The Rainbow, Title page – Dedication
THE RAINEBOW, OR, A SERMON PREACHED AT PAVLS CROSSE THE tenth day of Iune. 1617. By IMMANVEL BOVRNE Maſter of Artes and Preacher of Gods Word.
ECCLESIASTICVS 43.11, 12.
Looke vponupon the Rainebowe, and praiſe him that made it, &c.
LONDON, Printed for Thomas Adams. 1617.
SAINT PAULS
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE, AND TRVLY NOBLE LORD, ROBERT LORD SPENCER, BARON of Wormelayton, Grace, mercy, and peace bee multiplied in Chriſt Ieſus.
Right Honourable,
REmembring that prouerbe, foreign know thy ſelfe, I was not without much vnwillingnes drawn to preach this Sermon at the Croſſe, not being ignorant either of mine owne weakeneſſe, or of the weightineſſe of ſo great a taske, and with much more vnwillingneſſe was I ouercome to commit it to the preſſe, for my reſolution was that as my ſubiect is of the Rainebowe, ſo my Sermon ſhould hauehave beene like the Rainebowe, not a permament but a vaniſhing Bowe, appearing to the eies of ſome few, not remaining to be ſcanned by the iudgements of all; for comes calami calumnia, as there are many colours of that Rainebowe in the cloudes, ſo I am ſure there will be many cenſurers of this my Rainebowe at the Croſſe; that of the Apoſtle may be applyed, vnus ſic, alter autem ſic, one iudging after this manner, another after that, one ſpeaking well, another ill. But as commaunding Authoritie was the cauſe of the former ſo ouerruling importunitie, hath effected the latter, and now like an infant new borne, my Bowe is come naked into the world, and without a caſe. It was the ſaying of the ſpouſe in the Canticles, wee hauehave a little ſiſter and ſhee hath no breaſts; and I may ſay the like of this; I hauehave a little birde and ſhee wanteth wings; yet flie ſhee muſt into the open ayre, and ſhift for her ſelfe: But alas what can ſhee doe, before her winges bee growne, or her ſicke feathers come to ripeneſſe? It is impoſſible that ſhee ſhould eſcape, and not be torne in peeces by the ſharpe eied vultures, (the Time-conſuming critickes) of our time, except ſome princely Eagle ſhall in pittie to ſo poore a wanderer, ſhadow her with the winges of protection; Your Honorable diſpoſition Right Noble Lord, in giuing incouragement to the Miniſters of Chriſt, hath emboldened this little birde to ſhroud her ſelfe vnderunder the roofe of your Honorable fauour, and my ſelfe to dedicate this firſtlinge of my ſtudies vntounto your Lordſhippe, whome (with a moſt thankefull heart) I muſt euer acknowledge, my firſt incourager in my worke, ſince I hauehave beene a poore and vnworthy labourer in the vineyard of Chriſt. And if at this time I may obtaine your Honorable louelove in accepting this ſmall token of my thankefulneſſe, for thoſe many and vndeſerued fauours, conferred vponupon me by your Honour, and by that moſt Noble Knight (your Right worthy Sonne) Sir William Spencer, I ſhall receiue a moſt comfortable incitement to goe one forwards in my ſtudies, and bee for euer bound to praie for a bleſſed increaſe of all graces ſpirituall and temporall, both for this life and the life to come, vntounto your Lordſhippe, your Honorable Sonne, with his Right Noble Ladie, all your Honourable progenie, and their poſteritie for euer: Reſting vntill Death.
Your Honours moſt readie in all reſpectiue ſeruice to my power. IMMANVEL BOVRNE.