PREFACE.

THOMAS FULLER, the AUTHOR of the following Meditations, was born in the year 1608. He distinguished himself as the Author of several works, of which his History of the Holy War Holy and Profane State-Church History-Pisgah's Sight-Abel Redivivus-and History of the Worthies of England, are the most conspicuous.

When the civil dissensions, which for so many years distracted the nation, first arose, Fuller espoused the royal cause; and, early in the year 1643, was received with much distinction by Charles I. who was then at Oxford. The King, being prepossessed in his favour by the accounts

he had heard of his singular abilities, as well as of his zealous attachment to Court politics, directed Fuller to preach before him. The Preacher does not appear fully to have answered the expectations, which the report of his character had excited, and he was censured by the partisans of the Court as lukewarm. In this circumstance the moderation of Fuller is somewhat remarkable; since he had not long before incurred the displeasure of the Parliamentary leaders, by a sermon which he preached in London, in which he appeared to them as a zealous advocate for the King.

Soon after his favourable reception at Oxford, he attached himself entirely to the King's service, and followed the fortunes of the royal army, as chaplain to Sir Ralph Hopton: thus giving a de

cisive proof of his fidelity to the cause which he had espoused. The general tenor of Fuller's conduct justifies the belief, that, in this decision, he was influenced by conscientious motives, and not by the prospect of any secular advantage. The remainder of his life appears to have been employed in collecting and arranging the materials of his voluminous works, and in attending to his ecclesiastical duties.

At the Restoration, he was appointed Chaplain Extraordinary to Charles II. and in the same year created Doctor in Divinity at Cambridge. He died the 16th of August, 1661. at the age of 54. Such was the estimation in which he was held by his contemporaries, that his grave was attended by two hundred of his clerical brethren; and in a sermon preached

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preached at his funeral by the Dean of Rochester, that Dignitary bestows great encomiums on his character.

The Reader will perceive in the little work now presented to him, many traces of that moderation and pacific spirit, which the Author eminently cultivated, as became a true disciple of the religion he professed: for however difficult it might be to escape the strong influence of party, which, during almost the whole of his life, agitated every part of the kingdom, he seems to have carefully and successfully avoided those extremes both in political and religious controversy, to which the writers and the people of that age were unhappily too prone.

The Personal Meditations of the Au

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