The Royal Robe, Dedication 2
To the truly Religious and right vertuous, The Lady GRIMSTON, Wife to the Honourable Sir HARBOTLE GRIMSTON Baronet The Maſter of the ROLLES.
MADAM,
MY written Papers (a few moneths agon commended to your reading by your Renowned Husband) you pleaſed to take the pains, and to have the patience to read through: and according to your excellent underſtanding, and ſound judgment, to give your ſence, and with much ingenuity to paſs your approbation of them: the ſame are now again (after ſome delay in the Preſſe) preſented to your Ladiſhip in Print; In a fairer Character to return moſt humble thanks for that noble favour.
It is an addition to the worth of my poor labors, that they find the Patronage ana Countenance of ſuch Honorable and Judicious perſons, and of ſo known and eminent Goodneſſe.
And truly Madam, I cannot but let you know, what ſatisfaction it is to me, that my Meditations were directed to a ſubject ſo ſuitable to the quiet temper of your Religious mind: ſo agreeable to the conſtant practice of your vertuous life, meek and peaceable.
It is your Meekneſſe, Madam, that gives a luſtre to all your other vertues and Graces, which beautifie your perſon, and Chriſtian converſation, and render you an Ornament to your Sex: no plaiting of the Hair, wearing of Gold, putting on of Apparel, do ſet forth a Lady, in that high eſtimation with God and good men, as her exemplary vertues do; thoſe outward Adornings you do not uſe them; for you do not need them; God having abundantly ſtored you, out of his own Treaſury of nature and Grace.
Good Madam, I know it is unpleaſing to you, to read your own Commendation (though never ſo well deſerv'd) yet I beſeech you give me leave to acknowledge to the Glory of God, what I have obſerv'd to the joy of my heart: and when you ſhall be taken into heaven; and I ſhall be turned into duſt, let this be written for a memorial to the world; of your Merit, and my duty.
In Treating of Meekneſſe, I am not ignorant that (Lupum auribus teneo) Anger the one extreme is a hot, heady, fierce and fiery paſſion (like a wild beaſt) Meekneſſe is the Mean that tames it. And ſo! here, through Meekneſſe I have (with ſome induſtry) beaten a plain path for the ſober moderate Chriſtian to walk in.
And now were it not to treſpaſſe too farre upon a noble patience, I could give in a Breviat of my Book: but I preſume of a candid interpretation from your Ladiſhip, (if in a very few words) I humbly offer an Aſſay of what I have treated on.
May it pleaſe your Ladiſhip then! I have endeavoured! to ſettle the weak and wavering mind: to quiet the wilful and unruly ſpirit: to ſet the heart in a right frame and temper both towards God, and alſo towards man: to ſuppreſſe impatience, murmuring, fretting and repining: to ſhew how ſufferings are to be entertain'd, and afflictions of what kind ſoever undergone, with a patient and quiet mind.
I have ſet forth Meekneſſe as a moſt rare vertue: and ſuch that brings beauty, ſafety, dignity to them that have it: and not only fils the ſoul and conſcience with tranquillity and ſerenity: but doth faſhion the countenance, carriage, language and outward comportment to amiableneſſe and ſweetneſſe.
It doth paſs by indignities, puts up injuries, bears Reproaches, and forbears Revenge, qualifies the heat of paſſions, rectifies the diſorder of Affections, appeaſes Diſtractions, heals Diſtempers, reconciles differences both in judgment and practice. Here is propounded alſo a means for the ſtopping of private quar-rels: a way opened to publick peace: directions given for the ordering of our Civil and Chriſtian converſation: and certain Inſtructions about order and Decency in the publick duties of Religion; ſetting down the nature and uſe of things indifferent, and how Chriſtian liberty is to be regulated to peaceableneſſe.
And this I ſhall ever reckon amongſt the chiefeſt bleſſings of my holy Calling, to be in any meaſure Inſtrumental in promoting the publick peace: and by the Grace of God (ſo long as I live) next to the Truth of Chriſt, the peace of the Church, ſhall be the Center both of my ſtudies and practice.
And ſeeing by the Providence of God, and by the great Wiſdom, and unwearied pains of our Rulers, we have attain'd to that happineſſe, which of late years we could rather wiſh, than hope for: and ſeeing above hope, and beyond expectation, God hath appear'd for our ſalvation and ſettlement both in Church and Common-wealth; it were to be lamented that any ſhould be found ſo great an enemy to their own felicity, as to call for new troubles, when the wou…ds of the old (though healed with a tender and skilful hand) are yet blew: or ſo far in love with their own miſery, as to put away from them this precious mercy, and not rather with heart and both hands to entertain it, to be contented and thankful.
Moſt honoured Lady, God hath given you your hearts deſire, to live in peace under a rightful Government. And the Affections of your moſt worthy husband and your ſelf ſo happily meeting in the love of Truth and Peace: in the diſlike of Error and Schiſm: your continual practice of Piety, and in the worſhip and ſervice of God your chearful conformity (to the Order of the Church of England by Law eſtabliſhed) doth let the world know the moſt truly Religious, and moſt judicious, are most conformable. Long may you both live, (to move like ſtars, in your own Sphere) a light and direction in every good way, to all that are below you. He adde no more; after I have beg'd of your Ladiſhip to accept of this my most humble ſervice; and of my moſt hearty wiſhes, for a happy New-year.
And I pray God, every Revolution of the year, may bring with it a Renovation of your health, honour, and outward proſperity, with an encreaſe of all ſpiritual Graces, and heavenly bleſſings, until you come to the exchange of time for Eternity, for the which I ſhall not ceaſe to be importunate at the Throne of Grace whilst
I am BARKER. Jan. 3. 1660.