A Brief Conjectural Discourse upon the Hierographical Letters and Characters

A Breefe CONIECTVRALL diſcourſe, vpon the Hierographicall letters & Caracters fovnd upon fower Fiſhes, taken neere Marſtrand in the Kingdome of Denmarke, the 28. of Nouember 1587.

Treating by conſiderations Poligraphicall, Theologicall, Thalmudicall & Cabaliſticall.

Seene & allowed.

AT LONDON Printed by Edward Allde, dwelling in the fore-ſtreete without Cripple-gate, at the Signe of the golden Cup. 1589.

To the right reuerend and honorable my very good Lord, the Lord Arch-biſhop of Dublin, Lord Chauncellour of Ireland, one of her Maieſties Counſell of eſtate within that Realme.

PIthagoras the firſt inſtructer of the Greekes in miſticall and profound Philoſophie, and the earneſt aduoucher of vnum bonum and ens, (who deliuered vnto his hearers the pith and ſubſtance of that knowledge and ſcience that the Egyptian prophets, the Aſsirian Chaldes, the Brittaine Bards, the French Druids, the Bactrian Samanaei, the Perſian Magi, the Indian Gimnoſophiſts, Anacharſis among the Scithians, in Thracia Zamolxis, and further Eaſt the Brachman Iewes did in his time and before profeſſe) hath laide downe three thinges, (right reuerend and honorable) as ſteps and degrees vnto perfect, complete and abſolute felicitie. Laborem virtutis, qui in actione conſiſtit, meditationem, quae multis diſciplinarum ſtudiis nutritur, & amorem qui nos vt neceſſarium vinculum Deo connectit. The labour of vertue which conſiſteth in action, contemplation which is nouriſhed by the ſtudye of ſundry ſciences: and loue which as a neceſſarye knot, ioyneth vs vnto God: the firſt morall and ethicall, the ſecond naturall and mathematicall, the third theologicall and deuine: All which three are ſo to be vnited and combined together, as none may be wanting or defectiue in him that ſhalbe ſo happie, as to attaine to the cheefeſt good, which though all men deſire, yet the rough and narrowe waye of vertue and knowledge that leadeth ther-unto, dooth ſo deterre moſt, & the broad & plain path of pleaſure & worldly vanities that withdraweth therfro, doth ſo allure them, that as men bewitched & depriued of true Iudgement, they willingly goe whether they would not, & willingly forgoe what they moſt deſire, which as a miſtery moſt deeply to be waied, Pithagoras included in a character, the better to preſent it to the viewe, and to imprint it in the minde of his hearers. The ſame vnto vs the eternall woord and wiſedom of God, Chriſte Ieſus the fountaine of true and heauenlye Philoſophie, teacheth moſt cleerely in theſe woordes. Enter in at the ſtraite gate, for it is the wide gate and broad way that leadeth to deſtruction, and many there be which goe in therat, becauſe the gate is ſtraight and way narrow, that leadeth vnto life, and fewe there be that finde it. And that which Tullie reciteth of Hercules out of Xenophon: Hercules (vt eſt apud Xenophontem) Cum primum pubeſceret (quod tempus a natura ad deligendum, quam quiſque viam viuendi ſit ingreſſurus datum eſt) exiſſe in ſolitudinem dicitur, atque ibi ſedentem diuſecum multumque dubitaſſe, cum duas cerneret vias; vnam voluptatis, alteram virtutis, vtram ingredi melius eſſet. Falleth now no doubt in queſtion with many which neither are of ſo heroicall a minde, as to make Hercules choice, nor of ſo godlye diſpoſition as to follow Chriſts counſell, bid the way of vertue and veritie farewell, and ſhake hands with the path of vanitie and pleaſure, wherof as graceleſnes is the ground, ſo two ſpeciall ſpurres ther-unto is fainthartednes and follye, not daring to oppoſe them-ſelues to the difficulties and incumbrances that they ſee in the one, ſith virtus inuidiam; veritas odium parit, nor in wiſdome foreſeeing the miſcheefe and miſery wherin the other doth end, which is wel noted in the Greek Prouerbe. [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]: falſum in extremis nigreſcit, Vanitie and falſehood in his extreams is black, that is, what coullour ſoeuer is caſt ouer it, and how beautifull or faire ſoeuer it appeere, the ende of it will be wretched, wofull