which doth mercy righteousnesse and equitie on the earth Also thus sayth the Lord God beholde I will bring enemies vpon thee euen the tyrantes of the heathen these shall drawe out thy swordes vppon thy bewty and wisedome and shall defoyle thy glory Wisedome shall not enter into a froward soule nor dwell in thy body that is subdued vnto sinne Who so despiseth wisedome and nourture is vnhappy and as for the hope of such it is but vayne theyr laboures vnfrutefull and theyr workes vnprofitable For as much as all men be conceaued and borne in sin and that with out the free mercy of God there were no hope of saluation let vs therfore arme our selues with constant prayers vnto almighty God to strengthen vs with the wisedome of his holy spirite that in all our affayres we may therby be able to withstand our aduersary the Diuell Who like a roaring Lion seaseth not but goeth continually about seking whome he may deuoure yet forasmuch as our sauiour Christ hath promâ—sed that to al that with harty repentance and true fayth turne vnto him that on those he will haue mercy let vs therefore yelde vnto God all honour and count our selues moste ignoraunt and pray the Lorde so to enflame our hartes with spirituall wisedome that we may thereby come to the knowledge of hys grace and heauenly benediction Steuen full of faythe and power did great wonders and miracles amonge the people then there arose certayne of the sinagoge which is called the sinagog of the Libertines and Sirenites and of Alexandria and of Cilicia and of Asia disputing with Steuen and they could not resist the wisdome and the spirite which spake Where constant fayth is there is alwayes the spirite of Godes wisdome and to those that do continue therein is euerlasting life Hath not God made the wisdome of the worlde foolishnes for after that the world through wisdome knew not God in y e wisdome of God it pleased God through foolishnes of preaching to saue them that beleue For the Iewes require a signe and the Greekes seeke after wisdome but we preach Christ crucified vnto the Iewes an occasion of falling and vnto the Greekes foolishnes but vnto them which are called both of the Iewes and Greekes we preach Christ the power of God and y e wisdome of God If any of you lacke wisdome let him aske of hym that geueth it euen God whiche geueth to all men indifferently and casteth no man in the teeth and it shall be geuen hym But let hym aske in faith and wauer not The description of Peace PEace being vsed according to y e commaundementes of our sauiour Christ among all faythfull christians is not onely profitable to the body but also to the soule for peace signifieth the ioy of conscience and surenes against the deuill our aduersarye And generally the aboundaunce of all spirituall goodnes because our sinnes are forgeuen vs by Christ. Abraham for that he so peaceably and quietly obayed the commaundemeÌ„tes of the eternall and most mighty God receaued the reward of euerlasting ioyes and also in that he beleued the promises of God without any maner doubt or feare offering vp his onely sonne Isaak and beleuing stedfastly that y e God which had created hym of earth and dust was able to restore hym hys sonne agayne peaceably went to fulfill the Lordes commaundemeÌ„t Therfore y e lord blessed his whole posteritie saying thou shalt goe with thy fathers in peace and shalt be buried in a good age Also wheÌ„ the great dearth and lacke of corne fell in the land of Canaan Iacob sent his sonnes into Egipt to buye corne and there they were knowen of their brother Ioseph and as they returned homeward they found their money in the sackes mouthes at their returne backe agayne into Egipt they came vnto the man that was the ruler ouer Iosephes housholdes and sayde vnto hym Oh sir we came downe hether at the first tyme to buye foode and as we came to an Inne it happened that we opened our sacke and beholde euery mans money was in his sacke with full waight and we haue brought it againe in our handes and other money haue we brought also in our haÌ„des to buy foode but we cannot tel who put our money in our sackes And he saâ—d peace be vnto you and feare not your God and thâ— God of our fathers hath geuen you that treasure in your sackes I had your money Herein is shewed that there was in them a quiet and peaceable conscience not desiring more then that which was dew â—ate them and fearing also that the money being found in their sackes might be an occasion vnto them of a continuall seruitude and bondage with sorowfull myndes brought it agayne vnto the man the which they had thought had formally receaued it Herein they also shewed themselues not onely peaceable and quiet men but also constant and true dealers desiring no more then that which of right appertayned vnto theÌ„ this example may seeme very necessary and profitable among all the professours of Christianitie whereby they may the better know how to vse their crafte and occupiyng wyth truth and equitie Which beyng kept bringeth all such to the peaceable hauen of quiet immortalitie And if thou thus abide in my lawes and obserue my commaundementes I wyll sende peace in the lande and ye shall fleene wythout any man to make you afrayde and I wyll rydde euyll beastes out of your lande and there shall no sworde goe through out your lande and ye shall chace your enemyes and they shall fall before you vppon the sworde and fiue of you shall chace a hundred and a hundred of you shall put a thousande to flight and your enemyes shall fall before you vppon the sworde for I will haue respect vnto you and make encrease and multiply you and set vp my couenaunt with you and ye shal eate olde store and carry out olde for the new And the Lord spake vnto Moyses saying Phinehes the sonne of Eleazer the sonne of Aaron the priest turned myne anger away from the children of Israell in my gelosie wherefore say beholde I geue vnto hym my couenaunt of peace and he shall haue it and hys seede after hym euen the couenaunt of the Priestes office for euer because he was gelious for hys Gods sake and made atonement for the children of Israell When thou commest nygh vnto a Citie to fight agaynste it offer them peace and if they aunswere thee agayne peaceably and open vnto thee then let all the people that is found therein be tributaryes vnto thee and serue thee By these pleasaunt examples is manifestly shewed the mighty power of God to al those that put theyr trust in hym as for example Phinies then which shewed hym selfe a true follower of the commaundementes of God and woulde in no wyse suffer any thing to be done contrary to Gods precept and therefore God made a couenaunt with
