The Epifile to t~1e Reader. ~ bomh:.a~le to God: See to ,yoHr ftate, and then fee thdt You pr.ay aright, for manner, nuttttr, end : m~tny ask ttnd receive not-; becau(e they ask... amifs : Above all, Soul, in thyfecret addrejfes toGod, takp heed ·of a trifling fpirit ; rhou'/t finamoft ado with thy{elfhercm: QUrWttnton fpiritl Ar~ loath to be pentl}p in a narrow room of a fpiritual p~r.. formance ~ we love to talzy our liberty in ra'llging abroad · ~O a tbou(and objefls : but.Chriflia(l, M thou loveft thy peace, thy. Soul,thy.God, loo'J:. to thyfpirit in {ecret Prt~yer: Do not tr:ifle away thy time upon thy cyeeJ, let not thy 'J:91rds /reez.,e as they comp from thee, Jet no difcourage– l'l!entt beat- thee off: the Woman of Canaan, as one faith, t~ekes the :Qullets that Chrift Jhot at her, and w~th an. bnmbleboldnefs of faith, fends them: back., again in Pray-– er; which indetd ref1ch:d his heart, ~ndrrev.1iled with (Jod fo~ mercy. '- . r • . • ' But, 1flutll' inlarte nomor:e At prefent, but refer thee fo this fmallTreatifetJ wherewith I h'ave ( according to my pMr talent) laid before thee thisgr.eat Huty: What ejftfl ~t jhall have 1/z,now not, l'!lY God ~nows, in whfi.[e hands ~he ble.Jli'!g of our endea1Jour:s lyes; Get a/ot,te and pray fJ'Ver this Book~ and for the unwtJrthy .finful Author, as ~e defires to Jo for thee intowh,fe hands this may com~; let our Pr~eyers t/vzily meet. at the TllroiJe.ofGrace; till our fouls meet befor,e. the Throne of God; if thou recei11e{l 'Any ,gtJod hy t~is or ~ny other work.. this poor, worm hath 'handed Po thee, afcribe nothi1Jg to the inforument, bHt all t~ the agent, and efficient .. our-goodGod, from whon: co"mei :~'1 ~1/erygood and perfeft gift, difdains not the WtJrk..,.ftJr tkrt plainnefs of the ftyle; it WM purftofely_ put it) this drefsfor the Vulgar~sbenefit ; .Ani/ if it or myfelf be txpD.f-ed to 'en~ [ure-.for that, 'tis welcotf.!; I writenot to plt•feJearne&( $,holars, but to profit plain Chrijlia~J ; Whofe fpiritH~l .{ood I preftr abD'lie anycredit tomyfelf. I 11111 Jure, .therfl t-s none due: there b_eing few()f mybrethrinbutthly tran- . trt41Jif. inp~tr~s ""41~~rnin,t; BQt byt~ gr~ce <>fQed ' ' . '-~ "'· . ~ .. -· . ... ~ ~ .
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