The Spouses Hidden Glory, Dedication 2
TO The Right Honourable, and truly Noble, the Lady Francis Hobart, encreaſe of all happineſſe. &c.
Madam,
I Muſt ingenuouſly confeſſe, it was my owne eaſe was the firſt inducement to me, to offer theſe unpoliſhed meditations to the cenſure of the world, (whom I hear already ſaying, is Saul alſo among the Prophets?) having promiſed more coppies then I was willing to tranſcribe; But when that had raked the embers, ſomething elſe blew the coales: I well knew that the Preſſe was ſo tainted, it would be a ſuſpition of faction to be ſeene under it, and (if ever) now was the time to be a Foole in print: But when I conſidered the vanitie of my former, and the incertaintie of my latter, days I thought it was time to redeem the time, not only becauſe my days were evil, but becauſe my ſpan might be almoſt meaſured out; And I thought if theſe meditations might not have the happineſſe to ſhew ſome ſoule the way out of the wilderneſſe, Leaning upon its Beloved, yet they could not be denyed ſo ſmall a bleſsing, as to keepe ſome Bookiſh eyes from dirtying themſelves with po…ring in the excrements of Factious brains and pens, (which preſent themſelves in our unhappy dayes, upon every ſhop-board, to Athenian gazers) by buſying them in theſe papers a little. After theſe thoughts had wreſted my notes out of my hands, which at the firſt compoſure I had thought (like a dying infant) ſhould only have lookt upon the world, miſliked it, and gone out again. My neere relation to your Honours houſe, told me it would be no good manners to ſpeak of a wedding and not invite your Ladyſhip (eſpecially being one of the Children of the Bride-chamber) to it. The truths here may appeale to your Honour, for a confirmation; and I doubt not but you will and can ſigne them from precious experience: having already Set to your Seale, that God is true. Nay, I dare be further bold to ſay that the marriage of the Lamb could not be conſummate without you: And I was loth to preſent a Bride lame, to ſo glorious a Bridegroome. Theſe ſermons are but a Record of your Honours practice; and yet they are a prophecy of your Honours life too. The Bride of Chriſt is not past all her dirty way, when ſhee is eſpouſed to her Bridegroome; She walks with him through dirty paths alſo: It is the way of heaven, not the way to heaven, that is ſtrewed with flowers and roſes: He knew that told us, By much tribulation wee muſt enter into the Kingdome of God.
Mortality is but the Chriſtians wilderneſſe, For why ſhould the diſciple bee above his Maſter, or the ſervant above his Lord? the Crowne of thorns was not made for Chriſts head only: and if there be written over our heads, in letters of glory, Theſe are the heirs of heaven, what need wee care to hang here nailed to a croſſe? The nailes of the croſſe are ſanctified ever ſince they pierced his ſacred Limbs: A meditation of Chriſts agony, may bee a cordiall draught for a ſoule ſick with afflictions.
If Christ walkt upon the Sea to us, let us gird our coats and walk alſo: Though Chriſt ſeemes to ſleepe, yet our groanings will awaken him, for he taketh care that we perriſh not. Though Chriſt ſhakes himſelf, as if hee intended to ſhake off our hand ſometimes; yet let us conſider, it is becauſe our hands are dirty, and not be ſo fooliſh to let go our hold; Chriſt may duck, but hee will not drowne us; He knowes the way out of the wilderneſſe, and will lead us right, if we will but leane: Though wee ſit in darkneſſe and ſee no light, yet let us truſt in the Name of the Lord, and ſtay our ſelves upon our God: we may be perſecuted, wee ſhall never bee forſaken: we ſhall come out of the wilderneſſe, leaning upon our Beloved.
I preſume Madam, to preſent theſe ſermons naked to your Honours hands, trusting your Ladyſhip will cover the imperfections with charity; they were buried, but if the Ghosts muſt walk, I thought it no wayes proper to put them on gayer clothes, let them walk in their windingſheet: If they will but tell a ſtory of heaven to any they meet, and ſhew them the way, and learn them Chriſt, I will promiſe them to give them an acquittance for any other debt they owe mee: If they will but procure mee the Brides prayers, my reward is greater then my deſert: If God will honour them to win a ſoule, his free grace ſhall have the honour of it; for here is nothing but I have received from his Grace, and to it I owe all that I am.
Madam, were not my diſcourſe of heaven and Chriſt, my Epiſtle might be tedious; but I am confident your Honour could be content to hear of your Bridegroome all the day long. The Lord grant your Honour yet more ſweetneſſe in his enjoyments, and fill you yet more full of his grace, till you ſhall come out of the wilderneſſe of mortality, leaning upon your beloved, into the pleaſant Paradiſe of Glory, which is and ſhall be (Madam) the prayer of
Your Honours obliged Chaplain, Iohn Collins.