The Day of a Godly Mans Death Better than the Day of his Birth, To the reader 2
To the Reader.
WHEN the foregoing Sermon on Eccl. 7. 1. was committed to the Press. I had not determin'd any others shou'd … it, and therefore gave no notice of any thing further. But I have since likewise yielded up to my Friends several other Discourses, which are here submitted, with all their Imperfections. … public View; attributing more to their good Intentions in the Publication than to my own Objections against it: & chusing … to show the Faults of my Pen, than for the sake of my own … discover any Defect of Gratitude and Civility to such as … pleas'd to hear these Sermons with so great Candour, and with … much importunity to ask the Printing of them. The Sermons with this Cover are few in number, but (I am sensible) tedious … length. I have not yet learn'd the modish Way of Preaching or a …oort, nice, and cursory manner of handling Texts; nor … I affect it. Common Sermons, in a Popular Audience, allow, … indeed require a Style more lax, and verbose, than wou'd … critical and accurate Discourses. Tho', these Sermons were … (at least several of them) so large in the first Composing, … now in the Transcribing. The Lecture Sermon is particular much longer: nothing that was deliver'd being omitted; … many Paragraphs inserted, that were left out for want of time, … some other Enlargements made.
I shall make no Apologies for the publishing, any more than the preaching, these Sermons: hoping, I've been govern'd by … Views in both; & not despairing altogether of their being … ful in some little degree to serve the cause of Peace, and … and Holiness among us: which ('tis my comfort) I make … honest Aim and Endeavour; and for which End they are … recommended (together with the generous Publishers, and … Readers of them) to the Divine Blessing, by the unworthy ….
T.F. Boston, March 26. 1722.