and miſerable to the which, that precept of Pithagoras tendeth [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]: Ne guſtes ex iis quibus eſt nigra cauda, that is, meddle not with thoſe thinges whoſe end is doleful and lamenable. Clean contrary vnto theſe is vertue andveritie, which Homer repreſēteth by the hearb Moly, whoſe root is black, but whoſe flower is white, that is, whoſe beginning is dangerous and difficulte, but the end & euent ſweet, pleaſant and proſperous, wherfore by the guiding of his ſpirit, who is the authour of all grace & goodnes, endeuouring to paſſe through the narrowe way, what obſtacles and dangers ſoeuer I finde in it▪ and with the labour of vertue (mencioned by Pithagoras as the firſt ſtep) to exerciſe my ſelfe, holding that notable ſaying of Ciceroes, as a principle neuer to be forgotten, Magis eſt ſecundum naturam pro omnibus gentibus (ſi ſieri poſsit) conſeruandis, aut iuuandis, maximos labores moleſtiaſque ſuſcipere, imitantem Herculem illum (quem hominum fama beneficiorum memor in conſilio coeleſtium collocauit, quam viuere in ſolitudine non modo ſine vllis moleſtiis, ſed etiam in maximis voluptatibus, abundantem omnibus copiis, vt excellas etiam pulchritudine et viribus. Quocirca optimo quiſque ſplendidiſsimoque ingenio longe illam vitam huic anteponit. I haue added ther-unto ſome ſtudie and meditation as the ſecond degree, which not Pithagoras only in humaine wiſdome thought neceſſary to be ioyned vnto action, but alſo by deuine inſtruction our Chriſtian profeſsion teacheth vs, which is a warfare vpon the earth euer contemplating by faith and hope, and woorking continualllye by charitie. The coupling of which two, that woorthy Souldier Monſieur Lanue, to leſſe learned and vertuous, then martiall and valiant, which are the partes of a compleat Gentleman, (as Homer by aſſigning to Achilles, a Centaure for his Schoolmaiſter intimateth) in his diſcorſes lately publiſhed, pithily perſwadeth. Of which my contemplation I haue heere ſent your honor ſome fruite, being a meditation and coniecturall diſcourſe vpon the Hierographicall caracters and letters found on certaine fiſhed the 28. of Nouember within ſix miles of Marſtrand northward, neer vnto Solteror, in the Kingdome of Denmarke, the yeere 1587. in thoſe northerne ſeas, whereof I haue entreated by conſiderations Polligraphicall, Theologicall, Thalmudicall, and Cabaliſticall. and although in the laſt I might haue proceeded ſomewhat further by vnfolding the ten numerations, wherof I could haue ſhewed the firſt three to be ſempiternall and to intimate the miſtery of the trinitie of the next ſeauen, fiue to be paſt, and that we are now in the ſixt, to the which they attribute theſe tearmes. Sadai, Fundamentum mundi, Sion, Deus viuus, Sabathum integrum, medium inter cuſtodi & memento, Dies quinquageſima de Leuiathan, Ioſeph, Iuſtus Salomon, Iuſticia, robur, lignum ſcientiae boni & mali, foedus domini, areus teſtimonis gloria domini, fundamentum, Prophetiae Dauid, Redemptio Seculum animarum, & that we are hencefoorth to expect the ſeauenth numeration, which is the Kingdome of Heauen and eternall Sabaoth, which they expreſſe by theſe tearmes. Adonai Regnum, vita, poſteriora, Finis, Eccleſia Iſraelis, Sponſa in canticis canticorum, Regina coeli, Virgo Iſraell, Myſterium legis ab ore datae, Aquila, littera quarta tetragrammati, Regnum domus Dauid, Templum Regis, Dei Ianua, Archa faederis, & duae tabulae in ea, Dominus vniuerſae terrae. Yet for breuitie I haue deſiſted, for that euery woord is a miſterie, and euery numeration would require a volume to expound it. Theſe my ſlender conceipts I thought good to lay down in writing, wiſhing that the flint of my dull endeuours, ſtriking on the ſteele of theſe miſticaltruethes, ſome little ſparkes might ariſe to enlighten our mindes, to acknowledge our dueties, and glorifie our God, that obeying him loyally, fearing him filially, and truſting in him effectuallye, we may loue him ardently, which is the third degree noted by Pithagoras, and the very next ſtep vnto perfect bliſſe and eternall felicitie.

