The Preface. that I were fare that I love God in fincerity I NoWWeare more in -thefe defires ! 0 that I could Know and Love himmore I and ferve him better I that I knew more of his holy will , and could more fully accomplith it ! and O that I were more fer- viceable tohim and 0 that I could fee the full profperity of his Church, and the gloryof his Kingdom ! This high degree of the Love of God, doth caufe us to take our felves as Nothing, and God as All ; and as before converfion we Were carelefs of our fouls, through ignorance,prefumption orfecurity, , andafter con.. ver/ion Were careful of our fouls , through the polder of convin- cing awakening grace ; fo now We have fomewhat above our fouls ( much more our bodies) to mind and care for : fo that though flillWe muff examine andobferve our felves, and that for our ielves, yet more for God then for our felves : When we are mindful of God, he will not be unmindful of tu : When it is our care topleafe him , the reft of our care we may caft on him , who hathpromifed to careforus. Even when we fufferaccording to his will, we maycommit the keepingof our fouls to him in well doing as to a faithful. Creator, i Per. 4. 19. And it isnot poffible in this more excellent way (a Cor. 12. 3 I. ) tobe guilty of a carelefsnegleel of our falvation, or of the want of aneceffa- ry Love to ourfelves; For the higher containeth the lower and perfection containeththofe degrees that arefound in the imperfett This neglett of our felves through the Love of God, is confeysen- tially the molt providentfecuringof our felves : This carelefnefs. is the wt.felt care : This ignorance ofgoodand evil for our felves While we know the Lord, andknow our duty, is the wifeft way to, prevent the evil : To be fomething in our felves, is to be No- thing : But if we be Nothing inour felves, andGod be All to us, in him we 'hallbe fomething. Be not wanting toGod , and I am Pureyoucannot be wanting to your felves. He will Reward , if you'l Obey. I haveAewedyou hitherto the Nature and Neceflity of Self- denyal : Othat Icouldnext 'hewyou theNations, the Churches, that are fuch indeed as lhavedefcribed ! But when I look into the world, when I lookinto the Churches of allforts , andconfider men of all degrees, myfoul is even amazed and melted into grief 5 to think howfar the forvparoleft profeffors are fwerved frowtheir holy
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