Sirach, in The Douay Old Testament (1609–1610)

Ecclesiasticus, the wisdom of Jesus the son of Sirach, with its prologue. This is Sirach as it stands in the second tome of the Douay Old Testament (Doway: Laurence Kellam, 1610), the English College of Douai’s Catholic translation from the Latin Vulgate, in its original spelling. The page gives the edition’s Argument of the book, every chapter with its printed summary, the verse text and the marginal notes, the Annotations and the Prologue of Jesus the son of Sirach.

THE ARGVMENT OF ECCLESIASTICVS.

IN what ſenſe this Booke is ſometimes called Salomons, we haue shewed in the argument before the Booke of wiſdom. As likewiſe that it is Canonical Scripture. Wherto we might adde more teſtimonies of ancient Fathers: as S. Clement of Alexandria, li. 1. c. 8. Pedagogi, Origen. ho. [Margin: Particular teſtimonies that this booke is holie Scripture.] 8. in Numer. & ho. 1. in Ezech. S. Cyprian de opere & eleemoſ. S. Athanaſius in Synopſi, & li. de virginitate. S. Baſil in regul. diſput. reſp. 104. S. Gregorie Nazianzen. Orat. 2. aduerſ. Iulian. S. Epiphanius. haer. 76. & in Ancorato. S. Hilarie, in Pſal. 144. S. Ambroſe de bono mortis. c. 8. & Ser. 22. in Pſal. 118. S. Chryſoſtom ho. 33. ad populum Antioch. S. Auguſtin, li. 2. ca. 8. Doct. Chriſt. & li. 17. c. 20. de Ciuit. S. Gregorie the great. in Pſal. 50. and manie others expreſly cite this booke as holie Scripture, But chiefly we re⟨illegible⟩ie vpon the auctoritie of the Church defining that it is Canonical.

It was written by Ieſus the ſonne of Sirach in Hebrew, about the [Margin: It was written in Hebrew & tranſlated into Greke.] time of Simon Iustus, otherwiſe called Priſcus: and tranſlated into Greke by the auctors Nephew, as the ſame Tranſlator teſtifieth in his Prologue, but expreſſeth not his owne name. It is called Eccleſiaſticus, which ſignifieth a Collector or Gatherer, as a common title of euerie ordinarie preacher, inſtructing and exhorting the multitude gathered to a ſermon: with difference from Eccleſiaſtes: Which ſignifieth The [Margin: Difference betwen Eccleſiaſticus, and Eccleſiaſtes.] Preacher, as a greater title of the chief or principal Preacher of anie Church, Citie, or Prouince, and agreeth moſt eminently to Chriſt our Sauiour: Who preached, and ſendeth preachers to the whole world. And for the excellent contents, it may alſo rightly be called Panaretos, [Margin: Panaretos.] that is, a Receptacle, or ſtorehouſe of al vertues, for the inſtruction of al in general, to cooperate with Gods grace in this life, and ſo enherite eternal glorie. In fourtie and three whole chapters, are mixtly the commendations, [Margin: The contents diuided into two partes.] and precepts of al ſortes of vertues; ſometimes in particular, but more often vnder the general names of wiſdom and Iuſtice. In the other eight chapters are recited manie excellent examples of moſt renowmed holie men: with praiſes and thankes to God.

THE PROLOGVE VPON ECCLESIASTICVS OF IESVS THE SONNE OF SIRACH.

THE knowlege of manie and great thinges hath bene [Margin: By reaſon of a more perfect law the people of Iſrael were more renowmed then anie other nation in the world. Deut. 4.] shewed vs by the Law, and the Prophetes, and others that folowed them: in which we ought :: to prayſe Iſrael for doctrine & wiſdom: becauſe not onlie they in ſpeaking muſt nedes be cunning, but ſtrangers alſo both lerning & writing, may become moſt lerned. My grandfather Ieſus, after he gaue himſelfe more amply to the diligence of reading the Law, and the Prophetes, and other Bookes, that were deliuered vs from our fathers: himſelf alſo would write ſome of thoſe thinges, which perteyne to doctrine and wiſdom: that ſuch as are deſirous to lerne, and to be made counning in the ſame thinges, may more and more be attent in minde, and be confirmed to the life that is according to the law. I exhort you therfore to come with beneuolence, and to read with attent ſtudie, and to pardon vs for thoſe thinges, wherein we ſeming to folow the image of wiſdom, may fayle in the compoſition of wordes: for the Hebrew wordes alſo [Margin (::): Tranſlations into other languages hardly expreſſe the ſe⟨illegible⟩ſe of the original tongue.] fayle when they shal be tranſlated to an other tongue. And not onlie theſe, but the Law alſo itſelf, and the Prophetes, and the reſt of other bookes, haue no ſmal difference, when they are ſpoken within themſelues. For in the eight and thirteth yeare, in the time of Prolomee Euergetes the king, after I came into Aegypt: and when I had bene there much time, I found there bookes leaft, of no ſmal nor contemptible doctrine. Therfore myſelf alſo thought it good, and neceſſarie to adde ſome diligence and labour to interprete this booke: and with much watching I brought forth this doctrin in ſpace of time, that men may lerne thoſe thinges which teach them, that wil applie their minde, how they ought to order their maners, them that purpoſe to lead their life according to the Law of our Lord.

Chapter 1

ECCLESIASTICVS. CHAP. I. Wiſdom procedeth from God, appeareth in his creatures. 10. and is geuen [Margin: The 1. part. Praiſes and preceptes of vviſdom.] in competent meaſure to al that feare God, 16. it bringeth al vertues, 27. excludeth al vices, 33. and is to be ſought in ſimplicitie of hart.

1 AL wiſdom is of our Lord God, & hath bene alwayes with him, & is before al time.

2 The ſand of the ſea, & the droppes of rayne, & the dayes of the world [::] who hath numbred? The height of heauen, and breadth of the earth, & profunditie of the depth who hath meaſured?

3 The wiſdom of God that goeth before al thinges who hath ſearched out?

4 Wiſdom was created before al thinges, & the vnderſtanding of prudence from euerlaſting.

5 A fountayne of wiſdom the word of God on high, and the entrance therof euerlaſting commandments.

6 The roote of wiſdom to whom hath it bene reueled, & the ſubtilties therof who hath knowen?

7 The diſcipline of wiſdom to whom hath it bene reueled, and made manifeſt, and the multiplication of her entrance who hath vnderſtood?

8 There is one moſt high Creatour omnipotent, and mightie King, and to be feared excedingly, ſitting vpon his throne and the God of dominion.

9 He created her in the Holie Ghoſt, and hath ſene, and nummbred, and meaſured her.

10 And he hath powred her out vpon al his workes, and vpon al flesh according to his gift, and hath geuen her to them that feare him.

11 The feare of our Lord is [::] glorie, and gloriation, and ioy, and a crowne of exultation.

12 The feare of our Lord shal delight the hart, and shal geue ioy, gladnes in length of dayes.

13 With him that feareth our Lord it shal be wel in the later end, and in the day of his death he shal be bleſſed.

14 The loue of God is honorable wiſdom.

15 But they to whom she shal appeare in viſion, they loue her in the viſion, and in the agniſing of her great workes.

16 The feare of our Lord, is the begynning of wiſdom, and was created with the faythful in the wombe, and goeth with the elect wemen, and is knowen with the iuſt and faythful.

17 The feare of our Lord is religioſitie of knowlege.

18 Religioſitie shal keepe and iuſtifie the hart, shal geue ioy and gladnes.

19 With him that feareth our Lord it shal be wel, and in the dayes of his conſummation he shal be bleſſed.

20 The fulneſſe of wiſdom is to feare God, and fulneſſe is of the fruites therof.

21 Al her houſe she shal fil with her generations, and the ſtorehouſes with her treaſures.

22 A crowne of wiſdom, the feare of our Lord, replenishing place, and the fruite of ſaluation:

23 and he hath ſene, and numbred her: but both are the giftes of God.

24 Wiſdom shal diſtribute knowlege, and vnderſtanding of prudence: and exalteth the glorie of them that hold it.

25 The roote of wiſdom is to feare our Lord: for the boughes therof are of long time.

26 In the treaſures of wiſdom is vnderſtanding, & religioſitie of knowlege, but to ſinners wiſdom is abomination.

27 The feare of our Lord expelleth ſinne:

28 for he that is without feare, can not be iuſtified: for the anger of his animoſitie, is his ſubuerſion.

29 Vntil a time the patient shal ſuſteyne, and after shal be rewarded of ioyfulnes.

30 A good vnderſtanding wil hide his wordes vntil a time, and the lippes of manie shal shew forth his vnderſtanding.

31 In the treaſures of wiſdom is ſignification of diſcipline:

32 but the worshipe of God, [::] is abomination to a ſinner.

33 Sonne, coueting wiſdom, keepe iuſtice, and God wil geue her to thee.

34 For the feare of our Lord is wiſdom and diſcipline: and that which wel pleaſeth him,

35 is fayth, and meeknes, and he wil fil his treaſures.

36 Be not incredulous to the feare of our Lord: and come not to him with a duble hart.

37 Be not an hypocrite in the ſight of men, and be not ſcandalized in thy lippes.

38 Attend to them, leſt perhaps thou fal, and bring dishonour to thy ſoule,

39 and God reuele thy ſecretes, and in the middes of the ſynagogue caſt thee downe:

40 becauſe thou cameſt to our Lord wickedly, & thy hart is ful of guile and deceite.

Marginal notes to Chapter 1

• 2 [::] Mans vviſdom is not able to comprehend the vvorkes of God.
• 11 [::] Eternal glorie is the fruicte of the feare of our Lord: not that this one vertue ſufficeth, but it is the beginning, grounded in true faith, and bringeth forth other vertues, diuine giftes vvith the fruites of the Holie Ghoſt, & a ioyful crowne in the end.
• 16 Prou. 1. & 9.
• 32 [::] Men drowned in ſinne thincke the ſeruice of God a moſt ted⟨illegible⟩ous & loathſome thing.

Chapter 2

CHAP. II. Whoſoeuer wil ſerue God muſt haue iuſtice, feare of God, and patien⟨illegible⟩; 6. with confidence in God. 14. Diſſemblers, incredulous, and impatient shal be miſerable; 18. but the godlie shal receiue more grace.

1 SONNE coming to the ſeruice of God, ſtand in iuſtice, and in feare, & prepare thy ſoule to tentation.

2 Repreſſe thy hart, & ſuſteyne: incline thine eare, & receiue the wordes of vnderſtanding: [::] and make no haſt in the time of [*] obduction.

3 Suſteyne the ſuſtentations of God: be ioyned to God, and ſuſteyne, that thy life may increaſe in the later end.

4 Al, that shal be applied to thee, receiue: and in ſorow ſuſteyne, and in thy humiliation haue patience:

5 for gold and ſiluer are tryed in the fyre, but acceptable men in the fornace of humiliation.

6 Beleue God, and he wil recouer thee: and direct thy way, and hope in him. Keepe his feare, and grow old therin.

7 Ye that feare our Lord expect his mercie: & decline not from him leſt ye fal.

8 Ye that feare our Lord, beleue him, and your reward shal not be voyde.

9 Ye that feare our Lord, hope in him: and mercie shal come to you for your delectation.

10 Ye that feare our Lord, loue him, & your hartes shal be illuminated.

11 Children behold the nations of men: and know ye that none hath hoped in our Lord, and hath bene confounded.

12 For who hath continewed in his commandment, and hath bene forſaken? or who hath inuocated him, and he deſpiſed him?

13 Becauſe God is pitiful and merciful, and wil forgeue ſinnes in the day of tribulation: and he is protector to al that ſeeke him in truth.

14 [::] Woe to them of a duble hart, and to wicked lippes, and to the handes that doe euil, and to the ſinner that goeth on the earth two wayes.

15 Woe to them that be diſſolute of hart, which beleue not God: and therefore they shal not be protected of him.

16 Woe be to them, that haue loſt patience, and that haue forfaken the right wayes, and haue declined into peruerſe wayes.

17 And what wil they doe, when our Lord shal begynne to looke on them?

18 They that feare our Lord, wil not be incredulous to his word: and they that loue him, wil kepe his waye.

19 They that feare our Lord, wil ſeeke after the thinges that are wel pleaſing to him: and they that loue him, shal be filled with his law.

20 They that feare our Lord, wil prepare their hartes, and in his ſight wil ſanctifie their ſoules.

21 They that feare our Lord, kepe his commandements, and wil haue patience euen vntil his viſitation,

22 ſaying: If we doe not penance, we shal fal into the handes of our Lord, and not into the handes of men.

23 For according to his greatnes, ſo alſo his mercie is with him.

Marginal notes to Chapter 2

• 2 [::] Deſire not to dye, that thou maiſt therby be couered from vvorldl⟨illegible⟩e miſeries, for that is a deſperate deſire, but haue patience in this l⟨illegible⟩fe that thou maiſt fi⟨illegible⟩de reſt in God.
• 2 [*] Co⟨illegible⟩⟨illegible⟩ing.
• 14 [::] As vertues are to be revvarded: ſo al ſinnes shal be punished. Namely external pretence of holines, vvith ſecrete euil intention. Diſtruſt in God. Impatience, and the like.

Chapter 3

CHAP. III. Honour of parents procureth Gods bleſſing, 11. dishonoring them his curſe. 19. Mekenes and modeſtie auaile much: but curioſitie to know ſecret myſteries is dangerous. 27. A charitable, ſincere, and docile hart, 33. with workes of mercie merite reward.

1 THE children of wiſdom, are the Church of the iuſt: and their [::] nation, obedience and loue.

2 [::] Heare your fathers iudgement ò children, and ſo doe that you may be ſaued.

3 For God hath honoured the father in the children: and inquiring of the mothers iudgement, hath confirmed it vpon the children.

4 He that loueth God, praying shal obteyne for ſinnes, and shal refrayne himſelf from them, and shal be heard in the prayer of dayes.

5 And as he that gathereth treaſure, ſo he alſo that honoureth his mother.

6 He that honoureth his father, shal haue ioy in children, and in the day of his prayer he shal be heard.

7 He that honoureth his father, shal liue the longer life: & he that obeyeth the father, shal refresh the mother.

8 He that feareth our Lord honoureth his parents, and as his lordes he wil ſerue them, that begat him.

9 In worke and word, & al patience honour thy father,

10 that bleſſing may come vpon thee from him, & his bleſſing may remayne in the later end.

11 The fathers bleſſing eſtablisheth the houſes of the children: but the mothers curſe rooteth vp the foundation.

12 Glorie not in the contumelie of thy father: for his confuſion is no glorie to thee.

13 For the glorie of a man is by the honour of his father, and the father without honour is the dishonour of the ſonne.

14 Sonne receiue the old age of thy father, and make him not ſorowful in his life:

15 and if he fayle in vnderſtanding, pardon him, and deſpiſe him not in thy ſtrength: for the almes to the father shal not be in obliuion.

16 For good shal be reſtored thee [::] for the ſinne of thy mother,

17 and in iuſtice it shal be builded to thee, and in the day of tribulation there shal be remembrance of thee: and as yee in the clere weather shal thy ſinnes melt away.

18 Of what an euil fame is he, that forſaketh his father: and he is curſed of God, that doth exaſperate his mother.

19 Sonne doe thy workes in meekenes, and thou shalt be beloued aboue the glorie of men.

20 The [::] greater thou art, humble thy ſelf in al thinges, and thou shalt finde grace before God:

21 becauſe the might of God onlie is great, and he is honoured of the humble.

22 Seeke not thinges higher then thy ſelf, and ſearch not thinges ſtronger then thy habilitie: but the thinges that God hath commanded thee, thincke on them alwayes, and in manie of his workes be not curious.

23 For it is not neceſſarie for thee, to ſee with thyne eies thoſe thinges that are hid.

24 In ſuperfluous thinges ſearch not manie wayes, and in manie of his workes thou shalt not be curious.

25 For verie manie thinges are shewed to thee aboue the vnderſtanding of men.

26 Manie alſo haue their ſuſpicion ſupplanted, and haue held their ſenſes in vanitie.

27 A hard hart shal fare il in the later end: and he [::] that loueth danger, shal perish in it.

28 A hart that goeth two wayes, shal not haue ſucceſſe, and the peruerſe of hart shal be ſcandalized in them.

29 A wicked hart shal be laden with ſorowes, and the ſinner wil adde to commit ſinne.

30 To the ſynagogue of the proude there shal be no health: for the shrubbe of ſinne shal be rooted vp in them, and it shal not be perceiued.

31 The hart of the wiſe is vnderſtood in wiſdom, and a good eare wil heare wiſdom with al deſire.

32 A wiſe hart, and that which hath vnderſtanding wil abſteyne it ſelf from ſinnes, and in the workes of iuſtice shal haue ſucceſſe.

33 Water quencheth burning fyre, and almes reſiſteth ſinnes:

34 and God is the beholder of him that rendreth grace: he remembreth him afterward, and in the time of his fal he shal finde a ſure ſtay.

Marginal notes to Chapter 3

• 1 [::] The progenie of Gods children bring forth the fruite of obedience and loue.
• 2 [::] Honour and eſtimation of parents is the chiefeſt obligation that man hath towardes his neighbour, & the firſt after his dutie to God.
• 8 Exo. 20. Deut. 5.
• 10 Gen. 27. &. 49.
• 16 [::] Almes geuen, or prayer made, or ſacrifice offered for parents, doth merite reward at Gods hand.
• 20 [::] Al greatnes in men proceding from God, bindeth them ſo much the more to humilitie. VVhich vertue God moſt ſpecially loueth, that ſo they may ſhew gratitude for his benefites.
• 20 Philip. 2.
• 22 Pro. ⟨illegible⟩. v. ⟨illegible⟩.
• 27 [::] Thoſe that dare liue in ſinful ſtate, tempting God euen to the laſt houre, commonly periſh therin.
• 33 Dan 4. v. 24.

Chapter 4

CHAP. IIII. An exhortation to practiſe workes of mercie. 12. With commendation of wiſdom: 23. (& obſeruing due times) not to omite for anie feare, or sham faſtnes, to ſay the truth, 34. alſo to be diligent, meke, and liberal.

1 SONNE defraude not the almes of the poore, and turne not away thyne eies from the poore.

2 Deſpiſe not the hungrie ſoule: and exaſperate not the poore in his pouertie.

3 Afflict not the hart of the needie, and deferre not the gift to him that is in diſtreſſe.

4 Reiect not the petition of him that is afflicted: and turne not away thy face from the needie.

5 From the poore turne not away thine eies for anger: and [::] leaue not to them that aske of thee, to curſe thee behinde thy backe.

6 For the prayer of him that curſeth thee in the bitternes of his ſoule, [::] shal be heard: and he that made him, wil heare him.

7 Make thyſelf affable to the congregation of the poore, and to the ancient humble thy ſoule, and to a great man bow thy head.

8 Bow downe thyne eare to the poore without ſadneſſe, and render thy debt, and anſwer him peaceable wordes in mildenes.

9 Deliuer him that ſuffereth iniurie out of the hand of the proud: and be not faynt harted in thy ſoule.

10 In iudging be merciful to pupils as a father, & as an husband to their mother:

11 and thou shalt be as the obedient ſonne of the Higheſt, and he wil haue mercie on thee more then a mother.

12 Wiſdom inſpireth life to her children, and receaueth them that ſeeke after her, and wil goe before them in the way of iuſtice.

13 And he that loueth her, loueth life: and they that shal watch to her, shal embrace her ſweetnes.

14 They that shal hold her, shal inherite life: and whither ſoeuer he shal enter, God wil bleſſe him.

15 They that ſerue her, shal be ſeruants to the holie: and them that loue her God loueth.

16 He that heareth her, shal iudge nations: and he that beholdeth her, shal remayne confident.

17 If he beleue her, he shal inherite her, and her [::] creatures shal be in confirmation:

18 becauſe in tentation she walketh with him, and firſt of al she chooſeth him.

19 Feare and dread, and probation she wil bring vpon him: and she wil torment him in the tribulation of her doctrine, til she trie him in her cogitations, and credite his ſoule.

20 And she wil eſtablish him, and make a direct way vnto him, and reioyce him,

21 and wil diſcloſe her ſecretes to him, and wil heape vpon him as treaſures knowlege and vnderſtanding of iuſtice.

22 But if he goe amis, she wil forſake him, and deliuer him into the handes of his enimie.

23 Sonne obſerue time, and avoyd from euil. For thy ſoule be not ashamed to ſay the truth.

24–25 For there is [::] shame that bringeth ſinne, & there is [::] shame that bringeth glorie and grace.

26 Accept no face againſt thine owne face, nor againſt thy ſoule a lie.

27 Reuerence not thy neighbour in his offence:

28 nor kepe in a word in time of ſaluation. Hide not thy wiſdom in the beautie thereof.

29 For by the tongue wiſdom is diſcerned: and vnderſtanding, and knowlege, and doctrine by the word of the wiſe, and ſteedfaſtnes in the workes of iuſtice.

30 [::] Doe not gayneſay the word of truth by any meanes, and be ashamed of the lie of thyne vnskilfulnes.

31 Be not ashamed to confeſſe thy ſinnes, and ſubmite not thy ſelf to euerie man for ſinne.

32 Reſiſt not againſt the face of the mightie, neither labour againſt the ſtreame of the riuer.

33 For [::] iuſtice contend for thy ſoule, and vnto death ſtriue for iuſtice, and God wil ouerthrow thyne enemies for thee.

34 Be not haſtie in thy tongue: and vnprofitable, and remiſſe in thy workes.

35 Be not as a lion in thy houſe, ouerthrowing them of thy houshold, and oppreſſing them that are ſubiect to thee.

36 Let not thine hand be ſtretched out to receiue, and cloſed to geue.

Marginal notes to Chapter 4

• 5 [::] Geue not occaſion by thy hard dealing with the poore, that they curſe thee.
• 6 [::] For if thou geue cauſe, God who is their protector, wil reuenge them againſt thee.
• 17 [::] They that folow wiſdom shal be ſafe.
• 24–25 [::] Through shamfaſtnes to yeld vnto ſinne: or not to reproue ſinne, is vicious.
• 24–25 [::] But to be aſhamed, and to abhorre ſinne is very good and neceſſarie.
• 30 [::] Al men are bonde to ſay the truth at conuenient times, v 23. And euer bond to auoide vntruthes.
• 33 [::] Euerie one is bond ⟨illegible⟩ather to loſe his l⟨illegible⟩fe, then to do againſt iuſtice, o⟨illegible⟩ to denie the truth.

Chapter 5

CHAP. V. Let not riches, youth, nor ſtreingth hold thee in ſinne: 5. but do penance for ſinnes remitted, and adde not ſinne vpon ſinne. 6. Neither preſume to ſinne, becauſe God is merciful. 10. Be not couetous, nor vnconſtant. 13. Be meeke in lerning, and careful in teaching. 16. not a bat⟨illegible⟩maker, nor duble tongued.

1 ATTEND not to vniuſt poſſeſſions, and ſay not: I haue ſufficient liuelihood: for it shal nothing profite in the time of vengeance & affliction.

2 Folow not in :: thy ſtrength the concupiſcence of thy hart:

3 and ſay not: How mightie am I? and who shal bring me vnder for my factes? for God reuenging wil reuenge.

4 Say not: I haue ſinned, and what ſorowful thing hath chanced to me? For the Higheſt is a patient rewarder.

5 [::] Of ſinne forgeuen be not without feare, neither adde thou ſinne vpon ſinne.

6 And ſay not: The mercie of our Lord is great, he wil haue mercie on the multitude of my ſinnes.

7 For mercie and wrath quickly approch from God, and his wrath looketh vpon ſinners.

8 Slacke not to be conuerted to our Lord, and differre not from day to day.

9 For his wrath shal come ſodainly, and in the time of vengeance he wil deſtroy thee.

10 Be not careful in vniuſt riches: for they shal not profite thee in the day of [*] obduction and vengeance.

11 Toſſe not thy ſelf into euerie winde, and goe not into euerie way: for ſo euerie ſinner is proued by a duble tongue.

12 [::] Be ſtedfaſt in the way of our Lord, & in the truth of thy vndeſtanding and in knowlege, and let the [::] word of peace and iuſtice accompanie thee.

13 Be milde to heare the word, thou maiſt vnderſtand: and with wiſdom vtter thou a true anſwer.

14 If thou haue vnderſtanding, anſwer thy neighbour: but if not, let thine hand be vpon thy mouth, leſt thou be taken in an vnskilful word, and be confounded.

15 Honour and glorie in the word of the wiſe, but the tongue of the vnwiſe is his ſubuerſion.

16 Be not called a whiſperer and be not taken in thy tongue, & confounded

17 For vpon a theefe is confuſion & repentance, and a verie euil condemnation vpon the duble tongued, but to the whiſperer hatred, and emnitie, and contum⟨illegible⟩lie.

18 Iuſtifi⟨illegible⟩ thou the litle one, and the great alike.

Marginal notes to Chapter 5

• 2 Though thou be ſo potent, that no man can hinder thy euil de ſignment; yet do it not becauſe God wil puniſh it.
• 5 [::] After that ſinne is forgeuen there remaineth of⟨illegible⟩e⟨illegible⟩ times puniſhment for ſatisfaction.
• 10 [*] Couering, or death.
• 11 Prou 10. v. 4.
• 12 [::] Conſtancie in good purpoſe, meriteth
• 12 [::] the promiſed peace, and iuſt reward.

Chapter 6

CHAP. VI. Reproch, enuie, and ferocitie hinder from louing our neighbour, 5. ſwetenes norisheth it. 6. A truſtie freind is much worth. ⟨illegible⟩8. Seeke and kepe wiſdom, with al diligence. 35. Frequent the companie of the wiſe: and meditate in Gods law.

1 BE not for a frend made an enemie to thy neighbour: for the euil man shal inherite reproch and contumelie, and euerie ſinner enuious and duble tongued.

2 Extol not thyſelf in the cogitation of thy ſoule as it were a bul: leſt perhaps thy ſtrength be quashed,

3 and it eate thy leaues, and deſtroy thy fruites, and thou be leaft as a drie tree in the wildernes.

4 For a wicked ſoule shal deſtroy him that hath it, and it geueth him to be a ioy to his enemies, and shal lead him into the lot of the impious.

5 [::] A ſweete word multiplieth frends, & appeaſeth enemies, and a gratious tongue in a good man aboundeth.

6 Let there be manie at peace with thee, and let one of a thouſand be thy counſeler.

7 If thou poſſeſſe a frend, in tentation poſſeſſe him, and not eaſely credite him.

8 For he is a frend according to his owne time, and wil not abide in the day of tribulation.

9 And there is a frend that is turned to emnitie: and there is a frend that wil diſcloſe hatred, and reproches.

10 And there is a frend companion at the table, and he wil not abide in the day of neceſſitie.

11 A frend if he continew ſtedfaſt, shal be to ⟨illegible⟩hee as an equal, and in them of thy houshold shal deale confidently:

12 if he humble himſelf againſt thee, and hide himſelf from thy face, thou shalt haue frendshippe of one accord for good.

13 Be ſeperated from thine enemies, & take heede of thy frends.

14 A faithful frend, is a ſtrong protection: and he that hath found him, hath found a treaſure.

15 To a faythful frend there is no compariſon, and there is no poyſe of gold and ſiluer able to counteruaile the goodnes of his fidelitie.

16 A faythful frend, is the medecine of life & immortalitie: & they that feare our Lord, shal finde him.

17 He that feareth God, shal likewiſe haue good frendshipe: becauſe according to him shal his frend be.

18 Sonne, from thy youth receiue doctrine, and euen to thy hoare heares thou shalt finde wiſdom.

19 As he that ploweth, and that ſoweth, goe to her, and expect her good fruites.

20 For in her worke thou shalt labour a litle, and shalt quickly eate of her generation.

21 How exceding sharpe is wiſdom to the vnlerned men, and the vnwiſe wil not continew in her.

22 As the vertue of a ſtone she shal be a probation in them, and they wil not ſtay to caſt her forth.

23 For [::] the wiſdom of doctrine is according to her name, and she is not manifeſt to manie, but to whom she is knowen, she contineweth euen to the ſight of God.

