which I beg of you for Chrift's fake.

Firft, That you feriously and carefully perufe thefe plain Truths that I have dedicated to you.

Secondly,