The Epistle Dedicatory.

To all my Loving Friends, into whose hands these shall come, Greeting.

My dearest Friends,
WHom I Love dearly, Remember
daily, Long for
greatly, Pray for earnestly,
and Praise God heartily,
to whom I could
write with my purest
Blood, and do send these Lines from
my very inward Bowels.
Though I cannot say I am so transported
with affection and zeal, as Paul,
to wish my self accursed from Christ for
their sakes: Yet, I am perswaded, I
could be contented, with Jonas, to be
cast into the Sea, for the pacifying of
God's Wrath for you. That I may be
free from the blood of all men, I am

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resolved, in the strength, and by the
power of God, to deal plainly, and I
hope sincerely with all men, not valuing
the smiles, nor fearing the frowns
of wicked men: It is better to lose the
smiles of men, than it is to lose the souls
of men: Though there be many that
are enemies to me, yet I am an enemy
to none; a hater of no man's person,
but a lover of every man's soul: He that
loved me when I was an enemy, commandeth
me to love mine enemies.
Dear Christians, cleave to the Lord,
and follow after the Lord fully: Neglect
no duty, though you know there is
great danger in doing it: Fear God
and sin, more than men and suffering:
Let your souls bear up with Christ, bear
off from the World, bear down your
Corruptions, and bear forth your Testimony:
Respect all, reject none of
God's Commandments; take patiently
and thankfully the hardest dealings of
God.
The heaviest Afflictions on Earth are
but light, in comparison of Christ's sufferings,
or the punishment of the wicked
in Hell: When God's People are
humble enough, and the Wicked high
enough, and the Lord's appointed time
come, then expect deliverance to the
Godly, and not before. You should
not envy the patience of God towards
your enemies, for it is nothing in comparison
of what love he sheweth to you:
Be you diligent at your work, and leave
God at his work; you need not fear
success: The Lord will soon turn
from his wrath, if men were turned
from their wickednesses: Look narrowly
to your hearts, tongues and ways:
I never trusted God but I found him
faithful, nor my own heart but I found
it false. Take heed, Friends, that you
be not alwayes wooing Christ, and yet
never married to him: Therefore never
leave till you have put the great
Question out of question.
Look upon Christ, first without you,
and then search for Christ within you;
he that will clearly see with the eye of
Faith, must shut the eye of Reason. It
is the will of God, that Saints should rejoyce
more in what Christ hath done
for them, than in what they have done
for Christ.
Oh lay up, and lay out for Christ;
make haste and do your work, and
God will make haste and give you your
wages.
Dear sirs, I beseech you with beseeching,
consider will of these things;
for these are precious Truths, weighty
Truths, and necessary Truths.
I shall add no more, but promise you
my Prayers, and request your Prayers
for me, and for a blessing upon this, that
it may bring glory to God, and good to
you; which is all that is aimed at by
him who is

Your Souls Servant,

William Dyer.

To the Christian Reader.

Courteous Reader,
It is the great unhappiness of our age, that the
greatest part of men busie themselves most in
that which concerns them least: Look into the
World amongst Rich and Poor, high and low,
young and old, and see whether it appear not by the
whole scope of their conversations, that they set more
by something else, than Christ and Salvation: so they
may have but some of the Earth in their hands, they
care for nothing of Heaven in their hearts; though
Gold can no more fill their hearts, than Grace their
purses.
Most men are like that silly Woman, that when
her house was on fire, so minded the saving of her
Goods, that she left her Child roasting in the flames;
at last being put in remembrance of it, she cryes out,
O my Child, my Child! O how many men are
there drop into Perdition, merely for a little
wealth!
There are many that are Temporally Miserable,
that are Eternally Happy; and there are many that
are Temporally Happy, that shall be Eternally Miserable.
O there is a great vanity in all worldly
excellencies: the Earth is big in our hopes, but
little in our hands; it cannot satisfie the sences of
men, much less can it satisfie the souls of men.
Dear Christian, according to my Talent received
I have endeavoured to set forth the Riches, Loveliness,
the Preciousness and Excellencies that are in
Christ, to draw the heart after him, and to be sick
of Love for him. O Jesus Christ is a Fountain of
Life, Light, Love, Grace, Glory, Comfort, Joy,
Goodness, Sweetness, alwayes full and flowing, yea
over flowing. Paul was so much taken with Christ,
that he was ever in his thoughts, alwayes near his
heart, and upon his tongue: he names him six or
seven times in one Chapter; I COL. I. O that our
hearts and thoughts were thus busied about Christ,
and taken up with Christ, and with those treasures
of Wisdom and Knowledge that are in him.
The design of this Piece is not the ostentation of
the Author, but the edification of the Reader; though
the Author be con emptible, yet the matter is comfortable.
I hope none will blow out such a Candle
upon Earth, by the light of which temselves may
see the way to Heaven. If God had given in most
of himself to me, I should have given more out to
thee; but God looks not for what he gives not. If
God may have glory, and the Church edification by
these Labours of mine, I shall have my end.
Now the good Lord bring thy heart more and
more in love with Christ, who is altogether lovely
that shortly thou mayest enjoy endless felicity in his
bosom. This shall be his Prayer for thee that is,

Thy Servant in Christ,

William Dyer.