24 Heare my ſonne, and take counſel of vnderſtanding, and caſt not away my counſel.

25 Thruſt thy foote into her fetters, and thy necke into her cheynes:

26 put vnder thy shoulder, and carie her, and be not wearie of her bands.

27 With al thy minde goe to her, and with al thy ſtrength keepe her wayes.

28 Search her out, and she shal be made manifeſt to thee, and hauing obteyned her, forſake her not:

29 for in the later end, thou shalt finde reſt in her, and she shal be turned vnto delectation.

30 And her fetters shal be to thee for a protection of ſtrength, and foundation of powre, & her cheynes for a ſtole of glorie:

31 For the beautie of life is in her, and her bands are a healthful bynding.

32 Thou shalt put on her a ſtole of glorie, and as a crowne of gratulation thou shalt ſet her vpon thee.

33 Sonne, if thou attend to me, thou shal⟨illegible⟩ learne: and if thou wilt applie thy minde, thou shalt be wiſe.

34 If thou wilt incline thine eare, thou shalt receiue doctrine: and if thou loue to heare, thou shalt be wiſe.

35 Stand in the multitude of wiſe ancients, and be ioyned to their wiſdom from thy hart, that thou maiſt heare al the narration of God, and the prayſe may not eſcape thee.

36 And if thou ſee a wiſe man, watch after him, and let thy ſoote weare the ſteppes of his doores.

37 Haue thy cogitation in the precepts of God, and in his commandements moſt of al be dayly conuerſant: and he wil geue thee hart, and the deſire of wiſdom shal be geuen thee.

Marginal notes to Chapter 6

• 5 [::] So Gedeon pacified the Ephraimites, that were incenſed againſt him. Iudic. 8
• 23 [::] Manie preferre lerning before pietie, which S. Auguſtin reproueth, preferring the godlie before the lerned that are leſſe vertuous: The vnlerned riſe (ſayth he) and take the kingdom of heauen, and we with our lernings without halt, loe how we tumble in the durt. li. 8. c. 8. Conſeſſ.

Chapter 7

CHAP. VII. Flie from al euil thinges, 4. as ambition, preſumption, ſcandal, puſillanimitie, lying, and babling. 16. Husbandrie of the ground, 21. a good wife, and good ſeruantes are to be cheriſed, 25. kepe children in diſcipline. 29. Honour parents, and elders, 36. & pittie the poore. 40. Memorie of the laſt thinges preſerueth from ſinne.

1 DOE [::] not euils, and they shal nor apprehend thee.

2 Depart from the wicked, & euil shal fayle from thee.

3 Sonne, ſow not euils in the furrowes of iuſtice, & thou shalt not reape them ſeuenfold.

4 Seeke not of the lord chiefe principalitie, nor of the king the chayre of honour.

5 Iuſtifie not thyſelf before God, becauſe he is the knower of the hart: and before the king deſire not to ſeme wiſe.

6 [::] Seeke not to be made a iudge, vnles thou be able by power to breake iniquities: leſt perhaps thou feare the face of the mightie, and put a ſcandal in thyne equitie.

7 Sinne not againſt the multitude of a citie, neither thruſt thyſelf into the people,

8 nor binde together duble ſinnes: for neither in one shalt thou be free from punishment.

9 Be not fayntharted in thy minde:

10 deſpiſe not to pray, and to geue almes.

11 Say not: In the multitude of my giftes God wil haue reſpect, and when I offer to God moſt high, he wil receiue my giftes.

12 Laugh not a man to ſcorne in the bitternes of his ſoule: for there is that humbleth and exalteth, God the ouerſeer of al.

13 Plowe not a lie agaynſt thy brother: neither doe thou likewiſe agaynſt thy frend.

14 Be not willing to make any lie: for the cuſtome therof is not good.

15 Be not ful of wordes in a multitude of ancients, and [::] iterate not a word in thy ſpeach.

16 Hate not laborious workes, and husbandrie created of the Higheſt.

17 Counte not thy ſelfe in the multitude of men without diſcipline.

18 Be mindeful of wrath, becauſe it wil not ſlacke.

19 Humble thy ſpirit very much: becauſe the vengeance of the flesh of the impious, is :: fyre and the worme.

20 Doe not preuaricate againſt thy frend differring money, nor deſpiſe thy deareſt brother for gold.

21 Depart not from a wiſe and good woman, which thou haſt gotten in the feare of our Lord: for the grace of her bashfulnes is aboue gold.

22 Hurt not the ſeruant that worketh in truth, nor the hyred man that geueth his ſoule.

23 Let a wiſe ſeruant be beloued of thee as thy ſoule, defraude him not of libertie, nor leaue him needie.

24 Haſt thou cattel? looke wel to them: and if they be profitable, let them continew with thee.

25 Haſt thou children? inſtruct them, & bowe them from their childehood.

26 Haſt thou daughters? keepe their bodie, and shew not thy countenance merrie towards them.

27 Beſtow thy daughter, and thou shalt doe a great worke, and geue her to a wiſe man.

28 If thou haue a wife according to thy ſoule, caſt her not of: and to her that is hateful commit not thyſelf. With thy whole hart

29 honour thy father, and forget not the gronings of thy mother:

30 remember that thou hadſt not bene borne but by them: and recompence them, as they alſo thee.

31 In al thy ſoule feare our Lord, and ſanctifie his prieſtes.

32 With al thy ſtrength loue him that made thee: & forſake not his miniſters.

33 Honour God with al thy ſoule, and honour the prieſtes, and purge thyſelf with the armes.

34 Geue them the portion, as it is commanded thee, of the firſt fruites and purgation: and of thy negligence purge thy ſelf with few.

35 The gift of thyne armes and the ſacrifice of ſanctification thou shalt offer to our Lord, and the firſt of holie thinges:

36 and to the poore ſtretch out thyne hand, that thy propitiation may be perfected, and thy bleſſing.

37 The grace of a gift is in the ſight of al the liuing, [::] and from the dead ſtay nor grace.

38 Want not in conſolation to them that weepe, and walke with them that moorne.

39 Be not loth to viſite the ſicke: for by theſe thinges thou shalt be confirmed in loue.

40 In al thy workes [::] remember thy later ends, and thou wilt not ſinne for euer.

Marginal notes to Chapter 7

• 1 [::] what ſoeuer anie ſoweth that he shal reape, and the wicked shal eate the fruites of his owne workes
• 3 Iob. 9.
• 4 Pſal. 142
• 5 Eccle. 7.
• 6 [::] Great prudence and ſortitude are required in al Iudges ſpiritual and temporal.
• 15 [::] In hel are two puniſhments: fire burning, and the worme of conſcience vering the ſoule, & both are eternal.
• 22 Leuit. ⟨illegible⟩.
• 29 T⟨illegible⟩b. ⟨illegible⟩.
• 32 Deut. 1⟨illegible⟩.
• 34 Leuit. ⟨illegible⟩.
• 34 Num ⟨illegible⟩.
• 37 [::] VVorkes of mercie are alſo profitable to the dead, as prayer, almes, and ſacrifice for ſoules in purgatorie.
• 38 Rom 1⟨illegible⟩, v. 15.
• 40 [::] A moſt eſpecial preſeruatiue from ſinne.

Chapter 8

CHAP. VIII. Contend not with a man of powre, rich, ful of tongue, or very ignorant. 6. Deſpiſe not the penitent, nor old folke. 8. Reioyce not at an enemies death. 9. Lerne of the elder. 13. Obſerue diſcretion in admonishing, lending, and in being ſuertie. 17. Reproue not Iudges. 18. Conuerſe not with the furious, foolish, nor with ſtrangers.

1 STRIVE not with a mightie man, leſt perhaps thou fal into his handes.

2 Contend not with a rich man, leſt perhaps he make an action againſt thee.

3 For[::] gold and ſiluer hath deſtroyed manie, and hath reached euen to the hart of kinges, and hath turned them.

4 Striue not with a man ful of tongue, and thou shalt not heape ſtickes vpon his fyre.

5 Communicate not with the ignorant man, leſt he ſpeake il of thy progenie.

6 Deſpiſe not a man that turneth himſelf from ſinne, nor vpbrayde him therwith: remember that we are al in ſtate to be blamed.

7 Deſpiſe not a man in his old age: for we alſo shal become old.

8 Reioyce not of thine enemie dead: knowing that we doe al die, and would not that others should ioy therat.

9 Deſpiſe not the narration of wiſe ancients, and in their prouerbes be thou conuerſant.

10 For of them thou shalt lerne wiſdom, and doctrine of vnderſtanding, and to ſerue great men without blame.

11 Let not the narration of the ancients eſcape thee: for they lerned of their fathers:

12 becauſe of them thou shalt lerne vnderſtanding, and in time of neceſſitie to geue anſwer.

13 Kindle not the coles of ſinners rebuking them, and be not kindled with the flame of the fire of their ſinnes.

14 Stand not againſt the face of a contumelious perſon, leſt he ſitte as a ſpie in wayte for thy mouth.

15 Lend not to a man mightier then thyſelf, and if thou doeſt lend, count it as loſt.

16 Be not ſuretie aboue thy power: and if thou be ſurerie, thinke as if thou were to pay it.

17 Iudge not agaynſt a iudge: becauſe he iudgeth according to that which is iuſt.

18 With the audacious goe not on the way, leſt perhaps he burden thee with his euils: for he goeth according to his owne wil, and thou shalt perish together with his follie.

19 With an angrie man make no brawle, and with the audacious goe not into the deſert: becauſe bloud is as nothing before him, and where there is no helpe, he wil ouerthrow thee.

20 Conferre no counſel[::] with fooles, for they can not loue but ſuch thinges as pleaſe them.

21 Before a ſtranger doe no matter of counſel: for thou knoweſt not what he wil bring forth.

22 Make not thy hart manifeſt to euerie man: leſt perhaps he repay thee falſe kindnes, and ſpeake reprochfully to thee.

Marginal notes to Chapter 8

• 3 [::] Briberie ſometimes corrupteth kinges much more other inferior Iudges. And therfore it is better to ſuffer damage then to contend by law againſt the rich.
• 6 Gal 6.
• 13 Prou. 26.
• 19 Prou. 22. v. 24.
• 20 [::] In al conſultations conferre with the skilful; for the blinde can not iudge of colours, the deaſe of muſike, the ſicke of taiſt: nor worldlie m⟨illegible⟩n of ſpiritual thinges.

Chapter 9

CHAP. IX. Great prudence is required in conuerſation betwen men and wemen. 14. Eſteme old freindes. 16. Emulate not ſinners. 18. Auoide the companie of malicious. 21. Conſult with the prudent, hauing God euer before thyne eyes.

1 BE [::] not ielous ouer the wife of thy boſome, leſt she shew vpon thee the malice of wicked doctrine.

2 Geue not to a woman the power of thy ſoule, leſt she goe in thy ſtrength, and thou be confounded.

3 Looke not vpon a woman that is deſirous of manie: leſt perhaps thou fal into her ſnares.

4 With her that is a dauncer be not daily conuerſant, nor heare her, leſt perhaps thou perish in her efficacie.

5 Behold not a virgin, leſt perhaps thou be ſcandalized in her beautie.

6 Geue not thy ſoule to harlottes in any poynt: leſt thou deſtroy thyſelf, and thine inheritance.

7 Looke not round about in the waves of the citie, nor wander vp and downe in the ſtreates therof.

8 Turne away thy face from a trimmed woman, and gaze not about vpon an others beautie.

9 By the beautie of a woman manie haue perished: and hereby concupiſcence is inflamed as a fire.

10 Euerie woman, that is an harlot, shal be troden vpon as dung in the way.

11 Manie hauing admired the beautie of an other mans wife, haue become reprobate. for her communication burneth as fire.

12 Sit not at al with an other mans wife, nor repoſe vpon the bed with her:

13 and ſtriue not with her at the wine, leſt perhapes thy hart decline toward her, & with thy bloud thou fal into perdition.

14 [::] Forſake not an old frend: for the new wil not be like to him.

15 A new frend, is as new wine: it shal waxe old, and thou shalt drinke it with ſweetnes.

16 [::] Doe not zelouſely deſire the glorie, and the riches of a ſinner: for thou knoweſt not what his ſubuerſion shal be.

17 Let not the iniurie of the vniuſt pleaſe thee, knowing that euen to hel the impious shal not pleaſe.

18 Be far from the man that hath power to kil, and thou shalt not ſuſpect the feare of death.

19 And if thou come to him, committe nothing, leſt perhaps he take away thy life.

20 Know it to be communication with death; becauſe thou shalt goe in the middes of ſnarres, and shalt walke vpon the weapons of the ſorowful.

21 According to thy powre beware thee of thy neighbour; and treate with the wiſe and prudent.

22 Let iuſt men be thy gheſts, and let thy gloriation be in the feare of God,

23 and let the cogitation of God be in thy vnderſtanding, & al thine enarration in the precepts of the Higheſt.

24 Workes shal be prayſed in the handes of artificers, and the prince of the people in the wiſdom of his ſpeach, but the word of the ancients in the ſenſe.

25 A man ful of tongue is terrible in his citie, and he that is rash in his word shal be odious.

Marginal notes to Chapter 9

• 1 [::] Seing ieloſie betwen man & wife is dangerous, much more vnneceſſarie conuerſation betwen other men and wemen, eſpecially probable occaſions of ſinne muſt be auoided.
• 6 Prou. ⟨illegible⟩.
• 14 [::] Conſtancie in good thinges namely in freindſhippe is very neceſſarie.
• 16 [::] A ſinner that proſpereth is like to a ſomer floure in the filde, that is quickly cut downe, and withereth,

Chapter 10

CHAP. X. Wiſe ſuperiors are very neceſſarie, becauſe the multitude folow their example. 6. Remitte and forget iniuries, detest pride, iniustice, contumelie, and auarice. 12. Life is short. 14. Pride is the roote of al ſinnes. 23. Iuſt pouertie is better then ſinful riches. 31. Mekenes and modeſtie are neceſſarie in al men.

1 A wiſe iudge shal iudge his people, and the principalitie of the wiſe shal be ſtable.

2 [::] According to the Iudge of the people, ſo alſo are his miniſters: and what maner of man the ruler of a citie is, ſuch alſo are the habitants therein.

3 An vnwiſe king shal deſtroy his people: and cities shal be inhabited by the vnderſtanding of the prudent.

4 The powre of the earth is in the hand of God, and he wil rayſe vp a profitable ruler for a time ouer it.

5 The proſperitie of man is in the hand of God, & vpon the face of the ſcribe he wil put his honour.

6 Anie iniurie of thy neighbour remember not, and doe nothing by workes of iniurie.

7 Pride is odious before God and men: and al the iniquitie of the nations is execrable.

8 A [::] kingdome is tranſlated from nation vnto nation, becauſe of iniuſtices, and iniuries, and contumelies, and diuerſe deceites.

9 But [::] nothing is more wicked then the couetous man. Why is earth and ashes proud?

10 Nothing is more wicked then to loue money. For he hath his ſoule alſo to ſel: becauſe in his life he hath caſt forth his moſt in ward thinges:

11 Al power is of short life. Long ſicknes greueth the Phyſicion.

12 Short ſicknes the Phyſicion cutteth of at the firſt: ſo alſo the king is to day, & to morow he shal die.

13 For when a man shal die, he shal inherite ſerpents, and beaſts, and wormes.

14 The begynning of the pride of man, is to apoſtatate from God:

15 becauſe his hart is departed from him that made him, for [::] pride is the begynning of al ſinne: he that holdeth it, shal be filled with curſes, & it shal ſubuert him in the end.

16 Therfore hath our Lord dishonoured the congregations of the euil, & hath deſtroyed them euen to the end.

17 God hath deſtroyed the ſeates of proud princes, and hath made the meeke ſitte in their ſtead.

18 God hath made the rootes of the proud nations to wither, and hath planted the humble of the nations themſelues.

19 Our Lord hath ſubuerted the landes of the gentiles, and hath deſtroyed them euen to the fundation.

20 He hath made of them to wither, and hath deſtroyed them, and hath made the memorie of them to ceaſe from the earth.

21 God hath deſtroyed the memorie of the proud, and hath left the memorie of them that are humble in vnderſtanding.

22 Pride was not created to men: nor wrath to the nation of wemen.

23 That ſeede of men shal be honoured, which feareth God: but that ſeede shal be dishonoured, which tranſgreſſeth the commandments of our Lord.

24 In the middes of brethren their ruler shal be in honour: and they that feare our Lord, shal be in his eyes.

25 The glorie of the rich, of the honourable, and of the poore, is the feare of God:

26 Deſpiſe not the iuſt man that is poore, and magnifie not the ſinful man that is rich.

27 The great one, and the iudge, and the mightie is in honour, and there is none greater then he, that feareth God.

28 Free men wil ſerue a ſeruant, that is wiſe: and a man that is prudent and hath diſcipline, wil not murmur being rebuked, and the ignorant shal not be honoured.

29 Extol not thyſelf in doing thy worke, and linger not in the time of diſtreſſe:

30 better is he that worketh, and abundeth in al thinges, then he that glorieth, and lacketh bread.

31 Sonne in mildenes keepe thy ſoule, and geue him honour according to his deſert.

32 Him that ſinneth agaynſt his owne ſoule who shal iuſtifie? and who shal honour him that dishonoureth his owne ſoule?

33 The poore man is glorified by his diſcipline and feare: & there is a man that is honoured for his ſubſtance.

34 But he that is glorified in pouertie, how much more in ſubſtance? and he that is glorified in ſubſtance, let him feare pouertie.

Marginal notes to Chapter 10

• 2 [::] Example of rulers is of greate efficacie.
• 2 Prou. 29.
• 7 Dan. 4.
• 8 [::] The cauſes of tranſlating kingdomes, & dominions.
• 9 [::] Couetuoſnes is the roote of al euiles, 1. Tim. 6. in that for lucie manie fal into al ſortes of ſinnes, euen into ſchiſme and hereſie, erring from the faith. ibidem. v. 1⟨illegible⟩.
• 15 [::] Neuertheles pride is the beginning of al ſinne, as this text expreſly teſtifieth, and the reaſon is, for that mans inordinate ſelf loue is the cauſe of declining from Gods commandments. & they which runne on in that courſe, caſt themſelues headlong into the depth of al miſchief, and of eternal miſerie.
• 28 Prou. 17.
• 30 Prou. 1⟨illegible⟩.

Chapter 11

CHAP. XI. Wiſdom by humilitie meriteth exaltation. 7. Iudge not before examination. 16. Truſt not in riches. 14. God ſendeth both proſperitie and aduerſitie, for the good of his ſeruants. 31. Take heede of the deceiptful.

1 THE [::] wiſdom of the humble shal exalt his head, & shal make him ſitte in the middes of great men.

2 Prayſe not a man in his beautie, neither deſpiſe a man by his looke.

3 The bee is ſmal among fowles, and her fruite hath the beginning of ſweetnes:

4 In apparel doe not glorie at any time, nor be extolled in the day of thine honour, becauſe the workes of the Higheſt onlie be meruelous, and his workes are glorious, and ſecrete, and not ſeene.

5 Manie tyrantes haue ſitte in the throne, and he whom no man would thincke hath worne the crowne.

6 Manie mightie men haue bene greatly oppreſſed, and the glorious haue bene deliuered into the handes of others.

7 Before thou enquire, blame no man: and when thou haſt enquired, chaſten iuſtly.

8 [::] Before thou heare, anſwer not a word, and in the middes [::] of ancients adde not to ſpeake.

9 Striue not for that thing, which doeth not moleſt thee: and conſiſte not in the iudgement of ſinners.

10 Sonne let not thy doings be in manie thinges: and if thou be rich, thou shalt not be free from ſinne. for if thou purſew, thou shalt not attayne: and if thou runne before, thou shalt not eſcape.

11 There is one that laboureth, and haſteneth, and is a ſorowful impious man, and ſo much the more he shal not abound.

12 There is a lither man that wanteth recouerie, more fayling in ſtrength, and abunding in pouertie:

13 and the eie of God hath reſpected him in good, and hath erected him from his low eſtate, and hath exalted his head: and manie haue merueled at him, and haue honoured God.

14 Good thinges and euil, life and death, pouertie and honeſtie are of God.

15 Wiſdom and diſcipline, and the knowlege of the law are with God. Loue, and the wayes of good thinges are with him.

16 [::] Errour and darkenes are created with ſinners: and they that reioyce in euils, waxe old in euil.

17 The gift of God is permanent to the iuſt, and his proſpering shal haue ſucceſſe for euer.

18 There is that is enriched by doing ſparingly, and this is the portion of his reward

19 in that he ſayth: I haue found me reſt, and now I wil eate of my goods alone:

20 and he knoweth not that time paſſeth, & death approcheth, and he muſt leaue al to others, and shal die.

21 Stand in thy couenant, and commen therein, and grow old in the worke of thy commandements.

22 Abide not in the workes of ſinners. But truſt in God, and tarie in thy place.

23 For it is eaſie in the eies of God ſodainly to enrich the poore man.

24 The bleſſing of God haſteth to the reward of the iuſt, and in a ſwift houre his proſpering fructifieth.

25 Say not: What neede I, and what good shal I haue by this?

26 Say not: I am ſufficient for my ſelf: and what shal I be made worſe by this?

27 [::] In the day of good thinges be not vnmindful of euils: and in the day of euils be not vnmindful of good thinges:

28 becauſe it is eaſie before God in the day of death to reward euerie one according to his wayes.

29 The malice of an houre maketh obliuion of great voluptuouſnes, and in the end of a man is the diſcloſing of his workes.

30 Before death prayſe no man, becauſe a man is knowen in his children.

31 Bring not euerie man into thine houſe: for there be manie traynes of the deceitful man.

32 For as the ſtomakes belche of ſtinking breathes, and as the partriche is brought in the cage, and as the doe into the ſnare: ſo alſo the hart of the proude, and as a watche man that ſeeth the fal of his neighbour.

33 For turning good thinges into euil he lyeth in wayte, and on the elect he wil lay a blot.

34 For of one ſparke fire is increaſed, and of a deceitful man bloud is increaſed: and a ſinful man lyeth in wayte for bloud.

35 Take heede to thy ſelf of the peſtiferous perſon, for he forgeth euils: leſt perhaps he bring vpon thee deriſion for euer.

36 Admitte a ſtraunger to thee, and he shal ouerthrow thee in an hurlewind, & shal make thee an aliene from thine owne.

Marginal notes to Chapter 11

• 1 [::] A wiſman humbling himſelf by penance as Daniel did, or being vniuſtly humbled by others, as Ioſeph was shal be exalted by God.
• 8 [::] Expect the end of an other mans ſpeach, before you beginne to anſwer.
• 8 [::] Expect alſo if anie that is elder, or better able wil anſwer firſt.
• 8 Deut. 13.
• 13 Iob. 42.
• 16 [::] One puniſhment of ſinne is blindnes of hart. Eſpecially where is no remorſe of conſcience.
• 27 [::] In proſperitie is feare, and in aduerſitie hope of change.

Chapter 12

CHAP. XII. Ʋſe beneuolence towards good men. 10. Trust not enemies ouer much.

1 IF thou wilt doe good, [::] know to whom thou doeſt it, and there shal be much thanke in thy good deedes.

2 Doe good to the iuſt, and thou shalt finde great rewarde: and if not of him, aſſuredly of our Lord.

3 For it is not wel with him, that is euer occupied in euil thinges, and that geueth not almes: becauſe the Higheſt both hateth ſinners, and hath mercie on them [::] that are penitent.

4 Geue to the merciful, and receiue not the ſinner: both to the impious, & to ſinners he wil repay vengeance, keping them vnto the day of vengeance.

5 Geue to the good, and receiue not a ſinner.

6 Doe good to the humble, and geue not to the impious: prohibite to geue him bread, leſt therin he be mightier then thou:

7 for thou shalt finde duble euils in al the good, whatſoeuer thou shalt do to him: becauſe the Higheſt hateth ſinners, and wil repay vengeance to the impious.

8 A freind shal not be knowen in proſperitie, and an enimie shal not be hid in aduerſitie.

9 In the proſperitie of a man, his enimies are in ſorow, and in affliction a freind is knowne.

10 [::] Credite not thyn enemie for euer: for as a braſſe potte his wickednes ruſteth:

11 and if humbling himſelf he goe crouching, be aduiſed in thy mind, and beware of him.

12 Place him not by thee, neither let him ſitte on thy right hand, leſt perhaps turning into thy place, he ſeke after thy ſeate: and at the laſt thou know my wordes, and be pricked in my ſayinges.

13 Who wil haue pittie vpon the inchanter ſtricking of a ſerpent, or of anie that come nere to beaſtes? ſo alſo he that kepeth companie with a wicked man, and is wrapped in his ſinnes.

14 For one houre he wil tarie with thee: but if thou decline, he wil not abide it.

15 In his lippes the enimie ſpeaketh ſwetely, and in his hart he lyeth in wayte, that he may ouerthrow thee into the pitte.

16 In his eyes the enimie weepeth: and if he may finde a time, he wil not be ſatisfied with bloud:

17 and if euils happen to thee, thou shalt finde him there firſt

18 In his eyes the enimie weepeth, and as it were helping thee, he wil vndermine thy feete.

19 He wil shake his head, and clappe his hand, and whiſpering manie thinges he wil change his countenance.

Marginal notes to Chapter 12

• 1 [::] It is rather crueltie then mercie to nouriſh a wicked man perſiſting in ſinne: for ſo he runneth ſtil into more wickednes, and into eternal damnation,
• 3 [::] but the penitent is to be comforted and aſſiſted.
• 10 [::] Euerie one is bond to loue his enemie of charitie; but in prudence it be houeth not to credite him. According to our Sauiours rule: Be wiſe as ſerpents; and ſimple as dooues. Mat. 10

Chapter 13

CHAP. XIII. Conuerſation with the proud, rich, and potent is dangerous. 9. Relie vpon Gods helpe, 11. Beware of puſillanimitie, & of preſumption. 19. A meane is neceſſarie, and the companie of equals is moſt ſecure.

1 HE that toucheth pitch, shal be defiled with it: and he that communicateth with the proud, shal put on pride.

2 [::] He shal take a burden vpon him that communicateth with one more honorable then himſelf. And be not companion with one richer then thyſelf.

3 What ſocietie shal the caudron haue with the earthen potte? for when they shal knock one againſt the other, it shal be broken.

4 The rich man hath done vniuſtly, and he wil fume: but the poore man being hurt wil hold his peace.

5 If thou geue, he wil take thee: and if thou haue not, he wil forſake thee.

6 If thou haue, he wil liue with thee, and wil emptie thee, and he wil not be ſorie for thee.

7 If thou be neceſſarie for him, he wil ſupplant thee, and ſmiling wil put thee in hope, telling thee good thinges, and wil ſay: What wanteſt thou?

8 And he wil confound thee in his meates, til he emptie thee twiſe, & thriſe, and at the laſt he wil mocke thee: and afterward ſeeing he wil forſake thee, and wil shake his head at thee.

9 Humble thyſelf to God, and expect his handes.

10 Take heede leſt ſeduced into follie thou be humbled.

11 [::] Be not humble in thy wiſdom, leſt hmbled thou be ſeduced into follie.

12 Being called of the mightier depart: for by this he wil cal thee the more.

13 Be not importune, leſt thou be reiected: and be not farre from him, leſt thou goe into obliuion.

14 Stay not to ſpeake felowlike with him: neither credite his manie wordes. For by much talke he wil proue thee, and ſmiling wil examine thee of thy ſecretes.

