yet delyteth in him euen as a father in his owne sonne Well is him that fyndeth wisdome and opteineth vnderstanding for the gettinge of it is better then any marchaundyse of syluer and the profyt of it is better then golde Prou. 8. a Wysdome is more worth then precyouse stones and all the thynges that thou canst desire are not to be compared vnto her Vpon her ryght hande is longe lyfe and vpon her lefte hande is ryches and honoure Her wayes are plesaunt wayes and al her pathes are peaceable She is a Gene. 2. b tree of lyfe to theym that layde holde vpon her blessed is he that kepeth her fast With wysdome hath the lorde layed the foundaciō of the earth and thorow vnderstandynge hath he stablyshed the Heauens Thorow his wysdome the deapthes breake vp and the Cloudes drop downe the dewe My sonne let not these thinges depart from thyne eyes but kepe my lawe and my councell so shall it be lyfe vnto thy soule and grace vnto thy mouth Then shalt thou walke safely in thy waye and thy fote shal not stumble Pro. 1. d Yf thou sleapest thou shalte not be afrayde but shalt take thy rest and slepe swetely Thou nedest not to be afrayde of anye sodayne feare nether for the violent russhynge in of the vngodly when it commeth For the lorde shall stande by thy syde kepe thy fote that thou be not taken Withdraw no good thyng from them that haue nede so longe as thyne hande is able to do it Saye not vnto thy neighboure go thy waye and come agayne to morowe wyl I geue the where as thou haste now to geue hym Intende no hurte vnto thy neyghbour seynge he doth dwell in rest by the. Stryue not lyghtely with any man where as he hath done the no harme Pro. 1. c Folowe not a wycked man chose none of his wayes for the Lorde abhorreth the frowarde but his counsel is amonge the ryghtuous The curse of the Lord is in the house of the vngodly but he blesseth the dwellynges of the ryghtuous As for the scornefull dothe not he laugh thē to scorne but he geueth grace vnto the lowly The wyse shal haue honoure in possession but shame is the promocion that fooles shall haue ¶ Wysedom and her frutes her wayes oughte to be sought Capi. iiii HEare O ye chyldrē the father lye exhortacyon and take good hede that ye maye learne wysdome For I haue giuen you a good doctrine forsake not ye my lawe For when I my selfe was my fathers deare sonne and tenderly beloued of my mother he taught me also and sayde vnto me Deu. 6. b 11. c. 32. g Lette thyne herte receaue my wordes kepe my cōmaūdementes and thou shalt lyue Get the wysdome and get the vnderstandynge forgette not the wordes of my mouth and shrynke not from them Forsake her not and she shall preserue the loue her and she shall kepe the. The chefe poynte of wysdome is that thou be wyllynge to optayne wysdome and before all thy goodes to get the vnderstandynge * Make moche of her and she shall promote the. Yea yf thou embrace her she shall brynge the vnto honoure She shall make the a gracyous heed and garnishe the with a crowne of glory Heare my sonne receaue my wordes the yeares of thy lyfe shall be many I haue shewed the the waye of wysdome and led the in to the right pathes So that if thou goest therin there shal no straitnesse hinder the and when thou ruimest thou shalt not fall Take fast holde of doctrine and lette her not go kepe her for she is thy lyfe Psal 1. a and .27 a Come not in the path of the vngodly and walke not in the waye of the wicked Eschue it and go not therin departe asyde and passe ouer by it For they can not sleape excepte they haue fyrste done some myschefe neyther take they any rest except they haue fyrst done some harme For they eate the breade of wickednes and drynke the wyne of robbery The path of the righteous shynneth as the light that is euer brighter and brighter vnto the perfecte daye But the waye of the vngodly is as the darknesse wherin men fall Deut. 6. ◠and .11 c or they be aware My sonne marke my wordes and enclyne thyne eare vnto my sayenges Let them not departe from thyne eyes but kepe them euen in the midst of thyne herte For they are lyfe vnto all those that finde them and health vnto al theyr bodyes Kepe thyne herte with all dilygence for thereupon hangeth lyfe Put away from the a frowarde mouth and lette the lippes of sclaunder be farre from the. Let thyne eyes beholde the thyng that is right and lette thyne eye lyddes loke strayght before the. Ponder the path of thy fete and let al thy wayes be ordred a right Deut. 5. d and .27 d Turne not aside nether to the righte hande nor to the lefte but witholde thy fore from euell * For the Lorde knoweth the wayes that are on the ryght hande As for the wayes that be on the lyfte hand they be frowarde For he shall dyrect thy goynges and thy wayes shall he guyde in peace ¶ He warneth to eschew whordome he forbyddeth wastful spendyng he