Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	false_a	true_a	worship_n	4,780	5	7.8086	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A05312	An herbal for the Bible Containing a plaine and familiar exposition of such similitudes, parables, and metaphors, both in the olde Testament and the newe, as are borrowed and taken from herbs, plants, trees, fruits and simples, by obseruation of their vertues, qualities, natures, properties, operations, and effects: and by the holie prophets, sacred writers, Christ himselfe, and his blessed Apostles vsually alledged, and into their heauenly oracles, for the better beautifieng and plainer opening of the same, profitably inserted. Drawen into English by Thomas Newton.; Herbarum atque arborum quæ in Bibliis passim obviæ sunt. English	Lemnius, Levinus, 1505-1568.; Newton, Thomas, 1542?-1607.	1587 (1587)	STC 15454; ESTC S108475	134,297	304

away by a kind of strange worship and friuolous manner of religion displeasant and detestable to Almightie God Therefore the Lord seeing them thus lewdly to contemne his precepts so disobediently to transgresse his lawes so vainely to fode themselues in their helplesse hope and to nuzzle their foolish and fantasticall minds in deuise of such deceiueable meanes whereby they thought to make themselues pure and cleane and thereby to haue all things cocksure on their sides as they fondly persuaded themselues God therefore I say bicause he would not see his honor so defaced his glorie so profaned nor his maiesty and magnificence so despised reprooueth them for the same and sharpely expostulateth with them for that they had forsaken him and fled to others that they had gone away from him being the fountaine of liuing waters and digged to themselues broken cesterns and pits that can hold no water And he doth so effectually deale in this his expostulation that he toucheth and reprooueth euery one of them by name I had planted thee saith he a noble Vine whose plants were all naturall how then art thou turned into the plants of a strange vnkindlie and bastard Vi●… And bicause he would shew that this their reuolt defection and apostacie could not easilie be done away he addeth further saieng Though thou wash thee with Nitre and multipl●● vpon thy selfe the herb Borith or vse much sope yet shalt thou be stained filthie and spotted before me in thine iniquitie As if he should thus saie Although in outwarde shew and at the first sight thou seemest through this thy superstitious worship of thine owne deuising and whereby thou dishonorest the glory of God with thy hypocriticall and visured Religion to haue satisfied for thine offences and to haue washed away thy sins and transgressions yet neuer perswade thy selfe that God is appeased and pleased with any such maner of dealing neither think that thou shalt euer by this meanes recouer that cleere and cleane estate that thou imaginest No no thou must take another course and practise another way if thou desire to appeere faire and beautifull in the sight of God and to be reconciled and at one with the Lorde thy Creator Thou must vtterly defie detest renounce and forsake all filthie Idolatrie all false Religion and counterfait worship all faith and hope in any other sauing onely in the true liuing God thou must leade a godlie and Christian life thou must embrace and follow the rules of honest and vertuous conuersation thou must extirpe and weede out of the garden of thy conscience all 〈◊〉 de opinions and wickednes thou must firmely ●… thy faith and assuredly ●… vpon God and ●… lie vnto him and stay assuredly vpon his diuine prouidence For to depend vpon any other helper and to looke for safegard protection or saluation at the handes of any other or by any other meane or maner of counterfeit superstitious worship neither required nor commanded by God is not onely vaine foolish bootelesse and helplesse but also damnable iniurious and derogatorie to the maiestie of God This herbe Borith or Struthion which we heere cal Sopewort or fullers weed doth naturally indeed whiten and scowre wollen clothes and that excellently so doth Sope supple and smooth the skin and taketh away the spots freckles or morphew in the face and bodie but no worldly thing can be found that hath such abstersiue facultie to wipe away and mundifie the spots and filth of the Soule He that refuseth to acknowledge his discase and wilfully contemneth the holesome direction and sound counsell of the faithfull and learned Phisition is incurable and in a desperate case to such an one Hippocrates for biddeth to appy any medicine Yea another maner of teacher than Hippocrates euen the heauenly Physition Christ our Sauior Redeemer chargeth vs to depart from them and to leaue them to their owne folly when as no labor care industrie paines and diligence bestowed vpon them for their amendment and recouerie will take place and be harkened vnto But God by his Prophet Malachie promiseth that he will sende his messenger or ambassador to prepare his waie by which prophecie was ment Iohn Baptist as Christ himselfe in the Gospell expoundeth it and that speedily thereupon the Lord and gouernor himselfe should come that is to saie Christ who at his cōming shuld renue many things and bestow much labor among them to amende their liues correct their sins direct their maners which haue the charge of the Lords flock to teach and instruct them with good and holesome doctrine For he is like a purging fire and like Fullers s●pe And he shall sit downe to trie and fine the siluer hee shall trie and fine the sonnes of Leui and purifie them as gold and s●●uer That is to say he shal make them pure cleane neate fine and trim without any rust or drosse of vices hanging vpon them euen as metals are scoured and burnished in a furnace or Goldsmithes forge It pleased him therfore first to polish and beautifie the Ministerie from all filth and drossines least they that should deale in the sacred mysteries of the Lord and expounde his worde to others shoulde be found themselues enblemished with crimes and ●…med with wickednes And this doth ●… Similitude as we see ●… things being ●… ses apply the same to the minde For this Herbe Struthion Sopewoorte or Fullers weede is a most excellent scowrer of spots and filth out of clothes and of an incredible and notable effecte for the whiting of Wooles or Wollen Yea it is so woonderfully abstersiue that it draweth Phlegme and other corrupt baggage out of the head scoureth and clenseth the breast of all grosse superfluities and so forciblie procureth neesing that it bringeth foorth a childe though it be dead The 11. Chapter Of Scarlet Crimsen Purple THere is a Plant or smal Shrub hauing slender boughes and sharpe prickly leaues whereon there groweth that which we terme call Graine yeelding a most gallant and orient red most delectable to behold and right amiable to the eie Heerewith they vse to die and engraine wool cloth silke and other stuffe into a most braue gallant beautiful and rich rednes Of this Graine is Scarlet denominated and heerewith is it died and of this is mention made many times and often in the Scriptures as also of Purple which were woont to be the peculiar colours for the Robes and Palles of Emperors Kings Potentates and Princes So in that excellent Song or Canticle of Solomon the ruddie lips of the Spouse are compared to a thred of Scarlet or Rose coloured Ribband Iosua being by God appointed to be the captaine and conductor of the Israelites after the death of Moses is saide to haue worne a Scarlet Cloake And Christ as though he had vsurpinglie affected a kingdome was in mockage and derision stripped and cloathed with a Scarlet Robe In the Reuelation also of Saint

