love. Such, I am sure, as have thus learned the truth, as it is in
Jesus, and are practising the same accordingly, will have an antidote
within them against the strongest poison of these seducers, and a real
answer to, and confutation of, all their subtile sophisms. The soul
exercising itself into gospel godliness, will find work enough to take
it wholly up; and find such a solid ground to stand upon; and see such a
satisfying fulness, answering all its necessities and wants, and such a
sure heart-quieting ground of peace, hope, and consolation in Jesus
Christ, as that it will have no leisure, and small temptation to listen
to seducing perverters, and no inclination to seek after empty cisterns.

I know much may be desiderated in this following treatise, and many may
have exceptions not without ground against it. Some may think it
arrogancy, and too great confidence in me, to attempt the handling of
such a mysterious and necessary part of Christian practice, wherein few,
(if any, so far as I know,) have gone before, in direct handling of this
matter, at least in this method and order, I mean that part which is
about sanctification. Others may be displeased with the mean and low
style; with my multiplying particulars, which might have been better and
more handsomely couched under fewer heads, and with my unnecessary
contracting of the whole into such a narrow bound, and other things of
that kind; for which, and many other failings of the like nature and
import, which may without any diligent search, be found in it, even by
ordinary and unprejudiced readers; I shall not industriously labour to
apologize, knowing that my very apology in this case, will need an
apology; only I shall say this, that considering how the snare, which
the vigilant and active enemy of our salvation, the devil, was laying by
an unholy morality, did nearly concern all, and especially the meanest
(for parts and experience) and less fixed Christians, I thought a
discourse on such a subject as I judged most necessary at all times, and