15 His cruel mind wil kepe thy wordes: and he wil not ſpare for malice, and for bandes.

16 Take heede to thyſelf, and attend diligently to thyn hearing: becauſe thou walkeſt with thy ſubuerſion.

17 But hearing thoſe thinges ſee as it were in ſleepe, and thou shalt watch.

18 Loue God al thy life, and inuocate him for thy ſaluation.

19 Euerie beaſt loueth the like to it ſelf: ſo alſo euerie man the nereſt to himſelf.

20 Al flesh wil match with the like to itſelf, and euerie man wil aſſociate himſelf to his like.

21 If the woolfshal at anie time communicate with the lambe, ſo the ſinner with the iuſt.

22 What fellowshippe hath an holy man with a dogge, or what part hath the riche with the poore?

23 The wilde aſſe in the deſerte is the lyons pray: ſo the poore are alſo the paſtures of the riche.

24 And as humilitie is abomination to the proude: ſo alſo the poore man is the execration of the riche.

25 The riche man being moued is confirmed by his frendes: but the humble when he is fallen, shal be thruſt out euen of his familiars.

26 To the rich deceeued there are many recouerers: he hath ſpoken proud wordes, and they haue iuſtified him.

27 The humble was deceiued, he moreouer is rebuked alſo: he hath ſpoken wiſely, and place was not geuen vnto him.

28 [::] The rich man ſpake, and al helde their peace, and they wil carry his worde euen to the cloudes.

29 The poore man ſpake and they ſay: Who is this? and if he ſtumble, they wil ouerthrowe him.

30 Subſtance is good, to him that hath no ſinne in his conſcience: and pouertie is moſt wicked in the mouth of the impious.

31 The hart of a man altereth his countenance, either into good, or into euil.

32 The token of a good hart, and a good countenance thou shalt hardly finde, and with labour.

Marginal notes to Chapter 13

• 1 Deut. 7.
• 2 [::] He that conuerſeth with a greater man then himſelf (except it be with vertuous) is forced often to ſuffer much and to yeld to manie inconueniences.
• 11 [::] Puſill animitie in a ſuperior maketh him omite his dutie, & committe errors, fearing to do that perteyneth to his office, & which his auctoritie requireth.
• 28 [::] Acception of perſous hindereth manie good counſels: & promoteth manie euil thinges.

Chapter 14

CHAP. XIIII. Offence of the tongue is a frequent and dangerous ſinne. 3. Riches are hurtful to a couetous, and to an enuious mind. 11. workes of mercie neceſſarie. 22. and perſeuerance in wiſdom.

1 BLESSED is the man that hath not offended in a worde out of his mouth, and is not pricked with the ſorrow of ſinne.

2 Happie is he, that hath not had heauines of his minde, and hath not fallen from his hope.

3 Subſtance is without reaſon to the couetous man and niggard, and for the ſpiteful enuious man to what purpoſe is gold?

4 He that heapeth together from his hart vniuſtly, gathereth for others, and in his goodes an other wil kepe riote.

5 He that is wicked to himſelfe, to what other man wil he be good? and he shal haue no pleaſure in his goodes.

6 [::] He that enuieth himſelfe, nothing is worſe then he, and this is the reward of his malice:

7 and if he doe good, he doth yt ignorantly, and not willing and at the laſt he manifeſteth his malice.

8 The eye of the enuious is wicked, and turneth away his face, and deſpiſeth his owne ſoule.

9 The eye of the couteous man inſatiable in a portion of iniquitie, wil not be ſatisfied til he conſume his owne ſoule withering it.

10 An euil eye is towards euil thinges: & he shal haue his fil of bread, needie & in heauines shal he be at his table.

11 Sonne if thou haue it, doe good to thyſelfe, and offer to God worthie oblations.

12 Be mindful that death ſlacketh not, and that [::] the couenant of hel hath beene shewed thee: for the couenant of this world shal dye the death.

13 Before death do good to thy freind, and according to thine abilitie ſtretching out thy hand, geue to the poore.

14 Be not defrauded of thy good day, and let not a litle portion of a good gift ouerpaſſe the.

15 Shalt thou not leaue to others thy ſorrowes, & labours in the deuiſion of the lotte?

16 Geue and take, and iuſtifie thy ſoule.

17 Before thy death worke iuſtice: for in hel there can not meat be found.

18 Al flesh shal waxe olde as graſſe, and as the leafe fructifying on a greene tree.

19 Some grow, and ſome are shaken of: ſo the generation of flesh and bloude, one is ended, and an other is borne.

20 Al corruptible worke shal faile in the end: and he that worketh it shal goe therwith.

21 And [::] euerie excellent worke shal be iuſtified: and he that worketh it, shal be honoured therin.

22 Bleſſed is the man that shal continew in wiſdom, and that shal meditate in his iuſtice, and in vnderſtanding shal conſider the prouidence of God.

23 He that conſidereth her wayes in his hart, and hath vnderſtanding in her ſecrets, going after her as a ſearcher, and conſiſting in her wayes:

24 He that looketh through her windowes, and heareth in her gates:

25 He that reſteth by her houſe, & in her walles faſtening a ſtake wil ſet vp his corage beſide her handes, and good thinges shal reſt in his cottage for euer.

26 He shal ſet his children vnder her couering, and shal abide vnder her boughes:

27 he shal be protected vnder her couering from the heate, and shal reſt in her glorie.

Marginal notes to Chapter 14

• 1 Iac. 3.
• 6 [::] He that can not afforde nouriſhment to his owne bodie by ſuch meanes as he hath, ſinneth againſt God, abuſing his benefites, againſt himſelf whom he vniuſtly afflicteth and againſt his neighbour whom he ſcandalizeth.
• 9 Prou. 27. v. ⟨illegible⟩0.
• 12 [::] In the old teſtament al deſcended into ſome part of hel.
• 18 Iſa. 40. v. 7.
• 21 [::] There shal be particular reward of euerie good worke.

Chapter 15

CHAP. XV. The fruictes of fearing God; 7. Which fooles, and liers reape not, but the wiſe only. 11. God is no way auctor of ſinne, 14. but ſinners themſelues are the auctors, abuſing their freewil.

1 HE that feareth God, shal doe good thinges, and he that hath [::] iuſtice shal apprehend her,

2 and she wil meete him as an honourable mother, and as a wife from virginitie she wil receiue him.

3 She shal fede him with the bread of life and vnderſtanding, and geue him the water of wholſome wiſdom to drinke: and she shal be made ſure in him, and he shal not be bowed:

4 and she shal hold him faſt, and he shal not be confounded: and she shal exalt him before his neighbours,

5 and in the middeſt of the Church she shal open his mouth, and shal fil him with the ſpirite of wiſdom and vnderſtanding, and shal clothe him with a ſtole of glorie.

6 Ioy & exultation she shal heape vpon him, & shal make him inherite an euerlaſting name.

7 Foolish men shal not apprehend her, & wiſe men shal meete her, foolish men shal not ſee her: for she is far from pride and deceite.

8 Lying men shal not be myndful of her: and true men shal be found in her, and shal haue ſucceſſe, euen to the beholding of God.

9 [::] Prayſe is not comelie in the mouth of a ſinner:

10 Becauſe wiſdom proceded from God. For prayſe shal be with the wiſdom of God, & shal abound in a faithful mouth, & the dominator wil giue praiſe to yt.

11 Say not: [::] It is by God, that she is abſent: for doe not thou the thinges that he hateth.

12 Say not: He hath made me erre: for impious men are not neceſſarie for him.

13 Our Lord hateth al abomination of errour, and it shal not be amiable to them, that feare him.

14 God from the beginning made man, and left him in the hand of his owne counſel.

15 He added his commandmentes and precepts.

16 If thou wilt keepe the commandment, and keepe acceptable fidelitie for euer, they shal preſerue thee.

17 He hath ſet before thee water and fire: to which thou wilt, ſtretch forth thine hande.

18 Before man there is life and death, good and euil: what pleaſeth him shal be geuen him:

19 Becauſe the wiſdom of God is much, and he is ſtrong in mighte, ſeing al men without intermiſſion.

20 The eies of our Lord are towards them that feare him, and he knoweth al the worke of man.

21 He hath commanded no man to do impiouſly, and he hath geuen no man ſpace to ſinne:

22 for he deſireth not a multitude of faithleſſe and vnprofitable children.

Marginal notes to Chapter 15

• 1 [::] VVho ſo euer shal reſolue with himſelf to liue iuſtly, shal be ſure to haue grace, for God preuenteth our weakenes and ſo continueth to helpe al that acccept his grace.
• 9 [::] He doth iniurie to God, & to his word, that preacheth wel and liueth euil.
• 11 [::] Beza ſayeth, God ordained Adams fall, but to a good end: and that God iuſtly decreed that which men vniuſtly haue done. in refut. 2. calumnae, ad Caſtel. But this holie Scripture teacheth the contrarie, that God gaue man both freewil, and ſufficient grace, that he might if he would haue kept his preceps. The ſame is alſo clerely taught. Deut 7. 11. 30. and other places.
• 14 Gen. 2.
• 16 Mat. 19. v. 17.
• 18 Ier. 2. v. 8.

Chapter 16

CHAP. XVI. A few good children, yea none at al, are better then manie wicked. 9. Gods wrath falleth vpon the euil, and his mercie on the good. 14. workes of mercie merite great reward. 15. Nothing is hid from God, 20. but manie thinges from men.

1 REIOICE not in impious children, if they be multiplied: neither be delighted vpon them, if the feare of God be not in them.

2 Credite not their life, and reſpect not their labours.

3 For better is one fearing God, then a thouſand impious children.

4 And it is more profitable to die without children, rather then to leaue impious children.

5 By one wiſe a countrie shal be inhabited, and the tribe of the impious shal be made deſolate.

6 Manie ſuch thinges hath mine eie ſene, and myne eare hath heard thinges of more force then theſe.

7 In the ſynagogue of ſinners [::] a fire shal flame, and in an incredulous nation wrath shal waxe hotte.

8 The old giantes did not obteine for their ſinnes, who were deſtroied truſting to their owne ſtrength:

9 and he ſpared not the peregrination of Lot, and he deteſted them for the pride of their word.

10 He had not pitie on them, deſtroying the whole nation, and extolling themſelues in their ſinnes.

11 And as the ſix hundred thouſand foote men, which were gathered together in the hardnes of their hart: and if one had bene ſtiffe necked, it is meruel if he had bene vnpunished.

12 For there is mercie and wrath with him. Mightie exoration, & powring out wrath:

13 according to his mercie, ſo his chaſtiſement iudgeth a man according to his workes.

14 The ſinner shal not eſcape in robberie, and the ſufferance of him that doth mercie shal not ſlacke.

15 Al mercie shal make a place to euerie man according to [::] the merite of his workes, & according to the vnderſtanding of his peregrination.

16 Say not; I shal be hid from God, and from on high who shal remember me?

17 In a great people I shal not be knowen: for what is my ſoule among ſo innumerable creatures?

18 Behold heauen, and the heauens of heauens, the depth, and al the earth, & the thinges that are in them, in his ſight shal be moued,

19 the mountaines together, and the litle hilles, & the fundations of the earth:& when God shal behold them, they shal be shaken with trembling.

20 And in al theſe thinges the hart is ſenſeles: and euerie hart is vnderſtood of him:

21 and his wayes who doth vnderſtand, and the ſtorme, which neither the eie of man shal ſee?

22 For manie of his workes are in ſecretes: but the workes of his iuſtice who shal declare? or who shal ſuſteine? For the teſtament is far from ſome, and the examination of al is in conſummation.

23 He that is leſſe of hart, thinketh vaine thinges: and the vnwiſe, and erring man, thinketh folish thinges.

24 Heare me my ſonne, and lerne the diſcipline of vnderſtanding, and attend to my wordes in thy hart,

25 and I wil ſpeake diſcipline in equitie, and wil ſearch to declare wiſedom, and to my wordes attend in thy hart, and I ſpeake in equitie of ſpirit the vertues, that God hath put vpon his workes from the beginning, and in truth I shew forth his knowlege.

26 In the iudgement of God are his workes from the beginning, and from the inſtitution of them he diſtinguished their partes, and their beginninges in their nations.

27 He adorned their workes for euer, neither haue they hungred, nor laboured, and they haue not ceaſed from their workes.

28 Euerie one shal not vexe his neighbour for euer.

29 Be not incredulous to his word.

30 After this God looked vpon the earth, & filled it with his good thinges.

31 And [::] the ſoule of euerie liuing thing shal shew before the face thereof, and into it againe is their returne.

Marginal notes to Chapter 16

• 7 [::] Fire of concupiſcence, if it be not ouercome in this life, wil procure the fire of Gods wrath, which ſhal neuer be extinguished.
• 8 Gen. 6.
• 11 Num. 26.
• 15 Rom. 2. v. 6.
• 15 [::] Euen a diſh of colde water geuen in almes shal be rewarded. Mat. 10.
• 31 [::] Reaſonable ſoules (if they folow reaſon) and al ſenſible ſoules doe (in their maner) praiſe the prouidence of God, in vſing al creatures to that end for which they were treated.

Chapter 17

CHAP. XVII. God creating man to his owne image, gaue him gifies, 9. and precepts. 14. choſe the Iſraelites for his peculiar people. 18. Workes of mercie are commended to al men. 20. Repentance to ſinners. 28. mercie is offered to al.

1 GOD created man of the earth, and after his owne image he made him.

2 And againe he turned him into it, and conformable to himſelfe clothed him [::] with ſtrength.

3 He gaue him a number of daies and time, and gaue him power of thoſe thinges, that are vpon the earth.

4 He put his feare ouer al flesh, and he had dominion of beaſtes and fowles.

5 He created of him an helper like to himſelf: he gaue them counſel, and tongue, and eies, & eares, and hart to deuiſe: and he filled them with the diſcipline of vnderſtanding.

6 He created in them the knowlege of the ſpirit, he filled their hart with vnderſtanding, and euil and good he shewed them.

7 He ſet his eie vpon their hartes to shew them the great thinges of his workes:

8 that they might praiſe the name of ſanctification: and glorie in his meruelous workes, that thy might declare the glorious thinges of his workes.

9 He added [::] diſcipline vnto them, and made them inherite the lawe of life.

10 He made an euerlaſting teſtament with them, & he shewed them iuſtice and his iudgementes.

11 And their eie ſaw the glorious thinges of his honour, and their eares heard the honour of his voice, and he ſaid to them: Beware of euerie vniuſt thing.

12 And he gaue them commandment euerie one concerning his neighbour.

13 Their wayes are before him alwaies, they are not hid from his eies.

14 Ouer eucrie nation he appointed a ruler.

15 And Iſrael was made the manifeſt portion of God.

16 And al their workes as the ſunne in the ſight of God: and his eies without intermiſſion looking on their wayes.

17 The teſtamentes were not hid by their iniquitie, and al their iniquities are in the ſight of God.

18 The almes of a man is as a ſeale with him, and shal preſerue the grace of a man as the apple of the e⟨illegible⟩e:

19 And afterward he shal ariſe, and shal render them reward, to euerie one vpon their head, and shal turne into the inner partes of the earth.

20 But to the penitent he hath geuen the way of iuſtice, and he hath confirmed them that faile to ſuſteine, and hath appointed to them the lot of truth.

21 Turne to our Lord, and forſake thy ſinnes:

22 pray before the face of our Lord, and diminish offences.

23 Returne to our Lord, and turne away from thine iniuſtice, and hate excedingly abomination:

24 and know the iniuſtices and iudgementes of God, and [::] ſtand in the lot of thy purpoſe, and [::] of praier of the moſt high God.

25 Goe into the partes of the holie world, with the liuing, and them that geue praiſe to God.

26 Tarie not in the errour of the impious, before death confeſſe. From the dead as nothing, confeſſion perisheth.

27 Thou shalt confeſſe liuing, aliue and in health thou shalt confeſſe, and shalt praiſe God, and shalt glorie in his mercies.

28 How great is the mercie of our Lord, and his propitiation to them that turne to him!

29 For al thinges can not be in men, becauſe the ſonne of man is not immortal, and they haue delighted in the vanitie of malice.

30 What is brighter then the ſunne? & it shal faile. Or what more wicked then that which flesh and bloud hath inuented? and this shal be reproued.

31 He beholdeth the powre of the height of heauen: and al men be earth and ashes.

Marginal notes to Chapter 17

• 2 [::] Man at firſt recemed original iuſtice, by loſing wherof we al fel into original ſinne.
• 9 [::] God gaue a precept to man to be obſerued for exerciſe of his obedience & ſo to be rewarded, and vnder paine of puniſhment if he tranſgreded. ⟨illegible⟩en. 2.
• 15 Rom. 13.
• 24 [::] Perſeuerance in vertue to the end is neceſſarie which none can merite:
• 24 [::] But muſt ſtil pray for it.

Chapter 18

CHAP. XVIII. Gods wonderful workes excede mans capacitie. 7. Our weaknes is ſtreingthened by grace. 15. wherto man muſt cooperate, 19. by purging his conſcience, 22. by prayer, 24. by meditating Gods iudgements, 30. and by mortifying his owne concupiſcence.

1 HE that liueth for euer, created al thinges [::] together. God onlie shal be iuſtified, and remaineth an inuincible king for euer.

2 Who is ſufficient to declare his workes?

3 For who shal ſearch out his glorious thinges?

4 and who shal shew forth the powre of his greatneſſe? or who shal adde to declare his mercie?

5 It is not poſſible to diminish, nor adde, neither is it poſſible to finde the glorious workes of God:

6 When a man shal haue done, then shal he beginne: and when he shal reſt, he shal worke.

7 What is man, and what is his grace? and what is his good, or what his euil?

8 The number of the daies of men at the moſt an hundred yeares: as droppes of the water of the ſea they are reputed: and as the grauel ſtone of the ſand, ſo a few yeares in the day of eternitie.

9 For this cauſe God is patient toward them, and powreth out his mercie vpon them.

10 He hath ſenne the preſumption of their hart that it is naught, and hath knowen their ſubuerſion that it is euil.

11 Therefore hath he fulfilled his propitiation toward them, and hath shewed them the way of equitie.

12 Mans compaſſion is touching his neigbour: but the mercie of God is vpon al flesh.

13 He that hath mercie, teacheth, and inſtructeth, as a paſtour his flocke.

14 He hath mercie on him that receiueth the doctrine of compaſſion, and he that haſteneth in his iudgementes.

15 Sonne in good deedes geue no blame, and in euerie gift geue not the ſadnes of an euil word.

16 Shal not the dew colle heate? ſo alſo a word better then a gift.

17 Is not a word aboue a good gift? but both are with a iuſtified man.

18 A foole wil vpbraide bitterly: and the gift of one vntaught maketh the eies to drie away.

19 Before iudgement prepare thee iuſtice, and before thou ſpeake lerne.

20 Before ſickenes take medicine, and before iudgement examine thyſelf, and in the ſight of God thou shalt finde propitiation.

21 Before ſickenes humble thy ſelf, and in time of infirmitie shew thy conuerſation.

22 Be not hindered [::] to pray alwayes, & feare not to be iuſtified euen to death: becauſe the reward of God abideth for euer.

23 Before praier prepare thy ſoule: and be not as a man that tempteth God.

24 Remember the wrath in the day of conſummation, and the time of reward in conuerſation of the face.

25 Remember pouertie in the time of abundance, and the neceſſities of pouertie in the day of riches.

26 From morning vnto euening time shal be changed, & al theſe are ſowne in the eies of God.

27 A wiſe man in al thinges wil feare, & in the daies of offences wil be ware of ſloth.

28 Euerie ſubtile man knoweth wiſdom, and to him that findeth her he wil geue prayſe.

29 The wiſe in wordes, and they alſo haue done wiſely: and haue vnderſtood truth and iuſtice, and haue rayned prouerbes & iudgementes.

30 Goe not after thy concupiſcences, and turne away from thy wil.

31 If thou geue to thy ſoule her concupiſcences, she wil make thee a ioy to the enemies.

32 Be not delighted in multitudes, not in few: for their concertation is continual.

33 Be not poore in contention of borowing, and thou haſt nothing in thy purſe: for thou shalt be enuious to thine owne life.

Marginal notes to Chapter 18

• 1 [::] Al creatures according to their ſubſtantial forme in general, were created together, though they were afterwards formed in particular kindes, as they are diſtinctly recited in Geneſis, with the order & ornaments of the world. S. Aug. li. 4. c. 33 & 34. de Gen. ad litter. VVhere he expreſly affirmeth that this Scripture was written by inſpiration of the ſame ſpirite of truth, wherby Geneſis was written.
• 8 Pſal. 89. v. 10.
• 20 1. Cor. 11.
• 22 [::] They pray alwayes that pray at certaine conuenient times. And ſtil haue intention ſo to frequent the ſame exerciſe al their life. S. Aug. Epiſt. 121. c. 9. ad Probam.
• 22 Luc. 18. 1.
• 23 1. Thes. 5.

Chapter 19

CHAP. XIX. An admonition againſt drunkennes, luxurie, 4. light ſuſpition, 7. and detraction. 13. Freindlie correption is neceſſarie, 23. and ſincere humilitie. 27. Exterior carege is a ſigne of internal diſpoſition.

1 A workman that is a drunkard shal not be rich: and he [::] that contemneth ſmal thinges, shal fal by litle and litle.

2 Wine and wemen make wiſemen to apoſtatate, and shal reproue the prudent:

3 and he that ioyneth himſelf to harlotes, shal be naught. Rottennes and wormes shal inherite him, and he shal be lifted vp for a greater example, and his life shal be taken out of the number.

4 He that geueth credite quickly, is light of hart, and shal be leſſened: and he shal more ouer be counted one that ſinneth againſt his owne ſoule.

5 He thar reioyceth in iniquitie, shal be reprehended, and he that hateth chaſtiſement, shal be diminished of life: and he that hateth babbling, extinquisheth malice.

6 He that ſinneth againſt his owne ſoule, shal repent: and he that is delighted in naughtineſſe, shal be reprehended.

7 Iterate not a wicked and hard word, and thou shalt not be leſſened.

8 To freind and foe tel not thy minde: and if thou haue ſinne, [::] diſcloſe it not.

9 For he wil heare thee, and wil watch thee, and as it were defending the ſinne he wil hate thee, and ſo wil he be preſent with thee alwaies.

10 Haſt thou heard a word againſt thy neighbour? let it die together in thee, truſting that it wil not burſt thee.

11 At the preſence of a word the foole traueleth, as the groning of the childbirth of an infant.

12 An arrow ſtickt in the thigh of flesh: ſo is a word in the hart of a foole.

13 Rebuke a freind, leſt perhapes he hath not vnderſtood, and ſay: I did it not: or if he did it, that he doe it not againe.

14 Rebuke thy neighbour, leſt perhaps he ſaid it not: and if he ſaid it, leſt perhaps he iterate it.

15 Rebuke thy freind: for there is often a fault committed.

16 And beleue not euerie word. There is that offendeth with the tongue, but not from his hart.

17 For who is there that hath not offended in his tongue? Rebuke thy neighbour before thou threaten.

18 And: geue place to the feare of the Higheſt: becauſe the feare of God is al wiſedom, and to feare God is in it, & the diſpoſition of the law is in al wiſdom.

19 And the diſcipline of wickednes is not wiſedom: and the cogitation of ſinners is not prudence.

20 There is wickednes, and in it execration: and there is a foole that hath leſſe wiſedom.

21 Better is a man that hath leſſe wiſdom, and lacketh vnderſtanding, in feare, then he that abundeth in vnderſtanding, and tranſgreſſeth the law of the Higheſt.

22 There is an aſſured ſubtilitie, & the ſame wicked.

23 And there is that vttereth an exact word telling the truth. There is that [::] wickedly humbleth himſelfe, and his inner partes be ful of deceite:

24 and there is a iuſt man [::] that ſubmitteth himſelfe ouermuch of great humilitie: and there is a iuſt one [::] that boweth his face, and feyneth himſelf not to ſee that which is vnknowen:

25 and if he be forbidden to ſinne for imbecillitie of power, if he shal finde a time to do euil, he wil do euil.

26 A man is knowen by the ſight, and a wiſeman is knowen by the shew of his face.

27 The clothing of the bodie, and the laughing of the teeth, and the going of the man tel of him.

28 There is a lying chaſtiſement in the anger of a contumelious perſon: and there is a iudgement, that is not allowed to be good: and there is that holdeth his peace, and he is wiſe.

Marginal notes to Chapter 19

• 1 [::] The beſt remedie againſt great ſinnes is to auoide ſmal ones, and not to contemne the leaſt, but diligently to amend al.
• 2 3. Reg. 11.
• 4 Ioſ. 22.
• 8 [::] That this document perteyneth to common conuerſation with worldie men, appeareth by the next verſe. But to reuele ſecrete ſinnes to a ſpiritual father, in ſacramental confeſſion, is neceſſarie vvholeſome and ſecure. It is al⟨illegible⟩o very commendable and moſt lawful in holie religious Societies, vvhere they willingly for their owne ſpiritual good ſubmitte themſelues to ſuch a godlie rule.
• 13 L⟨illegible⟩uit. 1⟨illegible⟩.
• 13 Mat. 15.
• 17 Iac. 3.
• 23 [::] Falſe pretence of pietie is hypocriſie.
• 24 [::] And in a Superior, to oppen his ovvne ſecrete fault to his ſubiects is puſillanimitie.
• 24 [::] Diſcretion auoideth both: by concealing and reueling faultes as reaſon directeth and iuſtice requireth.

Chapter 20

CHAP. XX. Correction ought to be without paſſion of anger. 5. much diſcretion is required in ſpeach, and in ſilence. 14. Alſo in geuing, 20. & promiſing, 29. and in vttering knowlege, where and when it behoueth.

1 HOW good a thing is it to rebuke, rather then to be angrie, and not to hinder him that confeſſeth in prayer!

2 The concupiſcence of an eunuch shal defloure a young maide:

3–4 ſo he that by violence doth vniuſt iudgement. How good a thing is it [::] being rebuked to shew repentance! for ſo thou shalt auoid wilful ſinne.

5 There is that holdeth his peace, which is found wiſe: and there is that is odious, he which is malepert to ſpeake.

6 There is that holdeth his peace hauing not vnderſtanding to ſpeake: and there is that holdeth his peace, knowing the time of fitte opportunitie.

7 A wiſe man wil hold his peace vntil a time: but a wanton, and the vnwiſe wil not obſerue time.

8 He that vſeth manie wordes, shal hurt his owne ſoule: & he that taketh authoritie to himſelf vniuſtly, shal be hated.

9 There is proceding in euils to a man without diſcipline, and there is finding to loſſe.

10 There is a gift, that is not profitable: and there is a gift, the reward whereof is duble.

11 There is debaſing becauſe of glorie: and there is that from humilitie shal lift vp the head.

12 There is that redemeth manie thinges for a ſmale price, and reſtoreth the ſame ſeuen fold.

13 A man wiſe in wordes shal make him ſelfe beloued: but the graces of fooles shal be powred out.

14 The gift of the vnwiſe shal not be profitable for thee: for his eies are [::] ſeuen fold.

15 He wil geue few thinges, and vpbraide manie: and the opening of his mouth is an inflammation.

16 To day a man lendeth, and to morow he asketh it againe: ſuch a man is odious.

17 A foole shal haue no freind, and there shal be no thanke to his goodes.

18 For they that eate his bread, are of a falſe tongue. How often, and how manie wil laugh him to ſcorne?

19 For he doth not diſtribute with right vnderſtanding, that which was to be had: in like manner alſo that which was not to be had.

