I have only two things faithfully and humbly to present to your consideration. First, the Call that I had to preach at Uxbridge at that day. Secondly, the Matter which I preached. For the first, viz. the Call that I had to preach, I shall briefly relate: On Wednesday night the 29 of January, (being the monthly Fast) I had notice that the Commissioners were come to Uxbridge, and that Mr. Martial or some other Minister that attended upon the Honourable Commissioners, was to preach the Thursday following; (which was the first day of the Treaty) hearing of this, I rode from Windsor Castle to Uxbridge on Thursday morning; went forth with to Mr. Martial, to know whether he Preached, who told me he did not, yet said that there was a Sermon: soon after I went towards the Church to be an Hearer. As I was going, I met the Governor of the Town, who told me that he with others had been waiting in the Congregation ⟨p. 3⟩for a Sermon, but the Minister expected to preach was not come; whereupon he desired me that I would preach, else the Congregation would be disappointed. To whom I answered, that I had no thoughts of preaching, but to be an hearer, yet rather then the Congregation should be disappointed, I would spend some half an hour to give them a word of Exhortation, which accordingly I did. Now whether this was not a hand of Heaven to cast me upon the work, let my accusers themselves be Judges. I am constrained to write the manner how I came to preach, to wipe off those scandals that are cast upon me. Some say that I intruded my self on the work, when divers can tell how earnestly Capt. Hampton, the Governor of the Town, did solicit me, telling me else the Congregation would be disappointed. Some were so shameless as to say, that I thrust M. Martial down the Pulpit stairs, when 'tis well known M. Martial was not there all that day; besides, had he been there to preach, I am so far from doing any such unchristian action, as to rob the Congregation of the Labours of him whose Books I am no• worthy to carry after him, yea (if it were an expression meet for a mere man, I could say, whose shoo-latchet I am not worthy to untie. Others say, that one Mr. Kem was to preach; others say, some adjacent Minister, (whose turn it was to supply the lecture that day) whether the one or the other, I knew not then;
I have onely two things faithfully and humbly to present to your consideration. First, the Call that I had to preach at Vxbridg at that day. Secondly, the Matter which I preacht. For the first, viz. the Call that I had to preach, I shall briefly relate: On Wednesday night the 29 of January, (being the monethly Fast) I had notice that the Commissioners were come to Vxbridg, and that Mr. Martial or some other Minister that attended upon the Honourable Commissioners, was to preach the Thursday following; (which was the first day of the Treaty) hearing of this, I rode from Windsor Castle to Vxbridg on Thursday morning; went forth with to Mr. Martial, to know whether he Preacht, who told me he did not, yet said that there was a Sermon: soon after I went towards the Church to be an Hearer. As I was going, I met the Governour of the Town, who told me that he with others had been waiting in the Congregation ⟨p. 3⟩for a Sermon, but the Minister expected to preach was not come; whereupon he desired me that I would preach, else the Congregation would be disappointed. To whom I answered, that I had no thoughts of preaching, but to be an hearer, yet rather then the Congregation should be disappointed, I would spend some half an hour to give them a word of Exhortation, which accordingly I did. Now whether this was not a hand of Heaven to cast me upon the work, let my accusers themselves be Judges. I am constrained to write the manner how I came to preach, to wipe off those scandals that are cast upon me. Some say that I intruded my self on the work, when divers can tell how earnestly Capt. Hampton, the Governour of the Town, did sollicite me, telling me else the Congregation would be disappointed. Some were so shamelesse as to say, that I thrust M. Martial down the Pulpit staires, when 'tis well known M. Martial was not there all that day; besides, had he been there to preach, I am so far from doing any such unchristian action, as to rob the Congregation of the Labours of him whose Books I am no• worthy to carry after him, yea (if it were an expression meet for a meer man, I could say, whose shooe-latchet I am not worthy to untye. Others say, that one Mr. Kem was to preach; others say, some adjacent Minister, (whose turn it was to supply the lecture that day) whether the one or the other, I knew not then;
