— SerCiappellettocheatsaholyfriarbyafalseconfession, anddies; and, havinglivedasaverybadman, is, onhisdeath, reputedasaint, andcalledSanCiappelletto.—
Aseemlythingitis, dearestladies, thatwhateverwedo, , asitfallstometoleadthewayinthisyourenterpriseofstorytelling, IintendtobeginwithoneofHiswondrousworks, that, byhearingthereof, ourhopesinHim, inwhomisnochange, maybeestablished, andHisnamebebyusforeverlauded.'Tismanifestthat, asthingstemporalarealldoomedtopassandperish, sowithinandwithouttheyaboundwithtroubleandanguishandtravail, andaresubjecttoinfiniteperils; nor, savefortheespecialgraceofGod, shouldwe, whosebeingisboundupwithandformspartoftheirs, (sowemustbelieve) notbyreasonofanymeritofourown, butsolelyoutofthefulnessofGod'sowngoodness, andinanswertotheprayersofthosewho, beingmortallikeourselves, didfaithfullyobserveHisordinancesduringtheirlives, , astoadvocatestaughtbyexperienceallthatbelongstoourfrailty, we, notdaring, perchance, topresentourpetitionsinthepresenceofsogreatajudge, ,that, nokeennessofmortalvisionbeingableinanydegreetopenetratethesecretcounselsoftheDivinemind, itsometimes, perchance, happens, that, inerrorofjudgment, wemakeoneouradvocatebeforeHisMajesty, whoisbanishedfromHispresenceineternalexile, andyetHetowhomnothingishidden,havingregardrathertothesincerityofourprayersthantoourignoranceorthebanishmentoftheintercessor, ; apparent, Imean,accordingtothestandardorthejudgmentofman,notofGod.
