Works of Joseph Hall, Dedication 41
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE, MY SINGVLAR GOOD LORD, the Lord Hay, Baron of Saley, One of his Maieſties moſt honourable Priuy Councell.
RIGHT HONORABLE:
VPonUpon how iuſt reaſon theſe my Contemplations goe forth ſo late after their Fellowes, it were needleſſe to giuegive account to your Lordſhip, in whoſe traine I had the honour (ſince my laſt) to paſſe both the Sea and the Twede. All my priuate ſtudies hauehave gladly vailed to the publike ſeruices of my Soueraigne Maſter: No ſooner could I recouer the happineſſe of my quiet thoughts, then J renued this my diuine taske: Wherein J cannot but profeſſe to place ſo much contentment, as that J wiſh not any other meaſure of my life, then it; What is this other, then the exaltation of ISAACS delight to walke forth into the pleaſant fields of the Scriptures, and to meditate of nothing vnderunder heauen? Yea, what other then IACOBS ſweet viſion of Angels, climbing vp and downe that ſacred Ladder, which God hath ſet betweene heauen and earth? Yea, (to riſe yet higher) what other then an imitation of holy Moyſes, in his conuerſing with God himſelfe, on the Horeb of both Teſtaments? And if J may call your Lo. forth a little from your great affaires of Court and State, to bleſſe your eyes with this proſpect, how happy ſhall you confeſſe this change of obiects? and how vnwillingly ſhall you obtaine leaue of your thoughts to returne vntounto theſe ſublunary imployments? Our laſt Diſcourſe left Gods Arke amongst the Philiſtims; now we returne to ſee what it doth there, and to fetch it thence: Wherein your Lo. ſhall find the reuenges of God neuer ſo deadly, as when he giues moſt way vntounto men; The vaine confidence of wickedneſſe ending in a late repentance: The fearfull plagues of a preſumptuous ſawcineſſe with God, not preuented with the honeſty of good intentions; The mercy of God accepting the ſeruices of an humble faithfulneſſe in a meaner dreſſe. From thence you ſhall ſee the dangerous iſſue of an affected innouation, although to the better; The errors of credulitie, and blind affection in the holieſt Gouernours, guilty of the peoples diſcontentment; The ſtubborne headdineſſe of a multitude that once finds the reynes ſlacke in their necks, not capable of any pauſe, but their owne fall; The vntruſty promiſes of a faire outſide, and a plauſible entrance, ſhutting vp in a wofull diſappointment. What doe J foreſtall a Diſcourſe ſo full of choice; your Lo. ſhall finde eueryevery line vſefull, and ſhall willingly confeſſe that the Story of God can make a man not leſſe wiſe, then good.
Mine humble thankfulneſſe knowes not how to expreſſe it ſelfe otherwiſe, then in theſe kind of preſents, and in my heartie prayers for the encreaſe of your honour, and happineſſe, which ſhall neuer be wanting from
Your Lo. ſincerely and thankfully deuoted, IOS. HALL.