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CHAP. IV. The Author's first General Answere taken from his Title-page and Word ENDEVOVRED.
MEn may be ranked into three Forms, of INTENDERS, ENDEVOURERS and PERFORMERS.
INTENDERS are the first and lowest Form, yet so far favoured by some Papists, that they maintain, That a good Intention though embracing ill Means, makes a good Action.
PERFORMERS are the third and highest rank, to which my Thoughts dare not aspire, but leave this upper room empty, to be filled by Men of better parts and ability.
The middle Form consists of ENDEVOURERS, amongst whom I took my station in the Title-page of my Book, The Church-History of Britain, ENDEVOURED by Thomas Fuller. And as I did not hope that any Courteous Reader would call me up higher, so I did not fear that any Caviller thereat could cast me lower, but that I might still peaceably possess my Place of an ENDEVOURER.
For, what though I fall short of that which I desire, and strive to perform, I did neither belie my self, nor deceive the Reader, who neither was the first, nor shall be the last, of whom it may be truly said, Magnis excidit Ausis. The Fate of many, my Betters, who have undertook to compass high and hard Matters.
But it may be objected against me, that being conscious of my owne weakness with the weight of the burden, I should have left the Work for some stronger back to bear, and quitted it to those who would not only have endevoured but performed the same.
I answer; first, I did hope, that what was acceptable to God, would not be con∣temptible to good Men; having read, If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that * 1.1 a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. Secondly, seeing this my willingness was attended with a competencie of Books, Records, Friends, Intel∣ligence, Strength, Health and Leisure, (be all spoken not to my praise, but Gods glory) I did hope something worth the Readers acceptance might be produced. Lastly, though failing in what I undertook, I hoped to perform what might be usefull and advantagious to abler Pens undertaking the same task, and to use my owne (as who should forbid) Expression, my Beams, might be Scaffolds; my Corner, Filling stones for his more beautiful Building.
The premisses encouraged me to undertake my Church-History; wherein, if I have not done what the Reader expected, let him consider with himself, whether he did not expect what I never promised. Who being unwilling to be Cast by the Verdict of the Ingenuous, for laying my owne Action too high, have not farced the first page of my Book, like a Mountebanks Bill, pretending no higher but to ENDEVOUR.