the death of the other They bee so linked together that being two they are yet but one and being one are neuerthelesse two Betweene these twaine passeth the whole course of the life And therefore sundry names and titles are giuen them by the Apostle when hee calleth the one Spirite the other flesh the one the soule the other the body the one the lawe of the minde the other the lawe of the members the one the inner man the other the outward man Walke in the Spirite saith the Apostle If yee liue after the flesh yee shall die but if ye mortifie the deedes of the bodie yee shall liue The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh A wonderfull warre is this questionlesse wherein peace is sought and in peace warre in death life and in life death in bondage libertie and in ouercomming a mans owne selfe and bringing vnder the inordinate passions of the minde the whole force of a Christian man is declared To bridle thy desires is verie fortitude of the minde and contrariwise in folowing them the weakenes of the heart is declared More valiant is that man which ouercommeth the passions of his minde then hee which subdueth his outwarde enemies Wouldest thou atchieue a greate dominion Then ouercome thy selfe He that ruleth his owne minde is better then him that winneth a citie saith Salomon There be manie that sacke cities but fewe that conquer themselues He that is Lorde ouer himselfe is a mightie Lorde If thou once subdue thy selfe thou shalt easelie subdue all other things He is to bee taken for a good and valiant souldier that can master him selfe And that is the true seruant of Iesus Christ which bringeth the flesh in subiection to the spirite and the sensual parte vnder the obedience of reason If thou bee ouercome ascribe the same to thine owne default If thou pamper thy body in ease with dainty meates and drinke then shal thy soule be vanquished of the bodie The Apostle saith God is faithful which wil not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you be able but wil euen giue the issue with the tentation that ye may be able to beare it It is the manner of those which bee iudges in combates to measure the weapons of those that are to fight together in the listes This doeth God the most righteous iudge for he suffereth none of vs to bee tempted aboue that wee are able to endure When two in all thinges equall enter into the combate needes must hee preuaile which hath another to assist him If thou cheerish thy bodie with ease ' drinke good fare and sleepe thy bodie it will ouercome and thy soule of the body shall bee subdued but if thou assist thy soule with watching and prayer the flesh by the grace of God shall easily bee brought vnder and the soule shall ouercome It is better that the soule should ouercome that soule and body may be saued than that the bodie should preuaile to the vtter destruction both of body and soule If thou loue the flesh make it obedient vnto reason and neuer pamper the same too-much He that loueth hateth and he that hateth loueth Christ Jesus doth say He that loueth his life shall loose it and he that hateth his life in this world shall keepe it vnto eternall life Thus you see how much the victory which the soule atchieueth is better than the victorie of the bodie and what gain is gotten by bringing thine affections vnder the yoake of reason If thou be wise thou wilt helpe the soule to subdue the sensuall part of man the conflict thereof is but short the victory will be glorious and the reward most blessed Shunne no labour if thou lookest for a reward which is not giuen but to him that striueth Bee thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee a crowne of life saith the Lord CHAP. 13. The knowledge of our selues bringeth vs vnto the knowledge of God THE inuisible things of him that is his eternall power and Godhead are seene by the creation of the world saith the Apostle If any creature in the world doth by the creation thereof declare vnto vs the great wisedome and omnipotencie of God surely man doeth the same which is made according to the image or likenesse of God himselfe Many there be which know much and yet they knowe not themselues they see others but they passe by themselues they seeke God in outwarde neglecting inwarde thinges where chiefely hee may bee founde The more thou knowest thy selfe the more perfectly shalt thou knowe God And although by the knowledge of the noble condition of the minde the true and perfect knowledge of Gods greatnesse is best seene and perceiued yet to abase thy pride withall thou hast alwayes before thine eyes the misery of the body and the shortnesse of thy life that thou maiest come by that way vnto some knowledge of God In knowing of thy selfe thou wilt humble thy selfe and in humbling thy selfe thou wilt feare God and because the feare of God is the beginning of wisedome thou art first to begin at the knowledge of thy selfe If thou haue a desire to know who thou art take a glasse and beholde thy selfe in it The glasse that a man may best beholde himselfe in is another man Nowe if