The l'refäse to the Reader. And you have here fomeTafts.and Informations of his Thoughts and Studies andof his Books and Letters to diversPerlons, of different Stations and Quality, and allo of what Pens and Spiritswrote againft him. Hewas of fuch Repute and Figure in his day, as that many coveted to fee his Face, to hear his Voice , and to receive his Refolutionof weighty Cafes of Confcience propofed to him. And in all this you will find that verifiedof him, which the Lord Bacon hath deliver'd from his Pen, viz. Muck Reading make, Mmfull,: Much Writing make, themjudicious and acute : andmuch Converfatien make, them ready. I have been amazed to fee how ha- ftily he turned over Volumes , how intimately he understood them, howStrangely he retained his Reading,and how pertinently he could ufe it toevery propofed Cafe. Men flayed not long forwhat they wrote to him about: and what he wrote was to great fatisfallionand to the purpofe. He wrote his Books with quick difpatch and never, but when he thought them needful, and his duty then to write them. And when as the Reader well confiders his Apology for his Books hereafter menti- oned, let him but ferioufly weigh what is alledged, and accordingly form, his Cen- lures. His mentioned and recited Cafuiflical Letters afid Books, favour at leaf}of Thought and Pains; and perhaps the Reader's patient and attentive minding of both his mention'd Books and Letters will not be lofs of time and pains. And though through toomuch hafte and heedlefnefs, fome few Efcapes (perhaps Inac- curacies) in the beginning may ditafte his curious eye; yet a very few Pages fol- lowing will yield him better Entertainment. § VII. But the great things which are as the Spiritof this Hiftory, are the Accounts he gives of the Original Springs and Sources of all thefe Revolutions, Diltradions and Difafters which happen'd from the Civil Warsbetwixt King Charles theFirlt, to the Reltoration of Charles the Second, and what was Confèquenc after thereupon to Church andState. And here we Ihall find various and great Occurrences fpringing from different Principles, Tempers and Interefts; direlled to diffetent Ends, and refolved intodifferent Eventsand Iffues. The Hiftorian endeavours to be faithful, candid, and Cenere. Nothing of real ferviceable Truth would he conceal. Nothing but what was influential on, and might, or did affeél the Publick Interefl would he expofe to Publick View. Nothing that might be capable of candid Interpretation or Allay, would he feverely cenfure. Nothing notorioufly criminal, and fatal to the Common Goodwould he patsby without his ju(t Refentntents of it, ,and Severe Reffe&ionson ir. As to his immediate Perfonal acquaintance with, or knowledge of the things reported by hint, I know no further of that, than as he himfelfre- lates. As to what he received from others by Report, how far his Information was true or falle, I know not. Indeed I wrote (with tenderand affe&ionate refpe& and reverence to the Do&ors Name andMemory) to Madam Owen to defire her tofend me what The could, well attelted, in favourof the Doetor, that I might in- fect it in the Margent, whore he is mentioned as having an hand in that Affair at WallingfordHoule ; or that I might expunge that paltage. But this offer being re- jelled with more contempmoufnefs and fmartnefs than my Civility deferred, I had no more todo than to let that pats upon Record; and to rely upon Mr. Baxter's re- port,and the concurrent Teftimonies of fuch as knew the Intreagues ofthofe Times. Yet that httight deal uprightly and upon the fquare, I havemention'd this (though obiter) to teltifiemy Refpels to him with whom I never was but once : but I was treated by him then withvery great Civility indeed. - I cannot deny but it would have been VIII. of great advantage to the acceptablenefs and ufefulnefs of this Book, had it's Reverend Author himfelf reviled, compleated, and corre&ed it, and publilhed it himfelf. I am fare it had mioiftred more abun- dantly tomy fatisfallion : for I neither craved nor expelled fuch aTrull and Lega- cy as his Manufcripts. Nor knew I any thing of this his kind purpofe and will, till two or three days before he dyed. My Heart akes exceedingly at every remem- brance of my incumbent Trull: and at the thoughts of my Account for all at loft. I am deeplyfenfible of my inability for fuch Work ; even to difcouragement, and no (mall Confternation ofSpirit. I want not apprehenfions of thePardon which I Shall need fromGod, and Candour from Men, both which I humblybeg for as up- on the knee. I know the heart and kindnefs and clemency of my God through Je- fus Chrilt : But I know not yet what Men will think, fpeak,- write concerningme. God (peak to Men for me, or give me Grace and Wifdom to bear and to im- prove
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