Gods treasurie displayed: or, the promises, and threatnings of Scripture, &c. Methodically composed, for the helpe of weake memories: and contrived into question, and answere, for the comfort of Sions mourners, and for the awakening of the Laodicean-like secure.

CHRISTIAN READER.

IN the perusall of this Treatise thou shalt find that the Author threof hath taken very great paines, and that which is more, great paines to good purpose. Great paines are but a small Commendation where they proue not beneficiall to a common good. There are not wanting in the world that take paines more than e∣nough in the Composing, and writing of some Bookes, of wh••ch when they haue done, it may bee truely said as of IEREMIES Girdle; That they are Good for nothing. (Ier. 13 7.) The curious trifles of many ill imployed wits want happily for no paines, but

consider whether such persons may not in another sense take vp SALOMONS words: (Eccles 2, 11) I looked on all the workes that mine hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to doe; and behold, all was vanity, and there was no profit. Thea Spider is industrious in her kind, and takes paines in making of her Web, as well as the Bee in ma∣king of her Hony, and Combes. And yet who respects the Spiders web, as the Bees worke? The profit that comes of the labour of the Bee, is it that makes her labour to be in more esteeme than the Spiders. Now in this Treatise thou shalt find the Author to haue beene a diligent Industrious Bee, that hath brought a great deale of profita∣ble sweet Hony to this his hiue; it being a Treasurie and Collection out of the Word of GODS Promises which are

sweeter than the Hony, and the hony Combe.

Thou shalt in this Authors Indu∣stry see how much is to be gotten by the diligent and observant reading of the Scriptures. I wish with all mine heart that his Industry may proue exempla∣ry; and that many may hereby be pro∣voked to the like religious diligence in acquainting themselues with the word. It was good counsell that a godly old man gaueb MVSCVLVS when he first began to Preach. That Si bonus velit fieri Concionator det operam vt sit bonus Biblicus, That if ever he would proue a good Preacher, hee must take paines to be well acquainted with the Bible. And it were to be wished that all Preachers would follow that counsell. Preaching would proue the more solid, savourie, and successefull. But I will goe further than that old man; and I say, Si bonus velis fieri Christianus, des operam v•• sis bo∣nus Biblicus. If thou wilt proue a

good Christian, thou must be well skil∣led in the Holy Bible. How happy were it if the Scriptures were more carefully read then they are! It is said ofc CY∣PRIAN, that he let no day passe without reading TERTVLLIAN, & was wont often to say, Giue me my Master, meaning TERTVLLIAN. Such diligence in reading the Scriptures would do well; Especial∣ly, they being GODS owne Epistle, and letter from Heaven vnto vs that we should know his mind. And if Princes letters are to be read thrice over, then how much more sayesd LVTHER, should the Scriptures bee read seaven times thrice; yea, seaventy times 7. times thrice, yea infinite times over. We are commanded, (Prov. 2, 4.) To seeke for Knowledge as for Silver, and to search for her as for hid treasures. If it be asked where we must seeke, the Prophet tels vs, (Isa. 35, 16.) Seeke in the booke of the Lord, and reade. If it be asked where we must search, our Saviour tels vs: (Ioh. 5.34.)

Search the Scriptures. Those are in∣deed the Mines where the veines of this silver, and these hid treasures are to be found. And yet to see how silly men are in wearying themselues by digging in those earths which yeeld little precious treasure, and in the meane while neglect searching these golden Mines. It is our shame and sinne that we bestow more time, and paines in reading any Booke more than Gods. What excellent, and worthy monu∣ments dide LVTHER leaue to the world in his Writings, and how well spent is time spent in reading his workes. And yet out of a Zeale to the reading of the Scriptures, hee stickes not to wish that his owne bookes might perish, because he feared the reading of them would hinder men from reading the Scriptures. What would he wish now to a number of vain idle, corrupt, and corrupting writings, if he saw how miserably the Scriptures were neglected for the reading of these?

Now for this present Treatise, I conceiue it such a Worke as needs not the Ivie bush of an Epistle commenda∣torie:

fInvadibili merce oportet emp∣torem vltro adducere Proba merx facile emptorem rep∣perit, tametsi in abstruso sita est.

I say no more of this Authors paines then SALOMON speakes of the ver∣tuous Woman, Giue him of the fruit of his hands, and let his owne worke praise him in the gates. And whe∣ther his worke will doe it, or no, let all preiudice be layd aside, and doe but as PHILIP bids NATHANAEL, (Ioh. 1, 46.) Come and see, And thou shalt soone see, that what I say of this Trea∣tise, is much short of what it doth de∣serue. Thus wishing that thy profit in the reading may bee answerable to his paines in the writing of this worke, I leaue thee to the grace of GOD, and rest,

Thine, in CHRIST IESVS, Ier: Dyke.

Notes

• a

  Non cernis quòd propte∣rea animalium gloriosissima est ap••s, non quia laborat, ••ed quia alijs la••orat. Eti∣am aranca la∣borat & fati∣gatur, & tenu∣es per panetes extendit tex∣tur as omnem mulieris sapi∣entiam exce∣dentes, sed est ignobile ani∣mal, quia opus ejus est nulla ènus v••••••••. •• ales 〈◊〉〈◊〉 libi laborantes & se defatigantes. Chrysost. ad Pop. Antioch. Hom. 12.
• b

  In vita Musculi apud Melch. Ad. p••. 370.
• c

  Nunquam Cyprianus abs∣que Tertulliani lectione vnum diem praeterijt & crebro dice∣re solirus. Da Magistrum Tertullianum significans.
• d

  De Princi¦pum Episto∣lis prouerbio dicitur, ter eas legendas, sed profecto Dei Epistolae, sic enim Scriptu∣ram appellar Gregorius, sep∣ties ter, imo septuagies sep∣ties, seu vt plus dicam, i••fini∣ties legendae sunt, &c. Lu∣ther in Gen. 16.
• e

  Ego odi me∣os libros, & saepe opto eos interire, quòd metuo ne mo∣rentur lecto∣res, & abdu∣cant à scriptu∣rae ipsius lecti∣one quae sola omnis sapien∣tiae fons est. Luth. in Genes. 19.
• f

  Plaut. in Poen.