and power, are very opportune to become a prey and spoil to the covetousness of their teachers, inasmuch as they may accommodate and comport with them in their judgments and consciences, and yet gratify the flesh; which is a service of sovereign acceptation, for the most part, with such men.

3. The great men of the world I speak of, as they value themselves above the ordinary and meaner rank of men, so do they their principles and imaginations also, especially in matters of religion, above the rate at which inferior persons estimate theirs; and, consequently, as, on the one hand, they count it the greater disparagement to have them chastised or put to rebuke by any man, so, on the other hand, they are apt to judge such men worthy a double reward, who shall justify and give testimony unto them. Upon this account, also, such men are in much more danger than others to be bought and sold by such teachers who mind or savour the things of this world, because these teachers, observing this strain or humour in such men, are hereby tempted and provoked to work upon it, which must be by perverting the straight ways and counsels of God in the Gospel, so that they may appear every ways conformed, and no ways cross, to their apprehensions.

4. And lastly, the great danger I speak of threatens the sons of the glory and greatness of this world more than other men at this turn also, because they, partly by reason of their places, and partly of the unruly greatness of their estates, are full of the cares, distractions, business, and employments of the world; and, besides, have the opportunity, of which the flesh makes a necessity, of following and enjoying many pleasures and outward contentments, possibly in themselves not unlawful, which persons of meaner condition have not. Now, what between the one and the other, their time is wholly drunk up; by reason whereof they want leisure, and, so, freedom and composedness of mind and understanding, substantially to examine and try the doctrines of their teachers. This want being understood and resented by them, strengtheneth their hand to be the more venturous and daring in preaching such doctrines unto them, which, as, on the one hand, they know to be pleasing enough to their present judgments and thoughts, so, on the other hand, they are without much fear of being ever detected, or challenged by their great masters, for unsoundness or untruth in them. As for any detection in this kind by meaner men who hear

them, they balance the fear hereof, partly with the knowledge which they have of the inabilities, in conjunction with the carelessness and neglect about matters of this nature, in the greatest part of them; and partly with this apprehension or hope, that, however, the countenance and approbation of the great ones will swallow up the disallowings of a few meaner ones into victory.

These disadvantages, with many others of a like or worse nature, being, as far as is discernible, redeemed by so few of the first-rate persons of the world, (I mean those whom wealth and power make a generation of men by themselves,) the consideration of it fills me, not with admiration of their persons for advantage' sake, but with commiseration to their persons for that danger' sake of perishing eternally, whereunto they are much more exposed than other men. Jerom might have gone lower down, when he professed that he should wonder if any King were ever saved.* And if the Lord Christ knew such imminency of danger in riches only, as to assert that "a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven;" and again, that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God;" (Matt. xix. 23, 24;) how threatening above measure must the danger needs be in this kind, when riches and power meet together in conjunction; power having every whit as hard, as malignant, an influence upon soul-interest as wealth or riches themselves!

Do I speak these things unto you, because I love you not, because I honour you not, because I own you not in your capacities of magistracy and civil power? "God knoweth; yea, God knoweth, that you have not a friend made of flesh and blood more Christianly real or cordial unto you, either in the things of your present honour, in a worthy discharge of your magistratical trust and dignity, or in the things of your future and eternal peace, than I. If God himself, in respect of your office, and as you are governors of the same world in part with him, judgeth it meet to style you gods, (Psalm lxxxii. 6,) far be it from me, and from every other man, either to speak or think of you beneath the honour of so high an appellation, upon the same account. The zeal of my loyalty unto, and

* Miror si aliquis Rex salvabitur.

approbation of, magistracy and government hath been abundantly testified by the frequent contests and liftings up of my pen against all the profanations and pollutions of the glory of them, whether injustice, tyranny, oppression, partiality, pride, unfaithfulness, negligence, &c., in those called unto them; or whether anarchical, disloyal, tumultuous, seditious strains, either in word or deed, in those, a good part of whose calling is obedience and subjection unto them.

