their dark, as well as their bright Sides. That Love of Truth which is effential to bim, and appears in all his Actions, would not let him Spare the Man after his own Heart; but he would perpetuate in everlafting Records, the Memory of bis blackeft Crimes, which have fince been read in almost all Languages, and for which the Sword never departed from bis House. Sect. 5. Wherefore though I cannot promife, (because it is not in my Power) to write the most exemplary Life of this Holy and Learned Man, with that Juftnefs of Style, in which all Lives, but fuch as his more especially, ought to be penn'd; yet I promise to write it with all that Exactness of Truth, and Impartiality, that God, and good Men will expect from me: As knowing, that should I write it otherwife, I should be afraid to appear with him at the Day of Judgment, who dy'd a Confeffor for Truth, and was while he lived, fo ftrict an Obferver of it, that he would never give himself the A 4 Liberty Liberty to speak or write an officious, or fo much as a jocular Lye. Nay, be could never fatisfy himself to call abfconding Perfons in Times of greatest Danger by their borrowed Names, as I fhall have Occafion to tell in this Account of his exemplary Life, which I would much rather have had written by another and better Pen. But because I knew him longer, and better, than any of his Survivors, and was many Tears in the most intimate Measures of Friendship with bim, therefore fome of his best Friends did engage me to write it, which I confefs I promifed, not then forefeeing that another Undertaking, I had entred upon a little before Mr. Kettlewell Dyed, would have made it fo difficult for me to find Time enough to perform my Promife, and alfo fo much unfitted me for Writing any Thing in English, much more a Life which should be penn'd in a Style, as exact as it felf, and deferves to be adorn'd with all the Purity, Force, and Propriety of the English Tongue. But Men muft keep keep their Promifes, as well as their Oaths, though it be to their Hinderance; and therefore, befeeching God, with whom be is in Blifs, to enable me to bring it to a happy Conclufion, I here begin it with a Refolution, by Divine Affiftance, not only to write it with Truth, but Meeknefs, and in fuch foft and gentle Expreffions, concerning fome incident Paffages, and Perfons, as would have dropt from his Pen, bad be, who was fo great an Example of Patience and Meekness, written it bimfelf. THE |