MICROBIBLION OR THE BIBLES EPITOME : In Verse .

Digested according to the Alphabet , that the Scriptures we reade may more happily be remembred , and things forgotten more easily recalled .

By Simon Wastell sometimes of Queenes Colledge in Oxford .

LONDON , Printed for Robert Mylbourne , and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the Greyhound in Paules Churchyard . 1629.

RIght Honorable ; Excellent is that sentence which Agapetus wrote to Iustinian the Emperour long agoe , viz It is the crowne of Fi●●ie which adornes a Potentate ; for riches 〈◊〉 with vs , and glory vanisheth ( saith hee ) 〈◊〉 that renowne , but that care of leading 〈◊〉 liues according to Gods will , hath the promise of a Reward euerlastingly permanent , and of a Crowne immarcessible . And such hath beene Gods mercy to your Honours , that he hath accumulated both internall and externall blessings vpon you , adding to your temporall greatness , spirituall graces , which make your Honors far more amiable in Gods sight , then any terrene ( though transcendent ) felicitie can make you admired in the sight of men . The very Ethnicke could say , Nobilitas sola est atque vnica virtus . If the glimmering light of their purblind intellectualls , could appropriate such like Panegy rickes , onely to their Morall and Socraticall vertues , how great are those prayses which are due to those Theologicall and heauenly graces , which by a more diuine Spirit , are breathed into the soules of Dauids Saints on earth : Wherein though your Honors endowments haue not the meanest portion ( they not being in you , meane , but euen Heroicall , ) yet lest I should seeme ( as the manner of some Dedicatory Epistle is ) to make my way to your Honour by a Parasiticall salutation of all your resplendent vertues in my passage , and lest I do therein offend your right Noble and magnanimous disposition , whose property it is not to be very much affected with those your deserued praises ; and because also the action in mee would bee cozen-German to base flat●erie : I therefore passe them by in silence , whereat my mind shall neuer cease to afford the due tribute of perpetuall admiration . May it therefore please your Honor ( as formerly it pleased your worthy Father my good Lord , now deceased ) to patronize this little worke , which with all submission I present vnto your Honours . Sure I am , that those manifold fauours which I ( vnworthy I ) from time to time haue receiued from him and you , may challenge requitall ; which to be performed by mee is impossible , and to be testified by so small and slender a Dedication is in a manner indecent , as being in no waies proportionable to your large and copious demerits . But I am somewhat incouraged to make it trauell vnder your Honours Patronage . I know that in all ingenuous and heauenly begotten soules , there is an affection in some sort analogical to God himselfe , of accepting the desire for the deed ▪ Receiue it therefore I beseech you , it is performed as I could , not as I would ; 〈◊〉 your Honour looke to the matter of that booke , it is an Epitome of Gods Oracles , and containes some of that aqua coelestis , or liuing waters of life and grace : If to the manner of handling the matter , it is briefe , and Alphabeticall , and metricall , for the better and surer memorie . Plaine also it is because the pure and spirituall word needs not the mixture of mans depraued braine ; and also because the simplest Christian may reape the greater benefit , when all things are done to edification . Thus presuming vpon your Honorable protection , & intreating the Almightie , that in blessing hee would blesse both your Honors , and honorable Progeny , I humbly take my leaue .

IT is the speech of all , almost , and the complait of the most sincere , that these our last and worst dayes , are dayes very wicked , dayes very dangerous , and therfore surely very dangerous , because very wicked ; yet if we looke to the meanes of knowledge and of piety , neuer time enioyed larger , or better : Great is Gods mercy , small our amendment . And where 's the fault ? why our owne consciences doe condemne vs , as delinquents , who will not receiue that which Gods mercy would afford vs . Christ may now take vp his Elegies against England , as once against Ierusalem , How often O England , England , would I haue gathered thee as a henne gathereth her chickens vnder her wings , but thou wouldst not . I haue sent my Ambassadors to declare my good will and pleasure to thee , and my loue which I reserue for thy people , if ye would returne , but thou wouldst not . I haue often knockt at the doore of thy heart for entrance , that thou mightest bee enriched with my Spirit , but thou wouldst not . I haue offred thee , that , aske and thou shalt haue , knocke , and I will open vnto thee , but thou wouldst not . I haue exhorted thee to crucifie those carnall lusts , which fight against thy soule , but thou wouldest not . I haue beene crucified , dead , and buried , that by beleeuing in mee thou mightest haue life , but thou woldest not . I haue ascended from death to life , that by my example thou mightst rise from the death of sin to the life of grace here , and to glory hereafter , but for all this thou wouldst not . These or such like words might Christ iustly vse to the most part of the men of England , whose ignorance is almost grosse & affected , and whose knowledge ( except it bee practised ) will but augment their condemnation : for this is condemnation , that the light is come into the world amongst vs , and wee loue darkenesse more then light . We know indeed our Masters will , but will not do it . Or if we haue but so much of the gold of the Sanctuary as wil tip our tongues , & guild ouer our externall cariage , we thinke we haue enough ; whereas the heart was requisite in euery sacrifice , and that being first formed , and giuen vs of God first , should be reformed first and giuen of vs to God againe . But alas , most men now content themselues to liue in this our Church which hates Idolatry , and popish superstition , and thinke this will bee sufficient to flit them to heauen after death whereas ( poore soules ) they ought as well to looke to the truth of their profession , as to their profession of the truth , lest he , who is the Way , the Truth & the Life , do for their want of truth , deny them the way to euerlasting life . But if these men , or any other , would in sinceritie , see footing into the wayes of Gods commands , it is then necessary , necessitate á priori , that they first know what it is which God commands : now this is reuealed vnto vs in his word , and his word must be a light to our feet , and a lanterne to our pathes , wee must talke of this when wee rise vp , and when we lye downe , and meditate therein day and night , which that we may doe , we must labour ( Christian Reader ) to get it into our memories : and to this purpose , at also for a direction to our whole life , is this little Breuiary of the holy Scripture composed into this forme , which if it profit , let all the praise be giuen to him , who is the Author of euery good and perfect worke . Now if any yet desire to be more curious in prying into the strictnesse of the Chronologie , I referre such to Herlinus , Gemma Fabri , Funccius , Beroaldus , Broughton , Pantaleon , Schubertus , Cariom , Lodowick LLoyd , Bucholcerus , and others that haue professedly vndertaken that taske : As for the Graecian computation by Olympiads , and the Caldean , Assyrian , Egyptian and Persian Chronologers , let them agree with them no further then they agree with the holy writ which was 2000. yeares before any of them . Thus intreating thy charitable censure , well-wishing , and prayers , I bid thee farewell , resting