To the Reader

He resolved well that said, Books and friends would I have few and choice; He advised well that wished, Be courteous to all, familiar with few: Many there are both books and men that meet us in our journey to heaven, whom, a man that knows what he has to do, would not once deign to salute; others, whom he would grudge any more than a courteous salutation at most: Amid all that almost [reconstructed: infinite variety] of books that offer themselves to our view, (wherein it is both an easy and an ordinary thing for a man, while he travels after knowledge, to wander and lose himself) it is not the least part of a man's wisdom to cull out such, as he may most familiarly converse with; Next to the Book of Books, such most deservedly challenge an interest in our thoughts, as conduce most to that which is the end of man, for which the Book of God itself was writ, that is, to bring man to a conformity to God, into a communion with God, which end they are like to attain according as they more or less discover those deep and hidden things, which are laid up in that sacred treasury; That is the scope, this the way of this work, that we may live to God, that we may live with God.

Nothing but sin parts God and us, stands between us and our happiness, puts us at a distance from God, sets us at difference with God; what a deal of heartbreaking! what bitterness of soul does it cost to get sin removed out of the way! Every sin is a seed of sorrow, brings forth some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred fold. Of all sins, such as reflect upon Christ, cut the deepest, wound the sorest, such as are committed against the clearest light, the dearest love, the tenderest mercy, the richest grace, the greatest goodness; whatever it cost, that the soul may live, sin must die, yet live it will in the soul, while the soul lives here in the body; live it will, though but as a disarmed, wounded enemy; yet what security to that man that lodges a firebrand, a traitor in his house, in his bosom! that has troops of enemies without to besiege him, within to betray him! A Christian never wants work, his work lies mainly within doors; He that knows his heart, knows how hardly it is brought into a good frame, and how soon it is out again; he has that in him that is ever working his ruin, that undoes as fast as he can do, nay that often undoes that in an hour, that was not done nor can be repaired in a day, in a month, in a year.

We need continually watch that fountain from where we fetch all our water, if enemies watch to poison it; the heart is both the best and the worst piece in a man, there is the greatest good and the greatest evil; if anything of price in a man, it is in the heart, we need keep that, lest we be spoiled of our treasure; if any evil in a man, it is most in the heart, where it does most mischief, as fire in the bed straw, in the bosom; we need watch that, lest the whole course of nature be set on fire.

What small power have we over our own spirits! how little are we able either to turn them, or to keep them so when they are well; but let the heart be brought into never so gracious and sweet a frame, let grace be accompanied with peace, and peace with joy; yet how little can we do with our grace, if God leave us to work in the strength of it! nay how soon will our graces die, and our comforts wither? Such a smoke ascends out of that bottomless pit within us, the clouds will soon grow so thick and black, as will soon damp our spirits, darken our joy; such assaults from within and without as will soon disturb our peace, such workings and ragings of corruption as will soon eat up our graces; unless faith comes in both to feed and to fence both graces and comforts, to subdue those corruptions, to scatter those clouds, to dispel that smoke, to beat back those oppositions, and so secure the soul from all invasions and incursions of the enemy. What is the reason we are ever and anon at a loss both in our comforts and duties? that our joy is so soon blasted, our peace disturbed, our graces deadened, but because we have not continual recourse by faith to the fountain of life, to our Sun to revive us, to refresh us, to our shield to protect us, to defend us? What is the reason our color comes and goes; our courage, comfort, hearts, hopes rise and fall, live and die so often in a day? why we live by sense, by reason; we feed upon, live upon, look upon creatures, creature-comforts, props, arms of flesh, parts, gifts, duties; our eyes, hearts, hopes are fixed, stayed, hang upon vain, empty, mutable, deceitful things, persons, lying; dying vanities; Could we but look beyond all these things, all created beings, and eye him that is invisible, rest upon the Rock of Ages, keep to the fountain of living waters, we might live above the world, above all the crosses and comforts under heaven; live like ourselves, above ourselves, live in heaven while we walk on the earth: Let the world run round, turn upside down, our souls might dwell at ease (Psalm 25:13), we should not see when heat comes, nor be careful in the year of drought (Jeremiah 17:8), we might live in the mouth of death, go conquering through the world, despising all that it can do, either for us or against us; contemning the good, slighting the evil of it; triumphing over all the powers of darkness: This the saints have reached even in this life (Romans 8:31 to the end; Hebrews 11).

That we are such strangers to these things is both a dishonor to Christ our head that does so fully and freely offer himself to us; a disparagement to that glorious grace of faith that can work such wonders, if it be put to it; an unspeakable disadvantage to ourselves, who might if we were not wanting to ourselves, live as much in one day as some of us do in seven: This is the drift of the last of these Treatises, to acquaint us with this heavenly art, this glorious mystery: It is true, others have to good purpose traveled in this point; the more we owe to God that we have contributions from the light and experience of so many, the more shame to us that are so wanting in that, wherein we have so much advantage, though it so much concern God's glory and our own comfort. It were no disparagement to any that has gone before, if I should say, I never yet met with the point handled more methodically, fully, briefly, clearly, sweetly.

The whole work is such as will commend itself to every judicious head and gracious heart; full of precious, sweet, experimental truths, all bottomed upon the word of truth; the points natural, the proofs pregnant, the method plain and easy, the expressions not such as man's wisdom teaches, but such as the Holy Ghost teaches. Neither the Author nor the work need my poor testimony or letters of commendation, to gain authority to the one or respect to the other, where either of them are known, they will bear witness to each other.

Ever since I have had any knowledge of the Reverend judicious Author, I have looked upon him as one entrusted with as great a part of the church's treasure (let no man be offended if I speak my own thoughts) as any other whatever; his Ministry spiritual and powerful, full of majesty, authority; a learned Scribe, a dexterous workman, abundant in labors: What matter of lamentation is it, that the Church of God in this Kingdom should among many others, lose such a burning and shining light!

How grateful it may be to this Reverend Author, that this work of his should come abroad into the public view and censure, I know not, but that it will be very welcome to the Church of God (whose he himself is) I doubt not.

I could have wished (if it might have been) that it had passed under his own censure, and then it needed not fear the censure of any other; but seeing it was designed for the Press, that desire I had of the public good, and that respect I have ever owed the Author, inclined me to lend it best furtherance I could, that others might receive as much benefit, he himself sustain as little prejudice as might be.

The Lord teach us thankfully to accept and enjoy all his mercies, faithfully to employ all our Talents, fruitfully to improve all the means, opportunities, helps and furtherances he is pleased to vouchsafe to us for our souls' advantage.

Yours in the service of the Gospel; WILLIAM MORTON.