he vseth is of the Fig tree when it bloometh For as when the boughes of this Tree be tender and that it beginneth to bring foorth leaues it is a certaine token that Sommer is neere So treasons pestilence wars famine earthquakes c. are the prefaces or prologs to sorrowes and shew that the day of Iudgement is neere euen at the doores Figs are soueraigne good to ripe an Apostumation to asswage and lenifie an harde sore as the noble Prophet Isaiah doth witnes and in his heauenly Prophesies hath accordingly set down For we read that he caused to be made a plaister of drie Figs and laid it on the boyle or impostume of Hezachiah whereby he was recouered to health and had his life lengthened fifteene yeeres The Prophet Nahum aduouching all humane helps to be vaine weake and helplesse and all Fortresses Holdes Castels Towers Skonses Munitions Rampiers Bulwarks to be vnable to stande against God compareth them to ripe Figs which if they be neuer so little shaken fal downe Thus therfore doth he insult vpon the Affyrians All thy strong cities shall be like Fig trees with their first ripe Figs for if they be shaken they fall into the mouth of the eater Whereby he meaneth that all their strength power force shal be confounded and brought to nothing by the mightie hand of God The Lord also by his Prophet Hosea taking from this and such other most sweete and pleasant fruits an apt Similitude doth expostulate and reason with the Israelites bicause they had forsaken so gratious and louing a God and betaken themselues to grosse horrible and palpable Idolatrie For thus doth he set out and expresse his great fauour and loue towards them I found Israel like Grapes in the wildernes and as the first ripe in the Fig tree Of which words the meaning is that he was no otherwise affected toward Israel nor delighted any lesse in them than a wearie and thirstie wayfaring man reioiceth when he findeth a sauorie and moist Grape in some waste wildernes and barren place vnlooked for or some ripe Fig to coole his thirst and refresh his wearied spirits This so great loue of God towards them notwithstanding whereby he shewed himselfe to be delighted no lesse in them than is a wearie and thirstie traueller with some delectable fruit they did not mutually require with loue againe but ran a gadding to Baal-Peor that is to say the Idol of Priapus and there defiled themselues with most shamefull Idolatrie and heathenish worship Infinite bee the Similitudes that are ech where in the Prophets taken aswel from this Fig tree as also from his leaues and from his fruite whereby they somtimes signifie plentie foyson abundance of things and prosperous successe of the godlie in their affaires and dealings somtimes againe they therby meane barrennes dearth scarcitie and destruction of the wicked Thus did Christ curse the Fig tree that had nothing on it but leaues whereby he noted his mislike of all outward shew and hypocriticall ostentation of Religion being not accompanied with good works which are the fruits of a sound faith The Prophet Micah vsing a Metaphor taken from rough and vnmanured grounde and from Trees whose fruites are gathered as in the ende of Autumne it commeth to passe bewaileth the state of the world in his daies and complaineth that he liued in such an age wherin all good and godly men were vanished and gone Wo is me for that I am as one that goeth a gleaning in Haruest and as one that gathereth after the Grapes of the Vintage there is no cluster to eate my soule desired the first rype figs. The good man is perished out of the earth and there is none righteous among men Whereby he meaneth that iustice is banished godlines exiled religion contemned true worship of God troden vnder foote and vtterly suppressed that wickednes flowed iniquitie abounded and all thinges generally were full of blood oppression and crueltie Many other such like textes be there in sundry bookes of the holie Scriptures which might heere be alledged for further proofe and confirmation of this matter but I think it not conuenient to trouble and pester the Reader with the recitall of all sith these fewe afore alledged may suffice The 20. Chapter Of the Palme or Date tree and the fruite thereof and what in the Scriptures is ment thereby THe Palme or Date tree hath a great tall and streight Truncke or stem and many long streight and narrowe leaues or twigges like Reeds or Gladen The fruit is pleasant in tast and is also right medicinable and restoratiue For it cherisheth and comforteth the radicall humor and conueniently nourisheth those bodies that bee drie and exhausted The nature of this tree is to resist and striue against any burden or waight laide vpon it wherefore it was woont to be vsed as an ensigne of victorie to such as were valiant conquerours and puissant warriours for their inuincible courage and vndaunted animositie So the true Seruants Martyrs of Christ which constantly perseuered to the ende in their Christian profession maugre the malice spight crueltie persecution of blooddie Tyrants are read to be araide in long white Robes and to carrie Palmes in their hands in token of puritie and victorie Likewise they that loue righteousnes and embrace equitie boldly opposing themselues against the enimies of God are resembled vnto the Palme and other faire and goodly trees For so doth Dauid saieng The righteous shall flourish like a Palme tree and shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon For whereas the wicked shall wither away like grasse the iust godlie shal prosper and continue stil like a Palme and bring foorth profitable and pleasant fruit And shall triumph as the Cedar which being an high soote and odoriferous tree free from al rottennes and that will neuer putrifie and corrupt yeeldeth also withal a most gallant and delectable shadow And this is it that the holy man Iob ment where vpon confidence of his vpright conscience and true dealing hee boldly pronounceth of himselfe saieng I shall die in my nest and I shall multiplie my daies as the Palme Whereby his meaning was that hee assured himselfe of long life and flourishing daies with much ioy and tranquillitie In that excellent Song of Solomon the haires and locks of the Bridegroome are resembled to the bushie top of the Palm tree which Similitude and resemblance is taken from the yoong tender bundles of twigs and leaues that grow out of the top of this tree or from the cluster or huske wherein the fruit is lapped which is called Phaenico●alanus hauing a blacke browne or aburne colour So that thereby is meant that his haire was glittering shining fast and not shedding as are the leaues of the Palme tree which neuer fall But when God seeth the people to run headlong into perdition to continue in wilfull obstinacie and blindnes and not willing any way to