wylleth vs to lyue of our owne laboures Men must loue theyr wyues Capi v. MY sonne geue hede vnto my wisdome and bowe thyne eare vnto my prudence that thou mayst regarde good councell and that thy lyps maye kepe knowledge Pro. 2. b and .7 a Applye not thou thy selfe to the desceytfulnes of a woman For the lyppes of an harlotte are a droppyng hony combe and her throte is softer then oyle But at the laste she is as bytter as wormewod and her tonge as sharpe as a two edged sworde Her fete go downe vnto death and her steppes pearse thorow vnto hell She regardeth not the pathe of lyfe so vnstedfast are her waies that thou canst not knowe them Heare me nowe therfore O my sonne and departe not from the wordes of my mouthe Kepe thy waye far from her and come not nye the dores of her howse That thou geue not thy strength vnto other and thy yeares to the cruell That other men be not fylled with thy goodes and that thi labours come not in a straunge house Yea that thou mornest not at the laste whē thou hast spent thy body and goodes and then saye Alas why hated I nourtour why dyd my herte despyse correccyon Wherfore was not I obediente vnto the voyce of my teachers and herkened not vnto them that infourmed me I am come almost into al mysfortune in the myddest of the multitude and cōgregacyon Drynke of the water of thyne owne well and of the ryuers that runne out of thyne owne sprynges Lette thy welles flowe out abrode that there may be ryuers of water in the stretes but let them be only thyne owne and not straungers with the. Let thy well
people in subieccyon they were bounde with the bondes of darkenes and longe nyght shute vnder the rofe thynking to escape the euerlasting wisdōe And whyle they thoughte to be hyde in darknes of theyr synnes they were scattered abrod in the very myddest of the darke coueryng of forgetfulnesse put to horryble feare and wonderously vexed for the corner where they myght not kepe them frō feare bicause the sounde came downe vexed thē yee many terrible and straūge visions made them afrayde No power of the fyre might geue thē light neyther myght the clere flames of the starres lighten that horrible nighte for there apered vnto them a sodeyn fyre very dredefull Exod. 7. b At the which when they sawe nothynge they were so afrayed that they thought the thinge which they saw to be the more fereful As for the sorcery enchaūtement that they vsed it came to derisyon and the proude wysdome was brought to shame for they that promised to dryue awaye the fearfulnes and drede from the weke soules were sycke for feare theym selues and that with scorne And though none of the wonders feared thē yet were they afrayd at the bestes which came vpon them and at the hyssynge of the serpentes In so much that with trymbling they swowned and said they sawe not the ayer whiche no man yet maye escape For it is an heuy thynge when a man 's owne conscyence beareth record of hys wickednes and condempneth him And why a vexed and wounded conscyence taketh euer cruell thinges in hand Fearefulnes is nothinge els but a declarynge that a man seketh helpe and defence to aunswere for him selfe Psa 45. a And loke how muche lesse the hope is within the more is the vncertēte of the mater for the which he is punyshed But they that came in the mightye night slepte the slepe that fel vpon them from vnder from aboue somtyme were they afrayed thorow the feare of the wonders and somtime they were so weke that they swowned with al for an hasti and sodeyne fearefulnes came vpō them Afterwarde yf any of thē had fallen he was kepte and shut in prison but without cheynes But yf any dwelte in a village yf it had bene an hearde or husbādman he suffered intollerable necessytie for thei were al boūd with one cheine of darkenesse Whether it were a blasyng winde or a swete songe of the byrdes amonge the thycke braunches of the trees or the vehemēce of hasty runnyng water or great noyse of the fallynge downe of stones or the plaieng and runnyng of beestes whō they sawe not or the mighti noise of rorynge beestes or the sounde that aunswereth againe in the hye mountaynes it made thē swowne for very feare For all the earth shyned with clere light and no mā was hyndered in his labour Onelie vpon them there fell an heuye nyghte an ymage of darknes that was to cōe vpon them Yee they were vnto them selues the moste heuy and horryble darknes ¶ The free lyghte that the Israelytes hade in egypte The persecucyon of the faythfull The Lorde smote all the fyrste borne of Egypte The syn of the people in the wyldernesse Aaron stode bytwyxte the lyue and the deed with hys censour Capi. xviii NEuerthelesse thy holy had a very greate lyghte and the ennemyes hearde theyr voyce but they sawe not the fygure of them And bycause they suffered not the same thinges they magnified the and