A Chrifl:ian DireB:ory. To M. I. Chrift:ian Ethicks. The Introdutl:ion. ~- x. E Eternal God, havin~ made M<~n an IHtelJetiH:~l a'nd Free-~genf, able tounderftand and cbo<>Ji the good, and rrfofe the evil ; .to I(_no..,, • . and lvve, and forve his Maker, and by adhering to Him in this life NDvm~tt/u·· of tryal; to attain to the blclfed figbt and Enjoyment of his Glory J:;f,~:[.,:;;· in the hfe to come, hath not been wantmg to furm~ htm wtth non Aft1t:>ior, fuch Neceffarie.s, WithOut which thefe ends could not .fuccesful- ~~~ fidrtium art..; ly be fought ; When we had lofi our Moxa! capacity of pleafrng /;im, Ylbus 1"Ph<c that we might enjqy him,he reHmeth us to it by t~1e wonderful work ~~~~~~·1:;~;,; of our Redemption : In Chrifi he hath reconc1led , the world un- :ovit::w, fd to himfelf; and bath given them a general Act ofObhvion, con- kt ;,mo~amr rained in the Covenant of Gr<J.ce, which nothing but mens obfii- &Jobue dt! nate and final unwillingnefs can deprive them of: To procure their Confent to 1 tbis gracious Co-1;femo, d~c. venant, he hath cummitted to his Minifiers the 1f"ard of ReconciliaJion_, commanding us to befucb Sa~.":ri~. A!r.' men "' in tbe fiead of Chrij1, and as though God himfelf did befmb them by tu, to be rcco~ciltd pcolog. unto'God, 2 Cor. 5• 18, 19, 20· and to Chew them fir{t their fin and mi[ery, and proclaim and offer the In ~··:o dom~J true Remedy, a~d to let t~em know, that All thing,! ~re 11ow ready, and by pleading their duty, their ;:r';t:; ;ebL necelfityand tberrcommoduy; tocompell them to come zn, Matth. ::1:2. 4· Luke t x. 17, 23. 111 ,, ~;jJe qui~ But fo great is the Blindnefs and Obflinacy of men, that the greatcfi part rcfufe Confem, being de- dtm, fed fid:l< , ccived by the pleafures, and profits and honours of this prcfcnt world; and make their pretended M P.ll!o, &. neceffities or bufinefs the matter of their excufes, and the unrcafOnable reafons of their refufal, ncgli~ zm~ 11m 11l~: gence and delayes; till death furprize them, and the door is lhut; and they knock and cry for Mercy C~J;1;~i~;~~:f..: and Admittance when it is too late, lvlattb. 25. JO, I I, 12• b:u :.(~at:e v~c ~. 2· Againfi this Wilful Negligence and Pre[umption, which is the principal Caufe of the d1mnation & imp~rt~bJit of the ungodly world, I have written many Books already : But becau[e there are many that profefs 4f~/lr4 ';:ji•• themfelves unfeignedly wiUing, not only to be favcd, but alfo to beChrijil DifciplCJ, to learn of him, to ~~~,~~~r~s~1D11 "'; (A'!Jor, cum la– cbrymU fartc qu~ tx Dei cfftlritm projluur.t, alii cn!fl tii/lititt, fed qn~ tx iDdignatirm& pt1jiUar~imitau drprtbt11f.e cDrfciemitt exrorq:«tllr, ilitld txcipitnt. Gildas Prolog. Excid. Habtt, i(IJUits, Britwmi« Reflom, habtt fpuulatores: ~id tfl ~ttgai1do m:!tire dij}oniJ? Yabtt, i1111Wn habu, fi r.o11 rdtr.t, lf:On titr~t nu• Grtd~ i~fd;11ia iJJeU11ati ra11to pondrre jullt trcffi idcirCi fPatixm rtJPirtndi nOit babmt. Pr.toaup:~.ba;rt i:)wr ft rr.:o10 tali~u. o~jtflion~~l#, &,. B 2 imitatl
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