Exposition of Zechariah 1-9, Title page – Dedication
A SHORT AND SWEETE EXPOSITION VPONUPON THE FIRST NINE CHAPTERS OF ZACHARY.
BY WILLIAM PEMBLE.
2. PET. 1.20.
No Propheſie of the Scripture is of any private interpretation.
Aug. de utilit. Cred. ad Honorat. cap. 7.
Nulla imbutus poetica diſciplina Terentium ſine Magiſtro attingere non auderes? Aſper, Cornutus, Donatus & innumer abiles alij requiruntur ut quilibet poeta poſſet intelligi: Tu in ſanctos libros fine duce irruis, & de his ſine praeceptore audes ferre ſententiam?
LONDON, Printed by R. Young for John Bartlet, at the Signe of the gilt Cup in Cheape-ſide. Anno Domini 1629.
To the right Worſhipful, Katharine, the Wife of Nath. Stephens Eſquire, Grace and Peace.
Right Worſhipfull;
ALthough the Scripture be in its ſelfe moſtaPſal. 19.7. perfect, both forb2. Tim. 3.16, 17. ſufficiencie andcPro. 8.9. Pſ. 119.105. perſpicuity; yet in reſpect of us, cleere and familiar Expoſitions have bin, even from anon after the Apoſtles times, held of uſe and profite in the Church of God. For the ſame God who gave the Scriptures to be thed2. Tim. 3.16. Rule of Faith and Manners, gave alſocEph. 4.11, 12 Doctors and Paſtors, for the worke of the Miniſtry, to the edifying of the Church: the Scriptures to be as the materials, Pastors as thef1. Cor. 3.10. builders. The Scriptures, I know, are dark to many, becauſe they are*2. Per. 1.9. blinde, to ſome becauſe they areg2. Cor. 4.4. blinded, and to all in ſundry places, becauſe our ſight is dimme and but inh1. Cor. 13.9. part. A darke eye (wee know) hath need of a ſpectacle, be the light ever ſo cleere, and the letter ever ſo plaine; and the explanations of the godly and learned on the Text, are as a ſpirituall ſpectacle, to helpe to perfect the imperfect ſight of our minds. Now the Scriptures are opened to us, not onelyonly by the publicke preaching of the Word, but, in its kinde and place, alſo by the Writings and Commentaries of the Learned; whoſe pens and hands are, I doubt not, guided by a ſweete influence of the providence of God, and ſome inſtinct of his holy Spirit: this difference being ever obſerved, That the Writers of the Scripture were ſoi2. Pet. 1.11. moved by the Holy Ghoſt that they could not erre; but Commentators and Expoſitors lye open to ſome errours, they ſometimes ſpeake as men, and not onelyonlykRom. 3.4. may, but now and then they doe, andlRom. 8.28. Quia humiliores redeunt & doctiores. Aug. de correp & grat. c. 9. cum Rom. 12.3. Rainold. Theſ. 2. ſect. 12 muſt miſtake. Tis true, that the Word of God is ſo briefe, that none can ſay he wants leiſure to read it; and ſo plaine (in neceſſaries to ſalvation) that none can pretend hee cannot underſtand it: but withall tis moſt certaine, that as there are plaine places to feed us, ſo there are obſcure places to exerciſe us. which harder bookes and places the better to underſtand, its our wiſedome, firſt, to be qualified with amPſal. 19.7. ſimple and anPſal. 25.9. meeke heart, and then to acquaint our ſelves not only with the publicke Miniſtry, but alſo with the printed Expoſitions of ſuch Writers as are ſound and cleere. Now amongst the hardeſt bookes of Scripture the Prophets may have place, and amongst the Prophets Zachary is a Deepe wherein an Elephant may ſwimme; and therefore I cannot but commend the wiſedome of that man of God (the Author of this Booke) who beſtowed his learning and his paines to open the myſteries of this Prophecy. Death ended his dayes ere hee could quite finiſh his Worke, and great weakeneſse hindred an intended ſupplement: tis even pitie the Church ſhould want it any longer, and therefore I make bold to publiſh it under your name, deſiring God to giuegive a bleſsing to all that reade it, but chiefly to your ſelfe, whom the Lord in mercy hath made a ſincere lover of the Word of God.
Yours in the Lord Ieſus, RICH. CAPEL.