Exposition of Proverbs 1-3, Title page – Dedication
AN EXPOSITION WITH Practicall Obſervations UPON The three firſt Chapters of the PROVERBS:
Grammaticall
Rhetoricall,
Logicall, and
Theologicall.
As they were delivered in ſeverall EXPOSITORY LECTURES at Chriſt-Church in Canterbury.
By FRANCIS TAYLOR, B. in D.
LONDON, Printed by E. C. for Henry Everſden, and are to be ſold at his ſhop at the Grey-hound in St. Paul's Church-yard, 1655.
To the Honourable Truſtees for MAINTENANCE of MINISTERS, And other Pious uſes, &c.
William Steele Eſq Serjeant at Law, late Recorder of the City of London, now Lord Chief Baron; Sir John Thorowgood of Kenſington Knight, George Cooper, Richard Young, John Pocock, Ralph Hall, Rich. Sidenham, Edward Hopkins, John Humfries, and Edward Creſſet, Eſquires.
Honorable Gentlemen,
WHat the Sun is to the world, that the Scripture is to the Church. No man can ſee the Sun it ſelfe, nor any thing in the world, but by the light of the Sun. No man can know God, nor any of his creatures, aright, but by the Scripture. The Rabbins tell us, foreign. There is no glory but the Law. Aboth. cap. 4. And Rab. Chija in the Jeruſalem Talmud in Peah, tells us, that in his account, foreign All the world wholly is not of equall value with one word out of the Law. The labour then of thoſe men of God, whom God hath fitted for interpretation of Scripture, is not lightly to be esteemed. The rather, becauſe of the difficulty and profitableneſſe of the work. The difficulty Auguſtin ſets out well, Lib. 11. ſuper Gen. ad literam. Major eſt hujus Scripturae autoritas, quàm omnis humani ingenii perſpicacitas. Greater is the …uthority of this Scripture, then the perſpicacity of all humane wit. The profit of it is as well ſet out by Hierom. ad Eph. lib. 1. Non putemus in verbis Scripturarum eſſe Evangelium, ſed in ſenſu; non in ſuperficie, ſed in medulla; non in ſermonum foliis, ſed in radice rationis: Let us not think the Goſpel is in the words of the Scriptures, but in the ſenſe; not in the outſide, but in the marrow; not in the leaves of words, but in the root of reaſon. Among many other Books of the Scripture, this of the Proverbs excels in height of matter and expreſſions. It needs therefore a carefull Interpreter. The method uſed by me is new, and never formerly exactly followed in every Verſe, by any Writer, Protestant or Papiſt, that ever I read.
1. Ye have the Grammatical ſenſe in the various ſignifications of every Hebrew word throughout the Old Teſtament, which gives light to many other texts.
2. Ye have the Rhetoricall ſenſe, in the Tropes and Figures.
3. The Logicall, in the ſeverall arguments.
4. The Theologicall, in divine obſervations.
If it be objected, that there are many Comments already on other Books of Scripture, and on this in particular; I confeſſe it is a truth. I my ſelf have made uſe of forty Writers on this Book of the Proverbs, as will appear by the Catalogue of Authors added. Yet every one ſees not ſo many, nor cannot underſtand them all; nor have means to buy them, or time to read them. Will it hurt any man to have the marrow of them all in one Book? Will it not ſave him much time, money, labour? Beſides, the Reader will find ſomething new, that is not in any of them. Gods hand is not ſhortened. He can as well manifeſt his truth by us, as by former Writers. And the rather, becauſe we have their help. A dwarf ſtanding on a gaints ſhoulders, may ſee further then the giant. I have made choyce of you (Worthy Gentlemen) for Patrons of this Work, not doubting, but if any ſhall oppoſe the truth manifeſted in it, ye will ſtand up with me for the defence of it. A more particular engagement to prefix your honorable names, is that great truſt the State hath put in you, to take care of the maintenance of many godly Miniſters, upon whom many thouſand ſouls depend in this Nation. I have found you faithfull and carefull. So have many other godly Miniſters. The great God that hath laid great a charge upon you, make you still faithfull diſchargers, that ſo your names may be honorable to poſterity, and your ſouls ſaved eternally. So I ſhall never ceaſe to pray, and ever remain
At your Honors ſervice in the Lord, Francis Taylor.