Six Sermons, Dedication 5
TO The Worſhipfull Robert Style Eſquire, his ever honored Patron. AND To the Right Worſhipfull Robert Aylet Dr. of Law, and one of the Maſters of the CHANCERY.
Gentlemen,
THis Sermon was appointed for the Croſſe; But I hope, there is no croſſe appointed for this Sermon. It came not at the Croſſe when it was preached; And I hope, no croſſe ſhall come at that when it is printed. It took ſanctuary in the Quire, and ſo was delivered to an extraodinary multitude of Hearers. But i… now requires another kinde of ſanctuary, to be delivered from the multitude of ordinary Cenſurers. Your kinder countenances may prove ſuch a ſanctuary to it.
It is a Sermon of Merchant-Adventurers; and it hath made me a Venturer, though no Merchant. And in this Paper-bottome I have made a twofold Adventure. The firſt is of this Tendry of Reſpect and Service to your Worſhips, for the gaining of your favours, for the Protection of the other. And that other is not an adventure of a Soule for the gaining of the World; but of a Sermon, about the World and the Soule, (into the World,) for the gaining of Soules.
And your joynt favours (as I conjecture) may prove a very ſafe Convoy to it thorow the World. Caeptis aſpirate.
It was the one of your good Worſhips which called it then unto the Pulpit, or cauſed it to be called thither: And it is the other that hath now called it unto the Preſſe, or occaſioned the Printing of it. And now, whoſe ſhall I call it? It might ſometimes have been called mine: But it hath been miſcalled, I know not whoſe. I remember well, I heard the Character of a Sermon (from a young Practitioner) ſo like unto it, that I might juſtly challenge it. I muſt confeſſe the Title to it is not worth a quarrel; yet there may be right in a Penny as well as in a Pound. And the Poet Virgil would not loſe his Title to a Diſtichon, by his perpetual ſilence. His Diſtichon was ſuch as he might very well own: And therefore, when he ſaw that Auguſtus did approve it, and that Bathyllus (tacentibus aliis) did aſſelfe the praiſes of it, he did inſcribe his lines againe, which were theſe,
Nocte pluit tota, redeunt ſpectacula mane:Ti. Claud. Do…at. de vita. P. Virgilii Maronis.
Diviſum imperium cum Jove Caeſar habet.
And then ſubſcribed this claim unto them:
Hos ego verſiculos feci: tulit alter honores.
Sic vos non vobis nidificat is aves.
Sic vos non vobis vellera fertis oves.
Sic vos non vobis mellificat is apes.
Sic vos non vobis fertis aratra boves.
I ſhall ſpare the Young-mans name: I would not have him to be as Bathyllus was, Romae fabula. But I have preſumed to ſet both your Names before my Sermon, becauſe I know it hath been had before both your Worſhips. Be pleaſed with it from the Preſſe, as well as from the Pulpit; And let me call it Yours: And call me,
Gentlemen, Your Worſhips moſt Humble Servant Edward Willan.