¶ A breefe coniecturall diſcourſe Vpon the Hierographicall Letters and Caracters found vpon foure fiſhes: Taken neer Marſtrand in the Kingdome of Denmarke, the 28. of Nouember 1587. Treating by conſiderations Poligraphicall, Theologicall, Thalmudicall, and Cabaliſticall.

[〈11 letters〉]

¶ Sexto centenario vno ſimul Millenario finientibus vel finitis iuſtè viuos, mortuóſque iudicaturus Ieſus venturus ſum.

¶ The ſixt hundred yeere after or togeather with the one thouſand ending or ended, I Ieſus will come iuſtlye to iudge the quick and the dead.

THe firſt two Letters J take to ſignifie ſixe or the ſixth, numerally ſo expreſſed [〈☐☐〉] the third letter in like ſorte expreſſeth an hundred or the hundreth. [〈☐〉] the one that followeth as the fourth letter with the caracter of ſ & M ioyned thus: [〈☐〉] I interpret vno ſimul millenario, alſo one thouſand. The Caracter following is an I, hauing in it contained an F thus: [〈☐〉] which beeing placed next the ſ M & not on the other ſide of the F, ſheweth that it is to be pronoūced before the I: & on that ſide leſſe annoyeth the proportion of the I, I conceiue it to ſignifie finitis or finientibus, ending or ended, the I. I take to ſtand for iuſte. The next caracter is an V an M & an I ioyned & coupled [〈☐〉] which may well ſignifie viuos mortuoſque iudica turus, to iudge the quicke & the dead. The laſt letter on the left ſide is [〈☐〉] with a tittle on his head, which I interpret to ſtand for Ieſus. On the other ſide, the firſt letter is an v thus [〈☐〉] the next wherin I finde an e thus [〈☐〉] an N [〈☐〉] a T thus [〈☐〉] an V thus [〈☐〉] an R thus [〈☐〉] an other V thus: [〈☐〉] an S thus [〈☐〉], which all put togither, make this woord ƲENTVRVS. The laſt Caracter, is an V with a minum on the oneſide & a tittle thus [〈☐〉] the minum & the tittle make an ſ & an m, & ſo the woord is ſum. which ioyned with the former: is venturus ſum, I will come, if the tittle had been ioyned to the reſt, the ſ had been perfect, but them no way intimated, but by the placing of it as it is, them by the tittle is expreſſed, & the ſ[•••••]ly intimated.

