Why therefore doest thou saith S. Paul: ⟨p. 3⟩Teach other and teachest not thy self, and so blasphemest the word of almighty God before them that know not the power thereof, whose condemnation (if they repent not) shall be the greater. We have much delight now a days to know many things, but little lust we have to live after our knowledge, it is not he that heareth the word of God that shall be partaker of Christs blessing, but he that doth the word, not he that hath right understanding of his will, but he that is earnestly given to express his will in his secret thought betwixt God and him self, in his words and deeds of life to the institution and example of others. It shall not be asked at that dreadful day when we shall come to make our answer to almighty God, how much we have learned, how oft we have read, how much we do know, but how well we have lived, what works we have expressed to testify with us of our inward regeneration, of our inward faith, that he might be thereby glorified. And for this intent that we should be instructed in our true duties to god and our neighbour, amongest many works & books to teach us the same, none is more apt then this book of Solomon which we have in hand none is more fit then this, which setteth out the vanity of our corrupt affections, no author more lively, no writer is more apt to teach all manner of persons, aswell public as private ⟨image 5⟩to rule thenselue a right in this miserable vale of our corruptible life, than is the author of this doctrine contained in this book. For whosoever will endeavour him self to apply his wit and his understanding to the counsel of this work, shall soon perceive the corruption of this world, and the vanity of their own nature, and in all his travails what soever state of life he leads shall see by this lantern, how to step forth from faith to faith, from virtue to virtue, from charity to charity, & in conclusion shall find all things mere vain and vanity, nothing permanent, nothing durable, nothing allowable, but the knowledge of almighty God, and the fear of his holy name: to whom be all honour and glory for evermore.
Why therfore doest thou sayth S. Paule: ⟨p. 3⟩Teach other and teachest not thy selfe, and so blasphemest the worde of almighty God before them that know not the power therof, whose condemnation (if they repent not) shalbe the greater. We haue much delight now a dayes to know many thynges, but litle lust we haue to lyue after our knowledge, it is not he that heareth the worde of God that shall be partaker of Christes blessing, but he that doth the word, not he that hath right vnderstandyng of his will, but he that is earnestly giuen to expresse his will in his secret thought betwixt God and hym selfe, in his wordes and deedes of lyfe to the institution and example of others. It shal not be asked at that dreadful day when we shall come to make our aunswere to almighty God, how much we haue learned, how oft we haue read, how much we do know, but how well we haue liued, what workes we haue expressed to testifie with vs of our inwarde regeneration, of our inwarde fayth, that he might be thereby glorified. And for this intent that we should be instructed in our true dueties to god and our neighbour, amōgest many workes & bookes to teach vs the same, none is more apt then this booke of Salomon which we haue in hand none is more fit then this, which setteth out the vanitie of our corrupt affections, no author more liuely, no writer is more apt to teach all maner of persons, aswell publike as priuate ⟨image 5⟩to rule thēselue a right in this miserable vale of our corruptible lyfe, thē is the author of this doctrine cōteined in this booke. For whosoeuer will endeuour hym selfe to apply his wyt and his vnderstandyng to the counsell of this worke, shall soone perceyue the corruption of this world, and the vanitie of their owne nature, and in all his trauayles what soeuer state of lyfe hee leades shall see by this lanterne, how to step forth frōm fayth to fayth, frō vertue to vertue, frō charitie to charitie, & in cōclusion shal finde all thynges mere vayne and vanitie, nothing permanent, nothyng durable, nothyng allowable, but the knowledge of almighty God, and the feare of his holy name: to whom be all honour and glorye for euermore.