20 The ſlipping of a falſe tongue, as he that falleth on the pauement: ſo the falles of the euil shal come haſtely.

21 A man without grace is as a vaine fable, it shal be continual in the mouth of them that are without diſcipline.

22 A parable out of a fooles mouth shal be reiected: for he doth not ſpeake it in his time.

23 There is that is forbid to ſinne for pouertie, and in his reſt he shal be pricked.

24 There is thar wil deſtroy his ſoule for shamfaſtnes, and by an vnwiſe perſon he wil deſtroy it: and by acception of perſon he wil deſtroy himſelf.

25 There is that for shamfaſtnes promiſeth to his freind, and hath gotten an enemie of him for naught.

26 Lying is a wicked reproch in a man, and in the mouth of men without diſcipline it shal be continually.

27 Better is a theefe, then the continual cuſtome of a lying man, but both shal inherite perdition.

28 The maners of lying men are without honour: and their confuſion is with them without intermiſſion.

29 A wiſeman in his wordes shal vtter himſelf, and a prudent man shal pleaſe great perſons.

30 He that tilleth his land, shal make an high heape of corne: and who ſo worketh iuſtice, he shal be exalted: and he that pleaſeth great men, shal avoide iniquitie.

31 Preſentes, & giftes blind the eies of iudges, and as one dumbe in the mouth turneth away their chaſtiſementes.

32 [::] Wiſdom hid, and treaſure not ſene: what profit is there in both?

33 [::] Better is he that concealeth his foolishnes, then the man that hideth his wiſdom.

Marginal notes to Chapter 20

• 3–4 Eccle. ⟨illegible⟩.
• 3–4 [::] He that taketh reptchenſion in good part when he is faulty meriteth pardon, and when he is not faultie he ſatifieth for his other ſinnes and meriteth reward.
• 14 [::] His intention is ful of guile that flattereth by ſhew of loue and of praiſe, but he wil detract ſo much the more, & in the end reproch thee when he may gette probable aduantage againſt thee.
• 30 Prou. 12.
• 31 Exo 23.
• 31 Deut▪ 16.
• 32 [::] VViſdom is to be ſhewed in vvordes and deedes vvhen it may profite others.
• 33 [::] To conceale faultes, ſo they be amended, is moſt conuenient.

Chapter 21

CHAP. XXI. An inuectiue againſt ſinne in general, 5. and diuers in particular.

1 SONNE haſt thou ſinned? doe ſo no more: but for the old alſo pray that they may be forgeuen thee.

2 [::] As from the face of a ſerpent flee from ſinnes: and if thou approch to them, they wil receiue thee.

3 The teeth of a lion the teeth thereof, killing the ſoules of men.

4 Al iniquitie is as a two edged ſword, there is no remedie for the wound thereof.

5 Brawling and iniuries shal bring the ſubſtance to nothing: and the houſe that is verie rich, shal be made nothing by pride: ſo the ſubſtance of the proude shal be rooted out.

6 The prayer of the poore out of the mouth shal come to his eares, and iudgement shal come for him ſpedely.

7 He that hateth chaſtiſement, is [::] the trace of a ſinner: and he that feareth God, [::] wil turne to his owne hart.

8 The mightie in a bold tongue is knowen a far of, and a wiſeman knoweth himſelf to fal by ⟨illegible⟩m.

9 He that buildeth his houſe at other menes charges, is as he that gathereth his ſtones :: in the winter.

10 The ſynagogue of ſinners is as tow gathered together, and their conſummation à flame of fire.

11 The way of ſinners is paued with ſtones, & in their end, hel, & darkenes, and paines.

12 He that keepeth iuſtice, shal conteine the [::] vnderſtanding therof.

13 The conſummation of the feare of God wiſdom and vnderſtanding.

14 He shal not be taught, that is not wiſe in good.

15 But there is wiſdom that abundeth in euil: and there is no vnderſtanding where bitternes is.

16 The knowlege of the wiſe shal abound as an inundation, and his counſel is permanent as a fountaine of life.

17 The hart of a foole is as a broken veſſel, and al wiſdom it shal not hold.

18 A man of knowlege wil praiſe whatſoeuer wiſe word he shal heare, and wil applie it to himſelf: the riotous man hath heard it, and it shal diſpleaſe him, and he wil caſt it behind his back.

19 The [::] narration of a foole is as a burden in the way: for in [::] the lippes of the wiſe shal grace be found.

20 The mouth of the prudent is ſought in the Church, and they wil thinke vpon his wordes in their hartes.

21 As a houſe deſtroied, ſo is wiſdom to a foole: & the knowlege of the vnwiſe inexplicable wordes.

22 Fetters on the feete, doctrine to a foole, and as manicles vpon the right hand.

23 A foole in laughter exalteth his voice: but a wiſeman wil ſcarſe laugh ſecretly.

24 Doctrine to the prudent is a golden ornament, and as it were a bracelet on the right arme.

25 The foote of a foole goeth eaſely into his neighbours houſe: & a cunning man wil be abashed at the perſon of the mightie.

26 A foole wil looke from the window into the houſe: but the nurtered wil ſtand without.

27 It is the follie of a man to harken by the dore: and a wiſeman wil be greued with the contumelie.

28 The lippes of the vnwiſe shal tel foolish thinges: but the wordes of the wiſe shal be pondered in balance.

29 The hart of fooles is in their mouth: and the mouth of wiſemen is in their hart.

30 Whiles [::] the impious curſeth the diuel, he curſeth his owne ſoule.

31 The whiſperer shal defile his ſoule, and shal be hated in al: and he that shal abide with him, shal be odious: the ſtil man and wiſe shal be honored.

Marginal notes to Chapter 21

• 2 [::] As a ſerpent deceiptfully approcheth & ſtingeth the bodie, ſo al ſinnes inuegle and hurt the ſoule.
• 7 [::] It is a ſigne that he is guiltie, who contemneth freindly admonition.
• 7 [::] He that truly feareth God wil diligently examine his ovvne actes, & defectes when he is vvarned.
• 12 [::] As walles of ſtone built in the froſt, ſo riches or good name vniuſtly gotten wil not cōtinue long
• 19 [::] Senſeles, or bad talke is tedious to al good men.
• 19 [::] VVordes that may edifie are gratful to al godlie eares.
• 30 [::] VVicked men condemning the diuel or anie other wicked, do in dede condeme them ſelues. And to them agreeth that ſentence: of our Sauiour. By thyne owne mouth I iudge thee, naughtie ſeruant. Luc. 19.

Chapter 22

CHAP. XXII. An other admonition againſt ſlouth, 3. diſſolute children, 6. and mirth out of ſeaſon. 7. Fooles are hardly corrected, 10. more to be bewayled then the dead. 14. Much talke doth not profite them. 24. Offend not, nor ſeare not a freind. 33. Kepe alwayes guard of thy torgue.

1 THE ſluggard is ſtoned [::] with a durtie ſtone, & al men wil ſpeake of his diſgrace.

2 The ſluggard is ſtoned with the dung of oxen: and euerie one, that shal touch him, wil shake his handes.

3 The coufuſion of the father is of a ſonne without diſcipline: and the daughter shal be made of leſſe account.

4 A wiſe daughter is an inheritance to her husband. for she that confoundeth, is made a contumelie to her father.

5 She that is bold shameth father and husband, and shal not be inferiour to the impious: but of them both she shal be dishonored.

6 Muſike in mourning is a tale out of time: ſcourges and doctrine are at al time wiſdom.

7 He that teacheth a foole, is as he that gleweth together a potshard.

8 He that telleth a word to him that heareth not, is as he that raiſeth vp a man ſleepeing out of an heauie ſleepe.

9 He ſpeaketh with him that ſleepeth, which vttereth wiſdom to a foole: and in the end of the narration he ſaieth: Who is this?

10 Weepe vpon the dead, for his light hath failed: and weepe vpon [::] a foole, for he faileth in vnderſtanding.

11 Weepe a little vpon the dead, becauſe he is at reſt.

12 For the wicked life of the very wicked, aboue the death of a foole.

13 The moorning of the dead is ſeuen daies: but of a foole and of the impious, al the daies of their life.

14 Speake not much with a foole, and goe not with the vnwiſe.

15 Keepe thy ſelfe from him, that thou haue no moleſtation, and thou shalt not be defiled with his ſinne.

16 Turne aſide from him, and thou shalt finde reſt, and shalt not be wearied with his follie:

17 What shal be heauier then lead? and what other name hath it but foole.

18 It is eaſier to beare ſand and ſalt, and a maſſe of yron, then an vnwiſe man, and a foole, and impious.

19 A frame of wood bound together in the fundation of a building, shal not be diſſolued: ſo alſo the hart confirmed in the cogitation of counſel.

20 The cogitation of the wiſe at al time, yea by feare shal not be depraued.

21 As ſtakes in high places, and plaiſteringes laid without coſt, shal not abide againſt the face of the winde:

22 ſo alſo a feareful hart in the cogitation of a foole shal not reſiſt againſt the violence of feare▪

23 As a trembling hart in the cogitation of a foole, al time wil not feare, ſo alſo he that continueth alwaies in the preceptes of God.

24 He that pricketh the eie, bringeth forth teares: and he that pricketh the hart, bringeth forth feeling.

25 He that caſteth a ſtone at fowles, and shal throw them downe: ſo he that ſpeaketh reprochefully to his freind, diſſolueth freindship.

26 [::] Although thou droweſt a ſword at a freind, deſpaire not: for there is returning to a freind.

27 If thou open a ſad mouth, feare not▪ for there is agreement: [::] except taunt, and reproch and pride, and reuealing of ſecret, and a traiterous wound: in al theſe thinges a freind wil flee away.

28 Poſſeſſe fidelitie with a freind in his prouertie, that in his goodes alſo thou maiſt reioyce.

29 In the time of his tribulation continew faithful to him, that in his inheritance alſo thou maiſt be heire with him.

30 Before the fire the vapour of the chimney, and the ſmoke of the fire riſeth on high: ſo alſo before bloud euil wordes, and contumelies, & threates.

31 I wil not be ashamed to ſalute a freind, from his face I wil not hide myſelf: and if there chance euiles to me by him, I wil beare it.

32 Euerie one that shal heare, wil beware of him.

33 Who wil geue a gard to my mouth, and a ſure ſeale vpon my lippes, that I fal not by them, and my tongue deſtroy me?

Marginal notes to Chapter 22

• 1 [::] Contempt & ignominie is the worldlie puniſhment of the ſlouthful, beſides his eternal damnation at the day of iudgement. Mat. 25▪ ⟨illegible⟩. 30▪
• 10 [::] In this and other places is not vnderſtood a foole that by defect of natural vvitte is ignorant, or an ideote, but he that is voide of grace, ful of malice, and wickednes. For the wicked life of ſuch a one is worſe then his death. v. 12.
• 12 Gen 50.
• 13 Prou. ⟨illegible⟩3.
• 18 Prou▪ ⟨illegible⟩.
• 26 [::] A true freind wil not be loſt for temporal damage no⟨illegible⟩ danger.
• 27 [::] But the vices of deriſion, reproch, and the like violate al freindſhipe with wiſe and good m⟨illegible⟩n▪
• 33 Pſ. 140.

Chapter 23

CHAP. XXIII. A prayer againſt pride, 6. gluttonie, and luxurie. 7. Beware of offending in ſpèach. 9. eſpecialliy of vnlawful ſwearing 15. blaſphemie, 17. irreuerent and reprocheful wordes. 21. Alſo of auarice, 24. fornication, and adultrie, 30. al which God ſeeth, and wil ſeuerly punish. 33. With other ſinnes that folow therof.

1 O Lord father, and dominatour of my life [::] leaue me not in their counſel: nor ſuffer me to fal in them.

2 Who laieth on ſtripes in my cogitation, and in my hart the doctrine of wiſdom, and in their ignorances they ſpare me not, and their offences appeare not,

3 and my ignorances increaſe not, and my offences be multiplied, and my ſinnes ahound, and I fal in the ſight of mine aduerſaries, & mine enemies reioyce.

4 O Lord father, and God of my life, leaue me not in their cogitation.

5 Hautines of mine eies geue me not, and al deſire turne away from me.

6 Take from me the concupiſcences of the bellie, and let not the concupiſcences of copulation take hold of me, and geue me not ouer to a shameleſſe and foolish minde.

7 O children heare [::] the doctrine of the mouth: and he that wil keepe it, shal not perish by his lippes, nor be ſcandalized in moſt wicked workes.

8 A ſinner is taught in his vanirie, and the proud and the euil ſpeaker shal he ſcandalized in them.

9 Let not thy mouth be accuſtomed [::] to ſwearing: for there be manie falles in it.

10 But let not the naming of God be vſual in thy mouth, and meddle not with the names of Sainctes, becauſe thou shalt not ſcape free from them.

11 For as a ſeruant daily examined, lacketh not the marke therof: ſo euerie one that ſweareth, and nameth, shal not be wholy purged from ſinne.

12 A man that ſweareth much shal be filled with iniquitie, and plague shal not depart from his houſe.

13 And if he fruſtrate it, his ſinne shal be vpon him: and if he diſſemble, he offendeth duble:

14 and if he ſweare in vaine, he shal not be iuſtified: for his houſe shal be filled with retribution.

15 There is an other [::] contrarie ſpeach, alſo [::] to death, be it not found in the inheritance of Iacob.

16 For of the merciful al thoſe thinges shal be taken away, and they wil not wallow in ſinnes.

17 Let not thy mouth be accuſtomed to [::] vnnurtered ſpeach: for there is in it a word of ſinne.

18 [::] Remember thy father and thy mother, for thou ſitteſt in the middeſt of greate men:

19 leſt perhapes God forget thee in their ſight, and being ſotted with thy dailie cuſtome, thou ſuffer reproch, and hadſt better not haue bene borne, and curſe the day of thy natiuitie.

20 A man accuſtomed to the wordes of reproch, wil not be inſtructed in al his daies.

21 Two ſortes abound in ſinnes, and the third bringeth wrath and perdition.

22 An [::] hote ſoule as a burning fire wil not be quenched, til it ſwallow ſomewhat.

23 and a wicked man in the mouth of his flesh wil not ceaſe til he kindle a fire.

24 To a man that is [::] a fornicatour al bread is ſweete, he wil not be wearie tranſgreſſing vnto the end.

25 Euerie man that paſſeth [::] beyond his owne bed, contemning againſt his owne ſoule, and ſaying: Who ſeeth me?

26 Darkenes compaſſeth me, and the walles couer me, and no man beholdeth me: whom do I feare? the Higheſt wil not be mindful of my ſinnes.

27 And he vnderſtandeth not that his eye ſeeth al thinges, for that ſuch feare of man expelleth from him the feare of God, & the eies of men fearing him:

28 and he knoweth not that the eies of our Lord are much more brighter then the ſunne, beholding round about al the waies of men, and the botome of the depth, and the hartes of men looking into the hidden partes.

29 For al thinges were knowen to our Lord God, before they were created: ſo alſo after it is perfected he beholdeth al thinges.

30 [::] Reuenge shal be taken on this man in the ſtreates of the cittie, and as an horſecolt he shal be chaſed: and where he expected not, he shal be apprehended.

31 And he shal be in dishonour with al men, for that he vnderſtood not the feare of our Lord.

32 So euerie woman alſo that forſaketh her husband, & getteth inheritance by mariage of an other.

33 For firſt she hath bene vnfaithful in the law of the Higheſt: and ſecondly she hath ſinned againſt her busband: thirdly she hath fornicated in adulterie, and hath gotten her children of an other man.

34 This woman shal be brought into the Church, and vpon her children there shal be examination.

35 Her children shal not take roote, and her boughes shal not yeld fruite.

36 She shal leaue her memorie to be curſed, and her dishonour shal not be wiped out.

37 And they that are leaft shal know, that nothing is better then the feare of God: and nothing ſweter, then to haue regard to the commandmentes of our Lord.

38 It is great glorie to folow our Lord: for length of daies shal be taken of him.

Marginal notes to Chapter 23

• 1 [::] Man being weake and the enimie ſuttle & ſtrong, he is not able to reſiſt tentations without Gods ſpecial grace, for which the vviſman therfore prayeth, inſtructing al by his example to do the ſame.
• 7 [::] Precepts how to gouerne the mouth, and tongue.
• 9 [::] Againſt raſh, vntrue, & vnlawful ſwearing. Iere. 4.
• 10 Mat. 5.
• 15 [::] In oathes God is called to witnes as he that can not lie, but b⟨illegible⟩a⟨illegible⟩phemie attributeth th⟨illegible⟩t to God which perteyneth not him, or attributeth to ſome creature that which only belongeth to God, and ſo is a contrarie ſinne to vnlawful ſwearing.
• 15 [::] Both are mortal ſinnes.
• 17 [::] Admonition againſt ſinnes, of the tongue.
• 18 [::] Reproch to parents, and other neighboures.
• 22 [::] Againſt couetouſnes.
• 24 [::] Fornication.
• 25 [::] Adultrie.
• 26 Iſa. 29.
• 30 [::] Seing earnal adultrie ſhal be ſeuerely puniſhed, much more ſpiritual: as ſchiſme hereſie, and apoſtaſie from Catholique Religion.
• 30 Leui 20.
• 30 Deut. 22.

Chapter 24

CHAP. XXIIII. True and laudable wiſdom 5. proceding from God, 6. shineth in his workes: 12. eſpecially in his Church; where she bringeth forth al vertues. 26. She inuiteth al vnto her. 44. and lighteneth her folowers with ſplendore of doctrine.

1 VVISDOM shal praiſe [::] her ſoule, & shal be honoured in God, and shal glorie in the middes of her people,

2 and shal open her mouth in the churches of the Higheſt, and shal glorie in the ſight of his power,

3 and in the middes of her people she shal be exalted, and in the holie aſſemblie she shal be admired,

4 and in the multitude of the elect she shal haue praiſe, and among the bleſſed, she shal be bleſſed, ſaying:

5 I come forth from the mouth of the Higheſt, the firſt begotten before al creatures.

6 I made that in the heauens there should riſe light that faileth not, and as a cloud I couered al the earth.

7 I dwelt in the higheſt places, and my throne is in the pillar of a cloude.

8 I alone haue gone round about the compaſſe of heauen, and haue penetrated into the bottome of the depth, and haue walked in the waues of the ſea,

9 and ſtood in al the earth: and in al people,

10 and in euerie nation I haue had the primacie:

11 and I haue by ſtrength troden downe the hartes of al the excellent, and the baſe; and in al theſe thinges [::] I ſought reſt, & I shal abide in the inheritance of our Lord.

12 Then the creatour of al commanded, and ſaid to me: & he that [::] created me, reſted in my tabernacle,

13 and he ſaid to me: Inhabite [::] in Iacob, and inherite in Iſrael, and take roote in myne elect.

14 From the beginning and before the worlds was I created, and vnto the world to come I shal not ceaſe, and in the holie habitation I haue miniſtred before him.

15 And ſo in Sion was I eſtablished, and in the ſanctified cittie likewiſe I reſted, and my power was in Ieruſalem.

16 And I tooke roote in an honorable people, and in the portion of my God his inheritance, and my abiding is in the ful aſſemblie of ſaintes.

17 I am exalted as a cedar in Libanus, and as a cypres tree in mount Sion.

18 As a palme tree in Cades am I exalted, and as a roſe plant in Iericho:

19 As a faire oliue tree in the fieldes, and as a plane tree by the water in the ſtreates am I exalted.

20 I gaue an odout as cinnamon, & aromatical balme: as choſen myrrhe haue I geuen the ſweetenes of odour:

21 and as ſtorax, and galbanum, and onyx, and aloes, and as Libanus not cut, haue I perfumed myne habitation, and myne odour is as baulme non mingled.

22 I haue ſpred out my boughes as the terebinth, and my boughes are of honour and grace.

23 I as a vine haue fructified ſweetenes of odour: and my flowers are fruite of honour and honeſtie.

24 I am the mother of beautiful loue, and of feare, and of knowledge, and of holie hope.

25 In me is al grace of way and truth, in me al hope of life and vertue.

26 Paſſe to me al ye that deſire me, and be filled of my generations.

27 For my ſpirit is ſweete aboue honie, and myne inheritance aboue honie and the honie combe.

28 My memorie is vnto generations of worldes.

29 They that [::] eate me, shal yet hunger: and they that drinke me, shal yet thirſt.

30 He that heareth me, shal not be confounded: and they that worke in me, shal not ſinne.

31 They that explicate me, shal haue life euerlaſting.

32 Al theſe thinges are the booke of life, and the teſtament of the Higheſt, & the knowlege of truth.

33 Moyſes commanded a law in the preceptes of iuſtices, and an inheritance to the houſe of Iacob, and the promiſes to Iſrael.

34 He appointed to Dauid his ſeruant for to raiſe vp a king of him moſt ſtrong, and ſitting in the throne of honour [::] for euer.

35 Who filleth wiſdom as Phiſon, and as Tigris in the daies of new fruites.

36 Who replenisheth vnderſtanding as Euphrates, who multiplieth it as Iordan in the time of harueſt.

37 Who ſendeth diſcipline as the light, and aſſiſting as Gehon in the day of vintage.

38 Who firſt hath perfect knowledge of it, & a weaker shal not ſearche it out.

39 For her cogitation shal abound aboue the ſea, and her counſels aboue the greate depth.

40 I wiſdom haue powred out riuers.

41 I as a ſluſe of a mightie water out of the riuer, I as the riuer Dioryx, & as a water coundite I came out of paradiſe.

42 I ſaid: I wil water my garden of plantes, and wil inebriate the fruite of my medow.

43 And hehold my ſluſe was made aboundant, and my riuer came neere to a ſea.

44 Becauſe I illuminated doctrine to al as the morning light, & I wil declare it far.

45 I wil penetrate al the inferiour partes of the earth, and wil behold al that ſleepe, and wil illuminate al that hope in our Lord.

46 I wil yet powre out doctrine as prophecie, and wil leaue it to them that ſeeke wiſdom, and wil not ceaſe vnto their progenies euen to the holie age.

47 See ye that I haue not laboured for myſelf only, but for al that ſeeke out the truth.

Marginal notes to Chapter 24

• 1 [::] Diuine wiſdom the Second Perſon of the B. Trinitie begotten not created praiſeth it ſelf. According to the phraſe of ſpeach Iere. 51. v. 14. The Lord of hoſtes hath ſvvorne by his ſoule, that is, by himſelf.
• 11 [::] God offereth his grace, but forceth not anie to accept it.
• 12 [::] Creation is not here taken in the ſtrict ſignification, but for diuine production, in that God the Father by vnderſtanding begetteth God the Sonne. As likewiſe the Father and the Sonne by loue produce the Holie Ghoſt.
• 13 [::] in the Church only is effectual grace.
• 27 Pſa. ⟨illegible⟩
• 29 [::] The more grace any hath the more he deſireth and receiueth.
• 34 [::] In Dauids progenie God preſerued the kinglie ſtate til the captiuitie: and the eſtimation of the royal bloud vnto Chriſt But in al this Dauid was a figure of Chriſt. VVho ſitteth in the Throne of honour abſolutly for eu⟨illegible⟩.
• 36 Ioſ⟨illegible⟩. 3.

Chapter 25

CHAP. XXV. Concord betwen bretheren, neighboures, and man and wife, much pleaſeth God. 3. A poore man proud, a richman a lier, and an old man doting in carnal, or worldlie thinges, are very hateful. 9. He that ſeeth his children good; and his enemies ouerthrowne; hath a good wife; offendeth not in ſpeach; conſenteth not to ſinne; hath a true freind; teacheth good doctrine; hath ſacred; and humane knowlege: hath vndoubtedly nine happie thinges: but to feare God conteyneth 14. and excelleth al. 17. A wicked woman (hereſie) is very detestable, 30. and most vntolerable, if she haue ſupreme dominion.

1 IN three thinges my ſpirit is pleaſed, which are approued before God, and men:

2 [::] The concord of bretheren, and the loue of neighboures, and man and wife wel agreeing together.

3 Three ſortes my ſoule hateth, and I am greatly greeued at their life;

4 [::] A poore man proud: & a rich man a lyer: an old man a foole, and doting.

5 The thinges that thou haſt not gathered in thy youth, how shalt thou find them in thy old age?

6 How beautiful is iudgement for a grey head, and for ancientes to know counſel!

7 How beautiful is wiſdom for the aged, & vnderſtanding glorious, and counſel!

8 Much cunning is the croune of old men, and the feare of God is their glorie.

9 [::] Nine thinges not to be imagined of the hart haue I magnified, and the tenth I wil tel vnto men with my tongue:

10 A man that hath ioy in his children; liuing and ſeeing the ſubuerſion of his enemies.

11 Bleſſed is he that dwelleth with a wiſe woman; & that hath not offended with his tongue; and that hath not ſerued ſuch as are vnworthie of him.

12 Bleſſed is he that findeth a true freind; and that declareth iuſtice to an eare that heareth:

13 How great is he, that findeth wiſdom; and knowlege; but he is not aboue him [::] that feareth our Lord.

14 The feare of God hath ſet it ſelf aboue al thinges:

15 bleſſed is the man, to whom is geuen to haue the feare of God: he that holdeth it, to whom shal he be reſembled?

16 The feare of God is the beginning of his loue: and the beginning of faith is to be faſt ioyned vnto it.

17 The heauines of the hart is al plague: & al malice, [::] the wickednes of a woman.

18 And he wil ſee al plague, and not the plague of the hart:

19 & al wickednes, & not the wickednes of a woman:

20 and al obduction, and not the obduction of them that hate him:

21 and al reuenge, and not the reuenge of the enemies.

22 There is no head worſe then the head of a ſerpent:

23 and there is no anger aboue the anger of woman. It shal be more pleaſant to abide with a lyon and dragon, then to dwel with a wicked woman.

24 The wickednes of a woman changeth her face: and darkeneth her countenace as a beare: and wil shew it as a ſacke. In the middes of her neighbours,

25 her husband groned, and hearing he ſighed a litle.

26 Al malice is short to the malice of a woman, the lot of ſinners fal vpon her.

27 As the goeing vp a grauelie way in the feete of the aged, ſo a woman ful of tongue to a quiet man.

28 Looke not vpon a womans beautie, and deſire not a woman for beautie.

29 A womans anger, and impudencie, and confuſion is great.

30 A woman [::] if she haue ſuperioritie, is contrarie to her husband.

31 An humbled hart, and heauie countenance, and plague of hart, is a wicked woman.

32 Feeble handes, and diſiointed knees, a woman that doth not make her husband happie.

33 From woman came the beginning of ſinne, and by her we doe al die.

34 Geue not iſſue to thy water, no not a litle: nor to a wicked woman leaue, to goe forth.

35 If she walke not at thine hand, she wil confound thee in the ſight of thyn enemies.

36 Cut her of from thy flesh, leſt she alwaies abuſe ⟨illegible⟩hee.

Marginal notes to Chapter 25

• 2 [::] Three very commendable thinges.
• 4 [::] Other three deteſtable.
• 9 [::] Nine happie thinges in this life.
• 11 Iac. 3.
• 13 [::] Al happines in this life is grounded in the feare of God.
• 17 [::] The deſcription of hereſie vnder the figure of a wicked woman: whoſe malice is ſecretly couered vnder pretence of truth and ⟨illegible⟩⟨illegible⟩.
• 23 Prou▪ ⟨illegible⟩.
• 30 [::] Layheadſhi⟨illegible⟩e in ſpiritual cauſes is ſo vnreaſonab le and abſurde, that ⟨illegible⟩w heretikes ⟨illegible⟩ure it.

Chapter 26

CHAP. XXVI. The praiſes of a good woman. 5. The betraying of a citie, mutenie of people, and fal⟨illegible⟩e accuſation are terrible, but a ielous woman is more greuou⟨illegible⟩. 10. Diuers il qualities of a bad woman. 16. More commendations of a good woman. 25. A doleful thing to ſee a valiant warier wanting liuelihood, a wiſeman not regarded, and greateſt griefe to ſee a iuſt man become wicked. 28. A man ful of buſines hardly careth for his ſoule: and a⟨illegible⟩ Inns keper often ſinneth in wordes.