purpose So lykewyse the wylie craftes of Sathan doth so stirre the mindes of the disobedient sort that they are careles minding neither to amend their folly nor suffer others to auoyde the same but headlong goeth forth in the demonaicall lawes as brute beastes and at no tyme satisfied Prouerbes 23. A whore is a deepe graue and an harlot is a narrow pi◠She lurketh like a theefe and bringeth vnto her such mē as be full of vice ¶ The signification THese foure sitting banqueting signifieth fleshly delight and the fift which is apparelled lyke a woman with a cup in her hand and whose legges are like vnto a Serpent is called Philogines a louer of Lechery the cup horrour the legs destruction the men fighting murder and hell the place for such offendors whose continuannce is endles WHen man is geuen to the Sodomicall lust then cōmeth misery to the body sorrowe to the life death to the soule S. Paule in his Epistle to y e Romaines sayth that to delight in other mens sinnes is greater offēce then to sinne thy selfe Therfore as y e sinne is horrible to hym that offendeth so is it more greuous to those that are maintainers of the same That which thou art ashamed to speake bee also ashamed to thinke Euill thoughtes bringeth euill factes whereof ensueth greuous offence What was the cause that the Prodigall sonne came to such misery Because he delighted to company with harlottes and inordinate liuers Sodome and Gomorra were destroyed because of adultery lechery fornication rape and inuiolate rauishing which is most horrible What mischiefe fell among the Romaines after that Tarquinus Sextus had violated Lucrecia by hys Sodomicall will Hee was vtterly exiled and neuer after was there any kyng and she after for sorrowe slewe her selfe What monstrous slaughter fell among the Troyans Grecians Fyrst the Grecians rauished Hesiona the daughter of Laomedon king of Ilion And Priamus stale away Helane the wife of Menelaus king of Lacedemonia whereof came the vtter ruine and destruction of Troy Let these few examples guide thee from all such mischiefes Where murther is suffered not seene to in time There mischiefe encreaseth and bringeth to woe All such as to Backus doth honour diuine Shall soone bee bereft their goods to forgoe ¶ The signification THese which are fightyng signifieth incontinence he which is slaine hazarde and death and the one which goeth out with hys sword in hys hand audax one past grace or a murtherer IN the xxvj yeare of Asa King of Iuda beganne Ela the sonne of Baasa to raigne ouer Israell in Thirza ij yere And hys seruant Zimri which was captaine of halfe his Chariots conspired agaynst him as hee was in Thirza drinking and was dronken in the house of Arza steward of his house in Thirza And Zimri came and smote hym and killed hym in the xxvij yeare of Asa King of Iuda and raigned in hys stead Amon being dronken was slaine of his brother Absalon Also Holofernes was slaine by Iudith in hys dronkennes as it appeareth in y e xiij of Iudith Noe being dronken was mocked of hys sonne Cham. Also Polyphemus a monstrous Gyant was in hys dronkennes destroyed by Ulissis Therfore dronkennes doth not only surfet the body for a time but also breedeth extreme malady maketh a man to forget reason and causeth bloudshed wilfull murder so y t it is not onely a griefe to the body in thys world but also an endles sorrow in the world to come When y e Philistines had gotten Sampson also had determined to haue bene mery to see Sampson to play before thē he being blind they reioyced in their God Dagon beleuing y t he had deliuered Sampson into their handes they being in their iollitie were by Sāpson sodainly destroyed in shaking their house all to peces vpon thē Drunkardes shall not possesse the kingdome of heauē c When gredy glotony seketh his ease forsaking true labour which is most fitte Then followeth Podagra with her disease to vtter ruine she doth them knitte ¶ The signification THe woman is Podagra the naked man with the barrell on his legge is Prodigus the other with the grapes in his hand is rauin the cordes are force to destruction and are led by Podagra the gowte WHat thing in a mā is best Reason For by that he goeth before beastes and followeth the Gods wherefore a perfecte reason is that good which properly belongeth to man all other thinges is to hym common with beastes if he bee strong so is the Lyon if he be fayre so is the Pecocke if he be swift so is the horse I do not say y t in euery of these things the other surmounteth hym for I seke not that thing which is most excellent in hym but that which is his owne and belongeth properly to hym for as he hath substance so hath the trees and as he hath voluntary mouing in lyke wyse hath not onely the beastes but also the wormes if he haue a voice so hath dogs and much louder the Egles more sharpe and perching the Bull much greater the Nightingale sweter Thē what thing properly is a mans owne surely reason for that being in the right course perfect maketh a man full of felicitie A drunken workeman shall neuer bee rich and he that setteth nought by a little shall by a little and a little come vnto nothyng Wine inordinately taken troubleth mans reason maketh dull vnderstanding and corrupteth the body and engendreth noysome diseases as the goute empostum plurisies caterns palsies dropsies with such lyke and also infebleth remembraunce sendeth in forgetfulnes poureth in errours bryngeth forth sluggishnes When prelates to wyne doth geue their delight To vanquishe truth which shines so cleare Then followeth death with all thys might Them to prouent and payes their hyre ¶ The signification THe Priest signifieth Newter neyther hoate nor colde the man in the barrell vnsatiable desire the bookes torne vnwrittē verities the Nunne light credence in beleuing the same HOw sufficient vnto a learned man is a small quantitie of wine so that in sleepe he shall not bee sicke therof nor feele any paine Lecherie wine and sacietie consumeth all wysedome Take heede to your selues least your hartes bee ouercome with surfetting and drunckennes and cares of this life and so the day come vpon you vnwares Be not greedie in euery eating and bee not to hastie vppon all meates For excesse of meates bryngeth sicknes and gluttonie commeth at the last to an vnmeasurable heate Take heede therefore that ye walke circumspectly not as vnwise but as wise men redeeming the tyme because the dayes are euill Wherfore bee ye not vnwise but vnderstand what the will of the Lorde is and bee not drunken with wine wherein is excesse It is not I say for kinges to drinke wine excessiuely nor princes stronge drinke for
shalt put thine hand with y e wicked to be an vnrighteous witnes The law doth forbid to iudge of a man except he be knowne to be such a one as hath bene before either an extorcioner or a periured person or such a one as hath bene before an vtter enemy to all good lawes and orders he that iudgeth his brother iudgeth the law What art thou that iudgest an other Go to now ye that say to day and to morrow let vs go into such a citie and continue there a yere and buy and sell and winne and yet cannot ye tell what shall happen on the morrow for what thing is your lyfe it is euen a vapour that appeareth for a little tyme and then vanisheth away for that ye ought to say if the Lord will and if we lyue let vs do this or that but now ye reioyce in your bostinges all such reioysings is euill therefore to hym that knoweth how to do good and doth it not to hym it is sinne he that backbiteth or iudgeth his brother doth iudge the lawe to be euil for the law forbiddeth so to do He that knoweth and yet doth not is without excuse for God hath promised no mercy but to thē that wil do their good will Herein is not onely an excellent admonition vnto worldly iudges but also among all estates so that whatsoeuer he be that by any meanes goeth about to dislike or misuse vnto that person is promised the iust iudgement of God the which hath power to destroy both body soule Thou shalt not fauour y e poore nor honour the mighty but in righteousnes thou shalte iudge thy neighbour thou