History of the Old Testament Volume 7, Title page 1 – Dedication 1
Contemplations VPONUPON THE HISTORIE of the old TESTAMENT. THE SEVENTH VOLVME. In two Bookes.
By IOS. HALL D. D.
LONDON, Printed by J. H…land for Nath. Butter. 1623.
Contemplations VPONUPON THE OLD TESTAMENT.
The 18th. Booke.
Wherein are,
Rehoboam.
Ieroboam.
The ſeduced Prophet.
Ieroboams Wife.
Aſa.
Elijah with the Sareptan.
Elijah with the Baalites.
Elijah running before Ahab, flying from Iezebel.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE, IAMES, LORD HAYE; Baron of Saley, Viſcount Doncaſter, Earle of Carlile, one of the Lords of his Maieſties moſt Honourable Priuie COVNSELL.
Right Honourable:
I Cannot but thus gratulate to you your happy returne from your many, and noble imployments; which hauehave made you, ſome yeeres, a ſtranger at home; and ſo renowned abroad, that all the better parts of Europe know and honour your name, no leſſe, than if you had beene borne theirs; Neither is any of them ſo ſauage, as not to ſay, when they heare mention of your worth, that Vertue is a thouſand Eſcuchions.
If now your ſhort breathingtime may allow your Lordſhip the freedome of quiet & holy thoughts, caſt your eyes vponupon Iſrael and Iudah, vponupon the Kings and Prophets of both, in ſuch beneficiall varietie as prophane hiſtorie ſhall promiſe in vaine. Your Lordſhip ſhall ſee Rehoboam following Salomon in nothing but his ſeat, and his fall, as much more wilfull than his father, as leſſe wiſe; all head, no heart; loſing thoſe ten Tribes with a churliſh breath, whom he would (and might not) recouer with bloud. Ieroboam as crafty, as wicked; plotting a reuolt, creating a Religion to his ſtate, marring Iſraelites to make ſubiects, branded in his name, ſmitten in his hand, in his loynes. You ſhall ſee a faithfull meſſenger of God, after miraculous proofe of his courage, fidelity, power, good nature, paying deare for a little circumſtance of credulous diſobedience; The lion is ſent to call for his bloud, as the price of his forbidden harbour; You ſhall ſee the blinde Prophet deſcrying the diſguiſe of a Queene, the iudgement of the King, the remouall of a Prince, too good for Ieroboams heire. You ſhall ſee the right ſtock of Royall ſucceſsion flouriſhing in Aſa, whiles that true heire of Dauid (though not without ſome blemiſhes of infirmity) inherits a perfect heart; purges his kingdome of Sodomy, of Idolatry, not balking ſinne, euen where he honoured nature. You ſhall ſee the wonder of Prophets, Elijah, opening and ſhutting heauen, as his priuate cheſt; catored-for by the Rauens, nor leſſe miraculouſly catoring for the Sareptan, conteſting with Ahab, confronting the Baalites, ſpeaking both fire and water (from heauen) in one euening; meekely lacquaying his Soueraigne, weakely flying from Iezabel, fed ſupernaturally by Angels, hid in the rocke of Horeb, confirmed by thoſe dreadfull apparitions, that had confounded ſome other; caſting his mantle vponupon his homely ſucceſſor, and by the touch of that garment, turning him from a plough-man, to a Prophet. But what doe I withhold your Lordſhip in the bare heads of this inſuing diſcourſe? In all theſe, your piercing eies ſhall eaſily ſee beyond mine, & make my thoughts but a ſtation for a further diſcouery. Your Lordſhips obſeruation hath ſtudied men, more than bookes; heere it ſhall ſtudy God, more than men; That of bookes hath made you full, that of men, iudicious, this of God ſhall make you holy, and happy; Hitherto ſhall euer tend the wiſhes and indeuours of
Your Lordſhips humbly deuoted in all faithfull obſeruance, IOS. HALL.