Wayne
Tempus faciendi, Domine.
Text for a bookmark, for all your good Puritan reading in this new year--
To the Godly Well-Affected Reader:
Dear Christian, next unto the glory of God, thy good was chiefly aimed at in bringing this work to light; be not therefore wanting to thyself, and thy soul's bliss. Remember, the day cannot always last, the night will come, and thou knowest not how soon.
This may be the last book that ever thou shalt read, and this the last hour that ever thou shalt spend here on earth.; Oh use it conscionably, and bless God for any furtherance in thy way to happiness. While thou has the light believe in the light, and walk in the light, that thou mayest be the child of light. Occasions are headlong, being once past, they cannot be recovered. The five foolish virgins came too late, and were shut out of heaven. Thy time is short, the art of well-doing long : on this moment depends eternity, of blessedness if it be well, of misery if it be ill employed.
He that is not ready for God to-day, will be less fit to-morrow. It is no time to begin to live, when thou art ready to die, then to seek after heaven, when thou comest to thy crutches; at length grow spiritually wise, let the best things have the best place in thee. It will be too late when thou art in hell to say, Oh that I had been more religious and provided better for my soul; be exceedingly abased for thy former neglects; let it wound thy soul that thou settedst out no sooner, and art yet no further in the race of godliness; get ground of thy corruptions now daily, count that a lost day, in which thou are not somewhat bettered, and labour for such infallible evidences of God's love, that no reprobate under heaven can possibly attain unto, get such truth of grace in thy inner man as may distinguish thee from all outside professors, (mere empty casks of religion) and such as is not common to hypocrites and castaways together with thyself.
To which end seriously peruse this following treatise, wherein thou shalt find sufficiency of real worth to commend itself. Look up to heaven for a blessing upon it, and desire the Lord to go along with thee in it, and prosper the same for thy soul's good, which he heartily desireth who rests.
[excerpt from the Preface to Bolton's The Carnal Professor (SDG, 1992).]
To the Godly Well-Affected Reader:
Dear Christian, next unto the glory of God, thy good was chiefly aimed at in bringing this work to light; be not therefore wanting to thyself, and thy soul's bliss. Remember, the day cannot always last, the night will come, and thou knowest not how soon.
This may be the last book that ever thou shalt read, and this the last hour that ever thou shalt spend here on earth.; Oh use it conscionably, and bless God for any furtherance in thy way to happiness. While thou has the light believe in the light, and walk in the light, that thou mayest be the child of light. Occasions are headlong, being once past, they cannot be recovered. The five foolish virgins came too late, and were shut out of heaven. Thy time is short, the art of well-doing long : on this moment depends eternity, of blessedness if it be well, of misery if it be ill employed.
He that is not ready for God to-day, will be less fit to-morrow. It is no time to begin to live, when thou art ready to die, then to seek after heaven, when thou comest to thy crutches; at length grow spiritually wise, let the best things have the best place in thee. It will be too late when thou art in hell to say, Oh that I had been more religious and provided better for my soul; be exceedingly abased for thy former neglects; let it wound thy soul that thou settedst out no sooner, and art yet no further in the race of godliness; get ground of thy corruptions now daily, count that a lost day, in which thou are not somewhat bettered, and labour for such infallible evidences of God's love, that no reprobate under heaven can possibly attain unto, get such truth of grace in thy inner man as may distinguish thee from all outside professors, (mere empty casks of religion) and such as is not common to hypocrites and castaways together with thyself.
To which end seriously peruse this following treatise, wherein thou shalt find sufficiency of real worth to commend itself. Look up to heaven for a blessing upon it, and desire the Lord to go along with thee in it, and prosper the same for thy soul's good, which he heartily desireth who rests.
[excerpt from the Preface to Bolton's The Carnal Professor (SDG, 1992).]
