i. . To the Reader. fianding in Chri!Haflity, yet by frequent fea.rching in· to this Book of his heart, finde more errours th~n eve-r ht thought of. So that I may here comm~nd a new fifldy, and a new art to the world, This Treatife is De. Arte Cortlil, whichmay well be called liberal, for if rightly managed) it will fet a man at liberty from that entanglement and bondage, the lulls of fin have over him. It's true, tbis SubjeCt bath been fearched into by many praCtical Auchors, yet it's good to have feveral T.raetates a_bout the fame marter (for we do not bring aewmatter in Divinity, no more then there is in-Phi– lofophy, tJwAteriaeft itJgen~rabilis, it is the fame mat· ter underamultitudeof torms) Not only becaufe one Book of fuch a Subjett may come unto a mans hands, when another may not, but a1fo becaufe every man bath his feveral gift to prepare and dreffe up the matter treated of, and one mans gi(t may prevail more then another mans. No doubt it's with Books, as it is with men and their_preaching. There is a \Vonderfull dif– p.!n[ation of Gods providence herein, fo'r as fome men, though they have not eminency either of gifts or gra.- . ces, yet are bldfed with more fp.iritull fucceife and ac- – ceptancein their labours, then men of greater name and renown : So it is \~its Books, Not alwaies that which is the mofr learned, the mofl: exquifite and ela· borace ·doth find e the chiefefl: place in mens affeCtions, but the fuccefieis as God in wi fdom and mercy doth vouchfafe to it. H-: nce thougb theMiilillersof Chrifr plant and wacer by writing as well as preaching, yet frill it's God chat giV'et h the increafe . A two·fnld advantage may come ·by this Book through Gods bleffing, Firfr, The true Chri!l:ian may come to fur~r A!fu– ., ranee
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=