He was a complete Divine, and hath this blessing in the Church, that no mans writings are read of all sorts, and in all countries with greater grace and profit then his. He was peaceable in the Church, patient of wrongs, and free from ambition. For as Jerome said of Nepotian, aurum calcans, schedulas consectabatur: he regarded not his purse, but followed his book, and as Bernard said, he lived in terra auri sine auro, in a kingdom of gold without gold. An excellent gift he had to define properly, divide exactly, dispute subtly, answer directly, speak pithily, and write judicially: and how he preached, if these Sermons do give a testimony, what witness had they who often heard him themselves? I have published of his now two Discourses, and I only did it, that these his labours might not perish: I have no benefit by them but exceeding great pains. And since I understand that his other labours are in the hands of his friends, to make benefit ⟨image 9⟩for his children, I will ease my self of the like labour, & be a means that they may have the benefit of the future impressions of this book: the which, how faithfully I have published, I appeal to the godly and indifferent Reader, and I hope no honest minded man will be hired to calumniate it. Thus as one desirous to be serviceable in my calling, profitable to the Church, not forgetful of my friend, and to testify the happiness of your house, which was in your fathers time, and is now (as it is said of Aurelian the Emperors,) Referta piis & Ecclesia Dei, replenished with the godly, and a Church of God, and withal to leave a monument of my duty to you all, I have as you see, published this exposition of seven Epistles under your eight names, nothing doubting but it will be as welcome to you, as by your countenance it may be profitable to the Church. The God of heaven give you all that blessing of blessings,1 which (if Jerome say true) few men have, that you may transire à deliciis ad delicias, go on from grace to grace, and be a long time happy in this life, and for ever happy in the life to come. London:
He was a complet Diuine, and hath this blessing in the Church, that no mans writings are read of all sorts, and in all countries with greater grace and profite then his. He was peaceable in the Church, patient of wrongs, and free from ambition. For as Ierome said of Nepotian, aurum calcans, schedulas consectabatur: he regarded not his purse, but followed his booke, and as Bernard said, he liued in terra auri sine auro, in a kingdome of gold without gold. An excellent gift he had to define properly, deuide exactly, dispute subtilly, answer directly, speake pithily, and write iudicially: and how he preached, if these Sermons do giue a testimonie, what witnesse had they who often heard him themselues? I haue published of his now two Discourses, and I onely did it, that these his labours might not perish: I haue no benefite by them but exceeding great paines. And since I vnderstand that his other labours are in the hands of his friends, to make benefite ⟨image 9⟩for his children, I will ease my selfe of the like labour, & be a means that they may haue the benefit of the future impressions of this booke: the which, how faithfully I haue published, I appeale to the godly and indifferent Reader, and I hope no honest minded man will be hired to calumniate it. Thus as one desirous to be seruiceable in my calling, profitable to the Church, not forgetfull of my friend, and to testifie the happinesse of your house, which was in your fathers time, and is now (as it is said of Aurelian the Emperors,) Referta piis & Ecclesia Dei, replenished with the godly, and a Church of God, and withall to leaue a monument of my dutie to you all, I haue as you see, published this exposition of seuen Epistles vnder your eight names, nothing doubting but it will be as welcome to you, as by your countenance it may be profitable to the Church. The God of heauen giue you all that blessing of blessings,1 which (if Ierome say true) few men haue, that you may transire à deliciis ad delicias, go on from grace to grace, and be a long time happie in this life, and for euer happie in the life to come. London:
- 1Epist. ad Julianum.Epist. ad Iulianum.