Orenge and Lymontrees and of their fruits THe olde people of the Iewes were not without the vse of Orenges Citrones and Lymons as well for delight and pleasure as for condiment and sauce They be of colour yellow tawnie saffronlike or palish and for the most part rounde and sometime longwise fashioned like to an egge specially Citrons and Lymons which yeelde foorth a gallant smell doe singularly recreate and comfort the hart Of the pils or rindes of these fruits being cut into small and thinne peeces or slices and condited in honie or preserued in sugar there is ordinarily made certaine delicate innkets and dainty bankerting dishes called Sucket not onely toothsome and pleasant in taste but comfortable and restoratiue also to the hart For which purpose also some do vse to preserue in hony the flowers of this tree before they be full blowen which be very soueraigne and cordiall to restore the spirites being weakned to comfort the hart stomacke and inward faculties and to be giuen to such as be wasted or fallen into consumptions And albeit the trees that beare Cytrones Orenges and Lymons be seuerall distinct one from another yet were they all three by the ancient writers contained and comprehended vnder this one name of the Citron tree There is another tree not the same with this but much differing from it is called also Citrus which beareth not any such braue yellow fruit as this doth And it is not much vnlike to the wilde Cypresse or Cedar tree insomuch that many hold opinion that it is the very same tree which is called in the Bible Shittim wood whereof God commanded the bars beames tables and offering altars of the Tabernacle to be made For the wood heereof is precious and will not rot and putrifie neither will any woormes breede therein And being plained and smoothed it hath a most excellent graine ful of braue running veines all along much like as we see in our common Motley cloth or in braunched Chamlet Durance Mockadoe or Damaske There are vsed to be made of this Wood in some places faire and costly folding Tables of Ioiners worke which for the naturall varietie of the pleasant strakes and amiable colour and also of the eeuennesse and slicke smoothnesse be to the eie of the beholder right gallant and delectable Wherefore I iudge that God would haue such things as serued for the building of the Arke of the Couenant and vse of the Priests in the Temple among the Iewes to bee wrought and made of Cedar and Citron wood For the Iewes being drawen and allured like children with the outwarde glittering shew of externall things it pleased the Lord for the better bringing of them forwarde in the race of Religion and true worship and also the better to keepe them in dutifull awe and obedience to appoint all things in their Rites Sacrifices and Ceremonies gorgeous sumptuous magnificent curious and maiesticall The 38. Chapter Of Saffron SAffron hath a rounde roote like to an Onion leaues or blades long and narrowe like grasse or smal Rushes growing vpwarde of a watchet or pale blewe color from out of the middle whereof there hangeth downe the Saffron blades or threds of a red colour and fragrant smell and of so strong a sent that with his soporous qualitie it much affecteth and preiudiceth the braine But it is so cōfortable for the hart that if it be tied to the ring finger of the left hand it presently pearceth and sendeth his vertue to the hart The agreement and sympathie betweene it and the hart is so great that being either taken inwardly or applied outwardly it foorthward worketh by the Arteries and ceaseth not till it get accesse vnto it Whereby it both procureth beautie to the bodie and causeth a fresh colour in the face so that it be moderately and measurably vsed for immoderate vse thereof will cause a man to laugh excessiuely and as learned Physicions affirm doth so ouerioy him that it putteth him in danger of his life if but the waight of three drachmes thereof at once be taken The vertue therefore of Saffron being so soueraigne and comfortable to the hart of man it is not without good reason that the same is so often mentioned among other odorifetous and sweete herbs in the Garden and Orchards of the Spouse in the Canticles so that for the greater fragrancie there are bounde vp togither as it were into one Nosegay Camphire Spikenard Saffron Calamus Cynamom with al the soote trees and herbes in Lebanon of Incense Myrrhe Aloe and sweete spices By the which is both signified the beautie honor comelinesse and ornament of all the Vertues and also the Praiers of the Church and of the godly which be as the Prophet Dauid saith as the incense and sacrifice of a sweet smell Moreouer as liquors linnen woollen or other wares whatsoeuer be of colour light or deepe yellow browne watchet or red according to the nature of the stuffe and mind of the Dier so hath the same his name giuen vnto it from Saffron Physicions also in iudging of Vrines and marking such as be Saffron coloured or reddish doe note the same for a token of a burning Ague and hote distempered liuer So is there a notable vnguent made of the dregs of the oile of Saffron called Crocomagm● of great effect and vse in Physicke But as touching Garments of Saffron scarlet and purple colours there is often mention found in the sacred Bible as there is also in other Writers in whose Bookes we reade of Emperors Scarlet robes and of the Purple and croceous or Saffron coloured garments of other high personages So doth the Prophet Ieremiah in his Lamentations bewaile the miserable estate of Ierusalem being ruinated and brought to nothing dispoiled of all hir honorable ornaments and ech way pitifully deformed and ransacked They saith he that were woont to fare delicately doo perish and sterue in the streetes They that afore were clad in cloth of Raines Scarlet and Purple make now much of doong The 39. Chapter Of the Myrtle tree which retaineth the same name and is so called in all countries and of the wilde Myrtle THE Myrtle is a small Tree alwaies greene dedicated by the Poets to Venus and consecrated to Wedlock wherin is required chastitie and concord It beareth leaues much like to the Oliue or Priuet but that they be narrower in colour of a dark or deepe green the berries be blacke like to the berries of Iuniper of a winish taste out of the which as also out of the leaues thereof which be soft there is drawen an excellent princelie Oile wherewith Esther annointed hir selfe when she was married vnto king Ahasuerus There is also made of the berries of this Tree an excellent kinde of Wine called Uinum Myrtiles which is indued with an astringent qualitie or binding vertue and singularly comforteth and strengtheneth the stomacke being weake The same is also good to wash such

