A saint or a brute the certain necessity and excellency of holiness, &c. ...…

And before I enter upon it, let me entreat thee Reader, whoever thou art that openest this Book, to remember that I am writing and thou art reading of the greatest and highest matters in the world; and therefore come not to it with common affections, and read not this as thou wouldst do a History or a Rhetorical Oration, to find delight for a curious mind, but confessing ⟨p. 102⟩thy self a Scholar to Christ, with reverence take thy L• from him, as that which thou camest into the world to L• which all thy comforts, thy hopes, thy safety, and thy ev• happiness depend upon.

And before I enter upon it, let me intreat thee Reader, whoever thou art that openest this Book, to remember that I am writing and thou art reading of the greatest and highest matters in the world; and therefore come not to it with common affections, and read not this as thou wouldst do a History or a Rheroricall Oration, to find delight for a curious mind, but confessing ⟨p. 102⟩thy self a Scholar to Christ, with reverence take thy L• from him, as that which thou camest into the world to L• which all thy comforts, thy hopes, thy safety, and thy ev• happiness depend upon.

And here in the entrance, I will freely tell you what more me to fall upon this subject, and be so earnest with you in th•• point. One thing is the observation of the carelessness and wilfulness of the most, that live in the neglect of Holiness and Everlasting Life, for all that can be said to persuade them to a wiser course: While they all profess themselves to be Christians, and to take the Scripture for the Word of God, and confess this Word in particular to be true, that it is Heaven and Holiness that are the most Necessary, and most to be desired and sought after, yet will they not be moved to Live according to this Profession, nor to Love that Most which they confess to be the Best, nor to seek that first which they confess to be most Needful. They have the case here decided by the mouth of the Lord Jesus Christ himself, and as plainly, and fully, and peremptorily decided they could wish. If they were Infidels, and understood but the Law of Nature, even Reason might tell them that there is no doubt of it, but that Eternal Life is more to be sought after then transitory things: And yet they live as if the case had never been decided by Christ or by reason; or as if they had never heard of any Life but this: Look into most Towns, and see whether there be not more at Martha's work, (and worse) then at Mary's Look into most families, and see whether they be not […] Martha, troubling themselves with many things, when the […] part is almost cast aside. Even in the Families of Lords, K and Gentlemen, that are doubly obliged to God, and pr be wiser then the ignorant Vulgar, the matters of their […] are turned out of doors, or thrust into a corner, and the […] of their bodies do take up the day. How many Martha's, one Mary, shall we find among both Rich and Poor