Sermon 16 February 1698, Title page – To the reader
A SERMON Preach'd to the SOCIETY FOR Reformation of Manners, IN NOTTINGHAM, February 16, 1698/9.
Publiſh'd at their Requeſt.
By JOHN RYTHER, Miniſter of the Goſpel.
LONDON: Printed by Sam. Bridge, for Tho. Parkhurſt, at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapſide. 1699.
Mr. JOHN RYTHER's SERMON FOR Reformation of Manners.
To the Society for Reformation of Manners in Nottingham.
Gentlemen;
AT Your Deſire this Sermon was Preached; and as you know, at your Deſire it was Printed: or elſe it had lain buried in Duſt and Obſcurity with many others. Seeing it is Printed at your Requeſt, it concerns you, not me, to be accountable to the World for it: I can only ſay, I endeavoured Faithfulneſs and Plainneſs, if it may be of any uſe to you, or your Deſign; in that I ſhall rejoice. You have my Heart, and ſhall not want my poor Prayers. May the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus make you ſuch, all of you, as you ſhould be, that endeavour the Reformation of others; and make you very ſucceſsful, as well as ſincere, in your Attempts to Reform this Place; and may we and our Poſterity in this Town have cauſe to bleſs God that ever you begun this Work amongst us. So prays,
Your Faithful Friend and Servant, John Ryther. April 21, 1699.
To the READER.
I Know there are a great many Sermons out upon this Occaſion, and that there is this one more, is not at all in purſuance of my Inclination and Choice: for it would have pleaſed me much more if it had never gone farther, as to Publication, than the Pulpit; for I am very far from thinking that I am capable of adding any thing to what has been ſaid upon this Subject, or ſo much as equalling what has been ſo; but if thou ſay, Why did I ſuffer it to come out, I might have hinder'd it? I anſwer, it is true; but I can give this Reaſon for the bare ſuffering it to come abroad; hereby my Teſtimony for God againſt the Profaneneſs of the Day is more publick, and that I confeſs it not diſpleaſing to me; and I think carries ſome weight in it, for I judg a Man ſhould not ſuffer that which is in his Power to hinder, without being able to give at leaſt one good Reaſon for it. Seeing it is come out, I heartily pray God it may be bleſt to the confirming and incouraging thoſe on God's ſide, and to the awakening thoſe that are not, in order to their being brought over from their Tents of Sin, Satan and the World, to thoſe of God, Chriſt, Holineſs, Heaven.
Reader, It concerns thee infinitely, whoever thou art, to be on God's ſide. It is certain thou art, or art not: If not, thou art in a very miſerable Condition; and if thou look not about thee, thou wilt ſoon be irremediably, eternally miſerable: Conſider ſeriouſly, weigh diligently, what is here ſaid, and it may not be altogether unuſeful to thee, through the Bleſſing of God, if thou art on God's ſide. I almoſt think there is nothing here that will be offenſive to thee: And if there be any thing that proves advantageous to thee, give God, the God of all Grace, the Glory, and let me have thy Prayers.
That thou mayſt be on God's ſide now, and act very faithfully on it, and ſo be found on it at Death and the eternal Judgment, is the Prayer of thy Soul-Friend,
John Ryther.