The View and Downfall of Pride, Title page – To the reader
A GODLIE Treatiſe, Intituled The View and Down-fall of Pride. Wherein is declared the cauſe of Babylons deſtruction, and Nabuchadnezzars ſubuerſion.
Set forth by William Wheatley Maiſter of Art, and Preacher of Gods word.
Deut. 33.2.
If I whet my glittering ſword, and mine hand take hold on iudgement: I will execute vengeance on mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.
Imprinted at London by Thomas Creed, for Iohn Deane and Iohn Baily, and are to be ſolde at his ſhop, at the doore of the Office of the ſixe Clarkes in Chancerie Lane. 1602.
TO THE HONOrable Robert Sackuill, the Noble ſonne and heire apparant to the right Honorable the Lord Buckhurſt, Lord high Treaſurer of England: and to the right honourable and vertuous Lady, the Lady Anne Compton: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father through Chriſt, be multiplied for euer.
THE bright beames of your Honours moſt gratious coū tenāce, ſhewing me fauour not inferior to that of Ahaſueroſh extended towards Queene Eſter, whē he held out the golden ſcepter: and your honourable acceptance (together with the vndeſerued thankfulnes of thoſe worſhipful aſſemblies, accompanying your honors ſeuerall times at thoſe ſpirituall bankets which your honors appointed me the moſt vnskilfull of all other to ſet out; hath cauſed other bloſſomes and fruite from the tree of life to ſpring forth, which the cold of the winter had almoſt killed. And furthermore, hauing many goodly plants in my vineyard (as other men hauehave in theirs) both freſh & greene, and yet the fruite both bad and ſmall (though they hauehave bene pruned and trimmed a long time by other labourers, as by my ſelfe): I much maruelled what might be the cauſe thereof. And digging for a fountaine to water my garden, I found a corrupt vaine in the earth, that poyſoned my trees, and made the fruit naught. A handfull wherof I hauehave bound vp in paper (becauſe it is ſtraying) that as the Euangeliſt Luke dedicated of louelove his booke vntounto his deare Theophilus, ſo I might hauehave ſomething to preſent vntounto your honors for a Newyears gift. Which might be Tanquam purae nec non mentis gratiſsimae pro ſummis in me vestris accumulatis beneficijs indicium. And though veritas odium parit, as the prouerbe is: yet becauſe ſhe cannot endure to creepe into a corner, (ſhe greatly reioycing of your louelove and countenance towards her, and her children) intendeth to walke abroad. Yet for her better ſafetie vnderunder the couert of your hors. patronage and protection, vntounto whom for iuſt cauſe ſhee chiefly commends her ſelf: your noble honors being ſuch as feare God like Cornelius, with your houſhold; and to all good learning more gratious then …ecaenas: vntounto whom ſinne is ſo odious, and who are ſuch godly fauourers of all that be vertuous. And thus crauing pardon for this my boldneſſe, leauing theſe the firſt fruites of my poore labours publicke, as an earneſt of my louing dutie, preſented like the Widowes mite, into the treaſurie of your Honors fauourable tuition, to be preſerued from the ſpoyler: I humbly take my leaue: daily commending your honours vntounto the protection of God. Framfield in Suſſex. Anno. 1602.
Your Ho. right humble and louing Chaplaine and ſeruant for the Lord, to commaund. William Wheatley.
TO THE READER.
The Author to his late louing Auditorie at Lewiſe, wiſheth true louelove among themſelues, and perfect vnitie in Religion.
REade heere the true ſubſtance
of that thou haſt heard:
Of this from Pride learne thou
thy ſoule for to gard.
Be ſpeedie dispatching
thy ſinne out of ſight:
Elſe damned with diuels
is lotted thy right.
Receiue Gods word:
ioy in the ſword: and die
To liue: liue not to die
eternally.
Such things meditate,
As may ſin abate.
Cry for repentance.
Keepe off Gods vengeance.
Euer the poore pitie.
View this with pietie.
Iudge, but with charitie.
Liue all in vnitie.
LoueLove as Chriſt biddeth thee.
Emmanuel keepe wee. Amen.
Sicut lectorem meum nolo mihi eſſe deditu… …ta correctorem nolo ſibi.
Aug. in pro lib. 3. de Trē.
The Reader and Corrector muſt iudge vprightly,
Without preiudiciall partialitie.