Carnal Reason, Title page – Preface
…rnal Reason, or the Wisdom of the Flesh: How foolish, deceitful, dangerous, reprobate and divilish; together with Rectified Reason, or the Wisdom of the Spirit, how divine, transcendent, safe, profitable and delightful: As also, how man was at first Created; how he is now Corrupted, and how he may be again Restored: Being Three Fundamental Principles of Christian Religion; which few do indeed know, and yet he who knows them not, cannot be saved.
By Junius …lorilegus.
Licenced and Entred according to Order.
London, Printed by I. R. for the Author, living at Stratford. 1669.
THE PREFACE.
THough the generality of the Jews were rather hardned than bettered, by all our Saviours Preaching and Miracles: Though many with us by over much fasting, have lost their stomachs, and others been too long sick of sin to be recovered: Though many, with the Spider, will de…oct what here is into poyson: …withstanding, many by loss of Conscience, are become Atheists; …rs by loss of Reason, Beasts; that not a few are so blockefied by …e custom of sin and wicked company, that they despise all means of be…ing better; will mock their Admonisher, and hate all that walk not after …ir rule; yea, they will make it a hainous crime and sh…ne, if others are as …strious to save souls, as they are to damn them.
Nevertheless, such as are not yet infected by lewd ones, that sc…rn not …earn, nor hate the light; such as would not fear their frumps, and be …o wise for their fraud, are intreated to accept of this Book, thus given, …me in thankfulness for the great good he once received by means of a lit… good counsel, as thinking he can never be thankful enough for such an …mparable mercy: And probably, that medicine which hath proved so …esful for the curing of one Patient, if it be communicated to thousands, … work the same effect upon not a few; yea, if a word or two seasonably spo… steered him quite into another course, why may not a more serious and pre…itated Advertisement (God blessing the same) prove the saving of thy ….
And little dost thou know, how thy heart upon hearing it may be changed, …des thine intention: Whether with those Gentiles, Rom. 10.20. th… …est not receive more good thereby than thou desirest: Or whether Chrut …come unto thee uncalled, as he did to Zacheus, Luke 19.5.
Neither think it strange, that it should be thus brought unto thee unexpected as that Cake and Cruse of water was to Elijah, 1 Kings 19.6. It suffice… that all heavenly hearts are charitable: Nor is he of the Communion of Saints, that desires not the blessedness of others; or any whit thankful for his own salvation, that looks not with charity and pity upon th… gross misopinions and mispristons of his bre…hren.
Besides, it were very dishonorable to Christ, when we are got out of Satans clutches, not to do our best to draw others after us; as did Andrew, Joh… 1.41. and Philip, Vers. 45. and the woman of Samaria, Joh. 4.28. … 41. and Peter, Luke 22.32. Acts 2.41, & 4.4. Did you ever know, th… wicked men, Thieves, Drunkards, Adulterers, False Prophets, … the like, would be damned alone? No, they mislead all they can, as desiring … have companions. Yea, the Pharisees would take great pains, compa… Sea and Land, to make others twofold more the children of He… than themselves, as our Saviour expresly witnesseth, Mat. 23.1… And what a shame were i…, that they should labor more for that which will b… inhance their damnation, than we for that which will adde to th… weight of our eternal glory and salvation. And so much by way … Preface.