An holy kiss of peace, sent from the seed of life, greeting all the lambs and little ones with a tender salutation with a few words, entituled, relief sent forth into the camp of Israel.

An holy kiss of peace, sent from the seed of life, greeting all the lambs and little ones with a tender salutation with a few words, entituled, relief sent forth into the camp of Israel.

Table of contents

AN Holy kiss of Peace, Sent from the SEED OF LIFE Greeting all the Lambs and little Ones with a Tender Salutation. With a few Words; entituled, Relief sent forth into the Camp of Israel.

§

Relief sent forth into the Camp of Israel.

§

AN Holy kiss of Peace, Sent from the SEED OF LIFE Greeting all the Lambs and little Ones with a Tender Salutation. With a few Words; entituled, Relief sent forth into the Camp of Israel.

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OH ye little Ones! who in the eternal Power of the everliving God, are raised and redeemed out of the Earth, and from the glory of its fading beauty, and in whom, and through whom the everlasting love of the Father is made manifest, and in your hearts shed abroad▪ by which you are drawn into the one-life and power of the Pure God, in whose Eyes you have found favour, and through the leadings of his Power, hath made you partakers of the riches of his Grace wherein ye now stand, and hath also brought you into the Covenant of his Life and Peace, and therein is present with you, and daily making manifest his everlasting goodness to you, that your Souls in him might be replenished daily, and thereby grow up into him who filleth All in All; his love is strong unto you, and his Compassion doth not fail you, for he hath chosen you because he delighteth in you. Oh what manner of love is it that he bestows upon you, and wherewith he loves you, and daily renews unto you, even before [Page] the sons of men; whereby when you read you may understand. And all his benefits retain, and do not let them slip out of your minds, but consider your Calling, and walk worthy of it, and know assuredly that Gods determinate Council is to do you good; for he will save you from your Enemies, and deliver you from the hands of those that hate you; for marvellous loving kindness he hath prepared for you, and manifold Mercies will he give unto you.

Oh his Love! his Love, his dear and tender Love, it runs and abounds towards you, and with mighty overflowing streams it reaches to you; meet it in the salutation, and rejoyce in the lovely Greeting, for it will seal upon your lips everlasting Peace.

Oh my Brethren! What is like the Cords of Love? and what Vessel can contain it when it arises in its strength▪ Many Waters cannot quench it, neither can the Floods drown it, nor Prisons keep it, but through the World it runs to visit the little Babes that cannot live without it▪ Oh this is the Day of Loves abounding and overflowing; prize it highly, esteem it chiefly, for the strength of it breaks the bonds of Deaths; and this is not shut up from you, but with a swift motion runs towards you, that it might draw you, and with its strong Cords gather you, that you might dwell in it, and it might dwell in you.

Oh! my Brethren, be not at all cast down; the strength of Love will blow over the Storm, and will gather you under the shadow of its own Wing until all be passed over; For certainly the Lord is with you, and the shout of a King is sounded amongst you, and dreadful will his Appearance be unto the whole Host of the uncircumcised; sealed is his Council, and his Decree with Abraham's Seed must stand, for he hath blessed it, and it is blessed for [Page] ever. And this is his Love unto you, who in the blessed Seed hath gathered you, that he might not leave you nor forsake you, but in his eternal Power preserve and save you, and unto the end keep you and reward you.

Oh! draw nigh, draw nigh ye little Ones, the Cords of Love are about you cast, come willingly on and halt not in the way, that his vertue and goodness you may taste; for Mercy stands ready Truth to meet, and Righteousness is prepared Peace to embrace: Oh! feel them in their Meeting▪ and rejoyce in their lovely Greeting and Salutation. Oh! the Lord is gathering his little Ones, and from all the Quarters of the Earth he is bringing up his Sons and Daughters, and in the bundle of Life he will bind you all, and in the Covenant of Peace he will joyn you perfectly together, and make you stand as one man in the power of the holy Birth which in you is born; that with one heart and mind you may glorifie his Name; and this is the end of your Calling Brethren, to give up your selves freely unto him, who tells you, That according to his good pleasure he may work his work in you, and glorifie his own Name in the beauty of Holiness; you are the Vessels prepared for his use, and with the Heavenly Treasure of his Love he is filling you full.

