Mans Whole Duty and Gods Wonderful Entreaty, Title page – Dedication
Mans whole Duty, AND Gods wonderful Intreaty Of him thereunto.
Set forth from 2 Cor. 5.20. and Publiſhed at the Requeſt of ſome Hearers.
By DANIEL BƲRGESS, Miniſter of the Word of Reconciliation.
Licenſed according to Order.
LONDON, Printed by J. Richardſon for Tho. Parkhurſt at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapſide; and John Lawrance at the Angel in the Poultry. 1690.
To my Excellent Friends,
Mrs. Joan Wood.
Mrs. Anne Hook.
Mrs. Abigail Vanittern.
Mrs. Martha Brown.
OF THE CITY OF BRISTOL.
Gentlewomen,
THeſe Lines do not vainly deſign to adorn your Names; but are very uprightly meant to defend my own, from one of the blackeſt Reproaches. Even loathſome Ingratitude. I have bid them tell all they meet, that You were, for ſome (black) years together, my nobleſt Gaia's: And your Houſes, my ſweet Homes. That I am not Unthankful, though I am Inſolvent. That I am not Inſolvent neither, if Prayers do diſcharge Debts.
I do continue my pleaſant Hope of your Perſons Reconciliation unto God: And my Prayers for your Deareſt Relatives: Beſeeching the Father of Glory, to make his own Love, the Reward of Yours unto me. And if it he his bleſſed pleaſure, to make theſe very Leaves bear ſome Fruit unto your Souls
Be it freely ſaid, as far as I know my ſelf, I am neither Proud nor Aſhamed of them. Not Proud; for I am aware how my imperfections do Blemiſh them. Not Aſhamed; for I am told, God hath Bleſſed them; and I am made to believe, that he will Bleſs them. That as they are not Beautiful, ſo neither ſhall they be Barren, as Rachel. But Fruitful, though Blear-Eyed as Leah.
I have told you ſome Years ago, that I Preached for the Salvation of Plow-Boys and Milk-Maids, as well as Lords and Ladies. And if I did not, I ſhould never expect to do ſo much upon them by Rhetorical Politeneſs, as by Goſpel Plainneſs. Honey Dews be ſweet to the Taſt, but they miſerably blaſt the Corn. Delights of Fancy, hinder Wounds of Heart. This is ſtill my Thought.
And if you are ſtill the Chriſtians that I once knew you, I am ſure you will welcome Plaineſt Goſpel. 'Tis Goſpel I do preſent you, and in Dreſs as homely as I heretofore uſed among you. I am not now firſt to crave a Bleſſing upon it; but ſhall ever continue craving it: And particularly a Bleſſing to your ſelves, and to the Olive-Plants about your Tables.
Clare-Houſe, in Drury-Lane, London, Dec. 11. 1689. Your Affectionate Orator unto your Heavenly Father. D. Burgeſs.