To the Chriflian Reader. ~1 -;,r 'ff!l Tu not vnknowen vmo:hee (Chrif!tan R'ader)tb.:t Sathtn is tiJ< deadly ene- 1 · - 'ill"'!' ofmanktnde, and thathee goeth about conttm.-!IJ !tke an hungcr-bm:u 'I ~ Lyon, feel·mg whom he maydeuoiiYt, For thu caufe,he vfethmftmltjlaghts, -j ~Ci 1and conueyanceJ, het layeth tnnumerab!e gtnnes, andjnttrt.s, toaJtrap men, ;~J ~ /andtobrmg themtnto eternal/ bondage vnder h1m, Ojthu pomt thot~maifl ~§ h.1t~eaplamevuwmthepeopleofthu Land. Some of them ndther regardmg Gods prourdenu, norhut,.dgements whtch hee may fendvpon themfor theirjim1es, (land ag.<J! at thejigtm of hrauen, et tht coniunCliom which ordinarily befo!t and at thisprefent,their mindes aregreat}! occupied with (ooltfh dreames of theyeare next enfuin~. Some others ( andtheyperauenture of abetter (ort) areprofejfors ofthe Go{ptll, and yet!iueje– eurely, {!illwe!tring in their olde cormptrons, and in vtry truth, not returning to t,;e Lord. For they thmke they haue done their dutie, and areperfwaded theyare mdy(aithfoll,ifthey doe not op- 1 po[e-them{elrmagarnjl tke Go{ptll, b111giue.noutward reuermee to it, and to the Mmif!ers.·of ,it:"; v.f thefooltfh virgins contentedthemfe!ue! wilhtheirlampes,neuerfeekingfor oyle,y.ntil/ 'I it w,u too/ate: jo thefe men contentthem(ettm wrth o11tw.rd fhew, and proje(fion ofgodtrnejfo, neiur regarding tofee!e thepower ofit in themfdt~es. Others ther<are, which n_odouht, might · reeeaue profit by the wordwhich theyluare preached, but they cannotabide that the word4:God fborifd b~fPJltidaright to their eonjciences. For they thewfe!t~c~ne11er thinke ofany thi11g,but of the:promtjeJ ofthe 6'ojpell: andcannot abide the threatnings ofthe Law. Yta ,they ltke the Mini– Jl~ry ~{theword, whengfllmlldoClrine u deliturd: but if the two edged fword of6'ods·wo~d, pearce into the marrowoftheirbona, •nd ranfocke the fecret ajfic1ionJ, andluflesofthe flefb; thenthey.reforth •f order, and ftorme ,aforiou; •nd madde men. Againe, (ome there itre, :J.hiehpartf?ily reafon ofthe tenderne!Je of their owne con(cienees, partly bJ their owm igito• :raneein the !Ziord oj.God,are e:ur andanon difquieted and t·roi<bld with m•nifold tempttittom. -In aUthefeJam ofmen, tho11 maifte-filj peruilie, bow bujie Sathan u, to Jecerue and bewitch men, andto ktepethemfliUvnder his-dominion, that his'kingdonu maynot bediminifhed._>N0!11; for t'heprmenti•g ofthe(uulllr,_l haue dra!Zintthis little Treatife : Rwiit'at thJ leafure; -and aeetpt ing•odpart this myendeauour: 1truH bfG•ds blefjing, tt fhall not be vnprofttab/eVII• to thee. W . P.
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