The nu[•]ber h[•••] expreſſed of one thouſand ſix hundreth, is well woorthy the conſideracion, for beſides that it is a ſquare number of higheſt perfection, as beeing foure times foure: S. Iohn in the 14. of the Reuel: verſ. 20. includeth in that number, very great miſteries, mencioning therin both a time of the execution of Gods iudgement againſt his aduerſaries, & alſo the eternitie of that execution, diſcourſing immediatly before of the end of the World, reciting the parable of Chriſte out of the 13. of Math. The harueſt is the end of the world & the reapers be the Angelles. &c. the Sonne of man ſhal ſend foorth his Angells, & they ſhal gather out of his kingdome all thinges that offend, & them which doo iniquitie, and ſhall caſt them into a furnace of fier, there ſhall be wayling and gnaſhing of teeth. Then ſhall the iuſt men ſhine as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father. He that hath eares to heare let him heare, he vſeth alſo in a manner the very woordes of the Prophet Ioell.^[1] Put in your ſithes, for the harueſt is ripe, come get you down, for the wine preſſe is full: yea the wine preſſes runne ouer, for their wickednes is great, and then concludeth. And the wine preſſes were trodden without the Cittie, and blood came out of the wine preſſe, euen to the horſſe bridles, (that is to the very princes & gouernors of the people) by the ſpace of a 1000. and 600. furlonges. In the Scriptures beſides there is found oftentimes compariſons betweene the firſt Adam and the ſecond, betweene the ende of the world, and the flood of Noe, wherto Chriſte hath eſpeciall relation in the goſpell: Sith thē from the creation of the firſt Adam, to the flood of Noe, there were of hundreds of yeeres, but ſixteene, what know we if the ſame number, or the like of yeeres ſhall be betweene the birth and in carnation of the ſecond Adam, and the end of the world? Surely our beſt will be, to be alwaies readye, although of the daies and times we may not determine. Moreouer for our better comfort we are to note the woord VICI, which is cleare without obſcuritie, that the language may appeere to be Lattin, wherin the miſtery is to be ſought, and eſpecially to ſhewe that Antichriſt is ouercome by the ſpirite of Chriſtes mouth, and ſhortly ſhalbe aboliſhed by his glorious comming. Laſtly, that like a Grant he hath runne out his race in his militant Church, ſince his incarnation that his trueth is ſpread to the endes of the world, and as it is in the 19. Pſal. That the heauens, ^[2] (that is, the Church and faithfull people of God) declare the glorye of God, and the firmament, that is the lawes ſheweth his handy woork, that one day telleth another, that is, one plaine teſtimony confirmeth another, and one night certifieth another, that is, one miſtery expoundeth another, that there is neither ſpeeche nor language, but their voices are heard among them, their ſound, that is the ſounde of his woord and Miniſters is gone out into all landes, and their woordes into the ends of the world. In them hath hee ſet a Tabernacle for the Sonne, euen for him ſelfe the ſonne of righteouſnes, which commeth foorth as a Bridegroome out of his chamber, and reioyceth as a Giant to run his courſe: it goeth foorth from the vttermoſt part of heauen, and runneth about to the end therof againe, and there is nothing hid from the heate therof. This miſticall ſence, of this Pſalme, though by a ſinguler learned man whome I both rewe and reuerence, vndiſcreetly reproued. The holy Ghoſt by S. Paule, hath taught vs in the Rom. 10. verſ. 18.