1 THE husband of a good wife is happie: for the number of his yeares is [::] duble.

2 A ſtrong woman delighteth her husband, and shal accomplish the yeares of his life in peace.

3 A good woman is a good portion, in the good portion of them that feare God shal she be geuen to a man for good deedes:

4 And the hart of rich and poore is good, at al time their countenance is merie.

5 Of three thinges my hart hath bene▪ afraid, and at the fourth my face hath trembled:

6 The betraying of a citie, and a gethering together of the people:

7 falſe calumnie, al more greuous then death.

8 A ielous woman, is the ſorow and moorning of the hart.

9 In a ielous woman is a ſcourge of the tongue, communicating with al.

10 As [::] a yoke of oxen, that is moued, ſo alſo a wicked woman: he that holdeth her, is as he that taketh hold of a ſcorpion.

11 A woman geuen to drunkennes is great anger: & her contumelie and turpitude shal not be hid.

12 The fornication of a woman shal be knowen in the lifting vp of her eies, and in her eieliddes.

13 On thy daughter that turneth not away her ſelf, ſet ſure watche: leſt occaſion found she abuſe herſelf.

14 Take heede of the impudencie of her eies, and meruel not if she contemne thee.

15 As a wayfaring man that thirſteth, wil she open her mouth to the fountaine, and wil drinke of euerie water that is next, and wil ſit againſt euerie hedge, and open her quiuer againſt euerie arrow, vntil she faile.

16 [::] The grace of a diligent woman shal delight her husband, and shal farte his bones.

17 Her diſcipline is the gift of God.

18 A wiſe and ſtil woman, there is no exchange for a ſoule inſtructed.

19 A holie and shamefaſt woman, is grace vpon grace.

20 And al weight is not worthie a continent ſoule.

21 As the ſunne ryſing to the world in the higheſt places of God, ſo is the beautie of a good woman for an ornament of her houſe.

22 A lampe shyning vpon the holie candleſticke, & the beautie of the face vpon ſtayed age.

23 Pillars of gold vpon feete of ſiluer, and ſtable feete vpon the ſoules of a ſtayed woman.

24 Eternal fundations vpon a ſound rocke, and the commandments of God in the hart of a holie woman.

25 At two thinges my hart is greeued, and at the third anger is come vpon me:

26 A man of warre decaying by pouertie: and a wiſe man contemned:

27 and he that tranſgreſſeth from iuſtice to ſinne, God hath prepared him to the ſword.

28 Two ſortes haue appeared vnto me hard and dangerous, a merchant is hardly rid of negligence: and [::] a viteler shal not be iuſtified from the ſinnes of the lippes.

Marginal notes to Chapter 26

• 1 [::] An vnqu⟨illegible⟩ life dep⟨illegible⟩iu⟨illegible⟩th a man of much comforth: and therfore continual peace ⟨illegible⟩ as a duble life.
• 10 [::] As whe⟨illegible⟩ o⟨illegible⟩n mo⟨illegible⟩e▪ the yoke o⟨illegible⟩ their necke⟨illegible⟩ doth moue withal: ſo a wicked woman (to witt⟨illegible⟩ hereſie) can not reſt, nor let others reſt, quiet.
• 16 [::] The Catholique faith is the ground al al vertues.
• 28 [::] Thoſe that kepe innes or ailehouſes are alwayes talking, as willing to pleaſe al, but in much talke wanteth not ſinne. Prou. 10. v. 19.

Chapter 27

CHAP. XXVII. For want, and deſire of riches, manie committe ſinne. 4. from which the feare of God preſerueth. 6. Tentation proueth, who is iuſt, 12. conſtant, and modeſt. 17. Freindes are bond to ſecreſie, 25. and fidelitie.

1 THROVGH pouertie manie haue offended: and he that ſeeketh to be made rich, turneth away his eie.

2 As a ſtake is faſtened in the middes of ſtones compact together, ſo alſo in the middes of ſelling and buying, ſinne shal be ſtraytened.

3 Sinne shal be deſtroyed with the ſinner.

4 If thou hold not thyſelfinſtantly in the feare of our Lord, [::] thy houſe shal quickly be ſubuerted.

5 As in the shaking of a ſieue the duſt wil remaine: ſo [::] the perplexitie of a man in his cogitation.

6 The fornace tryeth the potters veſſels, and the tentation of tribulation iuſt men.

7 As the husbandrie about a tree sheweth the fruite thereof, ſo a word out of the thought of the hart of man.

8 Prayſe not a man before ful diſcourſe, for this is the trial of men.

9 If thou folow iuſtice, thou shalt apprehend it: and shalt put it on as a long to be of honour, and thou shalt dwel with it: and it shal protect thee for euer, and in the day of knowleging thou shalt finde ſtedfaſtnes.

10 The foules flocke together to their like: and truth shal returne to them, that worke it.

11 The lion alwayes lyeth in wayte for a pray: ſo ſinnes for them that worke iniquities.

12 A holie man continueth in wiſdom :: as the ſunne: for a foole is changed as :: the moone.

13 In the middes of the vnwiſe keepe the word til his time: but in the middes of deepe conſiderers be continually.

14 The narration of ſinners is odious, & their laugther is in the deligthes of ſinne.

15 Speach that ſweareth much shal make the heare of the head to ſtand vpright: and his lacke of reuerence is the ſtopping of the eares.

16 Sheding of bloud is in the brawling of the proud: and their curſing is a greeuous hearing.

17 He that diſcloſeth the ſecrete of a freind, loſeth credite, and he shal not finde a freind to his minde.

18 Loue thy neighhour, and be ioyned with him in fidelitie.

19 But if thou diſcouer his ſecrets, thou shalt not purſew after him.

20 For as a man that loſeth his freind, ſo alſo he that loſeth the freindshipe of his neigbbour.

21 And as he that letteth a bird goe out of his hand, ſo haſt thou leaft thy neighbour, & shalt not take him.

22 Folow him not, becauſe he is far abſent, for he is fled, as a doe out of the ſnare: becauſe his ſoule is wounded.

23 Thou canſt no more blinde him, and of a curſe there is reconciliation:

24 but to diſcloſe the ſecrets of a freind, is the deſperation of an vnhappie ſoule.

25 He that winketh with the eie, forgeth wicked thinges, and no man wil caſt him of:

26 in the ſight of thyne eyes he wil ſweete his mouth, and wil be in admiration vpon thy wordes: but at the laſt he wil peruert his mouth, and in thy wordes he wil lay a ſcandal.

27 I haue heard manie thinges, & haue not eſteemed them equal to him, and our Lord wil hate him.

28 He that [::] caſteth a ſtone on high, it wil fal vpon his head: and [::] the deceitful ſtroke wil diuide the woundes of the deceitful.

29 He that diggeth a pit, shal fal into it: and he that ſetteth a ſtone for his neighbour, shal ſtumble on it: & he that layeth a ſnare for an other, shal perish in it.

30 To a man that doth moſt wicked counſel, it shal be turned vpon himſelf, and he shal not know from whence it cometh to him.

31 Deriſion & reproch of the proud, and vengeance as a lyon shal lie in waite for him.

32 They shal perish in a ſnare that are delighted with the fal of the iuſt: and ſorow shal conſume them before they die.

33 Anger and furie, both are execrable, and the ſinful man shal be ſubiect to them.

Marginal notes to Chapter 27

• 1 1. Tim 6.
• 4 [::] The ſoule is kept in good ſtate by fearing God.
• 5 [::] After that ſinne is purged there remaine reliques in the ſoule, as duſt in a ſiene, vvhen the chaffe is caſt out, til it be more purged or washed Pſal. 50. v. 4.
• 6 Prou. 27.
• 12 VVhether the ſunne shineth forth or not, it is alvvayes light: ſo is a vviſman alvvayes vertuous, vvhetherit appea⟨illegible⟩ outvvardly or no.
• 17 A foole, or vvicked man, hath no light of vertue in himſelf (like the moone) butſometimes ſemeth to haue more light, ſometimes leſſe, ſometimes none at al. S. Bernard.
• 25 Prou. 10.
• 28 [::] He that expreſly doth iniurie to an other is iuitly punished alſo in this vvorld.
• 28 [::] Hovv ſecretly ſoeuer anie hutteth an other, he vvoundeth his ovvne conſcience, and can not eſcape Gods iudgement.
• 29 Prou. 26.
• 29 Eccle. 10.

Chapter 28

CHAP. XXVIII. Abſtaine from reuenge, 8. and ſtrife, 15. from making debate, 28. from hearing, and ſpeaking euil.

1 HE [::] that wil be reuenged, shal finde reuenge of our Lord, and keepeing he wil keepe his ſinne.

2 :: Forgeue thy neighbour hurting thee: & then shal thy ſinnes be looſed to thee when thou prayeſt.

3 Man to man reſerueth anger, and doth he ſeeke remedie of God?

4 He hath not mercie on a man like vnto himſelf, and doth he intreate for his owne ſinnes?

5 Himſelf whereas he is flesh, reſerueth anger, and doth he aske propitiation of God? Who by prayer shal obteyne for his ſinne?

6 Remember the laſt thinges, & ceaſe to be at enmitie:

7 for conſumption and death are imminent in his commandmentes.

8 Remember the feare of God, and be not angrie with thy neighbour.

9 Remember the teſtament of the High, & contemne the ignorance of thy neigbour.

10 Refraine thyſelf from ſtrife, and thou shalt diminish thy ſinnes:

11 for an angrie man kindleth ſtrife, and a ſinful man wil truble his freindes, and in the middes of them that are at peace he wil caſt in enmitie.

12 For according to the wood of the foreſt, ſo the fire burneth: and according to the power of a man, ſo shal his anger be, and according to his ſubſtance he wil increaſe his anger.

13 Haſtie contention kindleth a fire: and haſtie ſtrife shedeth bloud: and an il teſtifying tongue bringeth death.

14 If thou blow vpon a ſparck, it wil burne as a fire: and if thou ſpitte thereon, it shal be quenched: both procede out of the mouth.

15 The whiſperer & duble tounged is accurſt: for he hath trubled manie that were at peace.

16 A [::] third tongue hath moued manie, and diſperſed them from nation into nation.

17 It hath deſtroyed the walled citie of the rich, and hath digged downe the houſes of great men.

18 It hath cut the forces of peoples, and vndone ſtrong nations.

19 A third tongue hath caſt out manlie wemen, and depriued them of their labours.

20 He that regardeth it, shal not haue reſt, neither shal he haue a freind in whom he may repoſe.

21 The ſtroke of a whippe maketh a blew marke: but the ſtroke of the tongue wil breake the bones.

22 Manie haue fallen by the edge of the ſword, but not ſo as they that haue perished by their tongue.

23 Bleſſed is he that is couered from a wicked tongue, that hath not paſſed into the anger therof, and that hath not drawen the yoke therof, and hath not bene tyed in the bandes therof:

24 for the yoke of it, is a yoke of yron: and the band of it is a band of braſſe.

25 The death of it, is a moſt wicked death: and hel is more profitable then it.

26 The continuance of it shal not be permanent, but it shal obteyne the waies of the vniuſt: and it shal not burne the iuſt in the flame therof.

27 They that forſake God, shal fal into it, and it shal burne in them, and shal not be quenched, and it shal be ſent in vpon them as a lion, and as a leopard it shal hurt them.

28 [::] Hedge thine eares with thornes, and heare not a wicked tongue, and make doores to thy mouth, and locks.

29 Lay together thy ſiluer, and make balance to thy wordes, and right bridles to thy mouth:

30 and take heede leſt perhaps thou ſlippe in thy tongue, & fal in the ſight of the enemies, that lie in wayte for thee, and thy fal be vncurable vnto death.

Marginal notes to Chapter 28

• 1 [::] He that ſeeketh reuenge contrarie to the courſe of iuſtice, or of euil intention, or of rancor of mind, ſinneth greuouſly.
• 2 ⟨illegible⟩ut. 6.
• 2 R⟨illegible⟩m. 11.
• 6 :: Charitie requireth that we remitte iniuries with three conditions, if the offender be truly penitent, if the remiſſion of puniſhment be not againſt iuſtice, nor againſt neceſſarie diſcipline.
• 12 ⟨illegible⟩ ▪ ⟨illegible⟩ ▪
• 16 [::] Vndiſcrete reporte to one what an other hath ſaide, is often cauſe of much diſcontentment, and of diſſention.
• 28 [::] To heare detraction is as bad as to ſpeake it.

Chapter 29

CHAP. XXIX. Lend charitably, 3. and reſtore faithfully. 10. For the fault of il debters, omitte not to helpe the honeſt. 12. rather geue almes where nede is. 19. Be thankful for ſuretiship, 28. Liue frugally. 32. Goe not a gheſtning for delicate chere.

1 HE that [::] lendeth to his neighbour, doth mercie: and he that preuayleth with hand, keepeth the commandments.

2 Lend to thy neighbour in the time of his neceſſitie, and :: againe repay thy neighbour in his time.

3 Confirme thy word, and doe faithfully with him: & thou shalt finde at al time, that which is neceſſarie for thee.

4 Manie haue eſteemed a thing lent as a thing found, and haue geuen moleſtation to them that did helpe them.

5 Til they receiue, they kiſſe the handes of the lender, and in promiſes they humble their voice:

6 and in the time of repaying they wil aske a time, and wil ſpeake wordes of tediouſnes and murmurings, and wil make the time an excuſe:

7 and if he be able to pay, he wil reſiſt, he wil pay ſcarſe halfe of the whole, and wil account it as a thing found:

8 but if not, he wil defraude him of his money, and poſſeſſe him an enemie without cauſe:

9 and wil repay him reproches and curſes, and for honour and benefite wil repay him contumelie.

10 Manie haue not lent, not becauſe of wickednes, but they were afraid to be defrauded without cauſe.

11 But yet vpon the humble be ſtronger of minde, & for almes differre him not.

12 Becauſe of the commandment receiue the poore: and becauſe of his pouertie, ſend him not away emptie.

13 Loſe money for thy brother and thy freind: and hide it not vnder a ſtone vnto perdition.

14 Put thy treaſure in the precepts of the Higheſt, [::] & it shal profite thee more then gold.

15 Shut vp almes in the hart of the poore, and the ſame shal obteyne for thee againſt al euil.

16–17 Aboue the shilde of the mightie, & aboue the ſpeare, it shal fight againſt tnyne enemie.

18 A good man becometh ſuretie for his neighbour : and he that hath loſt shame, wil leaue him to himſelf.

19 Forget not the kindnes of a ſuertie: for he hath geuen his life for thee.

20 The ſinner and vncleane perſon fleeth from his ſuretie.

21 A ſinner counteth the goodes of his ſuretie to himſelf: and vnthankful in minde wil forſake him that deliuered him.

22 A man is ſuretie for his neighbour: and when he hath loſt shame, he shal be forſaken of him.

23 Naughtie ſuretieshippe hath vndone manie, that were In good caſe, and hath toſſed them as a waue of the ſea.

24 Whurling round about, it hath made mightie men to remoue, and they haue wandred in ſtrange nations.

25 A ſinner that trangreſſeth the commandment of our Lord, shal fal into naughtie ſuretieshippe: and he that endeuoureth to doe manie thinges, shal fal into iudgement.

26 Recouer thy neighbour according to thy power, and [::] take heed to thy ſelf that thou fal not.

27 The beginning of mans life water & bread, and garment, and houſe couering his turpitude.

28 Better is the poore mans fayre vnder a roofe of bordes, then ſumptuous cheere in a ſtrange place without a houſe.

29 Let the leaſt thing pleaſe thee in ſteede of a great, and thou shalt not heare the reproach of peregrination.

30 It is a naughtie life to change lodging from houſe to houſe : and where he shal lodge, he shal not deale boldely, nor open his mouth.

31 He shal lodge, and feede, and make the vnthanckful drinke, and beſide theſe thinges he shal heare bitter wordes.

32 Paſſe thou ſtranger, & furnish the table, & with the thinges thou haſt in thy hand, feede the reſt.

33 Depart from the preſence of the honour of my freindes: for the neceſſitie of my houſe my brother is to be lodged with me.

34 Theſe thinges be greuous to a man that hath vnderſtanding: rebuke for the houſe, and the reproch of the lender.

Marginal notes to Chapter 29

• 1 [::] Lending is a worke of mercie, & a kinde of almes. To repay that is borowed is a worke of iuſtice, wittingly not to reſtore is as bad as theft.
• 12 Exo. 22.
• 12 Deut. 14.
• 14 T⟨illegible⟩b. 4.
• 14 [::] Great fruite of workes of mercie.
• 26 [::] Prudence requireth that by helping an other, thou doeſt not ouerthrovv thyſelf.

Chapter 30

CHAP. XXX. Chaſtiſment of children is neceſſarie, and indulgence very dangerous. 14. Health is better then riches. 17. A trubleſome life is worſe then death. 22. Be not penſiue but chereful in mind.

1 HE that loueth his ſoune, doth accuſtome him to ſtripes, that he may reioyce in his later end, and not grope after the doores of his neighboures.

2 He that teacheth his ſonne, shal be praiſed in him, & in the middes of them of his houshold he shal glorie in him.

3 He that teacheth his ſonne, doth caſt the enemie into emulation, and in the middes of his freindes he shal glorie in him.

4 His father is dead, & he is as it were not dead: for he hath left behind him the like to himſelf.

5 In his life he ſawe and reioyced in him: in his death he was not made ſorie, neither was he confounded before the enemies.

6 For he left a defender of his houſe againſt the enemies, & one that should render thanck to his freindes.

7 [::] For the ſoules of his ſonnes he wil binde vp his woundes, & at euerie voice his bowels shal be trubled.

8 An vntamed horſe becometh ſtubburne, and a diſſolute childe wil become headie.

9 Pamper thy ſonne, and he wil make thee afraid: play with him, and he wil make thee ſorowful.

10 Laugh not with him, leſt thou be ſorie, and at the laſt [::] thy teeth shal be on edge.

11 Geue him not power in his youth, and contemne not his cogitations.

12 Curbe his necke in youth, and knock his ſides whiles he is a childe, leſt perhaps he be hardned, and beleeue thee not, and he shal be ſorow of minde to thee.

13 Teach thy ſonne, and worke in him, that thou offend not in his dishoneſtie.

14 Better is a poore man whole, and ſtrong of force, then a rich man weake and ſcourged with miſerie.

15 The [::] health of the ſoule in holines of iuſtice, is better then al gold and ſiluer: and a ſound bodie, then infinite reuenewes.

16 There is no riches aboue the riches of the health of the bodie: and there is noe delight aboue the ioy of the hart.

17 Better is death then a bitter life: and euerlaſting reſt, then continual ſicknes.

18 Good thinges hid in a mouth that is shut, are as meſſes of meates ſet about a graue.

19 What shal ſacrifice profite an idol? for neither shal he eate, nor ſmel:

20 ſo he that is chaſed away of our Lord, beareth the rewardes of iniquitie:

21 ſeing with his eies, & groning, as an eunuch embracing a virgin and ſighing.

22 [::] Geue not heuines to thy ſoule, & afflict not thyſelf in thy counſel.

23 Ioyfulnes of the hart, this is the life of a man, and a treaſure without defect of holines: and the ioy of a man is long life.

24 Haue mercie on thine owne ſoule, [::] pleaſing God, and refraine: and comfort thy hart in his holines : and expel ſorow far from thee.

25 For ſorow hath killed manie, and there is noe profite in it.

26 Enuie and anger diminish the daies, and thought wil bring old age before the time.

27 A magnifical hart, is good in bankettes: for his bankettes are made diligently.

Marginal notes to Chapter 30

• 1 Pr⟨illegible⟩. 1⟨illegible⟩. &. 2⟨illegible⟩.
• 4 Deut. 6.
• 7 [::] The eldeſt ſonne being heire to his father, is to haue ⟨illegible⟩pecial caſe of the other children, euen to the aduenturing of his owne hurt for their liues.
• 10 [::] Teeth on edge o⟨illegible⟩ g⟨illegible⟩aſhing of teeth, is a part of hel paines. ⟨illegible⟩. 8. & 1⟨illegible⟩ & ſometimes beginneth in this life.
• 15 [::] ⟨illegible⟩ is aboue al riche⟨illegible⟩, and honour.
• 20 Deut. 14.
• 22 [::] Suffer not vnneceſſarie penſiuenes to afflict thy mind, through puſillanimitie.
• 22 Prau. 12. 15. & 17.
• 24 [::] ⟨illegible⟩ut relie wholly ⟨illegible⟩ Gods ⟨illegible⟩l and prouidence. reſigning thy wil ⟨illegible⟩to his▪

Chapter 31

CHAP. XXXI. By ſeeking vertue, and laboring for neceſſaries, the flesh is ſubdued to the ſpirite. 8. Moderate riches are beſt, 12. with temperance in diette, 30. eſpecially in drinking.

1 VVATCHING [::] after honeſtie shal pine the flesh, & the thought thereof [::] taketh away ſleepe.

2 The thought of foreknowlege turneth away the vnderſtanding, & greuous infirmitie maketh a ſober ſoule.

3 The riche man hath laboured in gathering of ſubſtance together, & in his reſt he shal be replenished with his goodes.

4 The poore man hath laboured in the diminishing of his liuing, and in the end he is made poore.

5 He that loueth gold shal not be iuſtified: & he that foloweth after corruption, shal be replenished of it.

6 Manie haue bene geuen into falles for gold, and their perdition hath come by the beautie thereof.

7 The gold of them that ſacrifice is a wood of offence: wo to them, that folow after it, and euerie vnwiſe man shal perish in it.

8 Bleſſed is the rich man that is found without ſpot: and that hath not gone after gold, nor hoped in money and treaſures.

9 Who is this, & we wil praiſe him, for he hath done meruelous thinges in his life.

10 Who is proued therin, & perfect, shal haue eternal glorie. He that [::] could tranſgreſſ⟨illegible⟩e, and hath not tranſgreſſed: and doe euils, and hath not done:

11 therfore are his good thinges ſtablished in our Lord, & al the church of ſaintes shal declare his almes.

12 Art thou ſet at a great table? open not thy iawe therevpon firſt.

13 Say not this: There be manie thinges which are vpon it.

14 Remember that a naughtie eie is euil.

15 What is created worſe then the eie? therefore shal it weepe at euerie face. When it shal ſee,

16 ſtretch not out thy hand firſt, and ſo contaminated with enuie thou be ashamed.

17 Be not oppreſſed in a feaſt.

18 Vnderſtand by thyſelf what thy neighbours thinges are.

19 Vſe as a frugal man thoſe thinges, that are ſet before thee: leſt thou be hated when thou eateſt much.

20 Leaue of firſt, for maners ſake, and exceede not, leſt thou perhaps offend.

21 And if thou be ſet in the middes of manie, ſtretch not forth thy hand before them: neither doe thou firſt aske to drinke.

22 How ſufficient is a little wine for a man wel taught, and in ſleeping thou shalt not be pained with it, and thou shalt feele no griefe.

23 Watching, & choler, & torment to an vnſatiable man:

24 ſleepe of health is in a man of ſpare diet: he shal ſleepe vntil morning, and his ſoule with him shal be deligted.

25 And if thou haſt bene forced with eating much, riſe from the middes, and vomite, and it shal refresh thee, and thou shalt not bring infirmitie to thy bodie.

26 Heare me my ſonne, and deſpiſe me not: and in the end thou shalt finde my wordes.

27 In al thy workes be quicke, and al infirmitie shal not chance vnto thee.

28 The lippes of manie shal bleſſe him that is magnifical in breads, and the teſtimonie of his truth is faithful.

29 In [::] naughtie bread the cittie wil murmur, and the teſtimonie of the naughtines thereof is true.

30 Prouoke not them that loue wine: for wine hath deſtroyed very manie.

31 Fire tryeth hard yron: ſo wine dronken in drunkennes shal rebuke the hartes of the proud.

32 Equal life to al men, wine in ſobrietie: if thou drinke it moderatly, thou shalt be ſober.

33 What is the life that is diminished with wine?

34 What defraudeth life? death.

35 Wine was created for ioyfulnes, and not for drunkēnes from the beginning.

36 Wine drunken moderately is the ioy of the ſoule, and the hart.

37 Sober drinking is health to ſoule and bodie.

38 Much wine drunken maketh prouocation, & wrath, & manie ruines.

39 Much wine drunken is bitternes of the ſoule.

40 The couragiouſnes of drunkennes, is offence of the vnwiſe, leſſening the ſtrength, and making woundes.

41 In a banquet of wine rebuke not thy neighbour: and deſpiſe him not in his mirth.

42 Speake not to him wordes of repoch: and preſſe him not in demanding againe.

Marginal notes to Chapter 31

• 1 [::] They that imploy al their ſtudie to getre vertues, ſhal be more free from tentations of the fleſh.
• 1 [::] And from drawſines of mind: whereupon S Ierom admoniſheth: Loue the ſtudies of holie Scriptures, and thou vvilt not loue the vices of the fresh. Epist ad Ruſticum Monach.
• 10 [::] It is in mans freewil to tranſgreſſe, & therfore they are happie, that through Gods grace do not breake his commandments.
• 19 Prou. ⟨illegible⟩.
• 28 Prou. 22.
• 29 [::] As bread is the chiefe ſuſtenāce of the bodie, ſo doctrine is of the minde, which being good nouriſheth, & if it be bad corrupteth them that receiue it.
• 36 Pſa. 103.
• 37 Prou 31.

Chapter 32

CHAP. XXXII. Superiors muſt rule with mekenes, 4. teaching thoſe wiſdom that are capable thereof. 7. Be moderate in muſike, and in wine. 9. Let yongmen be diligent to heare, and ſparing to ſpeake. 13. eſpecially before their betters. 1⟨illegible⟩. Be alwayes wel occupied. 17. Serue, and feare God. 21. admitte correction. 24. do nothing without counſel.

1 HAVE they made thee Ruler? [::] be not extolled: be among them as one of them.

2 Haue care of them, and ſo ſitte thou ſtil, and al thy care being diſpatched, repoſe.

3 That thou maiſt reioyce for their ſakes, & receiue a crowne as an ornament of grace, and obteyne the dignitie of the contribution.

4 Speake thou that art elder: for it becometh thee,

5 the firſt word to him that loueth with knowlege, & hinder not muſike.

6 Where there is no hearing, power not out ſpeache, and extol not thyſelf out of time in thy wiſdom.

7 A litle pearle of the carbuncle in an ornament of gold, and the compariſon of muſicians in a banket of wine.

8 As a ſignet of the emerauld is in the working of gold: ſo the melodie of muſike in ioyful and moderate wine.

9 Heare holding thy peace, & for thy reuerence good grace shal come to thee.

10 Yong man ſpeake in thine owne cauſe ſcarſely.

11 If thou be asked twiſe, let thyne anſwer hauean head.

12 In manie thinges be as it were ignorant, and heare holding thy peace and withal asking.

13 In the middes of greate men preſume not: and where ancients are, ſpeake not much.

14 Before haile there shal goe lightning: & grace shal goe before shamfaſtnes, & for thy reuerence good grace shal come to thee.

15 And at the houre of ryſing ſlacke not thyſelf: but runne before firſt into thy houſe, and there withdraw thyſelf, and there play,

16 and doe thy conceites, and not in ſinnes and proud word.