vnder his protection we shal be safe from all inuasion danger and hostilitie Now forsomuch as in Iudea Syria and all along the region of Arabia felix by reason of the fruitfull soile temperate aire there doth growe great store of most pleasaunt and tall trees the Prophets therfore taking Similitudes from such vsuall and common things doe resemble and compare Emperours kings princes and potentates with their maiestie honor magnificence dignitie power and authoritie vnto high trees as Cedars And such peeres nobles and honourable personages as be not equall in dignitie with monarches and kings nor of such power as emperours and princes but in degree inferiour vnto them be not compared to the Cedar being an high and very tall tree but to the Firre or Plane or other trees not altogither so high beautifull and excellent God therefore by his Prophet Ezechiel vseth a most excelent metaphor in describing the stately maiesty of Pharao and of his prosperous florishing and roiall proceedings insomuch that he there pronounceth no king to surmount no nor yet to match him and yet that all his glorie pompe maiestie and royaltie shoulde easilie and with a trice be brought downe ouerthrowen and turned topsie turuie euen as the highest trees are hewen and cut downe with an axe For thus doth the Prophet begin his matter that forasmuch as that proude hawtie and insolent king had forgotten God and cruelly handled his people therefore destruction should come vpon him and he shoulde not be able to auoide it The word of the Lord saith Ezechiel came vnto me saient Sonne of man speake vnto Pharao king of Aegypt and to his people whom art thou like vnto ingreatnes Behold Asshur was like a Cedar in Lebanon with faire branches and thicke shadowing boughes and shot vp very high so that his top was among the thicke boughes the waters nourished him and the deepe exalted him on high with hir riuers running round about his plants His height was exalted aboue all the trees of the field and his boughes were multiplied and his branches were long bicause of the multitude of the waters which the deepe sent out All the foules of the heauen made their nests in his boughes and vnder his branches did all the beasts of the forrest bring foorth their yoong and vnder his shadow dwelt all mightie nations By which Metaphor he meaneth that many nations were subiect and tributarie vnto Pharao who in the largenesse of dominions surmounted other Princes And his root was neere to the plentiful waters which did conueniently yea abūdantly moisten it Signifieng that his welth riches was increased infinitely and inestimably by reason of the great intercourse and traffike to and fro of Merchants from all quarters The Cedars in the garden of God were no higher than he the For trees did not match him in height and the Plant trees were not like to his boughes Whereby he signifieth that no Prouince in the world was like vnto his no not Iudaea wherin was published the holie Religion and true worship of God nor any other nation whatsoeuer For this his surpassing beautie and incomparable excellencie all the trees of Eden that were in the garden of God enuied him that is his neighbors bordering vpon him and worshipping God aright were mooued with a kinde of enuie and emulation towards him for the same For the godly be sometimes greatly greeued in conscience to see the wicked still to flourish and flaunt in all welfare and prosperitie insomuch that they are almost ready to giue ouer their hold and to shrinke from their tackling Which thing the Prophet Dauid witnesseth saieng My feete were almost gone and my steps had welneere slipt for I fretted at the foolesh when I sawe the prosperitie of the wicked Ieremiah also greatly mooued with indignation heereat disputeth with God about the same and expostulateth in a maner with him for that the way of sinners did so prosper and that the open workers of wickednes had good successe and enioied welfare in all their attempts and dealings Vpon the same argument dwelleth the Prophet Habacuc reasoning and almost chiding with God for the same saieng Wherefore Lord dost thou looke vpon the transgressors and holdest thy toong when the wicked deuoureth the man that is more righteous thā he As though he should say Lord why winkest thou at this geare why holdest thou thy peace at the horrible enormities and wicked dealings of blasphemous and indurate sinners Iob also is inwardly vexed in spirite to see the wicked so aduanced in pride and so laden with prosperitie that they contemne and despise all the godly and vertuous Wherfore saith he doe the wicked liue and waxe olde and growe in wealth Their houses are peaceable without fear the rod of God is not vpō them c. These felicities welfares prosperities successes and iollities of the wicked although at the first sight they may seeme to be reckoned as things of great happines insomuch that the minds and consciences of the godly be therewith sometime maruellously mated and amazed and almost readie to fall yet the end thereof doth euidently declare how fraile vaine transitorie brittle vncertaine and momentanie the same pleasures of those worldlings are when as God doth suddenly ouerturne and bring to nothing al the pomp thereof so that no iotte nor appeerance thereof be finally left as the Prophet in another place plainely sheweth Yet a little while saith he and the wicked shall not appeere and thou shalt looke after his place and he shall not be founde And a little after I haue seene the wicked strong and spreading himselfe like a green● Bay tree and he passed away and lo he was gone and I sought him but he coulde not be founde Signifieng thereby that the wicked roysting in their ruffling pride and bragging in their high huffing state are brought downe from their insolent hautines and vanish away euen as smoke with all their pompe and glorie not leauing their stately houses reuenewes and inheritance in succession to their ofspring and posteritie as by experience in many noble families of ancient decent and honorable parentage is daily seene who not acknowledging from whom all their dignitie and preeminence commeth and whom onely they are to thanke for the same are for their ingratitude by the Lord thus condignly punished And this is the meaning of Ezechiel in this metaphore wherein God threatneth destruction and desolation to a most mightie king for that his hart was lifted vp against the Lorde and that not onely he himselfe should taste these miseries become a pray vnto his enimies but others also his complices and confederates should be cast into the like dolefull calamitie and receiue many other detriments afflictions and corosiues which the Prophet in that Chapter by many metaphores reciteth Like vnto this is that commination of God by his Prophet Isaiah against the arrogancie pride tyranny cruelty and oppression of the

