TheTrefacetothe^eader. 



I rell, confirmed I was in my firft purpofe^ and refolved to fim'fh that which! 

 had begun, namely^not to defraud the world of fo rich a gem, for one fmall ble- 

 mifh appearing therein. And that it may appeare how I did not abound in mine 

 ovvnefenfe, buthad regard as well to fatisfiethe confcience of cithers as mine 

 owne, I have thought good to annex immediatly hereunto^ in manner of a Coi* 

 roliarie, the opinion of one grave and learned preacher concerning this doubtj 

 as it was delivered unto me in writing 5 which for that it is grounded upon fuf- 

 ficfent reafons^and accordeth with the iudgement of the rcfb, the lefle I refpecfl 

 the rafhproieds of fomc fantafticallipiritstnothing doubting,but the fame will 

 fettle the minds of the weake, and free my labours from the taint of irteligion. 



^ The copie of the [aid Let;ter,K^ritten as toUchmg the 

 Tranjlationof Tlmie^ 



MT Moved:, in tmntieyeers and hette 'r fo many tokens of out mutuallloyefafpni 

 hetvoeene ra, J need not now to frofejfe my affeBion to your felfe 3 and my daily 

 coj-poerfing mthyoiiJhAth yeelded my approbation of your tedtoiis labor in tranf- 

 hting Tlime*. Thef ^/ew Imes therefore fhall ondy ferve to witnejfe unto others the de^ 

 fervsdnccomt which for your learning I have aiwaies made ofym , and my conceit of 

 this your travaile in opening to your countrymen thetreafurie of Kdture : therein to 

 fee and to admire the wif dome ^poxcer^and the goodnefe of the only true God^ the Ira- 

 mtr of Nature. I am not of their minds ^ ivho defire that all humane learning in zArts 

 and Natural! Vhilofofhie jhould be refervedunder locke ahdkey of ^iraunge language j 

 without the which no other tnanjljould have accejfe unto it : Por as fitch knowledge is 

 a brau?tch of that excellencie wherein manwas formed ^fo the > epdire thereof (though 

 It be not the chief e) is yet a thing unworthily neglected, as well in regard of our owne 

 comfort therein gained:, '^•^ /o^ theglorte of God thereby promoted. And tt was the wtf 

 dome andproVide?ithand of the <iAU-fufficient^fo to guide the wifeheathentn Arts and 

 Nature y that they [Iwuld publifh fuch their skill unto their countreymen in mother 

 tongue: partly to correci the rudeness which is m ignoraJice^ and in part to leave them 

 the f^ore mecscufahis : In which regtirdy they may m fome fort be c ailed fVhe Prophets 

 andTeacherv of the heathen, zAnd though Flinie a?idtherefl were not able by natures 

 light to fearch fo farads to find out the God of Nature^ who ftteth inthe glorie of light 

 which none attameth^ but co?itrdrmife in the njanitie of their imagination berPrayed 

 the ignorance of foolifhhe^arts^ fome doting upon Nature her felfe ^ and others upon 

 ffeciall creatures ^as their God: yet feare we hoi that Chriflians^in fo cleare light fhould 

 he fo farre bewitched by fuch blind teachers^ a^s to fall before thofe heathen idols ♦ Tea, 

 though fome of them ( as namely l?linie ) have jf oken difhonourably of the only true God 

 and of his providence Jbecaufe they knevohim not 5 which jfeeches(ifit might flandmth 

 the lawesof Tranflation) I could xcifh were utterly omitted yet mayiree hope that 

 QhriUian menfo long taught by the light of grace out of the holy word of God, will no 

 leffe there fore giv^ him his deferred honour j than when they doe in like fort heare the 

 blalphemfe &f SdimehcxAy k^n^ of Afl-jur, who jent to ratle upon the living God J feare 

 not the corrupting ©f unfable minds any thing fo much by thefe foolifh Gentiles which 

 . arewithom^as by thedtceitfuUfpirit of error ifeakjng inthemouth of men within.fuch 

 ^"^ane as are within the bofome of ihe ffhurch. Thefe are the foxes by whome wefean 



