The subject matter therefore of these Treatises is worth the handling, if I were able according to the worth thereof to handle it. I have endeavoured to do what I could therein, though I have not attained to what I would. Be you like unto God, who, if there be first a willing mind, accepteth according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. Though for such a matter as is handled in these Treatises, the work may seem at first sight to be too copious, yet I hope the observant Reader ⟨image 3⟩will not find it too tedious. It is the variety of many, 1not the prolixity of few points which hath made this book to swell to that bigness which it hath. The first Treatise (which is a fourth part of the book) containeth a Commentary on that part of Scripture out of which Domesticall Duties are raised: wherein the Apostle setting forth Christ and the Church as patterns to husbands and wives, lively declareth the great love of Christ to his Church, and the near union betwixt them, together with other deep mysteries, the unfolding whereof hath a little the longer detained me. But as I have a while insisted on main matters of much moment, so have I very briefly passed over other points. The other Treatises, wherein the Duties themselves are handled, are every of them much shorter then the first. In them I have barely propounded and briefly proved the truth and equity of the several duties, except some choice points which are of especial use, or at least through disuse much questioned: and them I have more largely handled. And because contraries laid together 2do much set forth each other in their lively colours, I have to every duty annexed the contrary fault, and aberration from it. For many that hear the duties think all well enough, till they hear also the contrary vices, whereby in their consciences they are most convinced. Concerning the many faults and vices of bad Husbands, Wives, Parents, Children, Masters and Servants, taxed in these Treatises, let me entreat you, not to apply them too generally to all Husbands, Wives, Parents, Children, Masters and Servants. Hath not wise Solomon much taxed the lightness, shrewishness, pride, flattery, and other vices of women? And shall sober, meek, humble, honest women think themselves taxed thereby?
The subiect matter therefore of these Treatises is worth the handling, if I were able according to the worth thereof to handle it. I haue endeuoured to doe what I could therein, though I haue not attained to what I would. Be you like vnto God, who, if there be first a willing mind, accepteth according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. Though for such a matter as is handled in these Treatises, the worke may seeme at first sight to be too copious, yet I hope the obseruant Reader ⟨image 3⟩will not finde it too tedious. It is the variety of many, 1not the prolixity of few points which hath made this booke to swell to that bignesse which it hath. The first Treatise (which is a fourth part of the booke) containeth a Commentary on that part of Scripture out of which Domesticall Duties are raised: wherein the Apostle setting forth Christ and the Church as patternes to husbands and wiues, liuely declareth the great loue of Christ to his Church, and the neere vnion betwixt them, together with other deepe mysteries, the vnfolding whereof hath a little the longer detained me. But as I haue a while insisted on maine matters of much moment, so haue I very briefly passed ouer other points. The other Treatises, wherein the Duties themselues are handled, are euery of them much shorter then the first. In them I haue barely propounded and briefly proued the truth and equity of the seuerall duties, except some choice points which are of especiall vse, or at least through disuse much questioned: and them I haue more largely handled. And because contraries laid together 2doe much set forth each other in their liuely colours, I haue to euery duty annexed the contrary fault, and aberration from it. For many that heare the duties thinke all well enough, till they heare also the contrary vices, whereby in their consciences they are most conuinced. Concerning the many faults and vices of bad Husbands, Wiues, Parents, Children, Masters and Seruants, taxed in these Treatises, let me intreat you, not to apply them too generally to all Husbands, Wiues, Parents, Children, Masters and Seruants. Hath not wise Solomon much taxed the lightnesse, shrewishnesse, pride, flattery, and other vices of women? And shall sober, meeke, humble, honest women thinke themselues taxed thereby?
- 1M [Greek or Hebrew]. Ammon. Multum loqui est rem superfluis agere verbis. Aug. Epist. 121. ad Prob.M 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Ammon. Multum loqui est rem superfluis agere verbis. Aug. Epist. 121. ad Prob.
- 2[Greek or Hebrew]. Arist. Rhet. lib. 3. cap. 2.〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Arist. Rhet. lib. 3. cap. 2.