Oh! The Temple of the Lord, The Temple of the Lord is Holy, which Temple you are; he hath made you and formed you, and in the New Creation hath stamped his Heavenly Image upon you; and this is the Work the World doth not know, neither can their corrupted Eye behold the beauty of it, for which Cause they hate you, and do despight unto you, and speak all manner of evil against you, which is a sure Seal that you are not of the World; for if you were so, they would love you; but because you are not so, therefore do they hate you; and [Page] think it not strange because the World hates you, for they hated him before they hated you; and if they hated him they will also hate you; and if they persecuted him they will persecute you, for you are not greater than your Lord, who endured the Mocking, and Spitting, and Buffetting, and the Contradiction of Sinners against himself, and through Sufferings was made perfect, and Reigns for ever.

Oh my Brethren, unto him keep your Eye, lest you be weary and faint in your minds; for it was a sharp Cup when he cryed that it might pass from him, yet he learned Obedience though he was a Son, and yielded up himself into the Fathers eternal Will, and offered up himself an Acceptable Sacrifice; this is your Fore-runner, who is gone before the Way to open and make easie for you; be faithful and shrink not, but follow with boldness, and be of good Courage, and think it not strange concerning the Tryal that is come amongst you to prove you; but rejoyce in as much as you are partakers of his Sufferings, and counted worthy to bear his Reproach, for the recompence of Reward will answer it all for ever; And know that all things work together for your good, and thorow it he will perfect his praise.

Oh my Brethren, be Bold and of a good courage; for the Lambs day is come, and you hath he Chosen to be followers of him; be not slack to yield all Obedience to him, for the day is his, the Wicked shall know it, when through Egypt he smites in the fierceness of his wrath, be you strong in his Power and valiant for his Cause, and certainly he will plead it for you, and speedily will he make a short work in the Earth; Look up unto him all ye little Ones, his love breaths strongly towards you, and is exceeding dear over you; it Greets you and Salutes you [Page] with a kiss of Unity, to comfort you and refresh you with its living Vertue. And dear Brethren and little Ones, hold fast your Confidence unto the end, for the Lord is now separating and sorting, and in the fire the Dross and Tinn he is purging, and the Gold Refining and Purifying; in the comings forth it will appear without mixture; then his Jewels he will make up, and gather his Wheat into his Garner, but expose the Chaff to unquenchable fire; this is the day of his mighty Power, where shall the wicked stand? and in what place shall the ungodly appear? For he will bring them all to an end, and establish the Just for ever and ever: This is his own work, and who shall let it? Be ye lift up ye little Ones; Your strength is above all mortal men, faint not in the furnace, but chearfully abide the Trial, that out of the mixture you may be freed, and a sound and solid Substance may be brought forth fixed; then will Israels King sit upon his holy Throne, and the pure Seed into perfect Freedom will be born: Read and understand; my Life runs to and fro amongst you, and with Cords of love it is bound up with you, and with sweet and tender Greetings it doth salute you; How oft do I behold you, and with what joy do I meet with you? my love continually breaths unto you, for as the Rose in Summer you are unto me.

Oh my Bowels, my Bowels! I am filled with love, the strength goes forth and sends a taste amongst you, which runs more swiftly towards you than Streams in the South.

Oh! thou Immortal Babe, where thou art born thou knowest me, and thy lips stand ready to receive me and to rejoyce with me; what can seperate from thee, or stop the flowings forth of love unto thee? the Salutation reaches thee, and with an Holy Kiss of Peace I sweetly Greet thee, and with an Arm of sincere love I embrace thee.

[Page]Oh the Unity in the Life, how sweet it is! We are alwayes near together, and in the pure lovely life meet one another, and in Christ Jesus the Seed of Life we are gathered all in one.

And now my Brethren, What shall we render for these inestimable Mercies and stretched out Favours from the God of our Life? And what is our reasonable service that we may Answer his loving Kindness? he delights not in burnt Sacrifice, nor in the fat of Rams, but a broken and a contrite heart he despises not.

