Exposition of Proverbs 11-12, Title page – To the reader
A PLAINE AND FAMILIAR EXPOSITION OF THE Eleuenth and Twelfth Chapters of the Prouerbes of Salomon.
PROVERBS 1. 5.
A wiſe man ſhall heare and increaſe in learning, and a man of vnderſtanding ſhall atteine vntounto wiſe counſels.
BY WISDOME PEACE BY PEACE PLENTY
AT LONDON, Imprinted by FELIX KYNGSTON, for Henrie Sharpe. 1607.
TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL WILLIAM FENYS Eſquire, and Sir WILLIAM COPE Knight, grace, merciemercy and peace.
THE due regard which wee hauehave of you both, for the ſpeciall gifts wherewith it hath pleaſed God to grace you; hath moued vsus to preſent vntounto you ioyntly this teſtimonie of our vnfained louelove. We doe the rather publiſh this Treatiſe vnderunder your names, becauſe we would encourage you, to runne forward conſtantly in that Chriſtian race which you hauehave alreadie ſo happilie begunne, and to anſwere that good expectation which is generally and iuſtly conceiued of you. We hauehave long waited and much deſired to be imploied againe as formerly (through Gods merciemercy) wee hauehave been. But being hitherto diſappointed of that hope, and eſteeming an vnprofitable life, to be a kinde of vncomfortable death; we thought it our bounden dutie to offer our ſeruice to the Church, and furtherance to your faith, in the beſt manner wee can, ſince wee may not vſe ſuch meanes as we would. As you hauehave been attentiue hearers whiles we preached, ſo (we doubt not) but you will be diligent readers of that which is here written. We ſhall eſteeme it a ſufficient gaine for our trauaile, if either your ſelues, or any other, may reape fruit by our labours. The God of all merciemercy increaſe his graces in vsus all, and multiplie his bleſſings vponupon vsus, that our life and death may bring glorie to him, and euerlaſting peace to our owne ſoules.
Your Worſhips in all Chriſtian duties to be commanded, Iohn Dod, Robert Cleauer.
TO THE GODLIE READER.
CHristian Reader, by meanes of our promiſe, we are growne into thy debt, which if God adde abilitie to our willingnes, thou ſhalt finde vsus as readie to diſcharge. And for thy better aſſurance of our faithfull meaning herein, we hauehave communicated vntounto thee our labours on theſe two Chapters, in part of paiment, vntill we can proceede to the rest. OnelyOnly this we must intreate of thee, that thou wilt deale with vsus, as thou wouldest with iust and honest debters which duely pay thee money. If our coyne be currant, carrying trueth and veritie, the ſtampe of Gods holy ſpirit, reiect it not though it be duskiſh, without glittering ſhew, or curious workemanſhip. But if ought by miſtaking hath eſcaped vsus that wanteth weight, or prooueth not good mettall, returne it louingly and in brotherly manner vntounto vsus, and we will doe our best indeuour to yeelde thee better matter for it. The eight firſt chapters a godly learned man hath trauailed in, whoſe paines we expected before this time to hauehave inioyed with thee, and that cauſed vsus to goe forwards, omitting the beginning, vntill we come to the end. The methode, we confeſſe, would be very prepoſterous and defectiue, were it not that ſo good a ſupplie would reduce it into due order. And ſo we commit the whole worke both of our writing, and thy reading, to the direction and bleſsing of Gods holy ſpirit, whom we pray to giuegive thee vnderſtanding to know his will, with a faithfull heart to beleeue and obey the ſame, through Ieſus Chriſt, Amen. Drayton this ſeuenth of Nouember. 1606.
Thine in all Chriſtian duties, Iohn Dod, Robert Cleauer.