Repentance and Prayer, Title page – Epigraph
REPENTANCE AND PRAYER: OR, The two Fundamental Pillars of the NATION. BEING The ſubſtance of Four Sermons preached at St. Peters Poor, London.
By that Famous and Reverend Divine RALPH BROWNRIGGE, Formerly Vice-Chancelour of Cambridge, and lately Lord Biſhop of Exeter.
Rev. 14.13. —Bleſſed are the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth, yea ſaith the ſpirit, that they may reſt from their labours, and their works do follow them.
LONDON, Printed for Thomas Riland, and are to be ſold at the Hand and Bible in Ducklane. 1660.
To the READER:
Chriſtian READER,
BEing unwilling the Nation ſhould be deprived of ſo great a benefit as the works of ſo eminently learned and pious a Divine, as this our reverend Author: I could not but (in charity to thee, and in duty to our Authors ſacred memory) offer to publick view theſe Four enſuing Sermons: being preached at St. Peters Poore London, when that famous Pillar of the Church, Dr. Holſworth was Preacher there. As for the Subject matter of them, it's principally concerning the Duties of Repentance and Prayer, the two Fundamental Doctrines, which every individual Chriſtian, and the whole Nation in general ought to put in practice; which duties as they were then Seaſonably preached, ſo I hope they will be now as opportunely publiſhed; this being an Age, wherein there is ſo much want of both. I ſhall not need to expatiate my ſelf, in giving thee a character of our worthy Author, be being ſo generally known: I queſtion not but the benefit which thou ſhalt reap by reading them, will anſwer the fervent deſires of him who is
Thine in the Lord J. K.
The Texts of the four Sermons.
JOEL 2.14. WHo knoweth if he will return and repent and leave a bleſſing behind him, even a meat-offering and a drink-offering unto the Lord our God.
PSALM, 78. verſ. 34, 35, 36, 37. When he ſlew them, then they ſought him and turned them early, and enquired aſter God, and they remembred that God was their ſtrength, and that the high God was their Redeemer; nevertheleſs they did but flatter him with their mouth, and diſſembled with him in their tongue, for their heart was not whole with him, neither continued they ſtedfaſt in his covenant.
LUKE 22. verſe 31, 32. And the Lord ſaid, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath deſired to have you, that he may ſift you as wheat: But I have p…ayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, ſtrengthen thy Brethren.
LUKE 11.13. If ye then, being evil; know how to give good gifts unto your Children; how much more ſhall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him?