A Christian Looking Glass, Title page – Dedication 1
A Chriſtian LOOKING-GLASSE: OR, A glimps of Chriſts unchangably everlaſting love.
Diſcovered in ſeveral SERMONS, In the Pariſh-Church of Sutton-Valence. Kanc.
By Hezekiah Holland Anglo-Hibernus, Miniſter of the Goſpel at Sutton de Valentiâ.
Deus ſum & non mutor.
Mal. 3.6
foreign.
1 John 4 8.
I have loved thee with an everlaſting love.
Jerem. 31.3.
foreign.
John 13.1.
London, Printed by T.R. & E.M. for George Calvert, at the Half-moon in Watling-ſtreet, neer Pauls ſtump. 1649.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL The Deputy Lieutenants of the County of KENT.
In particular, to the Right Worſhipful Richard Beal and Lambert Godfrey Eſq
AS all Rivers pay tribute to the Ocean from whence they receive their water, ſo I (remembring my (many wayes) engagements to the Honourable the Commons of England (for countenance and maintenance) coming a ſtranger (a kind of a baniſhed man) out of Ireland (knowing ingratitude to be the worſt badge of a Chriſtian) have been bold to preſent yee with theſe lines; Worthy and Worſhipful Gentlemen, Yee who are a repreſentative of the Honourable the Houſe of Commons in this County. Yee uſually receive their debts for them Here,—and give them a juſt account; Be pleaſed to accept of this mite; which, though no way anſwerable to my engagements to them, yet who payes leaſt, is more out of debt then he that payes nothing at all. Pardon me Gentlemen, if ſince I had occaſion to make my thoughts legible, I have coveted your Worſhips to ſhrine them (being worthy to be Sanctuaries to greater offenders:) In theſe lines yee may in parr ſee how I ſpend my Lords Dayes—in Sutton; in which if any word have but the face of an enemy againſt Church or State (though every Miniſter cannot be at preſent ſatisfied with every concluſion in them) remember they are the words of a quiet man, in whom never was found any true ground of jealouſie or feare of diſaffection, no not when the grand riſing in Kent was carried on even with a generall applauſe; when (pardon my boldneſſe) ſome of your ſelves began to play with the bait, I never ſmelt at it, ſcarce ſwam in the River, though I had more reaſon then ſome others to wiſh his Majeſty well, being a Penſioner of his in the Iriſh-univerſitie many years.
And truly 'tis beleeved, that the often riſing of thoſe who only Chriſten themſelves by the name of his Majeſties friends, were the occaſion of his ſudden death. By the preceding lines you know my Countrey to be Ireland, a Countrey like Joves, where no creature is poyſonous (unleſſe you object that much experience ſhewes poyſon to be lodg'd in the heart of the Natives;) Truly Gentlemen, I underſtand not the myſtery of that Rebellion; perchance the Spaniſh King had factors there; ſurely if a Crowne were the the prize of the game, 'twere no wonder to ſee foule play among the gameſters: Yet my thinks if the Iriſh did not bear ſome good will towards the Engliſh, we might have had worſe carding of late when they had almoſt the whole game in their hands; doubtleſſe tyrants ſinnes call for bloud; their bodies ſeldome have any other enbalming; forbearance is no acquittance. I fear me ſhould they pay the old debt eaſily, they would be apt to run (too ſoon) upon our ſcore again.
And I pray God, the life given to it by the late peace, be not as life given by ſome Phyſitian to a wounded man, only for ſome few groans the longer.
In fine, the chief cauſe of our miſery there, was our ſin, de te deſtructiotua —it runne over, which made God fill up his Viols to the brim; how ſugared ſoever it was, God has juſtly ſoured it for her Iniquity; but I take my leave of that Kingdom for the preſent; the Lord look upon them, and bleſſe the forces he has intended for them.
Five years ago I came out of that Kingdom into this; how ſorry was I to ſee Engliſh men the ſubject of Engliſh mens valour? as if yee had ſcorned any ſhould conquer ye but your ſelves, Vt nemo Ajacem poſſit ſuperare niſi Ajax. When your Supernumeraries were ſpent, my thought I ſaw ye ſpend of the main ſtock, half of which would have reſtored Ireland and to ſpare.
But that troubled me much (as a Miniſter) to ſee ſuch diſſentions in Religion. I am afraid of Hereticks, who ſeem to confute God & truth, but as their parents, at laſt they will befoole themſelves: the ſnuffing of a light ſeldom puts it out, but makes it burn the brighter. Yee have here unparalleld Miniſters, tis true; but Hereticks are miracle-proof, words in them make little impreſſion.
Errours of ſmaller bulk (till God ſhall reveal) may be better tolerated. Sed haec libertas in vitium ruat. A green errour (if no care taken) may feſter to an old ſoar of Hereſie. But being a ſtranger I forbear; pardon me Gentlemen, I have been bold as a traveller to give you ſome account of my travels. He that made yee, ſave yee: The Lord bleſſe yee all from Dan to Beerſheba.
From my Vicaridge-houſe in Sutton-Valence Iuly 10. 1649. So prayes your moſt humble ſervant, HEZEK-HOLLAND. Anglo-Hib.