Advice to a Friend, Title page – Publisher to the reader
ADVICE TO A FRIEND.
DEPRESSA RESVRGO.
ECCLUS. xiv. 13.
Do good unto thy Friend before thou dye.
GREG. NYSSEN.
foreign.
London, Printed for R. Royſton, Book-ſeller to His moſt Sacred Majeſty, MDCLXXIII.
AN ADVERTISEMENT FROM THE PƲBLISHER TO THE READER.
Reader,
I Have nothing to ſay either of this Bo…k, or of its Author: But only deſire the Reader, if he like the Counſels which are here given, for the promoting and better ordering of Devotion, and for the preſerving of a pious Soul in peace and chearfulneſs, that he would be ſo kind and faithfull to himſelf as to follow them. And the hope I have, that after a peruſal, they will invite him ſo to do, makes me ſecure the Author will not be diſpleaſed to ſee that expoſed to publique view, which was at firſt intended only for a private Perſons uſe. For if the Advice be good, the more common it grows ſo much the better it is; and it will not be the leſs mine, when it is gone into other hands.
Plato, I am told, calls Love, the Ornament of all, both of the Gods and of Men; the faireſt and moſt excellent Guide, whom every man ought to follow, and celebrate with Hymnes and Praiſes: And what is there in which we can better expreſs and declare it to others, than in communicating to them, that which we hold in higheſt eſteem our ſelves? It was that which firſt produced this Treatiſe, and from thence it comes abroad.
That which the ſame Perſon ſaith is the Father of delights, of mirth, of whatſoever is gracefull and deſirable, was the Parent of this Book: And therefore let it be accepted with the ſame kindneſs wherewith it was writ, and is now Printed. Let all the faults (if you find any) be overlookt with a friendly eye; and do not diſcourage ſo excellent a vertue as Friendſhip (to which we owe the beſt things in the World) by ſevere and harſh cenſures of any thing that it produces.
But I need not, I think, be ſolicitous about this: the pious deſign of the Book being ſufficient to give it protection, if it cannot gain it approbation. It hurts no body, and therefore may paſs it ſelf with more ſafety; and it offers its ſervice to do every body good; which me thinks ſhould be taken kindly, even by thoſe who ſtand in no need of it. As for thoſe who ſhall make uſe of it, and find any benefit by it; they will complain perhaps only of the Author's thriftineſs, and wiſh he had been more liberal of his Advice. And ſo, it's like, he would, if he had not conſulted his Friends eaſe more than his own; and conſidered rather what would be uſefull, than what would make a great ſhow. You will take a wrong meaſure of his kindneſs, if you judg of it by the bulk of the Book; which was purpoſely contracted into a little room, that it might be a conſtant Companion, and as eaſie to carry in mind, as it is to carry in ones hand. And let the defects of it be what they will, they may be ſupplied out of one of the Rules, you here meet with, if you pleaſe to make uſe of it; which is, to chuſe a good Guide; from whom you may receive further Advice in any thing that is neceſſary for your Progreſs in Piety; or for the ſetling your Conſcience in peace.
And that we may none of us ever want ſuch a faithful and skilful Perſon to conduct us, and that we may receive a benefit by theſe and all other good Counſels; let us heartily joyn in that Prayer to God, which is the Collect for this Day, and add it often to the enſuing Devotions.
Leave us not, we beſeech Thee, deſtitute of thy manifold Gifts, nor yet of Grace to uſe them alway to thy Honour and Glory, through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord.
Amen.
St. Barnabie's Day, 1673.