Exposition of Romans 13-16, Title page – To the reader
A PLAINE EXPOSITION vponupon the whole thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth, and ſixteenth Chapters of the Epiſtle of Saint PAVL to the ROMANES.
Wherein the Text is diligently and methodically reſolued, the ſenſe giuen, and many Doctrines thence gathered, are by liuely vſes applied for the benefit of Gods Children.
Performed with much varietie, and conuenient breuitie, BY ELNATHAN PARR Bachelor in Diuinity, and Preacher of Gods word.
To which is prefixed an Alphabeticall Table, containing the chiefe Points and Doctrines handled in the Booke.
PSAL. 122.6.
Pray for the peace of Ieruſalem.
LONDON, Printed by G. ELD for SAMVEL MAN, dwelling in Pauls Church-yard at the ſigne of the Swanne. 1622.
TO THE VERY NOBLE, RELIGIOVS, AND MOST WORTHY, Maſter Nathaniel Bacon, ESQVIRE: and The Lady Iane Cornwalleys, his WIFE: Grace and Peace be multiplyed from God the Father, and from our Lord IESVS CHRIST.
SIR;
MAy it pleaſe you once again to giuegive me leaue to Grace my labours with your Noble name, which ſhall bee to them, as a Good Light to a Picture.
For thereby ſhall they appeare the more Spectable; and bee the more fauourably aſpected of the Reader.
I wiſh that they could reflect, as much brightneſſe vponupon your Nobleneſſe, as they receiue ſplendor from it. But as a glaſſe more weakely returneth the irradian Beames; ſo Theſe.
I doe hereby (in what meaſure I am able) teſtifie my thankfulneſſe for former Fauours, and beare witnes to your true Nobleneſſe; who hauehave, not onelyonly the Pictures of the vertues and graces, (rarely done with your own hand) for the ornament of your houſe (though many in theſe daies virtutem ne pictam quidem viderunt) But themſelues by a heauenly pencill drawne in the table of your heart; which do ado…ne your life, and make mee to bee
Yours addicted, in all reſpectfull obſeruance, ELNATHAN PARR.
MADAME;
AS is the bountie of the Giuer, ſo in Iuſtice ought to bee the Acknowledgment of the receiuer. Your Ladiſhip was the firſt aduancer of my ſtudies, and eſtate; and ſo you hauehave continued; which is not the leaſt Ornament of Honour.
Of Due therefore whatſoeuer I can performe is your Ladyſhips; then whom I know none more truely Honourable, for (which is the Crowne of Ladyes and of all the daughters of Eue) Chaſtity; for meekeneſſe of Spirit (an Ornament of price for all the Daughters of Sara) for Charity &c.
For neither will your excellent modeſty ſuffer, nor this ſhort Epiſtle ſuffice to the relation of your deſerued praiſes.
As we behold the maieſty of things ſacred with venerable ſilence & admiration; ſee I your incomparable vertues.
I burne this Incenſe at their Altar: And I wiſh the world had more ſuch Ladyes; the Church ſuch ornaments; & painefull and peaceable Miniſters ſuch Patroneſſes, as your Ladiſhip hath beene to mee, who am
Yours addicted, in all reſpectfull obſeruance, ELNATHAN PARR.
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER, increaſe of Peace and LoueLove.
NO part of holy Scripture hath been ſo happy in the Expoſitions of elder and later Diuines, as this prime Epiſtle of our bleſſed Apoſtle.
What need then (thou wilt ſay) of thy homeſpun lucubrations? Why doeſt thou yet write?
My anſwer is, (warrantable enough in theſe times) It is the faſhion.
Scribimus indocti docti que —
When Diogenes ſaw the people of Athens all of them in buſie imployments vponupon occaſion of a preſent danger; he alſo agitates, and liuely beſtirres himſelfe in his Tub, leſt in a time ſo negotious he might ſeeme to ſit ſtill and be idle: So I in this ſcribling age.
And yet I hope I ſhall not moue onelyonly with Diogenes, but promoue ſomething among the reſt which hauehave taken paines in this kinde.
The leaſt ſtarre hath his light and inſtuence; and there may be ſome vſe of Goats-haire to the finiſhing of the Tabernacle.
My ayme herein is, firſt, the glory of God: then, (according to grace giuen) to reenforce in theſe declining times, ſubiection to Magiſtrates, louelove to neighbours, ſobriety toward our ſelues, and peace and order in our Church, the two preſeruers thereof.
I am aſſured that the ſubſtance of things affirmed are conſonant to the Scriptures, and not without the conſent of the ſoundeſt Diuines antient and moderne; how rude ſoeuer thou finde the ſtyle and phraſe, it being all written volante calamo.
Whatſoeuer it is, I beſeech God thou maiſt profit by it; which thou ſhalt the ſooner doe, if thou bring a minde without preiudice, and not wedded to thy owne will. And I pray thee to commend to the bleſſing of God, both it, and
Thy true Friend in our common Sauiour, ELN: PARR.