shalt not go vp and doune as a priuy accuser among y e people neither shalt thou stand against the bloud of thy neyghbour that thou beare no sinne for his sake My sonne forget not thou my law but see that thine hart kepe my commaundements let mercy and faithfulnes neuer go from thee bynd them about thy necke and write them in the tables of thine harte so shalt thou fynde fauour and good vnderstandyng in the sight of God and man Deliuer him that suffreth wrong from the hand of y e oppressor and be not faint harted when thou sittest in iudgement Be mercifull vnto the fatherles as a father be in stede of an husband vnto their mother so shalt thou be an obedient sonne of the highest and he shall loue thee more then thy mother doth At the mouth of two or thre witnesses shall he that is worthy of death dye and at the mouth of one witnes let no man die Beware of bribery and giftes for rewardes and giftes blynde the eyes of the wise and make him domme that he cānot tell men their faultes The Kite in the ayre knoweth her tyme the turtle the Storke and the swalow do come at their seasons my people knowe not theyr lordes iudgemēt A good man will not in his frendes cause do against a weale publike against hys othe nor agaynst the trust which is put in hym for he layeth aside the personage of a frend when he taketh on hym a iudges office The emperor Alexander would neuer suffer to be solde the office of a iudge or great authoritie in y e execution of lawes saying nedes must he sel that doth buy And I wil not let that there shal be merchants of gouernance which if I do suffer I may not condemne for I am ashamed to punish a mā that buyeth and selleth Themistocles being the chief iudge in Athence when there came to hym a great musitian which desired of hym a thyng somewhat against iustice Themistocles aunswered if in singing thou doost not regarde number and tyme thou art not worthy to be called a good musitian nor I a good Iudge if I would preferre before the lawes the priuate fauour of any one person The children of Israell cried out vnto Samuell against his two sonnes the whiche he had made to be rulers of his people because they did peruert y e law and were corrupt with rewardes whose names were Ioell and Abia and required a kyng consider the misery the which hath alwayes happened among cruel and tyrannous iudges and also the happy successe of good godly maiestrates Iudges and other officers and then may it plainely be perceiued to whome Gods mercy is shewed for as he is a god of truth so is he also in vsing hys iustice to the wicked damnation and to the other most happy saluation ⧠The description of Veritie CHrist is the truth and he is also called the spirite of truth not onely because he is true but bicause he maketh y e name into whome he entreth true where as all they do without the spirite is none other thing but lies Also S. Peter saith that all diligence ought to be shewed among christians And hereunto geue all diligence in your fayth ministryng vertue in vertue knowledge in knowledge temperaunce in temperance pacience in pacience godlines in godlines brotherly kindnes in brotherly kindnes loue for if these thinges be among you are plenteous they will make you that ye neyther shall be idle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ. But he y t lacketh these things is blinde and gropeth for the way with his hand and hath forgotten that he was purged from hys olde sinne as many as lacketh these and such like workes are blynde and vnderstandeth not what the faith of Christ meaneth and also without the mercy of Iesus Christ are vtterly secluded from all heauenly felicity which felicitie cannot be gotten of suche with out harty prayers in the tyme of this transitory abode vpon earth and as many as haue in them the motions of these godly and fruitfull vertues may be most assured to be the very elect and that they haue the true faith so long as they cōtinue therin no state no time no florishing power no monarchie nothyng within the circuite of the whole earth may once be compared to the prosperous estate and endeles felicitie of those and such as haue and do obey the liuing God Of Veritie The signification HE which sitteth on the raynebowe signifieth Christ and the sworde in his hande signifieth his wrath against the wycked the round compasse the worlde and those two climing the one a Pope and the other a Cardinall striuyng who shall be higheir and the Diuell which falleth headlong downe is Lucifer whiche through pride fel he which holdeth the world is death standing in the entrance of hell to receyue all such superbious liuers Hezekiah the sonne of Ahaz kyng of Iuda did raigne fiue and twenty yeares olde was he when he beganne to raigne and raigned nine twenty yeares in Ierusalem and he dyd that whiche was right in the syghte of the Lorde and therefore the Lorde prospered hym Teache me and I will holde my tounge and when I doo erre shewe me
is it most deadly to the soule hatefull before God For in what nation or countrey so euer it be eyther suffered or maintayned nedes must grow out of the same such encombrāces amongs the common wealth that without foresight in time it cānot otherwise chuse but grow not only to the bodies of those instruments vexation of mind but also to the soul endles destruction Flattery Makeshifte Desire to haue these as seruants first to parciality and then by obtaining that which by such is required vnsatiable desire so much inflameth their harts that no respect of person is fauoured but those whose pursse bottomes are neuer vncouered God graunt to those whiche in these dayes remayne that they maye see the state of ech degree so amended that vnto whome preferment appertaineth to prefer without y e voluptuous desire of vile auarice And that those pastors which are dayly labourers in Gods vineyarde may be so prouided for and loked vnto that no greedy viper by money or Fee may be suffered to displace the true shephearde of his righte The common practise among many is no soner any spiritual liuing to fal so diligently they watche that eyther by hooke or crooke by giftes and large proffers they neuer cease sute or suing for till it be by such obtayned and that being obtained they are not ashamed to say without spirituall prefermente it were not possible for them to keepe house Saynte Paule in the fifth of the Thessalonians sayth I beseech ye brethren know them which labour among you haue the ouersight of you that ye haue them in reuerence for their worke sake and be at peace with them Surely those which for lukers sake wil rather prefer the temporall mā before the spirituall hath no small accompt to render whē he shal come before the iudge of quicke and dead when for his wicked doyng he shall reape not onely death of body but in body and soul without speedy repentaunce endles destruction God for his mercies sake so open the harts of all magistrates that such greedy vipers may be subuerted Deride not that which is for thy health least haply in thend thou decrease thy welth Where welth doth decrease there sorrowes doth grow therefore do in time the truth learne to know Salomon A wrathfull person prouoketh contention But he that is patient appeaseth debate ¶ The signification THe Bore signifieth Wrath and the mā on his backe mischiefe the Pope in the Flag destruction the Flag vncertaine religion turning and chaunging