The Vtility of this S To R Y. THe World being reptenifhed with fuch an infinit~ multitude of Book~ of all kind bf~':!!{~~~ matters, I may fcem, perhaps, to take a mat.rer m ban.d f~pcrfluous a~d needlelS, at l'il!.'~.!!..~ this prefent to fet out fuch Volumes, efpectally of Htllones, confidcrmg now adayg , the World is fo greatly pefiered, not only with fuperfluom plenty thereof, but of all other Trearifes, fo that Books now feem rather to b.ck R..caders, than ~c:aders t~ lack Books. In the which muhitude of Books, I doubt not but many do both pcrcetve, and mwardly bc- ~;i!h~:r~~~:t~:~~y~~~~;r~;~sm~~~b 0J~;e~:~~sa~;~a~0el~b%1e ~0~nr~~~ff;h;;;~;~ ~~ man fbould think that unadvtfedly or wnb ra!hnefs I have attempted thts Enterpnfe, as one being not only doubtful, but alfo both balhful and _fearful within .my felf ~or fetting the fa~e :~~~~!uld~0~J~!;;,;t ~~~ftfe~r~r;~~:e~~:;~:d~r~~:u~~ ~!n~~~;: ~~ r~:d;~~~~k~~~~~;~~ tCt upon fuch a weighty Emerprife,not fuf!iciendy furnifbed ~~th fuch Orna~ents able to fat.Jsfie the perfection of fo great a Gory, or fuffiCJent to ferve the Uuhty of the Studtous, and the dellght oft he Learned. Which ability the more I perceived to be wanting in me, the JefS I durft be bOld tobecomeaWriter. But again on the other fide, when I weighed with my felf what memorable Aas and famous Doings this later Age of the Church bath mioHl:red to us by the patient Sufferings of the worthy Martyrs, I thought it not to be neglected, that fo precious Monuments of fo many matters, meet to be recorded and rcgifired in Books, fbould ha buried by my default, under darknefs of Oblivion. Me thought fomcwhat was to be faid ofthem for their well deferving, and fomething again of our parts for benefit by them received. But above all 01her things, nothing did £? ftir me forward hereunto, as the diligent confideration and fpecial regard of the commoii Utility which every man plentifully may receive by the reading of thofe MonumentS or Martyrology; which Hifiory as I have taken in band chiefly for the ufe of the Bng/ifo-Church, fo have I framed it in that Tongue which the fimple people could beft underfiand. Now if men commonly delight fo n:uch in other Chronicles which entreat only upon matten of Policy, and rejoyce to behold therein the variable events of worldly affairs, the Strato~.gems of valiant Captains, the terror of foughten Fields, the facking of Cities, t he hurlyburlie! of Realms and People ; And if men think it fuch a gay thing in a Commonwealth tO commit to Hiftory fuch old Antiquities of things proph~nc..., and befiow all their Ornaments _ ofWit and Eloquence in garni~ing the fame, how much more then is it meet for Cbrifiians to con!ervc in remembrance the Lives, AB:s, and Doingg, not of bloody Warriors, but of mild and conftant Martyrs of Chrift, which ferve not fo much to delight the ear, as to garniil1 the life, to frame it witti e~amples of great profit, and to encourage men to all kind ofChrif\:ian ~:::~n:~: 1f~ fi~r'm~~.r~o~t~~r~~~e~te ~;i~~~ !~a~,/~t~r:\~~~~1~~~~~o?c~efri~~~~P~~:~~ For like as one faid of Harpttlus in times paft, that his doings gwe a lively tefi:imony 01ga inft God, becaufe he being fo wicked a man, efcaped fo long unpunifbed ; fo contrariwife in thefe men we have a much more affured and plain witnefs of God, both in ·whofe Lives a·nd Deaths appeared fuch manifefi: Declarations of Gods divine working, whiles in !itch fharpnefs of Torments we behold io them firength fo confiant above mans reach, fuch teadine6 to anfwer , fuch · ~:atience in imprifonment , fuch godlinefs in forgivi ng, chearfulocfs , fo cu 1pm·· 1 couragious in fuffenng, befides the manifold fenfe and feeling of the Holy Ghofi, whicb fuhtwtt-' , they in their Lives fo plentifu lly tafi:ed in their Affiictions, as in reading of their Letters cvi· ';,~jf,!~i dently we may underftand. Over and beGdes this the mild deaths of the Saints do not a little ,,.d ~~~ avail to the fiabliiliing of a good Confcience, to learn the contempt of the World, and to 5(~tij{. come to the fear of God. Moreover, they confirm Faith, encreafe Godlinefs, abate Pride in ' Pro(perity, and in A,dverfity do open an hope of heavenly Comforr. For what man reading the mifery of thefe godly perfons may not therein, as in a Glafs, behold his own cafe, whether he be godly or godlefS? For ifGod ~ive Adverfity umogood men, what may either the better • fort promife ~hemfelves, or the ev1l not fear? And ·as by reading of prophane fiories we arc made pcrb:aps more skilful in Warlike affairs; fo by reading this we are made better in o~r livings , and befides are better prepar~ unto ~he like Conflicts, (if by Gods pe'~- mlffion they fhall happen hereafter) more w1fe by thell DoCtrine, and more fiedfafi by rhe1r Eumple. rig~;~~~~\~~:[u:r~cl~~ic~o n~~d~~r~o:V~a\~~u~c;:!n~tn !~:ti~~~e j~' h~~e :~a: hi; ~he~ furretbon to co~e, and is ,now, I trut1, at hand. In confideration whereof, me thinks I have 5::h~a~eH~r::~~;·St~r~~;:k~v,~1u~:t~i~~~~~~s,p;;:~ %~~0 ~!~~sm~~~9 ~~nr:;ty':s~ica~~~~y~~~1! always I~ fighr, not only to read, but to follow, and would paint them upon their Walls, Cups, Rmgs, and Gates. For doubtldS fuch as thefe are more WQrthy of honour than art hundred'
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=