Two Treatises 2, Title page 1 – Tract 1
TVVO TREATISES. The one, Of Repentance, The other, Of Chriſts Temptations. Both penned, By the late faithfull Miniſter of Gods worde, DANIEL DYKE, Batchelour in Diuinitie. Publiſhed ſince his death by his Brother I D. Miniſter of Gods word.
MATTH: 3. 2. Repent for the kingdome of God is at hand.
LONDON, Printed by Edward Griffin for Ralph Mab, and are to be ſold in Paules Church-yard at the ſigne of the Greyhound. 1616.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND MOST VERTVOVS LADY, the Lady Harrington.
RIGHT HONOVRABLE:
THe Lord hath not left himſelfe without many witneſſes to call vponupon vsus for the ſame worke, for the which this worke doth call. An argument that people are backward, and the duty neceſſary. If either the men were more forward, or the duty leſſe important, Quorſum haec profuſio? To what end were this waſte? What needed this waſte of paper and inke; nay, of the ſpirits and lungs of Gods meſſengers, crying earely and late: if people were not too late in that duty, wherein they cannot bee too earely? It was not for nothing, that our Sauiour yoakes theſe two petitions together; GiueGive vsus this day &c. And forgiue vsus our treſpaſſes. Surely, me thinkes, hee teaches vsus, that ſo long as wee hauehave neede to ſay GiueGive, ſo long we hauehave neede to ſay forgiue, and that daily repentance is as neceſſary for the ſoule, as daily ſustenance for the body. And yet ſuch is the worlds folly, that while they make one to be of an abſolute neceſſity, they ſhuffle off the other as a matter of indifferency, at leaſt conceit it not of that preſent neceſſity which we vrge. Moſt deale with Repentance, as countrey people with Phyſicians, they louelove not to hauehave to doe with them, till they feare they are gaſping their laſt breath, and conceit as great an efficacie in theſe fiue words, Lord hauehave mercy vponupon me, ſpoken with their laſt breath, for the tranſlation of their ſoules into heauen, as the Papiſts do of their fiue words of conſecration, for the tranſubſtantiation of their hoſte. Nay, without queſtion many thinke of their Repentance before their death, as diuerſe ridiculouſly doe, of making their wils; That if they make their wils in their health, it is an ominous preſage of their death; That becauſe many make not their wils but when they die, therfore they muſt needes ſhortly die if they make their wils: The like thinke many of Repenting in their life time, that becauſe moſt make it a death-bed duty, therefore to doe this duty, will haſten them to their death. And ſo many fearing it in their life, are denied it at their death. But for the neceſſity, the worth, the ſpeede of the practiſe of this duty, I ſpare to ſpeake ought. It is the ſumme of the following Treatiſe. A Treatiſe not of mine own; but of his, whoſe labours need not feare the light. Many and worthy indeede are the labours of others, that are extant vponupon this argument; and indeede ſo many, that amongſt ſuch a multitude, I ſhould ſcarce hauehave aduentured this ſmall Treatiſe, if the generall gracious acceptance of his former works, which I publiſhed, had not made way for it. The kinde welcome that it found at the hands of moſt, ſeemed to promiſe that theſe preſent labors ſhould not be fruitleſſe. Thereupon I tooke heart both to perfect and to publiſh this Treatiſe. And being perfected, I hauehave made bolde to commend it to your La. By your patronage the worke may receiue grace from you: and by your diligent peruſall of it, you may receiue encreaſe of grace from it. The Lord grace you with all ſpiritall bleſſings, till hee bring you to Glory, the perfection of Grace Epping in Eſſex. April. 18.
Your Honours to be commanded. IER. DYKE.