Epistle Dedicatory to Sir Bassingburne Gaudy

RIght Worsh. hauing been licensed some yeare agoe (according to the auncient laudable custome of the Uniuersitie) to interpret S. Pauls Epistles: and then earnestly intreated by M. Perkins his Executor, and others his friends, (which had some interest in me) to supplie that which was defectiue in his Commentarie upon the Galatians: ouercome at the last by their importunitie, I vndertooke the busines, making triall of my simple facultie in this short Chapter, which I have here according to my poore talent, finished: Yet not daring to publish it to the view of the world, without pr[•]mising somewhat in way of excuse for my boldnes. For if Hirtius or (as others thinke) Oppius, being importuned by his friend to continue the Commentaries which Caesar left vnfinished, durst not presume to make a Supplie, without making first an Apologie for himselfe, for attempting to take in hand so great a taske, seeming therein to compare with him who was incomparable: just cause have I to excuse my selfe for this my bold attempt, in vndertaking to equall him who in the judgment of all (save such, as esteeme of Writers by tale and not by touch) is so substantiall, concise, exact, methodicall, that (as it is said of Caesar) he has discouraged wise men from writing. But seeing J doe not in the vaine confidence of mine own sufficiency, or exactnes of the worke, proclaime a chalenge to all mens censures: nor yet take upon me (as some have don in other writers) so to carry the Author along that the Reader shall not perceiue but that he is still reading him, nor know where he ends, or where I beginne (for that being impossible to attaine, were follie to attempt:) but oenly to finish that which otherwise should have bin imperfect, to satisfie the request of my friēds, & to helpe forward the Lords building, though not as a master builder with hewen stones, or polished Saphirs: yet as a seruer and vnderlabourer as it were with a handfull of rubbish. I hope I shall obtaine (at least) this favorable construction, to be thought as farre from vanitie herein, as my conscience does witnesse with me I did it in simplicitie, and without affectation of singularitie. And if it were no presumption in Gillebertus to finish Bernards Sermons upon the Canticles, nor in Clichtoveus to supplie foure bookes which were wanting in Cyrils Commentaries upon John, nor in Wolfius, Reuterus, and other moderne writers, to continue the Commentaries of Martyr, Zanchius, &c. but rather workes worthie great commendation, and deseruing well of the Church of God: I trust it wiil not be imputed to me as a vice, which in others is accounted as a vertue. Further, if I shall seeme to any with the vnskilfull limmer to have ioyned humano capiti, cervicem equinā, in that I exceede as much the other part in prolixitie, as! come short of it in dexteritie, I hope I shall the more easily obtaine pardon, considering it was my first draught, not hauing taken pensill in hand before: and seeing the worke which I was to finish was caput Veneris, the faire face of Uen[••]s, I chose rather (because I could not hit of the just proportion which J aimed at) to exceede measure a little, then to be defectiue: thinking thereby to sute them the better, seeing beautie or fairenes (to speake more properly) consists only in greatnes, as the Philosopher says. And some perhaps may think that it falls out well, in that I have given it more bodie, because it had lesse spirit. But what others thinke or say (for as in other things, so in this, lookers on will have their words) it skills not, so I may have the approbation of the godly and well affected Reader: especially your Worshipfull [••]tronage, to whome I humbly commend it, as the first fruits of my labors, a simple floure growing in a schollars garden: desiring it may be suffered to grow either in the shadow or sunneshine of your protection, that so of the godly it may be better accepted, and of the caterpiller the lesse touched: (those I meane which will correct the Uerbe before they vnderstand the Nowne, condemning that which they ought rather to commend, at least which they cannot amend.) Uouchsafe therefore Right Worsh. to receive this poore present, as a pledge of my unfained loue, and humble dutie: and a testimonie of my thankefulnes to God for his manifold graces of prudence, justice, sobrietie, meekenes, humilitie, liberalitie, bestowed upon you, especially your loue of his truth, and continuall meditation in his word: which was the thing that mooued me, (all by-respects s[•]t aside) to offer this Commentarie to your view, and to have it graced with your countenance: that by this meanes I might the more stirre vp and kindle (if it were possible) your loue and liking of the word, by adding fewel to the fire, and oyle to the flame. It is recorded of Theodosius the second, that he writ the New Testament ouer with his own hand: and of Alphonsus King of Spayne and Naples, that he read the Bible 14 times ouer with the ordinarie Glosse, (the best helpe he had in those daies.) And J doubt not but that you will peruse this exposition at your leisure, and still continue to reade the holy Scripture as hetherto you have done, and so be answerable to that which is voiced of you, and to that extraordinarie commendation which your faithfull Pastour has often given of your diligence and dexteritie in that behalfe. Now let me adde this one thing, that though there be not the like efficacie in a dead letter, that is in a liuely voice, yet the bare reading of the Scripture is of great and singular use, which may appeare by this, that it is so often commanded by pre[••]pt, & so highly commended by the practise of the Saints; and so straightly forbidden, as by cruel Antiochus, so by the Romane Antichrist: neither dare I denie but that God has and does use it, not onely as a meanes of edification, but also of working the conuersion of many of his seruants, as Augustine confesss of himselfe, that he was conuerted by reading, that place in Paul Rom 13:14. conuerted (I say) not as a heretike onely which is reclaimed from his erronious opinions, but as a lost sheepe which is reduced and brought home from the errour of, his way. Notwithstanding, in reading the Scripture to goe alone is not so safe: a guide therefore is necessarie (as the Eunuch confesss) which may be as the Mercurialis statua, to point a man to the right way. And this guide is either the outward, or the inward guide: the outward guide (I speake of reading onely) is a Commentarie, especially such a one as a sanctified spirit has much breathed upon: seeing it is the best learning the Theorick of him which is skilfull in the Practicke. The inward guide, is the spirit of Reuelation, which dwells onely in a humble, docible, and obedient heart, which whosoeuer brings has apromise that he shall know the truth, Ioh. 7. 17. and vnderstand the secrets of God, Psal 25:14. and without which the Scriptures are but as a Riddle or a clasped booke. For the full and perfect knowledge of the word consists (as Epiphanius says) in vnderstanding, and feeling, that is, not in bare speculation onely swimming in the braine, but in a sensible saving knowledge sinking into the affections of the heart: and by this latter the comfortable meaning of the Scripture is better vnderstood, then by all the speculations of the most curious Skep[••]kes: as the sweetnes of honie is better knowne in a moment by him that tasts it, then by those that spend many houres in the contemplation and discourse of it.

But I forget my selfe very much in taking upon me to read a lecture to such an exercised scholler in the booke of God. Therefore without further insinuation either for pardon for my boldnes, or acceptance of my paines, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you further, and give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. From Emanuel Colledge. August. 13. 1604.

A louer of your Worships vertues, in all dutie to command, RAFE CVDWORTH.