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Madam,
THis Book that fights against Vanity is justly yours, because you have overcome it; we sight against it in words, you overcome it in actions; acti∣ons so much better than words, as health is better than Physick, and Victory than the Battell. Your name alone in the front of my
Book shal give me my lesson, for if I will paint out Vices with my pen, your life is a pattern of opposite Vertues: Nay to speak truly, you teach me what to write, for when I would picture out vices, I set before me the contrary of that which I behold and ad∣mire in you, To have often the word of God in your hand, but more often in your mouth; To be dayly praying; To be adorned with modesty without art; To open the hand to the afflicted, and shut the ear against vices; To be freely religious with∣out scruple (which makes Christian wisdom affected austerity) are vertues which
the greatness of your family makes more remarkable, and the corruption of this age more admirable; an age wherein vices are man∣ners, wherein prophane vanity and vilany become Nature, and turn into com∣plexion; amidst all this darkness you shine as a Can∣dle in the night. I know well your modesty likes not this discourse, but the publique utility requires it, that all may know what esteem we make of vertue, and that vices which come up of themselves, and grow with∣out watering, may find ar∣gument from you either to amend or condemne them;
this is also an honour to us, that the sacred seed which we sow falls upon so good a ground, and proves so fruit∣full, and that there are ex∣amples among us, shewing the difference btwixt true Godliness, and that super∣stitious devotion which thinks to amuse God with gestures, and binds it self strictly to certain numbers of reiterated words, and re∣duceth Religion to the sin∣gers end.
Having now Madam so many just causes to present this book unto you, yet I durst never undertake it, had not you commanded it. I am not stuffed with orna∣ments
according to the di∣stastfull humour of this age; I cannot ruffle it out in swelling termes, and full∣blown bubbles of words, which are for none but brave spi∣rits; I cannot talk of Barri∣cadoes of vices, or Scala∣does of vertues, nor call Iesus Christ the Daulphin of heaven;* 1.1 I do not compose prayers upon a Fan or a Nosegay; I am content to speak French, and aym at nothing but to be understood, and in deciphring vices to plant in mens minds the contempt of the World, and the love of God; in low tearms I discourse of high matters, and paint out light
with a coale; a fault which partly may be imputed to mine own dullness, partly to my tossed and troubled condition; It is not easy to study among gunshot, nor to mount the spirits high, when a thousand things interpose and pluck them down again and stop their flight: But the same your goodness which moved you to perswade me to write, will perswade you to bear with my imper∣fections, considering also that at the first it was not my purpose this writing should come abroad, and therefore I bestowed less care to dress it: Now that it is come forth by your command, you
shall receive it from the hand of him who prayes to God for the greatness and prosperity of your thrice No∣ble Family (which God hath honoured with his sacred Co∣venant) and from him whose chief ambition is ever to obey you, and while he lives to be
Your most Humble, and Dutifull Servant, P. d. M.
As Father Cotton in his prin∣ted Medi∣tations.