Psal c â–ª xxvii pleÌ„teousnes in the dayes of derth Psal .xxxvi. In so moch that though Christe sende them without wallet without scripe wyth out shues yet wyll he so prouide for them that they shall lacke no thinge Luce .xxii. For he sayethe him selfe The labourer is worthy of his meate Math .x. Luc .x. who so nowe wyll laboure shall eate But who so euer wyll not worke Sturdy 〈◊〉 felows she not eace ought out to eate ii Tessal iii. Now yf we labour I say we shall eate also Yee but where shall we get it Christ our sauyoure sayth Be not ye carefull for youre lyfe what ye shall eate or what ye shal drink nor yet for your body what ye shal put on Is not the lyfe more worth then meate and the bodye more of value then rayment Beholde the soules of the ayre for they sow not nether reape nor yet cary into the barnes and yet youre heuenly father fedeth them â–ª math vi He geueth meate to the yonge caues Psa c .xlvi. he openeth his hande and fyllethe his creatures with plenteousnes Psal c .iii. â—e ought 〈◊〉 laboure â—â—th our â—andes and 〈◊〉 cast our are vpon the Lorde Therefore though our handes shulde alway be occupied in some good labaure Eph .iiii. yet ought not oure hertes to take thoughte what we shall eate or drynke but first to care howe to seke the king dome of god math .vi. so shulde all thinges necessary be ministred vnto vs. And why Man lyueth not by bred only but by euery worde that procedeth out of the mouth of god Deute .viii. math iiii which thynge Christ our saue oure hath manifestly declared in that he fed so many people wyth so few loaues fyshes lyke as he had done afore vnto the chyldren of Israell by the space of forty yeres in the wildernes where they wanted nothyng for he hym selfe fed them blessed them in all the workes of theyr hande wherfore in so moch as god our mercyfull father taketh soch care for vs .i. Pe v. we shulde by right cast all our care vpoÌ„ him fathfully to cleue vnto his worde in our hertes so the we nether mystrust his godli prouision nor lead an idle lyfe And yf we meane well in oure hertes and deale truly with our handes doutlesse he shall sende vs necessarye meate by some bodye as he dyd to Elias the prophete by the wedowe in Sarepta .iii. Re .xvii. and lyke as he prouyded a breake faâ—t vnto Daniel amonge the Lions by the ministration of Abacuc Daâ— .xiiii Thus I saye they that feare god â–ª shall haue plentye and aboundaunce of all thynges this yeare But so farre as I can se or perceiue By this theologicall Astronomye Mars threateneth a verye euyll and vnfrutefull yeare to dyuerse spiritual prelates as popish byshops popish preistes other mo except the sonne thorow his gracious influence be good vnto theÌ„ although Mercurius reigne iÌ„ theÌ„ wyth neuer so many horces great pompe auctoritie ryches oppression wyth excedynge many seruauntes and dogges whych neuertheles yf they wyll forsake theyr aâ—â—sions and dyete them selues after the qualities of the Sonne they shall be kept fro many dyuerse fur fettes and haue a very frutefull yeare in all thynges And so wold I councel them to do For Mars goeth aboute now this yeare to withdrawe from the spiritualtye the excesse of theyr frutes ryches and worldly auctorite lyke as he hath threatened them thys great whyle intendeth playnly to refourme them And where as theyr whordome olde custome withstande the furtherauÌ„ce of the trueth Mars purposeth to take the SoÌ„ne to helpe and with the playster of mariage to heale the infirmitie of their vncleÌ„nes yee and wyth his owne swerde of the spirite to subdue theyr olde euell customes As for the multitude of the vngodly in generall there shal come a gret derth vpoÌ„ theÌ„ acording to the wordes of a certayn true aâ—conomer Beholde the tyme coÌ„meth sayeth the lorde god that I shal send an honger into the earth not the honger of bred nor the thyrst of water but an honger to heare the worde of the lorde so that they shall go froÌ„ the