Sermons on Jonah, Title page – Dedication
AN EXPOSITION VPONUPON THE PROPHET IONAH.
Contained in certaine Sermons, preached in S. Maries Church in Oxford.
By GEORGE ABBOT Professor of Diuinitie, and Maister of Vniuersitie Colledge.
IOHAN. 9.4.
The night cometh when no man can worke.
ANCHORA SPEI.
LONDON, Imprinted by Richard Field, and are to be sold by Richard Garbrand. 1600.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE MY VERY ESPEciall good Lord, Thomas Baron of Buckhurst, Lord high Treasurer of England, one of the LL. of her Maiesties most honorable Priuie Counsell, Knight of the honorable Order of the Garter, and Chauncellour of the Vniuersitie Of Oxford.
IT is now more then a whole yere, Right Honorable, since that according to the slendernesse of that abilitie, which God hath giuen vntounto me, I brought to an end these few Lectures vppon the Prophet Ionas. In all which time being doubtful, whether I should publish this small Treatise to the view of the world, or no; & sometimes in mine owne mind resoluing for it, and sometimes against it, I hauehave at the last aduentured to let it see the Sunne, by an open imparting thereof vntounto other. VVherein my assured hope and confidence is, that the same holy and gracious Spirite which first moued me to vndertake this worke, and by litle and litle hath enabled me to bring it to this passe, will also giuegive that blessing thereunto, that it shall not be vtterly vnprofitable to the Church, but that such as are indifferent Readers, may some in one kinde, and some in another, reape such frute, as that thereby they may be strengthened to continue on their iourney to euerlasting happinesse. For the better accomplishing whereof, according as the text hath yeelded me occasion, I hauehave laboured seuerally: sometimes to informe the ignorant, sometimes to comfort the weake, somtimes to settle the doubtfull, some other times to encorage on to vertue, and oftentimes to beate downe vice and iniquitie, which in this later age eueryevery where aboundeth. To which purposes as God did diuerse wayes make me know in the first vttering thereof, that it returned not altogether frutelesse, so I trust that it wil please the same guide of heauen and earth farther to blesse it, that in this course now intended by me, it may yet also be a meanes, to multiply and increase the Lords seruice in some persons more plentifully.
But being now to commend it to the consideration and perusing of manie other, I do first present it to the good and fauourable acceptation of your Lordship, as hauing the principall and most speciall interest therein: for besides that it had his birth and growth in that Vniuersitie, vvhose sterne vnderunder our most gracious Soueraigne your Lordship doth with great wisedome rule, and therefore may chalenge it for the places sake, as belonging in a generall regard to your Lordships protection: The Authour thereof is in dutie so specially and particularly bounden to your Lordship, that in right he must acknowledge the continuance and progresse of his studies, for these manie yeares to hauehave rested and relyed solely on your Honourable fauour. In which respect he amongst manie others, hath great cause to giuegive praise and thankes to the Almightie for your Lordships high aduauncement in this State; in as much as he apparantly findeth, and by experience knoweth, that after a desire to do faithfull seruice to her sacred Maiestie, to administer iustice to the Subiect, and to be as a father in hearing the complaints of the poore, it is not the least care which your Lordship hath, to helpe and preferre in Church and Common-wealth, such as hauehave or do depend vponupon your Honour. Amongst whom I should be verie forgetfull and vnthankfull, if I did not to my vttermost let all men vnderstand, with how honourable regard your Lordship hath bene pleased now for diuerse yeares to looke vponupon me, and of your Lordships owne disposition, at eueryevery first occasion so to thinke on my preferment, as I had no reason in my conceit to looke for, or any way expect. But in this as in many other matters, your Lordship doth let the world see, that there is nothing more proper to personages truly honorable, then to do honorable deedes: and thereupon it is, that with this extraordinarie respect your Lordship hath both intended and affected not a litle for my good. An example for the matter verie rare, in this barren age wherein we now liue: but to the maner of the happie accomplishing thereof both my selfe and diuerse other are so priuie, that we must confesse it to be a singular consideration of your Lordship, so to begin and consummate the same, that all men might see the thankes, only to belong to your Lordship, and that no second person hath had anie finger, in that which hitherto I hauehave receiued.
In gratefull representation of my remembrance herein, I bring this litle gift: and as thereby I conceale not from anie, how deepely vnderunder God and my Soueraigne I am obliged to your Honor, so otherwise I shall euer be readie with all my power to do your Lordship seruice, thinking my selfe happie, when I may perfourme anie thing, which may testifie my respectiue and dutifull affection.
God Almightie long preserue her most gracious Maiestie, the onelyonly fountaine vponupon earth of all our felicitie. God Almightie blesse your Lordship, that the Common-wealth for many yeares may enioy such a Counseller, and this Vniuersitie so Honorable a Patrone.
From Vniuersitie Colledge in Oxford this tenth day of October, In the yeare of our Lord 1600. Your Lordships Chapleine in all dutie bounden, GEORGE ABBOT.