17 And aboue al theſe thinges bleſſe our Lord, that made thee, & that doth replenish thee with al his goodes.

18 He that feareth our Lord, shal receiue his doctrine: and they that wil watch after him, shal finde bleſſing.

19 He that ſeeketh the law, shal be replenished with it: and he that doth deceitfully, shal be ſcandalized by it.

20 They that feare our Lord, shal finde iuſt iudgement, and shal kindle iuſtices as light.

21 A ſinful man wil flee reprehenſion, and according to his wil, wil finde excuſe.

22 A man of counſel wil not deſtroy vnderſtanding, an aliene and proud man wil not dread feare:

23 Yea after he hath done with feare without counſel, he shal be controwled euen by his owne purſuites.

24 Sonne [::] doe nothing without counſel, and after the fact thou shalt not repent.

25 Goe not in the way of ruine, and thou shalt not ſtumble at ſtones: commite not thyſelf to a laborious way, leſt thou ſet a ſcandal to thy ſoule.

26 And beware of thy children, and take heede of them of thy houſehold.

27 In al thy worke beleue thy ſoule [::] by faith: for this is the keeping of the commandmentes.

28 He that beleueth God, attendeth to the commandmentes: and he that truſteth in him, shal not be leſſened.

Marginal notes to Chapter 32

• 1 [::] Humilitie is neceſſarie in al, but moſt eſpecially in men of auctoritie. The greateſt art in this life is to contemne vaine glorie in height of auctoritie. S Greg. de cura paſtorali
• 6 Eccle. 3.
• 24 [::] God di⟨illegible⟩ecteth mens reſolutions, and actions, when they vſe the meanes of conſultation, as he hath appointed▪ for vvhen two or three are gathered in his name, he is in middes of them. Mat. 18.
• 27 [::] Do not againſt thy cōference.

Chapter 33

CHAP. XXXIII. Feare of God defendeth from al aduerſaries. 5. Follie is vnconſtant. 8. God diſpoſeth al to the beſt. 13. Man is in Gods hand, as clay in the po⟨illegible⟩ters. 20. Superiors muſt keepe their auctoritie: and their ſubiectes in diſcipline.

1 TO him that feareth our Lord euils shal not happen, but in tentation God wil keepe him, and deliuer him from euils.

2 A wiſe man hateth not the commandments and iuſtices, and he shal not be shaken as a shippe in a ſtorme.

3 A man of vnderſtanding beleueth the law of God, and the law is ſure to him.

4 He that repeteth an interrogation, shal better prepare his anſwer, and ſo shal be heard, and shal keepe diſcipline.

5 [::] The hart of a foole is as a wheele of a carte: & his cogitation as a turning axeltree.

6 A ſtalion horſe neyeth vnder euerie one that ſitteth vpon him, ſo a freind that is a ſcorner.

7 Why doth one day excel an other, and one light an other, and one yeare an other yeare of the ſunne?

8 By the knowlege of our Lord they were ſeperated, the ſunne being made, and keeping the precept.

9 And he changed times, and the feſtiual daies thereof, and in the ſame they celebrated the feſtiual daies at an houre.

10 Of them God exalted and magnified, and of them he put into the number of daies. And al men are of the ground, and of the earth, from whence Adam was created.

11 In the multitude of the diſcipline of our Lord he ſeparated them, and changed their waies

12 Of them he bleſſed, and exalted: and of them he ſanctified, and applied to himſelf: and of them he curſed and humbled, and conuerted them from their ſeparation.

13 As potters clay is in his hand, to fashion and diſpoſe it.

14 Al his wayes according to his diſpoſition: ſo man in the hand of him, and he wil render to him according to his iudgement.

15 Againſt euil is good, and againſt death life: ſo alſo againſt a iuſt man a ſinner. † And ſo looke vpon al the workes of the Higheſt. Two againſt two, and one againſt one.

16 And I awaked laſt, and as he that gathereth bearies after the grape gatherers.

17 In the bleſſing of God I alſo haue hoped: and as he that gathereth grapes, haue I filled the wine preſſe.

18 See that I haue not laboured for myſelf only, but for al that ſeeke out diſcipline.

19 Heare me ye great men, and al peoples, and ye rulers of the Church karken with your eares.

20 To ſonne and wife, brother and freind, geue not power ouer ther in thy life: and geue not thy poſſeſſion to an other: leſt perhaps thou repent thee, and thou entreate for them.

21 Whiles thou art yet aliue and takeſt breath, al flesh shal not change thee.

22 For it is better that thy children aske of thee, then that thou looke toward the hands of thy children.

23 In al thy workes be exquiſite.

24 Geue no ſtaine to thy glorie. In the day of the conſummation of the dayes of thy life, and in the time of thy deceaſe diſtribute thine inheritance.

25 Fodder, and wande, and burden for an aſſe: bread, and diſcipline, and worke for a ſeruant.

26 He worketh in diſcipline, and ſeeketh to reſt: releaſe him his handes, and he ſeeketh libertie.

27 The yoke and the reyne bend a ſtiff necke, and continual workes do bowe a ſeruant.

28 For a malicious ſeruant torment & fetters, ſend him into worke, that he be not idle.

29 For idlenes hath taught much naughtines.

30 Set him to worke: for ſo it becometh him. And if he be not obedient, bow him with fetters, and exceede not ouer al flesh: but without iudgement doe no greuous thing.

31 If thou haue a faithful ſeruant, let him be vnto thee as thy ſoule: as a brother ſo entreate him: becauſe in the bloud of thy ſoule thou haſt gotten him.

32 If thou hurt him vniuſtly, he wil runne away:

33 if riſing vp he depart: thou knoweſt not whom to aske, and what way to ſeeke him.

Marginal notes to Chapter 33

• 5 [::] Men ledde with paſſions runne from one vice into an other without ceaſing. Eſpecially heretikes runne into manie errors. Againſt which S Paul preſcribeth this rule. It is beſt that the hart be eſtablished with grace. Heb. 13. v. 9.
• 13 Rom. ⟨illegible⟩.

Chapter 34

CHAP. XXXIIII. Truſt not vaine dreames, ſouthſayinges, nor lies. 9. Much good is got by experience: 14. and more by fearing God. 21. God reiecteth the oblation, of the wicked. 24. Defrauding the poore is like to manſlaughter. 28. Deſtroy not that an other buildeth. 30. Repentance without amendment is nothing worth.

1 VAINE hope, & lying is to a foolish man: & [::] dreames extol the vnwiſe.

2 As he that apprehendeth a shadow, and purſueth the winde: ſo is he alſo that attendeth to lying viſions.

3 According to this is the viſion of dreames: as a mans ſimilitude before the face of a man.

4 Of the vncleane what shal be made cleane? and of a lyer what truth shal be ſaid?

5 Diuination of errour, and lying ſouthſayinges, and the dreames of them that do euil, are vanitie.

6 And as a woman that traueleth thy hart ſuffereth phantaſies: vnleſſe it be a viſion ſent forth from the Higheſt, ſet not thy hart vpon them.

7 For dreames haue made manie to erre, and they that hoped in them haue failed.

8 [::] The word of the law shal be fulfilled without lying, and [::] wiſedom in the mouth of the faithful shal be made plaine.

9 He that hath not bene proued, what knoweth he? A man expert in manie thinges, shal thinck manie thinges: and he that hath lerned manie thinges, shal declare vnderſtanding.

10 He that is not tryed, knoweth few thinges: and he that hath bene in manie things, multiplyeth wickednes.

11 He that hath not bene proued, what maner of thinges knoweth he? He that is deceiued, shal abound with wickednes.

12 I haue ſeene manie thinges in wandring to and fro, and very manie fashions of words.

13 Some times I haue bene in danger vnto death for theſe thinges, and I was deliuered by the grace of God.

14 The ſpirit of them that feare God is ſought, & at his ſight shal be bleſſed.

15 For their hope is on him that ſaueth them, and the eies of God vpon them that loue him.

16 He that feareth our Lord shal tremble at nothing, and shal not dread: becauſe he is his hope.

17 His ſoule is bleſſed that feareth our Lord.

18 To whom doth he looke, and who is his ſtrength?

19 The eies of our Lord are vpon them that feare him, a protectour of might, a ſtay of ſtrength, a couer from the heate, and shadow for the noone time,

20 a ſauing from offence, and helpe from falling, exalting the ſoule, and illuminating the eies, geuing health, and life, and bleſſing.

21 The oblation of him that immolateth of an vniuſt thing is ſpotted, and the ſcorninges of the vniuſt are not acceptable.

22 Our Lord is onlie theirs that expect him in the way of truth and iuſtice.

23 The Higheſt alloweth not the giftes of the wicked: neither hath he regard to the oblations of the vniuſt, neither wil he be made propitious for ſinnes by the multitude of their ſacrifices.

24–25 He that offereth ſacrifice of poore mens ſubſtance, is as he that ſacrificeth the ſonne in the preſence of his father. The bread of the needie, is the life of the poore: he that defraudeth it, is a man of bloud.

26 He that taketh away bread in ſwet, is as he that killeth his neighbour.

27 He that sheddeth bloud, and that defraudeth the hired man, are bretheren.

28 [::] One building, and an other deſtroing: what profite haue they but the labour?

29 One praying, and an other curſing: whethers voice wil God heare?

30 He that is washed from the dead, [::] and toucheth him againe, what doth his washing profit?

31 ſo a man that faſteth in his ſinnes: and doing the ſame againe, what doth he profite in humbling himſelf? who wil heare his prayer?

Marginal notes to Chapter 34

• 1 [::] Vaine dreames are not to be regarded: but ſome are good, & from God. Gen 37. 40. 41. Dan. 2. 4. Mat. 1.
• 8 [::] Vvhatſoeuer is written in holy Scripture is vndoubtedly true: and no ⟨illegible⟩ote of the law ſhal periſh.
• 8 [::] God alſo prouideth that alwayes there be ſome which truly explicate his lavv.
• 19 Pſa. 32.
• 21 Prou. 21. v. 27.
• 23 Prou. 15. v. 8.
• 27 Leuit. 19.
• 28 [::] He that deſtroyeth that an other buildeth bringeth tvvo mens labours to nothing.
• 30 [::] R⟨illegible⟩cidiuation into ſinne maketh the ⟨illegible⟩o⟨illegible⟩er repentāce fruſtrate. Mat. 18. v. 33.

Chapter 35

CHAP. XXXV. Obſeruation of the commandments, 4. and ſacrifice of the iuſt pleaſe God, 12. not the ſacrifice of the wicked. 14. God protecteth the poore and deſolate, 19. heareth the prayer of the humble, and rendereth to alas they deſerue.

1 HE [::] that keepeth the law, multiplieth oblation.

2 It is an holſome ſacrifice to attend to the commandments, and to depart from al iniquitie.

3 To depart from iniquitie is a thing that pleaſeth our Lord wel: and to depart from iniuſtice is an intreating for ſinnes.

4 [::] Thou shalt not appeare before the ſight of our Lord emptie.

5 For al theſe thinges are done becauſe of the commandment of God.

6 The oblation of the iuſt maketh a fatte altar, and is an odour of ſweetenes in the ſight of the Higheſt.

7 The ſacrifice of the iuſt is acceptable, and our Lord wil not forget the memorie thereof.

8 Render glorie to God with a good minde: and diminish not the firſt fruites of thine handes.

9 In euerie gift make thy countenance chereful, and in ioyfulnes ſanctifie thy tithes.

10 Geue to the Higheſt according to his gift, and with a good eie, doe according to the abilitie of thine handes:

11 becauſe our Lord is a rewarder, and wil repay thee [::] ſeuen times ſo much.

12 Offer not wicked giftes, for he wil not receiue them.

13 And looke not vpon an vniuſt ſacrifice, becauſe our Lord is iudge, and there is not with him the glorie of perſon.

14 Our Lord wil not accept perſon againſt the poore, and he wil heare the prayer of him that is hurt.

15 He wil not deſpiſe the prayers of the pupil: nor the widow, if she power out ſpeach of mourning.

16 Do not the widows teares runne downe to the cheeke, & her exclamation vpon him that cauſeth them to runne?

17 For from the cheeke they goe vp euen to heauen, and our Lord the hearer wil not be delighted in them.

18 He that adoreth God in delectation, shal be receiued, & his petition shal approch euen to the cloudes.

19 The prayer of him that humbleth himſelf, shal penetrate the cloudes: and til it approch he wil not be comforted: and he wil not depart til the Higheſt behold.

20 And our Lord wil not be long, but wil iudge the iuſt, and wil do iudgement: and the ſtrongeſt wil not haue patience in them, that he may crush their backe:

21 and he wil repay vengeance to the Gentiles, til he take away the multitude of the proude: & breake the ſcepters of the vniuſt,

22 til he reward men according to their doings: and according to the workes of man, and according to his preſumption,

23 til he iudge the iudgement of his people, and shal delight the iuſt with his mercie:

24 The mercie of God is beautiful in the time of tribulation, as a cloude of raine in the time of drught.

Marginal notes to Chapter 35

• 1 [::] Sacrifices of penance, Pſal ⟨illegible⟩ ▪ of iuſtice Pſal. ⟨illegible⟩ and of praiſe, ⟨illegible⟩a. 4⟨illegible⟩. ⟨illegible⟩ then ⟨illegible⟩
• 2 1. Reg. 15▪ v. 22. Iere. 7.
• 4 [::] Neuertheles ⟨illegible⟩ is alſo neceſſarie
• 4 Exo. ⟨illegible⟩.
• 5 ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩4. D⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩.
• 9 2 Cor. ⟨illegible⟩. ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩.
• 11 [::] Often times ſo much. A⟨illegible⟩ Prou. 24. Seuen times shal the iuſt fal, & shal ⟨illegible⟩ againe.
• 12 Leuit. 22. Deut. 1⟨illegible⟩.
• 14 2 P⟨illegible⟩. 19.
• 15 Rom. 2. Act. 10.

Chapter 36

CHAP. XXXVI. A prayer for conuerſion of al nations: 14. and for conſeruation of the Iſraelites. 20. Diſcretion is neceſſarie in al actions, and deſires.

1 HAVE mercie vpon vs ô God of al, and reſpect vs, and shew vs the light of thy mercies:

2 and ſend in thy feare vpon [::] the nations, that haue not ſought after thee, that they may know that there is no God but thou, and that they may shewforth thy glorious thinges.

3 Lift vp thy hand ouer the ſtrange Nations, that they may ſee thy might.

4 For as in their ſight thou art ſanctified in vs, ſo in our ſight thou shalt be magnified in them,

5 that they may know thee, as we alſo haue knowen, that there is no God beſide thee ô Lord.

6 Renewe ſignes, and change meruels.

7 Glorifie thy hand, and thy right arme.

8 Raiſe vp furie, and power out wrath.

9 Take away the aduerſarie, and afflict the enemie.

10 Haſten the time, and remember the end, that they may declare thy meruels.

11 Let him that is ſaued be deuoured in the wrath of flame: and let them that euil intreate thy people, finde perdition.

12 Breake the head of princes of the enemies, that ſaie: There is none other beſide vs.

13 Gather together al the tribes of Iacob: and let them know that there is no God but thou, that they may declare thy great workes: & thou shalt inherite them as from the beginning.

14 Haue mercie on thy people, vpon which thy name is inuocated: and vpon Iſrael, whom thou haſt made equal to thy firſt begotten.

15 Haue mercie on the citie of thy ſanctification Ieruſalem, the citie of thy reſt.

16 Replenish Sion with thy wordes that can not be vttered, & thy people with thy glorie.

17 Geue the teſtimonie to them, that are thy creatures from the beginning, and raiſe vp the prophecies, which the former prophets ſpake in thy name.

18 Geue reward to them that patiently expect thee, that thy prophets may be found faithful: and heare the prayers of thy ſeruants,

19 according to Aarons benediction of thy people, and direct vs into the way of iuſtice, and let al knowe that inhabite the earth, that thou art God the beholder of the worldes.

20 The [::] bellie wil eate al meate, and one meate is better then an other meate.

21 The iawes taiſt veniſon, & :: the wiſe hart lying wordes,

22 A peruerſe hart wil geue ſorow, and a cunning man wil reſiſt it.

23 Some woman wil receiue euerie man: and one daughter is better then an other daughter.

24 The beautie of a woman chereth the face of her husband, and increaſeth the deſire aboue al mans concupiſcence.

25 If there be a tongue of curing, there is alſo of mitigating and of mercie: her husband is not according to the ſonnes of men.

26 He that poſſeſſeth a good woman, beginneth riches: she is an helpe like vnto him, & a piller as [::] reſt.

27 Where there is no hedge, the poſſeſſion shal be ſpoiled: and where there is no wife, he mourneth wanting. Who doth credite him that hath no neſt, and turning aſide whereſoeuer it waxeth darke, as a robber girded, leaping from citie to citie.

Marginal notes to Chapter 36

• 2 [::] This prayer implieth alſo a prophecie of the conuerſion of the Gentiles, as the like very often in the Pſalmes. 58. 6⟨illegible⟩. 65. &c.
• 14 Exo. 4.
• 19 Num. 6.
• 20 [::] As there i⟨illegible⟩ difference of meates▪ ⟨illegible⟩ ſo there ought to be diſcret on in wordes, in chooſing a wi⟨illegible⟩e & in al actions, and deſires.
• 26 [::] In concord ſmal thinges increaſe, by diſcord al thinges goe to hauocke.

Chapter 37

CHAP. XXXVII. Beware of a feaned, & loue à ſure freind, 7. conſult with the wiſe, truſtie, 15. and vertuous, 19. eſpecially relying vpon God. 21. The tongue is cauſe of much good, or much euil. 30. Be temperate in diet.

1 EVERIE freind wil ſay: I alſo haue ioyned freindshipe: [::] but there is a freind, in name only a freind. Doth there not ſorow remaine euen to death?

2 But a companion and freind wil be turned to enmitie.

3 O moſt wicked preſumption, whence waſt thou created to couer the drie land with malice, and with the deceitfulnes thereof?

4 A companion is pleaſant with his freind in delectations, and in the time of tribulation he wil be an aduerſarie.

5 A companion is ſorie with his freind for his bellies ſake, and he wil take a shield againſt the enemie.

6 Forgete not thy freind in thy minde, and be not vnmindeful of him in thy riches.

7 Conſult not with him which betraieth, and hide thy counſel from them that enuie thee.

8 Euerie counſeler vttereth counſel, but there is a counſeler in him ſelfe.

9 From ſuch a counſeler keepe thy ſoule. Firſt know what his neceſſitie is: for he wil deuiſe to his owne minde:

10 leſt perhaps he thruſt a sharpe ſtake into the ground and ſay to thee:

11 Thy way is good; and ſtand ouer againſt thee to ſee what wil befal thee.

12 With an irreligious man treate not of holines, and with the vniuſt of iuſtice, and with a woman of the thing whereof she is ielous: with a feareful man of warre, with a marchant of traficke, with a byer of ſelling, with an enuious man of geuing thankes,

13 with the impious of pietie, with the vnhoneſt of honeſtie, with the field labourer of al worke,

14 with him that worketh by the yeare of the ending of the yeare, with a ſlothful ſeruant of much working: attend not to theſe in al counſel.

15 But be continual with a holie man, whomſoeuer thou shalt know to obſerue the feare of God,

16 whoſe ſoule is according to thine owne ſoule: and who when thou shalt ſtumble in the darke, wil be ſorie for thee.

17 And eſtablish with thy ſelf an hart of good counſel: for there is none other thing more worth to thee then it.

18 The ſoule of a holie man vttereth ſometime true thinges, more then ſeuen watchmen that ſitte in a high place to watch.

19 And in al theſe [::] beſeech the Higheſt, that he direct thy way in truth.

20 Before al workes let a true word goe before thee, and ſtable counſel before euerie act.

21 A wicked word shal change the hart: out of which riſe foure partes, good, and euil, life, and death: and the tongue is a continual ruler of them. There is a ſubtile man teacher of manie, and to his owne ſoule he is vnprofitable.

22 A cunning man hath taught manie, and is ſwete to his owne ſoule.

23 He that ſpeaketh ſophiſtically, is odious: in euerie thing he shal be defrauded.

24 Grace is not geuen him of our Lord: for he is defrauded of al wiſdom.

25 There is a wiſe man, wiſe to his owne ſoule: and the fruite of his vnderſtanding is laudable.

26 A wiſe man teacheth his people, and the fruites of his vnderſtanding are faithful.

27 A wiſe man shal be filled with bleſſinges, and they that ſee wil praiſe him.

28 The life of a man is in the number of dayes: but the dayes [::] of Iſrael are innumerable.

29 A wiſe man in the people shal inherite honour, and his name shal liue for euer.

30 Sonne in thy life [::] proue thy ſoule: & if it be wicked, geue it not power:

31 for al thinges are not expedient for al, and euerie kinde pleaſeth not euerie ſoule.

32 Be not greedie in al feaſting, and power not out thy ſelf vpon al meate:

33 for in manie meates there shal be infirmitie, and greedines shal approch euen to choler.

34 Becauſe of ſurfet manie haue died: but he that is abſtinent, shal adde life.

Marginal notes to Chapter 37

• 1 [::] As freindſhippe is a moſt neceſſarie thing in humane life; ſo fained frēdſhippe is moſt dangerous.
• 19 [::] Man is bond to vſe al pru⟨illegible⟩lentendeuour & withal moſt eſpecially to pray for Gods direction.
• 28 [::] The dayes of the Bleſſed in heauen, who ſee God, are eternal.
• 30 [::] The ſame which S. Paul admoniſheth (1. Cor 11.) let euerie one proue him ſelf, by examining & rectifying his conſcience.
• 31 1. Cor. 6.

Chapter 38

CHAP. XXXVIII. God hath ordained corporal, 9. and ſpiritual medicines. 16. Ʋſe moderate, not exceſſiue ſorow for the dead. 26. Tradeſmen and artificers are neceſſarie, much more ſpiritual pastors.

1 HONOVR the phiſition [::] for neceſſitie: for the Higheſt hath created him.

2 For al medicine is of God, & it shal receiue gift of the king.

3 The knowlege of the phiſition shal exalt his head, and in the ſight of great men he shal be praiſed.

4 The Higheſt hath created medicines of the earth, and a wiſe man wil not abhorre them.

5 Was not bitter water made ſweete by wood?

6 The vertue of theſe thinges is come to the knowlege of men, and the Higheſt hath geuen knowlege to men, for to be honoured in his meruelous thinges.

7 Curing with theſe thinges he shal mitigate paine, and the apothecarie shal make confections of ſwetenes, and shal make ointments of health, and his workes shal not be conſummated.

8 For the peace of God is vpon the face of the earth.

9 Sonne in thine infirmitie contemne not thy ſelf, but pray our Lord, and he wil cure thee.

10 Turne away from ſinne, and direct thy handes, and from al offence cleanſe thy hart.

11 Geue ſweetenes and a memorial of fine floure, and make a fat oblation, and geue place to the phiſition.

12 For our Lord created him: and let him not depart from thee, becauſe his workes be neceſſarie.

13 For there is a time when thou maiſt fal into their handes:

14 and they shal beſeech our Lord, that he direct their reſt, and healing; for their conuerſation.

15 He that ſinneth in his ſight, that made him, shal fal into the handes of the phiſition.

16 Sonne vpon the dead shed teares, and beginne to weepe as hauing ſuffered doleful thinges, and according to iudgement couer his bodie, and neglect not his burial.

17 But [::] for detraction beare bitterly the mourning of him one day, and be comforted for the heauines,

18 and make mourning according to his deſert one day, or two, becauſe of detraction.

19 For by heauines death haſteneth, and it couereth the ſtrength, and ſorow of the hart boweth the necke.

20 In abſtraction ſorow is permanent: and the ſubſtance of the poore is according to his hart.

21 Geue not thine hart into heauines, but expel it from thee: and remember the latter endes,

22 and forget not: for neither is there returne, and him thou shalt profit nothing, and thou shalt hurt thy ſelf.

23 Be mindful of my iudgement: for thine alſo muſt be ſo: to me yeſterday, and to thee to day.

24 In the repoſe of the dead make the memorie of him to reſt, and comfort him in the departing of his ſpirit.

25 [::] The wiſdom of a ſcribe in the time of vacance: and he that is leſſe in action, shal receiue wiſdom.

26 With what wiſdom shal he be replenished, that holdeth the plough, and glorieth in the goade, driueth oxen with the prickle, and conuerſeth in their workes, and his talke is in the breede of bulles?

27 He wil geue his hart to turne vp furrowes, and his watching in the feeding of kine.

28 So euerie craftſman and workemaſter that paſſeth the night as the day, that maketh grauen ſeales, and his continual diligence varieth the picture: he wil geue his hart to the ſimilitude of the picture, and his watching wil perfect the worke.

29 So the yronſmith ſitting by the anuil and conſidering the worke of yron. The vapour of the fire wil parche his flesh, and he ſtriueth in the heate of the fournace:

30 The noyſe of the hammer reneweth his eare, and his eye is againſt the ſimilitude of the veſſel.

31 He wil geue his hart to the finishing of the workes, and his watching wil polish to perfection.

32 So the potter ſitting at his worke, turning the wheele with his feete, who is alwayes ſet in carefulnes for his worke, and al his working is in number:

33 With his arme he wil fashion the clay, and before his feete he wil bend his ſtrength:

34 He wil geue his hart to finish the vernishing thereof, and his watching wil make cleane the fournace.

35 Al theſe haue hoped in their handes, and euerie one is wiſe in his owne art.

36 Without theſe a citie is not built.

37 And they shal not inhabite, nor walke therein, and they shal not leape high into the congregation.

38 Vpon the iudges ſeate they shal not ſitte, and the ordinance of iudgement they shal not vnderſtand, neither shal they declare diſcipline and iudgement, and in parables they shal not be found:

39 but they shal confirme the creature of the world, and their prayer shal be in the worke of their art, applying their ſoule, & ſearching in the law of the Higheſt.

Marginal notes to Chapter 38

• 1 [::] Mans bodie naturally needeth ſuſtenāce & ſometimes phiſike, and ſo doth his ſoule; which as it is more excellent, ſo it ought to be more regarded.
• 5 Exo. 25.
• 8 Iſa. 38.
• 9 Spiritual infirmitie requireth ſpiritual phiſike.
• 17 [::] To auoide euil ſpeach, ſhew that thou art truly ſorie for the death of thy freind. But moderate thy ſorow, leſt it hurt thy ſelf.
• 17 Prou. ⟨illegible⟩5. & 17.
• 24 2. Reg. 12
• 25 [::] VVhen paſtores haue ley ſure from preaching they may then profite others by writing. So S. Paul, not only preached, but alſo writte. So likewiſe the Doctors of the Church and other holie fathers.

Chapter 39

CHAP. XXXIX. Goldie knowlege, 16. puritie of ſoule, 20. humble conceipt of our ſelues, 27. and conſideration of eternal reward, are good diſpoſitions to ſpiritual contemplation.

1 THE [::] wiſe man wil ſearch out the wiſdom of al the ancientes, and wil be occupied in the prophetes.

2 He wil keepe the narration of famous men, and wil enter withal into the ſubtilities of parables.

3 He wil ſearch out the hidden ſenſes of prouerbes, and wil conuerſe in the ſecretes of parables.

4 In the middes of great men he wil miniſter, and in the ſight of the preſident he shal appeare.

5 He shal paſſe into the land of ſtrange nations: for he shal trie good and euil in men.

6 He wil geue his hart to watch early vnto our Lord, that made him, and he wil pray in the ſight of the Higheſt.

7 He Wil open his mouth in prayer, and wil entreate for his ſinnes.

8 For if it shal pleaſe our great Lord, he wil fil him with :: the ſpirit of vnderſtanding:

9 and he wil power forth the wordes of his wiſdom as showres, and in prayer wil confeſſe to our Lord.

10 And he wil direct his counſel, and diſcipline, and in his ſecretes he wil conſult.

11 He wil open the diſcipline of his doctrine, and wil glorie in the law of the teſtament of our Lord.

12 Manie wil praiſe his wiſdom, and it shal not be abolished for euer.

13 The memorie of him shal not depart, and his name shal be required from generation to generation.

14 Nations shal declare his wiſdom, and the church wil shew forth his praiſe.

15 If he continew, he shal leaue a name more then a thouſand: and if he reſt, it shal profite him.

16 I wil yet conſult that I may declare: For as with furie I am replenished.

17 In voice he ſaith: Heare me ye diuine fruites, and as the roſe planted vpon the riuers of waters fructifie ye.

18 As Libanus [::] haue ye the odours of ſweetnes.

19 Florish ye flowres, as the lilie, and geue forth an odour, and bring forth leaues in grace, and praiſe with ſongue, and bleſſe our Lord in his workes.