one see to the other yee froÌ„ the north vnto that east reÌ„nynge about to seke the worde of the lorde and shall not finde it Amos .viii. but because they wyll not beleue the trueth and haue pleasure in vnryghteousnes therfore shall God sende them stronge delusion that they may beleue lies .ii. Tess .ii. so that the time shall come whaÌ„ they shall desyre to se one day of the sonne of man and shall not se it Luce .xvii. I passe ouer many other plages that Mars threateneth vnto them because they wyll not knowe the tyme of their visitacion Luce .xix. ¶ The thyrde Chapiter concernynge the sicknesses and disceases of this yeare THe Egipcyans hadde a maner and vse in theyr baÌ„ckettes to cary about an ymage of deathe â–ª and to saye vnto euerye man that was at the bancket Looke vpon this eate drynke and be mery such one shalt thou be whan thou dyest And this they dyd no doute to put men in remembraunce of temperauncy and of deathe leste they vndiscretly thorowe excesse of eatynge and drinking shoulde happen to dye afore their age for so doth god vse to punyshe soche syn wherefore yf we dyete and temper oure selues thorowe the influence of the sone we shall haue few diseases except Mars brynge some other thinge to passe that we mysknowe not our selues As for such as folowe Mercurius lyuynge nyght and daye in ryote and vncleÌ„nes these I saye shal thorowe the Sonne haue great diseases in all the membres of the bodye in the lunges leuer handes and sete yea and parel also of the soule I passe ouer the pouertie that dronkardes and riotous persons shall haue wo shall be vnto them sorowe stryfe brawlynge woundes shall be amonge them Pro .xxiii. yea and soch as wyll nedes be ouerladen with excesse of eatynge and wyth dronkennes c shall sodeynly be preuented wyth the day of the Lorde Luce .xxi There is douteles a maruelous sore punyshmeÌ„t to come vpon the hole world of the wycked swerde warres honger not onely spirituall as I sayd before but temporall which plages haue ben afore our tyme but are not yet all paste I nede not reherce the pestilence and other greate plages that god wyll sende to the reformacion of as manye as shall be warned As for the comoÌ„ sorte of the vngodly ther shal such a fearfulnes of deth come vpon theÌ„ that they shall not tel wher to turn theÌ„ nor how to escape death O how byter and greueous shall the remembraunce of deathe be this yeare to soch as seke reste and consolacion in transâ—tory substaunce of this worlde to soche as knowe of no aduersite but haue good dayes and liue in â–ª voluptuousnes Eccle .xli. But O deathe howe acceptable welcome shalte thou be vnto soch as
the trueth had rather set all nacyons by the eares and wyckedly to resyste the ordinauÌ„ce of god in the auctorite of theyr Prince then to submite them selues to the gospel And wher as God hath raysed vp good men to preach his worde the deuell is so wood at it that he hath sent them a letter of defiauÌ„ce by some of his meÌ„bres euen wyth soch an answere as was geuen to Ieremy the prophet For they say playnly As for the gospel we wyl not hear it but what so euer goeth out of oure owne mouth that wyll we do we wyll set vp â—andels and offre to stockes and stones we wyl do as oure fathers haue done before vs. For whan we so dyd then had we plenteousnes of vytayls then were we in prosperite and no mysfortune came vpon vs. Iere .xliiii. But sence we lefte of soche Gods seruice we haue had scarcenes of all thinges and the worlde was neuer well sence c. Soch strife I saye debate shall happen this yeare because of the worde of god for the enemyes therof had rather draw theyr daggers at it then to be refourmed But the louers of it shall spare no labour to conuerte them and to mayntayne peace and therfore I truste verely that thorow the gracyous influence of the sonne thys stryfe and deuysyon shall turne to no bloud sheddynge for god shall sende princes to defende his people from the