A Chain of Graces Drawn Out for Reformation of Manners, Title page – Dedication
A Chaine of Graces: DRAWNE OVT at length for reformation of MANNERS. OR, A briefe Treatiſe OF
Ʋirtue,
Knowledge,
Temperance,
Patience,
Godlineſſe,
Brotherly-kindneſſe,
Charitie.
So farre forth as they are vrged by the Apoſtle in 2 PET. 1. verſe 5, 6, 7. By C. Burges P. of WATFORD.
For if theſe things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye ſhall neither be barren, nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Ibid. v. 8.
LONDON, Printed by I. H. for SAMVEL MAN at the Swan in Pauls Church-yard. 1622.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE EDWARD Lord Ruſſell Earle of BEDFORD, and to his moſt Noble and religious Conſort, the Lady LVCY Counteſſe of BEDFORD.
Right Honourable,
IF the Dedication of Bookes can be any teſtimonie of thankfulneſſe to Honourable Perſonages, to whom the Authors are moſt engaged, your Honours firſt vouchſafing to admit mee a meere ſtranger to the office of a Domeſtique Chaplaine in your Noble Familie, affording mee much reſpect, and conſtant encouragement beyond deſert and expectation; And your Honour, Madame, beginning to take care of my further preferment from the very beginning of my Seruice; and after a little waiting, procuring me a ſetled comfortable abode, and Paſtorall imployment, ſo neere your owne Manſion, and vnderunder your wing, by your gratious and effectuall mediation to that Honourable Knight, and Baronet, Sir Charles Moriſon, my Noble, and vncorrupted Patron, (for whoſe compleat proſperitie, my witneſſe is in heauen, that I daily pray vponupon my bended knees:) laſtly, obtaining, out of your honourable diſpoſition, that further acceſsion of credit, and countenance to my Miniſterie, which now I hold; will eaſily decide the queſtion, to whom theſe Firſt fruits of mine doe chiefly appertaine. I therefore humbly preſent the ſame, as a ſmall expreſsion of that thankſgiuing which I gladly would, but cannot ſufficiently render vntounto you, moſt Honourable Founders (vnderunder God) of all that good I doe poſſeſſe.
I know well that things of this nature doe rather increaſe, then pay the debts of men ranged in ſo great a diſtance below your ſphere: yet withall I finde the greatest Oceans willing to embrace the ſmalleſt ſtreames that runne vntounto them, tendring their homage, and acknowledgement from whence they ſprang.
And though it be most equall that ſuch as publiſh any thing vnfit, ſhould beare the whole burden of the ſhame, and loſſe vponupon their owne backs, who euer be their Patrons; yet it is an honour to ſuch as need no Patrons to helpe them out of brakes, to hauehave their writings graced by Noble Perſons of eminent reſpect for learning, iudgement and Religion, and to vſe their Names in ſuch a publike act, whereby the world may know they be not deſtitute of friends that will vphold them in any Worke well done.
This Treatiſe was chiefly intended for the benefit of mine owne Charge; but now, by conſequent, I hauehave put my ſelfe vponupon the cenſure of various diſpoſitions, and doe expect the common Lot of all Writers. My only care is, to giuegive content to ſuch as reade to profit. If any peece hereof ſhall, by Gods bleſsing, adde the leaſt mite to your rich ſtocke of Graces, or to any well-affected, which is my higheſt ambition, I hauehave enough.
But remembring that now I preſent your Honours with a Booke, I muſt not make a booke of an Epiſtle. What further addition of thankfulneſſe for your continued fauours, my prayers, obſeruance, labours in any kinde, my life it ſelfe, may make, ſhall not be wanting, but gladly for euer tendred from, and by
Your Honours moſt firmly bounden in the ſtrongeſt bonds, to be commanded, C. BVRGES.