The bright star which leadeth wise men to our Lord Jesus Christ, or, A…

And thus wisely men can deal for other matters, for he that purposeth to plant him a good orchard, will not run to every hedge and every grove, and all the bramble bushes he can see, and thence take him plants for his orchard; but if he hope for any benefit by his orchard, he will make provision for the best grafts and sciences he can get, and those will he set in his orchard, and so he hopes it may hereafter turn him to good profit. But if one would say, why I hope, and I look to have as fruitful and commodious an orchard as any man in the parish; but what doth he in the mean while, what course takes he in planting it, why hairs a brier & there is a crabtree, and there a thorn; these be all the plants he looks for, and hence he cuts all his sciences; why then it is plain he doth but dissemble, he is not in good earnest. So for those that be sheepemasters and hope for commodity that way, they will enquire and mark out of what ground, the sheep they purpose to buy come, where they were bred, & if they were bred in a rotten ground, especially if they have a rotten bleak too, he will not put them in his fold, nor let them come among the rest, least they should be all infected. Will one deal thus for his orchard, and for his sheep, and should he not consider likewise in planting his family? When he takes a servant into his fold, out of what pasture comes he? hath he been brought up in a rotten ground? In a place of disorder of riot, of swearing of breaking the Sabbath, and such like? and hath he a rotten bleak? will swear, will he lye, will he speak filthily, doth he look like a swaggerer, and like a ruffian? and will you venture on yet? then you are a foolish master, and love neither your self, nor your house, nor children, if you take such unto them, that will either infect them if they be not very good, or if they be, will vex and molest them.

And thus wisely men can deale for other matters, for he that purposeth to plant him a good orchard, will not runne to euerie hedge and euerie groue, and all the bramble bushes he can see, and thence take him plants for his orchard; but if he hope for any benefit by his orchard, he will make prousion for the best graffes and sciences he can get, and those will he set in his orchard, and so he hopes it may hereafter turne him to good profit. But if one would say, why I hope, and I looke to haue as fruitfull and commodious an orchard as any man in the parish; but what doth he in the meane while, what course takes he in planting it, why heeres a bryer & there is a crabtree, and there a thorne; these be all the plants he lookes for, and hence he cuts all his sciences; why then it is plaine he doth but dissemble, he is not in good earnest. So for those that be sheepemasters and hope for commoditie that way, they will enquire and marke out of what ground, the sheepe they purpose to buy come, where they were bred, & if they were bred in a rotten ground, especially if they haue a rotten bleake too, he will not put them in his fold, nor let them come among the rest, least they should be all infected. Will one deale thus for his orchard, and for his sheepe, and should he not consider likewise in planting his family? When he takes a seruant into his fold, out of what pasture comes he? hath he beene brought vp in a rotten ground? In a place of disorder of riot, of swearing of breaking the Sabboth, and such like? and hath he a rotten bleake? will sweare, will he lye, wil he speak filthily, doth he looke like a swaggerer, and like a ruffian? and will you venture on yet? then you are a foolish master, and loue neyther your selfe, nor your house, nor children, if you take such vnto them, that will eyther infect them if they be not verie good, or if they be, will vexe and molest them.