they that were vexed afore bycause they were not hurt now thanked the Exo. 13. a and besought the O God that there might be a difference Therfore hadde they a burnyng pyller of fyre to leade them in the vnknowē way and thou gauest them the sōne for a free gifte wythout any hurte Reason it was that they shuld wante lyghte and be putte in the Pryson of darkenes whych kept thy chyldren in captiuytye by whome the vncorrupt light of the law of the worlde was for to be gyuen When they thoughte to slee the Babes of the Ryghtuous beynge layde oute and preserued to be leder vnto the other Exodi 1. c thou brouggtest out the hole multitude of the chyldrenne and destroiedst these in the mightye water Exo. 14. c. Of the night were our fathers certified afore that they knowinge vnto what othes they had geuen credēce might be of good chere Thus thy people receiued the helth of the ryghtuous but the vngodly were destroied For like as thou hast hurt oure enemies so haste thou promoted vs whom thou calledste afore For the ryghtuous childrē of the good men offred secretly and ordered the law of ryghtuousnes vnto vnitie that the Iuste shuld receyue good and euell in lyke maner syngynge prayses vnto the father of al mē Againe there was herde a disacordyng voyce of the enemyes a pyteous crye for chyldren that were bewayled The master the seruant were punyshed in like maner For they all together had innumerable that dyed one death Neither were the liuing suffycient to bury the deed for in the twincksing of an eye Exod. 11. c the nobliest nacion of them was destroied As oft as god helped thē aforeier wold it not make thē beleue but in the destruccion of the first borne they knowleged that it was the people of God For whyle al thinges were styl and whē the night was in the myddeste of her course thy almyghty worde o Lorde lept down frō Heuen out of thy royall Trone as a roughe man of warre in the midst of the land that was destroyed and the sharpe swearde perfourmed theyr strayght commaundement standynge and fyllyng all thynges with death yee it stode vpō the earth and reached vnto the heuen Then the syght of the euel dremes vexed them sodenly and fearefulnesse came vpon thē vnwares Then laye there one here an other there halfe deed halfe quicke and shewed the cause of his death For the visyōs that vexed them shewed them these thinges afore so that they were not ignoraūt wherfore they peryshed The temptaciō of deathe touched the ryghtuous also amongst the multitude in the wildernes there was insurreccyō but thy wrath endured not longe Nu 16. g. For the fautles mā wente in al the hast and toke the batayle vpō hym brought forth the weapō of his mynistracion euen praier and the censours of reconcilyng set him selfe againste the wrath so brought the mysery to an ende declaryng therby that he was thy seruaūt For he ouercame not the multitude with bodyly power nor with weapons of might but with the word he subdueth him that vexed him putting the in remembraunce of the othe couenaunte made vnto the fathers For when the deed were fallen downe by heapes one vpon an other Ex. 28. b. c he stode in the midste pacified the wrath parted the way vnto the liuing And why in his longe garment was al the beutye and in the foure rowes of the stones was the glory of the fathers grauen and thy maieste was wryttē in the
she whome I call vnto the chyldren of men doo I lyft vp my voyce Take hede vnto knowledge O ye ygnoraunt be wyse in herte O ye fooles Geue eare for I wyll speake of great matters and open my lyppes to tel thinges that be ryght For my throte shal be talkyng of thy truth and my lyppes abhorre vngodlynesse All the wordes of my mouth are ryghtuous there is no frowardnes nor falsheed therin They are playne to suche as wyll vnderstande and ryght to them that fynde knowledge Receyue my doctrine and not syluer and my knowledge more then fyne gold For Pro. 3. b wysdome is more worthe then precyous stones ye al thinges that thou canst desyre may not be cōpared vnto it I wysdome haue my dwellynge wyth knowledge and prudēt councel is myne owne The feare of the lord abhorreth wyckednesse pryde disdayne and the euell waye and a mouth that speaketh wycked thynges I vtterly abhorre I can geue councell and be a guyde I haue vnderstāding I haue strengthe Deut. 17. d Sapi. 6. a Thorowe me Kynges reygne thorowe me Prynces make iust lawes Thorowe me do Prynces beare rule and all Iudges of the earth execute iudgemente I am louyng vnto those that loue me and Luke 11. b they that seke me early shal fynd me Ryches and honoure are wyth me yee excellent goodes and ryghtuousnes My frute is better then golde and precyous stone myne encrease more worth then fyne syluer I wyl guyde the in the way of ryghtuousnes and in the strete of iudgement That I maye sende prosperite to those that