with euery blast of winde the man killing him selfe desperation the woman madnes AS Seneca sayth Ire troubleth the vnderstanding of the creatures and therfore it is needefull to bee taken heede of Ire accustomed maketh a man to come out of his witte Also ire doth most hurt vnto himself and gēdreth discord all enuie causeth reason to perishe Ire hath so much done y t it hath brought men to desperation and in the end haue hāged themselues Also among the godly there hath bene anger or irefulnes found as when occasion hath bene geuen As for example Moyses was angry agaynst the children of Israell because they kept Manna against the commaundement of God as it appeareth in the .xvj. of Exodus and also for that they did worship the calfe in somuch that he brake the tables of the commaundements as it is written in the .xxij. of Exodus Also Neemias was wroth againste them that committed vsury Looke in the .xiij. of Neemie This kind of anger or irefulnes farre differeth frō wrathfull ire because that the one may rule him self and the other not In wise men the countenance irefull maketh the offenders afrayd but willfull wrath cannot once rule himself A wyse mā in his anger remembreth counsell but the wrathfull person telleth out all and eftsones to his owne destruction Antisthenes Enuy eateth a man As rust consumeth yron The signification THe Asse signifieth wrathfull iustice The mā that is drawē away Truth-Those that draweth Truth by the armes Flatterers The Frier lies the associate with the Frier Periury BEtter is the poore that liueth godly then the blasphemer that is but a Foole. A foole hath no delight in vnderstandinge but onelye in those thinges wherein hys hart reioyseth Riches maketh many frendes but the pore is forsakē of his neighbour A false witnesse shall not escape One witnesse shall not rise againste a man for any manner sinne or for any manner faulte that he offendeth in A wicked iudge geueth audience to false lippes and a frowarde person geueth eare to a disceitfull tounge There can be no greater plague then to haue an Asse to beare autority For by such commeth much dissention Among all Asses the religious Asse of late being in autority hath done moste harme While ye haue light beleue in the light that ye may be the children of light Whosoeuer shall endure to the end shalbe safe Be ye ready for the sonne of man will come at an houre when ye thinke not Who shall lay any thing to the charge of gods chosen it is God that iustifieth who is he that can condemne Pythagoras They which to slaunder or to kill The dead haue their delight ¶ The signification THe man which standeth lyke a Prophet signifieth godlines the Fryer treason the cup with the Serpent poyson the other which striketh with the sworde murder and he which is wounded is peace NOthyng may be more greuous then wrathfull treason because the imaginations therof be endlesse it may therefore bee likened vnto the venim of y e Serpent Aspis whose poyson is vncureable Yet notwithstanding as wrath is deadly so is it trayterous and vnto hym that vseth it double death not onely to the body but also to the soule Example of Ioab who trayterously slue Amason as it appeareth in the xx chapt of the second booke of the Kinges who shewing a countenance of frendlines sodainly strake him into y e body y t he died Faythfull are the woundes of a louer but the kisses of an enemie are cruell He that prouideth for an others destruction let hym bee sure that a lyke pestilence is prouided for him Therefore in time beware and consider and remember ech estate that Sathan the author of all euill do not entise thee but in all temptations call to God and he will helpe thee Are lyke such dogges in fury That at stones doe barke and bite ¶ The signification THe Pope is oppression the mā which killeth is crueltie those which are a killing constant religion the three kneeling loue furtherance and truth to the Gospell c. AMongest men of authoritie there can bee no greater terrour then to the subiecte to shewe crueltie The vaine glory of thys worlde is a deceatfull sweetenes and may bee likened to the Popes suberbius crueltie an vnfruitfull labour a cōtinuall feare a daungerous aduancement a beginning without prouidence an end without repentance
Therfore there is not so much ioye in climing vpward as there is sorrow in falling hard downward nor so much roume after victory as after ruine reproch of follie Therefore bee sure with what measure is mette to others the same to be measured againe If these sentences had bene and were of the enemies of Gods Gospell well cōsidered truly they would not haue shewed so much crueltie in shedding so much innocent bloud as they haue done and continually seeke to do What should hee that is strong auaunt of his strength whō bodily sicknes bringeth to feblenes Therefore in tyme foresee and amend if not the fall will bee the greater Concerning a further setting forth of the Romish Church and crueltie I referre it to other authors which speake therof sufficiently Great griefe assailes the Lecherous minde of such as doth the youth alure More worse then beastes I do thē finde such youth to lechery to procure ¶ The signification THe Goate signifieth Lechery the woman Whoredome◠she which leadeth the Goate by the beard is meretrix the baude and the deuill Nicticorax a blinde guide or deceauer LEchery in all estates is vtter enemie to vertue and an offence to the body It causeth all mischiefe discorde not only betwixt mā and wife but also it engendreth dreadfull hate endlesse destructiō both to the body liuing and also to the soule euerlasting Ualerius in his 4. boke declareth of one Sophonides who in hys old age sayd to one which demaūded of hym if he were any thyng lecherous His answere was willing hym to haue other matters to speake or talke of for sayth he I haue had great victory for that from my tyme to thys present I haue vanquished that which otherwyse would haue vanquished me Looke in the 34. chapter of Genesis and there is manifestly shewed the punishment for adulterers When Dina the daughter of Lea which she bare vnto Iacob went out to see the daughters of the land whom when Sichem the sonne of Hemor the Heuite Lord of that countrey sawe he toke her and lay with her and forced her And when Iacob heard that hys daughter Dina was defiled hee with his sonnes ceased not to auenge the crime committed so that Simeon Leui her brethren toke either of them hys sworde and went into the citie and slue all that was male and also Hemor and Sichem hys sonne c. Looke also in the second booke of the Kinges the 13. chapter of Ammon who for defiling of hys sister Thamar was destroyed by hys brother Absolon Consider also the horrible plage that fell vnto those which had cōmitted horrible adultery with the Leuites wife looke in the 20. chapter of the Iudges Moreouer what was the cause of the Lordes threatning agaynst the Niniuites It was for the wicked sinne of whoredome Who caused Ioseph to be imprisoned Euen the lecherous desire of his mistresse as it appeareth in the 39. chapter of Genesis Therefore lechery doth not onely cause offence by actuall deede but also in inward thought to such as doe desire the same Looke in Math. 5 Who so looketh on a woman and lusteth after her hath committed adultery already in his hart Flie from sinne as thou wouldest flie from a Serpent if not bee thou sure what