The Difficulty of Zions Deliverance and Reformation, Title page – Dedication
THE DIFFICVLTY OF SIONS DELIVERANCE AND REFORMATION. Toge…er With the Activitie which her friends … during the time that ….
Delivered in a Sermon at Margarets Westminſter before the Honourable House of COMMONS … Wedneſday morning, the twenty ſixt day of Iune. 1644.
BY Humphrey Hardwick, Miniſter of the Word at … in the County of He…ford, and one of the Aſſembly of Divines.
LONDON, Printed by I. L. for Chriſtopher Meredith, at the ſign of the Crane in Pauls Church-yard. 1644.
Die Mercurii 26 Iunii. 1644.
IT is this day Ordered by the Commons aſſembled in Parliament, That Maſter Rout, Maſter … Maſter Nicols, do from this Houſe give thanks unto Maſter Hardwick, and Maſter Hicks, for the great pains they took … the Serm… the … ched this day at the … this … at St. Margarets Weſtminſter, (it being the day of public ….) and … …ſire them to print … Sermons. And it is Ordered that none ſhall preſume to Print their Sermons, but whom they ſhall licence under their hand writing.
H. Elſyng, Cler. Parl. …. C…
I Appoint CHRISTOPHER MERIDITH to print my Sermon.
HUMPHRHY HARDVVICK.
TO THE HONOVRABLE Houſe of Commons aſſembled in the Parliament of England.
I Could not have ſuch high thoughts of my ſhallow …cogitations, as to deem them worthy to be produced before ſuch an Auditory, or preſented to the publike view: Had not therefore conſciouſneſſe of dutie conſtrained, I had become an earneſt ſuiter to have been excuſed: but of actuall obedience I had many, of excuſe-pleading I found no preſident. Your Injunction then made me to aſpire to the work which now humble craves your Patronage; and whither ſhould the labours of this kinde runne, but to that honourable Society, which (under Heaven) is the fountain of theſe gracious opportunities?
If willing, no man, I ſuppoſe, hath more cauſe to be large in Apologie then I, having long ſince had my poore Library totally plundered, and my ſelf not able, uſque hunc diem, to buy one book of conſiderable value. Beſides, from the beginning of this warre, untill the laſt monethmonth, inter armaubi ſilent literae verſatus. But theſe things I account part of my chief happineſſe on earth, to have ſuffered much, and done a little good in the cauſe of Chriſt, and ſervice of the State: onelyonly I deſire, that …nce it may not be thought ſtrange, that I tender a plaine unpoliſhed Sermon, quite naked in it's Margent, and in which nothing is cited but the holy Text; nor any author Eccleſiaſticall or Morall heard ſpeak. Seldome, if ever, hath there been offered to your hands ſuch a rude piece of all home-ſpunne thoughts; nevertheleſſe, they breathing the force of the Divine Spirit, I truſt ſhall finde acceptance with your … and being ſtampt on with your approbation, they … abroad in the world currant with all, not malignant or cenſorious.
To encourage the progreſſe of your abundant vertue, I need ſay nothing in my Epiſtle, ſince I ſpeak much … that purpoſe in the Pulpit: the ſmalleſt hint is ſufficient to provoke ſuch zeal and willingneſſe as ever reſideth in your breaſts. Goe on therefore in pious and honorable undertakings: the hearts, the tongues, the Pe… of all good me… bleſſe you; how can it then be, but the God of heaven, who hath ſet you apart, as choſen inſtruments alſo …, ſo univerſall good to his Churches, ſhould in due time crown our endeavour: with ſucceſſe; and infinitely recompente your labours in a better world? so prayeth
Yours to be commanded in all true obſervance and duty HUM: HARDVVICK.