Iohn the Whoore is described and set out Sitting vpon a scarlet coloured beast which Whoore was apparelled in Purple and Scarlet and gilded with golde and pretious stones and pearles hauing a cup of gold in his hand full of abhominations and filthinesse of hir fornication And in hir forehead was a name written A Misterie Great Babylon the Mother of Whoore domes and abhominations of the earth All which is a type and figure of the Citie of Rome as Ierom expoundeth it By which titles tearmes and Epithites he noteth hir hawtie arrogancie snuffing pride and cruell nature embrued with the bloode of Innocents The rich Glutton men●… pell beside his sumptuous fare and delicious bankets was clothed in purple and fine linnen hauing notwithstanding no remorse pitie or compassion on the poore and needy members of Christ From the princely and orient colour of this most delicate and goodlie iuice in the Prophet Isaiah there is taken an occasion of a very fit Similitude and Comparison in the person of God against those that gape after blood and seeke by violence to oppresse the innocent In which Sermon the Lord louingly stirreth them vp to repentance and seeketh to drawe them to an acknowledgement of their wickednes Which if he persuade them vnto and that they will willingly and obediently be reduced brought againe into the right way he assureth them of forgiuenesse and that he will vtterly forget their sinnes and transgressions how manie and how greeuous soeuer they be For thus doth he there reason with them thus doth he begin his Oration speech vnto them Wash ye make you cleane take away the euill of your works from before mine eies cease to doe euill learne to doe well seeke iudgement relieue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse and defend the widowe If your sinnes were as Crimsin they s●… be made white as snowe and though they were 〈◊〉 as scarlet they shall be as wooll Wherby his meaning is that though their sinnes were he●nous and bloody with the murder and death of the Innocent yet were they pardonable and might by earnest and hartie repentance firme faith and assured trust in the mercies of God be easily washed away so that withall there were ioined therewith a ful purpose of amendement and newnesse of life But that Robes and Garments of Scarlet Purple Silke and Veluet were vsed and worn in the old time by the ancient Hebrewes as well for the honor ornament and dignitie of their bodies as also sometime for riotous brauerie proud pompe and wilfull ostentation the Scripture in sundrie places sufficiently witnesseth As namely in Ieremiah where there is an hard doome and dreadfull commination against Israel for that hauing forsaken the Lord their God from whom a●one floweth all goodnes and on whom a●one dependeth their whole and entire saluation they vowed and bowed themselues ●o Idols and went a whooring after strange Gods painting and pranking themselues ●ike adulterous harlots with strange and fo●aine attire thereby to feed the eies of their ●aramours to draw them the sooner into their loue liking When as saith the Lord all places corners shal be ful of slaughter and de●lation when as the strong men being discomfited ●●all flie for feare into thickets and climbe vp into ●igh rocks And when thou shalt be destroied and ●asted what wilt thou doe Though thou 〈◊〉 ●●y selfe with Scarlet though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with ornaments of golde though thou paintest thy face with colours yet shalt thou trim thy selfe in vaine for thy louers will abhor thee and seeks thy life they will not awhit be mooued to compassion with thy gay and braue apparell but greedily seeke thy spoile and confusion Ezechiel also charging Samaria and Ierusalem with whooredome and adulterie by the which he meaneth Idolatrie and Apostasie denounceth against them in the person of God plagues punishments no lesse dreadfull and intollerable For as the breach of wedlocke and defiling of the marriage bed by filthie adulterie is a most wicked and detestable sinne so likewise is Idolatrie a most shamefull and execrable thing when as the honor and glorie due to the liuing God is profaned and giuen to another Wherefore the wrath of the Lord is the more fiercely kindled against them for that not onely in Groues and Valleies they sacrificed to their Idols and set vp vnto them Altars Images and Temples with great pomp●… and foizon of Calues after the maner of t●… Heathen but also by calling and sending f●… others to beare them companie they defile●… his Sanctuarie profaned his Sabboths and polluted his holie Temple consecrated and dedicated to his name And to the inte●… that all things might seeme vnto the beholders more gorgious magnificent and holie●… Thou hast for their sakes saith he washed thy se●… and painted thine ●i●s and decked thee with ornaments And satest vpon a costly bed and a table prepared before it whereupon thou hast set mine Incense and mine Oile and a great multitude with thee reioicing As if he should say The honor and worship which is due and ought to bee giuen vnto me is bestowed vpon Idols and Diuels and that in solemne sort and order while a confused rabble and dissolute multitude of brainlesse Genti●… and wicked Heathen do ioine with thee in the same and run headlong into semblable madnes The 12. Chapter Of the Furze or Brier called Paliurus which is prickly and sharpe and vnto which bloodie cruell deceitfull and hurtfull persons be in the Scriptures compared THe Prophets in many places vehemētly inueighing against the sinnes of the people and earnestly beating downe the rage fiercenesse and crueltie of such as do trouble annoie disquiet damnifie hurt deuoure oppresse and disturbe the state of their seely weake ●…rethren doe resemble liken and compare ●hem somtimes to Wolues Lions Panthers Leopards Adders Snakes and other harme●ull Creatures somtimes to Foxes W●… and other such subtill and craftie beasts and sometimes to Prickles Thorns Briers or other sharpe pointed plants Thus did Michah the prophet bewaile the want and contempt of Religion the ouerthrow and decay of godlines the subuersion of iustice the prophanation of Diuine worship and finally the lamentable reuolt of all men in generall from vertue honesty and integritie So that there was nothing else practized among men but fraude craft subtiltie deceit quarrels vnderminings catching at aduantage lieng in waite wrangling collusion dissembling and al maner of mischiuous drifts and hatefull dealings He doth therefore in this sort amplifie their greeuous enormities and thus doth he aggrauate their faults by laieng them in heapes before them vsing for the ●ame a Similitude taken from Thornes and Prickles Goodmen saith he are perished from the earth and there is none righteous among men they all lie in waite for blood euerie man hunteth his brother with a net and the euill of their hands they call good that is they flatter themselues in their misdeeds and errours the Prince