another man which thou beholdest is but earth ashes and a very worme surely euen such art thou how rich soeuer and of great estimation thou seemest to be in the world And that thou maiest not bee deceaued beholde not thy selfe in a glasse that is hollow which maketh a shewe of the thing represented therein cleane contrary to that which it is indeede but take vnto thee a glasse that is plaine which setteth out a man according as hee is in truth If thou beholde thy selfe in the inside of a siluer spoone that is bright and cleare thou shalt see thy face with the wrong end turned vpwarde thy bearde aboue and thy fore-head beneath So in man there be two glasses and states one is of life the other of death Life is the hollow glasse which maketh vs to seeme otherwise than wee be It sheweth thee forth to bee sound lustie strong and long-liued all which is vanitie and lies If thou behold therein fresh and lusty youth doe not trust therein for it will deceiue thee Fauour is deceitfull and bewtie is vanitie This false life of ours it seemeth some great thing vnto men when it is nothing so But the state of death or of a dead man is the plaine and true glasse which doeth manifest thinges euen as they bee without fraude and deceite Therefore if thou wouldest see what thou art in deede then looke not vpon thy selfe aliue but vpon another man that is dead So thou shalt perceiue that thou art earth ashes a very sinke of all filthinesse a little set out and beautified on the out side by
knowledge both of God and himselfe and that beeing attained hee falleth out of loue with this world and thereby God blesseth him with newe strength to serue him withall CHAP. 17. He that will liue with Christ must first die to the world FOr thy sake are we slaine continually saith the Psalmist Happie is that soule to which Christ both in life and in death is aduantage So long as thou liuest in thy flesh thou must die to the world that after thy death thou mayest liue for euer with Christ. Thou shalt bee quiet within if thou vse not to gad much abroad but to keepe thy selfe at home He that feruently seeketh after outward things must needs waxe cold in the matters of God If thy disordinate appetites and desires of the world be not dead in thee looke neuer to obtaine the true comfort of the spirit Christ he died for all that they which liue should not hence forth liue vnto themselues but vnto him which died for them and rose againe I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in me saith the Apostle That Christ may come into thy soule it is needefull that first thou die vnto sinne and that the inwarde man may liue the outwarde man must be mortified Yee are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God saith the Apostle Thou diest when thou ceasest to be such as thou wert before in wickednesse If we liue in the spirite saith the Apostle let vs walke in the Spirite For if ye true after the flesh ye shall die but if ye mortifie the deedes of the body by the Spirite ye shall liue Saul he spared Agag and put him into prison being commanded from God himselfe to destroy all the Amalikites and to haue no compassion vpon anie of them So many doe enclose and shut vp their wicked passions for a while but they kill them not presently as God would haue them to doe For it is not enough for thee to imprison thine affections that they burst not forth but thou must besides kill them so that all inordinate concupiscence and desire of the worlde haue no life at all in thee There bee diuers and sundrie persons which like the trees in winter seeme as it were dead vnto the world but they are no sooner ill entreated but they cannot onely murmur but raile too For the rootes beeing left aliue they beginne to spring againe assoone as the tentation of sommer commeth vpon them Because thou hast let goe out of thine handes a man whom I appointed to die thy life shall goe for his life saith the Prophet vnto Ahab The life which thou giuest vnto thy fleshly parte which God will haue killed it shal be recompensed by the death of thy soule Consider aduisedly who it is that liueth within thee If the flesh doe liue than is the spirite dead Thou shalt neuer giue thy selfe vnto deuoute prayer and meditation vnlesse first thou bee mortified in minde yea it is necessarie that all thy spirituall exercises beginne at mortification Manie will flie without winges They profite smallie which are not mortified Of this be thou sure thou shall neuer see God vnlesse thine affections are so rauished with the loue of God that thou art throughlie minded in regard thereof to despise thy selfe The pure loue of God maketh thy minde simple and so free from all worldly desires that it doth without all paine and labour mount vp vnto the Lord. If thou wert dead vnto the world the world also would bee dead vnto thee againe as it was to the glorious Apostle S. Paul Euen as the sea retaineth in it those men that bee liuing and casteth out to the shore such as are dead so the world it maketh greatly of those which liue to the world and suffereth them