The Temple of Solomon Portrayed, Dedication
To the Reverend and Learned, The Warden, Fellows, and Students of Wadham Colledge, in the Famous and Flouriſhing Ʋniverſity of Oxford.
Reverend and Learned,
IT was not long ſince my happineſs and honour, through the gracious Providence of God, to enjoy a Fellowſhip for ſeveral years in that your goodly Seminary of all polite Literature; wherein I hope ſeveral hearts are under Divine hewing and ſquaring for the ſervice of God in his Temple. During my continuance there, I received many favours from you in thoſe Academical preferments which I then enjoyed: Your great love therein I cannot but gratefully acknowledge, and conſtantly bear in minde, having been greatly animated and encouraged to the diſcharge of thoſe Employments by your aid and aſſiſtance. Since that time, it hath pleaſed the All-wiſe Majeſty of heaven to place me as a Labourer (though moſt unworthy) in his Vineyard. Moſt ſtately and magnificent is the Fabrick of God's houſe therein ſcituate, yeilding admirable delight to ſuch whom Free-Grace is vouchſafed to give ſpiritual eyes to diſcern it, far ſurpaſſing the ſplendour of its ancient Type, The Temple of Solomon; which was once the wonder of the world. Some ſpare hours from my conſtantly returning ſervices I have through mercy enjoyed, wherein to take ſome ſolitary turns among the beds of Spices, and there to refreſh my thoughts with the view of the correſponding Parallels. After ſeveral retirements, having taken ſome ſmall ſurvey thereof; I conceived it my duty (which I owe to your Foundation) to preſent the firſt Eſſay of this my impoliſhed draught thereof to your view, earneſtly craving of you to undertake the Patronage of your Incumbent in this work. I confeſs I ſhould have accoſted you in the language of the Gowned Nation; but I ſeriouſly profeſs, I had no deſign (when the whole work was finiſhed except the ninth chapter) to have appeared publikely in it, having reſigned it up as a piece of ſervice to a friend, for the company of a larger Treatiſe of his written in our Mother-Tongue upon a ſubject of this like nature; and thereby I ſhould have paſſed through the world with more contenting ſecreſie. But ſince ſome urgent providences (well known to ſeveral of my friends) have over-ruled me to walk without another's ſhelter, I thought it no unſafe courſe to pitch upon your Candid and Learned Protection. Obliged Duty challenges the tender of my reſpects, and former experience lays the foundation of your expected Favour. The natural love and affection which I ever found planted within me toward that place of my Education (even as I have generally obſerved I know not what Genius [may I ſo term it] or affectionate tincture to run in the veins of ſuch as have been bred at Wadham) ſtrongly invites me to the former, and I cannot diſpute the equitable return of your kindneſs in the latter; being grounded upon paſt experiment. I ſhall mean-while not ceaſe to breathe out hearty Prayers towards the Golden Mercy-Seat, That all within your Walls may be ſet up for ſtanding Pillars in the Houſe of God, that your hearts may be flaming Altars, your Tongues golden Harps, and that Garments of praiſe may be your Covering. That the great High Prieſt would pleaſe to ſprinkle your Conſciences from all dead works with his own moſt precious blood, and that he would carry your Names engraven upon the Stones of his Breſt-plate continually before the Father. That Holineſs, Vertue, all ſavoury and wholſome Knowledg, and whatſoever is Praiſe-worthy, may flouriſh and be ever verdant within your Walls. That golden Crowns of Learning, imbelliſh'd with ſparkling Diamonds of Grace may adorn your Heads and Hearts, and give forth a moſt Orient and Radiant luſtre in the Schools of the Prophets. That not only the Lamp of Knowledge ſhining out of the Sanctuary may illuſtrate your mindes with Scripture diſcoveries; But that alſo the Soul ſatiating Bread of life from the golden Table (as of old it was the Prieſts every Sabbath) may be your portion. That ye might all taſte of the hidden Manna, that Aaron's Rod might fragrantly bloſſome among you, and that God would write his Laws, according to the tenour of the New Covenant, not in Tables of ſtone, but the fleſhly Tables of your hearts. That your hope may be fixed within the Vail, ſure and ſtedfaſt; whither the Fore-runner is entred for all the Saints. It would be one of the choice joys of the Lovers of that place, to hear concerning you, that Mercy and Truth have met together, that Righteouſneſs and Peace have kiſs'd each other: That all profaneneſs and unholineſs being utterly rooted up and caſt out to the Dunghil, there may ſuch proceed from thence, as may prove Truth's able Champions againſt the Goliahs of Errour; and perſons of cementing and healing Tempers, to ſoder and ſalve the Schiſms and Rents in the Church: that Trees of Righteouſneſs may be tranſplanted out of your pleaſant and fruitful Nurſery into the Garden of God, which may yeild all manner of fruit in due ſeaſon. That ſilver ſtreams of conſolation may flow from your Spring (being ſeaſoned with the ſalt of Grace) to refreſh wearied ſouls, and abundantly to water the dry and thirſty places of Immanuel's land. That God's Urim and Thummim may be with you, enabling ſuch of you as are conſecrated to God, to teach Jacob his Judgements, and Iſrael his Law: That you may burn the ſpiritual Incenſe of ſweet ſmelling Prayers before him, and offer up the whole burnt Sacrifices of the Divine Ordinances upon the glorious Altar within his Goſpel Temple.
So Prays Your hearty Well-wiſher, Samuel Lee.