20 [::] Geue magnificence to his name, and confeſſe vnto him in the voice of your lippes, and in ſongues of the lippes, and harpes, & thus shal ye ſay in confeſſion:

21 Al the workes of our Lord are exceeding good.

22 At this word the water ſtood as an heape: and at the word of his mouth as it were receptacles of waters:

23 becauſe in his commandment placabilitie is made, and there is no diminishing of his ſaluation.

24 The workes of al flesh are before him, and there is nothing hid from his eyes.

25 From world to world he beholdeth, and nothing is meruelous in his ſight.

26 It is not to be ſaied: What is this, or what is that? for al thinges shal be ſought in their time.

27 [::] His bleſſing hath ouerflowed as a ſtreame.

28 And as a flood hath watered the drie land, ſo his wrath shal inherite the nations, that haue not ſought him:

29 euen as he turned waters into drught, and the earth was made drie: and his waies are direct to the waies of them: ſo to ſinners ſtumbling blockes in his wrath.

30 Good thinges were created for the good from the beginning, ſo for the wicked, good thinges and euil.

31 [::] The beginning of the thing neceſſarie for the life of men, water, fire, and yron, ſalt, milke, and bread of flower, and honie, and the cluſter of grape, and oyle, & clothing.

32 Al theſe shal be conuerted to ſaintes into good, ſo alſo to the impious and to ſinners into euil.

33 There are ſpirites, that were created [::] for vengeance, and in their furie they haue confirmed their tormentes:

34 in the time of conſummation they shal power our ſtrength: and they shal accomplish the furie of him, that made them.

35 Fire, haile, famine, and death, al theſe were created for vengeance:

36 the teeth of beaſtes, and ſcorpions, and ſerpentes, and ſword reuenging the impious vnto deſtruction.

37 In his commandmentes they shal make merrie, and on the earth they shal be prepared when nede is, and in their times they shal not pretermitte a word.

38 Therefore from the beginning I was confirmed, and I haue conſulted, and thought, and leaft written.

39 Al the workes of our Lord are good, & he wil geue euerie worke in his houre.

40 It is not to be ſaid: This is worſe then that: for al shal be approued in their time.

41 And now with al hart and mouth praiſe ye, and bleſſe the name of our Lord.

Marginal notes to Chapter 39

• 1 [::] Beſides actiue life commended in the former chap. it is neceſſarie that vertuous men vſe alſo meditation, & cōtemplation. Vnto which foure diſpoſitions are requiſite, deſcribed in this chapt.
• 8 1.
• 9 True knowlege of holie My⟨illegible⟩eries: without the▪ which meditation wil be erronious.
• 17 2.
• 18 [::] Puritie of ſoule free frō greuous ſinnes, and endowed vvith vertues.
• 20 [::] Humilitie is eſpecially required in contemplatiue perſons.
• 20 3.
• 21 Gen. 1.
• 22 Exo. 1.
• 27 [::] Hope of eternal reward comforteth, & encoregeth the ſeruants of God.
• 27 4.
• 28 Gen. ⟨illegible⟩.
• 31 [::] In the meane time God geueth neceſſaries for this life. VVhich the good vſe rightly to their merite & the wicked vſe euil to their damnation.
• 33 [::] Diuels were created in ſtate of grace, and of their owne wil fel from God, & conſequently are eternally puniſhed.

Chapter 40

CHAP. XL. The firſt matter of ſpiritual meditation may be mans miſerie, contracted by original ſinne, 4. and increaſed by actual, 17. reliued by God grace: 22. which geueth manie benefites, 27. man adding his voluntarie cooperation.

1 GREAT trauel is created to al men, and an heauie yoke vpon the children of Adam, from [::] the day of their coming forth of their mothers wombe, vntil the day of their burying, into the mother of al.

2 Their cogitations, and feares of the hart, imagination of thinges to come, and the day of their ending:

3 from him that ſitteth vpon the glorious ſeate, vnto him that is humbled in earth & ashes.

4 From him that weareth hyacinth, and beareth the crowne, euen to him, that is couered with rude linen: furie, enuie, tumult, wauering, and the feare of death, anger perſeuering, and contention,

5 and in the time of repoſe in bed, the ſleepe of night changeth his knowlege.

6 A litle is as nothing in reſt, and afterward in ſleepe, as in the day of watch⟨illegible⟩.

7 He is trubled in the viſion of his hart, as he that hath eſcaped in the day of battel. In the time of his ſafetie he roſe vp, and merueleth at noe feare:

8 With al flesh, from man euen to beaſt, and vpon ſinners ſeuenfold.

9 Beſide theſe thinges, death, bloud, contention, and ſword, oppreſſions, famine, and contrition, and ſcourges:

10 for the wicked al theſe were created, and for them the floud was made.

11 Al thinges that are of the earth, shal turne into the earth, and al waters shal returne into the ſea.

12 Al bribing, and iniquitie shal be cleane taken away, and fidelitie shal ſtand for euer.

13 The riches of the vniuſt shal be dried vp as a riuer, and they shal ſound as great thunder in rayne.

14 In opening his handes he shal reioyce: ſo tranſgreſſors shal pine away in conſumption.

15 The nephewes of the impious shal not multiplie boughes, nor vncleane rootes ſound vpon the toppe of a rocke.

16 Ouer al water grennes, and at the brincke of the riuer it shal be plucked vp before al graſſe.

17 Grace is as paradiſe in bleſſinges, and mercie remayneth for euer.

18 The life of a workeman that is ſufficient for himſelf shal be ſweete, and in it thou shalt finde a treaſure.

19 Children, and building of a citie shal confirme the name, and an vnſpotted woman shal be counted aboue this.

20 Wine and muſicke make a ioyful hart: and the loue of wiſedom is aboue both.

21 Shalmes, and Pſalterie make ſweete melodie, and a ſweete tongue is aboue both.

22 Thine eye wil deſire grace and beautie, and [::] greene ſowen fieldes are aboue this.

23 A freind and companion meeting together in time, and aboue them both is a woman with her husband.

24 Bretheren are an helpe in the time of tribulation, and mercie shal deliuer more then they.

25 Gold and ſiluer are the eſtablishing of the feete: and counſel is wel accepted aboue them both.

26 Riches and ſtrength exalt the hart, and aboue theſe is the feare of our Lord.

27 There is no diminution in the feare of our Lord, and in it there is no neede to ſeeke for helpe.

28 The feare of our Lord is as a paradiſe of bleſſing, and they haue couered it aboue al glorie.

29 Sonne in thy life time [::] want not: for it is better to die then to want.

30 A man that looketh toward an other mans table, his life is as no life, thinking how to liue, for he feedeth his ſoule with an other mans meates.

31 But a man nurtered, and taught wil looke to him ſelfe.

32 Pouertie wil be ſweete in the mouth of the vnwiſe, and in his bellie a fire wil burne.

Marginal notes to Chapter 40

• 1 [::] The penalties which al men euen new borne infants ſuffer, do ſhew that al in general are guiltie of original ſinne, for if they were not guiltie then puniſhment were not iuſt. That Chriſt alſo would be ſubiect to the ſame penalties was for the ſinnes of others. And though his ⟨illegible⟩ mother vvas preſerued from this ſinne yet ſhe vvas not exempted from the general penaltie of al mankinde.
• 10 Gen. 7.
• 11 Eccle. 1.
• 22 [::] The ſocietie of Chriſts Church floriſhing in al vertues excelleth the benefites of the old Teſtament.
• 29 [::] Euerie one is bound to labour that he want not neceſſaries.

Chapter 41

CHAP. XLI. An other matter of meditation is death, 8. wherof ſinne is the cauſe. 1⟨illegible⟩. Care of a good fame is neceſſarie. 19. Let shamfaſtnes be a bridle to auoide fornication, 22. iniquitie, 24. theft, and other ſinnes.

1 O DEATH how bitter is thy memorie to a man that hath peace in his riches:

2 to a man that is at reſt, and whoſe wayes are proſperous in al thinges, and that is yet able to take meate!

3 O death, thy iudgement is good to a needy man, and him that is diminished in ſtrength,

4 and fayleth in age, and that is careful of al thinges, and to the incredulous, that loſeth patience!

5 Feare not the iudgement of death. Remember what thinges haue bene before thee, and what come after thee: this is the iudgement from our Lord to al flesh:

6 and what shal come vpon thee by the good pleaſure of the Higheſt? whether it be ten, or an hundred, or a thouſand yeares.

7 For in hel there is no [::] accuſing of life.

8 The children of ſinners be come children of abominations, and they that conuerſe neere the houſes of the impious.

9 The inheritance of the children of ſinners shal perish, and with their ſeede shal be continuance of reproch.

10 The children complaine of an impious father, becauſe for him they are in reproch.

11 Woe to you ye impious men, which haue forſaken the law of our Lord the Higheſt.

12 And if ye be borne, ye shal be borne in malediction: and if ye die, in malediction shal be your portion.

13 Al thinges that are of the earth, shal returne into the earth: ſo the impious from malediction to perdition.

14 The moorning of men is in their bodie, but the name of the impious shal be cleane wyped out.

15 Haue care of a good name: for this shal be more permanent to thee, then a thouſand treaſures precious and great.

16 There is a number of the daies of a good life: but a good name shal continew for euer.

17 Children, keepe ye diſcipline in peace. For wiſdom hid, and treaſure not ſeene, what profite is there in them both?

18 Better is the man that hideth his follie, then the man that hideth his wiſdom.

19 But yet [::] haue reuerence to theſe thinges, which proceede from my mouth.

20 For it is not good to obſerue al shamfaſtnes: & [::] al thinges do not pleaſe al men in opinion.

21 Be ashamed before father & before mother, of fornication: and before the preſident and before the mightie, of lying:

22–23 before the prince, and before the iudge, of offence: before the ſinagogue and the people, of iniquitie: before companion and freind, of iniuſtice: and before the place where thou dwelleſt,

24 of theft, of the truth of God, and his teſtament: of leaning on the bread, and of reproofe for the thing geuen and taken:

25 before them that ſalute thee, of ſilence: of beholding a woman that is an harlot: and of turning away thy countenance from thy kinſman.

26 Turne not away thy face from thy neighbour, & of taking away part and not reſtoring.

27 Behold not an other mans wife, and ſearch not his handmayde, neither ſtand by her bed.

28 Before freindes of opprobrious wordes: and when thou haſt geuen, vpbrayde not.

Marginal notes to Chapter 41

• 7 [::] It is to no purpoſe after death to accuſe the ſhortnes, or length of life, pretending the ſame to haue bene cauſe of ſinne. For God doth al iuſtly, yea and for the beſt, if men would ſo vſe his benefites.
• 19 [::] It behoueth children, and ſcholars to eſteme that which their elders teach:
• 20 [::] though the ſame doth not ſeme reaſonable in their owne opinion.
• 27 Mat 5. v. 28.

Chapter 42

CHAP. XLII. Further admonition to auoide ſinnes in wordes, and deedes. 6. with care that others offend not by our negligence. 15. An other matter of meditation is Gods excellencie, appearing in his workes.

1 REPEATE notthe word [::] which thou haſt heard, neither reueale thou of a ſecret word, & thou shalt in deede be without confuſion, and shalt finde grace in the ſight of al men: be not ashamed for al theſe thinges, and accept not perſon therby to ſinne.

2 Of the law of the Higheſt, and his teſtament, and of iudgement to iuſtifie the impious,

3 of the word of companions and wayfaring men, and of the geuing of the inheritance of freindes,

4 of the equalitie of balance and weightes, of the getting of manie thinges and few,

5 of the corruption of bying, and of marchantes, and of much diſcipline of thy children, and to make bloudie the ſide of a wicked ſeruant.

6 Ouer a naughtie woman a ſeale is good.

7 Where there are manie handes, shutvp, and what ſoeuer thou shalt deliuer, number, and weight it: and write euerie thing geuen and receiued.

8 Of the diſcipline of the vnwiſe and foolish, and of ancientes, that are iudged of young men: and thou shalt be wel inſtructed in al thinges, and approued in the ſight of al the liuing.

9 A daughter is the ſecret watch of the father, and the care of her taketh away ſleepe, leſt perhaps in her youth she become paſt age, & abiding with an husband she become odious:

10 leſt at anie time she be corrupted in her virginitie, and in her fathers houſe she be found with childe: leſt perhaps abyding with her husband she tranſgreſſe, or at the leaſt become barren.

11 Ouer a diſſolute daughter keepe ſure watch: leſt at anie time she make thee come into reprooche with thine enemies, becauſe of detraction in the citie, and the obiection of the people, and she confound thee in the multitude of the people.

12 Looke not on euerie bodie for beautie ſake▪ & among wemen tarie not.

13 For out of garments cometh forth the moth, and from a woman the iniquitie of a man.

14 For [::] better is the iniquitie of a man, then a woman doing a good turne, and a woman shaming vnto reproche.

15 I therefore wil be mindeful of the workes of our Lord, and I wil shew forth which I haue ſeene. By the words of our Lord are his workes.

16 The ſunne illuminating hath looked through out al, and ful of the glorie of our Lord is his worke.

17 Hath not our Lord made the ſainctes to declare al his meruelous thinges, which our Lord the omnipotent confirmed to be eſtablished in his glorie?

18 He hath ſearched out the depth, and the hart of men: and in their ſubtilitie he hath conſidered.

19 For our Lord hath knowen al knowlege, and hath beheld the ſigne of age, declaring what thinges are paſt, and what are to come, reueling [::] the tokens of ſecret thinges.

20 No cogitation eſcapeth him, and no word hideth it ſelf from him.

21 The glorious workes of his wiſdom he hath beautified: who is before the world and world without end, neither is there added,

22 nor diminised, and he needeth not anie mans counſel.

23 How are al his workes to be deſired, and which is as it were a ſparke to conſider!

24 Al theſe liue, and remaine for euer, and in al neceſſitie al thinges obey him.

25 Al thinges duble, one againſt one, and he hath made nothing to want.

26 He hath confirmed the good thinges of euerie one. And who shal be filled ſeeing his glorie?

Marginal notes to Chapter 42

• 1 [::] It is not lawful to reueale that, which we iuſtly promiſe to conceale.
• 2 Leuit 19. Deu. 1▪ 16 Prou. 24. Iacob. ⟨illegible⟩ ▪
• 14 [::] There is leſſe danger in conuerſing familiarly with a wicked man, then with a freindlie woman. In which conuerſarion, much prudence is required, as is before admoniſhed. chap. ⟨illegible⟩.
• 19 [::] The excellencie of God, which can not be ſene with mortal eye (Exo. 33.) is propoſed to our meditation in his workes. The like in, Iob. 38. 39. 40. 41. and in manie places of holie Scripture.

Chapter 43

CHAP. XLIII. Gods incomparable excellencie appeareth in the heauens; 2. in the ſunne, 6. moone, 9. other ſtarres, 12. rainebow, 14. ſnow, 15. cloudes, 16. hayle, 17. winde, 18. thunder, 21. froſt, 22. chriſtal, 24. dew, 26. the ſea, and innumerable thinges therin. 29. No man is able to praiſe God ſufficiently.

1 THE firmament of height is his beautie, the beautie of heauen is in the viſion of glorie.

2 The [::] ſunne in ſight declaring at his coming forth, a meruelous inſtrument, the worke of the Higheſt.

3 At noone it burneth the earth, and who can abide in the preſence of the heate thereof: kepeing a fornace in the workes of heate:

4 the ſunne three times ſo much burning the mountaines, caſting out fyrie beames, and shining with his beames blindeth the eyes.

5 Great is our Lord that made it, and by his wordes it hath haſtened his courſe.

6 And the moone in al in her time, is the shewing of ſeaſon and the ſigne of age.

7 By the moone is the ſigne of a feſtiual day, a light that diminisheth in conſummation.

8 The moneth is according to her name, increaſing meruelouſly in conſummation.

9 An inſtrument of the campe on high, shining gloriouſly in the firmament of heauen.

10 The glorie of the ſtarres is the beautie of heauen, our Lord illuminating the world on high.

11 In the words of the holie one they shal ſtand to iudgement, and shal not faile in their watches.

12 See the bow, and bleſſe him that made it: it is very beautiful in his brightnes.

13 It hath compaſſed heauen in the circuite of his glorie, the handes of the Higheſt haue opened it.

14 But by his commandement he hath haſtened ſnow, & he haſteth to ſend forth the lightninges of his iudgement.

15 Therefore are the treaſures opened, and the cloudes flie forth as birdes.

16 By his greatnes he hath ſet the cloudes, and the haileſtones are broken.

17 In his ſight the mountaines shal be moued, and at his wil the ſouth winde hath blowen.

18 The noyſe of his thunder shal beate the earth, the tempeſt of the northwind, and the gathering together of wind:

19 and as the bird lighting downe to ſitte, he ſcatereth ſnow, and the falling thereof, is as the locuſt dyuing downeward.

20 The eye shal admire the beautie of the whitenes thereof, and the hart quaketh at the shower thereof.

21 He shal power out froſt vpon the earth as ſalt: and when it freeſeth, it shal be made as the toppes of a thiſtle.

22 The cold north winde blewe, & of water there froſe chryſtal, vpon al gathering together of waters it shal reſt, & as a breſt plate it shal put it ſelf vpon the waters.

23 And it shal deuoure the mountaines, & burne the deſert, & extinguish that which is grene as fire.

24 The remedie of al is in the haſtie coming of a cloude, and a dew meeting it by the heate that cometh, shal make it quaile.

25 At his word the wind was ſtil, and with his thought he appeaſed the depth, and our Lord planted Ilandes therein.

26 They that ſaile on the ſea, tel the perils ther of: & hearing with our eares we shal meruel.

27 There are goodly workes, & meruelous: diuers kindes of beaſtes, & of al cattel, & the creature of mightie beaſtes.

28 Through him is the end of their iourney confirmed, and by his word al thinges are ſet in order.

29 We shal ſay manie thinges, & shal faile in wordes; but the ſumme of our wordes is, he is in al.

30 Glorifying him how far shal we be able? for the omnipotent himſelf is aboue al his workes.

31 Our Lord is terrible, & exceeding great, & his might is meruelous.

32 Glorifying our Lord as much as euer you can, he shal yet ſurpaſſe, and his magnificence is meruelous.

33 Bleſſing our Lord, exalt him as much as you can: for he is greater then al praiſe.

34 Exalting him be ye replenished with ſtrength. Labour not: for you shal not comprehend.

35 Who shal ſee him, and shal declare him? and who shal magnifie him as he is from the beginning?

36 Manie thinges hid are greater then theſe: for we haue ſeene few of his workes.

37 But our Lord made al thinges, and to them that liue piouſly he hath geuen wiſdom.

Marginal notes to Chapter 43

• 2 [::] Of al ſenſles creatures, yea & of ſenſible alſo, that haue not reaſon, the ſunne is moſt excellent. Of which al corporal ⟨illegible⟩reatures receiue their light: & by whoſe influence al generation of creatures procedeth: wherof is this Maxime in Philoſophie, that the ſunne and man begette a man, And Ariſtotel calleth the ſunne the father of men and of goddes. li. 2. de anima But the faithful know it is a creature inferior to man, in reſpect of his reaſonable ſoule, and in them both & in al other creatures, acknowlege ſuperexcellent & infinite Maieſtic in God.
• 22 VVhich alſo appeareth euen in the leaſt creatures whoſe natural ſubſtances & qualities, with other accidents, the more anie man conſidereth the more he shal admire God, the onlie Creator of al.

Chapter 44

CHAP. XLIIII. Praiſes of holie fathers in general: 16. and in particular of Enoch, 17. Noe, [Margin: The 2. part. Examples and praiſes of holie men: with praiſe & thankes to God.] 20. Ahraham, 24. Iſaac, and Iacob.

1 LET vs praiſe glorious men, and our fathers in their generation.

2 Much glorie hath our Lord made by his magnificence from the beginning of the world.

3 Ruling in their [::] dominions, men great for force, and endued with their wiſdom, declaring in the prophetes the dignitie of prophetes,

4 and ruling in the people that was preſent, and by the vertue of wiſdom moſt holie wordes to the peoples.

5 In their kil ſeeking out muſical melodies, & vttering ſongnes of ſcriptures.

6 Rich men in force ſtudying beautifulnes: liuing at peace in their houſes.

7 Al theſe in the generations of their nation haue obteyned glorie, and in their daies are praiſed.

8 They that were borne of them haue leaft a name to tel their praiſes:

9 and there are ſome of whom there is no memorie: they are perished, as they that neuer were; & are borne, as not borne at al, & their children with them.

10 But they are men of mercie, whoſe godlie deedes haue not failed:

11 good thinges continew with their ſeede,

12 their nephewes are an holie inheritance, and their ſeede hath ſtoode in the teſtamentes:

13 and their children becauſe of them abide for euer: their ſeede and their glorie shal not be forſaken.

14 Their bodies are buried in peace, and their name liueth vnto generation and generation.

15 [::] Let peoples tel their wiſdom, and the Church declare their praiſe.

16 Henoch pleaſed God, and was tranſlated into paradiſe, that he may :: geue repentance to the nations.

17 Noe was found [::] perfect, iuſt, and in the time of wrath he was made a reconciliation.

18 Therefore was there a remnant leaſt to the earth, when the flood was made.

19 The teſtaments of the world were made with him, that al flesh should no more be deſtroyed with the flood.

20 Abraham the great [::] father of the multitude of the nations, and there was not found the like to him in glorie, who kept the law of the Higheſt, and was in couenant with him.

21 In his flesh he made the couenant to ſtand, and in tentation he was found faithful.

22 Therefore by an oath he gaue him glorie in his nation, that he should encreaſe as an heape of earth,

23 and that he would exalt his ſeede as the ſtarres, and they should inherite from ſea to ſea, and from the riuer to the endes of the earth.

24 And he did in like manner in Iſaac for Abraham his father.

25 Our Lord gaue him the [::] bleſſing of al nations, and confirmed his couenant vpon the head of Iacob.

26 He knew him in his bleſſinges, and gaue him an inheritance, & diuided him his portion in twelue tribes.

27 And he preſerued vnto him men of mercie, and found grace in the eies of al flesh.

Marginal notes to Chapter 44

• 3 [::] Vertuous men are rightly called Lordes, and Princes; ſo the children of Heth ſayde to Abraham. My Lord, the⟨illegible⟩ art a prince of God among v⟨illegible⟩. Gen. 23.
• 15 [::] Enoch shal preach penance in the time of Antichriſt.
• 16 Gen 5. Gen. 6.
• 17 [::] Noe was perfect.
• 17 Gen. 9.
• 20 Gen. 12.
• 20 [::] Abraham father of al the beleuers in Chriſt.
• 21 Gen. 22. Heb. 11.
• 25 [::] Iſaac, and Iacob were bleſſed in Abraham.

Chapter 45

CHAP. XLV. Praiſes of Moyſes, 7. Aaron, 16. and his prieſtlie progenie. 22. Againſt whom Chore with his complices rebelling, were deſtroyed.

1 MOYSES beloued of God, and men: whoſe memorie is in benediction.

2 He made him like in the glorie of ſaintes, and magnified him in the feare of his enemies. And with his wordes he appeaſed monſters.

3 He glorified him in the ſight of kinges, and gaue him commandment before his people, & shewed him his glorie.

4 In his faith and meekenes he made him holie, and choſe him of al flesh.

5 For he heard him, and his voice, and brought him into a cloude.

6 And he gaue him precepts [::] face to face, and a law of life and diſcipline, to teach Iacob his teſtament, and Iſrael his iudgements.

7 He exalted Aaron his brother high, and like to himſelf of the tribe of Leui.

8 He eſtablished vnto him [::] an euerlaſting teſtament, and gaue him the prieſthood of the nation, and made him bleſſed in glorie,

9 and he girded him about with a girdle, and put vpon him a robe of glorie, and crowned him in furniture of power.

10 Garments to the feete, and breches, and an Ephod he put vpon him, and compaſſed him with litle belles of gold very manie round about,

11 to geue a ſound in his going, to make ſound heard in the temple for a memorie to the children of his nation.

12 An holie robe, of gold, and hyacinthe, and purple, a wouen worke, of a wiſeman, indued with iudgement and truth:

13 Of twiſted ſcarlet the worke of an artificer, with precious ſtones figured in the cloſure of gold, and grauen by the worke of a lapidarie for a memorial, according to the number of the tribes of Iſrael.

14 A crowne of gold vpon his miter grauen with a ſeale of holines, and the glorie of honour: a worke of power, and the adorned deſires of the eies.

15 There were none ſuch ſo faire before him, euen from the beginning.

16 No ſtranger was clothed with them, but only his children alone, and his nephewes for euer.

17 His ſacrifices were conſumed with fire euerie day.

18 Moyſes filled his handes, & anoynted him with holie oile.

19 It was made vnto him for an euerlaſting teſtament, and to his ſeede as the daies of heauen, to doe the function of prieſthood, and to haue praiſe and to glorifie his people in his name.

20 He choſe him of al that liued, to offer ſacrifice to God, incenſe, and good odour, for a memorial to pacifie for his people:

21 and he gaue them power in his preceptes, in the teſtaments of his iudgementes, to teach Iacob his teſtimonies, and in his law to geue light to Iſrael.

22 Becauſe ſtrangers ſtood againſt him, and for enuie men compaſſed him about in the deſert, they that were with Dathan and Abiron, and the congregation of Core in anger.

23 Our Lord God ſaw, and it pleaſed him not, and they were conſumed in the violence of wrath.

24 He did prodigious thinges vnto them, and conſumed them in flame of fire.

25 And he added glorie to Aaron, and gaue him an inheritance, and diuided vnto him the firſt fruites of the increaſe of the earth.

26 He prepared them bread in the firſt vnto ſatietie: for the ſacrifices alſo of our Lord they shal eate, which he gaue to him, and to his ſeede.

27 But [::] he shal not inherite the nations in the land, and he hath no part in the nation: for himſelf is his portion & inheritance.

28 Phinees the ſonne of Eleazar is the third in glorie, in imitating him in the feare of our Lord:

29 and to ſtand in the reuerence of the nation: in the goodnes and alacritie of his ſoule he pacified God for Iſrael.

30 Therefore did he eſtablish vnto him a couenant of peace, to be the prince of the holies, and of his nation, that the dignitie of prieſthood should be to him and to his ſeede for euer.

31 And the teſtament to [::] Dauid king, the ſonne of Ieſſe of the tribe of Iuda, and inheritance to him and to his ſeede, that he might geue wiſdom into our hart to iudge his nation in iuſtice, that their good thinges might not be abolished, & their glorie in their nation he made euerlaſting.

Marginal notes to Chapter 45

• 1 Exo. 3.
• 4 Num. 12.
• 6 [::] Moyſes ſaw Gods workes more clerely then other Prophets, yet ſaw not his ſubſtances, as is noted. Exo. 33.
• 8 [::] Aarons prieſthood continued ſo long as Moyſes law: that was til Chriſt. And now the prieſthood according to the order of Melchiſedech continueth to the end of the world.
• 8 Exo. 28.
• 17 Leuit. 8.
• 22 Num. 16.
• 27 [::] The tribe of Leui had not a portion of inheritance ſeparate from the ieſt, but had tithes, firſt fruites, and oblations for their temporal prouiſion
• 28 Num. 25.
• 31 [::] King Dauid gaue ſpecial aſſiſtance to the Prieſtes, and greatly aduanced Gods ſeruice 1. Paral 23. ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩.