Oh! into the Love sink down, that with the strength of it you may be overcome, that in brokenness of heart you may offer up an acceptable Sacrifice; for this I know and do impart it unto you my Brethren, That when the heart is broken and tender in the strength of Love, then is the Seed sweetly comforted and refreshed in the Streams of Life; and through this lovely Salutation, and tender Greeting, and few words from the Life arise to exhort you, and admonish you to abide in the love of God, and in it dwell together, that the sweet Unity may be felt amongst you as Brethren; and Bear and Endure, for that is true loves nature; and keep cool and quiet in your minds, and busie not your selves with the things of others, for through much business have many been wronged, who would make themselves busie in every thing, by which the Enemy hath drawn them from their own measures, that they have not been truly Serviceable in any thing▪ This hath been of little use in the Church of God, but hath both wronged the Particular and the General: therefore all Friends, keep to the Power of God and dwell in it, for it was before the busie worker, and will judge him down in you, and bring him to his end; and in stayedness and quietness feel your Peace, and do not mind so much [Page] to appear as to be approved; and keep out of Thoughts in your Particulars, and also concerning one another; for amongst many Thoughts have evil surmizings been begotten▪ and a secret whisperer risen, and then the Life hath been eaten up, and Unity broken.

Oh Friends! be careful and hurt not one another, for ye are Brethren, and gathered in one Truth to walk, how should you not then love one another? And be tender hearted and kind one towards another, and if any thing be upon you to speak to one another, do it in singleness and plainness as in the sight of God; and if a fault do appear, prove it in Gods Wisdom and let it be freely forgiven, that you may make it manifest that you are his faithful Ones in shewing forth your love to him, and also unto one another; for where the contrary standeth, it doth more hurt amongst you then all your outward enemies can do unto you; for they can but reach the Body and afflict that, but the Surmizings and Whisperers eates up your Life and destroyes the Inner-man, and brings Gods pure Seed into fore travail and bondage: Therefore give all diligence, and keep to your Watch that you may not hurt and wound one another, but be ready to heal and restore one another, and watch over one another with that Eye out of which both the Beam and the Mote is cast, and then you will see clearly and singly, and be able to discern rightly: And be careful after your own safety and preservation, and wait diligently upon the Lord God, that you may be kept clear in your understandings, and also faithful to what you do understand, that whilest you suffer in Body by the Wicked's Cruelty, and bear forth a Testimony in outward Bonds unto the Truth of God, the pure. Life in you may not come into Sufferings, by the working of the subtilty in begetting in you and amongst [Page] you hard Thoughts one of another, and striving to be lift up one above another.

Oh let all diligence be used amongst you, that the pure eternal Unity in Gods Covenant of Life may be preserved and strengthned; and he that would be greatest let him become your Servant, that none may be puffed up one against another, but every one esteeming each other better than themselves, that the Lamb in you all may Rule and be the Head, and have the Dominion and Preheminence amongst you; for this is his Day, and the Appearance of his Glory, and he begets into true love, lowliness, gentleness, patience, meekness and peace, and which brings forth his own mind in you, that the same mind that is in Christ Jesus will be in you; and then you will be a sweet and savoury People unto God, and unto one another, and you will be good Patterns and Examples one unto another, and Watch over one another with a tender lovely Eye; and where any thing may be seen amiss amongst you, to be ready to Restore such an one in the Spirit of Love and Meekness, that as the Lord God in his Mercy hath Chosen you, and made you Children of one House, so no Division may be found amongst you, but perfect Love, and Peace, and Unity may abound in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And take heed of many Words, for they gender unto Bondage, and in the multitude of them there is evil, and where they are much used, and not in the Power and Wisdom of God for Edification and Comfort one of another, they bring Anguish and Pain upon the Seed of God.

And be Watchful over the Boaster, that nothing may arise in any of you to glory in your Parts, or Gifts, or Sufferings, and bring forth an Exaltation in what is made [Page] manifest and your Suffering for it: And being many in this Day, whose Testimony is now born forth in a state of Suffering, and are in Prisons together for Truths Cause, and your Obedience to the Commands of Jesus Christ; be diligent in your Walking, and run not into many Words one with another, but as they may stand in some Service; Nor glory not in your Sufferings one unto another, for so will the Enemy work a Conceitedness in you, and lift you up in it, and then draw a Security over you through Sufferings; And beware you run not into affectionate Unity one with another, which doth not stand in the Wisdom of the Seed.