soeuer thou bee not to haue fellowship with the faythfull Worse then a Pharesite I may them call which lawfull mariage doth disdaine And seekes the truth to bring in thrall all such doth Sathā quit their paine ¶ The signification THe Fryer is Fallax the Nunne Dedecus the deuill in the tree superstition and the other deuill Dicax a reprocher of wickednes and a rayler agaynst the veritie FOrnication ought to bee eschewed Looke in the 1. Corinth 10. chapter The people satte downe to eate drinke and rose vp to play Neither let vs be defiled with fornication as some of thē were defiled with fornication and fell in one day xxiij thousand Therefore to auoyde whoredome let euery man haue his owne wife and let euery woman haue her husband Euery sinne that a mā doth is without the body But he that is a fornicator sinneth agaynst hys own body Wedlocke is to be had in honour amōg all mē the bed vndefiled As for whorekepers adulterers God will iudge There goeth a common saying that there is fornication among you and such fornication as is not named among the Gentiles that one should haue hys fathers wife And ye swell and haue not rather sorrowed that hee which had done thys deede might bee put from among you Therefore flie thys horrible sinne and as for such as will cōdemne the lawfull estate of Matrimonie and honest mariage of godly Ministers such chaste and maidenly prelates of their doinges shall bee shewed as followeth in the fourth part of this treatise of Lecherie Fornication is enemie to God and enuieth vertues It consumeth all substance and deliteth in the appetite present it letteth that a man can not thinke on pouertie which is not long absent If we will consider the excellencie of mans nature and the dignitie therof we shall well perceaue how foule and dishonest a thyng it is to bee resolued in fornication and to liue wantonly Contrarywyse how honest and fayre a thyng it is to liue temperately continently sadly and soberly When Dauid the King by sight had desired the wife of Vrias to fulfill hys lust He was by the Prophet therfore reproued Vrias in the forward being slaine first ¶ The signification THese two armyes signifieth the striuing of the fleshe agaynst the spirite all worldlynes is confounded and happy is he that fighteth by fayth diuine vnto the end AS in the two chapters of Lechery and fornicatiō is described the wretchednes of y e horrible sinne so in adultery and rape shall be rehearsed y e wonderfull calamities and losse of countreyes with the ouerthrowing of kingdomes to the cleane secludyng or cutting of of all such as haue bene maintainers of the same Adulterie is the violation of the fayth promised in mariage the which thing is forbidden vs Thou shalt not breake wedlocke Adulterers are stoned to death Susanna had leauer die then to committe adultery with the two false Iudges Adultery is cause of procuring of other mens death as it appeareth in the xj chapt of the second boke of Kinges Dauid the King cōmitted adultery with Bethsabe the wife of Urias the Hethite and also caused Urias to be put to death being slaine in y e forefrunt of Ioabs hoste The Prophet Nathan being sent of the Lord reproued the king because of his wickednes Also S. Iohn the Baptist reproued Herode for lying with his brother Phillips wife saying It is not lawfull for thee to haue her An harlot will make a man to begge his bread and a woman will hunt for the precious life All bread is sweete to a whoremonger hee will not leaue of till hee haue his
a thousande shall fall beside thee and ten thousande at thy right hand but it shall not come nigh thee yea with thine eyes shalte thou beholde and see the rewarde of the vngodly God beginneth iudgement at his owne house for he sendeth tribulations and afflictions vnto his church If ye be rayled vppon for the name of Christ happy are ye for the spirite of glory and the spirite of God resteth vpon you one theyr part he is euill spoken of but one your partes he is glorified see that none of you suffer as a murtherer or as a theife or an euil doer or as a busie bodie in other mens matters if any suffer as a christian maÌ„ let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God on his behalfe for the time is come y e iudgement must begin at the house of God if it first begin at vs what shal the end be of theÌ„ which beleue not the gospell of God and if the righteous scasely be saued where shal the vngodly sinner appeare wherfore let them that suffer according to y e will of God commit their soules to him with well doing as vnto a faithful creator Riches helpeth not in y e day of veÌ„geaunce but righteousnes deliuereth from death the righteousnes of the iust shall deliuer them but the wicked shalbe taken in their owne vngodlines If we had truely iudged our selues we shoulde not haue bene iudged but when we are iudged of the Lord we are chastened because we should not be damned with the world Uerely verely I say vnto you the tyme shall come and now is when the dead shall heare y e voyce of the sonne of God and they that heare shall liue for as the father hath life himselfe so likewise hath he geuen to the sonne to haue life in hymselfe and hath geuen hym power also to iudge in that he is the sonne of man Maruaile not at this the houre shall come in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voyce and shall come forth they that haue done good into the resurrection of life and they that haue done euill vnto the resurrectioÌ„ of damnatioÌ„ For God so loued y e world y t he hath geueÌ„ his only son y e none y t beleue in him should perish but should haue euerlasting life for God seÌ„t not his son into y e world to condemne the world but that the world through hym myght be saued he that beleueth on hym shall not be condeÌ„ned but he that beleueth not is condeÌ„ned already because he beleueth not in the name of the only sonne of God He that refuseth me and receaueth not my wordes hath one that iudgeth hym the wordes that I haue spoken they shall iudge hym in y e last day There shall goe a fire before hym and burne hys enemies on euery side hys lightnes gaue shine vnto the worlde the earth saw it and was afrayd The Lords comming shalbe heard like a great noyse froÌ„ the Citie and shall reward hys enemyes on a sodayne euen as the trauayling of a wife wheÌ„ she bringeth forth a maÌ„ childe or euer she suffer the paine of the birth and anguish of the trauayle The night is passed and the day is come nye let vs therefore cast away the dedes of darkenes and let vs put on the armour of light Let vs walke honestly as it were in the day light not in eating and drinking neither in foolishnes as strife and enuiyng but put ye on y e Lord Iesus Christ and make no prouision for the flesh to fulfill the lustes of it Of y e times and seasons brethren ye haue no neede that I write vnto you for ye your selues know perfectly that the day of the Lord shal come euen as a theife in y e night when they shall say peace and no daunger then commeth on them sodayne destruction as the trauayling of a woman with childe and they shall not escape therfore let vs not sleepe but watch diligently for the comming of the Lord that at our calling we may be found occupied in all God exercises least being found idell we perish in our owne iniquitie and so come to destruction both of body soule Examine therefore euery maÌ„ amoÌ„g your selues and so