·To the Reader.· heart and li{e 1 and fo efcape from t'be'greateP evil) anct . trul~t Jure of tbe chiefeft good. · · 3· fVhen thou haft {eriouJ!y confidered and re{olved,-· proceed pre[ent!y io praefi[e, with all thy might? ttnd wi.th- . out tbe leaft dtlay. 'Tis commonly a wor~ of fome trme to alter tbe temper Gftbe foul, \tnd change the cour[e_of ·· tbe life; and according to God'~r ufual methods, the lon– ger thouh.tft beenaccu(iomed to d<J evil, the more time and painJ will be requifite, ~o.break th_e force offtub~orn tufts, ._ to"ttJ;aken and fubdue vrcto:u b.tbtts, and to_gazn tho[e of grace andgoodnefs; to travel bacJr tbe way tbou haft gone ll.'rong, and to get out ofit, into the path of life. 'Tis ~ell. tben if there be days enouj,h before the': to do the one th1ng needful; to be Jure thou art not certainof altbour to [pare, the lo[J of fo {mall ap.trt mav prove the lofs of all. Be– . fides, if thou puueft off t~y rtformation, tbougb but for a little while, 'tis a fign tbQu dojt not really btten1it at all; for tbou purpofeft againft convi{1ion) to add fin to fin at. prefent: Arzd 'how can tbat oon-fift witb an.lear.ty deftgn of growing good afterw.trd? Delude not ther2[ore thy felf with fuc.b ade[~erate che1-t, but imitate the royal Pfal-:t mift 5 \Vhen thou hafi thought on thy \Va}'S, turn -. thy feet unto God's teitimonies: Make hafie, and ~ delay not to ke~p. his commandments. 4 · Remember tbat COJ'27)erfitJn -unto God is z,ut.the be---,~ ginning' of tbfduty, tbat thou muft'afterw.f,rds obey hirn ; all the daysof thy li{r!, anl that tbere j:; no other wa)' to p·efervean intereft ill his favour, ar.d a right to the gre.tt expreffhns tl;ereof: They a}·e the la1-gejt, and the Iaft djf_ cover!es ~~f d;vine gr.u:c., thtt teach thee to deny u~gudltne ~ s, and worldly1ufis; tolivefoberly,righte– oufly and go:lly in this prefent world; and fo do.. , ing; to look for the bleffed objeCl: of thy hcpe: Tbey pl.l at~r . enougb wan: tbee ag.tinft drawing back unto perd1t1on ; tbey tbre,t:en afi :1al rejettioi1, if thou de~ ' ci~ :
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