Oh! you will find, my Brethren, the great need of Watching and Praying, that ye may not enter into Temptations; And what I say unto One, I say unto All, Watch, that the Enemy may not get any Advantage upon you, to hurt and wound the Innocent Life in you.

And Brethren, be diligent to the Lords Counsel every moment of time, that you in his hand may be kept, and in his Power preserved, that the Wicked One which is near unto you, may not have power to touch you: And now is the Lord God Trying you in a state of Suffering, that through the Path of Suffering he may wean you and draw you out of all the Paths of the World, and from the Desire and Love of all things in it, so as you may forget your Kindred and your Fathers House, with all your outward Relations whatever they may be unto you; And all your Earthly Substance, of what nature soever it is, yea, and your lives also; For through the Affectionate love unto things that are without, the Pure love to God hath been cooled within; so that many have not only cooled in their Love, but have quite lost it by letting in the Tempter, and running into his Temptations, which he hath presented [Page] in the Earthly Substance, and outward Relations, And this is the Ground of your Suffering, Brethren, that you may be a Redeemed People unto God, and not to have your Love or Life in any thing besides him, and yet have a true Interest and Possession of all things in him▪ and hither will the Lord God try you, that the Scripture may be fulfilled, He that loves any thing more than me, is not worthy of me: And this Cup will be sharp to drink, when Life and Substance, and Relations must be given up and exposed to the Censure, and also to the danger of Loss in the Wills of Cruel and Wicked men: And this is not to set the Wicked over you, but to exalt the Seed in you, and set it in everlasting Dominion; For Iniquity must have its Day and be filled up, and the Sufferings must be compleated and finished through the whole Body, that they which are gone before us, and we that follow after them in Faithfulness, may be all made perfect in One.

Oh! Keep your Eye out of all things below, and keep it single to that which is above, that you all may be ready to Answer his Will, in what he calls unto, or permits to come. And Faithfully follow the Lamb, for He alone must Reign, this is his Day, and in his Glory he is Risen▪ do not Deny him, but bear forth your Testimony to him, and in his Life an Holy Kiss of Peace doth reach you, and with the Lip of unfeigned Love doth Greet you and Salute you, even with tender Yearning Bowels over you.

20th Day of the 11th Month, 1660. In Worcester County Goale.

From your Brother, and Companion in Bonds, bearing the light Affliction of his present time, W.S.

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OH Lord God everlasting! whose Holy Covenant hath been ever sure with thy Seed, and from Age to Age thou hast remembred thy Mercy, and performed all thy Promises faithfully. Oh! look down this Day, and behold thy Heritage; Comfort all thy little Ones, and in thy eternal love do thou strengthen thy Innocent Lambs: Be not thou far from us, O Lord, but hearken to the voice of our Supplication; for it is thy own that makes Intercession. O Lord, the Spoilers are risen, and the Devourers are ready for their Prey; make haste to help us, for our Eyes are to thee; smite them and dash them, and with thy powerful Arm do thou break them, and thy own Heritage do thou save and deliver from them, that with thy People thy Faithfulness may appear this day, as with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob of old; that the Heathen may know, that thou O Lord God of Hosts, art the God of thy own Seed, and safety of thy Chosen People this Day; And let all thy People Trust in thee, O Lord, and Magnifie thy Name; for thou hast Chosen us, and thou wilt not forsake us, but Strength thou wilt give us to stand and overcome; Therefore let all thy Children, and Chosen Ones, say in Truth, O Lord, Thy Will be done. Amen.

Relief sent forth into the Camp of Israel.

