A Garden Enclosed and Wisdom Justified, Title page – Errata
A GARDEN INCLOSED, and WISDOM JUSTIFIED ONLY OF HER CHILDREN.
Being two Exerciſes, diſcovering the Glory, Beauty and Perfection of the Love of God to Saints that are ſo comprehended, and in ſuch a glorious incloſure: And alſo the ſweet Reflections in, and from Saints, in Iuſtifying Wiſdom: Which were delivered at New-port Pagnell, about a yeare and a half ſince: for declaration whereof, the Authour was then impriſoned, and ſince accuſed, for delivering of Blaſphemie.
by Paul Hobſon.
Cant. 8.13.
Thou that dwelleſt in the Gardens, the Companions hearken to thy voice, cauſe me to hear it.
Mat. 11 19.
But wiſdom is juſtified of her Children,
Acts 4.20.
For we cannot but ſpeak the things we have ſeen, and heard.
LONDON. Printed by Iames and Ioſeph Moxon, for Henry Overton, and are to be ſold at his ſhop, in Popes-head Alley: and for Giles Calvert, at the ſpread Eagle, at the weſt end of Pauls. 1647.
To the Impartiall Reader.
THE Sonnes of Strife delight in ſtriving; but my ſoule shall rather ſtrive to ſalve, then to encreaſe that ſore. Were myſelf alone concerned, I should rather paſſe over mens judgements, and ſentences with ſilence, then bring forth this my enſuing diſcourſe to a publicke view. It is now above a yeare and a halfe ſince for delivering of this following Treatiſe to ſome friends, in a quiet and peaceable manner, in New-port Pagnell, and Lathbury, in the County of Puckinghamshire, I was impriſoned by the Governour of New-port: But ſince that, not my ſelfe alone, but the Truth becomes a ſufferer, through the ſunday reproachfull Epithites of Mr Pryn, his brother Gang…aena, and ſome that had a hand in my impriſonment; affirming that what I delivered there, was Blaſphemy: But what shall I ſay? I could be (I hope, through the power of God) as voluminous to anſwer folly, as folly is conſtantly voluminous againſt Truth: but to ſtrive to anſwer contentious ſpirits, gains no honour to truth, and that makes me unwilling to write an anſwer to ſuch men as they are. I could wish that all the ſons of Sion, and the Iſrael of the moſt high God, would rather ſpend their time in prayers and teares to God, for their deliverance out of that unexpreſſible and incomprehendible Priſon of darknes; as they have formerly ſought God for Mr Pryns deliverance out of his paſt impriſonment, which I my ſelfe Cordially deſire to do; for I had rather ſpend twenty dayes in tears for them, then ſpend one houre in giving an anſwer to them; And had not the Vindication of truth commanded me, I should not have brought forth this, to the view of all men; but knowing that the ſonnes of Truth, are beſt able to judge of truth, makes mee bold to preſent this to them: deſiring thee (courteous Reader, whoſoever thou art) not to looke upon this, or me, or any ſcandalous reports of the people of God, through the multiplying Glaſſe of mens envious expreſſions, of which theſe times are full; but lay it to the rule of Truth, and what truth you finde in it, give Truth the glory of it: But if you finde it within the Verge of Condemnation for Blaſphemy, (as Mr Pryn affirmes) let me beg that favour as to receive a loving information (if thou canſt afford it) from thee. I muſt confeſſe I was ſomething unwilling in my ſelfe to come in publick view in this way, conceiving myſelf the leoſt of all Saints, and not worthy to be a ſervant of the moſt high God: But in relation to the precedent reaſons recited, and expreſſed; and ſeeing God hath made me worthy to hold forth his Name: I cannot hold my peace, I muſt ſpeake the things that I have ſeene and heard: And therefore that Truth may be triumphant over Falshood, to the reall diſcovery of Blaſphemers and Blaſphemy, is the reall deſire of
Thine really PAUL HOBSON.
Errata.
Page 44. line 20. read he that knows God. p 68. l 21. for upholding, r upbraiding. p 71. l 9, for have r hath: p 74, l 23, 24: for afterward, r affirmed.