A new yeres gyfte wherein is taught the knowledge of our selfe and the feare of God. Worthy to be geuen and thankefullye receyued of al Christen men. Imprynted at London bi Robert Crowley dwellinge in Elie rentes in Holburn. The yere of oure Lord. M.D.xlix. the laste daye of December. Autore eodem Roberto Croleo cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum.

AS bread to the hungry is better then golde And Drincke in oute drought , a treasure most hie : And as the fyre pleaseth the man that is colde So doeth honest knowledge such as be wittie . Prouerb . ix . For suche men do fele them selues eased therby . And as the man that doeth a greate treasure finde So are they delyted therwyth in theyr minde . ¶ Intending therfore to geue to the wyse . A present of pleasure at this newyets tyde A more pleasant thinge . I coulde not deuise Emonge all the treasure of thys world so wyde To suche men as be not pufte ( vp with pride ) Then for to teach them with wordes most plaine By what meanes they mighte all theyr vices refraine ¶ First se that ye learne your selfe for to knowe From whense ye are come , Rom. xiiii . and whither you shall And that God wyll iudge as well hyghe as lowe When he shal be set on hys tribunall . Not fearynge the greate , nor sparynge the small But geueyng to all men of euerye degre Accordynglye as theyre doynge shall be . ii Cor. v. ☞ For who so that knoweth him self thorowly Shall neuer be haute nor loftie of mynde But shal be in herte euermore low lye Confessynge the fautes that are in mankynde . The loue of him selfe shal him neuer blynde . Esai . lxiiii He shall knowe him selfe to be but vyle duste Whych knowledge shal cause him to brydle his lust . ¶ If he be a kynge , a Lorde or a knighte And haue of his contrey the cheife gouernaunce He shall euer haue him selfe in hys syght When flattering fortune shal him aduaunce . Hys rentes and hys fees he shall not er . haunce For he shall alwayes haue mynde of his ende And studie the innocente for to defende . Eccle. vii . ☞ For why he ne knoweth howe soone he shall go To duste whense he came as nature doth bynde And certen he is to haue endeles wooe If happlye he frame not his herte and his minde Wyth all his endeuoure to search and to fynde The waye that shall lede him into endles blisse Whiche all men haue loste bi that one dyd amisse ☞ He knoweth not the tyme , Rome . v. the maner nor place Of hys goynge hense , it is so vncertayne Wherefore he will call to God for hys grace To gouerne the Fancies of hys fleshlye , brayne That after thys lyfe he maye lyue and reigne Wyth the kyng of al kinges , who geueth the same To all that do aske it in Christe ( his sonnes ) name . Iohn . xiiii . ☞ In fine , al estates what so euer they be That do know them selfe , Eccles. vil. & thinke on their ende Wyll seke to walke ryght in their owne degre And all their enormities for to emende . And that whiche they seke for , god wyll them sende . For he of his promise is certen and sure And wil be as longe as this world shall endure . Math. vii . ☞ I areade you therefore thys knoweledge to gette With al maner haste and expedite spede Remoueynge al thinges that may do you lette Leste haplye ye lacke it in tyme of youre nede And compt your selfe corne when you be but vyle wede Or else to be braunches of Christe the true vine When your fruite is apt to make no good wyne . ☞ Fyrst know that the matter wherof ye do growe Is more vile in sight then the dirt of the strete . Gene. ●● And when ye be growne vp ye do not knowe howe Then do ye begynne awaye for to flete Euen as doeth the floud after plentie of wete Iob. xiiii . And when ye be furnished best to enoure Then of youre abydynge you are most vnsure Youre norishyng vp in youre tender age Is very paynful , and ryght daingerous And when ye be stronge , then ginne you to rage And to folow maners voluptuous Not one emonge twentie is found desyrous To furnish him selfe with maners vprighte And to be founde honeste in euery manes sighte ¶ Yea where haue we one that doeth him apply To any good thinge by hys owne accorde ? Psal. xiiii . Wythoute chastismente we do nothinge pardie Tyll we be out of the reache of the rodde Except speciall grace be geuen vs of god To brydle our luste and our fleshly wyll Whiche can of it felfe do nothyng but yll ☞ And when we be come to oure owne gouernaunce Then either we endeuoure ryghte shortli to clime Or else do we geue vp our selfe to pastaunce And in Idlenes consume all oure tyme As thoughe Idlenes were not a foule cryine . Math xxiiii . Luke . xii . And for to mispend that god hath vs sente Dyd not at godes hande , deserue punishmente ☞ Nowe when we wax olde and drawe to oure ende . Then entereth Auarice into oure herte And causeth that when we ought chiefli to emende We are geuen wholi to the contrarie parte No promyse nor threatnynge can vs conuerte Vnles the lorde god do drawe vs bi his grace Forgeueinge oure sinnes and our wicked tresp●se . ☞ Thus see yee howe vile , howe k●e●ke and how wilde Howe wyckedly bente , and howe abominable How hard to emende , and eke how detyl●e . Ye are , and in all poyntes how miserable , Howe in your desyres vnsatiable And how of your selfe ye be worst in the ende When reasone woulde rather that ye shoulde emende ¶ Consyder therfore your selfe in this glasse And let not youre Image go oute of your syghte And then I ne doubte it will come well to passe That you shal endeuour to walke styll vprighte And in the Lordes law to set your delighte Psal. xviii . So that by hys grace ye shall neuer blinne To call for his mercie and repent youre synne ¶ Thys done , you muste learne that god is your iudge Who iudgeth all men wythouten respecte . Iob. xxxiiii . He is not afrayde of youre armes hudge Nor of the stronge fortes that you do erecte . He is euer able suche thinges too deiecte . And wil when he lusteth beat doune to the ground All suche mightye thinges , Gen. iiii . wherso they be founde He feared not Caine that kylled Abell No more dyd he spare poore Lamech the blynde Stoute Nemroth also that buylded Babel , Gene. x. In parte of his plages was nothyng behynde : Gene. xix . The fylthie Sodomes dyd small fauoure fynde Ryght so dyd in Egipte the kyng Pharao , Exo. xv . And Nabuchodonozer with other moe . Dani. iiii . ☞ What shulde I rehearse howe in wildernes Nume . xi . Exod. xxxii . He plaged his people that oft did repine And how afterward for vnthankfulnesse They planted the vines & dranke not the wyne Suche is the power of the Godhead diuine Wherefore I aduise you for to repente . Before he do come to syt in iudgemente . ¶ For when he is set , he will iudg you righte It is them to late for mercy to craue And in no place can you be out of his sighte For he seeth the corners of euerye caue To him lyeth open bothe hell and the graue . Psal. xxxxix . Wherefore while you mai do ther vpon thyncke And let the lordes feare into your hertes syncke . ☞ Embrace the lordes fear : for therof doth springe The rote of all wisedome , Psalm , xxi . as Dauid doeth say And if ye lacke that then know ye nothinge Belongynge vnto the heauenlye waye . For vpon goddes feare all knowledge must stay Else muste it nedes be reproued as vayne Because it procedeth of manes Idle braine . ¶ But knowledg that doeth spryng oute of the Lordes feare Is euermore constante , certen and sure And causeth eche man hys crosse for to beare And in all hys trouble for to endure It causeth a man to haue litle plesure , In anye thynge that doeth vpon the earth lye And to seke his conforte in heauen on hie . ☞ Goddes feare teacheth as to seke for his will And eke for to frame oure lyfe to the same Ryght so doeth it teache vs to do no man yll In hurtinge his person or staineynge his fame It teacheth vs to lead a life withoute blame . And to do our best to profit al men With al the giftes that God hath to vs geuen . ☞ Thus knowyng my selfe , and fearinge the Lorde I wyshe to all men a luckie newe yere , And grace for to seeke after peace and concorde That the loue of Christe maye in them apeare And that banketting in spirituall there They maye all theyr faultes espye d●●…em ende Before the twelue monethes bee come to an ende . Finis .