^{[3] [4]} And Chriſte telleth vs that all muſt be fulfilled that is written of him in the lawe of Moſes, and in the Prophets, and in the Pſalmes, wherfore as our moſt bright glorious Sonne of righteouſnes at his firſte entrye into this Zodiake, diſcouered him ſelfe by the voice of Angells in the feelde vnto Shepheards, as it were in Ariete the firſte ſigne, ſo he ſeemeth vnto me now, hauing in a manner finiſhed the courſe of his Zodiake, and being realy to bring vs into the eternall ſabaoth, to warne vs by diuine caracters, ſhewed [•]t Sea in fiſh vnto fiſhers, as it were in Piſcibus, the laſt ſigne therof. And that Chriſte is likened vnto the Sunne, hath beene obſerued by diuers learned men, and eſpeciallye by that moſt famous and learned Gentleman, Iohn Picus Earle of Mirandula, in the 4. chap. of his ſeauenth book of his Heptaphis, or expoſition vpon the firſte of Geneſis, his woordes are theſe. Si numerus quaternarius plenitudo eſt numerorum, nonne erit dies quartus plenitudo dierum? videte igitur quid nobis afferat quartꝰ dies. Coelum ſecundo die firmatum, id eſt, lex ſine ſole & luna, ac ſtellis erat, capax quidem futurae lucis, ſed obſcurum adhuc nec inſigni aliquo lumine illuſtratum aduenit dies quartꝰ, quo ſol, Dominus firmamenti, id eſt, Chriſtꝰ, Dominus legis, & lunaris eccleſia Chriſti compar & ſponſa, & qui multos ad iuſtitiam erudirent, Apoſtolici doctores in firmamento vti ſtellae in perpetuas aeternitates eluceſcerent ad aeternam ſcilicet vitam mundum vocantes. Of the ſame minde were the auncient Hebrewes and Thalmudiſtes, who holde it as a principle, that the ſixe daies of the creation betokened the ſixe thouſand yeeres of the worlde, ſo that the firſt day ſhould prefigure thinges to be doone in the firſte thouſand yeere, the ſecond day the euentes of the ſecond thouſand yeere, and in like ſorte the reſt of the dayes, the reſt of the other thouſand yeeres, as hath beene obſerued among the Hebrewes, by Moſes Gerundinenſis, a Deuine with thē of great account among the learned Fathers, by S. Hierom. in the expoſition of the Pſal. attributed to Moſes, among the late writers by Stelco a Germaine, in his booke of the ſecond comming of Chriſte, and very worthilye to be noted are the woordes of the Earle of Mirandula, to the Iewes. Quid caeciſolem expectatis? adeſt ſol & lucet ſed lucet in tenebris & tenebrae veſtrae illum non comprehendunt, preteriit dies quartus quo ortus eſt ſol qui non diſſoluit legemſed perfecit ſiout neque ſol firmamentum deſtruit ſed exornat, ſed perficit, ſed illuſtrat, probauimus ex or dine quarti diei & tempore aduentus Chriſti (qui in fine quarti millenarii quaſi quarti diei advenerit) intelligenda de eo quae his dicuntur, quiaper nullam aliam rem imaginari Chriſtum congruentius poſſumus, quam per ſolem. Nam & in ſole poſuit tabernaculum ſuum, & exiit de tribu Iuda, cuius ſignum eſt Leo, Solare animal & cum ſolem in republica Plato viſibilem filium dei appellet, cur non intelligamus nos imaginem eſſe inuiſibilis filii. Qui ſi lux vera eſt illuminans omnem mentem, expreſsiſsimum habet ſimulachrum, hunc ſolem, qui eſt lux imaginaria illuminans omne corpus, ſed quid alia quaerimus, ipſum ſolem interrogemus qui patiente Chriſto aduerſa luna deficiens, conſenſum nobis ſuae naturae euidenter oſtendit, vt iure optimo nos ne tanquam altiorem cauſam diem, quam vocant mathematici, Solis, diem Domini vocauerimus & illius cultui totam mancipauerimus. Ʋel huic oſtendentes non eſſe cur amplius corporeum ſolem (vt olim gentes) colamus quaſi reg[•••] caeli & Dominum, poſtquam ſol inniſibilis coaeternus patri & coaequalis, [•]er quem & coelum & terra condita ſu[••] ſedentes in [•]mbra mortis homines illuminauit. Moreouer the Thalmudiſts by a tradition from Helias, attribute the time of Chriſtes comming to the ende of the fourth thouſand yeere, and the world after to continue for two thouſand, but thereof ſome yeeres they ſaye ſhall be abridged, for the iniquitie that in thoſe dayes ſhall raigne. The woordes are theſe. &c [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]

