Essay on Head Coverings, Title page – Dedication
An ESSAY on a QUESTION Relating to Divine Worſhip.
VIZ.
Whether it be contrary to the Apostolical Laws of Decency and Reverence, for a Man to have his Head covered in the time and place of Gods Solemn publick Worſhip? Aff.
By Samuel Stoddon, Miniſter of the Goſpel.
Levit. 19.30.
Ye ſhall keep my Sabbaths, and Reverence my Sanctuary: I am the Lord.
LONDON, Printed by Anne Maxwell, and Robert Roberts, for the Author, 1682.
To the Honourable Sir. H. F. Knight.
S. S. wiſheth all happineſs of this, and of the better Life.
Honoured Sir,
THE vanity of the creature, which is by daily, and ſometimes by dear experience taught us, hath this happy influence on all pious minds, to raiſe in them the greater reverence of, and cloſer adherence to the Creator; Whom to know, is higheſt wiſdom; whom to ſerve, is perfect freedom: whom rightly to worſhip, is indiſpenſible duty; and whom to enjoy is incomprehenſible felicity. But where there is a Reverential awe of the Supreme Deity form'd in the heart, there will be ſutable expreſſions in the external deportment, eſpecially in the acts of ſolemn devotion; ſo that the irreverence of the outer man proclaims to the world but the hidden Atheiſm of the inner. It hath been always matter of indignation with me, to ſee the Ludicra Fortunae, the Interludes of Fortune, magnified with the honour of Courtly Ceremonies, and the Worſhip of that God who diſpenſeth all theſe little things as he pleaſeth, vilified by thoſe that irreverently draw nigh to him. Though I am no Hyperaſpiſtes of uninſtituted ceremonies; yet God forbid that I ſhould not declare againſt prophane Indecencies. I confeſs I know not whoſe Succeſſor I am in the province that I have undertaken, or who hath been before me in it. I am like one that is going a pilgrimage over the Alpes via aſpera & conſolita, in a rough and untrod path; but that ſacred thred of Scripture which I have taken with me, I truſt, will bring me ſafe to the Temple I aim at. I know I ſhall diſpleaſe ſome, and ſeem as an idle wanderer to others; but thanks be to God, who hath inſtructed me to live above the unjuſt cenſures of men, and to rejoyce in the conſcience of my integrity. Sir, It is my duty and your deſerts that oblige me to offer you this little part of my Studies; and not only duty, but hope of acceptance: Hope founded not on the Merit of the Action, but on the nature of the Subject, and the known ſutableneſo of your apprehenſions and practice: ſo that, by this, I dare not ſo much as pretend to pay one mite of my debt, but to run further on the ſcore. Your favourable acceptance makes me more your debtor. The faults which more or leſs alway attend my beſt endeavours, I am conſcious of, and confeſs them both to God and man. As God hath promiſed remittere confitenti, to forgive the Confeſſor, ſo I hope will you. Certainly I have not wilfully ſwerved from the Truth. If this poor Eſſay may intereſs it ſelf in Gods bleſſing, and your favour and good opinion, I may expect the ſucceſs that will fully anſwer the ends of,
Honoured Sir, Yours heartily devoted in all Chriſtian obſervance, S. S.