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¶ Many myseryes lyghte in a mannes lyfe. All thynges passe awaye, but a fyrme and stablyshe fayth remayneth. Of the blessynge of the ryghtuous, and prerogatyue of the feare of God.
A GREAT trauayle is created for all men / and an heuy yocke vpon the chyl∣dren [unspec A] of Adam / frome the daye that they go out of theyre mothers wombe / tyll they be
buryed in (the earth) ye mother of al thynges: namely, theyr thoughtes & ymaginacyons / feare of the hert, councell, meditacions / lon∣gyng & desyre, the day of death: from the hiest that sytteth vpon the glorious seate / vnto ye lowest and moste symple vpon the earth: frō hym that is gorgyously arayed and weareth a crowne / vntyl him that is / but homely and symply clothed. There is nothing but wrath zele / fearfulnes / vnquyetnesse / and feare of death / rygorous, angre and strife. And in the nyght when one shulde reste and slepe vpon his bedde / the slepe chaungeth hys vnderstādynge and knowledge. A lytle or nothynge is hys rest, in the slepe as well as in the daye of laboure.
He feareth and is disquieted in the vision [unspec B] of his hert, as one that renneth out of a bat∣tayle: and in the tyme of health he awaketh and marueleth that ye feare was nothynge: Suche thynges happen vnto all fleshe both man and beast: but seuen folde to the vngod∣ly. Moreouer death, bloudsheddyng, stryfe & swearde, oppression, hongre, destruccion and punyshment: * 1.1 these thynges are all created agaynst the vngodly, & for their sakes came y• floude also. * 1.2 All y• is of ye earth, shall turne to earth agayne: & all waters ebbe agayne in¦to the see. All brybes & vnryghtuousnes shal be put away / but faythfulnes & trueth shall endure for euer. The substaūce & goodes of y• vngodly shalbe dryed vp and syncke awaye as a water floude, & they shall make a sounde lyke a great thonder in the rayne.
Lyke as the rightuous reioyseth when he [unspec C] openeth his hande / so shal the trāsgressours be faynt / when theyr goodes vanysh and cō∣sume awaye. * 1.3 The chyldren of the vngodly shall not optayne many braunches: and the vncleane rotes vpō the hye rockes shalbe ro¦ted out before the grasse by the water side and vpon the ryuer banckes.
Frendlynes and liberalite in the increase and blessyng of God / is lyke a paradyse and gardē of pleasure: such mercy also and kind∣nes endureth for euer. * 1.4 To laboure & to be cōtent with that a man hath, is a swete plea∣sauntlyfe: and that is to fynde a treasure a∣boue all treasures. To beget chyldren and to repaire the citie, maketh a perpetual name but an honeste woman is more worthe then they bothe. Wyne and mynstrelsye reioyse the herte / but the loue of wysdome is aboue them bothe. [unspec D]
Pypynge and harpynge make a swete noyse, but a frendly tonge goeth beyonde thē both. Thyne eye desyreth fauoure and bew∣tye / but a grene sede tyme / rather then they both. A frende and companyon come toge∣ther at oportunyte, but aboue them both is a wyfe that agreeth with her husbande. One brother helpeth another in the tyme of trou∣ble, but almes shall delyuer more then they both. Golde and syluer fasten the fete / but a good councell is more pleasaunte then they both. Temporall substaunce and strength lyft vp the mynde: but the feare of the Lorde more then they both. The feare of the Lord wanteth nothynge, and nedeth no helpe. The feare of the Lorde is a pleasaunte gar∣den of blessynge, and nothynge so beautyful as it is. My sonne, lede not a beggers lyfe, for better it were to dye then to beg. Who so loke the to another mās table, taketh no thought for his owne lyuyng how to vpholde his life, for he fedeth him self with other mens meate But a wyse and wel nurtoured man wyl be∣warre therof. Begging is swete in the mouth of the vnshamefast, but in his bely there bur¦neth a fyre.
Eccle. 39. ••
Gene. vii. d and. iii. d
Eccle. 41. b
••. Eym. 6. b Philip. 4. b