The Book of Proverbs Paraphrased, Title page – Dedication
THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON PARAPHRASED: With the ARGUMENTS OF Each CHAPTER Which ſupply the place of a COMMENTARY.
By SYMON PATRICK, D.D. Dean of PETERBURGH, and Chaplain in Ordinary to his MAJESTY.
LONDON, Printed by M. Fleſher, for R. Royſton, Bookſeller to His moſt Sacred MAJESTY, MDCLXXXIII.
TO HER GRACE The Dutcheſs of MONMOUTH.
MADAM,
THere were anciently ſo many Noble Women, as well as Men, who, even then made the ſtudy of the Scripture their delight, when Chriſtian piety began to decay; that a great part of S. Hierom's pains was beſtowed in opening the meaning of them to Bleſilla, Marcella, Melania, Paula and her Daughter Euſtochium, with ſeveral other eminent Roman Ladies: whoſe Songs (as he writes to Aſella) were nothing but Pſalms; whoſe diſcourſe was the Goſpel; whoſe pleaſure was continence; and whoſe life was faſting and abſtinence.
More particularly he addreſſed his ſervices of this kind, to the laſt of thoſe Ladies, Euſtochium; to whom he gives an Epithet, importing her prodigious induſtry, with the moſt fervent deſire, in the ſtudy of heavenly knowledge: and therefore inſcribed to her the moſt elaborate of all his Commentaries upon the Prophet Iſaiah (as he did afterward thoſe upon Ezekiel) which were ſent her by parts in XVIII. Books; before every one of which there is a ſolemn Preface to her.
By whoſe example, and to heighten that eſteem and love of Divine Wiſedom, wherewith, in an age of folly and vanity, God hath already inſpired your excellent mind, I have preſumed to dedicate to your GRACE this ſmall Work of mine; wherein, with no ſmall labour, I have expounded the moſt uſefull Book of the PROVERBS.
Which commends it ſelf to your Grace's acceptance, both by the excellence of the matter; containing (as the words are VIII. 6. XXII. 20.) moſt noble and princely things; choice Maxims, built upon the oldeſt Obſervations, and that will ſtand firm and be found true, as long as the world endures: and from the dignity and ſplendour of the Authour; whoſe illuſtrious name and pedigree, is ſet down on purpoſe (as S. Baſil thinks) in the entrance of the Book, to give the greater Authority to his words.
It is SOLOMON, to whom the Lord himſelf ſaid, 1 Kings III. 12. Behold, I have given thee a wiſe, and an underſtanding heart, ſo that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee ſhall any ariſe like unto thee: And again, it is recorded of him there, IV. 29, that God gave Solomon wiſedom and underſtanding exceeding much, and largeneſs of heart, even as the Sand that is on the Sea ſhore. For as the Sand of the Sea incompaſſes all the Coaſts of this World wherein we inhabit; ſo did his Mind comprehend all things as well Humane as Divine.
This is that Admirable perſon, to the ſtudy of whoſe rare Wiſedom I invite your Grace: which that it may be had in greater Veneration, the name alſo of his Mighty Anceſtour, ſaith the ſame S. Baſil, is added in the title unto his own: to put us in mind that he was the Wiſe Son of a Wiſe Father and Prophet, who from his infancy had inſtructed him in the holy Writings, and made him fit to ſucceed him in his Throne.
That likewiſe contributes not a little to the weight of theſe Inſtructions, that the Authour of them was a KING; and a King in the holy City of God, whoſe Authority he had; which being a name of regular and legal power (as the ſame Father ſtill obſerves) it is manifeſt that the Precepts delivered by ſuch a perſon, and one who was truly worthy of that high title of a King, are of the greateſt worth and moment: becauſe they have reſpect to nothing but merely the common benefit, and publick good; and cannot be ſuſpected to have been framed and compoſed with any aim at private intereſt. For that is the difference, ſaith he, between a Tyrant and a King: that the former hath regard onelyonly to himſelf in all that he doeth and deſigns; but the other conſults the profit and welfare of thoſe whom he governs.
So that, in ſhort, this is the Work of him, who was truly inveſted with that threefold glory, which the Ancients aſcribe to Triſmegiſtus; the power of a King, the illumination of a Prieſt, and the learning of a Philoſopher.
But the excellence of this Book will be beſt underſtood by the ſerious peruſal of it; which will diſcover it to be a Magazine of all ſorts of Wiſedom: ſo full of golden Sentences (as King James gives its character in his Inſtructions to his Son) and moral Precepts, in all things that concern our converſation in this world, as among all the prophane Philoſophers and Poets, there is not to be found ſo rich a Store-houſe of Natural Wiſedom, agreeing with the Will and Divine Wiſedom of God.
And therefore it is moſt worthy the conſtant ſtudy of all perſons, who would accompliſh themſelves with the moſt uſefull knowledge: but of none more, than of thoſe that are Great, whom Solomon inſtructs how to be Greater, and to make their Greatneſs alſo laſting and durable: and eſpecially of ſuch whoſe Underſtandings are Great and Capacious; able to penetrate into the depths even of the Civil Precepts and Advertiſements contained in this Book; ſpringing (as our great Advancer of Learning ſpeaks) out of the moſt profound ſecrets of Wiſedom, and flowing over into a large field of variety.
In which I am confident your Grace will delight to walk: whoſe exquiſite Judgment cannot but find the higheſt entertainment, in weighing the Wiſedom, as well as the Truth, and Uſefulneſs of theſe Parables: and whoſe Vertue and Prudence diſpoſes the hours of your life with ſuch order, as not to let you want time, both to ponder them your ſelf, and to inſtill them alſo into the Mind of your Children.
Whoſe future happineſs depends, upon their being early ſeaſoned with ſuch Principles as theſe: which will be the moſt effectual Preſervatives againſt the infectious air wherein we breathe: and a Treaſure of ſuch ineſtimable price, as will keep their Minds from being corrupted, by all the briberies of Fortune (as we call it) or from being dejected at any croſs turn of it; which, in this world, muſt be ſometimes expected.
For ſuch is the inconſtancy of all humane things, ſuch is the frailty even of our own bodies, as your Grace hath been lately taught by a tedious Sickneſs (from which I moſt heartily congratulate your Grace's happy recovery) that we love not our ſelves, if we ſeek not after a better Good, which is firm and permanent: a good that can withſtand corruption; and defend it ſelf againſt the force of time, and all the accidents of this World.
In the proſecution of which ſupreme Good, I commend your Grace to the bleſſing of the Almighty; who always favours the leaſt deſires of being good, and therefore will never deſert your ſincere indeavours of it: which are not unknown to Him, while you prefer the Cloſet to the Theatre, and look more to the inſide of Vertue, than to its outward appearances.
But I forget my ſelf; and ſtand in need of a pardon for this long Addreſs: which I ſhall the more eaſily obtain, if your Grace pleaſe to believe nothing emboldned me to it, but the opinion I have that your Goodneſs is as unlimited as my deſires to approve my ſelf, what I ſtand bound by many obligations to be,
May it pleaſe your Grace, Your Grace's moſt humble and obedient Servant S. Patrick.