loue me and to encrease theyr treasure ✿ Sapi. 9. b. The lorde hym selfe had me in possessyon in the begynnynge of hys wayes or euer he begā his workes aforetyme Eccl. 24. ◠I haue bene ordeyned frome euerlastynge and from the begynnyng or euer the earth was made When I was borne there were neyther depthes nor sprynges of water Before the foundacyons of the mountaynes were layde yee before all hylles was I borne The earthe and all that is vpon the erth was not yet made no not the groūd it selfe Sapi. 9. b For when he made the heauens I was presente when he set vp the depthes in order when he hanged the cloudes aboue when he fastened the sprynges of the depe When he shut the see wythyn Gene. 1. a. Iob 2.6 a and .38 a Psalmus 104. certeyn boundes that the waters shuld not go ouer theyr markes When he layde the foundacyons of the earth I was with hym orderynge all thinges delitinge daily and reioysinge alwaye before him As for the rounde compasse of thys worlde I make it ioyfull for my delite is to be amonge the chyldren of men Therfore herken vnto me O ye childrē blessed are they that kepe my wayes O geue eare vnto nourture be wyse and refuse it not Blessed is the man that heareth me watchynge dayly at my gates and gyuynge attendaunce at the poostes of my doores For who so findeth me findeth life and shall optayne fauoure of the Lorde But who so offendeth agaynst me hurteth hys owne soule And all they that hate me are the sowers of death ¶ Wysdome moueth all men to embrace her The propertie of a whore Capi. ix WYsdome hathe buylded her selfe an house and hewē out seuen pyllers she hath killed her vitayles powred out her wyne and prepared her table She hath sent fourth her maydens to crye vpon the hyghest place of the Cytie Who so is ignoraunte let hym come hyther And to the vnwyse she sayde O come on your waye eat my breade and drinke my wyne which I haue poured out for you Forsake ygnoraunce and ye shall lyue and se that ye go in the waye of vnderstandynge Who so reprouethe a scornefull personne getteth him selfe dishonoure and he that rebuketh the vngodly stayneth hym selfe Reproue not a scorner leest he owe the euell wyll but rebuke a wyse man he wyll loue the. Gyue a discrete man but an occasyon and he wylbe the wyser teache a rightuous man and he wyll increase in knowledge Iob. 28. d. Psa 111. b Pro. i. a The feare of the Lorde is the begynnyng of wysdome and the knowledge of holy thynges is vnderstandyng Eccle. 1. c For thorow me thy dayes shal be prolonged the yeares of thy lyfe shal be many Yf thou be wyse thy wysdome shall doo thy selfe good but yf thou thynkest scorne thereof It shall be thyne owne harme A folyshe retchlesse woman ful of wordes and suche a one as hath no knoweledge sitteth at the dore of her house in the hye places of the Citie to cal such as go by that walke streighte in theyr wayes Who so is ignoraunt sayth she lette hym come hither and to the vnwyse she sayth stollen waters are swete and the bred that is priuely eaten hath a good tast And he doth not considre that they are but dead whyche be there and that her gestes are in the depe of hell For he that wyll be ioyned vnto her shall go downe to hel but he that auoidethe frome her shal be saued ¶ In this Chapiter and in all that folowe vnto the thyrtie the wyse man exhorteth by dyuers Sentences whiche he calleth Parables to folowe vertues and flee vyces And shewethe also what profet commeth of wysdome and what hynderaunce procedeth of folyshnes ¶ Prouerbes of Saloman Capi. x. A Wyse Pro 1◠c sonne makethe a glad father but an vndiscret sonne is an heuines vnto his mother Pro. 11. a Eccle. 5. b Tresures that are wickedly gottē profyt nothinge but rightuousnesse delyuereth from death Psa 34. b The Lorde wyll not let the soule of the ryghtuouse suffer hunger but he putteth the vngodly from his desyre An ydle hande maketh poore but a quycke labourynge hāde maketh riche Who so regardethe lesynges fedeth the wynde and dothe but folowe byrdes that haue taken theyr flyght Who so gathereth in Sommer is wise but he that is slougishe in haruest bryngeth hym selfe to confusion Blessynges are vpon the heade of the ryghtuous and the mouth of the name of the vngodly kepeth myschefe in secrete Psa 112. a The memoryall of the Iuste shall haue a good reporte but the name of the vngodly shall stynke A wyse man wyll receaue warnynge but a foole wyll soner be smytten in the face Psa 23. a He that leadeth an innocente lyfe walketh sureli but who so goth a wrong waye shal be knowen Eccl. 27. d He that wynketh with his eye will do some harme but he that hath a folish mouth shal be beaten The mouthe of a ryghtuouse man is a vaine of life but the mouth of the vngodly kepeth myschefe in secrete Euell wyll steareth vp stryfe 1. Pet. 4. b and .1 Cor 13. b but loue couereth the multitude of sinnes In the lippes of him that hathe vnderstandynge a man shall fynde wysdome but the rod belōgeth to the backe of the
