Perkins - BX9318 P47 1613 v2

'!he Eptjlle 'Dedicatorte. for 11 leri.Y Otf~:nJeUHI w~mayand mu_ndveComcth10gw ourownt p~rfons,whcreby to~ appcafe the wrath ofGod, •·hy hath our Slmouruught v•forour hearts rclrefc, wholly and or,><ly to makotae plea ofpardon for our finnesiTrue ic is indeede, that Popilh ContciTours doe teach the 1 rp<!oirl!n,.,when they fecle rhewrarh of<?.od_vpon them foe finne, to C!oppc the mou~hof Co:aCcicmcc.by perfOrmanceofaf~rm40humlft.tt•o,,and repcnrance,yta to offer vnto God {ome ceremoru.dl dur1esinway offarisf~Clion. But whenforrow feazerh vpon thelotlfc, aAd c~eman fals 10to rcmptatioo,then er wall appear~rh.u thefc directions were ~or curra11r; f~~ ootQ/UhAan~ dio:J them he may w.tnr found comfort 10 Gods mercie,-and runnc mro defpa1re w1thour recoue.. · 11 e.A.nd f~r this caufc, vponexperience fr hathbcene prooi.Jed, that cuen Papi!ls rhemfdues in rh< houreofdearh,haue bcenecontentto renounce cherr owne ivorkcs, yea the whole bodie of humone fatisfaelrons,and to cleaueonely eo the mercie ofGod in Chrill for theirfalrlation; By thefeinflances,and many more that might be allcadged ro this purpofc,it is apparant, VI';' on how wcake and vnllablegrounds theC•(•-<iioinirieof the Popifh Church £landerl>, and how inJireCl.courfe rhoy rake,lor che rcfolution and direelion ofrhe troubled Confcience. Now by rhe benefit and abufe ofrhisDoelrine, we feo how necdfary iris, chat in Churches whrch pro!CITe Chnllian religron,n fhould be mme taughc,and further inl~rged th<n it rs, And tvthos purpofe it were to bewrOJed,thocmenof knowledge m the Mmrllwe, that haue by rbc grace ofGodattained vnro theTongr~to(thtlu~rned,would imploy their paines thiswaymor one~ ly infearchinginto che depth offuch points as!land in barefpecularron, but in annexing there– Unto thegwundsand conclufions ofpraelrfe,whereby they mrght bothinforme che iudg<mcnt, and reft1fie the confc1ence ofthehearers. By rhu mcanes lt wouJdcome ropalfc.-, rh~t the poorc dlf}reJied fouJe m1ght be releeuC"d,pieuc and dcuotJOn moreprad1fed , thekingdomc of Sanne; Satan,and Anrrchrrll ...eakened and tmpayred,and theconcratle krngdomaofChrill lefus mote , and more ellaelrn,ed. Whar rhe Author and Contriuer ofrheDifcourfeenfuing bath done in thi• behalfe,it is cui– dent by rho wholecourfe ofhis wricmgs,rhar he harh lefr behrnd hrm::ll whrcb,astbey do open– lyO>elll vntothe world,how great a meafureofknowledgeand voderOanJmg,wrthmher endow– ments•bothofna·ureand gracc,theLord had mrrched hrrn wirhall,fothey doecarriewith rh<n• chefweet fauourofpicrieand fanelificarion, wherewith bee approoued his heart vmoGod, anJ his life V11to men.Wherein aJ(o vponoccaGon,hc hath propcJuoded)andexplained (uodne no– table rules ofdrreelron and refolutionol theConfcience,as w1ll appcare to theview of the lear– ned and well aduifed Re•dor. , To let patle all rherclt:thrs prefent 1' reatife giuetb wry (uf!icient tdlimonic of his know– l~dgcand dcxrer&fie in that kind; whachcouldnot beauaihedvnto,withoutgrrar paines ,much obferuarron,and long expweoce.A labour which con•menJech it {clfe tothe Church of God i 11 rwore(peelspr1nc1pally.One,becaufehis grounds andprinciples arc drawnc1ther ditedly, or by iuCl confequencc our ofche u·rtttCn Wotd,and fo arc ot grt!arer force, roconuincc rh(' con(ci~ cncc,ancJ tog1uc fat1sfatlion to rhe mind,eitbcr doubting,ordJrlrclfcd. The orber,forthat 1t i9 dehuered wrrhfuch perfpicuirre, and drfpofed in fuch order and M othode, as fitteth bell forth• vndertt.&ndmgond rnefllotleofany,who(oeucrlhall peru(cit. Now thiswhGie T reafi(e of rhe ~ell•ons, I haue made bold to pr.C.nt vnto your Lordfi,ip, and to puhlrihahroad vndcr your proteCt•on. Frrfl, becaufeGod, who vouchfafetb fpwallla– u~urtothc:tnthat honuurhin~,h,..thadorncdyour eCfare w1th Hot::~our, your pcrfOn in¥oardly wnh many uch graces ofthe Sp~ru.and ourw,ardly wrth the profdlion and praelrfe of true Reli– gion;athingd1rctlly confirmedby you1 vnfa,ned loueofthc: truth,and cont1nuall f,auors eo the Tuchers ofrhe fame,theMmillers a11d D •fpenfers of rhe Cofpcll. Secondly, becau(e as the Author of rhefcCafes,was hrn•fdfc"' many re(per'ls bound vnroyour Honour-while he liued– follis wifeandchtldrenfor h1~ rakc,hauercccJucdmuCh 'fcaodnelfe at yourhaods,fince his dutb; 1 a manifell proofe ofthe rruth andfyncerrrioofyuur affeelron towords brm in th< Lord. And in the Jafl placc,ir\llas myddire,by fctt&ngthem forth vnderyour nam~:,rognse fomctefim1omeo dutytoyou• Hnnour,prefuming rhataoyouloued rhc Aocbor, fo you willbe plea[ed eo patro– nrzerhe Worke,andfauourably tornt<rpror,ofche parnes andg<>od intention of the publilber. 'And rhuscrauing pardon for my holdnelfe,I humbly take my leaue,and commend your Lord– lhrp to thegrate and fauourofGod 10 Chrt!l.FromEm•nHtBColiedge ia C•mbridg•• YourHon.in alldutictobecommandcd, Th•. Pick,tring;

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