Two Treatises to Awaken Secure Sinners, Title page – To the reader
TWO TREATISES Tending to awaken Secure Sinners. Viz.
1. The Terror of the Day of Judgment, from 2 Cor. 5. 10.
2. The Danger of ſlighting Chriſt and his Goſpel, from Matth. 22. 5.
By RICHARD BAXTER.
The Gift of the Author.
LONDON, Printed for Jonas Luntley at the Three Bibles in Little Lincolns-Inn-fields. 1696.
To the Ignorant or Careleſs Reader.
SEeing the Providence of God hath commanded forth theſe plain Diſcourſes, I ſhall hope (upon Experience of his dealing in the like Caſes with me) that he hath ſome work for them to do in the World. Who knows but they were intended for the ſaving of thy Soul, by opening thine Eyes, and awaking thee from thy Sin, who art now in reading of them! Be it known to thee it is the certain Truth of God, and of high Concernment to thy Soul that they treat of, and therefore require thy moſt ſober Conſideration. Thou haſt in them (how weakly ſoever managed by me) an Advantage put into thy Hand from God, to help thee in the greateſt Work in the World, even to prepare for the great approaching Judgment, and not to ſlight Chriſt and his Goſpel. In the Name of God, I require thee caſt not away this Advantage: Turn not away thine Ears or Heart from this warning that is ſent to thee from the living God! Seeing all the World cannot keep thee from Judgment, let not all the World be able to keep thee from a ſpeedy and ſerious Preparation for it. Do it preſently, leſt God come before thou art ready. Do it ſeriouſly, leſt the Tempter over-reach thee, and thou ſhouldſt found among the fooliſh Self-deceivers when it is too late to do it better. I intreat this of thee on the behalf of thy Soul, and as th… und…ſt thy everlaſting Peace with God, that … wouldeſt afford theſe Matters thy deepeſt Conſideràtion. Think on them, whether they are not true and weighty: Think of them lying down and riſing up. And ſeeing this ſmall Book is faln into thy hands, all that I would beg of thee concerning it, is, that thou wouldſt beſtow now and then an Hour to read it, and read it to thy Family or Friends as well as to thy ſelf: and as you go, conſider what you read, and pray to the Lord to help it to thy Heart, and to aſſiſt thee in the Practice, that it may not riſe up in Judgment againſt thee. If thou have not leiſure at other, take now and then an Hour on the Lord's Days, or at Night to that purpoſe: and if any Paſſage through brevity (ſpecially near th… Beginning) ſeem dark to thee, read it again and again, and ask the help of an Inſtructer, that thou mayeſt underſtand it. May it but help thee out of the Snares of Sin, and promote the ſaving of thy Immortal Soul, and thy Comfortable Appearance at the great Day of Chriſt, I have the thing which I intended and deſired. The Lord open thy Heart, and accompany his Truth with the Bleſſing of his Spirit. Amen.