If it should be the will of my gracious Father to call me out of this mortal life , as things now stand with me and concerning me , I should not dye esteemed , nor much regarded by such as have been my great friends formerly , and shall by me still be numbred among the best of men . It is not my lot alone to be lesse beloved of such as were best loved of me . God will stain the pride of flesh : Nos quoque flor●imus . I make of that Distich written to famous Bishop Jewel : Olim discipulus mihi parve Juelle , fuisti . Nunc ero discipulus te renuente , tenus .

T is pretty ( for all that ) to see how gravely some young men ( born since the Lord put me in the Ministry first ) do carry themselves . Surely the British British Priests mentioned by Bede , would be ready to think and say of them as the old Eremite had taught them concerning Austin the Monk , sent over by the Pope to reduce the Clergy of England to the Romish yoke : But I hope the Lord will keep me from a discontented spirit , and envious eye . Though I am low and under many afflictions , yet blessed be God that it goeth so well with his people for the generality as it doth , and with the publicke . The consideration of that I trust , will quiet my grumbling soule , and swallow up my private afflictions , which are many , & have been of so long continuance , and are like to continue so long as any limb or part of Antichrist ( though but his little toe ) remaineth . But come what will , my mercies are , will be more then my afflictions , yet I wish mine advanced ( once I durst call them ) brethren , would not be too rigid beyond rule . Arbitrary power hath not stood long in any ; let laws be observed towards us as we are Commoners , and Christs rules as we are Christians and Brethren ; and then some others as well as I , that have shared in the common afflictions of Gods people , and the common wealth ; and have been in the number of instruments made use of by God in the day of Iacobs trouble ; shal finde fairer dealing then we doe . It is not meant that the earth should cover our blood , or you wink at our sinnes ; but that you would not make your selves wiser then known wholsome Laws , nor more righteous in matters of religious concernment , then the perfect rule of Christians , the Scriptures of God doe require and warrant you in . I confesse it was very grievous to me , that had been so tost from post to pillar , in the time of the Prelacy , put into Star-chamber and High-Commission at one time . A Petition delivered to the Kings own hand against me with twenty four terrible Articles annexed , importing Faction , Heresie , Witchcraft , Rebellion and treason : Articles in the consistory at Exeter , at the same time under a suit of pretended slander for reproving an atheistical wretch , by that name of Atheist at the same time : Purssevants , or messengers , one upon the back of another , no lesse then five at several times : Now when the Lord had given his people rest , and advanced some to places of power , to be dealt withall more illegally and irregularly then in those sad times before hinted . But I confesse it was by such as either then were in their Coats , or under the Schoolmasters Ferula ; or dawbing with untempered morter , and serving the times , if they were then come into the world in employments . How doest thou my Brother ? and Haile Master , cannot choose but run in my minde , when I consider how one Cringed to me , and after thanked me for my pains I took upon an occasion , &c. and yet secretly had an information of above twelve years age , to make me Odious : O my God , lay it not to his charge : And although I have not so great a portion in wealth or honour , as many ( once far below me ) have attained unto ; yet I acknowledge God is afore-hand with ●e aboundantly . I have swimmed through a sea of mercies , and shall not that Ocean swallow a few discourteous dealings ? This God ( whom I here hold forth under such glorious attributes as the Scripture gives him ) is my God , and was my ( iminently godly ) Fathers God , even while he lived , and I have great cause to say , he is already my childrens God , and I trust will be the God of ( not onely ) them , but their children also , even so , Amen .

This Treatise , comes under many disadvantages unto the view of the reader . Notes taken , of what was publickly preached , onely over-looked by me , the looked and over-seen Author ; in nothing more ( in a manner ) then in suffering such notes to be made publick in such a queasy stomached age : delivered by me unworthy creature , as God gave in . Badly written out for the Presse , which hath caused mistakes of one word for another very often , besides mispointings and mistakes of letters , ( which I much weigh not , because such faults are as easily amended as espied : I my selfe at my home , many scores of miles , whiles it was printing , so that I could not view the sheets as they came out of the Presse : what shall I say ; Infaelix , habitum temporis hujus , habet : it comes forth in an habit sutable to the Authors present condition ; I am contented to be a sufferer in Printing , as well as in Preaching . And yet I am of an opinion some will get some good ; and may make use of this rough-hewed untrimed piece : There was great calling upon me for it , by many that heard it , before I could be perswaded to give it a let-passe : And now that it is abroad , God grant , that no spirit of prejudice against the Authors person , may hinder the profiting any reader hereof ; It is a subject I confesse , some have written of already , which yet I saw not ( all at least ) untill mine was finished : And I perceive I have rambled in a method of mine own , being very apt to step aside to speake with any God sends my spirit unto in my preaching : as the reader will quickly perceive . But 't is as ' t is . Quod factum est infectum fieri nequis . Charge not on me the mistaken words or sentences , the mispointings and faults in Orthography , which abound , but correct with thy Pen , or cover with thy candid ingenuity , what thou findest amisse : As for such , as are ready to deprave the labours of others , though they cannot or will not produce better of their own : I wish them better spirits ; without paying so dear for their follys as I have for mine . And so I commend this Treatise to Gods blessing and thy favour ; And if thou wilt needs have low thoughts of it , or of the Author , know that thou comest too late to be the first in order of that sort of men , among whom is first and chiefest already .