Eighty Sermons, Frontispiece – Dedication
Bee Wiſe as ſerpents but … as Dous.
LXXX SERMONS PREACHED BY THAT LEARNED AND REVEREND DIVINE IOHN DONNE DR IN DIVINITIE LATE DEANE OF YE CATHEDRALL CHVRCH OF ST PAVLES LONDON.
LXXX SERMONS PREACHED BY THAT LEARNED AND REVEREND DIVINE, IOHN DONNE, Dr IN DIVINITY, Late Deane of the Cathedrall Church of S. PAULS London.
LONDON, Printed for RICHARD ROYSTON, in Ivie-lane, and RICHARD MARRIOT in S. Dunſtans Church-yard in Fleetſtreet. MDCXL.
TO HIS MOST SACRED MAIESTIE, CHARLES, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, KING OF GREAT BRITAINE, FRANCE AND IRELAND, Defender of the Faith, &c.
Moſt dread and gracious Soveraigne,
IN this rumor of VVarre I am bold to preſent to your ſacred Majeſtie the fruits of Peace, firſt planted by the hand of your moſt Royal Father, then ripened by the ſame gracious influence, and ſince no leſſe cheriſht and protected by your Majeſties eſpeciall favour vouchſafed to the Author in ſo many indulgent teſtimonies of your good acceptance of his ſervice: VVhichWhich grace from your Majeſtie, as he was known to acknowledge with much comfort whilſt he lived, ſo will it give now ſome excuſe to the preſumption of this Dedication, ſince thoſe friends of his, who think any thing of his worthy to out-live him, could not preſerve their piety to him, without taking leave to inſcribe the ſame with your Majeſties ſacred Name, that ſo they may at once give ſo faire a hope of a long continuance both to theſe VVorks of his, and to his gratitude, of which they humbly deſire this Book may laſt to be ſome Monument.
I ſhall not preſume in this place to ſay much of theſe Sermons; only this, They who have been converſant in the VVorks of the holieſt men of all times, cannot but acknowledge in theſe the ſame ſpirit with which they writ; reaſonable Demonſtrations every where in the ſubjects comprehenſible by reaſon: as for thoſe things which cannot be comprehended by our reaſon alone, they are no where made eaſier to faith then here; and for the other part of our nature, which conſiſts in our Paſsions, and in our Affections, they are here raiſed, and laid, and governed, and diſpoſed, in a manner, according to the Will of the Author. The Doctrine it ſelſe which is taught here, is Primitively Chriſtian; The Fathers are every where here conſulted, with reverence, but Apoſtolicall Writings onelyonly appealed to as the laſt Rule of Faith. Laſtly, ſuch is the conjuncture here of zeal and diſcretion, that whilſt it is the main ſcope of the Author in theſe Diſcourſes, that Glory be given to God, this is accompanied every where with a ſcrupulous care and endeavour, that Peace be likewiſe ſetled amongſt men.
The leave and encouragement I have had for the publiſhing theſe Sermons from the Perſon moſt intruſted by your Majeſtie in the government of the Church, and moſt highly dignified in it, I think I ought in this place to mention for his honour, that they who receive any benefit from hence, may know in part to whom to acknowledge it; and that this, what ever it is, is owing to him to whom they ſtand otherwiſe ſo deeply engaged for his providence and care (next under your Majeſtie) over the Truth, and Peace, and Dignity of the Church of England, for which he will not want laſting acknowledgments amongst Wiſe and Good Men.
And now having with all humbleneſſe commended theſe Sermons to your ſacred Majeſtie, from the memory of the Author, your Servant, from the nature and piety of the Work it ſelf, and laſtly, from the encouragement I have had to give it this light, did I not feare to adde to my preſumption, I ſhould in this place take leave to expreſſe the propriety betwixt your Majeſties royall Vertues, and the tribute of ſuch an Offering and acknowledgement as this; A Work of Devotion to the moſt exemplarily pious Prince; a Work of moderated, and diſcreet zeale, to the Perſon of the moſt governed affections, in the midſt of the greateſt power; a Work of deep-ſighted knowledge, to the moſt diſcerning ſpirit; a VVork of a ſtrict doctrine, to the moſt ſevere impoſer upon himſelfe; and a VVork of a charitable doctrine, to the moſt indulgent Maſter of others: But I dare not enter into this Argument, theſe excellencies requiring rather tacite veneration, then admitting any poſsible equall expreſsion; and therefore with my prayer for your Majeſties long and happy raigne over us, I humbly aske pardon for this preſumption of
Your Majeſties moſt humble and moſt dutifull Subject, Jo: DONNE.