Two Treatises, Title page 1 – Dedication 1
Two Treatiſes: THE PEARLE OF the GOSPELL, AND THE PILGRIMS PROFESSION: To which is added A Glaſſe for Gentlewomen to dreſſe themſelues by.
By Thomas Taylor Preacher of Gods Word to the Towne of Reding.
LONDON, Printed by I. H. for Iohn Bartlet at the gilt Cup in Cheape-ſide. 1625.
THE PEARLE of the Goſpell, OR Jewell Euangelicall:
1. Diligently ſought
2. Ioyfully found
3. Dearly bought
by the wiſe Merchant.
Infolded in Chriſts Parable, AND Vnfolded by the Application OF THOMAS TAYLOR, Preacher of Gods Word to the Towne of REDING.
LONDON, Printed by I. H. for Iohn Bartlet at the gilt Cup in Cheape-ſide. 1625.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFƲLL, Mris. Elizabeth Backus, Wife to Mr. Samuel Backus Eſquire, and Iuſtice of Peace: And to her three vertuous and religious daughters, Mris. Mary Standen, wife to Mr. Standen Eſquire, and Iuſtice of the Peace; Mris. Flower Backus wife of Mr. Iohn Backus Eſquire and Mris. Elizabeth Bellingham, wife to Mr. Richard Bellingham Eſquire; Grace and Peace from the Fountains.
Right Worſhipfull,
PEarles are ſmall in quantitie, but great in their hidden qualitie, and ſmaller often in the weight than in their worth: ſuch an one is this which I hauehave preſented vntounto you as a token of my due reſpect and vnfained louelove to your ſelfe, and the Church in your familie. Pearles from earth fit not common perſons; but this from heauen belongeth to all who meane to partake in the common ſaluation. As this Pearle is yours in the common right of Saints, ſo this offer of its is yours by a ſecond and more peculiar right, as who firſt helped it out of the darke into this light. Your earnest and often deſires of ſome of the written notes of this Treatiſe, drew from me a promiſe, the thought of the paiment whereof, was my firſt thought of this publication. And now this Pearle being yours, weare it as your chiefe ornament, the price of which raiſeth your owne price and reckoning in the eyes of God and good men,Pro. 30.10. aboue the Carbuncles and Rubies. Other ornaments ſeuered from this, are but beautifull vanities. The largeſt reuenues, the richeſt eſtates, the moſt ample treaſures, the coſtlieſt cabinets, filled with pearles and precious ſtones, ſets the perſon wanting this pearle, in no higher reckoning than common flints, or other contemptible ſtones,Iſa. 40.15. with him to whom the Nations are but as the drop of a bucket, or as the duſt of a balance. So of all naturall endowments, wee may compare them (as Salomon doth beautie) to a ring of Gold, which outwardly commendeth the wearer; But the iewell of this ring is this pearle of the Goſpell, or the life of the Goſpell, in the life of the Goſpeller. Let this Iewell be loſt once, or miſſing, the ring may be gilded, and gliſtering without, but the touchſtone and triall will finde that it was neuer gold.3 Ioh. 4. And becauſe I know that you hauehave no greater ioy than to ſee your children walke in the truth, I am aſſured, you will gladly afford them an equall ſhare with you in this ſo precious a commoditie, and therefore hauehave I taken them into this dedication.Pſal. 127.5.Bleſſed are you that hauehave your quiuer full of ſuch louely arrowes. Of the vertuous woman is ſaid, Her children praiſe her. Prou. 31.28.Were this a verball praiſe of the mouth, children might ſeeme teſtes è ſinu, and the ſpreaders of the partiall praiſes of their mother; but this is an actuall and ſolid commendation, and vnſuſpected, when the ſhining vertues of the feare of God, ſobrietie, and modeſt conuerſation of children, proclaime the grace, pietie, and care of the mothers education. Among that rich ſtore of earthly comforts, with which God hath beſet you, you hauehave none comparably gracefull to this, if you except your ſweet ſocietie with your graue and religious huſband.
And now to you three daughters, worthy of ſuch a Mother: When I call to remembrance the vnfained faith, which dwelt, and yet dwelleth in your Grand-mother, (whoſe reuerend old age is crowned with an ancient and honorable profeſsion and practiſe of holy religion aboue any I know in theſe parts) and in your deare mother; and am aſſured it dwelleth in you alſo, I could not but put you in remembrance, to ſtirre vp the gift of God that is in you: And exhort you, as you hauehave happily begun, to hold on in the way of grace, and ſee that your works bee more at laſt than at firſt. God hath aduanced you into the fellowſhip of religious and compleat Gentlemen your husbands, to faire eſtates and portions in this world, but eſpecially to a ſure expectation hereafter, by meanes of your inſeparable coniunction to your Head and Husband Ieſus Christ. You muſt now aduance him who hath thus aduanced you, and louelove him for himſelfe, who hath loued you in his Sonne: and hold eueryevery new ſenſe of mercy, a new ſpurre and prouocation vntounto dutie. In the way and pace in which you goe, I muſt acknowledge I paſſe and ſlip an opportunitie, by paſsing ouer in ſilence ſo many commendable parts in you all,Prou. 31.30. which make you worthy to bee praiſed among women fearing God. But my praiſes can lift you no higher than your owne vertues doe, whoſe diligent paines in gaining knowledge of holy things, conſcionable practiſe of ſound religion, charitable refreſhing of the poore members of Chriſt, and whoſe humble, ſober, wiſe, modeſt, and louely carriage, (eſpecially in theſe looſe dayes) are as ſo many tongues, and mouthes, and pens (without mine) to publiſh your due praiſes: and knowing that you will be better pleaſed, that I turne my praiſes into praiers, for your progreſſe and proſperitie in the good way, I ſhall endeuour to ſupplie that want this way, heartily commending you to the power of his grace, who only can further enrich you with the pearle of the Goſpell; who alſo giuegive you with the new yeere, new ſupplies of all holy graces, till the new man be compleat in Ieſus Chriſt, in whom I reſt
Your Worſhips to be vſed for your furtherance in the faith, THO. TAYLOR.