THE CONCLUSION OF THE AUTHOR TO THE READER.

AND now God knows how soon it may be said unto me, Physician, heal thyself, and how quickly I shall stand in need of these counsels, which I have prescribed to others. Herein I say with Eli to It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good: [1 Sam. iii. 18.] with David to Zadok, Behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him [2 Sam. xv. 26.] With the disciples to Paul, The will of the Lord be done. [Acts xxi. 14.] But oh how easy it is for the mouth to pronounce, or the hand to subscribe these words! But how hard, yea, without God’s grace, how impossible, for the heart to submit thereunto! Only hereof I am confident, that the making of this treatise shall no ways cause or hasten a wounded conscience in me, but rather on the contrary (especially if, as it is written by me, it were written in me) either prevent it, that it come not at all, or defer it, that it come not so soon, or lighten it, that 397it fall not so heavy, or shorten it, that it last not so long. And if God shall be pleased hereafter to write bitter things against me, [Job xiii. 26.] who have here written the sweetest comforts I could for others, let none insult on my sorrows: But whilst my wounded conscience shall lie like the cripple, at the porch of the temple, [Acts iii. 2.] may such as pass by be pleased to pity me, and permit this book to beg in my behalf the charitable prayers of well-disposed people; till Divine Providence shall send some Peter, some pious minister, perfectly to restore my maimed soul to her former soundness. Amen.

Cambridge: Stereotyped and Printed by Welch, Bigelow, & Co.