TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HENEAGE, EARL OF NOTTINGHAM, LORD HIGH CHANCELLOR OF ENGLAND, AND ONE OF HIS MAJESTY'S MOST HONOURABLE PRIVY COUNCIL. MY LORD, I TAKE the boldness to present your Lordship with fome of the fruits of my deceased Son's ftudies in divinity. And fince it hath pleafed God, to my unspeakable grief and loss, to deprive me of so great a bleffing, and comfort of my old age; it is no small mitigation of my forrow, that whilst he lived he was not unprofitable to the world, and that now he is dead, he hath left those monuments of his piety and learning behind him, which I am told are generally thought not unworthy to be imparted to the Public. If these Sermons be fuch, I have no cause to doubt but they will eafily obtain your Lordship's patronage, who are so known a favourer of all that is virtuous and worthy, especially of religion and the minifters of it; of which I had particular experience upon the death of my good Son, when your Lord ship was pleased, with fo much humanity and condefcenfion, to fend to comfort me under that fad loss, and to express your own refentment of it. But whatever thefe Sermons be, fince I have no other way to acknowledge my great obligations to your Lordship upon all occafions, I hope your Lordship will please favourably to accept of this, how small foever, yet fincere teftimony of my dutiful respects and gratitude. I am, My Lord, Your Lordship's most obliged and moft obedient fervant, THOMAS BARROW. |