malyce of the wycked yet shall the enemies of Goddes worde not cease from persecutyng but do all the myscheife they can that by one waye or other the gospell of the glorye of God maye be stopped Therefore thou louer of God and his worde wha any soch heat of trouble happeneth vnto the for by trouble muste thoube tryed Maruell not at it as thoughe it were a straunge thinge but reioyse in asmuche as thou arte partaker of Christes affliccions that whan his glorye apperethe thou mayst be mery and glad And be euen as contente to be reuyled as he was .i. Peter .ii. For there is no disciple aboue his malster nether seruante better then his lorde mat x. yf they haue called the good maÌ„ of the house Belzebub howe much more shall they cal theÌ„ of his housholde so These and manye other swete wordes sayth he hym selfe vnto the that in hym thou mayest haue peace a quiet coÌ„science In the worlde thou shalt haue trouble but be of good conforte he hathe ouercoÌ„me the worlde Ioh .xvi. ¶ The fyfth chapter concernyng the estate of kynges and prynces and superioure powers THe influence of the Sonne and Mars declareth euidently by all coniectures yee certaynly without any dout that kynges and princes shall haue a prosperous yere me thynke I dare be bolde to saye the same in as much as I se that they begin nowe some of them to seeke the true honoure of God and to delyuer theyr people from oppression make me doute the lesse herin Salomon whiche was a kynge hym selfe and that of greate experiece sayeth these wordes Pro .xxv. Take awaye vngodlynes froÌ„ the kynge and his seate shal be stablished with righteousnes Seinge nowe that god begineth so graciouslye to worke in Princes who hath not occasioÌ„ to hope for great increace of prosperite in theÌ„ For lyke as whan a prince delyteth in lyes as sayeth the wyse man Pro .xxix. all his seruantes are vngodly euen so whaÌ„ the kynge or prynce is a fauoure and mayntener of the teneth his people shall the more be geueÌ„ to the fear of God And I dout not but god this same yeare by the faithfull ministracion of his auctorite in kinges princes shall brynge noble actes to passe to the great deliuerauÌ„ce of poore people and reformacyon of the ignoraunt Thynkest thou not that God intendeth great good vnto vs in that he so gracyously endeweth that hertes of dyuerse prices dout not therin Let them remembre therfore that the power whiche theye haue is geueÌ„ them of the Lorde and the strength from the hyest Sap .vi. lest they beynge officers of Gods empyre be necligent in kepyng the lawe of ryghteousnes But yf they delyte in moche people let them loue the lyght of wysdome which is gods worde for by it they shal set the people in ordre and the nacyoÌ„s of theyr enemyes shal be subdued vnto them Sap .viii. who so euer he be then that loueth not to resyst the ordynaunce of god let hym submytte him selfe to the auctorite of his prynce and let hym not byte his lyppe at it though good Ezechias breake the brasen serpente that the chyldren of Israell haue worshypped so loÌ„ge .iiii. Re .xviii let it not greue hym I saye that the vertuous kynge Iosias expelleth soyth sayers charmers expounders of tokens Idols and other abhominacyons out of his londe to set vp the wordes of the lawe of God .iiii. Reg .xxxiii. Let euery man rather geue thankes vnto God and bee glad that Bell is delyuered into Daniels power that the falshede of Bels prestes is come to lighte and that the dragon is deuoured whome the people was wonte to worshippe Dam .xiiii. Let no maÌ„ therfore resyst this power of God that doth soch actes by the ministracion of prynces but let euery wyse man be coÌ„tent to be refourmed of his erroure to do wel and remembre that the kyng beareth not that swerd for naught Ro .xiii. and the as the wysemaÌ„ sayeth The kynges displeasure is a messauÌ„ger of death Pro .xvi Be thou therfore thankfull vnto god and obedient vnto thy prynce doutte not but thou shallte