Exposition of Proverbs 9-10, Title page – Errata
A PLAINE AND FAMILIAR Expoſition of the Ninth and Tenth Chapters of the Prouerbs of Salomon.
MATTHEW. 13. 35. I will open my mouth in Parables, and will vtter the thinges which hauehave beene kept ſecret from the foundation of the world.
LONDON Printed by T. E. for Thomas Man, dwelling in Paternoſter-Row at the ſigne of the Talbot.
1606.
To the Right VVorſhipfull Sir Anthonie Cope, Knight, grace, merciemercy, and peace bee multiplied.
SIr, your louing acceptance of our former treatiſe, together with the good entertainement which it hath found with many chriſtian readers, hath much encouraged vsus to dedicate this alſo to your fauourable patronage. Wee are now more willing to make ſome work for the preſſe, becauſe we hauehave no imployment in the pulpit. And who knoweth but that others (whom God hath graced with far greater ſufficiencie) may bee ſtirred vp heereby, to publiſh ſome of their godly meditations: that as their faithfull labours were formerly like pure fountaines, which did onelyonly refreſh their particular congregations: ſo now, by meanes of printing, they may bee made like great and comfortable riuers, to water the whole land.
And whereas we and our families hauehave plentifully taſted of your goodneſſe and merciemercy, we thought it our bounden duties to manifeſt our vnfained thankefulneſſe for the ſame: that other Patrons may be moued by your example, to ſhew the like compaſſion to their diſtreſſed Miniſters, that you hauehave done to vsus and ours, if our ſucceſſe fall out according to our hope, we purpoſe (by Gods aſſiſtance) to proceed further in this booke of the Prouerbs, in the ſame methode which is heere already begun, if otherwiſe: yet this is our comfort, that it hath beene, and is our continuall care, and hearts deſire, to keepe a good conſcience, and to recompence our preſent ſilence with the beſt ſeruice that we are able to performe vntounto the Church. The God of all merciemercy and comfort, multiplie his gracious bleſſings vponupon you more and more, and graunt all peace and proſperitie to all thoſe that faithfully louelove and ſeeke, the peace of the Church, and the proſperitie of the Goſpell.
Your worſhips in all Chriſtian▪ duties to bee commaunded,
Iohn Dod,
Robert Cleauer.
To the Chriſtian Reader.
THe wiſedome of God, who beſt knoweth eueryevery mans affections, doth teſtifie, that ſuch as are full doe loath an hony Prou. 27. 7.combe: but to them that are hungry euen bitter things beecome ſweete. That which is very good, yea precious, and deſired of the beſt, is diſtaſted of ſuch as regard not inſtruction: but that which is good at all, though meane, and deſpiſed of the moſt, is ſauoury to ſuch as ſoundly ſeeke ſaluation. The perſwaſion whereof hath incouraged vsus to bring forth our prouiſion, and to ſet before thee ſuch foode as God hath inabled vsus to prepare. We reſt aſſured of thy Chriſtian louelove towards vsus, & prouidence for thine owne ſoule, that thou wilt be more affected with the matter of this treatiſe, being, as we hope, ſound, and without corruption, then offended with the manner thereof, being homely, and without elegancie. As in expounding this Scripture to our owne flocks, we reſpected the capacitie of our vnlearned hearers, ſo in publiſhing the ſame to others, we tender the profit of the ſimpleſt readers. And as for them that are iudicious, and Godly learned, we preſume that their owne knowledge, & the reading of more excellent diſcourſes, will miniſter wiſdome, to make their vſe of this ſlender worke, as this worke will giuegive them occaſion to eſteeme the better of more excellent diſcourſes. We hauehave thought good to chooſe theſe two Chapters to beginne with, though almoſt in the middeſt of the booke, that we might propoſe to thee a patterne of the expoſition of both ſorts of parables, aſwell of ſuch as are ſet downe in forme of a treatiſe, and continued diſcourſe, as of thoſe which are for the moſt part ſingle ſentences. If thou ſhalt iudge, that there may be any fruit of theſe trauels, we are minded, if God will, to explicate the reſt; but by parts, and at ſeuerall times, and not all entirely together. Now in reading of this, obſerue that the reaſons and vſes of the points, are not inferred vponupon the allegations, or amplifications, immediately going before, but depend vponupon the propoſitions which are the doctrines raiſed out of the ſeuerall verſes: And into them are we compelled to enter abruptly without any precedent introduction to lead vsus, leaſt we ſhuld either weary our ſelues in ſeeking varietie of preambles, or wearie thee with innumerable tautologies and repetitions. In the printing, the pointing in ſundry places is miſplaced, which in reading thou ſhalt eaſily finde, and we hope wilt eaſily redreſſe.
The God of merciemercy grant thee that grace which we can but wiſh thee, and by the efficacie of his ſpirit worke in thine heart the vertue and power of this his holy word, which we can onelyonly by tongue and penne declare vntounto thee. Amen.
ERRATA:
FOllo 4. line 2. read profeſſe. fol. 6. l. 34. read nouriture. fol. 22. l. 16. read deſcribing. fol. 23. l. 23. read diſcourſe. fol. 98. l. 9. read heart. fol. 111. put out, doth, the firſt word of the line. Other faults, friendly Reader, if thou find any, I pray thee fauorably beare with.