stone called an Amethist or in common Buglosse and sundry other Herbs whose flowers being of bright purple colour be maruellous pleasant and delightfull to the eies of the beholders And God doth many times and in many places in his worde sharpely reprooue the stately arrogance and pompous prid of such vaine persons as by the brauerie of their apparell and sumptuous araie aduance themselues in bragging sort and ridiculous ostentation malapertly and scornefully contemning others of inferiour calling And sometimes heerehence he taketh apt Metaphors and fit Similitudes applieng the same to the inward gifts and ornaments of the minde For by such examples doth the Lord stir vp and admonish such as be lulled and rocked in the cradle of Security and slouthful retchlessenesse to looke about them and to remember their dutie which they owe vnto God to consider what honor and worship they are bound to yeeld vnto him and how casting aside detesting abhorring and renouncing all superstition and Idolatrie they ought entirely to embrace his pure sincere and sound religion Which thing both in other places but namely by his Prophet Ezechiel he plainelie setteth downe and manifestly displaieth For first he putteth them in remembrance what great and inestimable benefits he had bestowed vpon them how bountiful and liberal he had shewed himselfe towards them what grace and goodnes both spirituall and temporall he had extended vpon them what holesome lawes and profitable precepts he had deliuered vnto them and how fatherlie he had instructed them with the soueraigne skil of his most blessed and sincere Religion Afterwards he expostulateth with them for their reuolt and sliding back he vpbraideth them with their ingratitude vnthankfulnes for that they had abused all these his heauenly blessings and conuerted the same to Idolatrous purposes strange worships and prophane superstitions insomuch that their minde reason vnderstanding and wit was not now emploied as it ought to haue bin in magnifieng his holie name and setting forth his glorious maiestie nor in the maintenance and obseruance of his sacred and pure Religion but in setting vp and establishing Idolatrous superstitious counterfaite and hypocriticall deuises forged out of their owne idle braines Thus therefore doth he ratingly and chidingly direct his speech vnto Ierusalem saieng When as thou wast naked poore needie helplesse comfortlesse and cast out into the open fielde so soone as thou wast borne without swadling clouts polluted in thine owne blood and sprawling in thy naturall filthines not hauing thy nauell cut nor washed in water I came and passed by thee and espieng thee wallowing and tumbling in thy blood I exceedingly multiplied thee as the bud of the fielde insomuch that by little and little in processe of time thou grewest pretie and big able to be decked and fit to be womanlie araide as by thy well fashioned breasts and long growen haire may appeere And although thou wast in this age yet wast thou naked and bare and lay open contrary to the natural shamefastnes of womanhoode to the gazing view of all passengers Yet when I passed by thee and looked vpon thee perceiuing thee to be of such ripe age and mariageable yeeres fit to be wooed and sought vnto by suters and wooers I spred my skirtes ouer thee and couered thy filthines and I shrowded from the fight of men those things that might not with any modestie shamefastnes be seene Yea I sware vnto thee and by a new couenant betrothed thee vnto my selfe and made thee mine Wherevpon hauing receiued thee as my mate and lawfull Spouse I washed thee from thy filthines so that no blemish disgraced thee Yea I annointed thee with oyle and clothed thee with embrodered worke I shod thee with Hyacinth I decked thee with bracelets vpon thine hands and a chaine on thy necke and a beautifull crowne vpon thine head c. Nowe thou being thus pranked vp in brauerie and thus richlie decked hast plaied the harlot and hast powred out thy fornications on euery one that passed by and all those rich ornaments which in right and equity belonged to me thou hast lewdly conuerted to prophane and wicked vses In all which processe of words his meaning is none other than this namely to shew that as an adulterous woman by prostitution of hir bodie becommeth impudent and infamous so was Ierusalem defiled with Idolatrie in that she bestowed that honor worship and seruice vpon Diuels and Idols which in right was onely due vnto God on whom alone dependeth the whole hope health and saluation of all men For then is the Maiestie of the most high God most contumeliously dishonored when the honor which is due vnto none but to him is taken from him and giuen to another wherein he is iniuriously robbed and we thereby forsaking his sincere worship are carried headlong into miserable perdition and manifest danger of our owne Soules health The 16. Chapter Of Sedge and Rushes SEdge called of some Segge or Sheregrasse groweth in fenny Sugs and watrie groundes triangled in form and sharpe edged of each side with the which many in this Countrie do vse in Sommer time to strawe their Parlours and Churches as well for coolenes as for pleasant smell The Rush is a round smooth shoote without knots or ioints hauing within it a white substance or pith which being drawn forth sheweth like long white soft gentle and round thred and serueth for many purposes Heerewith be made manie pretie imagined deuises for Bride-ales and other solemnities as little baskets hampers paniers pitchers dishes combs brushes stooles chaires purses with strings girdles and manie such other pretie curious and artificiall conceits which at such times many do take the paines to make and hang vp in the houses as tokens of good will to the new married Bride and after the solemnitie ended to bestow abroad for Bride-gifts or Presents And bicause the stemme or shanke of this Rush is smooth and vnknottie it hath ministred occasion to the learned thereof to deuise a Prouerbe namely To seeke a knot in a Rush Which is very aptly and fitly applied to those which are scrupulous in cases where no neede is or that make doubt of a thing that of it selfe is most plaine Of the greater sort of these Rushes our people doe vse to make Mats horse-collers wilchins frailes and little maunds In Zeland where the ground is grauelly and sandie there groweth store of Bulrushes which be not of any great height but bee sharpe pointed as an Awle and serue to keep and defend their corne grounds from being ouercouered with sand and dust which the force of the winde tide and weather vsually bloweth and casteth vp Of the slender and streight forme of this Bulrush such yoong simpring Damosels as pranke vp themselues and desire to be slender bodied are termed by Terence to be Bulrushlike As among vs manie daintie yoong huswiues that would faine be fine and slender girde themselues strait and vse to licke Salt fearing forsooth least