to haue no rest therein which are as dead thereunto for Christ his sake CHAP. 18. By abstinence the flesh mâ— be brought in subiection to the spirit IF yee liue after the flesh ye shall die but if ye mortifie the deedes of the bodie by the Spirite ye shall liue saith the Apostle Thou shalt neuer please the Spirit except thou subdue thy bodie by abstinence and true repentance for thy sinnes If thou burden thy bodie with much meate thou shalt depresse thy soule through the waight of sinne The diuell by offering the forbidden fruite to our first parentes ouercame them and brought them and vs by them into the displeasure of God The first tentaion wherewith Iob was tried arose from the rioâ—ing and bellie-cheere of his sonnes and daughters S. Paul notwithstanding hee knew himselfe to bee an elect vessel of the Lord yet hee beare downe his bodie and we on the other side knowing our selues most hainous sinners in respect of him wee liue and fare deliciouslie without scruple of conscience Take heede to your selues least at any time your hearts bee oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of tâ—tâ— life saith our Sauiour Daniel to bee the better prepared to receaue the heauenly consolations hee was in heauinesse for three weekes of daies and ate no pleasant bread neither came there any flesh or wine into his mouth till three weekes of daies were fulfilled and immediately thereupon he saw most heauenlie visions and reuelations from God If thou wilt ouercome thine enemy bereaue him of his weapons The armor that Satan taketh to foile thee with all is thine owne flesh He that giueth himselfe to bodily plesures shall fall into the snares of the diuell Labour to destroy the idol of the flesh by abstinence watching and praier so shalt thou carrie away from Satan a most glorious victorie Nothing maketh the Diuell more bolde to inuade as thy delicious pampering of thy flesh Hee that thinketh hee can liue chast faring daintelie and deliciouslie deceaueth himselfe and is a foole Take away delicate fare as wood and thou shalt quench the fire of sensuall desire After that Lot had out of measure quaffed vp wine and was drunke hee committed incest with his owne daughters Though a man ascende vnto the mount of meditation and professe religion yet will he fall with Lot vnlesse he keepe a sober diet abstaine It is dangerous riding of a colt which neither is tamed nor hath a bridle Holde in the colt the flesh with the bridle of abstinence least he throw thee downe to thine hurt bind his mouth with bit and bridle as the Prophet saith Rush not violently into the waters of worldly delightes vnlesse thou wilt be drowned as Pharao with all his host were They sunke like stones into the bottome as thou shalt likewise both in bodie and soule vnlesse thou tame and restraine thy flesh with the bridle of abstinence By abstinence much sinne is auoyded vnlawfull pleasure banished our saluation furthered grace confirmed and chastitie is retained It is a shamefull thing for the maister to bee ouercome of the seruant As great shame
is impossible with one eye to looke vp to heauen and with the other downewarde to the earth so against reason is it that so-long as thine affection is bent toward earthly thinges thou shouldest enioy the comforts of the spirite If therefore thou haue any desire at all after God of necessitie thou must depriue thy selfe of all humane ioy when it is an hinderance vnto heauenly consolation Flie with all thine heart from al comfort of the world and thou shalt be comforted of God Plucke away from thy soule the loue of the world that a place may bee lefte wherein the loue of God may be ingraffed and take root God would not suffer that one and the same Altar shoulde serue for himselfe and for Dagon too and though the Philistines with might and maine labored yet neuer coulde they bring the same to passe God will not that the idoll of sinne which thou wouldest adore shall haue anie roome there where his heauenlie maiestie hath an abiding place He cannot abide that himselfe and the world should be worshipped together If thou wilt loue God of force thou must hate the glory of Purge thine hart from al wickednes and thou shalt come vnto that peace Learne in euery thing to conqâ—er thy selfe so shalt thou haue the inward quietnes of the minde Breake thine vnbridled appetites remoue away the vaine desires of this present world abandon pleasures that thou maist liue at peace and tranquilitie that nothing may trouble nor molest thee that finally thou maist enioy the sweetnesse of the spitit and attaine a certaine Paradise in this world Nothing can happen vnto a righteous man vnto his perturbation Thine own affections are they which moue bates against thee and thine enemies being within howe canst thou complaine of them without He is a great Lord that can commaund himselfe And this in fine is the noble soueraigntie of our will that it hath more power than the Kinges and Emperours of the world who of enemies cannot make friends as can our will being disposed therevnto when she subdueth the