The Prophecy of Obadiah Opened and Applied, Title page 1 – Publishers dedication
THE PROPHECIE OF OBADIAH OPENED AND APPLYED IN SVNDRY LEARNED AND GRACIOVS SERMONS PREACHED at ALL-HALLOWES and St MARIES in OXFORD, BY THAT FAMOVS AND IVDICIous Divine JOHN RAINOLDS D. of Divinity and late President of Corp. Chr. Coll.
Published for the honour and vse of that famous Vniversity, and for the benefit of the Churches of Christ abroad in the Country, BY W. H.
AT OXFORD, Printed by Joseph Barnes. 1613.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL my Reverend and right worthy friend Mr D. AIRAY, Provost of the Queenes College in Oxford, Grace and Peace.
RIght Worshipfull, whom I reverence, and louelove in the Lord Iesus; The gifts and graces of this humble, and holy, religious, and iudicious man of God, were so glorious and resplendent in the eies of al that could discerne the beautie, or prize the value of such things: that he needs not my candle to light his sunne, nor any pen or stile of mine to make new Impressions of honour and louelove in the hearts of them that knewe him. Only I say, the Lord had powred the precious Spicknard of his Spirit vponupon his head, filling his mind with spirituall vnderstanding in heavenly things, and the virtue and vigour thereof had lok'd down into his heart, giuing him both seeling and fruit of that hee vnderstood. Iacobs body was never embalmed with so sweet …, as this mans name and memory, is seasoned with the sauour of his virtues, & ever sha…l be honoured with variety of fresh praises. His breast was as a treasurie for the repaire of the Temple, and building vp of Ierusalem: It was also as an Armory for the ruine of the Synagogue of …athan, and rasing of Babel even to the ground. And whereas Counsell and strength are for the warre, even in fighting the Lords bat tels, he Lord by his wisdome taught his hands to fight, and his fingers to warre: and though his flesh were not of brasse, yet did the Lord so strengthē his arme, that he was able to bend, to draw, to breake even a bow of ste…le. He was a chosen shaft of the Lords quiuer; yea his little Quiuer was full of chosen shafts and keene arrowes, to wound the hearts of the Kings enimies. In briefe he was a Iohn, and as Iohn was, that is, a burning and a shining campe, wasting his owne oyle, lampe, and life, that his light might be continued for the comfort of others, that reioyced in his light. To which purpose hee being dead, yet speaketh, his lanterne being brokē his light yet shineth, and though his vine be cut downe, yet his wine yet smelleth as the wine of Lebanon I cannot deny, but hauing some mo numents of his learned and painef…ll …, along time lying by me, I hauehave sometimes lighted my candle at his torch, stored my selfe of his treasure, refreshed my soule with his sweet wine, rcioiced to heare his dead lett…r speake, in the power of his owne spirit, & voice vntounto me But after long waiting, if by any other means, rather then mine own, they might be published for a more common good, and finding by diligent inquirie no hope, no helpe tēding he evnto: I could no longer offer such hard measure to such, as hunger and thirst after good things, as to eat my morsels alone but to bring forth my provision, of another mans cost indeed, yet not without some labour an… ca…e of mine owne, to prepare the table, & s… things in some order before thē. Herevnto I was the ra…her induced, and drawne by his owne both opinion and practise, and that concerning one of these sermons vponupon this Pro…het Obadaiah, holding it a withholding of goods from the owner thereof, if, hauing any thing of speciall vse, we keepe it backe frō them that need it, such Needers being indeed, and in his accompt the true owners of it. When the 4 leapers had found in the campe of the Aramites, meate and drinke to refresh them, gold & silver to enrich them, and rayment to cloth them, they tooke what sufficed for present necessity, and hid the rest as provision against further extremity: yet remembring at length other mens penu…y in their plentie, & other mens necessities in their superfluities, we doe not wel, say they, this day is a day of good tydings, & wee hold our peace, if we tarry till day light some mischiefe will come vponupon vsus, now therefore come let vsus goe and tell the kings houshold, so reckoning that Needers were owners of that which thēselues did possesse. Me thought when I considered this story, it was marvai…ous pregnant for my purpose. I hauehave beene refreshed, & well satisfied my selfe with these Lectures, as with spirituall provision & repast, and a long time I hauehave hid them and kept thē from publike view. Certainely I doe not well, this is a day of good tydings, this a message of glad tydings of the gospel, by a messenger, whose very feet were beautifull in the house of God, and yet I hold my peace; if I stay any longer, I may rather feare some crosse then find any comfort in such stay. What then? I will forbeare no longer, but now at length resolue to make others partners in my gaine, and partakers of my ioy. And therefore Right Worsh. my worthy and much respected friend, I am bold evē first of all to present these glad tidings vntounto you as a bunch of grapes fallen frō that vine, whose very shadow was a shelter and sweet refreshing vntounto many, which grew sometimes in that soyl, & brought forth his sweet fruit in due season, where now you are the cheefe husbandman. It will doe you good, I knowe, to commune once againe with your neerest & dearest friend. Read him, obserue him, you shall acknowledge his spirit and speech, his gracious wisdome, his marvailous learning, his rare and exquisite gift of interpretation, his intire and sound iudgement for observation, his faithfulnesse and conscionablenesse in serious, discreet, & sound explication. Now for my selfe, Right Wor …ever acknowledge su…h a debt of duty and louelove, into whi…h you many & great …avours hauehave drawne me, a that, vnl…sse thankfull acknowledgement may bee taken in part of payment, shall yet run vpō the skore st…ll My hope is though …runne in debt of this na…ure, yet shall not come in any g…eat danger, seeing your favourable acceptance of this, or a…y other, the poorest pledge of my louelove, may forthwi…h seale mean acquittance, & prevent a…l f…ther greevance in this kind. And so reioicing in your welfare, & praising God for your faithfull, wise, provident, and religious government in th…t College, whereof being once a member, must ever bee mindfull, as a ch…ld of h…s Nurse, or sonne of his Mother, I commend you to the provident protection, & gracious direction of God Almighty. Bunbury in Ch…shire, Iuly 19. 1613.
Your VVorsh…ps ever assured in all Christi…n affection VV. HINDE.