Absoloms Funeral, Title page – To the reader
ABSALOMS FVNERALL: PREACHED AT BANBYRIE BY A NEIGHBOVR MINISTER: OR, THE LAMENTATION OF A LOVING FATHER FOR A Rebellious Childe.
Pro. 11. 31.
Behold, the righteous ſhall be recompenſed in the earth; how much more the wicked, and the ſinner?
LONDON, Printed by WILLIAM HALL for Thomas Man. 1610.
TO THE READER.
SEe heere (Reader) way made to the Hebrew Prouerbe: 1. Sam. 10. 10. 11.Is Saul alſo among the Prophets? His friends held it ſtrange to ſee him prophecying, or ſinging holy ſongs (as it is expounded:) and it will be as ſtrange to all that know me, Vide Vatabl. ad locum.to finde me in the Preſſe, both in reſpect of mine inſufficiencie, (in which regard the word is put vponupon me by him that applies it to ſuch ſmatterers) as alſo in regard of my diſpoſition and affection, Polyd. Virgil. Adag 374.who hauehave in others diſliked this ouerprinting, and for my ſelfe alwaies affected (it may be too much) priuacie and retiredneſſe. But ſee what importunitie can doe. In the ſecond of the Kings, chap. 2. there is a very abſurd motion made to Eliſha by well meaning men, and Eliſha in the end yeelds to them in a ſort againſt his will. And why? they were inſtant vponupon him till hee was aſhamed, verſ. 17. This motion of printing was to me at firſt as that to him; yet now at laſt, (being aſhamed to be inexorable) I hauehave ſaid with him, Send. Now if the Printer (the chiefe actor I meane in this buſineſſe) returne as wiſe as they, hauing his labour (with them) for his paines, my anſwer is the ſame with the Prophets, Said I not, Doe not goe? Thou haſt my defenſe (Reader) for the printing. If any thing offend thee in the Sermon preached, thou muſt remember, that I meant it to an aſſembly knowne, not to ſtrangers vnknowne: and therefore doe not blame me for not vſing the Latine or Greeke tongue, vnleſſe thou canſt helpe my hearers to Latine or Greeke eares, and then I ſhall make no more ſcruple of Latine then Engliſh: In the meane time I dare promiſe no more then that I thinke is as familiar to them as Engliſh, yea ſuch Engliſh as they vnderſtand; for ſome Engliſh is Hebrew to the vulgar ſort. If thou take exception further at my naked margent, becauſe it is ſo empty of humane Authors, I pray thee be ſatisfied with this anſwer: Firſt, our Auditors in theſe parts are content to take Gods bare word, without any further band or teſtimonie: Secondly, I cannot diſcharge my ſelfe (I iudge not others that vſe it) of pride and ambition, if I ſhould be quoting: for all that know the ſmalneſſe of my ſtanding, weakneſſe of my body, greatneſſe of imploiment, in a place vndertaken with as much feare and vnwillingneſſe, as it is vndergone with paine and heauineſſe, doe well know that my reading cannot be great; and my owne ſoule knowes, that there can be nothing to worke me to this practiſe (in theſe parts) vnleſſe I would be ambitious: for to what end ſhould I tell poore people of Fathers and Hiſtorians? What ſhould mooue mee to it, when I know before hand, they will thinke neuer the better of me, nor of my doctrine, for ſo doing? (verb. gra.) In ſpeaking of Iobs children, in the firſt point I allude to a place in Chryſoſtome: to what end ſhould I amaze them with his name and his homilie, Ad pop. Antioch.? In another place, ſpeaking of ſinne in the godly, ad agonem, I remembred Auſtins diſcourſe about that matter. In ſpeaking of Popes, I thought of Polydore Ʋirgils note in that behalfe: and the bringing in of Dauid ſpeaking to his ſonne, put mee in minde of Caeſars patheticall ſpeech to Brutus, foreignand the very mention of Abſaloms rockie heart, not yeelding, brought to my remembrance Hannibals practiſe with the rockes, to make them giuegive place. Now (I pray you) had not I little to doe, if I ſhould thrust all theſe into a Sermon? If I ſhould doe ſo in ſuch an Auditory, would not my heart ſay, Now thou ſeekeſt thyſelfe? What others doe, I know not; I iudge none; my heart would ſmite me for it in this place: and therefore bold me excuſed (good Reader) till I ſee further reaſon for ſuch a practiſe. In the meane time, if this Sermon be too plaine for thee, leaue it to them that louelove plainneſſe. If thou finde any benefit by it, bleſſe God, thanke the Printer, beſtow one praier on mee, who deſire increaſe of grace on thee, and on all the Iſrael of God.
Hanwell this 25. of August. 1610. Thine in Chriſt, Robert Harris.