1 AS a man doth see the blessings of God upon him, so he must also labour with a careful diligence to maintain the state of this life. But because the affection of man is carried headlong unto a greedy covetousness: this desire of overmuch carping and caring, must be bridled with two strong bits.1 First, all our care must extend it self no further, then the present day: Secondly, in caring we must not trust unto our selves, but fix all our confidence in the mercy and providence of God who blesseth all, and without whose goodness, nothing can come to pass, do what we will. As touching the first, we have the direction of our Saviour Christ: who teacheth ⟨image 14⟩us to pray on this wise. Give us this day our daily bread, whereby we are given to understand, that we are only to seek for the present time, resting with this persuasion, that he which hath blessed us this day, will also to morrow, & the next day show his like goodness unto us. Again, in the same place, our Saviour Christ speaketh on this wise. Care not them for the morrow: 2for the morrow shall care for it self: the day hath enough with his own grief. By this we learn that God will provide for every day all things necessary, though we do not increase the present grief, with caring and casting in our heads how we shall live in the time to come. Now tell me what is the cause that thou yearly doest buy a Prognostication, & one of those, which tell the strangest things? Is it because thou hast a delight to read the style of Prognostications? Or because thou wouldest learn to Prognosticate? Or because the pictures and Characters which they make, delight thy mind? it were folly to be persuaded ⟨image 15⟩of this, seeing the very cause it self is manifest. Thy whole desire is to fill thy coffers, & to heap up wealth, thou art afraid least thou shalt become poor, therefore thou greedily buyest thee Prognostications, and continually searchest all the corners of them, to see the state of the year to come, even thus in mind reasoning with thy self. I can never be quiet, nor take my sleep, until such time as I have known the state of the year ensuing, that I may frame my business accordingly: This next year there will be much rain, it will rot corn upon the ground, it will be spoiled, I will keep my corn until the next year following:
1 AS a man doth see the blessinges of God vpon him, so he must also labour with a carefull diligence to maintayne the state of this life. But because the affection of man is caried headlong vnto a greedy couetousnesse: this desire of ouermuch carpyng and caryng, must bee bridled with two strong bittes.1 First, all our care must extende it selfe no further, then the present day: Secondly, in caryng we must not trust vnto our selues, but fixe all our confidence in the mercy and prouidence of God who blesseth all, and without whose goodnesse, nothyng can come to passe, doe what we will. As touching the first, we haue the direction of our Sauiour Christ: who teacheth ⟨image 14⟩vs to pray on this wise. Giue vs this day our dayly bread, whereby we are giuen to vnderstand, that we are onely to seeke for the present tyme, resting with this persuasiō, that he which hath blessed vs this day, wil also to morow, & the next day shew his like goodnes vnto vs. Again, in ye same place, our Sauiour Christ speaketh on this wise. Care not thē for the morow: 2for the morow shall care for it selfe: the day hath inough with his owne griefe. By this we learne that God will prouide for euery day all things necessary, though we do not encrease the present grief, with caryng and casting in our heades how we shall liue in the tyme to come. Nowe tell me what is the cause that thou yearely doest buye a Prognostication, & one of those, whiche tell the straungest thynges? Is it because thou hast a delite to read the style of Prognostications? Or because thou wouldest learne to Prognosticate? Or because the pictures and Characters whiche they make, delite thy mynde? it were follie to be persuaded ⟨image 15⟩of this, seyng the very cause it selfe is manifest. Thy whole desire is to fil thy coffers, & to heape vp wealth, thou art afrayde least thou shalt become poore, therfore thou greedely buyest thee Prognostications, and cōtinually searchest all the corners of them, to see the state of the yeare to come, euē thus in mynde reasoning with thy self. I can neuer be quiet, nor take my sleepe, vntill such time as I haue knowne the state of the yeare ensuing, that I may frame my busines accordingly: This next yeare there will be much rayne, it will rotte corne vpon the groūd, it wil be spoyled, I will keepe my corne vntill the next yeare following:
- 1Math. 6.11.
- 2Math. 6.34.
