To THE READER. and conferencewith otherslearnedand experienced) might in this age,or in the;; agefollowing,be broughtto fome forme of method andart,wherebytheknow - ledgeand experienceoftheft things might bemade common tomany,not one-,, ly to the fruitful! curing, but alfo the healthfull preuenting of manifolde mil - chiefes. Thusfarre hisownewords. Let there graue Counfels and fruitfull obferuations in this firft part ofhis " holy workes, (which I haue here publifhed) teftifiehose mindfull and carefull hewas for many yeeres,to giue hereina comfortabledirection forpofleritie. I am themeaneftand theweakeftof manybrethren to write of this reuerend manslife,and labours in the Churchof God : yet hadI rather be notedof fome for want ofskil1, thenofany for want ofloueand affection tofo louinga father. I haueknownehislife for many yeeres, and reioyce in heartto haueknowne for that moltraregracesof Gods fpirite did(bine in him, all tempered as with faithvnfained vnto Chrift, fowith bowelsofcompaffionand louetowards men. Inhis holy Minifterie,hè waseuer carefull toauoìdeall occafionsof offence,de- firingin all things to approue himfelfeas theMinifter ofChrift; hemuch reioy- cedandpraifed God forthehappie gouernment ofourmoft gracious Queene ELIZABETH,and forthisbleffed calmeandpeaceofGods Church, andpeoo plevnderit ; and fpakeoftenofit bothpublikelie and privatelie, as he was occa- froned,andhissedvpthehearts ofall men what he couldtopray, and to praife God withhimforkcontinuallie : yea, thismatter foaffettedhim, that the day, beforehis departure outof this life, his thoughts were much troubled, for that menwerefo vnthankfull for that ftrange and hàppie deliverance ofour molt gracious Qeene,from thedangerous confpiraciesandpraEtifes ofthat time. He was thefpeciall inftrument and handofGod tobring many, both godlie and D. topes. learned,tothe holyferuice ofChrift,inhisMinifterie,and to reftraine,and to re- ducenot afew fromfchifme and error, ftriuing alwaies to retaine fuch in obe- dienceoflawes,and preciouflieto efteemeand regarde the peaceofthe Church andpeopleofGod. When Godhad tranflatedthisElias fromvs, thenlfoughttofindéhim in his workes: for they doe liuelieexpref£e thepiéture ofhis miedeand heart,andtafte fweeteiie ofthat pure fountaine of God, from whence they were deriued. Whilehe liued,his lips often refrefhedmy foule: whenhewas gone, I lamented WIG writ e much thatí hadnot in Chriftianitie made that vfeofhim,that aHeathendoth Gcilu. o£anatural1 wife man inhumanitie..But now I praife God I haue found fonte rwn good£upplieofthat which (through mineowoenegligence) I wanted : for of hisworkes (whichwere thendifperfed farreand neere, but nowby Gods proui- dence thegreateft and belt part are come intomy hands) I canfay formy con- tentas muchas Cyprian couldfay ofhis graue, auncient and learnedTertullan, Damihivatn both for £peciall inftruótion and confolation, gutrum. Hewas nofoonergone fromvs,but fómerefpeeting gaine,andnotregarding, godlinef£e,attempted forthwith to publifh fome fragmentsofhis workes, to the griefe (thatIfay nomore) of many louingfriends,which haue longdefiredand expeEtedtheimpreffïonofall hisworkes. And here could I with all the godlie learned wereof *M. Francis runiusiudgement, forhe (toefcape there huckftets *m hisEpiS9s handling) endeuourswifelie inhis lifetimetopreuentfuchamifchiefe. For this be ohiau caufe MA/Crooke, (a reuerend manfor his learningandlabour in the Church ueuaasion, well
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=