The First Fruits of Davids Government Vowed to God, Title page – Dedication
Primitiae Regiminis Davidici. OR, THE FIRST-FRUITS OF DAVIDS GOVERNMENT, Vowed to God before, and offered at his actual admiſſion thereunto. REPRESENTED In a Sermon at the Aſsiſes held at Reading, for the County of Berks, Feb. 28. 1653. By Simen Ford, B. D. and Paſtour of the Congregation at St. Laurence Church in the ſaid Town. Publiſhed At the joint deſire of the High Sheriff, and Juſtices of Peace for the ſaid County, which (with ſome miſ-reports ſince blown about concerning it, and the Author) inclined him to give way thereunto.
LONDON, Printed by S. G. for John Rothwel at the Fountain and Bear in Gold-ſmiths Row in Cheap-ſide. 1654.
TO THE HONOURABLE, Judge Atkins, one of the Juſtices of the Common-Plea's; as alſo to the right Worſhipfull William Backhouſe of Swallowfield, Eſq. High Sheriffe of the County of Berks; together with the right Worſhipfull, the Gentry, both of and out of the Commiſſion for the Peace of the ſaid County; and principally to thoſe, at whoſe requeſt this Sermon was made publique.
My Lord, and Gentlemen,
THis Sermon having adventured it ſelf upon the hazardous Tryal of God and the Bench, was adjudged to the Preſs, when its Author was not by to plead on his own behalf; who ſurely had he been privy to the Judgement, (which was onelyonly reported to him by ſome few of the number) would have intreated the Gentlemen not to adventure the reputation of their diſcretions upon a piece too unworthy the notice of ſuch an Honourable Judicature.
I confeſſe I looke upon the comming under the Stationers Preſſe, in theſe dayes, as a puniſhment to a Sermon, no leſſe (in its kind) then that of the ſame denomination, which you in ſome caſes inflict upon offendors; ſeeing it is thereby expoſed to the weight of publique calumnies and reproaches, of which I am ſure mine ſhall not want its ſufficient load.
The onelyonly remedy I have herein, is once more to preſent its caſe before you its Judges, (which I doe in this Dedication) and to intreat you that the Grand-Inqueſt you impannell to enquire concerning it, may be ſo wiſe as to underſtand the evidence of Truth that is in it; and ſo honeſt, as not to returne an Ignoramus, for Billa vera.
Surely, (My Lord, and Gentlemen) you that are ſufficiently acquainted with the Yerburies, Chillendens, Ives's, and others of an inferiour Order, whom it would be too much honor to name, ſeedſ-men of the Devil, with whom this poore Town hath beene perpetually peſtered and poyſoned, will, I doubt not, ſee cauſe for that tartneſſe of application in the cloſe, for which I have been ſufficiently perſecuted by the tongues of thoſe, who found their backs too tender to be rubbed.
Thoſe mens names, and ſome of the Errors and Hereſies they vented, I repreſented to your laſt Grand-Jury, and hoped they alſo would have ſeen cauſe either to have reported them to your Lordſhip, and the Bench, or at leaſt not to have miſreported me, (as ſome of them did) to others, as unable to juſtifie my charge.
My Lord, and Gentlemen, I commit the Vindication of my name, and of this Truth, firſt, to God, who (I am ſufficiently aſſured) will bring forth its righteouſneſs as the light; and (among men) to your wiſer, and more impartiall judgements, hoping that you will (as farre as it concernes you) impreſſe the ſubſtance of it upon your Conſciences, and walkings. And I pray that that Edition may be correctior & emendatior, more perfect then the Originall Copy it ſelf: that you may live Sermons better then I can Preach or print them. And upon that account, I will preach and print as often as you pleaſe; upon other terms I care not how ſeldome. And this, becauſe I am
Reading, May 24. 1654. (My Lord, and Gentlemen,) Your moſt zealouſly affectionate well-wiſher, and (upon that account) ſervant in the Goſpel, SIMON FORD.