A Sermon of Repentance, Privilege – Dedication
Tueſday May the firſt, 1660.
Ordered,
THat the thanks of this Houſe be given to Mr. Baxter for his great pains in carrying on the work of Preaching and Prayer, before the Houſe at Saint Margarets Weſtminſter yeſterday, being ſet apart by this Houſe for a day of Faſting and Humiliation. And that he be deſired to Print his Sermon, and is to have the ſame Priviledge in Printing the ſame, that others have had in the like kind.
And that Mr. Swinfin do give him notice thereof.
W. Jeſſop Cler. of the Commons Houſe of Parliament.
A SERMON OF REPENTANCE. Preached before the Honourable Houſe of Commons, Aſſembled in Parliament at Weſtminſter, at their late ſolemn Faſt for the ſetling of theſe Nations, April 30. 1660. By Richard Baxter.
LONDON, Printed by R. W. and A. M. for Francis Tyton and Jane Underhil, and are to be ſold at the ſign of the three Daggers in Fleet-ſtreet, and at the Bible and Anchor in Pauls Church-Yard, 1660.
TO THE HONOURABLE THE Houſe of Commons ASSEMBLED IN PARLIAMENT.
AS your Order for my Preaching, perſwaded me you meant attentively to hear; ſo your Order for my publiſhing this Sermon, perſwaded me that you will vouchſafe conſiderately to read it. (For you would not command me to publiſh only for others, that which was prepared for, and ſuited to your ſelves.) Which ſecond favour if I may obtain, eſpecially of thoſe that need moſt to hear the doctrine of Repentance, I ſhall hope that the Authority of the heavenly Majeſty, the great concernment of the ſubject, and the evidence of Reaſon, and piercing beams of ſacred verity, may yet make a deeper impreſsion on your ſouls, and promote that neceſſary work of Holineſs, the fruits whereof would be effectual remedies to theſe diſeaſed Nations, and would conduce to your own everlaſting joy. Shall I think it were preſumption for me to hope for ſo high a reward for ſo ſhort a labour? Or ſhall I think it were uncharitableneſs not to hope for it? That here is nothing but plain Engliſh, without any of thoſe Ornaments, that are by many thought neceſſary, to make ſuch diſcourſes grateful to ingenuous curious auditors, proceeded not only from my preſent want of advantages for ſtudy (having and uſing no book but a Bible and a Concordance,) but alſo from the humbling and ſerious nature of the work of the day; and from my own inclination, leſs affecting ſuch ornaments in ſacred diſcourſes, then formerly I have done. It is a very great honour that God and you have put upon me, to conclude ſo ſolemn a day of prayer, which was anſwered the next morning, by your ſpeedy, and cheerful, and unanimous acknowledgement of his Majeſties authority. May I but have the ſecond part, to promote your ſalvation, and the happineſs of this Land, by your conſidering and obeying theſe neceſſary Truths, what greater honour could I expect on earth? Or how could you more oblige me to remain
A daily Petitioner to Heaven for theſe mercies, on your own and the Nations behalf, Rich. Baxter.