6 TO THE READER. the praises due to his great name. And these two duties of humiliation and thanksgiving, are the most solemn duties, which in these times of judgments and mercies, so variously interwoven together, the Lord doth so frequently call us unto. Places of scripture I have for brevity sake, for the most part, only quoted and referred thee unto, without transcribing all the words, and have usually put many parallel places together, because by that means they do not only strengthen the doctrine whereunto they belong, but mutually give light unto one another. The Lord make us all in this our day so wise and prudent, as to understand the righteous ways of our God towards us : that we may not stumble at them, but walk in them, and be taught by them to wait upon him in the way of his judgments, and to fix the desires of our soul upon his name as our great refuge, and upon his righteousness as our great business, till he shall be pleased by the dew of his grace, to revive us as the corn, to make us grow as the vine, and to let the scent of all his ordi- nances be over all our land, as the smell, and as the wine of Lebanon. It will be an abundant return unto my poor and weak endea- vours, if I may have that room in thy prayers which the apostle Paul desired to have in the prayers of the Ephesians, that utter- ance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly to preach the mystery of the gospel. The Lord sanctify all the ways of his providence towards us, that when we are chastened, we may be taught, and may be greater gainers by the voice of his rod, than we are sufferers by the stripes. e.v.1658.
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