The Saints Nosegay, Title page – To the reader
THE SAINTS NOSE-GAY. OR, A POSIE OF 741. Spirituall Flowers. Both Fragrant and fruitfull, Pleasant and profitable.
Collected and composed by SAMVEL CLARK. Pastor of the Church in Alcester.
The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written, was upright, even words of Truth.
The words of the wise are as goods, and as nailes fastned by the Masters of the assemblies, which are given from one Shepherd.
Eccles. 12.10 11.
LONDON, Printed by I. D. for Henry Overton, and are to be sold at his shop, entring into Popes-head Alley, out of Lumbard-street, 1642.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE, THE LADY KATHERINE BROOK, Wife to Right Honourable, ROBERT, Lord BROOKE, Baron of Beuchampen-Court.
Much honoured Madam,
KING Solomon, the wisest of men, having tyred himselfe in seeking to obtaine happinesse by the studies of learning, and knowledge, and at last, finding that hee that encreaseth knowledge, encreaseth sorrow, hee turnes himselfe another way, and seeing the knowledge of the creatures could doe him no good, he thought to try what delight the use of them could bring unto him; in the pursuance whereof, hee gave not himselfe over to brutish, and unmanly pleasures, but to the free use of such creatures, as the Lord hath bestowed upon the sonnes of men, for their refreshing and delight: amongst which hee reckons up gardens and Orchards stored with all sorts of fruits, and flowers: these hee might have enjoyed with much profit, and comfort, if hee had used them aright, but seeking for happinesse in them, no such honey could be sucked out of the daintiest of those flowers; no such wine out of the fruitfullest of those grapes: and therefore hee concludes, looking upon all the workes which his hands had wrought, that all was vanity and vexation of spirit. Eccles. 2.11.
Now as the Lord afforded unto him such choise delights: so he hath bestowed upon your Ladiship a confluence of outward felicities; and amongst them Gardens (if I may guesse) not farre inferiour to Solomons: and those beautified, and inameld with variety of the choisest flowers, whose lively verdures, and fragrant smels (if I mistake not) your Ladiship is much pleased with: yet herein I presume in a much different way from Solomons, as not seeking happinesse in them; but rather desiring by those objects to raise up your soule to such contemplations, as may truly further your eternall happinesse: and if your Ladiship shall find such heavenly odours in those flowers, whose purest matter is the earth: and whose freshest beauty is so fading: what will you doe in a Nose-gay of flowers, whose matter is divine; and whose smell, and beauty will never decay: Such anone I doe here humbly present unto your Ladiship: you may use it summer and winter without feare of withering; yea, herein are flowers both for food and physick: for meats, and medecine. Length of time will no whit impaire, either the beauty or Vertue of them, and therefore they doe most transcendently excell all earthly flowers whatsoever: Indeed I must ingenuously confesse, that few of them grew upon mine owne soyle; yet before I could bind them together in this handfull, my labour was not small in walking through so many Gardens, out of which I have selected them: neither as I hope will it be offensive, or prejudiciall to the worthy Planters, and Owners of them (some of which are with God, others now living) that I thus disperse them abroad, themselves having first made them common: If your Ladiship please to vouchsafe your favourable acceptance of them, I doubt not but they will take the better with others; and if God may receive the glory, and his People benefit by these my labours, I shall have mine end, whose ambition it is to to be esteemed.
Alcester. Septem. 20. 1641. Your Honours humble servant, and remembrancer at the Throne of Grace. SAMVEL CLARKE.
To the Christian READER.
Christian Reader,
IF ever that prophecie of Habakkuk. 2.14. was yet fulfilled, that the earth should bee filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the Sea. Certainely, it is in our times, and nation; wherin the bright Sunshine of the Gospel hath enlightned our whole Horizon; and that not as at the first dawning of the day, but as risen up to his Noone-point; and our Ministers, as bright Starres, fixed in their severall orbs, and receiving light from it, doe communicate it to others, and if ever time, and place, since the Apostles, might glory in a knowing, learned, godly, and painefull Ministery, ours much more. A taste whereof this ensuing worke will afford unto thee, wherin thou shalt find a collection of such golden sentences, precious for matter, and beautifull for composure, as will shew the Authors of them, to be men endowed with singular abilities, conferred upon them by God, for the edificatiō of his church, and that I may speake my mind freely, most of them are worthy to bee written in Letters of gold upon pillars of Marble, that they may remaine to all future posterities. Indeed towards the latter end, I have inserted some flowers of humanity amongst those of divinity, dealing therein as most doe with their Gardens; in which here and there they afford some room for French flowers, in regard of their beauty to the eye, though the smell please little; or as Solomon in his Proverbes, many of which are not only divine, but Morrall, Ethicall, Politicall, &c. And howsoever the whole worke consists of sundry briefe sentences, yet thou shalt find them not altogether without method; for that usually, such as might bee ranked under an head, are conjoyned togther; as first, of sinne in generall, both originall; and actuall, then of sundry particular sins, then of Repentance, Grace, Faith, &c. And indeed, there are few heads in Divinity, of which something may not be found herein: and towards the latter end there are many Miscellanies, which could not be so well reduced to an head. In all, my aime hath beene to mixe profit and pleasure together, that such Readers, as affect either, whiles they seeke for the one, might find the other; Also, which being done, I have mine end, which next after Gods glory, was thy soules good; and in Recompence of my paines, desire thy prayers for him, who is,
Devoted to the service of thy faith, SAMVEL CLARK.