The Wisemans Forecast Against the Evil Time, Title page – Dedication
THE WISE-MANS FORECAST AGAINST THE EVILL TIME.
BY THOMAS BARNES. Preacher of the VVord at St Margretts, in New-Fiſh-ſtreete. LONDON.
LONDON Printed by I. D. for Nathaniell Newbery and are to be ſold at his Shop at the ſigne of the Starre vnderunder St Peters-Church in Corn-hill, and in Popes-head Alley. 1624.
TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL, Sir Francis Barrington, Knight, Baronet; Sr Thomas Eliot; Sr Nathaniell Barnardiſton; Mr Roger Thornton, Eſquire: the Author wiſheth all bleſſings in this world, all bliſſe in the other, according to Gods good will, and pleaſure.
OFaCreator omnium Deus, inter caetera, & ſuper caetera quae creauit, RATIONALEM dignatus eſt illuſtrare naturam. Hug. Vict. de Ani. l. 2. c. 31. Tom. 2. 109. all the things, which the Lord hath made in this Great World, MAN (Right VVorſhipfull) is the moſt noble: for whoſe ſake other creatures werebPropter quem, (viz. hominem) mundum ipſum, & vniverſa, quaecun que ſunt, Deus fecit. Lactan. de Diuin. raem. l. 7. c. 4. p. 214. created; to whoſe feete the things below are cPſal. 8.6. Rurſum caeteras res animantes, hominis cauſà eſſe factas, ex eo clarum eſt quòd homini ſeruiunt. Lactan. de Diu. Praem. l. 7. c. 14.ſubiected. Of all the eſſentials, which MAN (the little world) doth conſiſt of, the SOVLE is the moſt excellent dHabet anima quandam propriam naturam, omnibus his, mundanae molis elementis excellentiorem. Hug. Vict. de Anim. l. 2. c. 12.: it iseGen. 2.7. infuſed by God, fInſufflauit enim, dictum eſt ad exprimendam operis dignitatē, vt agnoſceretur aliquod eximium, quod eius ore prolatum eſt. Caſſiod. de Anim. pag. 313.which notes out the dignitie of it: itgAnimus eſt ſubſtantia quaedam rationis particeps, regendo corpori accommodata. Hugo. Vict. de Anim. l. 1. c. 1. Tom. 2. fol. 95. hath command of the bodie, which notes out the authoritie of it: it is a worke (ashforeign. Macar. Hom. 46. p. 507. One calles it) both Great, Divine, and Admirable. Of all the powers in the ſoule, none is comparable to the REASON. Of all the branches in the reaſonable part, none is equall to the MINDE, none excels theiforeign. id eſt. Ne leuit…r INTELLECTIVAM animae ſubſtantiam perpendas, dilecte. Id. Hom. 26. p. 326. Vnderſtanding. Of all the vertues in the minde, WISEDOME giues the greatest light, Wiſedome ſwaies with chiefeſt might. Oh the breadth that Wiſedome ſpanneth; Oh the length that Wiſedome reacheth; Oh the height that Wiſedome climeth; Oh the depth that Wiſedome gageth, when once it comes into a Soule, cleered by Gods ſpirit, in ſome good meaſure, from thoſe duskiſh cloudes of Ignorance, and Error, with which before it was obſcuredkforeign Id. Hom. 46. Without this, how can men diſcerne of things that differlPhil. 1.10? How can they ſee what is good, and what is euill, and ſo exerciſe the power of their reaſon in enſuing the one, in eſchewing the other mIdcircò data eſt homin… ſapientia, v… cognitâ bonorum malorū que naturâ, & in appetendis bonis, & malis declinandis, vim ſuae rationis ex erceat. Lact. de Diu. Pra… l. 7. c. 4.? When dangers are imminent, and comming againſt vsus, Wiſedome foreſees them, forecaſteth againſt them: When troubles are incumbent, and lying vponupon vsus, it doth either remoue them, ornInter omnes rerum perturbatiſſimarū, intemperies, nos certos, tectoſ que conſeruat. Serran. in Eccleſ. c. 7. p. 388. preſerue vsus in them. In a word, What walls are to Cities, what skinnes are to beaſtes, ſcales to fiſhes, feathers to birds, and ſhells to ſome creeping, and baſer creatures; the ſame is Wiſedome to (oNam caeteris animalibus quia ſapientia non data eſt; & munita indumentis naturalibus, & armata ſunt: homini autem pro his omnibu… …uod erat prae…ipuum, rationem ſolam dedit; Ita que nudum, formauit, & …, vt eum ſapientiâ, & muntret, & tegeret. Lactan. de Diu. Praem. l. 7. c. 41. …. that naked-borne creature) MAN, euen a couering, apEccleſ. 7.12. defence: yea, Wiſedome (ſaith Salomon) ſtrengtheneth the wiſe, more then ten mightie men which are in the Citie qIb. v. 19.. This excellencie, this efficacie of Wiſedome, I vndertake to lay open (ſo farre as the Text giues leaue, and the times require) in the enſuing Diſcourſe. In the which (as the Searcher of all hearts knowes) next to his owne glory, I ſeeke the good of two ſorts; of prudent Chriſtians, of improuident perſons. The one I would not hauehave deſpayre, although the times frowne: the other, I would not hauehave ſecure, becauſe the times frowne. The one hauing wiſedome, doe I adviſe to vſe it; that they may foreſee the plague, and hide themſelues: The other wanting wiſedome, doe I perſwade to ſeeke it; leaſt like fooles they paſſe on, and be puniſhed. Now, if either of theſe perſons (through Gods bleſſing) reape that good, which I entend, by theſe endeuours; I doe not doubt, but (beſides their prayſes in the firſt place returned to God for that bleſſing) they will ſend vp ſome prayers for Your VVorſhips well-fare, for ſuffering your Names to ſtand in the forefront of this Treatiſe, as a Countenance to the Matter; although ſcarce knowne to one of you, and well-deſeruing of none of you, be the Author. My boldneſſe is much, I freely confeſſe it; yea, ouer-much, I craue pardon for it. Although I hauehave ioyned ſo many of you together (becauſe I hope you are vnited in the ſame bond of Religion) when each of your Names, is worthy to countenance ſome greater, ſome better Worke, then this is, or any elſe, that my ſlender abilitie can afford; yet I beſeech you, let the intimation o… …y deſires, to be thankefull to moſt of you, as I hauehave great reaſon, to oblige my ſelfe to all of you, for this your Protection, plead excuſe for my boldnes.r1 Theſ. 5.23. Now the very God of peace ſanctifie you throughout, and preſerue your whole ſpirits, ſoule, and bodie, blameleſſe, vntounto the comming of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. A Petitioner for which, to the throne of grace, is he, who is
At your Worſhips ſervice in the LORD; THOMAS BARNES.