Exposition of Romans 8-11, Title page – To the reader
A PLAINE EXPOSITION VPONUPON the whole 8. 9. 10. 11. Chapters of the Epiſtle of Saint PAVL to the ROMANS. Wherein the Text is diligently and Methodically reſolued, the ſence giuen: and many Doctrines thence gathered, are by liuely vſes Applyed, for the benefit of GODS Children Performed with much variety, and conuenient breuitie: being the ſubstance of neere foure yeeres Weekedayes SERMONS.:
By ELNATHAN PARR, Bachelor in Diuinity, and Preacher of Gods WORD.
ROM. 2.10,11.
10. To eueryevery man that doth good, ſhall be glory, and honour and peace, to the Iew firſt, and alſo to the Grecian.
11. For there is no reſpect of perſons with God.
NOLI ALTVM SAPERE
LONDON, Printed by George Purſlowe for SAMVEL MAN, dwelling in Pauls Church-yard, at the ſigne of the Swanne. 1618.
TO The very Noble and Religious Gentleman, Maſter Nathaniel Bacon, Eſquire, & TO The very Honorable and moſt worthy Lady, the Lady Iane Cornwalleys, his wife, Grace and Peace be multiplied, from God the Father, and from our Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
SIR;
I PRESENT to your Nobleneſs theſe my poore labors; which ſhall be much honoured, if you will vouchſafe as gracious an eye to them written, as you did a reuerent eare to them vttered by voice.
As a picture attaines not the life; ſo neither can writing expreſſe that liuely Energie of the voice, which conſiſts in Vtterance and Action, the two Ladies of Speech: yet as the picture of a friend is much eſteemed for the repreſentation; ſo I cannot but hope of your fauourable approuall of the Copy, to whom the principal was ſo acceptable.
The ſtile muſt needs loſe ſomething, becauſe I hauehave endeuoured to abbreuiate many things in vvriting; which I tooke more liberty in ſpeaking to deliuer. And yet, I hope, that nor I, nor my labours, ſhall for this loſe with the Iudicious: for Timantes, a famous Painter (as your ſelfe, if any, know) was the more commended; becauſe by his pictures, more was to bee vnderſtood, then vvas expreſſed.
As all that knowe your Noblenes, hauehave experience of your Religious mind; ſo hauehave I alſo of your deepe iudgement, by whom no Author can loſe; you beeing able (and vſing) accurately to examine euerie vvord, wherein any excellent thing may bee couched. If I were able to write learnedly, I would vviſh ſuch a Reader: as I am
MADAM;
I Humbly intreat you with fauour to receiue this fruit of yor owne goodnes. If I hauehave performed any good by my poore labours; thoſe which receiue it, owe the acknowledgement (next vntounto God) to your Ladiſhip; who hauehave ſo watered my ſtudies with your coūtenance and beneficence, that euen my Barrennes hath both by preaching and writing yielded ſome fruit: which, as it may be profitable to ſome, & is cōfortable to my ſelfe to hauehave brought forth; ſo I hope it ſhal (ſomwhat) further your Ladiſhips reckoning at the day of Chriſt.
I know you take no pleaſure to hauehave your goodneſſe publiſhed, becauſe you account Vertues faireſt Theater to be a good Conſcience: yet it becomes an ingenuous mind to profeſſe, by whom he profiteth: And I wiſh that all the world vnderſtood of your Honorable diſpoſition, and Christian carriage, both in publique and priuate, that many more might be prouoked by your Noble example.
For as in all natiue and infuſed Graces, you immeaſurably exceed the painted Sepulchers of theſe dayes: ſo is your Ladiſhip in holy knowledge, diſcreet zeale, and compaſsionate charitie, a liuely Image of thoſe ancient Heroines commended by Saint Hierom, and other Fathers, and alſo by vnerring Writers.
As Ladies, delight not onelyonly to ſee faire Iewels, and curious Needleworks, but to take them out and weare them; ſo I can truly teſtifie, that your Ladiſhips care is, not onelyonly to knowe, but to expreſſe and weare the good things you know, in your conuerſation. I earneſtly pray for the increaſe of Gods fatherly bleſsing vponupon your ſoule, and
I craue your pardon, and the continuance of your fauour to him, who acknowledgeth himſelfe bound vntounto you in all humble obſeruance, ELNATHAN PARR:
To the Chriſtian Reader, increaſe of faith and louelove.
GEntle Reader; thou haſt here the ſumme of diuers of my Lectures vponupon that moſt comfortable Chapter the 8. to the Romanes; and alſo vponupon thoſe three difficult Chapters next following, viz. the 9. 10. and 11. wherein I hauehave endeuoured plainly to open the words; diligently to vnfold the Argument; briefely to compriſe the doctrine; and (being euidently proued) liuelily to apply the ſame. In which Application, I hauehave had a principall reſpect of theſe three things: namely, to comfort the diſtreſſed ſinner; to humble the obſtinate; and to exhort and prouoke the penitent to more obedience.
Alſo thoſe mysterious points of Predestination, Reiection of the Iewes, Vocation of the Gentiles, and Revocation of the Iewes, are here ſoberly and diligently diſcuſſed and made plaine. Beſide, diuers dangerous Poſitions of the Romaniſts, and of Arminius oppugned; & many other material doubts and queſtions cleered by the way.
As I hauehave laboured to doe thee good; ſo I deſire thee, not to requite me with euill. If in ſome things thou thinkest otherwiſe; abound in thine owne ſence, but cenſure not raſhly; remembring that it is eaſier to pluck downe a houſe, then to build one. If thou blameſt the ſtile as too homely, be perſwaded, that wiſe men deſire rather a carefull, then an eloquent Phyſician.
If thou readeſt therein, read to profit thy ſoule: which if thou doe not; we are both loſers: but thou muſt giuegive account for both our loſſes. For as for vsus, we are vntounto God a ſweet ſauour of Chriſt, both in them which profit by our paines, & in them which profit not. That thou mayeſt profit, I commend thee to God; to whom alſo I deſire thee to commend this labour, and
Thy true friend in our common Sauiour, Elnathan Parr.