The Sinners Hope, Dedication 3
To the Reverend Mr. RICHARD HEYRICK: Warden of the late Colledge at Mancheſter, his much honoured Brother, and faithful fellow labourer in the Congregation there.
Dear and much honoured Sir,
IF my appearing thus in print be no wonder, it need be none to your ſelf, or any that knows us, That I prefix your name to theſe papers: you well know with what fear and ſenſe of unfitneſs for it I undertook any part of the charge of this great congregation (wherein God hath ſo long a time to mutuall comfort continued you) upon the Death of that eminent ſervant of his, and Dear Brother of Yours Mr. Hollinworth, as judging the place too publick for one of my mean Abilities, though incouraged thereunto by your affectionate invitation and the unanimous call of the congregation; And that I ſhould yet make this adventure to be more publick, You are not unacquainted with, (being a principall acceſſary to) the Occaſion of it. The importunity of fundry of this people, whom the Lord hath made dear to your ſelfe, as to me, Headed and ſet on by your reſpective Letter, having much againſt my own inclination and former intention preſsed this from mee. Their requeſt was to you in the firſt place, who have been their antient Paſtour, to have reviſed and publiſhed ſome of your many Elaborate diſcourſes, whereof they have been made pertakers in your conſtant miniſtry amongſt them, that they might have had the profit of your former paines by this meanes revived unto them. You have declined, at leaſt at preſent waved, the motion, upon the too juſt grounds of your age and ſome bodily weakneſſes, which might make the work ſomewhat tedious and more burthenſome to you: I cannot ſay much of my bodily ſtrength, at leaſt that it exceeds, or is proportionable to the conſtant burthen of this great Congregation, (wherein I ſhould bear a part with you) the Work now lying upon three of us, which heretofore hath had Seaven to undertake it) and to which you are ſo ready to expreſs a tender Teſtimony upon all occaſions (which I thankfully acknowledge) that I ſhould for that be leſse excuſeable. And on the contrary, my want of Age, and that gravity, which ſhould have put authority upon ſuch a Work, might have pleaded much for me. But ſince it is come to this, and that I am not like to be excuſed (as you are, as yet) from Printing, you will pardon me, If I excuſe not your name in this Dedication. It may be of no ſmal advantage (and ſo of no little weight with me in this Application of my ſelf & theſe papers to you) that being conſcious to my ſelf of my own meanneſs every way, and the little that my own name can add to the acceptance of this Diſcourſe, be the matter never ſo of the greateſt and higheſt Importance, that yet I appear to the World, under the notion of any ſpeciall relation to you, ſufficiently known for your eminency in birth, place, parts, ſervice and printed labours, which yet had been ſufficiently manifeſt without this by our affectionate lines, which I have made bold to publiſh herewith: But being really ſenſible of your many kindneſſes to me, and much refreſhed in my poore indeavours in this Congregation, in your comfortable and intirely affectionate condeſcention to, and conjunction with me, I could do no leſs, then in this publike appearance, make this known to the World of you by this Dedication, as a thankfull acknowledgment of my heartieſt reſpects unto you. May the Lord have mercy on us in continuing your health ſtill unto you, and preſerving you long amongſt us, as an Ornament and rich bleſſing to this place, an helpfull and uſefull inſtrument to this part of his Church, and a ſingular part of the comfort of his life, Who is
Your unworthy (yet truly Affectionate) Brother, and fellow-labourer in the Lords work, Henry Newcome: