A preparatiue for the new Passeouer very profitable to be perused and read of all those who are called to the holy table of our Lord / by Maister William Cowper ...

TO THE RIGHT worshipfull Sir Dauid Murray, speciall Gentleman of the Prince his bed-cham∣ber, multiplication of mercy, grace, and Peace.

RIght Worshipfull, albeit no distance of place can disioin them in affec∣cion, whōe God hath con∣ioyned by the band of one spirit: yet is it no small stop of that Christian conference, whereby either of them might happily edifie, and bee edified of others. I haue therefore taken mee to the next remedie, since I cannot reach

towards you with my tongue, I haue en∣deuoured by writing to bestow vpon you some spirituall gift, according to my line or measure: for recompence of that comforte, which I haue reaped of that grace of God, which is in you.

I knowe these colder partes of the Ile, wherin wee soiourne, doe not vsuallie render such ripe fruites as those on which the Sun beates more hotly; yet are they also profitable in their kind for nou∣rishment, specially of such, who from their youth haue beene accustomed to feede vpon them. Neither hath the Lord our God debarred vs from Communion of that which is the greatest glorie of the Ile: the Sun of righteousnes hath shined vpon vs also. The Lord hath made our darkenes to be light, & led vs who were blind, a way we knew not. The Lord hath set his standerd amongst vs. He hath not onely said to the South, keep not backe, but he hath also commaunded the North to giue, & to bring vnto him his Sonnes

from farre, and his Daughters from the endes of the earth. As the going foorth of the Sunne is from the one end of heauen to the other, rising in the East, and run∣ning on like a mightie man, his race to∣wards the West; so hath the Lawe gone foorth of Sion, and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem: the light of the Gospell through many natiōs hath come frō them of the East toward vs in the West, where now it standes more maruellously, thē the sun stood in Gibeō in the dais of Ioshua, tilthe fulnesse of the Gentiles in these parts, the remnants of Iaphets house be brought into the Tents of Sem. How long it wil so continue the lord knoweth.

Now the shadowes of the euening are stretched ouer them of the East: the Sun is gone down ouer their Prophets. Dark∣nes is vnto them in steade of diuination. If our vnthankfulnes prouoke the Lorde to withdraw it from vs, woe in like man∣ner shal be to this land, when God departs from it. There was neuer people before vs

had any more but their day of grace, some longer, some shorter: but as they had a morning, so hath an euening also ouerta∣ken them. While therfore we haue the light, let vs walke in the light: Blessed shall we be, if we knowe those thinges which belong to our peace: for in our daies, that promise which the Lord made 2000. sixe hundred yeres agoe, is aboun∣dantly performed; that hee would giue the endes of the earth to his Son for a possessiō: Happie are they amōg vs, who shall be found of that number, sought out by the candle of the Gospell, as peeces of lost money, and like wandring Sheep ta∣ken out of the mouth of the Lyō, and giuē in a gift to Christ, that he may saue them: these are the redeemed of the Lord, let them praise the Lord; and among them come yee in also, and giue glorie to God: take in your heart and mouth with Da∣uid, that Song of thanksgiuing: The lines▪ are fa••••en vnto mee in pleasant places: and I haue a faire heritage.

It is written of Theodosius, that hee thanked God more, for that hee was a Christian, then for that he was an Empe∣rour; because the glorie hee had by the one would vanish, but the benefits he en∣ioyed by the other, hee knew wereto continue for euer: and though it may bee most iustlie great matter of your ioy, that by the fatherlie care of our Gracious So∣ueraigne, ye haue beene placed a domest∣ique attendant on his Maiesties moste princely Sonne, euen from his verie Cra∣dle (wherin hitherto you haue beene prai∣sed for fidelitie, & I hope shall be so to the end) yet let this bee your greatest glorie, that the Lord hath made you partaker of that blessing which commeth by the gos∣pell, and giuen you the earnest of that in∣heritance prepared for thē, who are sanc∣tified by Faith in Christ Iesus, for in∣crease whereof in you, as I dayly send vp my weake prayers vnto the Lord, so shall I be aboundantly contented to know that these smal fruits of my husbandry, which

haue grown this last Summer in the plea∣sant valley of Perth, not farre from your natiue soile, m ay bee any way profitable to confirme and establish that which GOD hath wrought in you. Let them there∣fore (Right worshipfull) come towards you, As those fruites which Iacob sent to Ioseph from Canaan Southward, to more plentifull Aegypt; though not as supplements of your neede, yet as testimo∣nies of that loue which I beare toward you in the Lord, to whose mercie I commēd you for euer in Iesus Christ.

Your W. in the Lord Iesus, M. William Cowper, Minister of Christ his Euangel at Perth.

Notes

• Rom. 1,
• Es, 42 16:
• Esa: 49:22
• Esay. 43, 6
• Psal. 19:6
• Esai. 2:3.
• Iosh. 10 1••. Ro. 11:25
• Gen 9, 27
• Mich, 3, 6
• Hos. 9.12
• Io. 12, 35
• Luk. 19 42
• Psalme. 2.
• Luk. 15:8
• Psal. 16:6
• Act. 20:32.
• Gene. 43, 11