Ad magistratum three sermons preached before the justices of assize, at Bury-St.-Edmunds in the countie of Suffolk : with sacred hymns upon the Gospels for the hyemal quarter / by Tho. Stephens.

¶ To the right Honourable FREDERICK Lord Cornwallis, Baron of Eye, Treasurer of his Majesties Houshold, and one of the most Honourable Privy Council.

My Noble Lord;

THe presumption of prefixing your Name to this piece, were unpar∣donable, were it not unlawfull for me to appear abroad without your liverie, since I have had the honour to serve you in the Service of God, and to wait upon you to the Throne of Grace. The importu∣nate desires of my obliging friends, hath made it thus publick. 'Tis weak and ten∣der-eyed, and cannot well endure the sun: But your acceptance will create a worth.

We have seen and known an evil time, wherein the prudent kept silence, Amos 5. 13. An evil time indeed, wherein there was never more preaching, and ne∣ver fewer sermons: For I cannot call il∣literate seditious discourses by so honourable a name. It adds a lustre now, to your Lordships loyaltie and vertue, that you were then content to be under a cloud, when the sun it self could not break out. And blessed be God, that we had then a cloud for a covering. Blessed be God who gave such a shelter to our Moses and Aarons, at the Tabernacle of the Congrega∣tion, when the factious multitude were destroyed. Surely, the Glory of the Lord never more appeared, then in such an over∣shadowing. That cloud is now re∣moved, and divides us from our enemies. It gives light to us, but to them a thick darkness. It is an earnest of the reesta∣blishment of our decayed Church, that he gave us still a nail in the Temple, and

suffered a remnant to escape. If the Lord would kill us, he would not have received a sacrifice.

My Lord, The Levitical law com∣manded that the snuffers of the Sanctuary should be made of pure gold. There was never more need of snuffers: So many Thieves are gotten into the wike of the Churches Tapers, that they are well-near wasted; and the snuffers which should cleanse them, are so foul and bedrozzled, that they have rather extinguished their light, then cleared them. Some were made of gold indeed, but they were laid aside, and through disuse grown rusty. The temple-gates at Jerusalem were shut up, and it was inconsistent with the religion of many, to go up to worship at Dan and Bethel. If a desuetude of eighteen years have made this piece rough and unpolisht (although I could never pretend to the smoothness of Art;) I hope it will finde an easie pardon from your Lordship; who

know experimentally, that sighs and tears had in them the most perswasive Rhetorick, even then when our mouthes were stopped. God preserve you to enjoy that honour, for which you were reser∣ved. So prays, my Lord,

Your Honours most humble servant, and devoted Chaplain, Tho. Stephens.