1All this is an Hebraical kind of speech to us utterly unknown. The Hebrew word properly signifieth a looking glass, that is a thing coming toward our eyes or sight. For thus we read in Exodus. 38. He made the Laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the looking glasses of the women, that watched at the door of the Tabernacle. This should thus be translated in ⟨p. 101⟩the hebrew. He made a laver &c. in the sight of those that watched before the door of the Tabernacle of witness. For this people had certain women votaries, which continued in prayers and supplication, watching and serving God day & night, as we read in the first of kings, and second of Luke, that Anna watched. Of this watching,2 the women were called the host of the Lord, watching before the door of the tabernacle of witness. Afterward in process of time, the religion decayed, and as Judas saith, was turned into wantonness. So of Rachel the wife of Jacob it is said, she was comely to the glass, that is, to sight, or to look upon: she was fair or pleasant in sight. The meaning therefore is:3 It is better to enjoy the things in sight, & before our eyes, than to wander after our lusts and desires, that is, use the things thou hast, and let not thy wit wander about coveting of that, like Aesops dog, who catching at the shadow, lost the meat in his mouth. That which God hath set as it were before thee, that use and be content, and follow not the desire of thine hart, which can not be satisfied, ⟨image 104⟩as he said before. Understand therefore by the sight of the eyes, not such as thine eyes make to thee, but such as is made to them of other things, a passive sight: that is, use that that God for the time present giveth thee. Thus of God it is said in the first of Gen. God saw all that he had made. &c. that is, he rejoiced in his works, he stuck unto them, he saw them, they pleased him, they were very good.
1ALl this is an Hebraicall kinde of speech to vs vtterly vnknowē. The Hebrue worde properly signifieth a looking glasse, yt is a thing comming toward our eyes or syght. For thus we reade in Exodus. 38. He made the Lauer of brasse, and the foote of it of brasse, of the looking glasses of the womē, that watched at the doore of the Tabernacle. This should thus be translated in ⟨p. 101⟩the hebrewe. He made a lauer &c. in the sighte of those that watched before the doore of the Tabernacle of wytnesse. For this people had certen women votaries, which contynued in prayers and supplication, watching and seruyng God day & night, as we reade in the first of kynges, and second of Luke, that Anna watched. Of this watching,2 the women were called the hoast of the Lord, watching before the doore of the tabernacle of witnesse. Afterward in processe of time, the religion decayed, and as Iudas saith, was turned into wātonnes. So of Rachel ye wyfe of Iacob it is sayd, shee was comly to the glasse, that is, to sight, or to looke vpon: shée was fayre or pleasaunt in sight. The meaning therefore is:3 It is better to enioye ye things in sight, & before our eyes, thē to wāder after our lustes and desiers, that is, vse the thynges thou hast, and let not thy witte wander about coueting of that, lyke Aesops dogge, who catching at the shadow, lost the meate in his mouth. That which God hath set as it were before thée, that vse and be content, and follow not the desire of thine hart, which can not be satisfied, ⟨image 104⟩as he sayd before. Vnderstand therfore by the sight of the eyes, not such as thine eyes make to thée, but such as is made to them of other thinges, a passiue sight: that is, vse that that God for the time present geueth thee. Thus of God it is sayd in the first of Gen. God sawe all that he had made. &c. that is, he reioysed in his workes, he stucke vnto them, he sawe them, they pleased him, they were very good.
