The Grammar School, Preface
A COMMENDATORY Preface.
ARts are the only helpes towards humane perfection. Those therfore which are the helps towards the easinesse, maturitie, perfection of Arts, deserue best of mankinde. Whence it is, that God would not suffer the first deuisers, so much as of shepheards tents, of musical instruments, of Iron-works, to be vnknown to the world:Tubal-cain. the last wherof euen heathen Antiquitie hath in common iudgement continued, without much difference of name, till this daie; although I cannot beleeue that anie of the heathen gods were so ancient. Yea, hence it is, that the holy Ghost challengeth the faculty euen of manuary skill, to his owne gifte; as beeing too good for Nature, and too meritorious of men. That Bezaleel and Aholiab can worke curiously in siluer and golde, for the materiall Tabernacle, is from Gods spirit, and not theirs: How much more is this true, in those sciences which are so essentiall to the spirituall house of God? As Arts are to perfection of knowledge; so is Grammar to all Artes. Man differs but in speech and reason (that is, Grammar and Logicke) from beasts: wherof reason is of Nature; speech (in respect of the present variation) is of humane institution. Neither is it vnsafe to say, that this later is the more necessary of the two: For we both hauehave, and can vse our reason alone; our speech we cannot, without a guide I subscribe therfore to the iudgement of them, that think God was the first Author of letters (which are the simples of this Art) whether by the hand of Moses; as Clement of Alexandria reports from Eupolemus: or rather of the ancienter Progeny of Seth in the first wotld; as Iosephus. Hee that gaue man the faculty of speech, gaue him this meanes, to teach his speech: And if he were so carefull to giuegive man this helpe, while all the world was of one lip (as the Hebrews speak) how much more, after that miserable confusion of tongues? wherein eueryevery man was a Grammar to himselfe; & needed a new Grammar, to be vnderstood of others. It is not therfore vnworthy of obseruatiō, that God (knowing languages to be the carryage of knowledge) as in his iudgement he diuided the tongues of those presumptuous builders; so contrarily hee sent his spirit in clouen tongues vponupon the heads of those master-builders of his Church. What they were suddainly taught of God, we with much leasure and industry learne of men; knowing the tongues so necessarie for all knowledge, that it is well, if but our younger yeeres be spent in this study. How seruiceable therfore is this labor, which is here vndertaken, and how beneficial, to make the way vntounto all learning, both short, and faire! Our Grandfathers were so long vnderunder the ferule, till their beards were growen as long as their pens: this age hath descried a neerer way; yet not without much difficulty, both to the schollars, and teacher: Now, time, experience, and painfulnesse (which are the meanes to bring all things to their height) hauehave taught this author yet further, how to spare both time and paines this way vntounto others; and (that which is most to bee approoued) without any change of the receiued groūds. It is the cōmon enuy of men, by how much richer treasure they hauehave found, so much more carefully to cōceale it. How commendable is the ingenuity of those spirits, which cannot ingrosse good experiments to their priuate aduantage? which had rather doe then hauehave good: who can be content to cast at once into the common Bank of the world, what the studious obseruation, inquisition, reading, practice of many yeeres hauehave inriched them withall: That, which this Author hath so freely done; as one that feares not, least knowledge should be made too easie, or too vulgar. The Iesuites hauehave won much of their reputation, and stollen many hearts with their diligence in this kinde. How happie shall it be for the Chnrch and vsus, if we excite our selues at least to imitate this their forwardness? We may out-strip them, if wee want not to our selues: Behold here, not feete but wings, offered to vsus. Neither are these directions of meere speculation, whose promises are commonly as large, as the performance defectiue; but such as (for the most part) to the knowledge of my selfe, and manie abler Iudges, hauehave been, and are daily answered in his experience, and practice, with more then vsuall successe. What remaines therefore, but that the thankfull acceptation of men, and his effectuall labors should mutually reflect vponupon each-other? that he may be in couraged by the one, and they by the other benefited: that, what hath been vndertaken and furthered by the graue counsell of many, and wise; and performed by the studious indeuours of one so well deseruing; may be both vsed and perfected to the common good of all, and to the glorie of him which giueth, and blesseth all.
IOS. HALL. Dr. of Diuin.