Epistle to the Reader
EPISTLE TO THE EEADEK..
Geittlb Reader, seeing my little Sermon of repentance, some few years since published, hath been so well accepted of, I have, for thy further good, published this Dialogue, being the third fruit of my labour, wishing to it the like success, that God thereby may have the glory, and thou who art the reader comfort.
I have, in one part of this Dialogue, produced some of the ancient writers, and some of the wise heathen also, to testify upon their oath in their own language, and to bear witness of the ugliness of some vices, which we in this age make hght of, which I wish may not be oflPensive to any.
In other parts of this work, I do in a manner relinquish them.
But in this case I have, in my weak judgment, thought them to be of some good use, to shew forth thus much, that if we do not in time repent, forsake our sins, and seek after God, both the ancient Christian fathers, whose eyes saw not that we see, nor their ears heard that we hear, yea, the very heathen also, shall rise up in judgment against us.
Let none, therefore, stumble at it ; but if any do, let them remember I am in a Dialogue, not in a sermon.
I write to all of all sorts; I speak not to some few of one sort.
But that which is done herein, is not much more than that of the Apostle, "as some of your own poets have said," Acts xvii. which is warrantable.
One thing, dear Christian, I pray thee let me beg of thee; to wit, that thou wouldest not read two or three leaves of this book, and so cast it from thee; but that thou wouldest read it throughout even to the end ; for I do assure thee, if there be anything in it worth the reading, it is bestowed in the latter
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EPISTLE TO THE HEADER.
part thereof, and most of all towards the conclusion.
Be not discouraged therefore at the harshness of the beginning, but look for smoother matter in the midst, and most smooth in the perclose and wind-up of all; for this Dialogue liath in it, not the nature of a tragedy, which is began with joy, and ended with sorrow ; but of a comedy, which is began with sorrow, and ended with joy.
This book meddleth not at all with any controversies in the Church, or anything in the state Ecclesiastical, but only entereth into a controversy with Satan and sin.
It is contrived into six principal heads; first, it sheweth man's misery in nature, with the means of recovery ; secondly, it sharply inveigheth against the iniquity of the time, and common corruptions of the world; thirdly, it sheweth the marks of the children of God, and of the reprobates, together with the apparent signs of salvation and damnation; fourthly, it declareth how hard a thing it is to enter into life, and how few shall enter; fifthly, it layeth open the ignorance of the world, with the objections of the same; last of all, it publisheth and proclaimeth the sweet promises of the gospel, with the abundant mercy of God, to all that repent, believe, and truly turn unto him.
The Author of all blessing give a blessing unto it.
The God of peace, which brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make us perfect in all good works, sanctify us throughout, amend all our imperfections, and keep us blameless until the day of his most glorious appearing.
Amen.
Thine, in the Lord, A. DENT.