The way to true happiness in a serious treatise /

And as we have such a sight as this by Faith to make us pity you, so have we so much taste of the goodness of God, the sweetness of his ways, and the happiness of believers, as must needs make us wish that you had but once tried the same delights, which would turn the pleasures of sin into detestation. God knoweth that we desire nothing more for our selves, than the Perfection and Eternity of this Holiness and Happiness which we believe and taste. And should we not desire the same for you?

And being thus moved with necessary pity, we ask of God, what he would have us to do for your Salvation. And he hath told us in Scripture that the preaching of his Gospel, to acquaint you plainly ⟨image 4⟩with the truth, and earnestly and frequently entreat you to turn from the Flesh and World to God by Jesus Christ, is the means with which his grace is ready to concur for your Salvation; when obstinate resistance causeth the Holy Spirit to forsake the Sinner and leave him to himself, to follow his own Counsels, Lusts and Wills.

And being thus moved with necessary pity, we ask of God, what he would have us to do for your Salvation. And he hath told us in Scripture that the preaching of his Gospel, to acquaint you plainly• ⟨image 4⟩with the truth, and earnestly and frequently intreat you to turn from the Flesh and World to God by Iesus Christ, is the means with which his grace is ready to concur for your Salvation; when obstinate resistance causeth the Holy Spirit to forsake the Sinner and leave him to himself, to follow his own Counsels, Lusts and Wills.

In this hope we undertook the Sacred Ministry, and gave up our selves to this great and most important work: in the great sense of our unworthiness, but yet in the sense of your Souls Necessity. We were not such Fools at our first setting out, as not to know it must be a life of labour, self-denial and patience, and the Devil would do his worst to hinder us, and that all sorts of his instruments would be ready to serve him against our Labours, and against your Souls. Christ our Captain saved us by Patient Conquest, and so must we save r selves and you: And so must you save your ives under Christ, if ever you be saved. It was no strange thing to Paul that bonds and afflictions did every where abide him, nor did he account his life dear that he might finish his course with joy, and the Ministry committed to him by the Lord,