The Lot or Portion of the Righteous, Title page – Dedication
THE LOT OR PORTION OF THE RIGHTEOVS.
A COMFORTABLE SERMON, PREACHED AT THE Cathedrall Church of Gloceſter, vponupon the fift day of Auguſt: Anno Domini. 1615.
By Richard Web, Preacher of Gods word, at Rodborough in Gloceſterſhyre.
Iob. 13. verſ. 15.16.
Loe, though hee ſlay mee, yet will I trust in him,
and I will reprooue my wayes in his ſight.
He ſhall be my ſaluation alſo. For the Hypocrite
ſhall not come before him.
LONDON, Printed by Tho: Creede, for Roger Iackſon, and are to be ſolde at his ſhoppe in Fleetſtreet, ouer againſt the Conduit. 1616.
TO THE MOST HIGH and mightie King, King Iames, King of great Brittane, France, and Ireland, defender of the true Chriſtian faith: grace and peace from God the father, and from our Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
MOſt deare and gratious Soueraigne, (before whom I bow in all ſubiectiue manner) I doubt not, but that worthy ſaying of Dauid a worthy king, is worthily written in the heart of your maieſtie our king, Rabboth Ranghoth Tſaddic, Vmirrullam Iattſilennu Iehouah. 1. Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord deliuereth him out of them all. Of all the ſtates in the world, your highnes, the onelyonly great ſtate of the world, hath had beſt experience of the truth of this point, your troubles, we know to the griefe of our hearts, hauehave bene many; and your deliuerances alſo, we know to the comfort of our ſoules, hauehave bene as many. This ſentence of the prophet, moſt worthy to be written, not only in ſheetes of gold, but alſo in the hearts of all men by the point of a Diamond, was my text vponupon the fift of Auguſt laſt paſt: which day was kept ſolemnely by vsus in our ſolemne city of Gloceſter, to the Honour of your Highnes, and for the triumph of your bleſſed victory out of Gowries wicked conſpiracy. Since that day, I hauehave bene ſollicited and importuned by friends, that my Sermon might be printed in papers, which then I deſired onelyonly to be imprinted in the hearts of my hearers; which being done, I make bold, (if not too bold) to dedicate to your maieſtie, as being your owne, for that it was preached on your day, for your ſake; to your Honour, and by your ſubiect, who is your deuoted ſeruant to death it ſelfe. My hope and hearts deſire is, that as Chriſt rewarded the poore widowes Mite, which was caſt into the treaſury of the Temple, though it were nothing in quantity comparable to the great ſummes of mony, which the rich caſt into the ſame: ſo your highnes will reſpect this litle booke of mine, your poore ſeruant, though it be nothing to thoſe great volumes, which are conſecrated to your maieſtie by the learned Rabbins of the land. The almighty bleſſe your highnes, and grant in fauour vntounto vsus all, that your maieſtie may be euermore in wiſedome moſt admirable like Daniel: in courage moſt valiant, like Dauid: in zeale moſt feruent, like Phinehas: in godlines moſt ſingular, like Ioſiah: in care moſt prouident, like Ioſeph: in riches moſt abundant, like Saloman: in counſell moſt ſound, like Achitophell: in louelove moſt kind, like Ionathan: in body moſt healthfull, like Moſes: in minde moſt ioyfull, like Simeon: in raigne amongſt vsus in our Engliſh coaſts, moſt long, like Manaſſes: And laſtly, that your highnes at the laſt may be carried by the Angels into the boſome of Abraham, like Lazarus. And hereunto let all your ſubiects and friends, both domeſticall and forraigne, ſay, Amen. And ſo vponupon the bended knees of my heart, I aske pardon for this my boldnes, and reſt
Your Maieſties moſt humble, and truely deuoted Subiect, Richard Web.