A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Title page 1 – Dedication 1
A Compleat Hiſtory and Myſtery OF THE Old and New Teſtament, Logically Diſcuſt and Theologically Improved.
In Four Diſtinct Volumes.
The Firſt, beginning at the Creation of the World, and ending at Moſes.
The Second, beginning at the particular Remarks of Iſrael's Motions and Manſions in the Wilderneſs, until the Death of Moſes, and the Succeſſion of Joſhua, and ſo forward unto the Birth of Solomon.
The Third, beginning at David's Repentance, before the Birth of Solomon, and ending at the Birth of Chriſt; wherein an ample Account is given of all the Apocryphal Times (betwixt Malachy and the Meſſiah) alſo, as well as of all the Canonical Books until that Time.
The Fourth, beginning at the firſt of Matthew, and ending at the laſt of the Revelations; wherein is held forth the moſt Illuſtrious Life of Chriſt, and the Lives of all the Apoſtles, to the Death of the laſt and longeſt living Apoſtle John the Divine.
The like Undertaking (in ſuch a Manner and Method) being never by any Author Attempted before. Yet this is now approved and commended by Grave Divines, &c.
By Chriſtopher Neſs A. M. and Miniſter of the Goſpel in London.
Semper aliquid Reviſentibus. Auguſtin.
Difficilium facilis eſt venia.
In Magnis voluiſſe ſat eſt.
Sic minimo capitur Thuris honore Deus.
LONDON, Printed by Tho. Snowden, and are to be ſold by Tho. Parkhurſt at the Bible and Three Crowns, the lower End of Cheapſide: And Jonathan Robinſon, at the Golden Lion in Paul's Church-Yard. 1696.
To the Right Worſhipful and Worthily Honoured Sir Leonard Robinſon, Knight, and Chamberlain of this Famous City of London. Grace, Mercy, and Peace be Multiplied.
Noble Sir,
YOU are one for whom the Great God hath done both great and good things, both in reſpect of your inner as well as outer Man; for as the way of the Righteous is above to the Wiſe, Prov. 15.24. having their feet where other Mens head are; they are upper-region Men, born from above, as foreign the Greek ſignifies, John 3.3. So likewiſe the Lord hath lent you a marvelous lift (relating to your outward Eſtate) in ſeating you upon high, to bear ſo great a Figure in this ſo Great a City; what can be ſaid in this caſe, but that God is good to his Servants, not at all an Auſtere Maſter, Luke 19.21. but he gives large Wages for little work, and is moſt liberal in his Retributions, for he is faithful, 1 Cor. 10.13. and abideth faithful, 2 Tim. 2.13. and will faithfully perform what he hath promiſed, Heb. 10.23. ſaying, [he will honour thoſe that honour him, but they that deſpiſe him, ſhall be lightly eſteemed] 1 Sam. 2.30. and promiſing alſo [in all thy ways acknowledge God, and he will direct thy Paths] Prov. 3.6. God will ſurely own thoſe that own him, and ſuch as do avouch the Lord to be their God, he will likewiſe undoubtedly avouch them to be his Servants and peculiar People, Deut. 26.17, 18.
Now Sir, though I muſt ſay with Elihu [I know not to give Flattering Titles to any Man] in ſo doing, my Maker would ſoon take me away] Job 32.21, 22. I have as little Art in it, ('tis quite out of my Road) as any Heart to do it, leſt my Maker ſhould ſuddenly ſnatch me away in that dangerous ſin of Flattery, therefore I dare not ſo much as ſeem to do ſo; yet notwithſtanding we are commanded [to render unto all Men their dues, Honour, unto whom Honour is due,] Rom. 13.7. Hereupon I cannot but declare it openly, that ever ſince I had the happineſs to be acquainted with you for many years, you have dared to own the good ways of God even in the worſt of times; this I muſt teſtifie to the World upon my perſonal knowledge. And your Lord (whom you have ſincerely ſerved, and openly owned) hath likewiſe owned and honoured you after a moſt ſignal and ſingular manner; not only in advancing you above the heads of all your former Brethren, but alſo in Exalting you ſo highly in the very hearts of our Famous Citizens, amongſt whom you are Univerſally valued, and by whom (which is more and better) you are moſt entirely beloved. A Demonſtration hereof was evident at your laſt Election to your high Office, by their loud and long Acclamations for a Continuation, a Continuation of your perſon in that place of ſo great a truſt, after a whole years trial of your truth therein.
