Collected Sermons, To the reader
AN ADMONITION TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.
FOR the commendation of this worke, and the Author thereof, there ſhall not neede I truſt at this preſent any great diſcourſe to be made, foraſmuch as ſo many good bookes of the ſame writer be already ſet abroad, whereby may ſufficiently be coniectured what is to be thought of this alſo. Againe becauſe the worke it ſelfe is ſuch, conteining ſuch matter of heauenly conſolation, that without any further commendation of other, it yeldeth cauſe ſufficient to commend it ſelfe. OnelyOnly this then remaineth, to intreat and exhort the reader, but to peruſe & reade the ſame, who in ſo doing ſhall fynde I doubt not, neither to lacke great cauſe in vsus to ſet forth theſe Sermons, nor leſſe neceſſitie in the readers to beſtow paines in peruſing and reading them, for the dignitie of the matter, and ſingular frute therein to be found. For what more worthie matter can be, thē to ſet forth Chriſt in his right glorie, in his full riches and royall eſtate to the hearts and ſoules of men, eſpecially ſuch as are heauie laden and diſtreſſed in ſpirit? what more comfortable hearinge, or doctrine more true, then of forgiuenes and remiſſion of ſynnes, ſo graciouſly purchaſed, ſo freely offered by our Sauiour, ſo cleerely preached by his miniſters? or what riches more excellent, then faith fixed in Chriſt, and hope ſtabliſhed in the promiſes of life? or what ſtudie more frutefull, then to ſeeke the kingdome of God? For where the frute of all other ſtudies decayeth and hath his ende, the frute of this ſtudy abydeth for euer. And therefore not without cauſe we be ſo willed by our Sauiour him ſelfe, firſt to ſeeke for this kingdome and righteouſnes thereof, promiſing withall in an other place, that he which ſeeketh ſhall fynde. In the ſeeking of which kingdom two ſpecial notes we hauehave to learne and ſearch, firſt the glorie & grace of the King, ſecondly the welth and felicitie of the ſubiects. In which two partes as the whole ſumme of all our ſpirituall comfort moſt principally conſiſteth, groūded in the holy Scriptures: ſo of all expoſitors of the ſame Scriptures, I know none or fewe, in theſe our dayes, more liuely to open theſe comforts vntounto vsus out of Gods worde, then this Doctor and Preacher of theſe Sermōs here following: which as he hath done moſt effectually firſt in his owne tounge to his contry people, then in Latin to the learned: ſo this tranſlator hath no leſſe plainly and faithfully engliſhed the ſame for the commoditie and vſe of our contryfolke of England. By whoſe meanes and induſtrie this vantage we hauehave now gayned, that we hauehave gotten vntounto vsus one good preacher in England more then we had before, to the comfort and edification of all ſuch as be diſpoſed to read and learne. So that in ſuch townes and villages, wherein before were mute miniſters, foreign, this Preacher now may ſupplie the lacke, and there be receiued as their perſon, if they pleaſe, preaching now in their owne ſpeech vntounto them, and putting them to no charges of any tythes. And in other places where more plentie of learned teachers is, yet notwithſtanding no hurt ſhall come to admit this ſtranger as a coadiutor, or felow helper vntounto them. Whereby I nothing dout, but in ſo doing, all ſuch as ſhalbe willing to giuegive eare to this Preacher, as well they that be learned, ſhall fynde wherein to growe in more perfection, as alſo the vnlearned wherein to be inſtructed ſufficiently to their ſoules helth in Chriſt Ieſu. In whom I wiſh to thee and to all true Chriſtian readers all ſpirituall grace and heauenly wiſedom, to bleſſe thy ſtudies, to proſper thy labours, to ſtabliſh thy faith, to multiplie thy conſolations, to direct thy wayes, and finally to glorifie thee both body and ſoule in his bleſſed kingdome for euer. Amen.
I. FOX.
T. V.