one only subtyll curteous discret quycke vndefiled playne swete louyng the thyng that is good sharpe which forbiddeth not to do well gentle kynde stedfast suer free hauynge al vertues circunspecte in al thinges receyuyng al spyrites of vnderstandynge beyng cleane and sharpe For wysdome is nymbler then al nymble thinges she goeth thorowe and attayneth to all thinges because of her clennes For she is the breth of the power of God and a pure cleane expressynge of the clerenes of almyghty God Hebre. 1. a Therfore cā no vndefyled thing come vnto her for she is the brightnes of the euerlastynge lyght the vndefyled myrrour of the maiestye of God and the ymage of his goodnesse And for so much as she is one she may do all thynges and beynge stedfaste her selfe she renueth al and amonge the people conueyeth she her selfe into the holy Soule She maketh Goddes frēdes and Prophetes for God loueth no man but him in whom wisdom dwelleth For she is more beutiful then the Sunne and gyueth more lyght thē the starres and the daye is not to be compared vnto her for vpon the daye commeth nyght But wickednesse cannot ouercome wysdome and foolyshenes maye not be with her ¶ The effectes of wysedome Capi. viii WYsedome reachethe frome one ende vnto an other myghtely and louinglye dothe she order all thynges I haue loued her and laboured for her euen fro my youth vp I dyd my diligēce to mary my selfe with her suche loue had I vnto her beutie Who so hath the company of God commendeth her nobilitie yee the Lorde of al thynges him selfe loue her For she is the scolemastresse of the nurtour of God and the choser out of hys workes Yf a mā wold desire riches in this lyfe what is richer then wysdom that worketh al thynges thou wylt say vnderstandyng worketh What is it amonge al thinges that worketh more then wysdome Yf a man loue vertue and ryghtuousnesse let hym laboure for wysdome for she hathe great vertues And why she teacheth sobernes and prudence rightuousnes and strength which are such thinges as men cā haue nothing more profitable in their lyfe Yf a man desyre much knowledge she can tel the thinges that are past and discerne thynges for to come she knowethe the subtilities of wordes cā expoūd darke sentences She can tell of tokens woūderous thinges or euer they come to passe and the ende of al tymes and ages So I purposed after thys maner I wil take her vnto my company and commen louingly with her no doubte she shall gyue me good counsell and speake comfortably vnto me in my carfulnes gref For her sake shal I be well and honestly taken amonge the comens Lordes of the counsel Though I be yong yet shal I haue sharpe vnderstandyng so that I shal be meruelous in the sight of greate men and the faces of Princes shal wonder at me When I holde my tonge they shal abyde my leisure whē I speake thei shal loke vpō me Iob. 26. c. yf I talke much they shal laye theyr hādes vpon theyr mouth Moreouer by the meanes of her I shal obtayne immortalyte and leaue behinde me an euerlastynge memoryall amonge them that come after me I shall set the people in order and the nacyons shal be subdued vnto me Horrible tiraunte shal be afrayed when they do but hear of me amonge the multitude I shall be counted good and myghtye in batayle When I come home I shall fynde rest with her for her company hath no bitternesse and her felowshippe hath no tediousnes but myrth and ioye Nowe when I consydered these thynges by my selfe and pondred thē in my herte howe that to be ioyned vnto wysdome is immortalytye and greate pleasure to haue her frendshyp howe that in the workes of her handes are infinite ryches howe that who so kepeth cōpany with her shal be wise and that he which talketh with her shal cōe to honoure I wente about sekyng to get her vnto me For I was a childe of a rype wytte and had a good vnderstandynge But whē I grew to more vnderstandyng I came to an vndefyled bodye Neuertheles when I perceyued that I coulde not kepe my selfe chaste Iacob 1. b Chastitie excepte god gaue it me and that was a poynte of wysdome also to knowe whose gyfte it was I stept vnto the Lorde and besought hym and with my hole harte I sayd after this maner A Prayer of Salomon to obtayne wysdome Capi. ix O God of my fathers and Lorde of mercye thou that haste made all thynges with thy worde 3. Reg. 3. d Gene. 1. c and ordeyned man thorow thy wysdō that he shuld haue domynyon ouer the creature which thou hast made that he shuld order the worlde accordyng to equitie and ryghtuousnes and execute iugement with a true hert gyue me wysdome which is euer about thy seate Psa 115 b and put me not out from among thy chyldren for I thy seruaunt and sonne of thy handmayden am a feble personne of a shorte tyme and to yong to the vnderstandyng of Iugemēt and thy lawes And though a man be neuer so perfecte amonge the chyldren of men 1. Pa 29. b yet yf thy wysdom be not with him he shal be nothynge regarded But thou hast chosen me to be a kyng vnto thy people and the Iudge of thy sonnes daughters Exo. 25. d Actu 7. f Hebre. 