A Persuasive to Peaceableness and Obedience, Title page – Dedication
A PERSUASIVE TO Peaceableneſs and Obedience: Seaſonable and proper for Theſe Times. BEING A SERMON Preached at Bury Saint Edmunds in Suffolk, on July 29, 1683, in the Time of the Aſſizes held there.
By NICHOLAS CLAGETT M. A. Preacher at St. Maries in St. Edmunds-Bury.
LONDON: Printed for John Marſton in Bury St Edmunds, and are to be ſold by W. Kettilby at the Biſhops Head in S. Paul's Church-yard. 1683.
To the Right Honourable William Mountague Lord Chief Baron of His Majeſties Court of Exchequer, And To the Honourable Sir Richard Holloway Knight one of the Kings Serjeants at Law, Juſtices of Aſſize in the Norfolk Circuit.
May it pleaſe your Lordſhips.
THe Age abounds with that variety of Excellent Diſcourſes on all Subjects, that I could willingly have ſuppreſt mine. However had there been any thing in this diſcourſe more than the Seaſonable and Honeſt Deſign of it to recommend it to that good opinion Your Lordſhips were pleaſed to entertain of it, I could with the leſs reluctance have complyed with the firſt intimation of Your Lordſhips pleaſure, and the more readily have conſented to its Publication. Not that I was backward to print a diſcourſe Honour'd with Your Lordſhips Approbation, believing it could come to the view of any more Judicious than your Lordſhips; but becauſe I Fear there are Thoſe who will be leſs Favourable; Your Lordſhips Affection to the Sutableneſs of my Subject, having poſſeſt You with too kind an opinion of its Management too.
It is a very good thing to Endeavour the Promotion of Peace and Quiet in the world; and I wiſh with all my heart it had been in my power to have handled a Subject of this nature as it deſerves, eſpecially at ſuch a Time, when it appears plainly what a diſturbance to the Government the Factious ſpirits of thoſe men have been, who love to meddle with things that do not belong to them.
If what I had the Honour to diſcourſe before Your Lordſhips, may in any reſpect help to Allay this Turbulent Humour, and to Engage men for the Future to mind their own Affairs only, and live peaceably, I ſhall think my ſelf Happy to have gained my Deſign in the Preaching of it. But as for the Expoſing it thus Publickly to the Deliberate Cenſure of others, nothing can excuſe ſo Hazardous an Attempt, but that Obedience to my Superiors, which Your Lordſhips may juſtly challenge as a debt due to your Lordſhips from
Your Lordſhips Moſt humble Servant, Nicholas Claget.