THe Sonnes or Schollers of Helias ſaid, the world ſhall continue ſixe thouſand yeeres, two thouſand void, two thouſand the Lawe, two thouſand Chriſt, and for our ſins which are many, thoſe yeeres are cut off, that are cut off. Moſt blinde therfore and peruerſe are the Iewes that ſee not this moſt bright reſplendent and euer glorious Sunne, ſhining in the firmament of his church, and with no leſſe blindeneſſe are the Papiſts ſtriken who acknowledge not the woordes of Eſdras in this age to be perfourmed, where he propheſieth that after the third trumpet, the Sonne, that is Chriſte by his goſpell and trueth ſhall ſodainlye ſhine againe in the night, which after the third fiue hundred yeeres, after Chriſtes firſte comming we ſee accompliſhed. Of the errour and ignoraunce of former times, what can be plainer then his woordes preceeding, which are theſe. Beholde the time ſhall come, that they whi[••] dwell vpon the earth, ſhalbe taken in a great number, and the way of the trueth ſhall be hid, and the land ſhall be barren from faith, and iniquitie ſhall be increaſed more then thou haſt ſeene now, or haſt heard in time paſt, and it ſhall come to paſſe, that one ſhall ſet in foote, and thou ſhalt ſee the land deſolate, which now raigneth. That is, Antichriſt ſhall put in foot with his ſpirituall Babilon, and the other Babilon which then raigned, ſhould be deſolate. Yea if God graunt thee to liue, thou ſhalt ſee after the third trumpet that the Sunne ſhall ſodenlye ſhine againe in the night, and the Moone three times a day. Which manifeſtlye ſheweth, that the goſpell and doctrine of Chriſte ſhalbe republiſhed vpon earth, and giue vnto the church after long darkenes, wonderfull illumination: which alſo he ſheweth in his 2. book, chap. 7. For my ſonne Ieſus ſhall appeere with thoſe that be with him, and they that remaine ſhall reioyce within foure hundred yeeres. Which was performed by the peace and proſperitie of the church, after Conſtantine the Great, in whoſe time the cruell perſecution of the church by the Romaine Emperours did ceaſe, after the ſame yeeres, or the ſame number of yeeres, ſhall my Sonne Chriſt dye, and all men that haue life: that is, the trueth of the doctrine ſhalbe extinguiſhed, and the faithfull teachers ſhal vtterly decay, by the end of the like number of yeeres▪ & the world ſhalbe turned into the olde ſilence, for ſeauen daies, as in the former iudgmentes, ſo that no man ſhal remain, that is, for ſeauen hundred yeeres the world ſhall returne to ignorance, ſuperſtition, & groſſe idolatrie, as in the time of Paganiſme, ſo that no man ſhall remaine ſound and ſincere in the trueth. But after ſeauen daies, the world that is yet a ſleep, ſhalbe raiſed vp, and that ſhall dye, which is corrupt: that is, after thoſe ſeauen hundred yeers, the world that ſlept in ignorance, ſhalbe raiſed vp vnto knowledge, the trueth ſhalbe republiſhed, and that ſhall dye that is corrupt, that is Babilon ſhall fall, errour and Idolatrie ſhal periſh and decay. Then the earth ſhal reſtore thoſe that haue ſlept in her, and ſo ſhall the duſt thoſe that dwell therin in ſilence, and the ſecret places ſhall deliuer the ſoules that were committed vnto them, and the moſt high ſhall appeere vpon the ſeate of Iudgement, and miſeries ſhall vaniſhe away, and long ſuffering ſhall haue an end, all which ſignifie the ende of the world, and finall iudgement. Fiue thinges are orderlye intimated vnto vs, by this propheſie, firſt the appeering of Chriſt in the fleſhe with his Apoſtles and Diſciples. Secondlye the perſecutions of the Primitiue church, and the ende thereof. Thirdlye the obſcuration and decay of the trueth, with the worlds returning into former ignorance and idolatrye. Fourthlye, the reſtitution of the trueth and decay of errour. Fiftly and laſtly, which wee are now ſhortlye to expect: the reſurrection of the dead, and laſt iudgement.