spende y e dayes of thys troublesome pilgrimage that in y e ende we may come and appeare at y e generall day before y e eternall iudge who shall iudge all flesh according to theyr desartes and let vs most chiefely pray vnto God so to ayde vs wyth hys holy spirit against the temptacions of Sathan that at our appearance we may be found lawdable and glorious in the sight of that most pure and imaculate lambe Iesus Christ and to receaue y e blessed benediction when he shal say come ye blessed children into my euerlasting kingdome prepared for you from y e beginning of the world And to y e reprobate wicked ones goe ye wicked into the infernall hell prepared for you the deuill and his aungels Let all faithfull hartes pray vnto God and alwayes glorify his most blessed name vnto the which God be all glory power and dominion for euer and euer AmeÌ„ A Smalle reward I looke to haue Of such as do the truth despise No whit at all I mynde to craue But further truth in any wise All flesh is frayle and soone doth rotte As doth the flower in the fielde When man is gonne full soone forgot Therefore in tyme to truth do yelde Lament all flesh that liuing be With brinish teares and blubbrid eyen Then after death you soone shall see The christall glasse of light to shine Which glasse is Christ our Sauiour That for vs all his bloud hath shed Yelde vnto him all might and power Our only ioy and supreme head Let fickle fancie not you moue From him which can both kill and saue For like as gold so will he proue If light you way to late to craue FINIS Eccl. 14 Eccl. 16 Eccle. 10. Oseas 5. Iohn 18. Psal. 15. Ezech. 12. 1. Thess. 5 The property of the viper is the femall biteth of the males head and the yong gnaweth themselues out of their dammes belly Chitofell Aiax 2. Esd. 13. Prou. 19 Deut. 19. Prou. 17. By the Asse is meÌ„t the cruell Antechristians Iohn 12 Mark 13 Luk. 12 Rom. 8 Prou. 27. Tullius Augustinus Ambrosius Ambrosius Gen. 34. 1. Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 7. 1. Cor. 6. Heb. 13. 1. Cor. 5. Augustiâ—us Tullius Exod. 20. Deut. 5. Luk. 18. Dan. 13. Math. 14 Prouer. 6. Eccle. 23. Rom. 1. Hieronimus Luke 15. Abessa of BetheleÌ„ was iudge in Israell about thys tyme. ReguÌ„ 16. â— Reg. 13. Iudit 13. Gen. 9. Ouid. lib. 14. Iudges 17 Cor. 6. Tullius Ecclesia Boctius Eccle. 31. Osea Luk. 21. Eccle. 37. Ephe. 5. Prou. 31. Prou. 23. Eccle. 31. Rom. 12. Eccle. 23. Esau. * Heb. 12 Gen. 25. Exod. 16. Luk. 16. Percius in hys Satires Cato â—
the wicked and bringeth displeasure Money in y e hands of the enuious doth cause much bloudshed Couetous enuy is to no man commodious and without returne by spedy repentaunce bringeth to hel most odious The enuious man that coueteth doth euer grudge at his neighbors prosperitie or welfare he is frend to no m◠he loueth no mā neyther is hys miserable appetite at any time satisfied He that is wicked vnto himselfe how should he be good vnto other men How can such a one haue any pleasure of his goodes Say not thou I will hide my selfe from God for who will thinke vpon me from aboue I shall not be known in so great an heape of people for what is my soule among so many creatures Behold the heauen yea the heauen of heauens the deepe the earth and all that therin is shall be moued at his presence The mountaynes the hilles and the foundations of the earth shall shake for feare when God visiteth them c. Take this for ensample beware in tyme from Sathans driftes do thou declyne Antisthenes It is far better to chaunce among crowes then flatterers For crowes eat the dead the flatterers cōsume thē which are aliue ¶ The signification of the picture HE which sitteth with iiij armes two to deliuer two to receaue The iiij hands signifieth without reward there is little gotten that is to say those ij handes that doth deliuer the writings doth declare prefermēt for smal gaine the other as deceit and they receiue priuily THere can be no greater mischief in a cōmō wealth then vnsatiable or dissembling iustice For where coueteousnes is in y e harte once planted there true lawes are eftsoones euel-fauouredlye racked The couetous dissembler will not be openly seene to receaue anye rewarde but with ypocriticall gloses he will be sure eyther by countenaunce or by some fayned frendship to bring his deceauable purpose to passe vnto such and of such there is no trauaile for him which meaneth truth or for the poore No peny no Pater noster The poore for lacke of substaunce oft loseth that the which might do him good y e rich speedeth or him that hath ought yea and sometime the flatterer also vnder coulour of such like frendship as may pleasure the like and in the end their owne deceiuable couetousnes deceiueth them In thend there followeth ruine of their riches for open oppressiō and without amendment in time hell is their portion Despise not thou the iust poore man and magnifie not the rich and vngodly great is the iudge and mighty in honour yet is there none greater then he that feareth God O ye priestes heare this take hede O thou house of Israell c. In time to beware I thinke it best For that shall bring thy soule to rest Diogenes The seruaunt serueth his master The wicked serue couetousnes The signification THe two on horsback signifieth both estates striuing for spirituall promotions with sufficiency not contented the bag in their handes is vnsatiable desire the deuill flying out is temptacion and the ground opening vnder thē is destruction For when couetousnes is most desired then is death soonest stirred THere is nothing more pestiferous then pride For by pride manne is brought to most miserable state To bee both proude and couetous is two mischiefes vncurable in what estate soeuer they be and thend therof is w tout spedy returne hell death and vtter dedestruction And thus the auaricious man is moste miserable By auarice Iudas betraryed our Lord and Sauiour Iesu Christ and finally dispayred and so hanged hym self Luke 23. By auarice Dalila betrayed Sampson as it appeareth in the. 16. of the Iudges By the which historyes it also appeareth y t auarice bringeth men oft to perdition The like auarice betwixt the popish spiritualty and temporaltye yea and in some professours of the verity which hath brought the common wealth into great miserye God graunt the like be not also found among the greater parte of such as professe or at the lest taketh on them y e names of Christians Wherfore was Semei condemned to death but for his couetousnes Because he departed from Ierusalem against the commaundement of his Lord. Looke more of this in the. 3. boke of kinges the 2. chapter Themistocles It is better to haue men hauing lacke of money Then money hauing lacke of men The signification THe Eliphant signifieth force or strength the mā on hys backe vsury the Flag or banner in hys hand signifieth illusion or vaine hoped time the Wolfe deuouring the lambe signifieth all such gredy oppressours as do oppresse the poore and indigent the cofer vnder hys arme Mammon the purse destruction and he which leadeth the Eliphant is Nigardship and the rope the which he is drawen withall is deceate Whē gredy death doth force assaile and Nigardship begin to flie thē pitie shall hys place possesse laud the name of God most hie A Nigarde is among the couetous and is most to be abhorred For neither enuy deceit nor pride in coueting is or may be compared vnto the churle