A Companion for the Penitent, Publishers advertisement – Dedication
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THere is lately printed a Book, entituled, A Companion for the Persecuted; or, an Office for Those who suffer for Righteousness. Containing particular Prayers and Devotions for particular Graces; and for their Private or Publick Wants and Occasions. By John Kettlewell, a Presbyter of the Church of England. Price bound 1 s. 6 d.
LONDON: Printed for Robert Kettlewell, and Benj. Bragg, at the White-Hart, over against Water-Lane, in Fleet-street, 1694.
A COMPANION FOR THE Penitent: And for Persons Troubled in MIND. CONSISTING OF An Office for the Penitent, to carry on their Reconciliation with God. And a Tryal or Judgment of the Soul, for discovering the safety of their Spiritual Estate. And an Office for Persons troubled in Mind, to settle them in Peace and Comfort.
By JOHN KETTLEWELL, a Presbyter of the Church of England.
LONDON: Printed for Robert Kettlewell, and Sold by Benj. Bragg, at the White-Hart, over against Water-Lane, in Fleet street, 1694.
Imprimatur,
Ra. Barker. February 15. 1693/4.
To the Inhabitants and Parishioners, of the Town and Parish of Coles-hill, in Warwick-shire.
My beloved Friends and Brethren,
THough by God's Providence, which most wisely Orders all Things, I now live at a great distance from you; yet I still retain a Pastoral Affection for you, and ordinarily remember you in my Prayers, and have an Heart that is truly desirous to serve you in the great Work of your Souls, and is glad when any pains of mine can prove serviceable to you therein.
I remember the Labours which I have spent among you, with a very sincere and good Will, tho' alass! with much weakness, in my great Lord and Masters Service; and I hope also that you will not forget them. And if by tract of time, many things which I have taught you have sl…pt out of your Memories, (as I cannot expect but they have;) yet much of that, which I prepared and preached to do you good, I printed, whilst I was among you, for the Benefit of others, and the Books are in many of your Hands, and may be in more, wherewith you may refresh your Memories when you please.
In those labours of my Ministry, which I took among you for a course of several years, I thank God I endeavoured to lay before you his whole Counsel, according to the best my Skill. And suited my Discourses, to the needs of the place, and to Times and Seasons, to possess you with such Thoughts and Tempers, as I judged needfull to support your Spirits, and to direct your Practice under them. And I was not silent, but warned you, yea, sometimes till I even wearied some of you with warnings, against your Spiritual Dangers, when I thought any great Danger to your Souls drew near. For you your selves know, Brethren, that I have not kept back the Truths of God from you, nor suppressed them at the times when you had most need to be put in mind thereof; tho' I found some were like to be displeased therewith, and as St. Paul says, to count me *Gal. 4. 1….their Enemy for telling them these Truths.
Now there must be a strict Account given one day, both how I have discharged my part in that Station, and how you have discharged yours. And my Hearts desire, and earnest Prayer for you all is, that you may, both bear in Mind all the faithful Warnings and Instructions, which according to the best of my understanding, I was continually pressing upon you, and left with you; and may likewise willingly, and carefully follow them. That so, when both you and I are brought before our ever Blesled and Great Master, (as most certainly we shall be,) we may both rejoyce together; I for having been your affectionate and Faithful Monitor, and you for having afforded a willing, a mindful, and an obedient Ear.
And now, since I am out of the may of serving you otherwise, I have sent this Companion among you, to minister to your most Serious and Holy Thoughts, and to direct and go before you, both in your Prayers, and in your Practice. And I desire, that by your frequent and considerate use thereof, you wouldturn the Hymns and Prayers contained therein, to become the familiar and genuine Sense and Language of your Hearts. Learn habtually to breathe these Thoughts, and daily to live by them. And by this means you may both perfect the work of your Repentance, and preserve the Peace of your Consciences, which are the greatest and most concerning things you have to mind, and the chief things, which I earnestly pray you that you would, and hope that you will mind, all the days of your Lives. And this I shall look on, as the best, and the most obliging Return, that you can make to me for this Labour of Love; which I desire you to receive, not only as a Token of my Respect and Kindness to you, but also as a proper means, which, by God's Blessing, may do you good, if you please.
I humbly commend it to the Acceptance and Blessing of the Almighty, without which it will be of no force, either among you, or among any others. And I heartily commend you all, to the Protection of his Good Providence, and especially to the Guidance of his Grace, that he would deliver you from all dangerous Errors and Wickedness, and both make you perfect in the doing of his Will, and give you Comfort in the same. I remain, my Beloved Friends and Brethren,
Your truly Affectionate Friend, and Faithful Monitor, in the Work and Service of the Lord Jesus, John Kettlewell. From my House in London, Jan. 23. 1693.