A Christian Looking Glass, Dedication
To the Reverend, His carefully-loving Father, Mr. RANDOL HOLLAND A Miniſter of the Goſpel in IRELAND.
SIR,
MY Letters ſeldome arrive ſafely with you in Ireland, by reaſon of the diſtance. Wherefore I have annext this printed to my Book, which I doubt not but in time (if alive) you'll receive. It will certifie you (ſomewhat) the ſtate of my ſoule (though not of my body.) If you ask me the reaſon of my publiſhing ſo mean an Exerciſe in a time of ſuch Paper-proſtitution: among many reaſons, Ile give you (Sir) this, as moſt concerning your ſelf. The death of my ever gallant Ʋncle Captain Stephen Huſſey, and the never enough by me deplored loſſe of my two deare Brothers, Henry and Joſhuah Holland, ſlain in theſe unnaturall warres, made me firſt apply my ſelf to this ſubject. I have comforted my ſelf, conſidering the graces God formerly wrought in them as footſteps of himſelf, and then conſidering his loving to the end; conſidering that afflictions are ſignes of love; that death is beneficiall; and ſodain death no argument of his hatred: Joſiah's death was ſuch. And indeed, I had ſcarce with ſighs dryed the teares off my face (which I had ſhed for them) when God bleſt me with a ſon. I thought God had ſent me a ſummers day in the winter of my ſorrow; little did I dream its ſun would ſet ſo ſodainly I baptized it with your name, and thought with Hannah to have given it to the Lord all his dayes. But indeed it proved but an April ſunſhine, which had a preſent ſhower waiting on it. God ſaw me not humble enough nor fitted for ſuch a bleſſing. For by that time it had twelve moneths bleſt me with many a ſmile—peor babe! as if it had performed the errand God ſent it for, it returned to him that gave it: doubtleſſe it hath took poſſeſſion of the heaven of Saints for me, of which our Saviour long ſince took poſſeſſion for us all. This made me more earneſtly ſtudy on this ſubject, (Gods love in affliction) that I might the more willingly kiſſe the rod that ſcourged me. This was one reaſon made me publiſh theſe lines; That whiles I could not enjoy my friends here, (nor my ſweet Randol) I might at leaſt have, as it were, their Funerall ſermon to read.
Thus thanking you for your care to wards me in my Education, for your Prayers (of which I believe I have had benefit) deſiring the continuance of them and your health,—I reſt
Your dutiful ſonne, Hezek. Holland. Sutton-Valence, July 10. 1649.
End of the text · Hezekiah Holland, A Christian Looking Glass (1649)