The Vanity of Man at His Best Estate, Title page – Dedication
THE VANITY of MAN, At his beſt Eſtate, AND THE Vanity of Dives, His Deſire when at his Worſt, VIZ. To have a PREACHER ſent from the Dead to his Fathers Houſe.
Diſcourſed of In Two SERMONS, the Firſt before the Univerſity of Oxon, the other at Ayno in Northamptonſhire, at the Anniverſary for the Foundation of the Free-School there.
By T. H. B. D. Sometime Rector of Souldern in Oxfordſhire.
July, 17. Imprimatur,
G. Jane
LONDON, Printed by J.B. for Tho. Parkhurſt at the Bible and 3 Crowns in Cheapſide near Mercers Chappel, and at the Bible on London-Bridge, 1676.
To the much Honoured Mrs MARY FANE.
Madam,
THe two following Sermons, here humbly preſented into your hands, may have leave to beg if not pretend, a Title to your Patronage, The firſt having been made in a good meaſure, long ſince, upon occaſion of the death of that excellent perſon Sir Roger Townſhend Baronet, your Ʋncle; and now made ſeaſonable, by the late loſſe of your dear Husband, that worthy and nobly deſcended Gentleman Mr Fane as alſo of your dear father Mr Cartwright, a great loſſe both to his Family and Countrey; your Husband deceaſing in the morning, and your Father about the Noon of his age. The ſecond Sermon, may plead for your acceptance alſo, upon this accompt, that it was not long ſince preached at Ayno, upon the Anniverſary for the foundation of the Free-ſchool there by your Grandmother and God-mother, Mrs Mary Cartwright, late Lady of that Manour: Madam, ſhould I be cenſured for this Addreſſe to you, your birth at Soulderne when I was Miniſter there, my Obligations to your Husbands Family, as alſo to your Father, Mother, and Grandfather Cartwright, with other of your Relations ſhall be my Apology.
So with my hearty prayers to God for you, that you may go on in the good ways of your educations, and that although you are left Husbandleſs, Fatherleſs, and Motherleſs, yet that neither you, nor yours, may ever be left Friendleſs, helpleſs, or comfortleſs, but that he would pleaſe to be a comforter, a Friend, a Father, a Husband to you, and that you may be the bleſſed of the Lord, and your off-ſpring with you, I humbly take leave and remain.
Madam, Your very humble ſervant Thomas Hodges, June, 27th. 1676.