TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.

I Shall be short in my addresses unto thee;
not onely, because I know not thy disposition,
being a stranger unto thee; but
chiefly, because I am ignorant of my
owne present Condition, remaining as
yet, a stranger to my selfe Were I restored to the free
use of my Function, I would then request, the concurrence
of thy thankes with mine, to a gracious God the
giver, and honourable Persons the dealers of this great
favour unto me. Were I finally interdicted my Calling,
without hope of recoverie, I would bespeake thy pitty to
bemoane my estate. But lying as yet in the Marshes
betweene Hope and Feare, I am no fit subject to be
condoled for, or congratulated with.
Yet it is, I trust, no piece of Popery to maintaine; that
the prayers of others may be beneficiall, and available
for a person in my Purgatorie condition. Which moves
me to crave thy Christian suffrages, that I may be ridde
out of my present torment, on such tearmes as may most
tend to Gods glory, mine owne good, and the edification
of others. However matters shall succeede, it is no small
comfort to my Conscience, that in respect of my Ministeriall
Function, I doe not die Felo de se; not stabbing
my Profession by mine own lazinesse; who hither to have,
and hereafter shall improve my utmost endeavours, by any
lawfull meanes to procure my restitution.
When the Priests would have carried the Arke after
David, David forbad them to goe further, If said
hee I shall finde favour in the eyes of the Lord,
hee will bring mee againe, and shew mee
both it, and his habitation. But if he thus say, I
have no delight in thee: behold here am I, let him
doe to me, as seemeth good unto him. Some perchance
would perswade me, to have the Pulpit carried after
me, along with me to my private Lodgings, but hitherto
I have refrained from such exercises, as subject to
offence, hoping in due time to bee brought backe to the
Pulpit, and endeavouring to compose my selfe to Davids
resolution. And if I should bee totally forbidden
my Function, this is my confidence, that, That great
pasture of Gods Providence, whereon so many of my
Profession doe dayly feede, is not yet made so bare by
their biting, but that, besides them and Millions more,
it may still comfortably maintaine,

Thy Friend and servant

in Christ Jesus.

THOMAS FULLER.