The doctrine of the glorious Trinity not explained, but asserted by several texts as they are expounded by the ancient fathers and later divines for the satisfaction of such as doubt, the conviction of such as deny, and the confirmation of such as believe this mysterious article of the Christian faith / by Francis Gregory.

TO THE Reverend, Pious, and Learned Dr. Richard Busby, Prebend of Westminster, and Chief Master of the ROYAL-SCHOOL there.

Honour'd SIR,

I Have made bold to prefix Your Name before this little Tract, knowing that it wants some Great Patronage, and therefore Yours; who are so able to confute them, who

oppose the Truth here asserted; and so willing to countenance such, as own and would defend it. I was also ambitious, before You leave the World, to ac∣quaint it with my great Obliga∣tions to You. If there be here∣in any gross Mistakes, they are mine; if there be any thing of Worth and Learning, I owe it to You; who, in my Minori∣ty, were to me, not a Master on∣ly, but even as a Father; and, which is a Relation more rare∣ly found, a real Friend; for, I was not only protected under, but nourished by, Your warm and cherishing Wing.

Such You were to me, and to Thousands more; so that I may, within Truth, and without

Flattery, tell the World, That there is scarce any Man in it, who hath done more Good than You. To You doth the Church of England owe great store of her choicest Divines; and it is no Fault of Yours, that I my self am none of that happy Number. To You do the Ci∣ties and Towns of England owe very many of our ablest Physi∣cians; and to You doth West∣minster-Hall, both it's Barrs and it's Benches, owe many of our most Learned Lawyers. So that Your daily Care, Your un∣wearied Industry, and prudent Conduct, have had a very sig∣nal Influence upon every thing, that may prove most Advan∣tageous to the Estates, Bodies,

and Souls of Men: And how can any Person oblige a Church or Nation more?

And were I not afraid to put Your great Modesty to the blush; I think, I might justly say, That more Scholars, well grounded in the Principles of Morality, Piety, and Learning, have been trained up under Your happy Government, than were ever bred by any one Master, in any one School, since the World begun.

'Tis indeed much to be fea∣red, that some of Your Scho∣lars, who have proved debauch∣ed and vicious, will, in the Event, fare the worse for that vertuous Example, and those pious In∣structions, which You often

gave them; for their Christian Education in Your School and Family, will add many Ounces to the Weight of their Crimes, and double their Iniquities. Nor can we wonder, if such profli∣gate Wretches, instead of re∣turning Thanks to their worthy Master, should now and then drop some hard and undeserved Speeches concerning him; act∣ing too much like those ungrate∣ful Clouds, which darken the Sun, that raised them. But not∣withstanding this, the Honour of Your Name, like the Beams of the Sun dissipating and break∣ing through such empty Clouds, doth and will shine as bright as ever.

And now, as I am loath to displease You by Publishing, so am I unwilling to injure the World by concealing Your ex∣emplary Acts of Piety to God, and Charity to Men; Your ere∣cting a decent Parochial Church for Divine Worship; a conve∣nient Parsonage-House for the Minister, and an Alms-House for the Poor; Your frequent send∣ing considerable Supplies to Pri∣soners for Debt; Your relie∣ving distressed Ministers, turned out of all by the fury of blind Zealots, the Rabble, and Dregs of Mankind. But these things I only name, leaving them to be illustrated and recorded by some abler Pen, and transmitted to Posterity as Great Examples,

which all Men must commend, but, I fear, few will imitate, at least in the same Degree and Eminence.

'Tis now high time to take my leave; and yet before I do so, I would beg one thing from You, and another thing for You; from You, I would beg a Pardon for this Presumption; and for You, I would beg that Your Passage to Heaven may prove as easie, as, I know, 'tis safe; that when Your Candle shall grow near the Socket, it may not be extinguished by a∣ny violent Storm, but expire of its self, and go out only for want of Oil; that every Sand of Your Glass may run out gently and freely, even without

a shake; that You may do no more than quietly fall asleep. So prayeth,

Your Obliged Scholar, Affectionate Friend, and Humble Servant, Francis Gregory.