OH Israel! The Visitations of Love hath been large unto thee, and with tender Bowels of Mercy hath the God of thy Salvation Reached thee, and with his outstretched Arm he hath done Great and Wonderful things for thee; Thou wast without an Helper, and he hath helped thee; Thou wast in sore Travail, and he hath Eased thee; he hath made thy Rising glorious, and thy Coming [Page] forth exceeding sweet and precious; He hath been a Nursing Father unto thee, and through many Trials he hath given thee-strength to stand: Thou hast been as a Plant springing up in the midst of pleasant Showres, and as a Vine dressed to bring forth glorious Fruit; Thou hast spread thy Branches over the Nations, and the taste of thy Fruit hath delighted the Hearts of many; Thou hast been terrible unto the People, and powerful amongst the Mighty; The Nobles have been smitten, the Strong have bowed down; The Horse and his Rider hath fallen together, and none hath hitherto been able to Encounter with thee, or to stand before the God of thy Strength: Thou hast known his Goings on, and thy Way hath been prepared by his Arm: He hath poured forth his Plagues for thy Redemption, and wrought Signs and Wonders for thy Deliverance and Freedom; This hath thy God done for thee, and hath not forsaken thee, but hath ever appeared with thee, and with his Right Hand hath done valiantly for thee; His Ear hath been open to thy Cry, and out of his Holy Hill he hath heard thy Groanings; And who amongst all the gods, that hath been able to divert his Goodness from thee? And, is he not the same God for Ever? Is his Hand now shortned that he cannot save? Or his Ear heavy that he cannot Hear? Or will he now give thee up to be Spoiled? Or to become a Prey without Redemption? Oh Israel! He will not so deal with thee, for thou art his Chosen Nation, and will thee is his Love sealed for ever: Oh! let thy Heart ponder and thy Vital Parts awake, and Consider that thou mayest know and understand thy present state and Condition▪ for the Day of Trial is come upon thee, because thou hast been Careless, and halt not so prized the Day of thy Benefits as thou oughtest to have done s [...] neither hast thou [Page] followed the Lord fully, but hast neglected his Goings on, until thou lost the feeling of his living Power; and then made to thy self a Rest, and hast sitten down at Ease, promising to thy self Security in thy professed Formality, where thy Vitals have been stopped; and thy love, which once was fresh upon thee, hath been exceedingly cooled; and thy strong Cord of Unity hath been broken, so that thou hast not been like Sheep in one Fold, nor like Lambs of one Flock; for which cause hath the Lords Spirits been grieved, and his faithful Messengers have been much discouraged, because in thy own State and Condition thou hast been so strongly Conceited, and hast been in thy own Thoughts so safely secured, which did begin to bring forth Stubbornness and Hardness in thee; and to Exalt thee above the Word of Reproof, where thou becamest a Trampler over the Innocent Life, that the Burden was turned into fore Heaviness, and the Pressure of it into deep Lamentation and Bitterness.

Oh Israel! Consider of this speedily, and Return to thy first Love, that thou mayest Recover thy Strength in the Cord of Unity; for thou art found a very feeble Nation; and much Weakness is in thee, that every Appearance of the Philistins Host becomes dreadful and terrible to thee, and a Fear enters thee, and Distrust and Unbelief comes upon thee; which drawes thy Eye to look back again, and causeth thy Heart to Return into Egypt; Oh Israel! where is thy Strength, and where is the Rock of thy Salvation? Hath ever such Faintness been upon thee? Or hath Feebleness at any time so possessed thee? How hast thou forgotten the Dayes of Old, and the Years that are lately past? in which thou felt Gods Covenant with thee; and his sure Mercies therein performed unto thee: Let not Distrust now come upon thee, neither let Unbelief [Page] Enter within thy Bowels; but look up to the God of thy Strength, and to the Horn of thy Salvation, and arise in the Strength of his Might, and boldly pass on thy Way; for a Rest he hath promised, and in faithfulness he will perform it. Oh! Why shouldest thou Fall in the Wilderness? or Faint in the Desolate Land? The Hands of Moses are held up for thee, and the Lord of Host appears with thee, though Unbelief hath vailed thee, that thou seest not his Arm which he hath made bare to drive back Amaleck from thee: Oh! Why shouldest thou be cast down at the sight of any Nation? Or at the Appearance of the Mighty in Strength? Be thou but Faithful, and stand in the Life of Unity, and who can Enter thy Camp, or come upon thee to spoil thee in thy Habitation? Who can Besiege thee to Famish thee out of thy Dwelling Place; the Spring of Life runs in thy Camp, and Heavenly Manna falls about thy Tents; Wherefore then dost thou Murmur? Or why doest thou Complain? for the most High is thy Strength, and his Arm of Power is stretched forth for thy Salvation. Oh! Consider where thou art, and what is come unto thee, and ponder it early before deep sleep fall upon thee; and all that have been gathered within Israels Camp, and have stood in the Appearance of the Host, and feels that Unbelief hath Entered you, and Fearfulness hath surprized you, through which you are driven back, and your Feet near turned aside; Arise, arise, make speed and haste within the holy Camp again, for you have Reasoned away your Life, and Consulted over your Strength; but the Enemy hath stopped you, and hath begotten a lingring in you; and not only so, but also drawn you back again, that you Deny the Lords faithful Host, who in the Strength of his Might stand boldly in the Battel.

