To the Right Worshipful
upon the Sixth Chapter.
To the Right Worshipful Sir Bassingbourne Gaudy, Knight.
Right worshipful, having been licensed some years ago (according to the ancient laudable custom of the university) to interpret St. Paul's epistles, and then earnestly entreated by M. Perkins, his executor, and others his friends (which had some interest in me) to supply that which was defective in his Commentary upon the Galatians, overcome at the last by their importunity, I undertook the business, making trial of my simple faculty in this short chapter, which I have here according to my poor talent finished, yet not daring to publish it to the view of the world, without premising somewhat in way of excuse for my boldness. For if Hirtius, or (as others think) Oppius, being importuned by his friend to continue the commentaries which Caesar left unfinished, durst not presume to make a supply without making first an apology for himself for attempting to take in hand so great a task, seeming therein to compare with him who was incomparable, just cause have I to excuse myself for this my bold attempt in undertaking to equal him who in the judgment of all (save such as esteem of writers by tale, and not by touch) is so substantial, concise, exact, methodical, that (as it is said of Caesar) he has discouraged wise men from writing. But seeing I do not in the vain confidence of mine own sufficiency or exactness of the work proclaim a challenge to all men's censures, nor yet take upon me (as some have done in other writers) so to carry the author along, that the reader shall not perceive but that he is still reading him, nor know where he ends or where I begin (for that being impossible to attain,
were folly to attempt), but only to finish that which otherwise should have been imperfect, to satisfy the request of my friends, and to help forward the Lord's building, though not as a master builder with hewn stones, or polished sapphires—yet as a server, and underlaborer, as it were with a handful of rubbish. I hope I shall obtain (at least) this favorable construction, to be thought as far from vanity herein as my conscience does witness with me, I did it in simplicity, and without affectation of singularity. And if it were no presumption in Gillebertus to finish Bernard's Sermons upon the Canticles, nor in Clichtoueus to supply four books which were wanting in Cyril's
Commentaries upon John, nor in Wolfius, Reuterus, and other modern writers to continue the commentaries of Martyr, Zanchius, etc., but rather works worthy great commendation and deserving well of the church of God, I trust it will not be imputed to me as a vice, which in others is accounted as a virtue.
Further, if I shall seem to any with the unskillful hammer to have joined humano capiti, cervicem equinam, in that I exceed as much the other part in prolixity, as I come short of it in dexterity, I hope I shall the more easily obtain pardon, considering it was my first draft, not having taken pencil in hand before. And seeing the work which I was to finish was caput Veneris, the fair face of Venus, I chose rather
(because I could not hit of the just proportion which I aimed at) to exceed measure a little, than to be defective, thinking thereby to suit them the better, seeing beauty or fairness (to speak more properly) consists only in greatness, as the Philosopher says. And some perhaps may think that it falls out well, in that I have given it more body, because it had less spirit. But what others think 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 worshipful patronage, to whom I humbly commend it, as the first fruits of my labors, a simple flower growing
in a scholar's garden, desiring it may be suffered to grow either in the shadow or sunshine of your protection, that so of the godly it may be better accepted, and of the caterpillar the less touched (those I mean which will correct the verb before they understand the noun, condemning that which they ought rather to commend, at least which they cannot amend).
Vouchsafe therefore Right Worshipful to receive this poor present as a pledge of my unfeigned love and humble duty and a testimony of my thankfulness to God for His manifold graces of prudence, justice, sobriety, meekness, humility, liberality bestowed upon you, especially your love of His truth and continual meditation on His
Word, which was the thing that moved me (all by-respects set aside) to offer this commentary to your view and to have it graced with your countenance, that by this means I might the more stir up and kindle
(if it be possible) your love and liking of the word by adding fuel to the fire and oil to the flame. It is recorded of Theodosius the Second that he wrote the New Testament over with his own hand, and of Alphonsus, King of Spain and Naples, that he read the Bible fourteen times over with the Ordinary Gloss (the best help that he had in those days). And I doubt not but that you will peruse this exposition at your leisure and still continue to read the holy Scripture as hitherto you have done, and so be answerable to that which is voiced of you and to that extraordinary commendation which your faithful pastor has often given of your diligence and dexterity in that behalf.
Now let me add this one thing, that though there be not the like efficacy in a dead letter that is in a lively voice, yet the bare reading of the Scripture is of great and singular use, which may appear by this, that it is so often commanded by precept and so highly commended by the practice of the saints, and so straightly forbidden, as by cruel
Antiochus, so by the Roman Antichrist. Neither dare I deny but that
God has and does use it, not only as a means of edification, but also of working the conversion of many of His servants, as Augustine confesses of himself that he was converted by reading that place in Paul (Rom. 13:14), converted (I say) not as a heretic only which is reclaimed from his erroneous opinion, but as a lost sheep which is reduced and brought home from the error of his way.
Notwithstanding, in reading the Scripture, to go alone is not so safe.
A guide therefore is necessary, as the eunuch confesses [Acts 8:31], 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 speak of reading only) is a commentary, especially such a one as a sanctified spirit has much breathed upon, seeing it is the best learning the theorick of him which is skillful in the practick.
The inward guide is the Spirit of revelation, which dwells only in a humble, docible, and obedient heart, which whosoever brings, has a promise that he shall know the truth (John 7:17) and understand the secrets of God (Ps. 25:14), and without which the Scriptures are but as a riddle or clasped book. For the full and perfect knowledge of the word consists (as Epiphanius says) in understanding, and feeling, that is, not in bare speculation only swimming in the brain, 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 understood, than by all the speculations of the most curious skeptics.
As the sweetness of honey is better known in a moment by him that tastes it than by those that spend many hours in the contemplation and discourse of it.
But I forget myself very much in taking upon me to read a lecture to such an exercised scholar in the Book of God. Therefore without further insinuation, either for pardon of my boldness or acceptance of my pains, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace