A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Dedication 2 – Biblical tract
To the Right Worſhipful the very Vertuous and Religious Lady, the Lady Deborah Robinſon, Wife of Sir Leonard Robinſon, Grace, Mercy, and Peace be Multiplied.
Much Honoured Madam,
I Beg your Pardon, and do crave your leave to joyn your Ladyſhip with your Honourable Huſband in this my preſent Dedication, whom the Lord by his Providence hath long ago joyned together in that Holy Ordinance of Matrimony, and hath made you (by his gracious Bleſſing upon you) the happy Parents of ſundry hopeful Children, which are called an Heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the Womb is his Reward As Arrows are in the hand of a Mighty Man, ſo are Children of the Youth, and happy is he that hath his Quiver full of them, they ſhall not be aſhamed, but they ſhall ſpeak with (or Hebr. ſubdue) the Enemies in the Gate, Pſal. 127.3, 4, 5.
Madam, That it is no untrodden Path to Dedicate Labours of this ſort unto Ladies, may thus be made apparent to you; for Firſt, We find upon Record, how the very boſome Diſciple of our dear Redeemer (John the Divine) did Dedicate his Second Epiſtle unto the Elect Lady; who was undoubtedly one very Eminent, both in high favour with God, and in an Honourable Eſtimation among the Churches of Chriſt; and he Dedicates it to her Children alſo, ſaying, that he rejoyced greatly at their gracious carriage and Converſation, by their walking in the Truth, 2d Epiſtle of John, ver. 1, 2.3, 4. where both the Holy Mother, and the Hopeful Children had the Apoſtolical, both Salutation and Dedication, &c.
Secondly, The Ancient Fathers of the Church have walked in their Days the ſame way of Dedicating their Labours to Elect Ladies of their Times; more eſpecially Hierom, who moſt highly commends the Noble Ladies of his Day, namely, Euſtochium, Salvina, Celantia, Paulina, and the like; therefore it followeth that I am not ſingular, walking any unbeaten Path in this Common Road of Dedication. And, Madam, I have Dedicated this Volume to your Ladyſhip's hands upon a double account.
The Firſt is, becauſe your Name is Deborah, which in the Hebrew Language doth ſignifie an Honey-Bee, a moſt curious, cleanly, and laborious Animal; and 'tis a wonderful Work of the God of Nature, that ſo much Art, Ingenuity, and Induſtry ſhould lie couched up within the ſmall compaſs of ſo little a Corpuſculum. But above all, it is to be wondred at her Converſing ſo much in fruitful Fields, and in the gayeſt Gardens, where her Sagacity is exerciſed to admiration, in her diſtinguiſhing ſtinking weeds (which ſhe diſdaineth) from the moſt Odoriferous and Fragrant Flowers which ſhe faſtneth upon, and embraceth them with earneſtneſs; all the time ſucking Honey out of them, until Crura Thymo plena, her Thighs be loaded with Thyme (as Virgil ſaith) and then flyes ſhe home to her Hive to promote the common good.
Bear with me, good Madam, in this Harangue concerning the Bee; for I verily believe, that your Name and your Nature (eſpecially your New Nature) have an happy harmony in you. No doubt but you make it your exerciſe, you recreation (as the Phraſe is, Act. 24.16.) to read the Sacred Scriptures duly and daily, yea, and the ſoundeſt and moſt ſavoury Authors that do write upon them; wherein you meet with many choice Spiritual Flowers, out of which, by your Divine Art of ſucking (as the Prophet's Phraſe is, Iſa. 66.11.) your Soul doth extract moſt Heavenly Honey to nouriſh it up to Eternal Life. Whereas on the other hand, all idle and Addle-brain'd Authors your Soul abhorreth as the Bee doth ſtinking Weeds.
The Second account is, that my former Volumes found ſuch acceptance with you, as that you was pleaſed to ſay you would not want them for Gold. I wiſh this work of mine may find no worſe entertainment.
Good Madam, that you may ſtill be indefatigable in reading the holy Scriptures, &c. You have the Virgin Mother of our dear Redeemer for a moſt excellent Example, who (as Sabellius ſaith of her) did ſpend about the third part of her precious time in reading thereof; that ſhe was much converſant in them, and throughly acquainted with them, is very manifeſt in her Magnificat, Luke 1.46. which is moſtly made up of other Holy Scriptures. This is the way to become bleſſed among Women, as that bleſſed Woman was.
I ſhall now add no more, but my Prayer to God for you, that the word of Chriſt may dwell in you richly, Col. 3.16. And that the Father of Lights (who commandeth Light to ſhine out of Darkneſs) may give you the Light of the Glory of God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt, 2 Cor. 4.6. As likewiſe that you may ſee all your Children, the work of God's hands, in the midſt of yours and their Houſes, that ſo your face may not look pale, but that you may glorifie the Lord God of Iſrael, Iſa. 29.22, 23.
Which is
The daily Deſire, and Cordial Prayer, of your Servant in the beſt Bonds, Chriſtopher Neſs