This imperfect Piece, and almost born out of due time, puts it self forth into the world by your Command, but like Zarah giving out the hand, the body to which that appertained remaining still in the womb. For this Sermon is but one member; (and indeed, not so much the Hand, as the Foot, that is, the latter part) of a larger Bulk or Body of Sermons, preached just afore elsewhere upon those ⟨image 4⟩foregoing Verses of this Chapter. My real purpose (after your Order for this one) was, To have presented the whole entire Discourse unto YOU: & I found not time, so much as leisure, and spirits failing me in the performance. I have therefore done as the Midwife for that Child did (in the same Gen. 38. 28.) bound upon this foot (for by your force, and in obedience to you, it comes wrong and backward) this Scarlet thread of Dedication, saying (as she) This is come forth first: That if hereafter the rest may see the light, You may know (if You will vouchsafe it) how to own and appropriate them all as Yours, as being thus consecrated to You by these (in respect of the publication) the first-fruits of that whole Lump.
THis imperfect Piece, and almost born out of due time, puts it self forth into the world by your Command, but like Zarah giving out the hand, the body to which that appertained remaining still in the womb. For this Sermon is but one member; (and indeed, not so much the Hand, as the Foot, that is, the latter part) of a larger Bulk or Body of Sermons, preached just afore elswhere upon those ⟨image 4⟩foregoing Verses of this Chapter. My real purpose (after your Order for this one) was, To have presented the whole entire Discourse unto YOV: & I found not time, so much as leisure, and spirits failing me in the performance. I have therefore done as the Midwife for that Childe did (in the same Gen. 38. 28.) bound upon this foot (for by your force, and in obedience to you, it comes wrong and backward) this Scarlet thred of Dedication, saying (as she) This is come forth first: That if hereafter the rest may see the light, You may know (if You will vouchsafe it) how to own and appropriate them all as Yours, as being thus consecrated to You by these (in respect of the publication) the first-fruits of that whole Lump.
