Two Sermons on Lamentations 3, Title page – To the reader
TWO SERMONS ON THE THIRD OF THE LAMENTATIONS OF IEREMIE: Preached at Hanwell in the firſt yeare of his Maieſties raigne, 1602. The one by I. D. the other by R. C.
PHILIP. 3.1.
It grieueth me not to write the ſame things to you, and for you it is a ſure thing.
ISAIAH 55.3.
Hearken, and your ſoule ſhall liue.
AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston, for Ionas Man, and are to be ſold at the ſigne of the Starre, at the Weſt dore of Paules Church in London. 1608.
To the Christian Reader.
HAuing occaſion to reuiſe notes of certaine Sermons taken by penne from their mouthes, whoſe labours both in word and writing hauehave been and are no leſſe profitable than acceptable vntounto Gods Church, I thought it not amiſſe to take ſome ſmall paines to copie out ſome of them, that if perhaps they ſhould be thought worthie of publike view, they might be offered to the light: if not, they might be reſerued for more pruiate vſe. Amongſt the reſt, I iudged theſe two Sermons not the vnfitteſt for ſuch a purpoſe, and ſo did others, whoſe incouragement alſo I had for the publiſhing of them. They were preached in the beginning of his Maieſties raigne, at that time when generall humiliation by faſting, was by authoritie enioyned vponupon occaſion of the Peſtilence, then dangerouſly diſperſed: which albeit through Gods mercifull prouidence it be now well allayed, yet the infection of ſinne, the very true cauſe thereof, ſtill remaineth and gathereth new ſtrength. For the ſtaying whereof, if any remedie may be gotten hence, I hope for more eaſie pardon, from the authors, of my boldenes in publiſhing: and from the reader for my many faylings in penning theſe their labors. I did my beſt in taking from them, and offering vntounto thee, that, and in a manner nothing but that which they then deliuered. The ſubſtance of the matter I doubt not, is all ſound, and will much content a wiſe and well affected heart. The manner and forme of words and ſentences is more imperfect than in the deliuerie it was, or now might hauehave beene, if the authors had either penned it before the preaching thereof, or vndertaken the thorow poliſhing of it ſince. But howſoeuer, ſith that could not bee obtained which might hauehave beene wiſhed, my deſire was greater to ſatisfie thirſtie ſoules with this that is done, then was my feare to offend curious heads and itching eares by the manner of doing it.
IOHN WINSTON.