Prouerbia HN. The prouerbes of HN. which hee; in the dayes of his olde-age; hath set-fourth as similitudes and mysticall sayinges. Translated out of Base-almayne.

The V. Chapiter.

THer are many People found / which [ A] out of their owne Spirit or Imagination of the Knowledg, are very diligent, for to recreate them in the growing Hearbes / and to eate the good Fruites. and yet in all their Diligence, they obserue not any difference of time. Therfore must the Wisdom demaund-question of the Wyse / and saye:

2. WHerfore do the People (I pray you) runne-abrode so diligentlie in the Field, in the Winter-time / for to see the Hearbes and Flowers growe / and to delight themselues in their Springing or Growing-vpp?

3. Who findeth in the barren-time of Winter, the sweet-smelling a Flowers / and the Fruitfulnes of the Hearbes in the Fielde?

4. Who tasteth the good Tast of the Fruites of the Trees / whylst that the Spring-time doth yeat last / and that the Trees do but begin to blossom?

5. Who can beholde at Midnight {reversed ;}in y^e Dark∣nes; the Light of the Sunne?

6. Who soweth his Wheate-graine vpon the Stonie-flyntes / or vpon any Rocke / meaning to reape good Wheate therof, for his Foode?

7. Who cometh to the Ende of his Iournye / [ B] ereuer that hee haue gon-thorowe the First-part therof? Or who is hee that perfeteth or maketh the Ende of any Worke / before that the Beginning therof be first wrought?

8. Who cometh into the Sanctuarie of God, ereuer b hee be circumcised / and with whom is the spirituall and heauenlie Most-holie erected / ereuer hee haue c perfourmed hys Sinne-offering and Death-offering in the Holie, vnder the Obedience of the Loue of Iesu Christ?

9. For / to take-in-hand to finish any-thing, be∣fore the right tyme of the Beginning of the same, is vnprofitable Labour: and bringeth-in much vayne or vnprofitable Trauell.

10. COnsider: That which is for to com / that same cometh at his conuenient time. And when the Waye d is made eeuen / and the Streat playne / then may-men best-of-all and safe∣liest walke theron.

11. HEe is a valiant Champion, which hath it easelie in his Power, vtterlie to destroy his Enemies / and yet-notwithstanding suffereth all Wrong at their handes / and can euenso tarye his tyme. For such-aone perceaueth in Vnderstan∣ding, in what-sort that hee {reversed ;}with small paine; can

•…•…ring his Enemies in subiection vnder him / and •…•…lucke or procure their Frindship vnto him.

12. FRom the tyme of Samuel fourth, the [ C] Kingdom of the God of Heauens obtay∣•…•…ed his Thorowe-breaking vpon the Earth / c till •…•…nto Iohn the Baptist or Washer with the Water of Repentaunce.

13. From the tyme of Iohn the Baptist fourth, the Kingdom of the God of Heauens, was f pub∣lished to be hard-at-hand / till vnto Iesus Christ.

14. With Iesus Christ became the Kingdom of the God of Heauens to be manifested, g in his pure Bewtie and Cleernes, vpon the Earth. But the Earth h could not yeat awaye with the same. For∣that-cause, it must take his i Dominion or Raigne {reversed ;}with Iesus Christ; at the Right-hand of God, in the heauenlie Beeing / till that the Loue and Mer∣cie, obtained their Thorowe-breaking vpon the Earth / k and that the Kingdom of the God of Hea∣uens, shewed-fourth itself {reversed ;}in the true Loue; vpon the Earth / and euenso became glorious on y^e Earth.

15. In the true Loue, the Kingdom of Heauen [ D] bydeth stedfast {reversed ;}vpon the Earth; euerlastinglie, in perfection: and ther cometh with the same {reversed ;}in y^e true Loue; the eternall Life, to the elected Holyons of God, vpon the Earth. but to the peruerse Worlde, her l Ending. and to the Vngodlie / together with all such as contemne the Loue / and blaspheame her holie Spirit, the eternall Condemnation: and they shall be cast into the m Bottomlesse-pit / and into the Fyre n of Hell.