[Page]Oh▪ Turn with speed, for the Lord is near to shew Mercy unto you, and very ready he is to pass by and forgive you, and your Back-slidings to Heal freely; And this flowes from the Fountain of Love unto you, and is sent forth to Relieve you, who are bewildred amongst your Thoughts, where the Seed sits Groaning and heavily Mourning.

Oh! Arise, arise, Joyn to the God of Strength, and be not fearful, but believing; and appear for the Lord, & for his living Truth, and Deliver not up your Camp into the hands of your Enemies; And if it be permitted for them to Come upon you and Take you, be therewith Contented; but in any wise do not Deliver up the Host unto them, for that will cause their Triumph: And if for a time you must sit down by Babylons Rivers, and hang your Harps upon the Willows, let not your Hearts faint, neither let Sorrow overcome you; but Patiently Wait for the Appearance of your Deliverer, who will Arise for you, and bring forth Everlasting Salvation unto you; then shall your Mouths be filled with Laughter, and your Tongues with Songs of Praises, for the Ransomed of the Lord shall Return to Sion with Joy; and this will God, even thy God, Oh Israel, perform unto thee, and no Weapon formed against thee shall Prosper; neither shall any Reach thee to send a Curse unto thee, for the Lord hath Blessed thee, and Glorious is the Habitation of thy Resting-place; Therefore why shouldest thou Doubt? or of whom shouldest thou be Afraid? The Lord JEHOVAH is thy Strength, and in thy Camp he is very great.

And all you Faithful Ones, who are Preserved in this Day of your Testimony, and goes forward with Boldness, Abide in the Life, and Fulfil the Testimony with Joy, and be Tender over the Weak, and bear them in [Page] their Travail; and leave them not Behind, lest they be Smitten and Die; neither do you go forth in haste, lest the Enemy come upon you and Smite you; but all Keep in the Power, and Walk in the Power; and Jordan will Divide, and Jericho Walls will Fall; for it must be Compassed, and the Rams Horn within thy Camp must be Sounded; for Strong is thy King, and thy Camp is very great, Oh Israel.

W.S.

Worcester County Goal the 26th Day of the 11th Month, 1660.

THE END.

§

LONDON: Printed for Robert Wilson, at the Sign of the Black-spread-Eagle and Wind-mill, in Martins Le Grand, 1660.

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Information about this book

Title statement

An holy kiss of peace, sent from the seed of life, greeting all the lambs and little ones with a tender salutation with a few words, entituled, relief sent forth into the camp of Israel.

Smith, William, d. 1673.

Edition statement

1660

Publication

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Text Creation Partnership,

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Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2005-12 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A60635

ID [STC]

Wing S4307

ID [STC]

ESTC R21311

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

12259871

ID [OCLC]

ocm 12259871

ID [VID]

57835

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Early English books online.

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A60635)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 57835)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 824:18)

Source

— An holy kiss of peace, sent from the seed of life, greeting all the lambs and little ones with a tender salutation with a few words, entituled, relief sent forth into the camp of Israel., Smith, William, d. 1673..

Extent

16 p.

Printed for Robert Wilson ...,. London :: 1660.. (Reproduction of original in Huntington Library.) (Attributed to William Smith. cf. BM.) (Caption title.) (Signed at end: W.S.)

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