Published by Good Press, 2019

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      EAN 4057664650078

Table of Contents

       PREFACE.

       NO CROSS, NO CROWN.

       PART I.

       CHAPTER I.

       CHAPTER II.

       CHAPTER III.

       CHAPTER IV.

       CHAPTER V.

       CHAPTER VI.

       CHAPTER VII.

       CHAPTER VIII.

       CHAPTER IX.

       CHAPTER X.

       CHAPTER XI.

       CHAPTER XII.

       CHAPTER XIII.

       CHAPTER XIV.

       CHAPTER XV.

       CHAPTER XVI.

       CHAPTER XVII.

       CHAPTER XVIII.

       PREFACE.

       CHAPTER XIX.

       I. AMONG THE GREEKS , &c. viz.

       II. The Romans also yielded us instances to our point in hand , viz.

       III. I will now proceed to report the virtuous doctrines and sayings of men of more retirement; such as philosophers and writers, both Greeks and Romans, who in their respective times were masters in the civility, knowledge, and virtue that were among the Gentiles, being most of them many ages before the coming of Christ , viz.

       IV. Nor is this reputation, wisdom, and virtue, only to be attributed to men: there were women also in the Greek and Roman ages, that honoured their sex, by great examples of meekness, prudence, and chastity; and which I do the rather mention, that the honour, story yields to their virtuous conduct, may raise an allowable emulation in those of their own sex, at least, to equal the noble character given them by antiquity, viz.

       CHAPTER XX.

       CHAPTER XXI.

       CHAPTER XXII.

       THE CONCLUSION.

       INDEX.

PREFACE.

       Table of Contents

      Reader,

      The great business of man's life, is to answer the end for which he lives; and that is to glorify God and save his own soul: this is the decree of Heaven, as old as the world. But so it is, that man mindeth nothing less than what he should most mind; and despiseth to inquire into his own being, its original duty and end; choosing rather to dedicate his days (the steps he should make to blessedness) to gratify the pride, avarice, and luxury of his heart: as if he had been born for himself, or rather given himself being, and so not subject to the reckoning and judgment of a superior power. To this wild and lamentable pass hath poor man brought himself by his disobedience to the law of God in his heart, by doing that which he knows he should not do, and leaving undone what he knows he should do. And as long as this disease continueth upon man he will make his God his enemy, and himself incapable of the love and salvation that He hath manifested, by his Son Jesus Christ, to the world.

      If, Reader, thou art such an one, my counsel to thee is, to retire into thyself, and take a view of the condition of thy soul; for Christ hath given thee light with which to do it; search carefully and thoroughly; thy life is in it; thy soul is at stake. It is but once to be done; if thou abuse thyself in it, the loss is irreparable; the world is not price enough to ransom thee: wilt thou then, for such a world, belate thyself, overstay the time of thy salvation, and lose thy soul? Thou hast to do, I grant thee, with great patience; but that also must have an end: therefore provoke not that God that made thee, to reject thee. Dost thou know what it is? It is Tophet; it is hell, the eternal anguish of the damned. Oh! Reader, as one knowing the terrors of the Lord, I persuade thee to be serious, diligent, and fervent about thy own salvation. Aye, and as one knowing the comfort, peace, joy, and pleasure of the ways of righteousness too, I exhort and invite thee to embrace the reproofs and convictions of Christ's light and spirit in thine own conscience, and bear the judgment, who hast wrought the sin. The fire burns but the stubble: the wind blows but the chaff: yield up the body, soul, and spirit to Him that maketh all things new: new heavens, and new earth, new love, new joy, new peace, new works, a new life and conversation. Men are grown corrupt and drossy by sin, and they must be saved through fire, which purgeth it away: therefore the word of God is compared to a fire, and the day of salvation to an oven; and Christ himself to a refiner and purifier of silver.

      Come, Reader, hearken