I:

against his mind, and that they are difowned by him, which as he endeavoured to his utmost to fuppreffe while he was living,so it was his fear to be injured in it after his death; For

First, Thefe are no fermon notes taken from him printed under his name: but under the names of thofe that took them after him.

Secondly, there is no fear he will be injured by this publication, when the publishers are fo Candid, and in genuous, to give unto him that which is his ̧viz. That he preached these fermons, and to take to themfelves that which is theirs, viz. any thing that seems not to speak him in the publication.

Thirdly if in his life time when he endeavoured to his utmost to fuppresse fuch publications, there came out *See Dr. Ber. without his knowledge, and against his mind, That Loc. Citat. book entitled, *The fum and fubftance of Chriftian Religion, fome of the materials with the Method only his,collected by him in his younger yeers for his own private ufe, but the reft Tranfcribed out of Mr. Cartwrights Chatechifme, and Mr. Crooks, and fome other English Divines, diffonant in divers places from his own judge ment; he was yet very well content any induftrious perfon that would cut off what is weak and fuperfluous therein, and fupply the wants thereof, and caft it into a new Mould of his own framing, fhould make what use he pleafeth of the materials therein, and set out the whole in his own name, Because he perceived it had done much good: Then I fay it may be fuppofed had be yet been alive (as I hope his good name will never dye) he

would

world have been contented upon the fame account to let
thefe notes go forth. The publishers were high honourers
of him, men of Learning and Judgment, and though
all be not taken which perhaps hefpake, and fomthing
perhaps also himself would have pared off, (as it is
fcarce poffible for any man but himself to publish either
fermon,or any thing elfe came out of his mouth, in that
exactnesse himself would have done it;) yet is here no-
thing added of their own, here is only (as they fay)*
the body, the bulk, not the Gloffe, the fpirit, the
energy of them. These things confidered it is hoped Reader.
(which they trust) *the publishing of these notes
will not be interpreted by any, in the least to re-
flect on the unparalleld worth of the preacher,to
whose very duft they profeffe to owe a facred re-

verence.

I rather think it were a kind of facriledge, had they not done it, if these three things be well and duely weighed.

* See their

Epift to the

Ibidem.

First, that much good hath been done to very many, by fuch notes taken from other eminent Divines, and otherwife published then the Authors themselves would have fent them abroad.Witneffe the works of Dr. Prefton, Mr. Bolton, and many others, fome of their fermons printed by themselves look not like those of their fermons printed by others; yet Learned men and Godly, have bleft God that they were published. Sec Mr. Com Mr. Cotton wisheth *that fuch fermons or Let- tons Epift. to ters as happily have layen by many yeers might be brought to light: fuch little things as the Au thor would hardly acknowledge under his own name, might be of special use and esteem unto o

thers

Mr. Hilder

Jams Book on
John 4.

* See Capt.

Bell. Narat. before Lath.

thers. And his reafon is, why should any talent be buryed in a napkin, or candle lye bid under a bushel, which being fet on a Candlestick might give light to all that are in the house? yea thofe *di vine difcourfes at Luthers table,&c. More loofe than the e fermons,did Menfal. Colloq, much good in Germany, (as their tranflator teflifyeth) and being by strange providence preferved to pofterity, and made to speak English, was judged by a great Prelate of Canterbury, a work worthy of eternal memory, and that he had never read a more excellent divine work: and that the more he did read them,the more defire he had to go on therewith: and that he would make it known to the then King, what an excellent peice of work was tranflated, and that he would procure an or der from his Maiefty to have the book printed; and to be difperfed throughout the whole King dome, as it was inGermanie. Yet is that book censured Convivalium by Polanus to be neither Luthers, nor published fermonum non by any approbation of his, but a rapfody patched eft Lutheri,nec together without understanding or judgment, bane aut etiam and printed after his death. None fuch will be found vivente editus in these fermon notes: fomething of Luthers Spirit may Jed eft Rapfo be difcerned in thefe Colloquies,But much more of the Intelle&u Gracious and heavenly spirit of this unparalleld Biconfarcinata. Po-hop. The Reader will misse in these notes indeed the lan. fyntag. de canonic. exadness of his Immanuel, or the incarnation of Authorit fcript, the fun of God so accuratly couched that you cannot page fol. 49. find a word defective or redundant; nor will be find thefe notes like the two fermons published by himself: but yet they may meetwith acceptance. by reason of the diligence of thofe that atteft them.

* Liber ille

Luthero appro

dia fine Judicio

*

Se

*

*

* Bp. Andrew's

Secondly, That if God bleffe the reading as he did the preaching of them, none of his furviving friends but may rejoice that in them he being dead fpeaketh: Indeed those worthy men do it upon an Heb 11..4. yet higher account then fome, others perhaps did like them from the Rhetorick, Language, or Learning Couched in them, It was the heavenly Art, the fpiritual Efficacy and power, the foul-searching, foul-faving vertue that took with them, they found them to peirce the heart and Confcience more then tickle the ear or fancy of their bearers. The true praise of a fermon (faith one ferm 7. of of note) is fome evil left, fome good done upon Rep. and Fas the hearing of it, one fuch fruit were a more am ple commendation, then many mouths full of good words spent, and copies taken and prin ting,&c. and fure it is, on whom a fermon works aright, it leaves him no leisure to say much, or ufe many words, but makes him rather full of thoughts. Thus did these fermons the hearers,if you read the epifile prefixed, fo that were it but for this to let the world fee how much this Master of all learning condifcended, and fought to profit rather then pleafe, it were reafon enough for their publication.

P

Some teftimonies are left behind him under his own hand, how he could both speak, and write, and preach; let these notes taken after him be teftimonies how much he condifcended and let them ferve for patterns to fuch as think it below them (especially in fuch Auditories) to preach as he did, a Crucifyed Chrift in a Cru cifyed ftyle. I have heard Dr. Hoyle (my learned Tu tor, who dyed professor of Divinity in Oxford, after be had many years been the like in Dublin) Jay,mben

*John 3. 10.

19.

this Famous Bifhop proceeded Doctor of Divinity, He thought Tully himself could not have excelled him (bad he been alive) in eloquence at that time, which appeared not only in his set speeches, but those which oc cafionally fell from him upon the By: and he was one that could well judge. But now that he preacheth ad populum though in Oxford, you have this Eagle ftooping as low to prey upon fouls to win them to God, proclaiming all along, I am not the bridegroom but the friend of the bridegroom. and (as Nazianzen) I thank God I have a little learning to facrifice to Christ. fuch a Precedent is worth the printing.

Thirdly that had not this courfe been taken, a worfe might have befallen,directly contrary to the will of the godly Bifhop: For fome of these notes were in the hands of divers perfons, who were much taken with them, and much defired, (and it was feared might have endeavoured) a private printing of them, more imperfectly then now you have them. That faithfull Minifter mentioned in the frontispiece whofe Latine Epiftle is prefixed, having with much adoe got this Copy out of their hands thought(as the rest who have attested it `twas much better to publish these as now you see them, then to indanger the creeping out of a more furreptitious Copy, enth

•The general subject of thefe Sermons is of Converfion, and fo mightily did the Lord bleffe them, not only to the Edification and Confolation of very many, but also to the Conversion (as we have good caufe to judge) of fome.

4

I will fay no more, the Name of Doctor Usher, by