Exercises Upon the First Psalm in Prose and Verse, Dedication – To the reader
TO THE NOBLE YOVNG GENTLE-MAN, Sr. IOHN SMITH, Knight; onelyonly Sonne to the honourable Knight, Sr. THOMAS SMITH, Gouernour of the East-India Company, &c. The Author of these Exercises, heartily wisheth all true happinesse whatsoeuer.
SIR;
MVch hath beene the respect, and many the courtesies; which, I hauehave receiued from your noble Father. And the greatest requitall I can giuegive him; is, to make my selfe (as far as in mee lyeth) such a one, as that hee neede not repent, nor be ashamed of the respect hee hath showne mee: and that, if I should dye vnable to repay his kindnesses; he might yet, hauehave some cause, to think his fauors not altogether lost vponupon mee. Nay rather, might reckon them among the good deedes he hath done) in regard I hauehave made vse of them, (not to follow my pleasures, but) to enable me in some good endeauours.
Of which, this little volume is a part; & knowing, I should well witnesse my louelove vntounto him, whensoeuer I gaue good testimony of mine honest affection towards you. Lo, as a pledge therof, I consecrate to your vse, these Exercises. And, with your name, deliuer them ouer to the world. That, when, and wheresoeuer they shall be read; you may be remembred, both for a louer of these kinds of studies, & a Fauourer of his, who was desirous to bee honestly employed. For, such hauehave you approued your selfe towards mee, both in your courteous familiarity: and by that free accesse, which in my meditations, I hauehave alwayes had to your Library.
Accept then these papers; & let it not be tedious vntounto you, sometime to read them ouer. For, though I may be thought fitter by many, to accompany you in the way of pleasures: then to present you with any sound precepts of morality, or Religion. Yet, I hope, you shall finde me an Instrument: readier to encourage you, in eueryevery of those vertues, wherwith your education hath acquainted your youth: then to whisper ought, that may bring you in louelove with those vanities; whereunto, ouer-many other of our Gentry, are so much enclinde. For, though that way, I might hauehave more bettered my fortunes, and esteeme, among some men. This way, I am sure, I shall better satisfie my conscience, and my dutie to God.
Neuerthelesse, I prefer not this to instruct you; but, to be a Remembrancer, of those things, in which you hauehave alreadie beene instructed. For, your good Father, hath not onelyonly largely prouided for you, the temporall felicities: but, asmuch, as in him lieth, prepared you for that Blessednes, which is treated of in these Exercises. More he cannot do; seeing, it must be euerie mans particular endeauor, that shall purchase him this treasure, being the most invaluable that can be. For, the greatest Monarch of the world, hath neither power to giuegive, nor take it, from you. Yea, and without it, the more of other blessings you possesse, the more miserable they will make you. But, I know, you will bee happie in the prosecution therof, that you may treble that happines, in the possession of it. And, to that end, you hauehave my prayers, who am
most faithfully yours. G. W.
To the Reader.
I Know, that many of you, e're this time, expected the first Decade of the Psalmes, according to the promise, in my Preparation. And therfore, when you behold here, but a tenth part of it, I shall be thought to come too much short of what I intended. As indeed I doe (seeing, I then wanted not much, of hauing finished the whole Decade in that manner, as I purposed to set it forth) But, if it were here fitting (or any way for your profit) to discouer them, I might giuegive vndenyable reasons (to excuse my selfe) which I now conceale.
OnelyOnly thus much, I will say. Few men consider, how many painefull dayes (after the maine labour is ended) the writing ouer againe of such a volume will aske; how many moneths it may be afterward attended at the Presse; how much charge, the Authors little means, may (without any profit of his labours) bee put to; nor, through how many vnlooked-for troubles and businesses, hee must make way vntounto the performance of it. For, if they did know, and weigh this; so many, that are idle ones themselues, would not so often (as I heare they doe) blame my idlenesse. But, rather wonder, how; and when, I got meanes and time, to performe what is already done.
Discouragements, and hinderances, I hauehave had many, since I began to meddle with the Psalmes. But helps, or encouragements, I hauehave had none; no, not the least part of one: saue the comforts, which I hauehave found, within mine owne heart. And they are so great, that I am still resolued to proceed in this work, as I shal be enabled. For, though it may come the more slowly forward, by reason of some lets: yet, I am perswaded, God will supply, by his grace, whatsoeuer, I am that way depriued of. And (if I can hauehave patience) bring what I intend, to much more happie perfection, then if I had receiued no obstacle in the performance.
This Psalme, in the meane while, my friends were desirous of; and hauehave wished me thus to publish the rest, by one or two together, vntill a whole Decade be imprinted: That so (eueryevery Psalme, being an entire thing of it selfe) those poore men, who are desirous of them, and vnable to spare so much money together, as will buy a greater booke, may by little and little, without any hinderance furnish themselues of all. And beside, they thinke the portablenesse of it, may make it the more frequently read; for which causes I hauehave hearkned vntounto them.
Take then in good part, this little beginning. Value it, as it shall deserue to bee esteemed; And, let not my vnworthinesse bee any blemish vntounto it. For, though I am no profest Diuine; yet, my profession is Christianitie, and these my labours, hauing the approbation of Authority, are not to be despisedly reckoned of, as mine; but receiued as the doctrines of the Church: who hath now, by her allowance, both made them her owne, and deliuered them ouer vntounto you. So; Gods blessing on you, and me, and farwell.
G. W.
The seuerall Exercises vponupon this Psalme, are these.
1. A Preamble: wherein the Author, the Person, the Matter, the Method, the Occasion, and Vse, of this Psalme, are treated of. pag. 1.
2. The Metricall Translation of this Psalme, with short notes, to iustifie the questionable places in that version. pag. 9.
3. The Seuerall Readings of this Psalme, in most of the ancient and moderne Interpreters. pag. 15.
4. An Exposition, diuided according to the parts of the Psalme: the first part begins, pag. 19 the second, pag. 89.
5. Meditations in verse, vponupon the same Psalme, beginning: pag 123.
6. A short Paraphrase in prose, wherein the words of the Psalme are wholly preserued. pag. 159.
7. A Prayer, taken out of the Psalme, petitioning for the blessings; and to be deliuered from the vnhappinesse therein mentioned. pag. 163.