8. b thou hast cōmaunded me to buylde a Temple vpon thy holy mount and an aulter in the cytie wherin thou dwellest a lykenesse of thy holy Tabernacle which thou hast prepared from the begynnyng and thy wisdō with the which knoweth thy workes which also was with the Prou. 8. c Iohn 1. a whē thou madest the worlde and knew what was exceptable in thy syght and righte in thy commaundementes O sende her out of the holy heuens and from the trone of thy maiestye that she maye be with me and laboure wyth me that I maye knowe what is acceptable in thy sight For she knoweth vnderstādeth al thynges and she shall leade me soberli in my workes and preserue me in her power So shal my workes be acceptable and thē shal I gouerne thy people ryghtuously and be worthy to syt in my fathers seate Esa 40. b Rom. 11. d 1. Cor. 1. b. For what man is he that maye knowe the councell of God Or who can thinke what the wyl of god is For the thoughtes of mortal men ar myserable and our forecastes ar but vncertayne And why a mortall and corruptyble bodye 1. Cor. 5. a is heuy vnto the soule and the earthly mansion kepeth down the vnderstandyng that museth vpon many thynges Very hardly can we discerne the thinges that are vpon earthe and greate laboure haue we or we can fynde the thynges which are before our eyes Who wil thē seke out the grounde of the thynges that are done in heuen Oh Lorde who can haue knowlege of thy
potter also takethe teÌ„poreth softe earth laboureth it and gyueth it the facion of a vessel what so euer serueth for our vse and so of one pece of claye he maketh some cleane vessell for seruyce and some contrary But wherto euery vessel serueth that knoweth the potter him self So with his vayne laboure he maketh a God of the same claye this doth eueÌ„ he which a lytle afore was made of earthe him selfe and within a lytle whyle after wheÌ„ he dieth turneth to the erth agayne Notwithstandyng he careth not the more bicause he shal labour nor bycause his lyfe is short but striueth to excel gold smythes the syluersmythes and copper smythes and taketh it for an honour to make vayne thynges For his hert is asshes his hope is but vayne earth hys lyfe is more vyle then claye for so much as he knoweth not his own maker that gaue hym hys soule to worke brethed in hym the breth of lyfe Images They count our lyfe but a pastyme and our conuersacyoÌ„ to be but a market and that men shulde euer be gettynge that by euel meanes Now he that of erth maketh frayle vessels and ymages and knoweth him selfe to offende aboue all other All the enemyes of thy people that holde theÌ„ in subieccyon Psa 113. d are vnwyse vnhappye and excedynge proud vnto theyr own soules for they iudge al the ydols of the heathen to be goddes which nether haue sight to se nor noses to smel nor eares to heare nor fingers of haÌ„des for to grope as for theyr fete they ar to slow to goo for man made them he that hathe but a borowed spiryt facyoned theÌ„ But no man can make a God lyke vnto him for seing he is but mortall him selfe it is but mortall that he maketh with vnrightuous handes He him selfe is better theÌ„ they whom he worshippeth for he lyued thoughe he was mortal but so did neuer they Yee thei worship bestes also which are most miserable for compare thinges that can not fele vnto them and they are worse then those Yet is there not one of these beastes that with his syght can be holde any good thinge neither haue they geuen prayse nor thankes vnto God The punyshment of Ydolaters and the benefytes done vnto the faythfull Capi. xvi FOr these and suche other thynges haue they suffered worthye punyshment and thorow the multitude of beastes are they roted out In stede of the whiche punyshmentes thou haste gracyously ordered thine owne people Nu. 21. a and giuen them theyr desyre that they longed for a newe and straunge taste preparing them quayles to be theyr meat to the intente that by the thinges which were shewed and sent vnto theÌ„ they that were so gredye myght be withdrawen euen from the desyre that was necessarye But these wtin short time were brought vnto pouerte and tasted a new meat For it was requisite that without any excuse destruccioÌ„ shuld come vpon those which vsed tiranny and to shew only vnto the other how theyr enemyes were destroyed For wheÌ„ the euel wodnes of the bestes came vpon them they peryshed thorowe the stinges of cruell serpentes Notwithstandyng thy wrath endured not perpetuallye but they were putte in feare for