people Beholde saith hee I will feede this people with Woormewood and will giue them the water of gall to drinke and I will scatter them among the heathen whom neither they nor their fathers haue knowen and I will sende a sworde after them till I haue consumed them Againe speaking to the lieng and dissembling Prophets which abuse the worde of God and corrupt it with their adle gloses Behold saith he I will feede them with Woormewood and make them drinke the water of Gall for from the Prophets of Ierusalem is wickednes gone foorth into all the land The Prophet Amos also sharpely inueighing against false Prophets that delighted more to flatter the Princes and people with plausible and pleasing tearmes than to prophecie the sincere word of truth and which defiled the right worship and sound religion of God with their vaine phantasticall superstitious and peeuish expositions keeping the heads and rulers in ignorance blinde folding them in errors to whom it cheefely belonged to seeke equitie and administer iustice saith that they turned iudgement into Woormewood and left off righteousnes in the earth that is they digresse and turne away from equitie neither do they faithfully execute the office and dutie of vpright Iudges which is a most bitter and heauie case to a poore distressed innocent man desiring in his rightfull cause to bee deliuered from wrong and oppression In many places doth Isaiah sharpelie reprooue and pronounce greeuous woes vnto such Iudges as call euill good and good euill which put darknes for light and light for darknes and which put bitter for sweet and sweet for sower And in another place he also denounceth seuere sentence against those that take rewardes to oppresse the innocent and to defeate the right of the widow and fatherlesse whose cause they ought to defend and speedilie to see them restored to their lawfull right Thus therefore doth he thunder against such wicked Lawmakers Wo vnto them that decree wicked decrees and write greeuous things to keepe backe the poore from iudgement and to take away the iudgement of the poore of my people that widowes may be their pray and that they may spoile the fatherlesse No lesse terribly doth the Lord by his Prophet Ieremie reprooue such vnconscionable Creatures saieng There are found among my people wicked persons that lay wait as he that setteth snares they haue made a pit to catch men As a cage is full of birds so are their houses full of deceit thereby are they become great and waxen rich they execute no iudgement no not the iudgement of the fatherlesse c. Generally wheresoeuer there is any mention in the Scriptures made of Wormwood it signifieth greeuous calamitie and bitter torment of mind So in that lamentable destruction of Ierusalem the Prophet Ieremiah in the person of his Countrie men and fellow citizens complaineth that He was incompassed with gall filled with bitternesse and made droonken with Woormewood Whereby is meant that the miserie griefe desolation and anguish was so great that nothing coulde be more added therevnto Like vnto this is that complaint of Dauid being dangerously circumuented and maliciously pursued by his enimies where hee powreth out his praiers and requests vnto God saieng O God thou hast cast vs out thou hast scattered vs thou hast beene angrie turne againe vnto vs. Thou hast made the Land to tremble and hast made it to gape thou hast shewed thy people heauie things thou hast made vs to drinke the Wine of compunction and giddines As though he should say Thou hast set such sights before our eies whereby we are nothing at 〈◊〉 cheered but rather discomforted thro●● into sorrow and heauines into griefe pe●siuenes and horror of death euen as they that haue droonke some deadlie poison whereby their vitall parts be incurably infected benummed and stupefied The verie same Metaphor is vsed by the Prophets Isaiah Ieremiah and Ezechiel describing the cup of the Lords wrath whereof as wel the Kings and Princes as the subiects Commons haue droonken and wherby they were carried into such outrage madnes and astonishment that they were euen brought to their wits end and knew not what to do nor which way to turne themselues In no better case shall he be that keepeth companie with whoores and harlots and suffereth himselfe to be insnared and intrapped with their flatteries allurements prouocations and suttleties Which thing Solomon wel knew therfore diligently aduiseth and earnestly warneth a yong man whose age for want of experience is slipperie and vnskilful to disacquaint and estrange himselfe from the companie of wicked women and not to suffer himselfe at any hand to be inchanted with their flattering lures and glosing entisements For the lips of an harlot saith he drop as an honie combe that is hir words be fawning and sweete and hir mouth and throte finer and smoother than oile but the end of hir is bitter as Woormewood and sharpe as a two edged sword For all that she doth is suttle fraudulent and dissembled and the whole drift of hir cunning shifts is onelie to rob spoile and vndoe thee Finally vnder the name of Gal and Woormwood is generally vnderstood heauie noisom hurtfull bitter cruell and lamentable dealings as beside the aboue rehearsed examples is signified also in the Reuelation Where it is read how that the Angell blowing the Trumpet there fell a great Starre from heauen burning like a Torch whereby is meant the wrath of God enkindled against the wicked and the name of the Starre was called Woormewood and it fell into the third part of the riuers and into the fountaines of waters wherefore the third part of the waters became Woormwood and many men died of the waters bicause they were made bitter Now as the coniunctions and aspects of Planets and constellations doe somtime betoken and portend slaughter death decaie harme and danger both to men beasts corne graine and fruits so was this Starre thus falling harmfull vnto mankinde signifieng the wrath and vengeance of God to hang flamingly ouer the heads of all those that be wicked and impenitent The 18. Chapter Of Thistles Thornes Bushes Briers Brembles and Burres how in the Scriptures they be commonly applied and what they signifie THystles Briers Brembles and weeds which grow out of the groūd of themselues without planting or Husbanding yeelde in a manner no kinde of commodity for the vse of man but rather detriment and annoyance both to man by their prickles and to graine by their ill companie and neighborhood Therefore when as God inioined penance miserie and toile to Adam for his transgression he saide Cursed is the earth for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eate of it all the daies of thy life in the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate thy breade Thornes and thistles shall it bring foorth to thee and thou shalt eate the herbe of the field Likewise the Lord being wroth with the Israelites

