Saint Stevens last will and testament A funeral sermon on Acts 7. ver. 59.…Saint Stevens last will and testament A funerall sermon on Acts 7. ver. 59.…

WORTHY SIR,

Your earnest request, to have a Transcript of this rude and raw Discourse, suddenly conceived, and sorrily cemented, out of your affection to the party, whom in special manner it concerned, could not but prevail with me, to recollect it, while it was yet fresh in memory, and to commit that to writing, as well as I could call it again to mind, whereof I had no more then some general heads and brief notes scribbled in a loose paper before: ⟨image 3⟩mine obligations to you, and your interest in me, of right affording you power to command from me a greater matter then that your request amounted unto. And how ^*powerful requests are, backed with such engagements, it is both commonly well known, and generally acknowledged. But since your request therein satisfied, I have received it back again from you, with signification of the importunity of divers friends, who out of that respect they bare to the party deceased, while she lived, and desire of the continuance of the memory of her with them, have been no less earnest suitors unto you, to have Copies from you of the same. Which being a work over-troublesome, to make so many Transcripts, your second request was, that with my consent it might be made more public. To which purpose also, you had remitted it to me, that I might, if I were content to condescend thereunto, upon review of it, add or alter in it what I should think fit, ere it came out. Now howsoever it was never intended by me for the Press; nor indeed have I at present any desire or purpose, to add ought in this kind to those things that I have published already; nor did your former motion to me concerning it, extend it self any ⟨image 3⟩further, then to have it as a [Greek or Hebrew], that is, as I understand it, a private Monument, to lye by you as a memorial of her, whom not without good ground you so entirely affected; nor can I yet deem it (being so indigested a Piece) such as may be exposed to so public view, without some kind of censure: yet to give satisfaction to your self, whom I owe so much to, and those friends of yours, that seem so much to desire it, I have laid a Law upon my self, setting all dissuasives aside, to give way thereunto, if your mind shall continue still bent that way. And upon occasion hereof, I have indeed reviewed it, but altered nothing at all of moment, in the main body of it;