I trust your patience hath endured me hitherto without offence. I am not like to speak again unto you, until the heavens be no more. Give me leave, therefore, not so much for the satisfying of mine own mind, as conscience, nor at all to trouble or offend you, but to help you in the great and most important affairs of your souls, to say this one thing further unto you, that such teachers are never like to be cordial or faithful to the dear interest of your souls, nor to make you great in the saving knowledge of God, who either, on the one hand, cannot willingly bear your frowns, neglects, or contradictions for the truth's sake, or, on the other hand, care not to offend you for a humour's sake, or thing of nought. They are the men for your service in the Gospel who are most solicitous and intent to please you, and, withal, most fearless and regardless of displeasing you, for your good.

If you please to find leisure, diligence, and a judgment unprejudiced, to peruse the ensuing Exposition which I humbly put into your hand, I doubt not but, through His blessing who giveth to every seed its own body, you shall reap from it increase of knowledge and sound understanding in things of highest concernment to you. I call God for a record upon my soul, that I have no design upon you in this dedication, unless it be to make you in all Christian worth and honour as much greater than other men, as you are above the most in wealth and dignity; and to persuade and beseech you, with all affectionateness, with all earnestness of soul and spirit, that, as you desire to be found at the right hand of the great Judge in that his day, so in this your day to remember and consider that magistracy and power of government are no institutions of God, either to fill the purses, or to furnish the tables, or to lift up the minds, or in any kind to gratify the flesh of those in whom they are vested; but rather to serve, to accommodate, and bless the societies and communities of men on earth, unto which they

relate respectively, according to that worthy item which the Queen of Sheba gave unto Solomon: "Because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee King to do judgment and justice." (1 Kings x. 9.)

The same Lord and mighty God so overshadow you with his power and good Spirit, that the conceptions of your hearts may be holiness unto him, wealth, and peace, and gladness of heart to the inhabitants of this great and famous city, the government whereof is entrusted with you; to yourselves, honour, and safety, and length of days, with the peace and joy of a good conscience on earth, and a far more exceeding eternal weight of glory in the heavens. So prayeth, and is willing yet to pray a greater prayer for you than so, did he know any greater,

Your servant, to be commanded in Christ,

From my study in Coleman-street,

JOHN GOODWIN.

February 7th, 1652.

TO THE READER.

GOOD READER,

I. I CANNOT but acknowledge myself a debtor of thine in a far greater sum than here I tender, or, indeed, am likely to be in any capacity to make payment of unto thee, for some years, though God should, against the threatenings of my crazy tabernacle, reprieve me from the grave. I find old age coming upon me like an armed man, attended with his accustomed retinue of infirmities, weaknesses, and disablings from service many ways, as well in the labour and travail of the mind as of the outer man. Besides, the troublesome importunity of some men in another way, of very ill abode to the affairs of Jesus Christ amongst us, hath engaged my thoughts to offer something in public, and this with as much expedition as my slow pace, with other emergent diversions, which are like to prove not a few, will afford, for the healing of it, if God shall graciously please to stand by me in the cure. By reason hereof my intentions, declared for the drawing up of a second part to my book of Redemption, now some while since published, are interloped, and set back for a time; yea, whether God will not, by the hand of death, discharge me from the service before I shall be in a capacity to lift up a hand unto it, is beyond the ken of my understanding. However, He. whose interest is a thousand times more concerned in such a service than mine will, I am securely confident, awaken other instruments to the performance of it, though I shall fall asleep.

II. Concerning the Exposition now in thine hand, though it be not yet of age, yet, I suppose, it can and will speak for itself to those who understand the dialect which it speaketh: If not, I shall not be importune, nor rise up early, to commend it. The parcel of Scripture expounded in it, is, doubtless, of a most high and excellent inspiration; as our Saviour's advice also was, upon his commending those who had "made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven." And as he, by subjoining this epiphonema, "He that is able to receive it, let