I Easily foresee that in this censorious and inquisitive Age two Questions will be asked concerning the publishing of these Sermons, Why no sooner? or, Why at all? since so many come abroad […] the Age is almost oppress’d with them. To the first I answer, because I was not at leisure before to review them, and to get them transcribed out of a hand not legible enough for the Press: To the other, because though there be many Sermons, yet not many such; whether we consider in them, the usefulness and weight of the matters treated of; or the suitable manner of handling them, in a style of so much clearness and closeness and strength, as was fitted (as he himself was wont to wish) to the capacity of the weakest and the conviction of the strongest; or the solid and well-poized judgment of the Author in points of difficulty; or lastly, the admirable candour and moderation of his temper in matters of difference and dispute.
And I purposely mention his moderation, and likewise adventure to commend him for it; notwithstanding that this Virtue, so much esteemed and magnified by wise men in all Ages, hath of late been declaimed against with so much zeal and fierceness, and yet with that good grace and confidence, as if it were not only no Virtue but even the sum and abridgment of all Vices. I say, notwithstanding all this, I am still of the old opinion that moderation is a Virtue, and one of the peculiar ornaments and advantages of the excellent constitution of our Church, and must at last be the temper of her Members, especially the Clergy, if ever we seriously intend the firm establishment of this Church, and do not industriously design by cherishing heats and divisions among our selves to let in Popery at these breaches.
As to the Author himself, I cannot forbear out of a generous indignation to see the ashes of so worthy a Man trampled upon, to take notice of a very slight, and, I think, unjust Character given of him in a late Book entituled Historia & Antiquitates Universitatis Oxoniensis; whether by the Author of that Book, or by some other Hand, is variously reported, and I am not curious to know. The former part of the Character is chiefly made up of invidious reflections upon his carriage, and the circumstances of his condition in the late Times; in all which, because I did not then know him, I leave him to be vindicated or censur’d by those who were witnesses of his whole behaviour and temper in that time. The latter part of it consists of flat and ill-favour’d commendations, as, That he was Philosophiae & Mathematicae addictissimus, a great well-willer to Philosophy and the Mathematicks; the exact Character of an Empirick and an Almanack-maker, when these two excellencies happen to be in conjunction: And then, that to the study of Divinity he added eloquentiam inconcionando non contemnendam, an eloquence in Preaching not to be despised; which though it be but a very cold and slender commendation both of his Divinity and his Eloquence, yet I must own something of kindness in it, because there is in good earnest a sort of Eloquence in Preaching that is to be despised. To finish the kindness, and that nothing might be omitted that might any ways cast an odium upon him, as he is placed next before Mr. Hobbs, so I cannot but observe in comparing their Characters, that there is apparently far less of envy and detraction in that of Mr. Hobbs’s, than in this of the Reverend Bishop; for which I can imagin no other reason but this; that Mr. Hobbs was then alive to speak for himself, but the dead bite not.
Upon the whole, it hath often been no small matter of wonder to me, whence it should come to pass that so great a Man, and so great a lover of Mankind, who had the inclination, the skill, and the opportunity to oblige so very many, and was so highly valued and reverenced by all that knew him, should yet have the hard fate to fall under the heavy displeasure and censure of those who knew him not: And that he who never did any thing to make himself one personal enemie, should have the ill fortune to have so many. I think I may truly say, that there are, or have been, very few in this Age and Nation, so well known, and so greatly esteemed and favoured, first by a judicious Prince, and then by so many Persons of high rank and quality, and of singular worth and eminency in all the learned Prefessions, as our Author was.
And this surely cannot be denied him, it is so well known to many worthy Persons yet living, and hath been so often acknowledged even by his enemies, that in the late times of confusion, almost all that was preserved and kept up of Ingenuity and Learning, of good Order and Government in the University of Oxford, was chiefly owing to his prudent conduct and encouragement. Which consideration alone, had there been no other, might have prevailed with some there to have treated his memory with at least common kindness and respect. Not to do this to the dead, and in Character of him that was intended to live to posterity, seems very hard; and yet I shall only make this soft reflection upon it, That there is no readier way for any man to bring his own worth into question, than by endeavouring to detract from the universally acknowledged worth of other men.
Having said this out of justice as well as friendship to the Author, and by way of necessary vindication of him from the envie endeavoured to be raised against him by some in this present Age, I leave these Discourses of his to justifie themselves and him to Posterity.
John Tillotson.