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daily more and more in the hearts of those whom thou haft favingly wrought upon. O let thy bleffing be on this people: God Almighty bleffe them. Let Truth and Holineffe, reall Piety and the power of Godlineffe, Let foundneffe of mind, and uprightneffe of heart and life; let true Faith and fervent love; let charity and good works (through the operation of thy holy Spirit) abound among them. That fo living here in thy fear, and ferving their generation according to the Will of God, they may at laft (through thy infinite mercy, and the merits of our bleffed Lord and Saviour) bereceived into thy Heavenly Kingdom. This is the earnest and hearty Prayer of,

Your very affectionate,

though unworthy Pastor,

Samuel Cradock,

Dr.

06

Dr. Reynolds his EPISTLE

TO THE

READERS.

S in humane bodies, fome parts are vital, others only integrall, fome neceffary to the being, others to the well being, integrity, and beauty of them: So it is in Theologicall Doctrines, fome are more fundamental, and immediatly neceffary to life and Godliness others fuch as do greatly accomplish and adorn Chriftians that have attained unto them, and are of fingular ufe for the edification of the Church, though not fo primarily belonging to the very vitals and effentials of Faith and Holineffe.

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Now because multitudes of crdinary Chriftians, either through the exigence of their particular callings, or through the narrowneffe of their capacities, want both time and ftrength to procure fuch plentiful measures of knowledge, as many others, whose leisure is greater, b 3

ard

and intellectuals ftronger, have attained unto : Therefore the Lord hath from time to time stirred up zealous and faithful men to commit unto writing thofe primary and moft neceffary DoEttines of Faith and Duty which are common to great and fmal, and of principal ufe for ordering their converfations aright in every relation wherein they stand towards God and men.

Of this fort were Bafil's Moralia & Regula, Ambrofe his Book De officiis, Auguftin's Enchiridion, Bernards Tractats De interiore domo, De Confcientia, De ordine vita, De Dilectione Dei, De modo bene vivendi, and other the like writings of the Ancients.

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Amongst our felves in this age, feveral Books of this nature have been written. Mr. Rogers his feven Treatifes, Mr. Paul Baine his Directions for a godly life, Mr. Fohn Downham his Guide to Godlineffe and Chriftian warfare. The Practife of Piety, Mr, Scuddars Chriftians daily walk, Mr. Boltons Directions . for comfortable walking with God, with divers others of the fame kind. Of which fome poffibly may be of too great a price for every poor man to procure, and too large for him to read quickly over. However, the fame maserials managed by the different gifts of feveral inftruments, and preffed by new Arguments and Motives, do bring to the Confcience a fuller evidence, and awaken the heart unto a

more

more ferious confideration of the importance of them.j

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Amongst Books of this Nature, I commend unto the Christian Reader this Manual, which I have read with great fatisfaction and delight, It hath many things to render it acceptable to fuch judicious Palars as are beft pleased with favoury and ferious things, 1. The variety and neceffity of the matters therein handled: Such as are felf knowledge and examination: Repentance and felf judging, living by Faith; watchfulneffe over our hearts, words, and waies: communion with God in fpiritual duties, faithfulneffe in our particular callings and relations, . 2. The pertinency of the Scriptures produced for confirmation of the Truths which they refer unto. 3. The gracioufneffe, favourineffe, and wholfomneffe of the Language, becoming the weight and holineffe of the matter. 4. The ftrength of the Arguments whereby the duties are preffed.

5. The Brevity of the whole, which rendreth it the fitter for memory, meditation, and pratife: In all which the Reverend Author hath shewed himselfe a workman, which needeth not to be ashamed.

Some Learned men have chofen fome one or other Book, which they have refolved to read over once every year. I could wish that ferious Chriftians would fingle out fome one

or other choice Book, fraught with variety of moft wholfom and neceffary Doctrine to read frequently over, for daily quickning and preferving their hearts in an healthy and fpiruall frame. Of which fort I fhould commend, 1. Summaries and Compendiums of found Doctrine, fuch as Mr. Crooks guide to true bleffedneffe, and others of that forc. 2. Summaries of the moft weighty and neceffary duties: A mixture of both which we have'in this little Book. By this means, with Gods bleffing, the hearts of men might be established in the love and obedience of the Truth, and be preferved from being toffed about with every wind of Doctrine, the great fin and fhame of these daies.

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Your Servant in the furtherance of the common falvation,

ED. REYNOLD

THE

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