consolations ioined with menacing threats and sharpe reprehensions qualified with comfortable aduertisements By Smoke vapor and mists by Hay straw chaffe stubble embers dust parings shauings offall riffraffe and other refuse drosse or castaway baggage are meant and signified in the Bible both men and things that belewd light vaine of no account and reckoning of no estimation or commoditie of no price or value but are as trifling paltrie slight trumperie and such base trinkettrie and trash as yeeldeth more harme than benefit more losse than gaine From these are taken many and sundrie notable Similitudes by sacred and holy Writers to garnish beautifie and adorne their sentences withall As when God by his Prophet pronounceth that the wicked shall bee scattered as Chaffe and driuen away as Dust and other baggage stuffe with the wind And likewise in the booke of Iob The candle of the wicked shall be put out that is their honor dignitie glorie state worship and magnificence shall be dimmed and brought downe and they shall be as stubble before the winde and as chaffe that the storme carrieth away that is they shall be suddenly destroied and brought to vtter confusion In like maner the Prophet Isaiah pronounceth desolation to the Moabites and all the enimies of the Church of God saieng that they shall be threshed euen as straw is threshed and as quickly consumed as drie stubble with a vehement fire No lesse dreadfull plagues and lamentable desolation threatneth he to such as haue hardened themselues in sinne and by an vsuall and domesticall practise of ordinarie transgressiō haue entred into familiar league and naturall acquaintance with wickednes If the blacke Moore can change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to doe euill Therefore will I scatter you as stubble that is taken away with the South-winde The like calamitie doth the Lord threaten to fal vpon them that commit Idolatrie and repose their trust in Idols Ye shall be saith he as an Oke whose leafe fadeth and as a Garden ●hat hath no water and your strength that is your false God in whom ye trusted shall be as Towe and the maker of it as a sparke and they shall both burne togither and none shall quench them that is to say all the glittering pompe and painted shew of fained worship and counterfeite religion shall perish and come to naught euen as Flaxe and Towe when fire is put vnto them But to the rest The Prophet Amos sharpely inueigheth against couetous Cornemongers who hauing their Graners and Corne-lofts full fraught and thwackd with Graine swallowed vp the poore and needie being readie to sterue for want of foode making the Epha small and the shekle great that is the measure scantie and the price high and falsifie the waightes by deceit driuing the poore people for verie neede to be glad to take at their hands not onely scantie measure but also in steede of cleane Wheate doe retaile and sell vnto them chaffe dust refuse of-corne huskes pods and baggage woorse than bran whereby they catch the poore within their danger and make them to become indebted vnto them that they dare not go else where to buy any although they might of others buy better cheape These Caterpillers and Cormorants of the common wealth are they that sell the poore for siluer and the needie for shooes braieng the Lordes people in a morter and grinding the faces of the poore as it were against a grindstone He that diligently considereth the drift of this Prophet Amos and searcheth the depth of his meaning in this his sharpe reproofe and satyricall inuectiue against these couetous Chuffes and market raisers which for their owne priuate lucre vncharitably enhaunce the price of Graine and Victuall to the pitifull spoyle of the poore and needie of the land may plainely see the greedie Cobs and hunger snouted Slouches of these our daies liuely in their colours described and may as in a table beholde the punishments that God hath in store for such mercilesse Caitifes as deuoure the poore and withdraw from the needie necessarie foode and releefe expedient for their sustentation But leauing these let vs againe retire to the Metaphores and Similitudes that are taken from this kinde of trifling stuffe and vnprofitable baggage to set foorth other thinges that are sound true and profitable in deede God by his Prophet Ieremie compareth his word and doctrine which is mighty and potentiall in operation and most effectuall in comforting and feeding hungring consciences vnto Wheate For as Wheate giueth sound good and substantiall nourishment vnto the bodie so doth the true word of God mightilie and wholesomely nourish the soule And as for the adle deuises trifling inuentions doting doctrines deceitfull traditions and superstitious religions coyned by mans foolish phantasticall and phanaticall braine he fitly resembleth vnto dreames and chaffe What saith he is the Chaffe to the Wheate that is what hath vanitie to do with veritie what agreement is there betweene truth and falshood what concorde is there betweene grosse darknes of superstitious ignorance and the cleere bright shining light of the glorious Gospell The same Metaphor of Chaffe doth Iohn Baptist the forerunner of Christ vse in his sharpe reprehension and nipping exhortation to the Pharisies and Sadduces which impugned the truth and resisted the benefite of their offered saluation telling them that the Messiah was come who hauing his fanne in his hand would make cleane his floore and gather his Wheate into his garner but woulde burne vp the Chaffe with vnquenchable fire Whereby he sheweth that the godly after the race of this life run shoulde be receiued into euerlasting Tabernacles and the wicked committed vnto euerburning fire Now as Iohn for his part did seuerely admonish the people of their dutie and roundly exhort them to repentance and amendement by alledging Similitudes and parables of an Axe put to the roote of the Tree and of seuering and dissorting the Wheate from the Chaffe so likewise Christ to whom all hypocrisie counterfaite religion and faired sanctitie is loathsome and odious by alledging a Similitude of a beame and of a mote sharpely reprooueth those busie priers into other mens liues which are verie quicke sighted to espie faults and to too curious in noting euen the least ouersightes of others whereas in the meane while in their owne grosse sins they are contented to be as blinde as Betels flattering themselues in their loose dealings and so extenuating their owne mis-vsages as though they were nothing To the end therefore that this and such like enormities and wilfull affections as namely selfeloue ouerweening of our selues insolencie pride hawtines arrogancie statelinesse disdaine contempt of our neighbor hatred wrath desire of reuenge and such other vices might be extirped weeded and grubbed out of mens minds the holie Prophets of God sacred Writers indued with the spirit of wisdome from aboue vsed these meanes to reduce the