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THE

EPISTLE

DEDICATORY.

To

the

Right

worlliipful,

His

Reverend,

learned

,

and

worthy

freinds,

and

Brethren,the

Heads and

Governours

of

the Colledges,and

Halls in

the

Univerfity

of

Ox

FORD.

S

I

R

S,

He dedication

of

Bookes

to the

names

of

men Worthy

,

and

of

e-

fteem

in

their generation,

takes fandtuary in

fo

Catholiek

and Anci-

ent

prcfcription

that

to

ufe any defenfative

about

my

walkingin

the

fame

path, cannot but forfeit the

lofs

offomewhat

more

,

then

the

paines

that would

be (pent therein.

Now although

in

addreffes

of

this kind,men ufually prevaile themfelves

dale

occalon to de

liver

their thoughts

as

to particulars

,

in

great variety according

as

theirconcernments

may be

;

yet the

Reafons which are general-

ly pleaded as diredtions

for the

choife

of

them, to

whom

with their

labours, and writings

they

fo

addrefs themfelves

,

are for

the molt

part

uniforme

;

and

'n their

various courfe

,

tranfgrefs

not the

Rules

ofcertaine heads,

from whence they flow.

To

esprefs

a

gratitude for

refpedts

and favours received

,

by

retur-

ning

things in

their kind eternal

,

for

thofe which are

bet

temporal

:

ro obtaineCounte-

nance and

Approbation

unto

their

endeavours in their breaking

forth into the world

,

froth

names

of

more el

teem ,

orat

leaffmore knowne, then theirown

t

to

advance

in

repute

by a

Correfpondency in

Judgment with

men

of

fuck efteem ,

intimated thereby;are the more in-

genuous

aimes

of

men in

the

dedications

of

their

writings.

Though

there

,

and fundry

other

pretences

of

the

fame

kind, might

;Wily

be

drawn

into

my plea,

for

this addrefs

unto you;yee

your

peculiar

defignation and Appointment

, through

the

good hand

of

the

providence

of

God

,

to the

defence

of

the Gofpel; and

your eminent

Furnifhment with

Abilities

from the

fame

hand,

for

the performance

of

that

glorious duty,is

that

alone,upon theaccount where-

of

I

have fatisfied my

felfe,and hope

that

I may

not

diffatisfie

othets,as to this

prefent Appli-

cation.

What

there

is

of

my own peculiar

concernment,wherein

I

am like

to obtaine

a

more

favourable Condefcention

in

Judgment

,

as

to

my prefent

undertaking from you

,

then

from other men

,

will in the cfofe

of

my

addref,

crave leave

to

have

mention made there-

of.

Brethren!

the outward obligations that are upon you from the

God

of

truth

,

with

the

Advantages which he

hath intruftedyou withal

,

for

the

defence

of

his

Truth,above the

molt

of

men

in

the

world, are evident,

even

to

them

that

maitre by

the gray,

and

turne little

Miele

to

the

confideration

of

things

of

this nature

, importance,

and

Condition.

And

it

is

to

mean

evidence

of

no fmall

incouragement,that

God

will

yet gracioully

ins

ploy

you

in

the work and

labour of

his

Gofpel,by

his

conftant

giving a mifcarrying

mombe

to

all

them,who

have

attem-

pted

to defraud the Nation,

and

the Churches

of

God therein,of

thole

helpes

and furtheran-

ces

of

Piety and

Literature,

with whole management,for their fevice,

you

are at prefent

in-

trufled.

Of

the

Jewels

of

Silver and

Gold,

whereof

by

the Lord's appointment,the Children

of

Ifrael

coming

out

from

amongft them,

fpoiled the

Egyptians, didthey dedicate to

the Ta-

bernacle

in

the wildernefs;

when, the Lord

planted

the

Heavens

,

and

laid

the

foundations of the

Earth;

and

(aid

to

Sion

Thon

arr

my people.

Though

force

outward

provifions,and

furnitures

of

Literature, now, through the good hand

of God,

made

ferviceable

to you

in

your Atten-

dance

upon the great Worke

, and

imployment committed to you

,

were firft depofited,when

ehickdarknefs was

over

the

land: Yet

that

they

may be

madeeminently fubfervient

to

the will

of

God

, in

railing up againe

the

Tabernacle

of David,that

mat

fain

down,

the

Experience

of

a

few yeares I no way

doubt,

will

abundantly

reveale

and manifeft.

That

in

the

vicifíitude

of

all

things given them by

tie

myflerious and

dreadful

wheeles

of

providence

,

your

good

things

alto

,

(as

every

thing

else

that

is

pleafant and

deferable ,

or

given

of

God unto

the

Sons

of

men

bath

done ) have fallen into

the

poffeflion and difpofal

of

men

,

force

enemies,

others utterly

ufelefs

and

unfruitful

to

the

Lord

intheir

generations

,cannot

be

denyed: But what

is

there

in

his waies

,

or worfhip,

in his

wotkes,or

word,that God hath

not,

at

fame feafon or

other

delivered into

the

power

of

thernen

office

world,

though they

have abufed and perverted them

to their

own

deárud'ion

?

Neither

is

there any

other

ufe

of

this

Confideration,but only to

informe

them,of

the Obligations they

lye

under,

to

a

due

and

zealous improvement

of

them, to

whofe

Trull

and Care the Lord comrnitts any

of

his

mer-

ges,

when

he

relines

them from the Captivity,under which they have been detained,by uns

godly

men.

This

is

now your lot,and cond tion,ìn reference to many who

for

fundry

generati-

ons,poffeffed chafe

places,and

advantages

of

eminent

fervice

for the

house

of

our

god,which

54

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