Reader, this Book stands at the mercy of thy capacity for thy censure. Perhaps thou wilt judge it done for oppositions sake; the Black Devil to the White: perhaps for imitation; perhaps for affectation. Thou mayst for me causes enough in thy imagination to produce it, yet miss the right. It was to show thy self, and all other perusers, the blackness of Sin; and among the rest, of Apostasy. Would you not behold Impiety in the true colours: you may for bear. If you would, look here, and detest it. If you will take out a good lesson, and hate to do it; neither you nor I shall have cause to repent our labours. Once we must give account, what we have heard, and seen, and done; when the pleasures of Sin, like old surfeits, shall give a bitter reluctancy in the stomach of the conscience; and we are going to Gods cold earth. Learn we now to prevent the doing of that, which we shall one day be sorry to have done. ⟨image 4⟩There is no man living, but shall repent of his wickedness, either on earth, or in hell. Read and be instructed. If you find just faults here, I submit my weakness to your censure. In omnibus meis scriptis, non modo pium Lectorem, sed liberum correctorem 1desidero. But to those Censurers, Qui vel non intelligendo reprehendunt, vel reprehendendo non intelligunt, 2I wish either a more sound understanding, or more sober affection.
REader, this Booke stands at the mercy of thy capacity for thy censure. Perhaps thou wilt iudge it done for oppositions sake; the Blacke Deuill to the White: perhaps for imitation; perhaps for affectation. Thou mayst for me causes enough in thy imagination to produce it, yet misse the right. It was to shew thy selfe, and all other perusers, the blacknesse of Sinne; and among the rest, of Apostacie. Would you not behold Impiety in the true colours: you may for beare. If you would, look here, and detest it. If you will take out a good lesson, and hate to doe it; neither you nor I shall haue cause to repent our labours. Once we must giue account, what we haue heard, and seene, and done; when the pleasures of Sinne, like old surfets, shall giue a bitter reluctancie in the stomacke of the conscience; and wee are going to Gods colde earth. Learne wee now to preuent the doing of that, which we shall one day be sorry to haue done. ⟨image 4⟩There is no man liuing, but shall repent of his wickednesse, either on earth, or in hell. Reade and be instructed. If you finde iust fau•ts heere, I submit my weaknesse to your censure. In omnibus meis scriptis, non modo pium Lectorem, sed liberum correctorem 1desidero. But to those Censurers, Qui vel non intelligendo reprehendunt, vel reprehendendo non intelligunt, 2I wish either a more sound vnderstanding, or more sober affection.
- 1Aug in Prooem. Lib. 3. de Trin.
- 2Idem co•tra Fa•stum, Lib. 22. Cap. 34.
