The Christian Sabbath defended against a crying evil in these times of the antisabitarians…

In private it may be some have dealt upon it, and my self in particular, when I dealt in my Sermons upon the thirteenth to the Romans. I have been often urged to set forth those Meditations of mine and to make them public; but I have always resisted the motion, they being but homely Sermons, accommodated to a Country auditory, neither do I find my self that way fitted for a better audience; I can take some pains in writing controversies, but I cannot take pains in making a Sermon, and when I have taken most, I find I have less edified my people, though perhaps better pleased my self. Yet having not long since understood of a Court distinction of Puritans; namely that some of them are good men, only they cannot conform to the ceremonies of the Church; but other there are, who though they do conform, yet are antimonarchical Puritans: This consideration hath taken a deep impression in me, and brought me to debate with my self, whether it were not fit to publish those poor Meditations of mine, if for nothing else, yet to vindicate our reputation, who at the pleasures of too many are oppressed in the World; and to represent to public view, Our Country f•ith concerning Monarchies. For if we be reputed antimonarchical, no marvel if some course be taken sooner or later to root us out. And this I might make a Prodromus to a greater work, in answer to a book entitled Deus & Rex, a pestilent piece of work, and as it is thought written by one barefoot a Jesuit, containing a refutation of a certain book of one of our divines inscribed God and the King written by Doctor Mockest, a book so well pleasing to King James, that as we have heard, his Majesty thought fit that children should be catechized in it. This being afterwards translated into Latin by Doctor Harris, now Warden of the College by Winchester, hath been now many years ago, answered by a Papist who conceals his name, and that in a very unhappy manner. And a wonder of wonders it may seem, that so vile a piece hath passed so long unanswered; especially considering that heretofore great Bishops chaplains ⟨p. 34⟩were wont to be employed in answering Papists, and this was the ordinary way of their preferment. I confess there are certain mysteries therein, which perhaps are as scarecrows to debtor men from taking Pen in hand to refute it.

In private it may be some have dealt upon it, and my selfe in particular, when I dealt in my Sermons upon the thirteenth to the Romans. I have been often urged to set forth those Meditations of mine and to make them publike; but I have alwayes resisted the motion, they being but homely Sermons, accommodated to a Countrey auditory, neither doe I finde my selfe that way fitted for a better audience; I can take some paynes in writing controversies, but I cannot take paynes in making a Sermon, and when I have taken most, I finde I have lesse edified my people, though perhaps better pleased my selfe. Yet having not long since understood of a Court distinction of Puritans; namely that some of them are good men, onely they cannot conforme to the ceremonies of the Church; but other there are, who though they doe conforme, yet are antimonarchicall Puritans: This consideration hath taken a deepe impression in me, and brought me to debate with my selfe, whether it were not fit to publish those poore Meditations of mine, if for nothing else, yet to vindicate our reputation, who at the pleasures of too many are oppressed in the World; and to represent to publique view, Our Countrey fith concerning Monarchies. For if we be reputed antimonarchicall, no mervaile if some course be taken sooner or later to roote us out. And this I might make a Prodromus to a greater worke, in answer to a booke entitled Deus & Rex, a pestilent piece of worke, and as it is thought written by one barefoote a Jesuite, conteyning a refutation of a certaine book of one of our divines inscribed God and the King written by Doctor Mockest, a booke so well pleasing to King James, that as we have heard, his Majesty thought fit that children should be catechized in it. This being afterwards translated into Latine by Doctor Harris, now Warden of the Colledge by Winchester, hath beene now many yeares agoe, answered by a Papist who conceales his name, and that in a very unhappy manner. And a wonder of wonders it may seeme, that so vile a piece hath passed so long unanswered; especially considering that heretofore great Bishops chaplens