Heerunto may well be added the obſeruation of ſome learned men of the miſteries contained in the woord בראשית In principio, the firſte woord of Geneſis, and of Saint Iohns goſpell, which waide, will not onlye acquainte vs with the Breſith of the Thalmudiſts, but alſo lift vp our mindes to the Cabaliſtes Mercana, and giue light vnto theſe ſecrets that we haue heere intreated off. If we ioyne the third letter of that woord vnto the firſte, it maketh אב if doubling the firſt, we adde the ſecond we finde בבר if beſides the firſte wee reade the reſt, it is ראשית if the fourth be put to the firſt and laſt, it maketh שבת if the three firſt be read togeather, it is ברא if the firſt left out the three next be read, we finde ראש if we leaue the two firſt, and reade the two nexte, it is אש if we ioyne the fourth with the laſt, it maketh שת if the ſecond with the firſte, it produceth רב if the two firſt with the two laſt, it yeeldeth ברית if the laſt with the firſt, it maketh תב ſo that out of this one woord, thus varied and deuided according to the rules of the ancient Hebrewes, we finde twelue woords deduced. Thus interpreted in the Engliſh.

The Father in his Sonne and by his Sonne, hath created the beginning and ending, or Sabaoth, beeing the head, fire and foundation of the great man in & by a good league or couenaunt.

That God hath created all thinges in Chriſte Ieſus his eternall wiſdome: Saint Paule witneſſeth in the firſte to the Coloſsians, where he teacheth vs, that Chriſte is the Image of the inuiſible God, the firſt begotten of euery creature, for by him were all thinges created, which are in heauen and earth, thinges viſible and inuiſible, whether they be thrones, or Dominions, or principallities, or powers, all things were created by him and for him, and he is before all thinges, and in him all thinges conſiſt, and he is the head of the bodye of the Church, he is the beginning and the firſte borne of the dead, that in all thinges he might haue the preheminence, for it pleaſed the Father that in him ſhould all fullnes dwell.

Thus we ſee all thinges are created in him and by him, and that he is the beginning and ending or Sabaoth, as him ſelfe teſtifieth in the Reuelation, Chap 22. ſaying: I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and ending, the firſt and the laſt.

Moreouer we are to conſider what the great man is, whoſe head, fire and foundation is Chriſte, the Sonne of God. It is doubtleſſe the Church his miſticall bodye, moſt rightly tearmed magnus homo, and not the world, as Pious Earle of Mirandula, though ſingularly learned, erroniouſly dooth enterprete.

This great man, the Church, the miſticall bodye of Chriſt hath the Sonne of God for his head, as Saint Paule before hath taught vs, as alſo we learne in the firſte to the Epheſians, that Chriſte is ſet at the right hand of the Father in the heauenlye places, farre aboue all principalities and powers, might and domination, and euery name that is named, not in this world only, but alſo in that that is to come, & that God hath made al thinges ſubiect vnder his feet, & hath appointed him ouer al things to be head of the church. That he likewiſe is the foundation, the Apoſtle teacheth vs, 1. Cor. Chap 3. other foundation can no man lay then that which is laide, which is Chriſte Ieſus. That he is the fire that tryeth and purgeth, that ſhineth and enlightneth, that warmeth and comforteth it, we are taught in the Scriptures: ſo learn we of Paule in the place laſt recited, euery mans woork ſhalbe made manyfeſt, for the day ſhall declare it, becauſe it ſhalbe reuealed by the fire, and the fire ſhall try euery mans woork, of what ſort it is, ſo Chriſt himſelfe telleth vs, Luke chap 12. I am come to put fire on the earth, and what is my deſire but that it be already kindled.