a lytle season that they myght be-refourmed hauyng a token of saluacioÌ„ to remember the commaundemeÌ„t of thy lawe for he that conuerted was not healed by the thynge that he saw but by the o sauiour of al. So in this thou shewedst thyne enemies that it is thou which delyuerest from all euell Exo. 12. d As for them wheÌ„ they were bytten with greshoppers flyes they dyed for they were worthi to perish by such But neither the teth of dragons nor of venomus wormes ouercame thy chyldren for thy mercy was euer by theÌ„ and helped them Therfor were they punyshed to remembre thy wordes but hastely were they healed agayne leest they shuld fal into so depe forgetfulnes that they myght not vse thy helpe It was neither earbe nor plaster that restored them to helth but thy worde O Lord whiche healeth all thynges It is thou O Lorde Deut. 31. â— 1. Reg. 2. d that haste power of lyfe and death thou ledest vnto dethes dore and bryngest vp agayne But man thorowe wyckednesse sleeth his own Soule and when his spirite goeth forth it turneth not agayne neyther maye he cal agayne the soule that is takeÌ„ away It is not possyble to escape thy hande Exod. 9. For the vngodly that wolde not know the were punyshed by the strength of thyne arme with straunge waters hayles raynes were they ê‘secuted thorowe fyre were they consumed For it was a wonderous thyng that fyre myght do more then water which quencheth al thinges but the worlde is the auenger of the ryghtuous Somtime was the fyre so tame that the beastes which were sente to punyshe the vngodly brent not that because they shuld se and know that they were persecuted with the punyshment of god And somtyme brent the fyre in the water on euery syde that it myght destroye the vnryghtuous nacion of the earth Agayne thou hast fed thyne own people with angelles foode Exo. 16. a and sent them breade redie from heueÌ„ without theyr laboure being very pleasaunte and well gusted And to shew thy rychesse and swetnes vnto thy chyldren thou gauest euery one theyr desyre so that euery man might take what lykes him best But the snow yse abode the violence of the fyre melted not that they might knowe that the fyre burning in the hayle rayne destroyed the fruyte of the enemyes the fyre also forgate his strenght again that the righteous myght be norished For the creatur that serueth the which art the maker is fearce in punyshyng the vnryghteous but is easy gentle to do good vnto such as put their trust in the. Therfore dyd al thinges alter at the same time and were al obedyent vnto thy grace which is the nurse of all thinges accordynge to the desyre of them that hath nede therof that thy children Deut 8. a Mat. 4. a o Lorde whom thou louest might know that it is not nature and the growynge of fruytes that fedeth men but that it is thy worde whiche preserueth them that put theyr trust in the for loke what myght not be destroyed with the fyre as soone as it was warmed with a lytle sunne beame it melted that all myght knowe that thankes ought to be geuen vnto the before the sunne ryse and that thou oughteste to be worshypped before the daye spring for the hope of the vnthaÌ„kful shall melt away as the winter yse and perish as water that is not necessarye ¶ The iudgementes of God vpon the Egyptyans Capi. xvii GReat are thy iudgemeÌ„tes o Lorde thy counsels can not be expressed therfore men do arre Rom 11. d Exod. 10 â— that will not be refourmed with thy wysdome For when the vnryghteous thought to haue thy holy
reioyse in the myddes of his people In the congregations of the Hyest shal she open her mouth and triumph in the beholdyng of his power In the myddes of her people shal she be exalted wondred at in the holy fulnesse In the multytude of the chosen she shal be coÌ„meÌ„ded among suche as be blessed she shal be praysed and shal say I am come out of the mouth of the hiest fyrst born before all creatures I caused the light that fayleth not to aryse in the heuen couered all the earth as a cloude My dwelling is aboue in the heyth my seat is in the pyller of the cloud I my self alone haue gone rounde aboute the coÌ„passe of heueÌ„ pearsed the ground of the depe I haue walked in the floudes of these and haue stande in al landes my dominioÌ„ is in euery people and in euery nacyon and with my power haue I troden down the hertes of all both hye and lowe In all these thiÌ„ges also I sought rest a dwelling in some enheritaunce So the creator of al thinges gaue me a coÌ„mauÌ„demente and he that made me apoynted me a tabernacle saide vnto me Let thy dwellinge be in Iacob and thine inheritauÌ„ce in Israel and rote thy selfe amonge my chosen Prou. 8. c I was created from the beginnyng and before the worlde shall not leaue of vnto the world to come Exod. 31. a In the holy habitacioÌ„ haue I serued before him and so was I stablyshed