Greate and many are the Reasons (Right Worshipfull) that mooued vpon the vast and trobled Ocean Sea, to study, and commit to writinge, this followinge discourse:

For first conscideringe the estate and condicion of some particular Cases of Conscience which weare dependinge and not thoroughlie resolued, when I left the Confines of America, to saile into Engelande:

And allsoe conscideringe the sad, many, and lamentable breaches, that haue bene, and continued, in some other partes of the worlde, not onely betwene Churches, but allsoe betwene deare and louinge freindes.

Theise and other thinges beinge taken into conscideracion, I deemed my tyme not vnprofitably spent, to enquire booth diligently and exactly, booth what might be the true resolution of those Cases then dependinge.

And allsoe what might be the ocasion of those many breaches before spoken of.

Togeather with the motiues aforesaide, I takinge into Conscideracion my owne estate and Condicion, togeather with the estate and Condicion of many poore Soules, which haue to theire greate Hazard, and expences, trauelled into theise parts of the vast willdernesse in America:

For theise aforesaide causes I haue (with some difficulty) enquired and searched into the Holy scriptures: to see if that (by the assistance of Gods hoely spirit) I might finde out the way of peace.

Which after I had diligently endeuoured truely and plainely to resolue some Cases of Conscience, and had endeauoured likewise truely and plainely (as the place, tyme, and Gods assistance would) to shew the originall of the aforesaide breaches, and the way to preuent the future that might arise.

I was forced further to resolue this question, in what Cases, and how far wee may differ in iudgement, and yet neuerthelesse Cohabitation, peace, and loue may (accordinge to the Rule of the Hoely Scriptures), continue amongst us.

The Cause that mooued mee to present theise my laboures to your veiue in the first and principall place; is for many and (as I conceiue) very weightie reasons:

To instance in one or two moouinge Causes.

First in regarde that I haue obserued, (soe far as I coulde) that the Greate God hath enriched you, with a large portion of Spirituall Graces, wheareby (I hope and pray) that God will direct you vprightlie, wisely, and thoroughlie, to scann, and peruse the contents of this treatise:

2ly. For that Cause because that God haueinge preferred you aboue many of your brethren, in place of Gouernement, you haue theireby occasion to doe much good, to many a poore Soule.

I vmblie pray you let not the truth be dispiced, allthough the person that tendereth it be weake. I hope God hath giuen you wisdome to receiue the truth, in loue of the truth, not hauinge respecte of or to persons: in such Cases:

Try all thinges, refuse the bad hould fast the truth to the death: remember (I pray you) that not many wisemen (accordinge to the worlde) doe vnderstande the hid mistery of the Gospell:

The Bereans are commended (for that they did not reiect, but they tryed the truth diligently), and a blessinge from God was vpon them, theirefore many of them beleeued.

These followinge notes haue cost mee much paines, and some tyme, to gather them togeather, and to commit them to writinge.

I pray you let it not be greiuous to you aduisedly to read them: it may bee that somethinge hearein may seeme harsh (I am but a mortall man, theirefore subiect to error) yet I beleeue what I haue written, to be truth, otherwaies I would not haue tendered it to your conscideracion:

And allthough the troblesomenesse of the sease, togeather with the shortnesse of my tyme, haue not suffered mee to explaine my selfe soe fully, as I desired: Yet I beleeue the truth of euery parte (that is of moment) doth playnely appeare.

Weare it soe that the matter hearin contained, weare such as did alltogeather runn with the Current of the tymes, I beleeue that I should get more grounde, with lesse tyme, and with lesse paines.

but in regarde that I am forced to goe vphill, I shall haue the more diffi­478culty, and purchase lesse grounde then other waies, howeuer, my lyfe is not deare unto mee, I must runn or goe the rase that is set before mee:

And this I doe ensure you (in the presence of him that is my lyfe and cheifest ioy) that (soe far as I knowe my owne heart) my ende, and onely ende, in what I haue written in this treatise, is the Glory of God, the benefitt of his people, and the discharge of my owne duety: I durst doe noe lesse.

it is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that giueth the successe.

I pray you in loue couer my infirmities, and let your fauorable helpe bee to assist mee.

Beloued ser, be stronge in the Lorde, and in the powre of his might, take vnto you (which I pray God to bestow vpon you and to girde fast vnto you) the whole Armore of God, That soe you may be in this worlde, an instrument of his Glory, and after this shorte, brittle, and unconstant life is ended, you for euer may behould the bewty of his Countenance, and the brightnesse of his face, the knowledge of whome is lyfe eternall:

He that dwelleth in loue, dwelleth in God, and God in him. Yours as you are Christs