16. Whosoeuer then doth let-passe the Tyme of Grace {reversed ;}wherin men may obtaine y^e Life of Peace; / and o respecteth not the same Tyme, with his Prof∣fering-fourth of Grace {reversed ;}whylst that it is yeat pre∣sent; Hee p neglecteth much Good / and forsaketh the purchasing of great Riches: and falleth euenso at the last, into manifolde Miseries / and into great Paine or q Smart of the Heart. But whoso lett∣eth himself be infourmed and counsailed to the best, by the Wisdom / hee may well be comforted.

17. THer are Many to be found which vtter∣lie [ E] contemne y^e needfullest Riches {reversed ;}wher∣through they mought attaine to the r good Dayes;: and applye them verye-diligentlie to compasse the Slyme of the Earth / wherthrough they pluck vpon their owne Neckes, great Pouertie and extreame Miserie.

18. And albeit that they liue in all Pouertie and Miserie / yet are they notwithstanding {reversed ;}in that their Miserie; of good-cheere and light-hearted / and becom th•…•…rto very s subtill and craftie, in all∣maner of Wi•…•…kednes and Falshod.

19. A Man may also finde many People, which dispise no Riches of God / and which also wolde gladlie enter into the Kingdom of God and Howse of Loue / and wyan•…•… or procure other-moe thervn∣to: But ther are Fewe that prepare themselues vprightlie thervnto. and yet many fewer, that do {reversed ;}before all; indeuour them obedientlie, for to becom fruitfull t in the holie W•…•…orde of Loue / and then e∣uenso, to wy•…•…ne or allure Other-moe to the Loue /

and so to increase the Kingdom of the Loue, in all Concorde and Peace.

20. A Selfwyse-bodye / or a good-thinking foolish Man {reversed ;}whether that hee haue much Knowledg or little; v is a poore ignorant Creature / that is x without God in this World: and whosoeuer will not be counsailed by the Wis∣dom, through her Seruice of Loue / hee cometh-to∣nothing, in his Good thinking.

21. When any-man reprooueth a self-wyse or [ F] good thinking Man, of his Foolishnes / and wolde euenso teach and infourme him aright / as also stirre him forward into the right Waye of Life / then smyteth y and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hee / also frowneth & murmur∣•…•…th / and sp•…•…weth-fourth against his Maister or Teacher, all Poyson / Bitternes / and false Testi∣monies: but whoso proyseth him in his Follie / him doth hee commend for a Wyse-man.

22. I haue seene with myne Eyes / that ther was a wise Man pressed-downe, in the most-con∣temnedst Place / and that hee also laye {reversed ;}z to a Foote∣wispe & Treading-steppe; vnder euerymans Feete: and very fewe receaued his Testimonies / and tooke his Contempt to heart. But I saw him stand-vpp with the Righteous / and that hee appeered in the Glorie of the Lorde: and became therin so mightie, that all Presumptuous-pride was constrayned to submit itself vnder him.

Notes

• a

  Cant. 2. •…•….
• b

  Esa. 52. •…•…. Ezech. 44. a Ioel. 3. b.
• c

  Heb. 9. b. c.
• d

  Esa. 40. 57. b. 62. b. Math. 3. a. Iohn. 1. c.
• c

  Math. 11. b, Luk. 16. b.
• f

  Math. 3. a. Mark. 1. a. Luk. 3. a.
• g

  Math. 12. •…•…. Luk. 11. b.
• h

  Iohn. 1. b.
• i

  Luk. 24. •…•…. Act. 1. b.
• k

  Apo. 21. •…•….
• l

  Ezech. 7. Math. 24. b.
• m

  Apo. 20. b. 21. b.
• n

  Math. 15. c. 25. d. 2. Pet. 3. b. Apo. 21. c.
• o

  2. Cor. 6. a.
• p

  Esa. 49. b. 2. Cor. 6. a.
• q

  Sap. 5. •…•…. Math. 8. b. •…•…5. d.
• r

  •…•…. Pet. •…•…. b.
• s

  Ier. 4. d.
• t

  Iohn. 15. •…•….
• v

  Esa. 5. a. 1. Cor. 1. 3. •…•…. Apo. 3. b.
• x

  Ephe. 2. a.
• y

  Pro. 9. b.
• z

  1. Cor. 4. b.