The Usurer with the churle may well be compared The vsurer with out interest will lend to no man The churle or nigard is no longer quiet then he may be loking or telling his money yea he wil starue himselfe rather thē once diminish any part or portion therof euer coueting and neuer satisfied vsury wyth nigardship are alwayes together and the one is neuer without the other For they are both of one propertye Firste it is breeder of mischiefe nurse to all errours and stepdame to wicked enuy and alwayes bondslaue to mamon whē he seeth it he thinketh neuer to haue inough of the sight thereof and when he doth lende it he is then neuer quiet till he seeth it agayne it is too innumerable to heare the wickednes which followeth the vnsatiable desire of money He that hath not geuen his money vpon vsury nor taken reward against the innocentes The fathers haue eaten sower grapes and their childrens teeth are set on edge Let these few ensamples conuert the gréedy appetite of vnsatiable desire to haue mony for goods and mony were ordayned to serue man and not to rule man Aristippus Get such riches that when the net is broken They may escape with thee The signification THese three on horsebacke signifieth the states of mē worldly minded as Makeshift Flattery and Desire to haue The foremost sheweth those persons of gentilitie that are not contented with sufficiencie and those are Makeshiftes the second sheweth the Popish spiritualtie those are Flattery the third the yeomandry or francklin who seeketh by the recouery of spirituall promotion from the dunghill to a gentleman those are Desire to haue the deuill is destruction the net vnsatiable desire and all these ride to the deuil their soueraigne for spirituall promotion LIke as coueteousnes is enemy to the body by meanes of cares in desiring stil aboundaunce and thereby neuer satisfied So
seruants to do thē seruice as in resisting the forrayne enemy shewing our selues obedient subiects vnto our prince gouerners not after a sodomicall order but after those orders y t are as wel to be alowed of God as of y e Prince or magistrats Euery one y t euill doth hateth y e light neither cōmeth to y e light least his dedes should be reproued but he y t doth truth commeth to the light that his deedes may be knowne how y t they are wrought in God He that commeth from heauen is aboue all and what he hath seene and heard that he testifieth and no man receaueth his testimony he that hath receaued his testimony hath set to his seale that God is true Which seale signifieth our Christian beliefe the which when we haue heard do forth wyth followe to the vttermost on our parts and do stedfastly stande to the same refusing no plagues that may be layde on the body for that sweete fruite of happy ioye but euen to the ende therein so to continue and then haue we beleued and also sealed But he that seeketh hys prayse that sent hym the same is true and no vnrighteousnes is in him yea and he that sent me is true Let God be true and euery man a lyer as it is written that thou mightest be iustified in thy sayinges and ouercome when thou art iudged Let vs geue none occasion of euill that in oure office be founde no fault but in all thinges let vs behaue our selues as the ministers of God in much pacience in afflictions in necessityes in anguishes in stripes in imprisonmentes in striues in laboures in watchynges in fastynges in puernes in knowledge in long sufferyng in kindenes in the holye ghost in loue vnfayned in the worde of truthe in the power of God by the armour of righteousnes of the right hande and on the lefte by honour and dishonoure by euill reporte and good reporte as deceyuers and yet true And I saw heauen open and behold a white horse and he that sate vpon him was called faithfull and true and in righteousnes he doth iudge and make battaile And I sawe an angell stande in the sunne and he cried with a loude voyce saying to all the foules that flye by the midst of heauen come and gather your selues to the supper of the great God that all flesh may be deuoured The multitude that cried are the vniuersall church or congregation of the faithfull which is also to be vnderstanded the wyfe of the lambe The lambes supper is the lyfe euerlasting for all true beleuers to rest in perpetual ioy and endeles felicitie The foules that are called to the slaughter are the true preachers of christes doctrine who are commaunded to kill and deuoure all flesh with the sharpenes of their preaching in rebuking the fleshly liuing in all degrees O Israell if thou wilt turne thee O England if thou wilt turne thee and leaue thine abhominations then turne vnto me sayth the Lord for euen as the Prophet spake vnto Israell euen the very same speaketh he vnto thee O England And if thou wilt put away thyne offences out of my sight thou shalt not be moued and shalt sweare the Lord liueth in truth in equitie and righteousnes and all people shall be fortunate ioyfull in hym Heare the wordes of the Lord O ye children of Israell for the Lord must punishe them that dwell in the lande And why there is no truth there is no mercye there is no knowledge of God in the lande but swearing lying manslaughter thefte and adultry haue gotten the vpper hande therefore shall the lande be in a miserable case and all those wycked offendours that are therin shall be rooted out The Lord kepeth not his wrath for euer and why his delight is to haue compassion thou shalt kepe thy truth with Iacob thy mercy for Abraham like as thou hast sworne vnto our fathers long ago And it shall come to passe that like as ye were a curse among the heathen O ye house of Iuda and ye house of Israel euen so wil I deliuer you that you shal be a blessyng Feare not but let your hands be strong for thus saith the Lorde of hostes Like as I deuised to punish you what time as your fathers prouoked me vnto wrath saith the Lord of hostes and spared not euen so am I determined now in these dayes for to do well vnto the house of Iuda and Ierusalem Therfore feare ye not Nowe the thinges that you shall doo are these speake euery man the truth vnto his neighbour execute iudgement truely and patiently within your portes None of you imagine euill in his harte agaynste hys neyghbour and loue no false othes for all these are y e thynges that I hate sayth the Lorde The law of truth was in his mouthe and there was no wickednes found in his lyps he walked with me in peace and equitie and did turne many one away from their sinnes Kyng Darius made a great feaste vnto hys seruauntes vnto all hys Courte and to all the officers of Media and Percia yea to all the Deputies and rulers that were vnder hym from Iudea vnto Ethiopia a 127. countries so when they had eaten and dronken beyng satisfied and were gone home agayne Darius the king went into his Chaumber and there layde him downe to sleepe and after a while a waked In the meane season the three young men that kepte the kinges person and watched hys bodye communed among themselues and spake one to an other let euery one of vs say something and looke whose sentence is wisest and moste excellent aboue the other vnto him shall Kyng Darius geue greate gyftes and clothe him with Purple and set hym nere the Kinges presence and so euerye one wrote hys meaning sealed it and layde it vnder the kinges Pillowe and sayde when the kyng ariseth we will geue him our writinges and looke whose worde the king and his chiefe Lordes iudge to be most wisely spoken the same shall haue the victory one wrote Wine is a strong thing the second wrote the King is stronger the third wrote Woemen haue yet more strength but aboue all thinges the truth heareth away the victory and this last probleme was written by Zorababel and was by the king and his counsaile estemed most best in that he preferred truth aboue al thinges True frendship and frindes ye surely shall finde where many pure hartes are made in one minde Tobias of the tribe and Citie of Nepthalem whiche lyeth in the hye countreyes of Galile aboute Naason the way towarde the West hauyng the Citie Sephet vppon the lefte syde thoughe he was taken prisoner in the dayes of Salmanazer kyng of the Assirians neuerthelesse being in captiuitie he forsooke not the way of truthe They that doo sinne in vnrighteousnes are the ennemies of theyr owne soules wherefore I tell you the truthe and wyll hyde nothyng from you
