The Seraphims Wings to Raise Us Unto Heaven, Title page – Dedication
ALAE SERAPHICAE The SERAPHINS WINGS to raiſe us unto heauen.
Deliuered in ſix Sermons, partly at Saint Peters in Weſtminſter, partly at S. Aldates in Oxford. 1623.
By IOHN WALL Doctor in Diuinity, of Chriſt-Church in Oxford.
BERNARD Ser. 4. de verbis Eſaiae.
Qui vnâ tantùm alâ volare contendit, quò magis attollitur, eò peiùs colliditur.
LONDON, Printed by G. M. for ROBERT ALLOT, and are to be ſold at his ſhop in Pauls Churchyard at the ſigne of the Blacke Beare. 1627.
TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER in God, IOHN Lord Biſhop of Lincolne, the Worthie Deane of Weſtminſter, one of his Maieſties moſt Honourable Priuie Councell, my very Honourable good Lord and Noble Patron, be multiplyed daily fauour with GOD and Men.
RIGHT HONOVRABLE,
IN the viſion of Ezechiel, there was rota in rotâ; One wheele, within another: my deſire is, there may be here, ala in alâ; One wing, within another: (or rather indeed) one wing, vponupon another: the wings of theſe Seraphins, within the wings of your protection: and the wings of your protection, vponupon the wings of theſe Seraphins. For as in the Tabernacle, the faces of the Cherubins, looked towards the ſeate of MercieMercy: So do the faces of theſe Seraphins, looke towards the Seate and Sea of your Honourable fauour and gracious pietie. Stories write of FORTVNE, and VICTORIE, that when they came from MACEDONIA, and coaſted towards ROME, they put off their wings, and layd them downe, as if they would go no further. What are theſe winged tracts and feathered writings, but in the Prophets phraſe, liber volans? In the Poets language, foreign? If once they come into your Honours preſence, they will leaue their wings, and ſeeke no other Patronage. When they firſt ſounded in the aire, for the moſt part, you gaue them audience. Now they firſt come to the light, vouchſafe them countenance; and let them euer glorie, in his name, that ſits like an Angell, in the Church of God: and doth moſt truly verifie, the character of Athanaſius; who was ſaid to bee, foreign: Of an heauenly, and Angelicall preſence: of a more heauenly and Angelicall vnderstanding. God forbid, I ſhould dip my pen in oyle, or mingle honie with my ſacrifice; as one that would enchant your eares, with the Syrens language, of demulcent vanities: Church and State, Altars and Tribunals, hauehave witneſſed the Nobilitie of your Soule, and quit me of that ſuſpicion: whoſe diffuſiue goodneſſe many hauehave found, and do iuſtly honour. Auguſtine writes, of that good Father Ambroſe, that his breaſt was Sanctū Dei Oraculum, an heauenly Oracle, from whence God ſpake. There is none almoſt ſo ignorant, of your diuine Excellence, but is readie to make the Parallel: and we reade of the ſame Father in his life by Coſterius, that he was neuer aduanced to any gouernment in the Church, though neuer ſo powerfull and ſublime, quin ampliore dignus haberetur, but that he ſeemed worthie of a greater: Such is the worlds opinion of your rare VVorth, and Senatorian Eminencie; though you begin with Hilarion, in Saint Hierome, Calcare mundi gloriam, To contemne and trample vponupon the outward Pompe of humane glorie. I hauehave not least reaſon, though I am leaſt able to do your Lordſhip ſeruice, and therefore as your fauours towards mee, hauehave bene like the Graces in Seneca, Virgines, pure, and chaſte Virgines; not violated, or depraued with the leaſt touch, or thought of corruption: So must they be euer Iuvenes, greene and flouriſhing, leſt at any time they die, and periſh through vnthankfulneſſe, or obliuion.
It is my wiſh, that I had ſome laſting monument, of Art, and Wit; more durable then braſſe or marble, to engraue the memorie of your Sacred and Diuine merits: that you might not onelyonly be chartaceus or parietarius; but Cedrinus and Marmorarius, or that which comes neareſt to eternitie. Well may you challenge the learnedſt pen, ſince your Diamond-pointed quill taken from ſome Angels wing, hath giuen a kind of immortalitie to the learnedſt, and beſt of Kings, our late SOVERAIGNE, of moſt pretious and bleſſed memorie. But what can you expect of him, that is but foreign, (as Saint Baſil writes of himſelfe) one of thoſe ancient fiſher-mens diſciples? All that my Tree beares, is but fruite of this kind, wherein your Lordſhip moſt abounds. Yet am I encouraged by that of the Epigrammatiſt,
Iupiter Ambroſiâ ſatur eſt, & Nectare viuit:
Nos tamen, exta Ioui, thura, merum que damus.
to waite behind, at your Honours feete, with the poore Oblation of this worthleſſe mite: and to draw you a while (as Bernard did Eugenius) ab amplexibus Rahelis, from the care, and exerciſe of publike administrations. If there be ſmall good in the Tree, there is much in the Buſh: and therefore lest I ſhould be ouer-troubleſome, to Moſes talking with God in the mount; I end with Iacobs beneplacitum. The good will of him that dwelt in the buſh, rest vponupon the top and flower of your ſacred and diuine Excellence.
Your Lordſhips moſt humble deuoted Chaplaine and Seruant in all duty and thankfull obſeruance, IOHN WALL.
CVLTVS ANIMAE, THE Soules Ornament.
TERTVL. de cultu foem.
Vestite vos ſerico probitatis, byſsino ſanctitatis, taliter pigmentatae Deum habebitis amatorem.