disordered appetites Why are iniuries and afflictions whatsoeuer greeuous vnto thee but bâ—cause thou dost shun them Now if they would bee sweete rather and not irkesome wouldest thou once loue them S. Paul reioyced in the Crosse of Christ and those glorious Apostles went away reioycing that they were counted worthie to suffer rebuke for his name Why did â—hese so holy men reioyce in tribulations wherein thou hast no ioy Surely that pleased them which is vnpleasant to thee Once do thou loue that which holie men haue loued and thou shalt finde that comforte which they had in troubles If persecutions bring thee griefe complaine not on the persecutor but rather on thy selfe who flyest from that wherein thou shouldest reioyce Conforme thy selfe after the ensample of Iesus Christ be a friend of his crosse and suffering Resign thy selfe wholy into his hands and loue that which hee did loue so shalt surelie it were alone sufficient to confounde then which in title onely be Christians Let vs bee ashamed to passe the time in pleasures and delights when our Captaine liued in great reproach and perill â—â—ee is no good Souldier which beholding his captaine dying before his face wil not venture himself to the peril of death without thinking of his owne life and pleasure If thou seeke after honour seeing thy Captain dishonoured it is a great argument that thou art none of his band and counting thy self a Christian thou shouldest greatelie blush if thou finde in thy selfe any loue at al of vanitie which Infidels seeke after Many there bee which say they are christians but very few do imitate the life of Christ. They bee in name like it cannot be denied but altogether vnlike for manners If the life of many Christians were compared with the life of our redeemeâ— it would then euidently appeare how crooked their heartes bee and how much also they decâ—ine from that straitnes which God did set them in seeing they turne themselues vnto the loue of those things which his pleasure is should be despised I would gladly knowe who hath more knowledge God or the world If thou beleeuest that God knoweth more marke how he hath chosen pouertie and a base condicion and this onely may suffice to teach thee how wicked thy life is That so hard cratch wherein hee lay on the day of his birth condemneth the delicacie of this world that stable doeth demonstrate how vaine the honors and prosperitie of this life are those vile clothes wherin his deuine maiestie was wrapped doe sufficiently shewe of what account are the riches of this world Consider a litle the dicourse of his life and behold also his death so shalt thou find that the Sonne of God become man hath alwaies adhorted vs to contemne the world aswel by example of his life as by wordes doctrine The Lord preaching vpoÌ„ the moâ—Ì„t thus began his Sermon Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heauen The Lord came not to destroy thee but to direct thee into the way of heauen and to bring thee vnto euerlasting saluation If Christ haue not erred thou dost erre if he hath chosen the good thou chusest the ill if hee through infamie and suffering hath entered into the gates of glorie out of question thou takest the readie way vnto hell which so louest immoderately honor and vanitie In great perill thou liuest and thou dost hazard thy saluation if thou returne not from this way and detest that which thou so louest and earnestlie determine with thy selfe hereafter to follow his steppes which cannot erre O what an abuse is it that a most vile worme of the earth doth so desire to be great when the God of maiesty hath made himselfe so small Therefore Christian soule if thou see thy husband Isaacke going on foot thou must after th'nsample of Rebecca alight from thy Camel for thou shouldest blush to beholde Iesus in a base estate thy selfe aloft vpon a Camel of worldly vanities Come downe therefore come downe I say as shee did by contemning the promotions and vanitie of this present world and conforme thy selfe according to the life of thy redeemer that with him hereafter thou maiest enioy the true ioy and eternal glory CHAP. IV. All the thinges of this world are vaine VAnitie of vanities saith the Preacher vanity of vanities al is vanity I haue considered al the workes that are vnder the Sunne and behold all is vanity This world in the sacred Scripture is rightly called an Hypocrite who though to the outward apparance it seeme wonderfull goodlie yet within is full of vanity and corruption In those good thinges which are sensible it appeareth good wheras in truth it is full of falshood and deceit Fasten not the anchor of the shippe of thine hearte in the sea of worldlie loue The
