The Library of Anglo-Catholic Theology
Sermons
by Mark Frank
volume oneTo the Reader
[Oxford: John Henry Parker, 1849]
[pp ix-x]
THOUGH I do not call, I suppose thee judicious, and shall therefore give to thee, and to myself, the ease of saying little. For I am sensible enough, that the Author of these following Sermons will be, to all that read them, so much his own advocate, that they will not want any orator in the preface. And to those that read them not, he said nothing, nor shall I. Passing then by, on purpose, those artifices of procuring a fair reception to the book, by the ordinary pageantry of commendations, I think it will be enough to assure thee, that as the Author left the copies fairly writ by his own hand, so they come as truly his to thine. For this reverend person doing me the honour of leaving me his executor, by that I had the possession and care of al his papers; and amongst them, these I found to be so worthy of the public, that I concluded it a trespass against the common interest to keep them in my own hands. But that too which made me the more confident of their value, was the earnestness of many, and to that the approbation of as great a person as the Church has any, for their impression. And accordingly I did forthwith, upon the Doctors death, commit the copies to the stationer, who very disingenuously for some years delayed, and at last utterly refused (for what ends I know not) the printing of them. But retrieving them from him, I have put them now into honest men's hands, from whence I hope they will come well corrected into thine. And then I am very confident they will speak enough for themselves, and need no more from him who is
Thy humble Servant,
THOMAS POMFRET.
IMPRIMATUR
Hic Liber cui Titulus, A Course
of Festival Sermons, Preached
By Dr. Frank.SAM. PARKER.
June
29, 1670.