in SyoÌ„ Psal 13â— a In the holy Citie rested I in like maner and in Ierusalem was my power I toke roote in an honorable people eueÌ„ in the porcyon of the lorde and in his heritage and kept me in the fulnes of the saintes I am set vpp an hye lyke a Ceder vpon Libanus as a Cypers tre vpoÌ„ the mount Hermon I am exalted like a palme tree in Cades and as a rose plaÌ„t in Iericho As a faier Olyue tre in the felde and am exalted like as a planteyne tree by the water syde I haue geuen a smel in the stretes as the Cinamon and Balme that hath so good a sauour yee a swete odour haue I geuen as it were Mir of the best I haue made my dwelliÌ„ges to smel as it were of RosiÌ„ Balbanum of Cloues and Incense and as Lybanus wheÌ„ it is not hewen downe and myne odoure is as the pure Balme As the Terebynt haue I stretched out my braunches my braunches at the braunches of honour and louyng fauour â—â—huÌ„ 15. a As the vyne haue I brought forth frute of a swete sauour and my floures ar the frute of honour and ryches I am the mother of bewte of loue of feare of knowledge of holy hope â—ob 14. a In me is al grace of lyfe truth In me is al hope of lyfe vertue O come vnto me al ye that be desyrous of me and fyl your selues with my fruytes for my spirit is sweter theÌ„ hony and so is my enheritaunce more then the hony combe the remembraunce of me endureth for euermore They that eate me shal haue the more honger and they that drynke me shal thyrst the more Who so herkeneth vnto me shal not come to confusion and they that worke in me shall not offende They that make me to be knowen shal haue euerlastyng lyfe Al these thynges ar the boke of lyfe the couenaunt of the hiest and the knowlege of the truth Exo. 20. a 〈◊〉 24. a Moses coÌ„maunded the law in the preceptes of ryghtuousnes for an herytage vnto the house of Iacob â—salmus 1â— b. coÌ„mytted the ê“mises vnto Israel Out of Dauid his seruauÌ„t he ordened to raise vp a most mightie Kynge syttyng in the seat of honour for euermore Actes 7 b. Deut. 4. a and .29 b This fylleth with wysdome lyke as the floud of Physon as the floude of Tigris when the new frutes are a growing Iosue 3. c This bringeth a plentuous vnderstanding like Euphrates and fylleth it vp as Iordane in the time of haruest This maketh nurtur to breake forth as the lyghte and as the water GihoÌ„ in the haruest The first hath not knowen her perfectly no more shal the last seke out the grounde of her For her thought is fuller then the see her councel is profunder then the great depe I wisdom haue cast out floudes I am as a great waterbroke out of the ryuer I am as the ryuer Doryx and as a water condyte am I come out of the gardein of pleasure I said I wil water the garden of my yonge plantes and fyl the frute of my birth So my waterbroke became excedynge greate my ryuer aproched vnto the see For I make doctryne to be vnto al men as lyghte as the fayer mornynge and I shall make it to be euer the clearer I wyll pearse thorowe all the lower partes of the earthe I wyll loke vpon al suche as be a sleape and lyghten al them that put theyr trust in the Lord. I shal yet poure out doctrine like as prophecye and leaue it vnto such as seke after wysdom and theyr generacions shal I neuer fayle vnto the holy euerlastyng world Eccl. 33. b Beholde how that I haue not laboured for my selfe only but for al theÌ„ that seke after the truth ¶ Of thre thynges whiche pleaseth God and of thre which he hateth Of nyne thynges that be not to be suspect of the tenth chefelye of the malyce of a woman Capi. xxv THre thynges there are that my spy ryte fauoureth which be also alowed before God and men Gen. 13. b Rom 11. a The vnyte of brethren ‡ Ex. 40 a the loue of neighbours and man and wyfe that agree well together Thre thynges ther be which my soule hateth I vtterlye abhorre the lyfe of theÌ„ A poore man that is proude A rich man that is a lyer Gene. 18 b and an old body that doteth and is vnchast Yf thou hast gathered nothyng in thy youth what wylt thou fynde then in thyne age O how plesauÌ„t a thyng is it when graye heeded men ar discrete when the elders can geue good counsel â–ª O how comely a thynge is wysdom vnto aged men yee vnderstandyng and councell is a gloryous thynge The crowne of olde meÌ„ is to haue much experyence and the feare of god is theyr worshyp There be nyne thynges whiche I haue iudged in my hart to be happye and the tenth wyl I tel forthvnto men with my tonge A man that whyle he lyueth hath ioye of his chyldreÌ„ and seith the fall of his enemyes Well is him that dwelleth with a houswyfe of vnderstandyng Eccl. 19. c and 24. a. Iame. 3. c that hath not falleÌ„ with his tong that hath not bene fayne to serue such as are vnmete for him Wel is hym that findethe a faythful frend and wel is him which talketh of wysdome to an eare that heareth him