Cleansing our Way in Youth, Author to the reader – Errata
THE Author's EPISTLE TO THE READER.
THE Abounding of Iniquity in a Chriſtian Land, is juſt matter of Lamentation, and is a daily Grief to ſuch as have at heart the Concerns of God's Glory, and the beſt Intereſts of this People. And it is the unqueſtionable Duty of All, to endeavour in our ſeveral Stations, according to the Talent committed to us, to promote an happy Reformation.— And if the Riſing Generation among us might be induced to Cleanſe their Way, This wou'd be one glorious ſte…nd afford a moſt hopeful proſpect of the deſir'd Bleſſing.—A ſerious view p…culiarly at the benefit of our Young People produced the ſubſequent DISCOURSE: which is the Subſtance of ſundry Sermons, firſt delivered from the Pulpit in the Courſe of my Miniſtry about a Year & Half ſince, and more lately (at deſire) in Sum repeated to a Society of Young Men, meeting privately for Religious Exerciſes on LORD's-Day-Evenings.— And at their repeated Requeſt, (Not without the Sollicitation & Approbation of ſome worthy Friends, whoſe Judgment and Importunity not to hearken unto in ſuch a Caſe ſhould ſeem not altogether Decent,) I have at length ſuffer'd this ſmall Tract to appear abroad; n…t daring to run the Riſque of incurring Guilt, by obſtinately rejecting the pious deſires of Any, and utterly refuſing an Opportunity of doing Good, (which none ſhould be backward to) tho' in never ſo inferior degree.— Indeed I confeſs, (what has been an objection of no little weight with me,) that the World is full of Elaborate Treatiſes on all Points of practical Divinity: and particularly the Subject of the following Compoſure has been already handled by ſundry ſuperior Pens. And from imagining, that, after their Excelling Labours upon it, any new Light cou'd be added thereunto by the Eſſay of ſo poor a Scribe, I am abundantly checkt by an apprehenſion of my inſufficiency.—But there are Multitudes of Readers, and many of them doubtleſs not owners of thoſe Writings, and beſides among them there is a great diverſity of Genius, Inclination, & Reliſh; and hence a variety of Tracts on the ſame Head by different Hands is but convenient; according to that known ſaying of One of the Ancients, Utile eſt Plures Libros a Pluribus fieri. To have the ſame Argument treated divers ways is uſe…ul. In a Variety, 'tis probable, every one may find what will pleaſe and profit him.—Therefore with all due deference to the Excellent Writings of Others, I humbly offer th… enſuing Pages particularly to the Peruſal of Young People, hoping they may be of ſome Service. And if this End be anſwer'd in any meaſure, I have enough to ſatisfy me, that I have done but my Duty in making Publick theſe few Sheets.—And I am (perhaps too) prone to think it ſavours of little leſs than Pride, to be invincibly averſe to ſpeaking to the World from the Preſs, in purſuance of our Office, when there is a probable Proſpect of doing ſome Good, altho' our performances may come vaſtly ſhort of others for Light and Force.
And it cannot be thought, but that in Diſcourſing on ſuch a common Theme, I may have adopted ſome Hints from Others: and indeed ſometimes I have choſen to ſpeak my own ſenſe in borrow'd Language: where I have taken this Liberty, the Reader may obſerve, I have conſtantly comma'd the ſame, or marked it thus (") unleſs poſſibly ſome few Sentences may have ſlipt me.—Many, I am very apprehenſive are the defects in theſe few Papers: But the Performance▪ ſuch as it is, (Humbly leaving the Event with GOD as to it's Entertainment & it's Succeſs, & Earneſtly begging that it may be ſerviceable to His Glory, & the Good of Souls,) I preſent it to you, relying on your Candour for the Allowance, you will eaſily diſcern it needs; & now requeſting your Prayers for me, I commend you to God, & to the Word of His Grace, which is able to build you up & to give you an Inheritance among all them which are ſanctify'd, through Faith that is in Chriſt Jeſus. Amen.
Thomas Foxcroft. Boſton, Nov. 2. 1719.
ADVERTISEMENT.
I hope the Reader will Excuſe Leſſer Errors: and Correct what are more Groſs, as follows;
PAge 9. Line 33. read it's offspring. p. 10. l. 7. r. underſtood. p. 27 l. 27. r. be ſorted. p. 41. l. 15. r. tremble. p. 68. l. 8. for no r. now. p. 71. l. 6. r. if we die. & l. 7. blot out we, after or, if. p. 79. l. 14. r. temporary. p. 108. l. 5. r. v…tiates. p. 127. l. 26. r. operative. p. 150. Marg. bot. r. Collinges. p. 168. l. 11▪ We are in this reſpect dignify'd. p. 182. l. 22. r. in the day.