To The Honourable, Francis Rous
THE SAINTS TREASURY.
Presenting 1. The Incomparable Excellence and Holiness of God.
2. Christ's All in All.
3. The glorious enjoyment of Heavenly things by Faith.
4. The Natural man's bondage to the Law, and the Christians' liberty by the Gospel.
5. A preparation for judgment.
These are various SERMONS preached in LONDON, By the late Reverend and diligent Minister of the Gospel, JEREMIAH
BURROUGHES.
LONDON, Printed by T. C. for John Wright at the King's Head in the Old Bailey. 1654.
TO THE HONOURABLE, FRANCIS ROUS,
Esq Speaker of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England, and Provost of Eaton College. Honoured Sir,
IF a Heathen Poet could say, "Non omnis moriar," I shall live though I die; assuming his Works immortal, though he himself were mortal;
Upon how much better an account may a Prophet of the Lord say, "Non moriar, sed vivam," I shall not die, but live; both in respect of his immortal soul, to which death is as the gate of life; and in respect of the immortal travail of his soul, being conversant in the Word of the Lord that abides forever.
The works of the Saints of God in whom is the spirit of prophecy not only live when they are dead, but are instrumental in the hand of grace, both to plant life where it is not, and water it where it is, that it may spring forth more abundantly.
The chosen Vessel of the Lord, by whose Ministry he was pleased to give out the Heavenly treasures laid up in these Sermons, has some years since put off his earthly, and put on that Inheritance of the Saints in light, for which the Lord seemed early to have fitted him, by his earnest and assiduous Travail in assisting others. But though the Vessel be broken, or rather indeed refined and translated to his master's more immediate use, yet the Treasures abide for the common enrichment of the Saints. For spiritual Treasures (like the loaves blessed by our Saviour) multiply in their use, and when thousands have been enriched by them, do still remain sufficient to enrich thousands.
To you, honoured Sir, is this small but precious treasury presented, not as though your own store were not already full; for who knows not how many precious jewels (through the riches of Christ in you) you have richly set and polished for adorning the Bride, the Lamb's wife? Surely the spirit of Christ seems to have chosen and sealed your
Spirit to celebrate his own Nuptials in your Mystical Marriage and song of loves.