TO THE

BOOKSELLER.

SIR,

Y

OU needed not any Interceffion to recommend this Tafk to me, which brought its Invitations and

Reward with it. I very willingly

read over all the Sheets, both of the Difcourfe and the Devotions annexed, and find great Caufe to blefs God for both, not difcerning what is wanting in any part of either, to render it, with God's Bleffing, most sufficient and proper to that great End defigned, the fpiritual Supplies and Advantages of all thofe that shall be exercised therein. The subject Matter of it is indeed what the Title undertakes, The Whole Duty of Man, fet down in all the Branches, with thofe Advantages of Brevity and Partitions, to invite, and fupport, and engage the Reader, that Condefcenfion to the meaneft Capacities, but withal, that Weight of fpiritual Arguments, wherein the beft Proficient will be glad to be affifted, that it feems to me equally fitted for both Sorts of Readers, which shall bring with them a fincere Defire of their own, either prefent or future Advantage A 2

The

The Devotion Part, in the Conclufion, is no way inferior, being a seasonable Aid to every Man's Infirmities, and hath extended itself very particularly to all our principal ConThe Introduction hath fupplied

cernments.

the Place of a Preface, which you feem to defire from me, and leaves me no more to add, but my Prayers to God, "That the "AUTHOR, who has taken Care to con"vey fo liberal an Alms to the Corban fo Secretly, may not mifs to be rewarded "openly in the visible Power and Benefit of "this Work, on the Hearts of the whole "Nation, which was never in more need

of fuch Supplies as are here afforded. "That his all-fufficient Grace will blefs the Seed fown, and give an abundant Increafe, is the humble Request of,

Your affured Friend,

March 7. 1657.

H. HAMMOND.

V

Α

PREFACE

To the Enfuing

TREATISE,

SHEWING

The Neceffity of Caring for the

I.

"T

SOUL.

HEonly Intent of this enfuing TREATISE, is to be a fort and plain Direction to the very meanest Readers, to behave themselves fo in this World, that they may be happy for ever in the next. But because 'tis in vain to tell Men their Duty, till they be perfuaded of the Neceffity of performing it, I fhall, before I proceed to the Particulars, required of every Chriftian, endeavour to win them to the Practice of one general Duty preparatory to all the reft; and that is, the Confideration and Care of their own Souls, without which they will never think themselves much concerned in the other.

2. MAN we know is made up of two Parts, a Body and a Soul: The Body only the Husk or Shell of the Soul, a Lump of Flesh, A 3

fub.

fubject to many Difeafes and Pains while it lives, and at laft to Death itfelf; and then 'tis fo far from being valued, that 'tis not to be endured above Ground, but laid to rot in the Earth. Yet to this viler part of us we perform a great deal of Care; all the Labour and Toil we are at is to maintain that. But the more precious part, the Soul, is little thought of, no care taken how it fares, bur, as if it were a thing that nothing concern'd us, is left quite neglected, never confider'd by us.

3. THIS Careleffness of the Soul is the Root of all the Sin we commit, and therefore whofoever intends to fet upon a Christian Course, muft in the first place amend that. To the doing whereof there needs no deep Learning or extraordinary Parts; the fimpleft Man living (that is not a natural Fool). hath Understanding enough for it, if he will but act in this by the fame Rules of common Reafon, whereby he proceeds in his worldly Bufinefs. I will therefore now briefly fet down fome of thofe Motives, which ufe to ftir up our Care of any outward thing, and then apply them to the Soul.

4. THERE be four Things especially, which use to awake our Care; the First is the Wirth of the thing: the Second the Ufefulness of it to us, when we cannot part with it without great Damage and Mischief; the Third the great Danger of it; and the Fourth

the