The necessity and advantage of an early victory over Satan with some rules for the obtaining it : in a sermon reached to an auditory in London / by T. Cruso.

THE PREFACE.

THE general unsuccessfulness of our Publick Ministry, hath been a great while the just and sad Complaint of those that la∣bour in the Word, and look after the Fruit of that labour; And all sorts of Persons do yet give too much Cause, yea, more Cause than hath been formerly given, for the renewing of this Complaint. Various Applications have been made to various Ranks are Orders of Men, but still they have had the same issue, as in the Propheet's time;* 1.1 The poor know not the way of the Lord, and those of greater quality, have broken the Yoke also: Both wretch∣edly averse to the receiving of Instruction. Age and Youth have likewise had their Portions of season∣able Counsel, but the desir'd Effect is not hitherto seen; they that are but newly enter'd into the World, and they that are manifestly going out of it, still joyning hand in hand, and drawing Iniquity together with cords of Vanity.

In this mournful case, any serious Person might very well be stirr'd up to consider, what Endea∣vours are to be further used, and upon what Sub∣jects they are most likely to make some Impres∣sion: And because it hath been sometimes ob∣served, That God by his Spirit takes hold of young ones, when the Gray-headed Sinners are left to the ways of their own-hearts, (as the Parents of the Man born blind, unthankfully denied Christ before the Pharisees,* 1.2 but their Son confest him bold∣ly) it may afford a little the more Encouragement to continue dealing with them especially. Be∣sides, as they need to be Men of Eminent skill, who engage in the cure of inveterate Diseases, when one of inferior Abilities, may adventure up∣on a Wound that is fresh; so it may seem a more proper task for him that willingly takes the low∣est place among the Children of the House, to at∣tempt the reducing of vain Prodigals, that are wast∣ing the dew of their Youth in the Service of Sin, than to perswade those to a return, who are full of days, and of wickedness at once.

It is not altogether improbable, that Men may be somewhat the easier to be intreated by one of their own Rank; the Apostle intimates thus much, when he says,* 1.3 The Elders which are among you, I exhort, who am also an Elder; and if by the like Argument, I might recommend the

folloming Discourse to the better Acceptance of Ju∣nior Readers, I shall reckon my self bound to thank God always, upon every remembrance of its good Effects, that he put such a Design into my heart, and enabled me in any measure to a per∣formance of it. I am sure, That I cannot be rea∣sonably suspected of serving the ends of Vain-glo∣ry by it, and therefore shall not here raise such a suspicion by making the least Apology for its plain∣ness; for that I have sincerely studied, as far more likely to affect the heart, and be attended with a Divine Blessing, than the most pleasant and artifi∣cial sound of words.

It ought not to be conceal'd (if it could be) that many-excellent and valuable Authors, have with vastly more advantage, as well as in much larger Treatises, written to the same purpose; and I freely acknowledge, that I should think my Pains in this very well bestowed, if it did but help to re∣vive the serious perusual of some of them, which having been published some time since, may be now perhaps forgotten, or too much neglected. He that comes after all these, hath great Examples to follow, which I am very conscious of doing afar off; but I know, That God makes use of several Instruments and Means in his own Work; and many times those, who are under the least Temptaion of taking his Glory (if he prosper them) to them∣selves;

for he hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty;* 1.4 and it is possible to him, to make a poor Lamp in an earthen Pitcher,* 1.5 as fatal to the Devil's Kingdom, as things of that kind once were to the Host of Midian. And therefore in humble Hope of God's effectual Work∣ings by it, I send it forth into the World, earnestly beseeching him, who is the Fountain of Light and Grace, that it may be unprofitable to none that read it, that it may be in a particular manner useful to those that heard it, and sollicited this Publi∣cation.

T. C.

May 29. 1693.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Jer. 5.4, 5.
• * 1.2

  John 9.20.21.
• * 1.3

  1 Pet. 5.1.
• * 1.4

  •• Cor. 1.27.
• * 1.5

  •…•…dges 7.20.