haue a ryght prosperous yeare and I can not se how it is possible to be otherwyse for as longe as the kynge maketh so manye Daniels of his councell it must nedes be to the great wealth and prospirite of the people ¶ The syxte Chapter concernynge the darknesse of this yeare WHan I consydre the corrupte nature of Mercurius how he hath ben is euer shal be coÌ„trarie vnto Mars the Sonne I fynde by all experience that he shall cast agreate myste betwene vs and the Sonne so that it shall be darke for though the lyght shyne in darkenesse and be come into the worlde Iohn .i. yet shall they whose workes are euell and after the condycions of Mercurius loue that darknesse more then the lyghte And thus shal this darkenesse be in theÌ„ that lyue naughtelye folowe theyr owne abhominacions for because they do euell therfore shall they hate the lyght and not come to it lest theyr dedes be reproued Ioh .iii And as Paul sayth yf the gospell shal be yet hyd it shal be hydde in them that are loste among whoÌ„ the God of this worlde shal blynd the myndes of them that beleue not lest the lyght of the gospell of the glory of Christ whiche is the ymage of god shulde shyne vnto them .ii. Corint .iii. But where the chyldren of God are there shall be lyghte Exod .x. and the workes of lyfe Seynge therefore that the
are in aduer site iÌ„ theyr last age or in dispayre â–ª Who so euer thou be therfore the woldeste escape the sickenesses of this yeare bewarre that thy bodye be not ouerladen with ouer muche eatynge or with dronkennes man is out 〈◊〉 Luc xxi For excesse of meates bryngeth sycknesse and glotonye commeth at the last to an vnmeasurable heate Eccle xxxvii Thorowe glotonye shall manye one perisshe this yere but he that dyeteth hym sel e temperatlye shall prolonge his lyfe As for vnsaciable eaters they shall not onely slepe vnquietly this yeare but shall haue ache payne of the body Eccle .xxxi. Concernyng the spirituall disease and sycknes that shall reigne this yeare as it hathe done afore tyme â–ª Pault one of the truest Astronomers saieth plainely that we be all synners Ro .iii. yf we saye that we haue no sinne we disceaue our selues and the trueth is not in vs i. Io .i. This is nowe the spirituall disease that shall comonly reigne this yeare sin is 〈◊〉 in them wyll no a know of it but specyally in them that feale least of it and wyll not knowlege it Io .ix. For the Sonne hath soch vertue that who so euer can se this disease and wyll complayne of it .i. Ioh .i it shall clense them and make them whole yee the astronoemer sayth playnly that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue synners .i. Timo .i. And an other that warneth vs in his pronosticacioÌ„ to bewarre of this sicknesse gyueth vs yet good conforte and sayth If any man synne we haue an aduocate wyth the father euen Iesus Christ which is ryghteous and he it is that optayneth grace for our synnes not for oure synnes only but also for the synnes of the whole worlde .i. Ioh .ii. Who soeuer therefore hath this disease as there is no man wythout it let hym do wysely â–ª let hym proue and examen him selfe by tymes .i. Cor .xi. ii Cor .xiii. man is â—rt synne And go to phisicke afore he be to se or sycke Eccle .xviii. And aboue all thinges let hym bewarre of soche false surgeons and fayned phisicyans as heale the hurt of the people with sweete wordes Iere .vi. and as a true Astronomer reporceth thorow sweate preachinges and flatteringe wordes disceaue the hartes of inocentes and all for their belyes sake Rom .xvi. Soch false phisiciaÌ„s laye wronge plasters to meÌ„s sores and speake the meanyng of theyr own eherte but not out of the mouth of the lord Iere .xxiii. yea they make soche as despise the worde of god to contynue scill in their dregges Soph. i and to do as theyr fathers haue done before them to theyr vtter de struccion Ierm .xliiii. For soche false Phisians as longe as they haue anye thynge to byte vppon