For the Troubled in Mind or Afflicted in Body, Title page – To the reader
A MOST Excellent and comfortable Treatiſe, for all ſuch as are any maner of way either troubled in minde or afflicted in bodie, Made by Andrew Kingeſmyl Gentleman, ſometime fellowe of Alſolne Colledge in Oxforde.
Whereunto is adioyned a verie godly and learned Exhortation to ſuffer patiently al afflictions for the Goſpel of Chriſt Ieſus.
And alſo a conference betwixt a godly learned Chriſtian & an afflicted conſciēce: wherein, by the holy Scriptures the ſleights of Satan are made manifeſt, and ouerthrowen: with a godly prayer thereunto annexed.
Imprinted at London, by Chriſtopher Barkar. ANNO 1577.
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.
HAVING diuers papers and writings committed vntounto me by a deare friend of myne, whom it pleaſed God not long ſince, after manie yeeres trauaile very profitably beſtowed in the miniſterie and preaching of the Goſpell, to call out of this miſerable, wretched and wicked world: And finding amongſt the ſaid writings this Treatiſe and the Exhortation annexed thereunto: I read both the one and the other all ouer, to mine owne great profite and comfort, I muſt needes confeſſe. And therefore perſwaded by mine owne experience in the reading of both theſe treatiſes, that the publiſhing of them in print might be no leſſe profitable and comfortable to many others, then to my ſelfe I founde them: I thought good not to holde them longer in my priuate cuſtodie as things dead and buried with the Authours, but to commit them to the Printer, ſo to hauehave them communicated to this Church of England, and as manie as vnderſtand the Engliſhe, to the prayſe and glorie of God for his gratious giftes in the writers, and for the comfort and inſtruction (I doubt not) of ſo many as ſhall reade them.
Of the Authour of the Exhortation, I can ſay nothing more then that (as I coniecture by that he writeth) he liued in the late raigne of Q. Marie, being then an exile in foraine partes for the Goſpel, which at that time alſo was baniſhed from hence, as touching the open profeſſion thereof in any common and publike places. And as for the matter of his Exhortation, I ſhall not neede to ſay anie more in commendation thereof to ſtirre men vp to the reading of it, then the bare title giuen to the ſame importeth: which with the ſhortneſſe of the Treatiſe it ſelfe may ſuffice to allure any godly and well diſpoſed perſon to peruſe the ſame.
As touching the Authour of the Treatiſe whoſe name I hauehave expreſſed, though I could of him ſaye verie much to his great commendation, and that of mine owne knowledge, for that liuing together in one houſe we were long time and familiarlye acquainted: Yet I will for ſome reſpectes forbeare to prayſe him for his whole life and death, referring thee to that which is briefly ſaid of him (and printed before) in a litle booke of his entituled, The view of mans eſtate, &c: of which booke, though by an other name, him ſelfe maketh mention in this treatiſe: and had I knowen ſo much before the impreſſion thereof, as I coulde not, this comming ſo lately and long after to my handes, it ſhoulde hauehave borne no other name, then nowe I well perceyue the Authour him ſelfe called it by: though the title it nowe hath, be not (I truſt) improper and impertinent to the matter he handleth therein. To whom he writte this Treatiſe of comfort, and vponupon what occaſion, thou mayeſt eaſely perceyue if thou reade the whole all ouer: And though ſhee, to whome he writte the ſame be yet liuing, and the occaſion thereof ſuch as peraduenture ſome will miſlike of the publiſhing thereof: Yet being certainly perſwaded that neither the writer, if he were nowe liuing, or ſhe, to whom he writte, woulde hauehave any thing concealed for priuate reſpectes, that may ſerue ſo well as this Treatiſe will (I am aſſured) to the edifying and comfort of manie: I hauehave aduentured to be a meane that it might be imprinted, with the approbation of ſuch as by good order in this behalfe are appointed to allowe of all ſuch matters to be publiſhed.
Wherefore, gentle Reader, accept in good part both this Treatiſe, and the Exhortation adioyned thereunto: which if they may ſerue for thy inſtruction and comfort, as no doubt they will, thou haſt great cauſe to prayſe God both for the writers, and things by them written. *⁎*
f. mylles.