Miscellanies Christian and Judaical, Title page – To the reader
ERVBHIN OR MISCELLANIES Christian and Iudaicall, and others. Penned for Recreation at Vacant Houres.
By IOHN LIGHTFOOTE, Master in Arts, sometimes of Christs Colledge in CAMBRIDGE.
LONDON. Printed by G. MILLER for Robert Swayne and William Adderton, and are to besold at the … head in Pauls Churchyard. 1629.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL, right learned, and right vertuous Knight, Sir ROVVLAND COTTON. I. L wisheth all present and future felicitie.
Euer Honoured.
MY creeping & weake studies neither able to go, nor speake for themselues, do (like Pyrrhus in Plutarch) in silence craue your tuition. For they desire, when they now come to light, to refuge to you who next to God first gaue them life. Your incourag…ment and incitation did first set mee forward to the culture of holy tongues, and heere I offer you the first fruites of my barren haruest. Your tried learning and tried louelove, assure me that you both can iudge soundly, and yet withall will not iudge too heauily of my weake endeauours; and such a Patron my booke desireth. This hath caused to you, this present trouble, and in mee this present boldnesse. I know it had beene more secure to hauehave beene obscure, and not to hauehave come thus to publike Hazzard; for as the Romane said well, it is hard when the world shall shew me mine infirmities vnderunder mine owne hand: yet hauehave I had some reason, to manifest my selfe thus openly to the view of all. Some there bee that hauehave hardly censured of me for idlenesse and sloath) as they make it) because (it seemes) I intrude not eueryevery moment into the supply of other mens Ministeries, since it hath not yet pleased God, to preferre and promote me to a charge of mine owne. I know well the saying of the Apostle Romans. 1.14. belongs to all Ministers, To Greekes and Barbarians, to the wise and foolish they are all debtors, and (as the Syrian addes) leakrez, they are debtors to preach: The Syrian to that verse adds a wo…d which may well serue for a Comment mebhaichheuo leakrez▪ I am a debtor, or I ought to preach.And who so is necessarily called, and refuseth, is as bad as the false Prophets were, that would run before they were sent, nay, hee may seeme rather worse, that when he is sent will not goe. From this censure how farre I am free, my conscience tells me; though I must confesse that I am not so hasty as many bee, to intrude my selfe, where is no ne…essity: This hath among some purchased mee the skarr of slothfulnesse: to vindicate which I hauehave here ventured as children doe, to shoot another arrow to find one … is lost▪ so hauehave I hazzar…ed my Credit one way to saue it …nother. I know mine owne …eakenesse, and that this my …aines, to schollers, may seeme …t idle: yet had I rather vnderunder…e any censure, then the blot of …e other Idlenesse, the begetter … all euil, and of vnthankfulnes, …e hinderer of all good. This … the cause that brings mee to a …ke, and my booke to you. That the one I may testifie to the …rld that I louelove not to bee idle, … by the other witnesse to you, … I louelove not to be vnthankful. …ept I beseech you of so small …esent, and so troublesome a …nkfulnesse, and what I want in tongue and effect, I will answer in desire and affection: suing alw…yes to the Throne of Grace, for the present prosperitie of your selfe and your nobl… Lady, and the future felicitie of you both hereafter.
From my studie at Hornsey, neere LONDON. March 5. 1629. Yours deuoted in all seruice, Iohn Lightfoote.
To the Reader.
Courteous Reader (for such a one I wish or none)
I May well say of writing books as the wise Greek did of marriage, for a yong man it is too soone, & with an old man his time is out. Yet hauehave I ventured in youth to become publike, as if I were afraid that men would not take notice of my weakenes and vnlearnednesse soone enough. If I fall farre short of a Schollar (as I know I do) my youth might hauehave some plea, but that mine attempt can hauehave no excuse but thy charitie. To that I rather submit my selfe then to thy Censure. I hauehave here b…ought home with me some gleanings of my more serious studies, which I offer to thee not so much for thy instruction, as for thy harmelesse recreation. I beare in mind with mee the saying of Rabbi Iosihar Iebudah in Pirke Abboth. He that learnes of young men, is like a man that eates vnripe grapes, or that drinkes wine out of the winepresse: but he that learneth of the Ancient, is like a man that eateth ripe grapes, and drinketh wine that is old. For feare thy teeth should be set on edge, I hauehave brought some varietie: I hauehave not kept any method, for then I should not answer my title of Miscellantes. I hauehave vponupon some things beene more copious, then other, and (as Rab. Salomon obserues of Ruth) I hauehave sometime but stood to gleane, and sometime sitten downe. I hope thou wilt not censure me for Iudaizing, though I cite them, for it is but (as the Musician in Plutarch did) setting a discord first, that you may better judge of the consort: and seeing error, you may the more embrace the truth. If this my youthfull attempt shall prouoke any one that is young to emulation in the holy tongues, I shall thinke I hauehave gained▪ Adjourne thy seuere censure till either future silence, or some second attempt either lose al, or make some satisfaction. For the present: Quisquis haec legit, vbi pariter certus est pergat mecum, vbi pariter haesitat, quaerat mecum, vbi errorem s…um cognoscit, redeat ad me, vbi meum reuocet me. Aug. de Trinit. Lib. 1. Cap. 3.
Thine ready and willing, but vnable.