preache vnto men that all shall be well Michee iii. and mayntaint them in their wyckednes makyng them beleue to do as their elâ—ers haue done before them though it be contrary to goos worde is the righte waye Tusihe saye they ye shall prosper ryght well Ier .xxiii And vnto all them that walke after the luste of thyer owne herte they saye Tusshe there shall no mysfortune happen vnto you ye shal se no swerd there shall no hoÌ„ger come vpoÌ„ you Iere .xiiii. But if a man put not somthing in their mouthes they preache of warre agaynst hiÌ„ mic .iii. wherfore if thou wylt be hole of thy disease bewaâ— of soch fayned PhiciaÌ„s at whome yf thou seke helth they shall make the pay dubble for it â—w aere of use phisici us that shall neuer do the good but go thou boldely vnto hym which only healeth the contrite in harte and byndeth vp theyr wondes Psal c .xlvi. He shall not cast the away Ioh .vi. But yf thou come vnto hym he shall refreshe the he shall ease the. Math â–ª xi yf thou be sycke go vnto hym for he is the ryght Phisician for soch as are diseased Math .ix. yf thou be thyrsty and commest vnto hym he hath the water of lyfe for the. Ioh .iiii. yf thou be an hoÌ„gred after ryghteousnesse thou shalt be satisfied Mat .v. Summa he hym selfe wyl fede the brynge the to rest Eze .xxxiiii. Thoughe thou be lost he wylseke the though thou haste gon astray he wyll brynge the agayne thoughe thou be wouÌ„ded he wyll bynde the vpthough thou be sycke and weake he wyl make the hole and stronge Seke hym therfore this yere and as longe as thou lyuest for wyth hym there is mercy and pleÌ„teous redempcyon Psal .xxix. He hath saluacion ynough for the thou nedest not to seke helpe at any other nether is ther saluacyon in any other Act .iiii. Therfore biddeth he the euer come to hym selfe Math .xi. Ioh .vi. He neuer bad the seke other phisicions to heale the of this disease for there is no helpe in the chyldren of men Psal c .xlv As for corporaldiseaces god hath ordeyned outward medecynes for them in his creatures by the ministracyon of true phisiciaÌ„s whiche gyfte of god no wyseman wyll abhorre Eccle xxxviii But agaynst the sycknesse of synne there is no helpe nor succour but onely in him selfe And as there is no saluacion withoute hym so is there euer grace mercy pardon clene remission frely in him Esa .lv. for all soch as wyll receaue it and be thankefull for the same ¶ The fourthe Chapter concernynge the stryfe trouble of thys yeare and the cause therof THe swerde that I spake of partly in the fyrst Chapter is lyke to be drawen this yeare for why The Sonne Mars and Mercurtus can not agre together How accordeth the worlde wyth Christ the gospel They shall neuer be at one Sore eyes may not abyde yâ— clere lyght of the sone the lyghte wyll not consent to the workes of darknesse nether wyll yâ— beleuers haue parte with infidels .ii. Cor .vi Thus can there be no agremente for they be of contrarye natures Agayne a scornefull bodye as Salomon sayeth loueth not one that rebuketh hym Pro .xv. The chyldren of this worlde are scornefull and therfore are they not contente to be refourmed by the gospel The gospâ—â— shall haue victory whiche neuertheles thoughe it haue many enemyes as it hathe euer had yet because it is the truthe it shall beare awaye the victorye .iii. Esd .iii. And that shortly For god hath put into the hertes of dyuers princes to fulfyll his wyll and to hate the whore of Babylon to make her desolate naked to put down her abusions Apo .xvii. vtterlye to set her out of her stole So that it appeareth euydently that sathan shall no more haue so great dominion as he hath hadde in tymes paste And nowe that he seythe that his kyngdome wyll haue a fall he worketh and shall do al the he can by the chyldreÌ„ of vnbeleife specially by the shaueÌ„ Madianites to styrre vp warres sedicioÌ„s secrete treason and vtter defiauÌ„ce both amonge Princes and cominalties For soch aduersaries of