The Valley of Vision, Dedication
TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTIE CHARLES, By the Grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, &c.
Moſt Gracious Sovereign,
I Had not adventured to bring theſe unpoliſhed meditations into the publick light, much leſſe to have ſet them before the Sunne, but that Your Majeſtie was pleaſed to becken them to Your ſelf, and to draw them as by Your own beams, ſo under Your own ſhade into Your Royall Preſence, that being firſt animated with the gentleneſſe of Your beams, they might not be dazled with the ſplendour. Neither is this the leaſt of Your Princely excellencies, Matth. 8.1.that You pleaſe as Chriſt in the Goſpel, to come down from the Mount, for the more free acceſſe of Your people; and know, with Moſes, to put the vail of Goodneſſe over the ſhinings of Majeſtie, ſo that the meaneſt of Your ſubjects may be refreſht with the light of Your countenance notwithſtanding the luſtre, and draw livelihood from the ſplendour, through the ſerenitie, finding the medium of their happineſſe as well as the object to be, under God, in Your Self. It is not to be expected at this preſent, that the irradiations of this light ſhould be ſo vigorous in a cloudy Region: we now ſee to our grief what a miſery it is to have the Royall influence intercepted as of late it hath been, and ſtill is, by thoſe diſaſtrous obſtructions, which at firſt had onelyonly the appearance of Elia's cloud, 1. Kings 18.44.like the hand of a man; but are ſince grown to that vaſtneſſe, as they threaten to the whole Kingdome ſuch ruine as our ſinnes call for: Yet in the midſt of theſe ſad diſtractions, it is Your Majeſties comfort, that as their occaſions are from below, ſo their diſpoſall is from above, both for the exerciſe of Your Princely clemency and patience, and for the triall of the ſincereſt loyaltie of Your ſubjects; yea, and religious hearts, through all theſe clouds, can diſcern, and do with thankfulneſſe acknowledge the ſaying of Solomon to be moſt true, Prov. 16.15.In the light of the Kings countenance there is life: the life of the whole State, that it may happily riſe to the former glory, wherein it ſo long flouriſhed: the life of the Church, that it may recover out of this ſad languiſhing condition into which it is brought: the life of the Univerſities, that they may fruitfully ſpread forth their numerous branches to all parts of the Land: Laſtly, the life of this ſmall inconſiderable Tractate in as many degrees, as Nature hath beſtowed it upon man; in that Your Majeſtie vouchſafed, first to require a copie in writing, then to command it to the Preſſe, then to afford it Your Patronage, whileſt it preſenteth to the world ſome little portion of that great happineſſe, which this eighteen years we have enjoyed, under your bleſſed government. I wiſh the Argument had had a better workman, but what is defective in the Sermon, ſhall be ſupplied by my prayers, That the happineſſe hereafter ſpoken of, howſoever it be now eclips'd, may again ſhine forth in full strength, through Your Majeſties great prudence; whoſe Royall beams as they are powerfull for the fostering of piety, ſo I hope they ſhall be powerfull alſo for the diſpelling of all foggie vapours, that may hazard either to prejudice the welfare of Your people, or to pervert their alleigance. Which as it hath been hitherto untainted, to the envie of other Nations and honour of our own: So, that it may be alwayes inviolably preſerved, is the daily prayer of
Your MAjESTIES humbleſt ſubject and ſervant, Ri. Holdſworth.