serue the Lorde in the truth seeke after hys wyll and doo the thyng that pleaseth him For God is gracious and mercifull he forgeueth sinnes in the tyme of trouble and is a defendour for all them that seeke hym in the truthe And we sawe the glorye of it as the glorye of the onelye begotten sonne full of grace and truthe If ye beleue not that I am he ye shall dye in your sinnes Then sayde they vnto him what art thou and Iesus sayth vnto them euen the very same thing that I spake vnto you I haue many thinges to saye and to iudge of you yea and he that sent me is true then sayde hee to those Iewes whiche beleued on hym if ye continue in my worde then are ye my verye disciples and ye shall knowe the truth and the truth shall make you free but now ye goe about to kill me a man that hath tolde you the truth which I haue hearde of God why doo ye not knowe my speache euen because ye can not abyde the hearyng of my woorde ye are of your Father the Diuell and the lustes of your father will ye serue he was a murtherer from the beginnyng and abode not in the truth therefore ye beleue me not whiche of you rebuketh me of sinne if I say the truth why do ye not beleue me For this cause was I borne and for thys cause came I into the world that I should beare witnes of the truth and al that are of the truth heare my voyce I say the truth in Christ and I lye not if the truth of Christ be in me this reioysing shall not be takeÌ„ away froÌ„ me in the region of Achaia Wherfore because I loue you not God knoweth neuerthelesse what I do that will I do to cut away occasion that they might be found like vnto vs in that wherin they reioyce we can do nothing agaynst the truth but for the truth But let vs follow the truth in loue and in all thinges growe in him whiche is the head euen Christ. Let no maÌ„ deceiue you with vain words for because of such things coÌ„meth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience be not ye therefore companions of them Ye were sometime darkenes but now are ye light in the lord walke as children of light for the fruite of the spirite consisteth in all goodnes righteousnes and truth Study to shew thy selfe laudable vnto God a workeman that neadeth not to be ashamed distributing the word of God truely and iustly as for vngodly vanities of vices passe thou ouer them for they will encrease vnto greater vngodlinesse and theyr wordes shall freate euen as doth the disease of a canker of whose number is Himeneus and Pliletus which as coÌ„cerning the truth haue erred saying that the resurrection is passed al ready and do destroy the fayth of some but the sure ground of God standeth still hath this seale the lord knoweth them that are his and let euery man that calleth on Christ depart from his iniquitie This witnes is true wherefore rebuke thou them sharpely that they may be sounde in the fayth not taking heede to Iewishe fables and commaundements of men that turne away the truth If we say that we haue felowship with him and walke in darkenes we lye and do not the truth I haue not writteÌ„ vnto you as though ye knew not the truth but as though ye knewe it and knowe also that no lye commeth of truth God graunt al christian hearers and readers of his worde to be as well followers as hearers that after this life we may all raygne in the eternall and euerlasting kingdome with God the father and his sonne Iesus Christ to whome be all glory and dominion both now and euer The description of wisdome ANd the Lord spake vnto Moyses saying beholde I haue called by name Besalael the sone of Ury the sonne of Haâ—â—e of the tribe of Iuda and I haue filled him with the spirit of God in wisdome and vnderstanding in knowledge and in all maner of worke to finde out subtill feates and to worke in golde siluer and brasse And now harken O Israell vnto the ordinaunces and lawes which I teach you c. Kepe it therefore and do them for that is your wisdome The valiant and kingly Prophet Dauid in that he feared the Lord the Lord prospered hym and he behaued him selfe wisely in all his wayes and the Lord was with hym wherefore when Same sawe that he was so exceding wife he was afrayde of Dauid The dayes of Dauid drewe nye that he shoulde dye and he charged Salomon his sonne saying I go the way of all the world be thou strong therefore and shew thy selfe a man Kepe thou the watch of y e Lord thy God that thou walke in his wayes and keepe his statutes and his precepts his iudgementes and his testimonies euen as it is written in the lawe of Moyses that thou mayst prosper in all y t thou dooste and in euery thing that thou medlest wiâ—h all concerning Ioab the sonne of Zarine in that he slewe the two capitaines Abner and Amasa Deale with hym therefore according vnto wisdome and bring not his hore heade down to the graue in peace Prudence coÌ„sisteth in knowledge of things good euill ⧠Of wisdome The signification THe house which standeth on the rocke signifieth the stedfast beliefe of the faythfull The other which standeth in the valy and on sandy ground is the church of Antichrist and all popishe preaching whiche house by violence of the water which falleth froÌ„ the heigth ouer turneth it and so lieth voyde and empty Seperate them that do craftely flatter thee froÌ„ those that do faithfully loue thee least the ill men haue most profite by thee By these examples it is manifest that God hath â—lwayes and at all tymes preserued not onely those rulers and maiestrates the which haue vsed and kept hys preceptes wyth prudent wisdome and iust dealing but also as well the poore and simple hath not onely bene vnto those realmes a most prosperous sauiour in sending aboundaunce of all fertility but in the ende an euerlasting redemer vnto enlesse ioyes and most happy felicity Consider the excellent wisdome of Salomon in doyng iustice betwene the two women that stroue for the quicke childe when as the one of them through her necligence smothered her childe and by craft ment to lay her fact on the other to auoyde the blame was reproued and the true mother of the liuing childe was knowen Also God gaue SalomoÌ„ wisdome and vnderstanding exceding much and a large hart euen as the sand that is on the sea shore and Salomons wisdome exceded the wisedome of all the children of the East countrey and all the wisedome of Egipt for he was wiser then all men yea theÌ„ Ethan the Ezrahite and Hemam Chalcol and Darda the sonnes of