So reade we in Eſdras. Lib 2. chap. 13. And this my Sonne ſhall rebuke the wicked inuentions of thoſe nations which for their wicked life are fallen into the tempeſt, and into tormentes like to flame, wherby they ſhalbe tormented, and without any labour will he deſtroy them, euen by the Lawe which is compared to fire. And in Deutero. chap. 4. and to the Hebr. chap. 12. we are taught that our God is a conſuming fier, and as hee before ſhewed, Chriſt is the Sun ſhining whoſe heate reſembling the fier, enlightneth, warmeth, and comforteth the ſame of whome the Pſalmiſt alluding to the ſunne, telleth vs of: His going out, is from the end of the heauen, and his compaſſe is to the end of the ſame, and nothing is hid from the heate thereof. Thus Chriſt Ieſus God and man is the head, fire, and foundation of the Church, and all this faedere bono, in or by a good league and couenaunt. This is the couenaunt which God made with the Patriarkes and Prophets, which was ſhadowed out in the Law and in the Leuiticall ceremonies, which was manifeſted in Chriſte, and publſhed by the Apoſtles, and ſhalbe fully accompliſhed in the moſt bleſſed, happie, and neuer ending Sabaoth, vnto al thoſe that are members of this miſticall body, and therby pertakers of this couenaunt, which rightlye is tearmed good, both for that it proceedeth from the infinite and inexplicable mercie of God, the fountaine of all goodnes, and for that it leadeth vs into the fauour and fruition of God, the cheefe good, wherein conſiſteth our eternall bliſſe and euerlaſting felicitie. It reſteth that wee now by contemplation entring into the Cabaliſticall Mercana, conſider deepelye the courſe that this moſt glorious Sonne hath heald in this body magni hominis, of the great man his church, and therby ſhall we ſee in what time of the great yeere, not of Plato, but of Chriſte we liue in, and how neere wee approche to the eternall Iubile, and Sabaoth of Sabaoths, to the which, his yeere and annus ſolaris in this world finiſhed, he will bring vs to raigne with him in his triumphant and euerlaſting Kingdome, eternally & world without end. At his firſt incarnation, when as perſonallye hee was amongſt vs, beeing the roofe and head of his body and temple the church, he ſhewed him ſelfe in him ſelfe, by the voice of Angells in the feeld vnto ſhepheards, as it were in ariete, the ſigne properlye attributed to the head, ſince: by his vertue and power hauing paſſed all the ſignes and partes magni hominis, of this great man his Church, hee now ſheweth him ſelfe in the Sea vnto Fiſhers in Piſcibꝰ the laſt and loweſt ſigne, to ſignifie that he now is in the feete and foundation thereof, whereby his courſe in the militant church neere ending, he warneth vs to prepare our ſelues for his ſecond comming, moſt terrible to the wicked, moſt comfortable to the Godly, who hauing ouerthrowne Antichriſt and his hoſt, and therby gotten victorye of the beaſt, and of his image, and of his mark, and of the number of his name: ſhall ſhortlye ſtand at the glaſsie Sea mingled with fire, hauing the Harpes of God, and ſhall ſing the ſong of Moſes the ſeruant of God, and of the Lambe, ſaying: great and merueilous are thy woorks, Lord God almightie, iuſt and true are thy waies, King of Saintes. Who ſhall not feare thee o Lord, and glorifie thy name, for thou only art holy, and all nations ſhall come and woorſhip before thee, for thy iudgementes are made manifeſt. Chriſt of his mercy graunt, that as he warneth vs ſundry waies, that he will come, both by his woords and by his woorkes, and by his wonders, ſaying.^[5] Beholde I come ſhortly, and againe, beholde I come ſhortlye; and my reward is with me, and againe, ſurely I come quickly, and now laſtly if we vnderſtand it aright, venturus ſum, I am comming, ſo we with faithfull and reioycing hartes, may together with the ſpirit and the ſpouſe, ſay come, and let him that heareth, ſay come, and let him that is a thirſt come, and let whoſoeuer will take the water of life freelye, euen ſo come Lord Ieſus, and while we expect thy comming,^[6] inſtruct vs with the woord, defend vs with thy might, endue vs with thy grace, and enlighten vs with thy lawe.

THe Law of the Lord is an vndefiled Lawe, conuerting the ſoule, the teſtimonye of the Lord is ſure, and giueth wiſdome vnto the ſimple.

The ſtatutes of the Lord are right and reioyce the hart: the commaundementes of the Lord are pure, and giueth light vnto the eyes.

The feare of the Lord is cleane, and endureth for euer: the iudgmentes of the Lord are trueth: they are righteous, alltogether.

And more to be deſired then golde, yea, then much fine gold, ſweeter alſo then honie, and the honye Combe.

More-ouer by them is thy ſeruant made circumſpect, and in keeping of them there is great rewarde.

Who can vnderſtand his faultes? cleanſe me from ſecret faultes.

Keepe thy ſeruant alſo from preſumptuous ſinnes: let them not raigne ouer me: ſo ſhall I be vpright, and made cleane from much wickednes.

Let the woordes of my mouth, and the meditation of mine hart be alway acceptable in thy ſight,

O Lord, my ſtrength, and my redeemer.