Thou art here presented with two Treatises of the late pious, and faithful Minister of the Gospel Mr. Christopher Love: They come to thy view in an unpolished style, ⟨image 4⟩as they were taken from the mouth of the reverend Author, whose endeavour it was to pierce the conscience, rather then to please the ear; A garish dress is unbefitting a chaste Matron; if thou expect here what may be pleasing to a wanton appetite, stay at the threshold, thou wilt lose thy labour; if thy stomach be for wholesome Food, and Doctrine according to Godliness, enter in, this diet is for hungry souls. The first part will show thee how thou must proceed to ⟨image 4⟩obtain, and assure thy heart of pardon of sin, viz. by a sound Confession; this duty is much decried in these days of Libertinism, but by such as decry the power of Godliness, and are loath to have a check put upon their licentiousness; but do thou remember he that hideth his sin shall not prosper, he that confesseth, and forsaketh it, shall find mercy: If we say we have no sin, we deceive our selves, and make God a liar; if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive ⟨image 5⟩them; pardon of sin is the purchase of the blood of Christ, but entailed upon the Confession of sin. The latter will show thee thy great advantage by Christs ascension, intercession, and return to judgement; this is a subject most suitable for the last times, times of peril, and temptation, to quiet, comfort, and encourage, to keep the heart in the love of God, in the patient waiting for Christ, and unspotted in the world: We have much talk in the ⟨image 5⟩World that Christs person shall reign for 1000. years upon earth: he that can see this in Scripture, hath a clearer sight then I; but what ever becomes of this opinion, we are sure of and stay our souls upon this, That our blessed Saviour is now at the right hand of God in glory, pleading the cause of his despised servants, waiting till his enemies be made his footstool, from whence we expect him at that great day to transform our vile bodies into ⟨image 6⟩the similitude of his glorious body, to take us into these mansions prepared for us, that we may see his glory, and be for ever with the Lord. These meditations if they were often in our minds, would engage us to be steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, because our labour is not in vain in the Lord.
THou art here presented with two Treatises of the late pious, and faithfull Minister of the Gospell Mr. Christopher Love: They come to thy view in an unpolished style, ⟨image 4⟩as they were taken from the mouth of the reverend Author, whose endeavour it was to pierce the conscience, rather then to please the eare; A garish dresse is unbefitting a chaste Matrone; if thou expect here what may be pleasing to a wanton appetite, stay at the threshold, thou wilt lose thy labour; if thy stomach be for wholesome Food, and Doctrine according to Godlinesse, enter in, this diet is for hungry soules. The first part will shew thee how thou must proceed to ⟨image 4⟩obtaine, and assure thy heart of pardon of sin, viz. by a sound Confession; this duty is much decried in these dayes of Libertinisme, but by such as decry the power of Godlines, and are loath to have a check put upon their licentiousnesse; but doe thou remember he that hideth his sin shall not prosper, hee that confesseth, and forsaketh it, shall finde mercy: If we say wee have no sin, we deceive our selves, and make God a lier; if we confesse our sinnes, he is faithfull and just to forgive ⟨image 5⟩them; pardon of sinne is the purchase of the bloud of Christ, but intailed upon the Confession of sinne. The latter will shew thee thy great advantage by Christs ascension, intercession, and returne to judgement; this is a subject most sutable for the last times, times of perill, and temptation, to quiet, comfort, and incourage, to keepe the heart in the love of God, in the patient waiting for Christ, and unspotted in the world: We have much talke in the ⟨image 5⟩World that Christs person shal reigne for 1000. yeares upon earth: hee that can see this in Scripture, hath a clearer sight then I; but what ever becomes of this opinion, we are sure of and stay our soules upon this, That our blessed Saviour is now at the right hand of God in glory, pleading the cause of his despised servants, waiting till his enemies be made his footstoole, from whence we expect him at that great day to transforme our vile bodies into ⟨image 6⟩the similitude of his glorious body, to take us into these mansions prepared for us, that we may see his glory, and be for ever with the Lord. These meditations if they were often in our mindes, would engage us to be stedfast, unmoveable, alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord, because our labour is not in vain in the Lord.
