Works of Joseph Hall, Dedication 31
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE, THE LORD DENNY, BARON OF WALTHAM, MY SINGVLAR GOOD PATRON; All Grace and Happineſſe.
RIght Honourable:
I Know, and in all humility confeſſe, how weake my Diſcourſe is, and how vnworthy of this diuine ſubiect, which J hauehave vndertaken; which if an Angell from Heauen ſhould ſay hee could ſufficiently comment vponupon, J ſhould diſtrust him: Yet this let me ſay (without any vaine boasting) that theſe thoughts (ſuch as they are) through the bleſsing of GOD, J hauehave wouen out of my ſelfe, as holding it (after our Sauiours rule) better to giuegive, than to receiue. It is eaſier to heape together large volumes of others labours, then to worke out leſſer of our owne: and the ſuggeſtion of one new thought, is better then many repeated.
This part (which together with the Author is yours) ſhall preſent to your Lordſhip, the buſieſt of all the Patriarks, together with his tryalls, and ſucceſſe: wherein you ſhall ſee Eſau ſtripped by fraud, of that which he willingly ſold, Iacobs hard aduentures for the bleſsing, and no leſſe hard ſeruices for his wiues and ſubſtance, his dangerous encounters ending ioyfully, the ra…e of his onelyonly daughter, ſeconded with the trecherous murder of his ſonnes, Iudahs wrong to Thamar repayed by his owne vncleanneſſe: Ioſephs ſale, impriſonment, honour, pietie; The ſinne of his brethren well beſtowed, well anſwered. J ſo touch at the vſes of all theſe, as one that knowes, it is eaſie to ſay more, and impoſsible to ſay enough. GOD giuegive a bleſsing to my endeuours, and a pardon to my weakeneſſe, to your Lordſhip an encreaſe of his graces, and perfection of all happineſſe.
Your Lordſhips humbly and officiouſly deuoted in all dutie, IOS. HALL.