Seeing there is nothing (most Reverend) so highly to be esteemed, or so much to be desired of all Christians, as the glory of God in the salvation of his people, as being the principal and chief end of our creation and being, of our preservation and continuing in the world; therefore it behoveth all men, who would not fail of their end, and so live in vain, in their several callings wherein God hath placed them, to have this always in their eye, as their chief mark, and to propound it as the principal scope of all their actions, using all good means whereby it may be furthered and advanced. As Princes and Magistrates, by enacting good laws, and seeing them duly executed, making their own lives (as it were) rules of that obedience which they require of the people, and lively examples and patterns for their imitation. Ministers, by leading those which are committed unto their charge, in the ways of truth and godliness, not only by their preaching and writing, instruction, admonition, persuasion and exhortation, but also by practicing those duties which they teach others, and shining before them in the light of a godly life. Finally, the people, by yielding their cheerful obedience to the godly laws of Governors, and by embracing the found and profitable doctrine, and ⟨image 3⟩imitating the Christian and religious examples of their godly Teachers. The consideration whereof hath moved me to employ my talent both by preaching and writing, for the advancing (as much as in me lieth) the glory of my great Lord and Master, and the good & salvation of my fellow servants; or rather, to cast my mite into the Churches treasury, hoping that he will accept it, though not in its own value and worth, yet because I have desired to be faithful in a little, and willing in my penury to offer unto him all that I have. And studying how I might best employ my pains and endeavours for the advancing of the former ends, I could find no one part of Divinity more profitable, in these times, for me to spend my strength upon, then that which consisteth more in experience and practice, then in theory and speculation; and more principally tendeth to the sanctification of the heart, then the informing of the judgement and the increasing of knowledge;
SEeing there is nothing (most Reuerend) so highly to bee esteemed, or so much to be desired of all Christians, as the glory of God in the saluation of his people, as being the principall and chiefe end of our creation and being, of our preseruation and continuing in the world; therefore it behoueth all men, who would not faile of their end, and so liue in vaine, in their seuerall callings wherein God hath placed them, to haue this alwaies in their eye, as their chiefe marke, and to propound it as the principall scope of all their actions, vsing all good meanes whereby it may be furthered and aduanced. As Princes and Magistrates, by enacting good lawes, and seeing them duely executed, making their owne liues (as it were) rules of that obedience which they require of the people, and liuely examples and patternes for their imitation. Ministers, by leading those which are committed vnto their charge, in the waies of truth and godlinesse, not onely by their preaching and writing, instruction, admonition, perswasion and exhortation, but also by practizing those duties which they teach others, and shining before them in the light of a godly life. Finally, the people, by yeelding their cheerefull obedience to the godly lawes of Gouernors, and by imbracing the found and profitable doctrine, and ⟨image 3⟩imitating the Christian and religious examples of their godly Teachers. The consideration whereof hath moued me to imploy my talent both by preaching and writing, for the aduancing (as much as in me lieth) the glory of my great Lord and Master, and the good & saluation of my fellow seruants; or rather, to cast my mite into the Churches treasury, hoping that he will accept it, though not in its own value and worth, yet because I haue desired to be faithful in a little, and willing in my penury to offer vnto him all that I haue. And studying how I might best imploy my paines and indeuours for the aduancing of the former ends, I could finde no one part of Diuinity more profitable, in these times, for me to spend my strength vpon, then that which consisteth more in experience and practice, then in theory and speculation; and more principally tendeth to the sanctification of the heart, then the informing of the iudgement and the increasing of knowledge;
