Job in the West, To the reader
To all well-affected, tender-hearted Chriſtians, inhabiting the famous City of London and within the Line of Communication.
Duely Honoured, and Beloved,
I Have read, that there growes a aCauſſin. Hieroglyph. lib. 10. Parab. 4.tree not far from Malaca, whoſe rootes doe ſpread diverſly abroad; thoſe of them wch do run towards the Eaſt, are wholſome and medicinall, yea they are an antidote againſt poiſons; but ſuch as doe ſpread themſelves towards the Weſt, are venemous and deadly: ſuch a tree as this it hath pleaſed the Lord now to plant in this land; and (me thinks) it growes upon the border betwixt the old kingdomes of the Eaſt and Weſt-Saxons; that is, in the moſt Eaſterly edge of Hampſhire, for all the Counties beyond that place Weſtward, are over-ſpread with ſad roots of bitterneſs, bringing forth nothing but gall & worm wood; wheras the other Counties of the land, on this ſide Eaſtward, are ſafe and medicinall; and theſe contrary diſpenſations of providence, as they doe call upon you, Amos 4.7.the children of the Eaſt to bleſſe that Lord which cauſeth it to raine (merciemercy or judgements) upon one Country and not upon another; ſo doe they enforce and encourage us Weſterne exiles to implore ſome healing for our Country from thoſe wings of yours, under whoſe feathers many of our pilgrims have already found a covering. In hope and purſuance of that healing, was I emboldned to offer unto you a mid-wifes place in the birth of this Treatiſe; and, that you may adventure to read it over, I ſhall promiſe you, that this Weſterne hiſtorie is not like your creatures of a day at Weſtminſter, 'tis not like your every dayes Mercurian dew of News, which is dayly exhaled and evaporated (that is, growne ſtale and doubtfull) by that time the ſun ariſeth in 'its ſtrength; but, in many of theſe ſad paſſages, I doe but teſtifie what I have ſeen, in others. I have conſidered, that Fame in theſe dayes hath loſt her credit, and therefore (accordingly) I have not truſted her without ſufficient ſureties: So that the ſad hiſtory of this book is but too true, though, I confeſſe, not full enough. Once I had thought to have added marginall inſtances, but did forbeare, partly becauſe I conceived them not the moſt fit company for a ſermon; and partly becauſe I found them too many and copious for a margin. Pauper is eſt numerare pecus. As for the divine matter of theſe ſermons, they do Apologize, Confeſſe, Petition, Direct, for the good of your moſt afflicted brethren. By the firſt, I hope, they will undeceive ſuch as ſhall read impartially; and as for others, which will aNon amo te Sabidi, nee poſſum dicere quare, &c.not beleeve any good reports of the Weſt, becauſe they will not; I ſhall only anſwer them that they will miſ-judge, becauſe they will. By the ſecond, third, and fourth, (which are the diſcoveries of the great evils, of thoſe moſt lamentable Counties, &c.) we do call for pitie from all brethren and friends, but eſpecially from this great Citie, which the Lord hath hitherto made a publike fountain of help, and the very poole of Betheſda to all impotent parts, and (almoſt) people of the land: John 5.7.but the Weſt hath layen longeſt in the porch, wanting a hand to put it into the waters. Surely there was a time when thoſe five Counties did by their bDevon.Kerſies, cWilts.Corne, dSomerſet.Cattle, eDorſet.Sheep, and fCornwall.Tinne, afford in good meaſure, both b clothing, c bread, and d fleſh, yea e diſhes, and all to this great City; and ſuch a time againe may returne: but, at preſent, thoſe Shires (and the well-affected of them) would faine borrow a bucket or two of help from your ocean, to ſet their pumps a going; I meane, to put them into an able poſture for the defence of themſelves. I remember, 'tis recorded, that the gKeker. in praeſat. ad Geegraph.Queen of Castillia did ſel her jewels to furniſh Columbus for his diſcovering voyage to the Weſt-Indies, when hee had ſhewed his Maps, (though the Engliſh Courtiers, ſaith mine Author, did deride his profers) and thereby the new world of America was found and gained to the Spaniſh Crowne.
Surely, there is great adventure now to be made for reducing of the little Kingdome of Weſt-England, and the Londoners hitherto have been the greateſt adventurers for this cauſe. Oh read over my Maps, and doe like your ſelves. But, beſides that great occaſion, there is alſo another petty adventure for the Weſt at this time required; it is, that you would hEccleſ. 11.1.caſt your bread upon the waters, for the preſent ſupport of many Weſterne exiled Pilgrims, which have not onelyonly long ſince laid out, and left the bulke of their eſtates for the teſtimony of Ieſus, but have lately ſpent the laſt meal of their barrell, & the utmoſt oyle of their Cruſe, in theſe parts: and now ſo it is, that dig they cannot, and to beg they are aſhamed, yea, and almoſt to receive: Ye ſhall therefore doe well if, like the i2 Tim. 1.16, 17.houſe of Oneſiphorus, Ye ſeeke them out very diligently, and find them. Brethren, though my ſelfe and ſome others, have our kProv. 30 8.Agurs commons, our lExod. 16.16.Omer-full for our day; yet give me leave (and the more freely) to tell you that the Lord hath ſet this great City to be his Steward and Almoner for the diſtreſſed brethren; and I muſt adde, he hath given you three for one for all your free disburſements for his ſake: Firſt, he hath given you that ability and ſubſtance which you have laid out; for 'tis ePro. 10.4.22the bleſsing of God, with the hand of the diligent, that maketh rich. f1 Sam. 25.11My bread, and my water, and my fleſh, was the language of Naball. Next, he hath given you (which is greater) the opportunity or occaſion of laying out your abilities. A good commodity and a good penny-worth are as great a benefit, as a good purſe. Laſtly, he hath given you (which is greateſt of all) an heart to give. g1 Chron. 29.12, 13, 14, 15, 16.David praiſeth him for all theſe three; for riches to build, for an houſe to be built for God, and for an heart to lay out those meanes in that worke: all theſe three for one yee have freely received, Math 10.8.and therefore freely give. I ſhall adde but a word more, 'tis to mind you, that the exiled Saints which ſojourne amongſt you, are the chiefe auxiliaries of this City. Flying Lot did preſerve that City which preſerved him, and was a Zoar unto his owne Zoar: ſo theſe men doe line your workes, and double the files of all your Regiments, and that partly by their preſence, but chiefly by their prayers for the continuall ſafety, honour, and happines, of this great City, which hath been the fountaine of Liberality, and the Atlas of Parliaments; and in this prayer he heartily joyneth, who doth ſubſcribe himſelfe,
Your Servant in the Lord Ieſus, Jo. Bond. Savoy Ian. 20. 1644.