The First Sermon Preached to the House of Commons 17 November 1640, Title page – Dedication
THE Firſt Sermon, PREACHED TO THE HONOVRABLE HOVSE OF COMMONS now aſſembled in Parliament at their Publique Faſt. Novemb. 17. 1640.
BY CORNELIUS BURGES Doctor of Divinitie.
Publiſhed by Order of that Houſe.
LONDON, Printed by I. L. for Philemon Stephens and Chriſtopher Meredith, at the ſigne of the Golden Lion in Pauls Church-yard. 1641.
TO THE HONOVRABLE HOVSE OF COMMONS now Aſſembled in PARLIAMENT.
WHen firſt it pleaſed You to require our ſervice in Preaching at Your late Publike Faſt, we reſolved to cloſe our eyes againſt all Clouds of diſcouragement ariſing from our owne unworthineſſe and inſufficiency, and to ſet our ſelves wholly to ſeek what the Lord would command us to deliver in his Name, at ſuch a time, to ſuch an Honourable and awfull Aſsembly, with a totall deniall of our Pſalm. 82.ſelves.
And albeit we ſhould have beene glad to have beene ſpared this expoſing of our ſelves to the publike view; yet, You appointing other wiſe, we hold it equall that the joynt entreaty of the Repreſentative Body of the whole Communalty of the kingdome ſhould be regarded, and have choſen rather that others ſhould cenſure us of weakeneſſe, than You ſhould charge us with Diſobedience: Your Requeſt being no leſſe than a command; and Your acceptance ſufficient to give value to things of themſelves both meane and worthleſſe.
Wherefore, according to our Duty, ſo willingly as the conſciouſneſſe of our ſlender performances would permit, we obey Your Order, and doe now, although ſomewhat late, humbly offer theſe two plaine Sermons (for, who expects other in a Faſt?) at the footſtoole of Your Tribunall, as a laſting Monument of Our Gratitude for Your encouraging Approbation of, and ſolemne Thankes for our weake endeavours in the preaching of them.
If in ſome places we have taken that juſt liberty which all others have done before us, we truſt it ſhall not be imputed; ſo long as in the most materiall paſſages we have kept to the very words which at firſt wee uſed, ſo farre as was neceſſary; and have not wittingly ſwerved an haires bredth from the ſenſe and ſubſtance in the reſidue.
Wee have indeed pared off ſome Repetitions, which in ſpeaking had their uſe, the more to inculcate, and the better to ſet on the matter, but would not have been ſo gratefull in Writing, becauſe Readers account every thing too long that hath any thing too much. We have likewiſe contracted ſome expreſſions, which in diſcourſes of ſo much length, could hardly be ſo conciſe as wee deſired, Memory being not alwayes at hand to give birth to every Conception of our minds in ſuch formes as wee intended. And ſome few things we have added, where ſtraites of time, or defect of memory made ſome balkes in the firſt delivery.
What ever our performances be, we humbly leave them in Your hands, and under Your Honourable Protection, which we are bold to expect, becauſe they are by Your owne Act drawne from us, and that in a time ſo queaſie and diſtempered as can hardly beare that food, or Phyſik which is needfull for it. Seldome doth a wiſe Reproofe, a neceſſary Exhortation, or wholſome Doctrine meet with an obedient Eare.
The God of Heaven ſteere all Your weighty conſultations by his own Counſell, to his owne Glory; cover You ſtill under his own Wing, and make You the most accompliſht, beſt united, & moſt ſucceſſefull & glorious houſe of Commons that ever ſate in that High Court; but chiefly in the effectuall endeavouring of a further Sanction of, and ſtronger Guard about our true Palladium, the true Religion, already eſtabliſhed among us; in the perfecting of the Reformation of it; in the erecting, maintaining, protecting, and incouraging of anable, godly, faithfull, zealous, profitable, Preaching This was our joynt & earneſt ſuit to You, in Preaching; and we now again beſeech You to ſet your hearts and hands to this work, as Benhail, Obadiah and other Princes in Iudah did.Miniſtery, in every Pariſh Church and Chappell throughout England and Wales; and in the interceding to the Kings ſacred Majeſty for the ſetting up of a Faithfull, Iudicious, and Zealous Magiſtracy, where yet the ſame is 2 Chr. 17. 7, 8, 9.wanting, to bee ever at hand to back ſuch a Miniſtery: without either of which, not only the power of Godlineſſe will ſoone degenerate into formality, and zeale into Lukewarmeneſſe; but, Popery, Arminianiſme, Socinianiſme, Prophaneneſſe, Apoſtacy, and Atheiſme it ſelfe will more and more croud in upon us, and prevaile against us, doe You all You can by all other meanes.
And now, commending You to God and to the Word of his grace, which is able to Acts 20. 32.build You up further, and to give You an inheritance among all them which bee ſanctified; and theſe our Labours to his further bleſſing, whereby all may ſpeedily be brought under the line of his Covenant, which is our ſafety; that hee may continue with us, The Summe of both Sermons.which is our Glory; and wee with him, which is our happineſſe: we reſt,
Yours, moſt devoted to the ſervice of Your Faith in all Dutie, Cornelius Burges. Stephen Marſhall.