Worthy Sir, I very well know, ſince Divine Providence hath devolved this Dignity (filled top full of moſt weighty Affairs) upon you, that now you have ſomewhat elſe to do than to read any Books, much leſs ſuch a large Volume as this is; yet am I not ignorant, that there is ſuch a Spiritual Tincture upon your Spirit, as hath made you not a little inquiſitive after the great Myſteries of Godlineſs, 1 Tim. 3.16. and after the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wiſe unto Salvation, 2 Tim. 3.15.
Beſides, you well know 'tis a great truth, that the particular calling of no Man (no not of the higheſt Employ, and moſt perplexed with difficulties) ought at all times and altogether to juſtle out the General Calling, which is of abſolute and indiſpenſible neceſſity, and Man's chief end and errand into the world; 'twas the prophane ſpeech of that bloody Atheiſt Duke de Alva [he had ſo much buſineſs and labour upon Earth, that he had no leiſure to look up and mind Eclipſes in Heaven, &c.] You have learnt better Leſſons in Chriſt's School, Eph. 4.20. there is a dividing aright for God in both thoſe Callings, which Cain did not, and therefore was accurſed; there is a right rendring both unto God, and unto Caeſar, without any injury to either of them, Matth. 22.21. there is a time for all things, Eccl. 3.1, &c. Moreover, Arcus nimis intenſus rumpitur, the Bow that ſtands always bent, is ſoon broken. All men muſt unſtring their bow ſometimes; ſome lucid intervals are neceſſary to man's nature, which deſires ſome diverſion, and will ſoon evaporate without ſome repoſe. Now there is do diverſion more connatural to the Mind of Man, and more refreſhing to his Spirit, than is the reading of Hiſtory, and of all Hiſtories none are comparable to the Sacred Hiſtory; whereof it may be ſaid as David did of Goliah's Sword, [there is none like that] 1 Sam 21.9 the very Hiſtory is dreſſed up in that grave and lofty ſtile (treating all along upon the weightieſt matters) muſt needs be more pleaſant to the head of Man, than a thouſand Romances; but the deep Myſtery thereof (walking all along with the Hiſtory of it) cannot but be likewiſe very profitable to the heart of Man, eſpecially to the honeſt and good heart, Luke 8.15. 'Tis a duty incumbent upon all perſons even of all degrees, ſorts, ſizes and ſexes [to ſearch the Scriptures for Eternal Life.] Joh 5.39. And Alphenſus King of Arragon did not look upon that labour as below his Royal Dignity, (who (as Panormitanus relateth) did read over the whole Bible (with Lyra's Notes upon it) no fewer than fourteen times. Nor did that Noble Aethiopian Eunuch deſpiſe that grand Duty (ſo ſolemnly Commanded by our ſweet Saviour as above) yet was he ſenſible that he needed an Interpreter, Acts 8. ver. 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, &c. Few ſuch Princes or Nobles (I fear) are found in our days.
Right Worſhipful, Your many free Favours, and kind Love tokens you have ſent me in my low Eſtate, lay a ſtrong obligation upon me to make this publick acknowledgment under my own hand; I dare not, I may not, I cannot be unthankful; Ingratum ſi dixeris, omnia dixeris, ſay the Antients, Ingratitude includeth all kinds of evil in the Womb of it; therefore doth our Lord put them well together [the Ʋnthankful and the Evil,] Luke 6.35. Tho' I have nothing to preſent your Worſhip with at preſent (in teſtimony of my gratitude) ſave only this part of my twenty years labours, and tho' it be diſh'd up in a ſorry Earthen Veſſel (or in a vile Oyſter-ſhell, as the Greek foreign, 2 Cor. 4.7. ſignifies) yet doth it treat upon the moſt precious treaſure, the Scripture of truth, which therefore (I am ſure) will be more acceptable to your pious and generous Soul, than was that handful of water the Souldier preſented to his Emperor Artaxerxes, when his ability could obtain no better a preſent for his General. All that I can now add to this my Preſent to you, is my moſt cordial Prayers to God for you, and all yours, praying over that precious promiſe of God [the liberal Soul ſhall be made fat, and he that watereth others, ſhall be watered alſo himſelf] Prov. 11.25. That the God of that Promiſe may perform it to you, fulfilling with his hand what his mouth hath ſpoken there, and do as he hath ſaid, is,
The daily Deſire, and Cordial Prayer, of your Servant in the beſt Bonds, Chriſtopher Neſs.