The Right Way to Heaven, To the reader
To the Reader.
COurteous Reader, impute not unto my raſhnes either the Title or Subject of this Booke, as if I undertooke to give instruction to thoſe, from whom I ought to receive the ſame: I had not writ it at firſt, but in the behalfe of my deare brethren, the Elders of the Church, unto the guiding of whom God hath called me: In regard the ſaid Church being compoſed of many quarters, and it not being poſſible for me to be with them all, neceſſitie required, that they often ſupplie my abſence in the viſitation of the ſicke, whereunto they required my aſſistance by this ſmall Preſident, my purpoſe was to cauſe ſome few copies to bee printed to put into their hands, and by that meanes to give them that aſſiſtance with more eaſe, and with more conveniencie. But when it was further alleaged unto me, it might ſerve alſo for the uſe of others, either in regard of their obligation therunto, by the ſame charge, or for that they were ſo mooved out of their Chriſtian zeale, imployed themſelves in that pious and charitable dutie of viſiting and comforting the ſicke. And that moreover and beſides the reaſon hereof would not bee unprofitable to any of the faithfull in particular, who even in his beſt health ſhould ever prepare himſelfe for ſickneſſe and death: I yeelded to make it publique with this word of information, which I ſuppoſe will arme thy ingenuitie to acquit me of all blame. I doubt not but thou wilt excuſe the plaineneſſe of the ſtile; having reſpect both to the nature of the ſubject, & withal unto whom and for whom it was directed As for them that ſhall think good to make uſe of it, I intreat them to beare with the length of it: Which I could not well avoid, as I deſired, in a ſubject ſo fertile, and ſo hard to be contracted. This remedie there is for it, that this writing being compoſed of many disjointed parcels, and accomodated to the ſundry diſpoſitions of the ſicke, they may be contented to cull out of them ſometimes one, ſometimes another, as they ſhall be adjudged more for their purpoſe, according to the circumſtances of the perſons they viſit.