The Art of Divine Meditation, Title page – Dedication
A METHOD AND INSTRUCTIONS for the Art of Divine Meditation, WITH Inſtances of the ſeverall Kindes of Solemne MEDITATION.
By THOMAS WHITE Miniſter of Gods Word in London.
May 28. 1655.
Imprimatur,
Edm. Calamy.
LONDON, Printed by A. M. for Joſeph Cranford at the Signe of the Phoenix in St Pauls Church yard, near the Little North. Doot, 1655.
To the Reverend and my much Honoured BRETHREN & FATHERS the Presbyterian Miniſters Of the GOSPEL within the Province of LONDON.
Brethren and Fathers,
I Have long ſince ſeriouſly conſidered (ſince the Church hath been ſo much divided among us) with whom to cloſe, and where to fix; and I have endeavoured to obſerve both the publique and private actions, the Tenents and converſations of thoſe Miniſters that were of divers judgements, and I doe publikely profeſs, that thoſe Ministers which have and ſtill doe own Provincial Aſsemblies, are for their Piety, Orthodoxneſs, Chriſtian Simplicity, for their powerfull, ſpiritual, frequent, practicall Preaching eminent: Theſe are the things which long agoe have made me cordially to honor you, though ſince my intimate acquaintance with many of you hath much encreaſed and confirmed my high thoughts of you, and I think I may confidently ſay, that under the whole Heaven there is not any City or Nation to be found, that may be compared to London and England, for powerfull, ſpirituall, practical Preaching; And I may ſay, that the Miniſtry of England is the Glory of the world, and that London is the Paradiſe of England; yet though I have long honoured you, I have not had any opportunity to teſtifie it, therefore I thought good, having this ſmall Treatiſe to publiſh, with it to publiſh how much I honor you; Though I am very ſenſible how little my judgement can adde to the juſt eſteem that the people of God have of you: My deſires and prayers to God are and ſhall be, that as to your enemies you may be as John Baptiſts, that though they love you not they may fear and reverence you, being aw'd by the Image of God that appears in the Majeſty and power of your Preaching, and in the holineſſe of your lives and converſations, and that all the people of God may more and more highly eſteem you in love for your works ſake, and that the Doctrine which you preach from the word of God, may be delivered with ſuch evidence and demonſtration of the Spirit, that the mouths of gain-ſaiers may be ſtopped, and that your lives and Converſations may more and more abound with ſuch Sincerity, Simplicity, Meekneſſe, Gravity, Humility, and Christian Prudence, that the faces of thoſe may be covered with ſhame that ſpeak evil of you; Theſe are the deſires of him who is,
Your Fellow-Labourer in the Work of the Lord, Thomas White.