To the Chriflian Reader. Hriflianand curteousReaderbeing moouedby fuchwho hadintereft inbringing to lightthis Sermon,that I would prefix fome fmall Epiftle,I would not withdrawmy felfe fromperforming fofmall a kindneffe.And twoconfidera- tionsefpecialy fwaied me towritea fewlines inthiskind: The firft whereofis the Authors greatdeferttowards the Church ofGod ;great inteaching,great inwriting.Many aman therein whohauing learnedly, iudictoufly,andplainly taught the truth ofGod, having taken heed to the Miniftery whichhereceiued in the Lord, to fulfill it, & that in preaching alone;notwithftanding he hath lefthis me- moriall bleffedvponearth,euen in that regardand naked refpe&. But if there beone man ofagreat company,who as he taughtreligioufly and powerfully in his life,fo befides in his life hedid write to the comforta- bleedification ofthe Church,yea &alfóleft after hisdeath,other things tobe publifhed forthe behoofeofGods Saints,yvith'óut queftion fucha wordhy maywelhaue doublehonor put vpon him.Mány fuchdeferuing inftruméts bath God raifed vp inour Church,excellìng both for mouth andpen. Among theTaft ofwhich,theAuthorofthis Sermon needenot to be ranked.His workerpraife him in thegates,as Salomonfpeaketh ofthe vertuousWomans deeds. The fecond and third,này,the fifeand fixt E. g ditions of certenTreatifes written by hitrt,though in adumb,ncuerthe- s s leffewith amouing Rhetoricke,fpake effe&ually tohiscommendation. In thefecond place,that did not a littleincourage me, that this Sermon (ifmuch affe&ionhaue not dazled forne eyes)may be efteemedamongft one of the chiefe he did deliuer. It waspreached inafamous Vniuerfi- ty, inamoft learnedand full Auditory, it was heardwith attention(his godlyvoice,and fan&ifiedgeftureenliuening the hearers:)afterwards it wasfpokenofwith reuerence andaffe&ion;as bothhearing ir, and hea- ring ofit, I cantrulyauouch,it was his farewell Sermon tohisMother Vniuerfity,although not(1 fuppofe)in the Authors intent, yet in thee- uent.Receiue therefore Chriftian Reader this Sermon, found foredifi- cation,fweet forapplication,thewingMinifters their duty,fhewing peo- ple theirs,andtherefore not vnwelcometoany good either teachers or learners. Thus wifhing thee allbletlingfromGod inthis and all other like furtherancesofthydeuotion, I recommend thee tothe Lords mer- cy, befeeching him for Chrift his fake,to fulfill cuery honeft defrre of thyheart. Thine inour comma»saviour, Mm á,Cq
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