THE

PREFACE.

READER,

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HE great Business of Man's Life, is to answer the End for which he lives; and that is, To glorify God, and save his own Soul: This is the Decree of Heaven, as old as the World. But fo it is, that Man mindeth nothing less than what he should 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 Bleffedness, 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 fubject 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 should do. And as long as this Difeafe continueth upon Man, he will make his God his Enemy, and himself uncapable of the Love and Salvation that he hath manifefted

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manifefted by his Son, JESUS CHRIST, to the World.

If, Reader, thou art fuch an one, my Counfel to thee is, to retire into thyself, and take a View of the Condition of thy Soul; for Chrift hath given thee Light with which to do it: Search carefully and thoroughly; thy Life is upon it; thy Soul is at ftake. 'Tis but once to be done; if thou abuseft thy felf in it, the Lofs is irreparable; the World is not Price enough to ranfom thee: Wilt thou then, for fuch a World, be-late thyfelf, over-stay the Time of thy Salvation, and lofe thy Soul? Thou haft to do, I grant thee, with great Patience; but that alfo muft have an End: Therefore provoke not that God that made thee, to reject thee. Doft thou know what it is? 'Tis Tophet, 'tis Hell, the eternal Anguish of the Damned. O! Reader, as one knowing the Terrors of the Lord, I perfwade thee to be ferious, diligent and fervent about thy own Salvation! Ay, and as one knowing the Comfort, Peace, Joy and Pleasure of the Ways of Righteoufnefs too, I exhort and invite thee, to embrace the Reproofs and Convictions of Chrift's Light and Spirit in thine own Con1cience, and bear the Judgment, who haft wrought the Sin. The Fire burns but the Stubble; the Wind blows but the Chaff; Yield up thy Body, Soul and Spirit to him. that maketh all Things new; new Heavens

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and new Earth, new Love, new Joy, new Peace, new Works, a new Life and Converfation. Men are grown corrupt and droffy by Sin, 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 Salvation to an Oven; and CHRIST himfelf to a Refiner and Purifier of Silver.

Come, Reader, hearken to me a while; I feek thy Salvation; that's my Defign; 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 Fulness dwells: Bleffed be God for his Sufficiency. He laid Help upon him, that be 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 Saints out of Sinners, and almoft Gods of Men. What refts to us then, that we must do, to be thus Witneffes of his Power and Love? This is the CROWN: But where is

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the CROSS? 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 Salvation will draw nigh indeed.

Christ's CROSS is Chrift's Way to Chrift's CROWN This is the Subject of the following Discourse; first writ during my Confinement in the Tower of London, in the Year 1668, now re-printed with great Enlargements of Matter and Teftimonies, that thou, Reader, mayft be won to Chrift; and if won already, brought nearer to him. 'Tis a Path, God in his everlasting 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 Service in Chrift. 'Tis a Debt I have long ow'd, and has been long expected: I have now paid it, and delivered my Soul. To my Country, and to the World of Chriftians I leave it: May 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,