Chapter 46

CHAP. XLVI. Praiſes of Ioſue, 9. Caleb, 13. the Iudges of Iſrael, 16. Namely of Samuel Iudge and Prophet.

1 STRONG in battel was Ieſus the ſonne of Naue, [::] ſucceſſour of Moyſes among the prophets, who was great according to his name,

2 moſt great in the ſaluation of Gods elect, to ouerthrow the enemies riſing vp, that he might get the inheritan⟨illegible⟩ of Iſrael.

3 What glorie obteyned he in lifting vp his handes, and caſting ſwordes againſt the cities?

4 Who before him did ſo reſiſt? ⟨illegible⟩or our Lord himſelf brought the enemies.

5 Whether was not the ſunne hindered in his anger, and one day was made as two?

6 He inuocated the mightie ſoueraine in aſſaulting of the enemies on euerie ſide, and the great and holie God heard him in haile ſtones of exceeding great force.

7 He made violent aſſault againſt the nation of his enemies, and in the goeing downe he deſtroyed the aduerſaries,

8 that the nations might know his might, that it is not eaſie to fight againſt God. And he folowed at the back of the mightie.

9 And in the daies of Moyſes did mercie, and Caleb the ſonne of Iephone, did ſtand againſt the enemie, and ſtayed the nation from ſinnes, and appeaſed the murmuring of malice.

10 And they two being appointed, were deliuered out of danger from among the number of ſix hundred thouſand footemen, to bring them into their inheritance, into the land that yeldeth milke and honie.

11 And our Lord gaue ſtrength to Caleb himſelf, and his ſtrength continued euen vntil old age, ſo that he went vp into the high place of the land, & his ſeede obteyned inheritance.

12 That al the children of Iſrael might ſee, that it is good to obey the holie God.

13 And [::] al the iudges by their name, whoſe hart was not corrupted: which were not turned away from our Lord,

14 that their memorie might be bleſſed, and their bones ſpring out of their place,

15 and their name continew for euer, the glorie of the holie men remayning vnto their children.

16 The beloued of our Lord his God Samuel the prophet of our Lord, renewed the empire, and [::] anoynted princes in his nation.

17 By the law of our Lord he iudged the congregation, and the God of Iacob ſaw, and in his fidelitie was proued a prophet.

18 And he was knowen faithful in his wordes, becauſe he ſaw the God of light:

19 and inuocated our Lord omnipotent, in aſſaulting the enemies beſetting him on euerie ſide, in the oblation of an immaculate lambe.

20 And our Lord thundered from heauen, and in great ſound he made his voice heard,

21 and he deſcomfited the princes of the Tyrians, and al the dukes of the Philiſthiims:

22 and before the time of the end of his life, and the world, he gaue teſtimonie before our Lord, and his Chriſt, money and what ſoeuer beſides vnto the verie shoes he tooke not of al flesh, and no man accuſed him.

23 And after this he ſlept, and [::] he notified to the king, and shewed him the end of his life, and he exalted his voice out of the earth in prophecie to take cleane away the impietie of the nation.

Marginal notes to Chapter 46

• 1 [::] Ioſue ſucceded in the temporal gouernment: for the ſpiritual perteyned to the ſucceſſors of Aaron. Num. 27.
• 5 Ioſu. 10.
• 9 :: Only Ioſue and Caleb remained of thoſe which came out of Aegypt, al the reſt dyed in the deſert, and their children entered into Chanaan.
• 9 Num. 14⟨illegible⟩
• 11 Ioſu. 14.
• 13 [::] Though ſome of the Iudges were ſometimes great ſinners, yet they were finally iuſt & for their good actes much renowmed.
• 14 1. Reg 17
• 16 [::] Samuel annointed Saul. and Dauid kinges.
• 20 1. Reg 7.
• 22 ⟨illegible⟩ Reg. 12
• 23 [::] If Samuel himſelf had not appeared, (but ſome other ſpitite) it could not haue bene noted in his praiſes. See. 1. Reg. 28.
• 23 1 Reg. 28

Chapter 47

CHAP. XLVII. Praiſes of Nathan, 2. Dauid, 14. and Salomon; in whoſe progenie (21. notwithſtanding his fal) 27. the royal ſcepter remained for Dauids ſake, though for his and the peoples ſinnes, tenne tribes were cut of, and fel into ſchiſme.

1 AFTER theſe thinges aroſe Nathan the Prophet in the daies of Dauid.

2 And as the fatte ſeparated from the flesh, ſo was Dauid from the children of Iſrael.

3 He plaied with lyons as it were with lambes: and with beares he did in like maner as with lambes of sheepe in his youth.

4 Did not he kil the giant, and tooke away reproch from his nation?

5–6 In lifting vp his hand, with a ſtone of the ſling he ouerthrew the boaſting of Goliah: for he inuocated our Lord the omnipotent, and he gaue in his right hand, to take away the man ſtrong in battel, and to exalt the horne of his nation.

7 So in ten thouſand did he glorifie him, and praiſed him in the bleſſinges of our Lord, in offering to him a crowne of glorie:

8 for he deſtroyed the enemies on euerie ſide, and rooted out the Philiſthijms the aduerſaries euen vntil this preſent day: he brake their horne for euer.

9 In euerie worke he gaue confeſſion to the Holie one, and to the Higheſt, in the word of glorie.

10 From [::] al his hart he praiſed our Lord, & loued God that made him: and gaue him might againſt his enemies:

11 and he made ſingers to ſtand before the altar, and by their ſound he made ſweete tunes.

12 And in the ſolennities he gaue honour, and adorned the times euen to the end of his life, that they should praiſe the holie name of our Lord, and magnifie the holines of God in the morning.

13 Our Lord purged his ſinnes, and exalted his horne for euer: and he gaue him a teſtament of the kingdom, and the ſeate of glorie in Iſrael.

14 After him aroſe a wiſe ſonne, and for [::] him did he ouerthrowe al the might of the enemies.

15 Salomon reigned in dayes of peace, to whom God ſubdewed al his enemies, that he might build an houſe in his name, and prepare holines for euer: as [::] thou art inſtructed in thy youth.

16 And thou art replenished as a riuer with wiſdom, and thy ſoule diſcouered the earth.

17 And thou didſt multiplie darke ſayinges in compariſons: thy name was bruited to the ilandes far of, and thou waſt beloued in thy peace.

18 The landes merueled at the ſonges and prouerbes, and compariſons, and interprerations,

19 and at the name of our Lord God, whoſe name is, God of Iſrael.

20 Thou didſt gather gold as copper, and filledſt ſiluer as lead,

21 and bowdeſt thy thighes to wemen: thou haſt had power on thy bodie,

22 thou [::] haſt made a blotte in thy glorie, and profaned thy ſeede to bring wrath to thy children, and thy follie to be kindled,

23 to make the kingdom diuided, and a ſtubburne kingdom to reigne of Ephraim.

24 But God wil not leaue his mercie, and he wil not corrupt, no⟨illegible⟩ abolish his owne workes, neither wil he deſtroy from the ſtocke the nephewes of his elect: and he wil not corrupt the ſeede of him, that loueth our Lord.

25 But he gaue a remnant to Iacob, and to Dauid of the ſame ſtocke.

26 And Salomon had an end with his fathers.

27 And he leaft after him of his ſeede, the follie of the nation,

28 and Roboam hauing litle wiſedom, who turned away the nation by his counſel,

29 and Ieroboam the ſonne of Nabat, who made Iſrael to ſinne, and made a way of ſinning to Ephraim, and their ſinnes did abound very manie.

30 They remoued them away from their land very far.

31 And he ſought al iniquities, til there came defenſe vnto them, and he ⟨illegible⟩id them from al ſinnes.

Marginal notes to Chapter 47

• 1 2. Reg 11
• 3 1. Reg. 17
• 4 Ibidem.
• 7 1. Reg 18
• 10 [::] Amongſt al the renoumed actes of Dauid his pure and ſincere hart moſt pleaſed God.
• 11 1. Par. 25
• 13 2. Reg 12
• 14 [::] For Dauids ſake God gaue wiſdom to Salomon, and peace in his kingdom.
• 15 3. Reg. 3.
• 15 [::] By Apoſtrophe the auctor turneth his ſpeach to Salomon.
• 16 3. Reg 4.
• 20 3. Reg. 10
• 22 [::] Salomons ſinnes were punished, but Gods mercie continued in conſeruing his poſteritie. Pſal. 88.
• 22 3 Reg. 11
• 24 Pſal. 88. v. 34.
• 28 3 Reg. 1⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 48

CHAP. XLVIII. Praiſes of Elias, 13. Eliſeus, 19. Ezechias, 23. and Iſaias.

1 AND there aroſe Elias the prophet, as it were fire, and his word burnt as a litle torche.

2 Who brought famine vpon them, and they prouoking him in their enuie, were made fewe. for they could not abide the preceptes of our Lord.

3 By the word of our Lord he ſtayed heauen, and he brought downe fire from heauen [::] thriſe.

4 So was Elias magnified in his meruelous workes. And who can ſo glorie like vnto thee?

5 Who didſt rayſe vp the dead from hel, from the lotte of death, in the word of our Lord God.

6 Who didſt caſt downe kinges to deſtruction, and didſt eaſily breake their might, and the glorious from their bed.

7 Who heareſt iudgement in Sina, and in Horeb iudgementes of defence.

8 Who anoynteſt kinges to repentance, and makeſt prophetes ſucceſſoures after thee.

9 Who waſt receiued in a whirlewind of fire, in a chariot of fierie horſes.

10 “ Who art written in the iudgements of times, to appeale the wrath of our Lord, to reconcile the hart of the father to the ſonne, and to reſtore the tribes of Iacob.

11 Bleſſed are they, that ſaw thee, and were honored in thy freindshipe.

12 For we liue by life only, but after death our name shal not be ſuch.

13 Elias was in dede hid in the whirlewind, & his ſpirit was complete in Eliſeus: in his daies he feared not the prince, and no man ouercame him by might.

14 Neither did any word ouercome him, and his bodie [::] prophecied being dead.

15 In his life he did wonders, and in death he wrought meruelous thinges.

16 In al theſe thinges the people repented not, and they departed not from their ſinnes, til they were caſt out of their land, and were diſperſed into al the earth.

17 And there was leaft a verie ſmal nation, and a prince in the houſe of Dauid.

18 Some of them did that which pleaſed God: but others committed manie ſinnes.

19 Ezechias fenced his citie, and brough in water into the middes thereof, and digged a rocke with yron, and built a wel for water.

20 In his daies came vp Sennacherib, and ſent Rabſaces, and lifted vp his hand againſt them, and put forth his hand vpon Sion, and became proude by his mightines.

21 Then were their harts, and hands moued: and they were in ſorow as trauailing wemen.

22 And they inuocated our merciful Lord, and ſpredding their handes, they lifted them vp to heauen: and the holie Lord God [::] quickly heard their voice.

23 He was not mindful of their ſinnes, neither did he geue them to their enemies, but purged them by the hand of Iſaie the holie prophete.

24 He ouerthrew the campe of the Aſſirians, and the Angel of our Lord deſtroyed them.

25 For Ezechias did that which pleaſed God, and went ſtrongly in the way of Dauid his father, which Iſaie commanded him, the great prophet, and faithful in the ſight of God.

26 In his daies the ſunne returned backward, & added life to the king.

27 By a great ſpirite he ſaw the laſt thinges, and comforted the mourners in Sion.

28 For euer he shewed the thinges to come, & ſecret thinges before they came to paſſe.

Marginal notes to Chapter 48

• 1 3. Reg 17
• 3 [::] Elias procured fire from heauen to burne his ſacrifice, 3. Reg. 18 and ⟨illegible⟩w⟨illegible⟩e more to burne an hundred men which perſecuted him. 4. Reg. 1.
• 8 3. Reg. 19 4. Reg. 2.
• 14 [::] The miracle wrought by his dead bodie ſhewed that he was an holie prophet. 4. Reg. 13. See the miracles of Elias, and Eliſeus. To. 1. pag. 940.
• 15 4 Reg 13
• 20 4. Reg. 20 4. Reg. 18
• 22 [::] Prayer preuailed, when forces were not ſufficient. Sec, 4. Reg. 19.
• 24 4 Reg. 19 Iſa. 37.
• 26 4. Reg 2⟨illegible⟩ Iſa. 38.

ANNOTATIONS. CHAP. XLVIII.

10 VVho art vvritten:] Amongſt other quarels, Proteſtantes except againſt [Margin: Not only this booke but alſo other holie ſcriptures witnes that Elias shal returne and preach before the end of the world. S. Chryſoſtom Aretas, and other Doctors teſtifie the ſame. See. Annot. Gen. 5.] the authentical auctoritie of this booke, becauſe the auctor ſaith, that Enoch and Elias shal come againe, to appeaſe the wrath of our Lord, to reconcile the father to the ſonne, and to reſtore the tribes of Iacob. But that this is no iuſt exception, is clere by other holie Scriptures, where the ſame vniforme doctrin of the whole Church, is no leſſe euident, then in this booke. For God himſelf ſaith the ſame alſo by the mouth of his prophet Malachie: Behold I wil ſend [Margin: Mal. 4.] you Elias the prophet, before the day of our Lord come, the great and dreadful. Chriſt alſo ſayth: Elias in deede shal come, and reſtore al thinges. VVherupon [Margin: Mat. 17. In 2. Theſ 2.] S. Chryſoſtom, after he hath ſhewed how terrible Antichriſt ſhal be, by reaſon of his temporal powre, crueltie, and wicked lawes, he addeth: Feare thou not; He shal only haue force in the reprobate, that perish. For then alſo Elias ſhal come, to fortifie the faithful. Likewiſe the wordes in the Apocalips, I wil [Margin: Apoc. 11.] geue to my two witneſſes, & they shal prophecie a thouſand two hundred and three ſcore dayes, were euer inuariably vnderſtood by tradition, from the firſt preachers of Chriſt (as the ancient writer Aretas teſtifieth) that Enoch and Elias shal come, & admonish al, not to geue credite to the deceiptful wonders of Antichriſt: and that they shal trauel in this teſtimonie the ſpace of three yeares and a half. For 1260. dayes come very nere to that ſpace of time.

Chapter 49

CHAP. XLIX. Praiſes of Ioſias, who (like to Dauid, and Ezechias) tooke away occaſions of idolatrie. 8. Praiſes of Ieremie, 10. Ezechiel, 12. and the twelue Prophetes. 13. Alſo of Zorobabel, Ieſus the ſonne of Ioſedech, Nehemias, Enoch, Ioſeph, Seth, Sem, and Adam.

1 THE memorie of Ioſias is according to the confection of perfume made by the worke of an apothecarie.

2 His remembrance shal be ſweete as honie in euerie mouth, and as muſick in banket of wine.

3 He was directed by God into the repentance of the nation, and he tooke away the abominations of impietie.

4 And he gouerned his hart toward our Lord, and in the daies of ſinners he ſtrengthened pietie.

5 Except Dauid, and Ezechias, and Ioſias, [::] al committed ſinne.

6 For the kinges of Iuda forſooke the law of the Higheſt, and contemned the feare of God.

7 For they gaue their kingdom to others, and their glorie to a ſtrange nation.

8 They burnt the choſen citie of holines, and made the waies thereof deſolate in the hand of Ieremie.

9 For they euil intreated him, who was conſecrated a prophet from his mothers wombe, to ouerthrow, and pluck vp, and deſtroy, and to build againe, and renewe.

10 Ezechiel who ſaw the ſight of glorie, which he shewed him in the chariote of Cherubs.

11 For he made mention of the enemies in rayne, to doe good vnto them, that haue shewed right waies.

12 And the bones of the twelue prophets wel may they ſpring out of their place: for they haue ſtrengthened Iacob, and haue redeemed themſelues in the fidelitie of power.

13 How may we magnifie Zorobabel, for he alſo was as a ſignet on the right hand,

14 and ſo Ieſus the ſonne of Ioſedec? who in their daies built the houſe, and erected the holie temple to our Lord, prepared to euerlaſting glorie.

15 And Nehemias in the memorie of much time, who erected vs our walles ouerthrowen, and ſet vp the gates and lockes, who built our houſes.

16 No man hath bene borne in the earth like to Henoch: for [::] he alſo was taken vp from the earth.

17 Neither as Ioſeph who was a man borne prince of his bretheren, the ſtay of the nation, the ruler of his bretheren, the ſtay of the people:

18 and his bones were viſited, and after death [::] they prophecied.

19 Seth, and Sem obteyned glorie with men: and aboue euerie ſoule, in the beginning Adam.

Marginal notes to Chapter 49

• 1 4. Reg. 22
• 3 2. Par 34
• 4 4. Reg. 23
• 5 [::] Manie other kinges of Iuda refrained alwayes from committing idolatrie, but theſe three deſtroyed al places of idolatrie in their kingdom, which the others did not.
• 8 4. Reg. 25 Iere. 1.
• 10 Ezech. 1.
• 13 Agge. 2. 1. Eſd. 3. 3. Eſd. 5. Zach. 3. 2. Eſd. 2. Gen. 5. Gen. 39. 40. &c.
• 16 [::] See the Annotation. ch. 38 v. 10.
• 18 [::] Ioſeph prophecying that the people should depart from Aegypt, willed them to carie his bones with them. Gen. 50. So by carying his bones they profeſſed, that he had truly prophecied.

Chapter 50

CHAP. L. Praiſes of Simon the High Priest. 27. Detestation of certaine perſecuting aduerſaries. 29. With concluſion that the obſeruers of this doctrine shal be wiſe and happie,

1 SIMON [::] the ſonne of Onias, the high prieſt, who in his life held vp the houſe, and in his daies ſtrengthned the temple.

2 The height alſo of the temple was founded by him, the duble building and high walles of the temple.

3 In his daies the welles of waters flowed out, and they were filled as the ſea aboue meaſure.

4 Who had care of his nation, and deliuered it from perdition.

5 Who preuailed to amplifie the citie, who obteyned glorie in conuerſing with the nation: and amplified the entrance of the houſe, and the court.

6 As the morning ſtarre in the middes of a cloude, and as the ful moone he shineth in his dayes.

7 And as the ſunne shining, ſo did he shine in the temple of God.

8 As the rainbow that shineth among the cloudes of glorie, and as a flower of roſes in the daies of the ſpring, and as the lilies that are in the paſſage of water, and as frankenſence ſmelling in ſummer daies.

9 As fire gliſtering, and frankenſence burning in the fire.

10 As a maſſie veſſel of gold, adorned with euerie precious ſtone.

11 As an oliue tree budding, and a cypreſſe tree aduancing it ſelf on high, when he tooke the robe of glorie, and was reueſted to the conſummation of ſtrength.

12 In going vp to the holie altar, he made the veſture of holines, glorie.

13 And in receiuing the portions out of the hand of the prieſtes, himſelf alſo ſtanding by the altar. About him was the ring of his bretheren: and as the ceder plant in mount Libanus,

14 ſo ſtoode they about him as boughes of the palme tree, & al the children of Aaron in their glorie.

15 And the oblation of our Lord in their handes, before al the ſynagogue of Iſrael: and executing the conſummation on the altar, to amplifie the oblation of the high king,

16 he ſtretched forth his hand in [*] oblation of moiſt ſacrifice, and offered of the blood of the grape.

17 He powred out on the fundation of the altar a diuine odour to the high prince.

18 Then cried out the children of Aaron, they ſounded with beaten trumpets, and made a great voice to be heard for a remembrance before God.

19 Then al the people together made haſt, and fel on their face vpon the earth, to adore our Lord their God, and to make prayers to God omnipotent the Higheſt.

20 And the ſingers amplified in their voices, and in the great houſe the ſound was encreaſed ful of ſweetenes.

21 And the people in prayer deſired our Lord the Higheſt, vntil the honour of our Lord was perfected, and they finished their office.

22 Then coming downe, he lifted vp his handes ouer al the congregation of the children of Iſrael, to geue glorie to God from his lippes, and to glorie in his name,

23 and he repeated his prayer, willing to shew the power of God.

24 And now pray ye the God of al, who hath done great thinges in al the land, who hath encreaſed our daies from our mothers wombe, and hath done with vs according to his mercie:

25 geue he vnto vs ioyfulnes of euerlaſting:

26 that Iſrael may beleue that the mercie of God is with vs, to deliuer vs in his dayes.

27 Two nations my ſoule hateth: and the third is [::] no nation, which I hate:

28 they that ſitte in mount Seit, and the Philiſthijms, and the :: foolish people that dwel in Sichem.

29 Ieſus the ſonne of Sirach, a man of Ieruſalem, wrote the doctrine of wiſdom and diſcipline in this booke, who renewed wiſdom from his hart.

30 Bleſſed is he, that conuerſeth in theſe good thinges: and he that layeth them in his hart, shal be wiſe always.

31 For if he doe them, he shal be able to doe al thinges: becauſe his ſteppes are in the light of God.

Marginal notes to Chapter 50

• 1 [::] This Simon called Iuſtus, and Priſcus, was high prieſt when this booke was written (in the time of Ptolomie the firſt, king of Aegypt) a very holie man, and dead before it was tranſlated into Greke. about the time of Ptolomie the third called Euergetes, nere 300. yeares before Chriſt.
• 2 Ioſephus li. 12.
• 3 Antiqui
• 16 [*] Libation⟨illegible⟩.
• 20 Three nations; the Idumeans, Philiſtijmes, and Samaritanes, did moſt perſecute the Iſralites: the Samaritanes were not one pure nation, but mixt of Aſſirians and Iewes: and ſo here called no nation.
• 21 Num. 6. v. 23.
• 27 [::] They are alſo called a foolish people, becauſe they knowing true religion, mixed idolatrie therwith, according to diuers ſectes. as appeareth 4. Reg. 17. v. 29.

Chapter 51

CHAP. LI. The auctor rendereth praiſes and thankes to God; 18. and inuiteth others to do the ſame, by his owne example, 31. and by earnest exhortation.

1 THE prayer of Ieſus the ſonne of Sirach. [::] I wil confeſſe to thee ô Lord king, and wil praiſe thee God my ſauiour.

2 I wil confeſſe to thy name: becauſe thou art become my helper and protectour,

3 and haſt deliuered my bodie from perdition, from the ſnare of an vniuſt tongue, and from the lippes of them that worke lying, and in the ſight of them that ſtoode vp thou art become my helper.

4 And thou haſt deliuered me according to the multitude of the mercie of thy name from them that did roare, prepared to deuoure,

5 out of the handes of them that ſeeke my ſoule, and from the gates of tribulations which haue compaſſed me:

6 from the oppreſſion of the flame, which hath compaſſed me, and in the middes of fire I was not burnt.

7 From the depth of the bellie of hel, and from a defiled tongue, and from the word of lying, from a wicked king, and from an vniuſt tongue:

8 my ſoule shal praiſe our Lord euen to death,

9 and my life was approching to hel beneth.

10 They haue compaſſed me on euerie ſide, & there was none that would helpe. I looked toward the helpe of men, & there was none.

11 I remembred thy mercie ô Lord, and thy operation, which are from the beginning of the world.

12 Becauſe thou deliuereſt them that patiently expect thee ô Lord, and ſaueſt them out of the handes of the nations.

13 Thou haſt exalted my habitation vpon the earth, and I haue prayed for death to paſſe away.

14 I haue inuocated our Lord the father of my Lord, that he leaue me not in the day of my tribulation, and in the time of the proude without helpe.

15 I wil praiſe thy name continually, and wil collaude it in confeſſion, and my prayer was heard.

16 And thou haſt deliuered me from perdition, and haſt reſcued me from the wicked time.

17 Therfore wil I confeſſe, & ſay praiſe to thee, and bleſſe the name of our Lord.

18 When I was yet [::] young, before I erred, I ſought for wiſdom openly in my prayer.

19 Before the temple I prayed for it, and vnto the later end I wil ſe⟨illegible⟩ke after it, and it shal flourish as the grape timely ripe,

20 my hart hath reioyced in it, my foote hath walked the right way, from my youth I ſearched after it.

21 I bowed mine eare a litle, and receiued it.

22 I found much wiſdom in myſelf, & I haue much profited therein.

23 To him that geueth me wiſdom, wil I geue glorie.

24 For I haue conſulted to doe it: I haue had a zele to good, and shal not be confounded.

25 My ſoule hath wreſtled in it, and in doing it I was confirmed.

26 I ſtretched forth my handes on high, & I lamented foolishnes.

27 I directed my ſoule to wiſdom, and in knowlege I found it.

28 I poſſeſſed with it an hart from the beginning: for this cauſe I shal not be forſaken.

29 My bellie was trubled in ſeeking it: therefore shal I poſſeſſe a good poſſeſſion.

30 Our Lord hath geuen me a tongue for my reward: and with the ſame I wil praiſe him.

31 Approch vnto me ye vnlerned, and gather yourſelues together into the houſe of diſcipline.

32 Why ſlacke ye yet? and what ſay you herein? your ſoules are exceeding thirſtie.

33 I haue opened my mouth, and haue ſpoken: Bye it for you without ſiluer,

34 and ſubmit your necke to the yoke, and let your ſoule receiue diſcipline: for it is very neere to finde it.

35 See with your eyes that I haue laboured a litle, and haue found much reſt to myſelf.

36 Take ye diſcipline [::] in a great ſumme of ſiluer, and poſſeſſe abundance of gold in it.

37 Let your ſoule reioyce in his mercie, and you shal not be confounded in praiſe.

38 Worke your worke [::] before the time, and he wil geue you your reward in his time.

Marginal notes to Chapter 51

• 1 [::] VVhere we are not able to render recompence to benefactors; eſpecially to God, we are the more bond to acknowlege his manie great benefites, altogether vndeſerued by vs.
• 18 [::] VVhen ſenſes are moſt ripe, and the ſoule moſt free from great ſinnes, is the apteſt time to ſerue God, & to get al vertues, and true knowlege. Eccle. 12.
• 36 [::] In ſtead of riches labour to get wiſdom for it is much better then al gold & ſiluer.
• 38 [::] Merite is in this life, and reward in the next.

The end of the Sapiential Bookes.

Colophon

The holie Bible faithfully translated into English, out of the authentical Latin. Diligently conferred with the Hebrew, Greeke, and other editions in diuers languages. With arguments of the bookes, and chapters: annotations. tables: and other helpes. By the English College of Doway. The second tome (Psalms to 2 Machabees, with the Prayer of Manasses and the third and fourth books of Esdras), Doway: Laurence Kellam, 1610 (STC 2207). Copy: Henry E. Huntington Library, as reproduced in Early English Books Online (image set 2087).

Transcription: Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership (EEBO-TCP), Phase I text A11777 (2007), released under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal public-domain dedication.

This is an archival transcription, not a Good Works Translation: the English is the Douay translators’ own, kept in the original spelling, with long s (ſ), u and v, i and j as printed. The Good Works Library converted the TCP text to this page, removing only markup, page breaks and line-end hyphens. In the print a cross (†) opens each verse and the verse number stands in the margin; here each verse is its own paragraph headed by that number. Marginal notes are gathered after each chapter under the number of the verse beside which they stand; where the print sets a reference mark in the text (a letter, four pricks ::, or a star *), the mark is kept at its place in square brackets. In prose sections the marginal notes stand at their places in square brackets. Marks that the transcription records in the text are kept as they stand: ▪ is the transcribers’ sign for a printed mark they could not set, which this edition’s key to its marks uses to point to an Annotation after the chapter, and “ is another such printed mark. Words the transcribers could not read are marked ⟨illegible⟩ (151 on this page); none has been filled in by conjecture.

In 6 places on this page the transcription has no verse cross between two numbered verses; there both numbers head a single paragraph (for example “12–13”) rather than cutting the text by guesswork. In 1 place a cross stands in the text where the printed verse numbers show no new verse; it is kept there as †.

🌲