But because all readers are not strong men in Christ, some being but babes, who must have every thing minced, and cut small unto them before they can receive it. Neither all teachers expert, & prompt Scribes, like to Ezra, nor mighty in the Scripture as Apollos, such as are able to divide the word a right, and apply it fitly as they ought. (Some being deceitful workmen perverting it to their own destruction, in pressing the two dugs of 1the Scripture, the Old and New Testament, that in steed of 2milk, they suck nothing but blood: Others, unskilful, casting wild Coloquintida into the pot of the children of the 3prophets, being too hasty to learn, and too ignorant to know of them selves, what they should have gathered). Therefore to help the ignorance of the one, and hinder the malice of the other (and so to profit the most) beside the meaning, he hath briefly drawn out such doctrines as naturally arise from the text, showing withal, how they ought to be applied for confutation, correction, instruction, consolation. Which he hath done with such dexterity, (artificially matching together two things, heretofore insociable, Brevity, and Perspicuity) that the like (I take it) hath not been performed heretofore by any Expositor upon this Epistle: which we may well call the key of the new Testament, in that it handleth the weightiest points of doctrine, whether we consider the necessary knowledge ⟨image 5⟩thereof, or the controversies of these times. Therefore Luther after he had once publicly expounded it, toke in hand again, and interpreted it the second time, beginning (as himself saith) where he ended, according to the saying of Syracides, When a man hath done what he can, he must begin again. 4Which Commentary, seeing it hath found such good entertainment amongst us, being but a foreigner, and having lost much of his strength, and taken wind by changing from language to language, as wine from one vessel to another: I doubt not but this, being a free-denizen, will find the like favour and acceptance, the rather, if it will please your Honour to vouchsafe it your countenance: To whose protection and patronage I here commend it, as S. Luke did his Histories to the most noble Theophilus:
But because all readers are not strong men in Christ, some beeing but babes, who must haue euery thing minced, and cutt small vnto them before they can receiue it. Neither all teachers expert, & prompt Scribes, like to Ezra, nor mightie in the Scripture as Apollos, such as are able to diuide the word a right, and applie it fitly as they ought. (Some beeing deceitfull worckmen peruerting it to their owne destruction, in pressing the two dugges of 1the Scripture, the Ould and New Testament, that in steed of 2milck, they sucke nothing but blood: Others, vnskilfull, casting wild Colloquintida into the pott of the children of the 3prophets, beeing too hastie to learne, and too ignorant to know of them selues, what they should haue gathered). Therefore to help the ignorance of the one, and hinder the malice of the other (and so to profitte the most) beside the meaning, he hath briefly drawne out such doctrines as naturally arise from the text, shewing withall, how they ought to be applied for confutation, correction, instruction, consolation. Which he hath donne with such dexteritie, (artificially matching together two things, heretofore insociable, Breuitie, and Perspicuitie) that the like (I take it) hath not beene performed heretofore by any Expositer vpon this Epistle: which we may well call the key of the new Testament, in that it handleth the waightiest points of doctrine, whether we consider the necessarie knowledge ⟨image 5⟩thereof, or the controuersies of these times. Therefore Luther after he had once publikely expounded it, toke in hand againe, and interpreted it the second time, beginning (as himselfe saith) where he ended, according to the saying of Syracides, When a man hath donne what he can, he must beginne againe. 4Which Commentarie, seeing it hath found such good intertainement amongst vs, beeing but a forrainer, and hauing lost much of his strength, and taken winde by changing from language to language, as wine from one vessell to another: I doubt not but this, beeing a free-denizen, will find the like fauour and acceptance, therather, if it will please your Honour to vouchsafe it your countenance: To whose protection and patronage I here commend it, as S. Luke did his Histories to the most noble Theophylus:
- 11. Cor. 1: •3.
- 2Volusian. ad Nicol. 2.
- 32. Pet. 3 16.
- 4Eccles. […]. 6.Eccles. 〈…〉. 6.
