A Christian Amendment, Title page – Dedication
A CHRISTIAN AMENDMENT Delivered in a Sermon on New-yeares day 1631. in St Martines Church in Oxford, and now publiſhed: By H. TOZER Mr of Arts and Fellow of Exceter Colledge in Oxford.
Rev. 21.5.
He that ſate vponupon the Throne, ſaid; Behold, I make all things new.
Pſal. 51.10.
Create in me a cleane Heart, o God, and renew a right Spirit within me.
OXFORD, Printed by Iohn Lichfield Printer to the Famous Vniverſity. 1633.
TO THE R. WORSHIPFVLL Sr WALTER PYE Knight, Iuſtice of the Peace in the County of Hereford; and Heire to the R. Worſhipfull Sr Walter Pye, K. His Maieſties Attorney in the Court of Wards.
Worthy Sir,
IF any ſhould aske mee (as mine own thoughts doe) vponupon what confidence J adventure in this Cenſuring Age, the Publiſhing of this poore enſuing diſcourſe; I would then anſwere them (as now I doe my ſelfe) that, when I review and conſider the Nakedneſſe thereof, I cannot value it worthy of the Title of ſuch a Mite, as deſeruedly might, when caſt into the Treaſury, finde acceptance. Nor is it my care and deſire to pleaſe the Humours of thoſe, who can, with ſweet content, ſpend that time in Cenſuring of other mens endeavours, which they might with as good Honesty imploy in the Bettering of their owne. There is a Carpere vel noli noſtra vel ede tua, which I leaue to their Graue conſiderations, vntill ſuch time, as after ſome long-expected Parturiunt montes, the world happily finde as good cauſe to laugh at their folly, as they at other mens good intentions. Never was J yet taught either to flatter, or (without offence given) to feare Mortality, much leſſe to make a Time-ſeruing Diſpoſition the least part of my happineſſe; and therefore if any ſhall thinke it fit to vilify theſe my weake endeavours, (that there may betweene vsus be no louelove loſt) I ſhall care as little for their cenſure, as they doe, or can, for this my labour. Tis your deſerving Goodneſſe, and that in particular towards my ſelfe, which hath (I may truly ſay) enforced me thus farre to appeare vntounto the world; and therein to expreſſe that I am ready (though not able) to recompence that kinde louelove, which by me hath beene receiued from you: The beginning whereof I then happily enjoyed, whiles it pleaſed your good Father, my much Honoured Friend, to commit you vntounto my Charge and tuition; in which time, as my ſmall Labours were abundantly rewarded by a full Hand, ſo were my true deſires towards You further encouraged by many pregnant Teſtimonies of your good and louing dispoſition, which, ſince that time, hath fully appeared in many reall expreſſions. Beſide, others will confeſſe too that your deſeruing goodneſſe hath beene further ſpread in a willing readineſſe towards this your Colledge; Honouring moſt worthily the religious and flouriſhing estate thereof (which ſtands yet (bleſſed be the Higheſt) vnqueſtionable) and ſtill thankefully acknowledging their louelove towards you, whoſe care hath beene imployed in the goverment of the ſame. So that most here hauehave ſome cauſe, but my ſelfe moſt of all, to honour (at the leaſt in a true deſire) the good Deſerts of ſo worthy a friend. For this cauſe deſiring to devote vntounto you ſome part of my weake and ſlender labours in testimony of my thankefullneſſe, I hauehave at the laſt adventured on this ſmall Parcell; the ſubiect whereof will, I know content you well, as being that, which your ſelfe with your vertuous Lady in the goverment of your family, as good stewards, daily practiſe; only my vnworthy moulding of ſo good à Matter, might iuſtly expect to fall ſhort of Acceptation, but that I am well aſſured of your Goodneſſe therein too. If any ſhall, for your ſake, be pleaſed to afford hereto à favourable Aspect, I ſhall thankefully acknowledge them my Courteous Readers; and to him, that is not purpoſely Curious, ſome ſmall requiting Benefit may happily accrew. Each man, if not wilfully blinde, may ſee how that All things hy Gods dispoſing Providence become daily new to him, and that tis therefore neceſſary, he ſhould in Heart and Soule bee Such to God. However, J am fully aſſured of Your Readineſſe in embracing a ſeaſonable Memento tending vntounto this purpoſe; Eſpecially ſeeing that as all men hauehave ſome cauſe thankefully to confeſſe the Renewing of all things vntounto them; ſo You much more: Conſidering that, beſides the abundant ſufficiency of worldly riches by the Providence of your Heavenly directed Father still flowing towards you, God hath ſo quickly inveſted you with New Dignities of Honour and Service (Knighthood and Iuſticeſhip) imploying you farther in a new charge, the Guidance of a great Family, of which you are made the Head; and (which is the Complement of your other felilicities) hath ſeaſonably bleſt you with an hopefull Sonne; à Sonne borne to you by a ſweetly dispoſed Lady, who is, both of your Happineſſe a ioyfull Partaker, & alſo a true Conſort in your louelove to Gods words. So that nothing remaines now, but that you continue to endeavour (as you hauehave begunne) the Renewing of your Heart in Thankefulneſſe vntounto that God, who hath ſo plentifully crowned you with thoſe New bleſſings. And, that you may thus labour continually to make a ſanctified vſe thereof, for the encreaſing of them vntounto your ſelfe, (which otherwiſe cannot be look'd for) and alſo the ſetting forth of Gods glory (who beſtowed them on you) you hauehave for Gods directing of your heart, the daily prayers of him, who deſires to bee and remaine ever
Yours in all faithfull reſpects HENRY TOZER.