A Chain of Graces Drawn Out for Reformation of Manners, To the reader
To the Iudicious and well-affected READERS.
I Preface vntounto you (becauſe it is the faſhion) not to make excuſes, or ſhew cauſes for the publication of this little Tract, but only to giuegive account of the reaſons that induced me to ſome things in this Booke; at which, perhaps, ſome Readers may a little ſtumble.
1. The frequent quotations of Fathers aQuid? quod prodeſt in horum (Patrum ſcilicet) conſideratione crebro verſari, ne nos à conſenſu doctrinae & eceleſiae dimoueri patiamur. Gualt. in Zach. hom. 1.& others, in ſo ſmall a Volume, may ſeeme, to ſome, ambitious: But I rather chuſe to fall vnderunder the cenſure of Peacocke Singularitans, who can but gueſſe vncertainly at what they would, but cannot iuſtifie concerning my intentions; then be iuſtly taxed of theft, by the truly learned, (who can diſcerne where I hauehave beene gleaning) for not acknowledging by whom I profit. Benignum eſt, & plenum ingenui pudoris, fateri per quos profeceris: reprehenſione dignum eſſet, maiorum tacere nomina & eorum appropriare ingenia bPlin. ad Veſpatian..
2. The libertie I take in tranſlating mine Authors, may ſeeme to ſmell of inabilitie to render them exactly: But becauſe it is for Schoole-boyes to conſtrue eueryevery word by Dictionaries, and Rules of Grammer; and for Schoole-men (abſit invidia dicto) to interpret the ſenſe of Authors; and becauſe eueryevery language hath a proper elegancie of it owne, which cannot be tranſlated verbatim into any other, and he ſhould be ridiculous that would goe about it; therefore I hauehave vndertaken rather an Interpretation, than a Tranſlation of thoſe I cite. Habet enim omnis lingua ſua quaedam propria genera locutionum, quae cùm in aliam linguam tranſferuntur, videntur abſurda cAuguſt. de vera Relig. cap. 50..
3. The placing of the Citations in the bodie of the Booke, rather then in the margent, may be thought a great diſtraction to the common Readers: But the diſtraction would be greater on the other ſide, to thoſe that are more learned, by ſtopping of their reading with toyleſome inquiſition to perſue the Citations, as with Hue and Cry, into the margent. Now, they are inſerted in ſuch a manner, as need trouble none, if they conſider the Characters are only altred ſo far as the Latine ſentence runneth, at the end whereof they may ſet in againe as eaſily, as if they were to paſſe from one Paragraph or Section to another.
4. Laſtly, whereas I hauehave (in imitation of that renowmed Chryſoſtome) laid on downe-right blowes vponupon the ſinnes I hauehave beene led againſt, and done my beſt to diſgrace thoſe helliſh monſters; I muſt intreat the equall Readers to conſider the difference betweene Alluſions, and Compariſons ſtrictly taken; and that I hauehave not vſed ſharper ſpeeches then the ſacred word (our rule) hath done, which termeth hainous ſinners, Beaſts, Swine, Dogs, Vipers, Caterpillers, Locuſts, Wolues, Tigers, Beares, children of the deuill, &c. and therefore I cannot be iuſtly cenſured for railing, ſince I hauehave the Scriptures for my patterne.
Theſe are the ſpeciall offendicles that I thought meet to lift out of the way, for preuenting the preiudice of ſuch as are vnwilling (without iuſt, and vrgent cauſe) to be preiudicate: and as for others that will needs be skipping among theſe blocks, when they may goe by them, let them knocke their ſheenes, and welcome. I might now ſpin out a long encomiaſtick thread; and ſpend much time to ſhew that this little model, is the very white, the Apoſtle leuels at; the Quinteſſence, the Center which all the lines of this Epiſtle tend vntounto: or, on the other ſide, make large declamations againſt the ſinnes of the Times, and by all theſe preſſe you to the viewing (at leaſt) of this Golden Chaine, which being ſtretcht out, will eaſily appeare to be a glorious ornament, and badge of honour, deſeruing the ambition of the greateſt Peeres. But then, what need the Booke it ſelfe? Great mock-begger gates to little houſes, are but ridiculous. Fiſhing before the net, bewrayes a Goteham braine. A large Epiſtle before ſo ſmall a Tract, would argue either a baſe begging of entertainment; a promiſe of more then can be performed; a tedious inabilitie of knowing what not to ſay; or elſe too ſtrong conceit of the mans owne good ſtile, not to be expected from mee, who muſt ſtriue rather to print matter then words; becauſe no Printing buſineſſe doth, or may excuſe mee from my weekly preaching.
If any thing herein proue profitable to ſuch as read it, I aske no gift but prayers for my paines, that I may in this, or any other kinde further be improued for aduancement of our Grand Maſters honour, and raiſing vp of ſpirituall ſeede vntounto him.