THE

EPISTLE

To the

READER

READER,

THE ensuing Sermons are by a Providence somewhat peculiar presented to thy View. They were first Preached at the Request of a Person of Quality, the Right Honourable the Lady ivDiana Verney, and afterwards wrote out fair for her Use and Benefit, by the worthy Author himself, as appears by his own Epistles Dedicatory affixed; and lately (among a confused heap of Papers) fell into the hands of one who was well apprized of the Worth and Value of their Author, and therefore could not pass them by unregarded with those other Papers. On perusing them, he found such Impresses of the Spirit, and such Vestigia of the Wit and Parts of him whose Name they bear, that he concluded they were his genuine Offspring, and that they might (tho’ preached on private Occasions, yet) be of publick Use and Service; and accordingly had thoughts of Printing them; whereto he conceived himself warranted, seeing they were drawn up in Form, with Titles, Author’s Name, and Dedications annexed, as though they were intended for the Press. But his Owner v of them though acquainted with the Stile, yet being ignorant of the Hand-writing of the Author (and knowing how easie and common a thing it is to invert the Sense and Meaning of a Man, by the Ignorance or Carelessness of a Transcriber) was not willing, on farther Consideration, to serve the Publick at the expence of the Reputation of a Person he so much esteemed, by publishing those Sermons for Originals, which, for ought he knew, might be only Transcripts; and thus those Thoughts were laid asleep until farther Satisfaction in that matter could be obtained. At length the Possessor of them (proud of such a Treasure) providentially shewed them to a Friend of his, who perfectly knew the Hand, and had by him several Letters and Papers of the Author’s Hand-writing, which comparing with the Manuscript Sermons; the Hands were found exactly to agree, to the Satisfaction viof both Parties; whereupon the Design of Printing them was reviv’d, and is now executed.

This (Reader) is the Account of that Providence which has attended these Sermons. They might have fallen into the Hands of an Enemy, who might have evilly intreated them, by committing them to the Flames, or otherwise, They might have fallen into the Hands of one who knew not the Reverend Author, and who might, on that account, ignorantly have slighted them. The Person into whose Hands they did fall, might (when he came at them) have unwittingly thrown them by without a notice, as he had done many of their Companions before. And therefore that they have been thus preserved, is a Ground to hope, that God hath design’d them for singular Use and Service.

As to the Reverend Author, to expatiate on his Praises were to hold a Candle to light the Sun: His Name and Memory is and will be precious to every serious Christian; and if it were possible these should fail, he has not only a Name in Heaven, which shall never be blotted out, but also a Place there, whence he shall never be removed: And as for the Sermons, they are of age to speak for themselves. It is enough to say of them, that they are the genuine Issue of the Reverend Mr. Matthew Mead, from whom nothing little, nothing mean, was wont to proceed.

As the Providence of God has preserved them, so may his Blessing attend them and thee in thy reading of them.