Meditations Upon 1 Samuel 26:19, Title page – Dedication
MEDITATIONS Upon 1 Sam. 26.19. Humbly preſented to the COMMON-COUNCEL OF LONDON, For their ſerious rumination.
By their ſervant for their good, HENRY BURTON.
ROM 15.4.
Whatſoever things were written afore-time, were written for our learning.
ISAI. 9.16.
The leaders of this people cauſe them to erre; and they that are led of them, are deſtroyed.
If ye know theſe things, happie are ye, if ye do them.
LONDON, Printed for Giles Calvert. 1647.
To the Right Honourable the Lord Maior, with the Right Worſhipful the Aldermen, and the reſt of the Common Councel of the City of London, Grace, Mercy and Wiſdom be multiplied.
SIRS,
THat I, of ſo ſmall acquaintance with you, yet to you all not altogether unknown, ſhould preſent you with any ſuch ſervice as this, though it may ſeem to ſome too much preſumption, yet not to any (I hope) either arrogancy, or importunate impertinency at this time, as being not unſeaſonable for Truth, at leaſt to the wiſe, no not in this ſo idolized adulatory Age, which as, a mel dew hath ſo much blaſted both our bloſſoms with blackneſſe, and our fruit with barrenneſſe. And though for ſome reſpects I may worſt do it, yet having by the good Providence of Heaven ſpent the beſt part of my life in this famous City, and that alſo as an unworthy Watch-man therein, and not having at any time been negligent (within my narrow Sphere) to give warning when apparent danger approached: I ſhould judge my ſelf very unfaithful, if … laſt, being neer the time of giving up my account to my righteous Judge, I ſhould be ſilent, eſpecially when I ſee a ſtorm hanging over this City from an angry heaven, and while there is yet ſome hope left of preventing of it. For if the Egyptians at Moſes his warning of the next morrows hideous ſtorm of hail, did, many of them, forthwith withdraw themſelves and cattle into their houſes for preſervation; then much more ſhould Chriſtians be wiſe in this point, and eſpecially when, not a Moſes, yet the meaneſt Meſſenger is ſent with a Meſſage from God, no leſſe true and certain then that of Moſes was, becauſe Gods Word it ſelf. And for the truth of what is here brought unto you, and how far, or how neer, or how truely it concerneth you all in the application, I leave to your matureſt and moſt Chriſtian wiſdom to judge. And when this comes to be applied, either as a Preſervative or a Corroſive, if it be with patience endured, it is a hopeful ſigne of cure: if otherwiſe, yet in endeavouring the good I wiſh you, I have herein *Ezek. 3.17. to 21.freed mine own ſoul. Nor durſt I forbear this duty at this time in a matter of ſo high importance, if well weighed, as wherein the weal or we of this Body, in reference to the righteous Judge of all, is ſo much concerned.
Conſider what is ſaid, and the Lord give you underſtanding in all things: Which is the humble and earneſt Prayer of
Your faithful ſervant in the Lord, HENRY BURTON.