IT is a thing I think, good Read, if not impossible, yet exceeding difficult, for a Minister of Gods word to open his mouth with so much discretion, but that if he seek to beat down the false hypocrite, the weak Christian will come betwixt, and take the blow upon his own head, which was neither meant nor due unto him; and contrarily, if he seek to raise up the weak Christian, the presumptuous hypocrite will by and by lay hold on those words, and pervert them quite, to the nourishing of his foolish security. My care hath been to tread so even a path in the following Treatise, that I might not give any just occasion to the such mistaking of either party. And I hope I have so tempered my pen, that the poor Christian shall not (unless in an over-extreme brunt of tentation) be less able to enjoy his proper consolation for any thing that hath been here uttered, to the discarding and amazing ⟨image 3⟩of hypocrites; nor the hypocrite (unless out of an extremity of wilful blindness) be able to nestle himself warm, in the misapplying of comforts intended to those alone, that be such as he alone seemeth to be. Now what thou art that shalt read this book, I cannot possibly know; and how thou wilt censure of me for it, as I cannot conjecture, so neither will I be careful or trouble my self about it. If thou shalt commend me, I hope I have a little better insight into mine own imperfections, than to be tickled with thy praises, which perhaps thine ignorance, or partiality may give, rather than any desert of mine (which I know to be none at all of any good thing) may call for and challenge: but if thou shalt reproach and dispraise me, sure I should have both more wit, and somewhat else to do, than to make any account of thy disliking and censorious words; knowing (as I do know well enough) what thou art, my fellow servant, not my Master; a fellow-prisoner, not a Judge. Wherefore if thou beest wise, save a bootless labour of speaking either well or ill of me; neither of which can advantage thee, or do me any good or hurt; and rather bestow thy self in reaping some profit by that which I have here written, with a desire and intention of profiting thee. If I have spoken what thou knewest not before, now inform thy self:
IT is a thing I thinke, good Reade, if not impossible, yet exceeding difficult, for a Minister of Gods word to open his mouth with so much discretion, but that if hee seeke to beate downe the false hypocrite, the weake Christian will come betwixt, and take the blow vpon his owne head, which was neither meant nor due vnto him; and contrarily, if he feeke to raise vp the weake Christian, the presumptuous hypocrite will by and by lay hold on those words, and peruert them quite, to the nourishing of his foolish securitie. My care hath beene to tread so euen a path in the following Treatise, that I might not giue any iust occasion to the such mistaking of either party. And I hope I haue so tempered my pen, that the poore Christian shall not (vnlesse in an ouer-extreame brunt of tentation) be lesse able to enioy his proper consolation for any thing that hath beene here vttered, to the discarding and amazing ⟨image 3⟩of hypocrites; nor the hypocrite (vnlesse out of an extreamity of wilfull blindnesse) be able to nestle himselfe warme, in the misapplying of comforts intended to those alone, that bee such as hee alone seemeth to be. Now what thou art that shalt reade this booke, I cannot possibly know; and how thou wilt censure of me for it, as I cannot coniecture, so neither will I be carefull or trouble my selfe about it. If thou shalt commend me, I hope I haue a little better insight into mine owne imperfections, than to bee tickled with thy prayses, which perhaps thine ignorance, or partitality may giue, rather than any desert of mine (which I know to bee none at all of any good thing) may call for and challenge: but if thou shalt reproach and dispraise me, sure I should haue both more wit, and somewhat else to doe, than to make any account of thy disliking and censorious words; knowing (as I doe know well enough) what thou art, my fellow seruant, not my Master; a fellow-prisoner, not a Iudge. Wherefore if thou beest wise, saue a bootlesse labour of speaking either well or ill of mee; neither of which can aduantage thee, or doe me any good or hurt; and rather bestow thy selfe in reaping some profit by that which I haue here written, with a desire and intention of profiting thee. If I haue spoken what thou knewest not before, now informe thy selfe:
