THE PREFACE. READER, THE great business of man's life, is to answer the end for which he lives; and that is, to glorify God, and fave his own foul: this is the decree of heaven, as old as the world. But fo it is, that man mindeth nothing less than what he fhould most mind; and defpifeth to inquire into his own being, its original duty and end; chufing rather to dedicate his days (the steps he should make to blessedness) to gratify the pride, avarice, and luxury of his heart; as if he had been born for himself, or rather given himself being, and fo not subject to the reckoning and judgment of a fuperior power. To this wild and lamentable pafs hath poor man brought himself by his difobedience to the law of God in his heart, by doing that which he knows he should not do, and leaving undone what he knows he fhould do. And as long as this disease continueth upon man, he will make his God his enemy, and himself incapable of the love and falvation that he hath manifested by his Son Jefus Christ to the world. If, Reader, thou art fuch an one, my counsel to thee is, to retire into thyself, and take a view of the condition of thy foul; for Christ hath given thee light with which to do it: fearch carefully and thoroughly; thy life is upon it: thy foul is at ftake. It is but once to be done; if thou abuseft thyself in it, the lofs is irreparable; the world is not price enough to ranfom thee: wilt thou then, for fuch a world, belate thyfelf, overstay the time of thy falvation, and lofe thy foul? Thou haft to do, I grant thee, with great patience; but that alfo must have an end: therefore provoke not that God that made thee, to reject thee. Doft thou know what it is? It is Tophet, it is hell, the eternal anguish of the damned. O! Reader, as one knowing the terrors of the Lord, I perfuade thee to be ferious, diligent, and fervent about thy own falvation. Ay, and as one knowing the comfort, peace, joy, and pleasure of the ways of righteousness too, I exhort and invite thee to embrace the reproofs and convictions of Christ's light and spirit in thine own confcience, and bear the judgment, who haft wrought the fin. The fire burns but the ftubble; the wind blows but the chaff: yield up the body, foul, and fpirit to him that maketh all things new; new heavens and new earth, new love, new joy, new peace, new works, a new life and converfation. Men are grown corrupt and droffy by fin, and they must be faved through fire, which purgeth it away: therefore the word of God is compared to a fire, and the day of falvation to an oven; and Christ himself to a refiner and purifier of filver. Come, Reader, hearken to me awhile; I feek thy falvation; that is my plot; thou wilt forgive me. A refiner is come near thee, his grace hath appeared to thee: it fhews thee the world's lufts, and teaches thee to deny them. Receive his leaven, and it will change thee: his medicine, and it will cure thee: he is as infallible as free; without money, and with certainty. A touch of his garment did it of old; it will do it ftill: his virtue is the fame, it cannot be exhaufted: for in him the fullnefs dwells; bleffed be God for his fufficiency. He laid help upon him, that he might be mighty to fave all that come to God through him: do thou fo, and he will change thee: ay, thy vile body like unto his glorious body. He is the great philofopher indeed, the wisdom of God, that turns lead into gold, vile things into things precious: for he maketh faints out of finners, and almoft gods of men. What refts to us then, that we must do, to be thus witnesses of his power and love? This is the Crown: but where is the Crofs? Where is the bitter cup and bloody baptifm? Come Reader, be like him; for this tranfcendent joy lift up thy head above the world; then thy falvation will draw nigh indeed. Chrift's Crofs is Chrift's way to Chrift's Crown. This is the fubject of the following difcourfe; first writ during my confinement in the Tower of London, in the year 1668, now reprinted with great enlargements of matter and teftimonies, that thou, Reader, mayst be won to Chrift; and if won already, brought nearer to him. It is a path, God in his everlafting kindness guided my feet into, in the flower of my youth, when about two and twenty years of age: then he took me by the hand, and led me out of the pleasures, vanities, and hopes of the world. I have tafted of Christ's judgments, and of his mercies, and of the world's frowns and reproaches: I rejoice in my experience, and dedicate it to thy fervice in Christ. It is a debt I have long owed, and has been long expected: I have now paid it, and delivered my foul. To my country, and to the world of Christians, I leave it: My God, if he please, make it effectual to them all, and turn their hearts from that envy, hatred, and bitterness, they have one against another, about worldly things; facrificing humanity and charity to ambition and covetoufnefs, for which they fill the earth with trouble and oppreffion; that receiving the Spirit of Chrift into their hearts, the fruits of which are love, peace, joy, temperance and patience, brotherly-kindness and charity, they may in body, foul, and spirit,' make a triple league against the world, the flesh, and the devil, the common enemies of mankind; and having conquered them through a life of self-denial, by the power of the Cross of Jefus, they may at last attain to the eternal reft and kingdom of God. So defireth, fo prayeth, Friendly Reader, Thy fervent Christian Friend, |