The Epistle Dedicatory
The Epistle Dedicatory
To the Worshipful Master Robert Traillor, Esquire, one of the Tellers in her Majesty's Exchequer, my very good friend.
Experience teaches, and it is a true conclusion propounded and proved in the Scriptures of the old and new Testament, that just as God in the beginning, by his omnipotent power, established the whole frame of the heavens and the earth, so he has in his wisdom directed them, and all things contained in them, to one main end: the manifestation of his glory. Though everything created by God's appointment, according to the law of creation, and the principles of its own entire nature, is and ought to be referred to this end, yet among the works of God some are more principally and directly made for that purpose; namely, Man, whom God has endued with the gifts of understanding and knowledge, and in whom he has engraved his own image in righteousness and true holiness.
Now, the QUESTION is how man, being fallen from that integrity in which he was created, and having brought a confusion upon the whole world by the fall, should yet be fitted and framed for such an end?
The ANSWER is, that God who is able to draw light out of darkness, and to rectify things that are confounded, has in great wisdom set an order in mankind, which by certain degrees tends directly to advance
His own glory.
For in the First place, he would have man acknowledge him as his sovereign Lord, and to serve him immediately in the duties of faith and obedience. Secondly, it is His will that man being made a sociable creature, apt to converse with his own kind, should serve
Him by serving man in the duties of love. Thirdly, he does not will that men conversing with each other, should be like wandering
Rechabites, tied to no certain place or calling; and therefore, he binds all men, both by special assignment to Adam in his innocence, and by particular commandment to him and all his posterity, to be confirmed with some certain state and condition of life, in the family, in the commonwealth, or in the Church. Lastly, that man should use the place and office assigned to him by God, in a holy manner, performing the duties annexed to it in faith and obedience, and avoiding those vices that usually attend upon it, with all care and circumspection. In this manner, God has disposed the whole estate of mankind, for the accomplishment of the foresaid end: the honor and glory of His name.
Against this order two sorts of men offend. The first are those who live in the bosom of the Church, and are not ranged within the compass of any calling or condition of life, in which they might gain glory for God, or good for men. Under these are comprehended all
Popish Votaries, such as Monks, Friars, etc., who have been justly condemned from ancient times as thieves and robbers, because living apart from the common societies of men, they are neither the members of any body, nor maintainers of any of the three states named before. And to them may be referred all wandering and straggling persons, who having no settled place of abode, and being neither members of any civil society, nor annexed to any particular
Church, do the least good to men. The lives of these persons are so much the more odious because they are like the unprofitable drone that brings nothing into the hive, and yet feeds from the honey that is brought in by the labors of others.
Another sort of men are those who indeed are called to some certain condition and trade of life, in which they walk and yield some benefit to others; and yet they are greatly to be blamed in respect to their lack of the right use and exercise of their callings. For though they may be skillful and expert in their kind, yet they err in the main point, in that they do not practice their personal callings in and with the general calling. Whereas, on the contrary, the principal scope of their lives ought to be honoring God in the service of men; and the rule of direction to attain that end, is nothing else but a constant
performance of the duties of the moral law, in that very calling in which they are placed.
In the following discourse, its Author, whose memory is blessed, has 1 more corruptions that are incident to the lives of men, as also a warning to those who offend in this way: in it are handled at large, out of the word of God, the differences and right use of all callings whatsoever.
In publishing this, I thought it good to choose your Worship, to whose protection I might commend it, and that is upon these considerations: presented to our view a remedy for these and sundry
First, because you are and have been an ancient favorer and wellwisher to learning and learned men, of which amongst the rest, our
College has already had very sufficient testimony; for which it acknowledges you by the name of a loving and liberal benefactor.
Secondly, because (in my knowledge) you were very lovingly affected toward the Author of this Treatise while he lived, always having a reverent opinion of his gifts, and wishing him encouragement in all his proceedings. Beside these respects, it is my desire, by this dedication, to give you some testimony of a thankful mind, for your love and kindness towards me. And thus craving your acceptance of this, I take my leave, and commend you, with all your affairs, to the grace and favor of God.
Cambridge, Febr. 16, 1602 Your Worship's in all kindness to command, T.P.