The door of salvation opened by the key of regeneration

IT is the custom of our Country (and if I mistake not, a Statute Law of the Nation) that children should be kept and maintained by those places in which they were born. This book, (which treateth of the Babe of grace) was conceived in your Parish, brought forth in your Pulpit, and now presenteth it self to you, (not for your protection and patronage but) for your perusal and practice.

IT is the custom of our Country (and if I mistake not, a Statute Law of the Nation) that children should be kept and maintained by those places in which they were born. This book, (which treateth of the Babe of grace) was conceived in your Parish, brought forth in your Pulpit, and now presenteth it self to you, (not for your protection and patronage but) for your perusall and practice.

I confess that I am bound to many of you in courtesy, to all in duty, and I know not better how to express my thankfulness to some, and my faithfulness to all, then by dealing uprightly with you in the concernments of your souls. ¹God is my witness whom I (desire to) serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son, that without ceasing, I make mention of you always in my prayers: And can through the strength of Christ, much more rejoice in one of your conversions, then in all your possessions. ⟨image 3⟩Ye know what a large Epistle I have already written to you (I beseech you to read it often, ²and) O that the Lord would write it within you. We live in days that are full of division; but all that have any face of religion, or form of godliness, will acknowledge the things which I have written to you, to be the commandments of God. My chief work is, and hath been to preach unto you Repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, which are of such infinite weight in order to your unchangeable welfares. And could I prevail with you heartily to embrace those essentials of Gods word, I should have confidence of your joyful appearance in the other world. Tis a sign of a very foul stomach, to loath such solid food as those vitals of Christianity are, and to pick at Kickshaws or Salads, (I mean either) the new-fangled opinions of some upstart way, or the vain flourishes of humane wit. O how gladly would I stand forth to your comfort at the judgment feat of Christ! which that I may, I earnestly request you again and again (in obedience to your blessed Saviour, and for the sake of your precious souls) to ponder and practice these three particulars. Consider, that they are not only commended to you by your weak and dying Minister, but commanded you by your Maker, who will within a short time reckon with you for the performance of them.