this life and with what toile they be gotten and with what care preserued it cannot be but thou wouldest take another trade of life than thou doest Looke not so earnestly vpon these worldlie pleasures and vanities least thou be taken by the snares of them and least theire goodlie she wes so dazell thine eies that thou rush headlong into the pit of hell There is nothing in the vnderstanding but first it was in the senses After that the vnderstanding hath once drunke out of the chanels of the senses the world playing Iacobs part sticketh there downe white rods of greene poplar and hasell and of the chesnut of faire delightes to beguile thee withall and to infect by thy senses thy vnderstanding The honors and pleasures of the worlde they are but as flowres that soone fall and fade awaie The world offereth to thy senses floures and vanities and albeit thine vnderstanding be pure yet the senses labor by these outwarde thinges to dull and darken the same And as a menstruous woman dooth pollute the glasse which she looketh in so a naughty imagination infecteth the vnderstanding with error And when the vnderstanding hath once tasted the water which sensuall imaginations haue offered thereunto it conceaueth like Iakobs sheepe lambes of party color and with small great spots euen worldly desires and bringeth forth afterward sin and ill works Fixe not therefore thine eyes vpon the greene roddes which the worlde presenteth to thy consideration for it is but a bare shewe without substance It deceiueth worldly men as the burning candle doth children Children many times when they see the candle they cannot bee content but they must needes touch it with their finger also and they haue no sooner so done but they plucke it backe againe and crie So the children of this world euen like infants without discretion deceiued with the apparent shewe of worldly bewty they cast themselues into the flames of wickednes but after they finde that both their handes be emptie without substance and their conscience feared by the fire of sinne CHAP. 3 The world is false and seeketh to deceiue THere be some that being about wicked purposes d◠bowe downe themselues are sad whose inward partes burne altogether with deceipt sayth the wise man Giue no credite to the worlde neither enter into any league of friendship with the same for if thou doe it will play with thee as Ioab did with Amasa who took Amasa by the hearde with the right hand to kisse him and with the left stabde him with a sword Whatsoeuer it saith and counsaileth it is but falsehood and flattery whatsoeuer thine appetite shall entice thee vnto it is but deceit to abuse thee withall for though it promise life yet leadeth it vnto death so that if thou beleeue the same thou shalt perish with Ahab which beleeued the foure hundred false Prophetes that flattered and promised him both life and victorie But Michaiah euen the remorse of conscience it is which telleth truth and discouereth the manifolde deceites of thy flattering affections Yet for al this thou pursuest it with hatred as Ahab did Michaiah for telling him the truth thy conscience it seeketh thy profit yet thou canst not abide the counsell of the same but choosest rather to goe out of the waie with lying spirites to the losse of thy life than to doe well with the Prophet of God and so liue without daunger The worldlie man following his affections doth euen hasten vnto the battell of death where hee doth loose his life These be like the false witnesses of lezebel which being once heard do euen quench the spirite and kill the soule Giue none heed vnto their lying wordes vnlesse thou wouldest be taken captiue by the nets of their false deceiptes All the louing countenance of the world it is but fained to entrap thee before thou art aware Therefore CHAP. 4. The promises of the worlde are false and deceitfull RAsh promises saieth Ecclesiasticus in effect hath destroyed many a man Who in this worlde hath found either ioy without sorrow or peace without troubles or health without weakenes or mirth without griefe The world it promiseth all good thinges but it giueth nothing but euill it promiseth ioy it bringeth paine it promiseth to continue but it stayeth not it promiseth rest and bringeth troubles it promiseth estimation but it causeth shame it promiseth long life but by experience wee find that our life is both shore and subiect to manifold perils and miseries And the life which it sheweth it may not be called the true life The life of some it prolongeth to deceaue of some it shorteneth that they may haue no space to repent of some it prolongeth to make them proude of some it shorteneth that they maie doe no good at all but liue as them list All these it deceiueth depriuing them of the true knowledge both of God of the worlde and of themselues Seauen yeeres did Iacob serue Laban for his daughter Rahel wherby hee deserued to haue her for his wife but his father in lawe gaue him Leah in stead of Rahel by deceite Such partes playeth the world it promiseth one thinge and intendeth another The men of the world they perceaue not the◠anitie of the world vntil the daie appeare and the darkenesse of this present life bee departed awaie by death when the eies of their vnderstanding be opened then like Iaacob they perceaue the subteltie of craftie Laban the world Manie although they see welenough the deceitfulnesse of the worlde yet are they content to be deceaued thereby and to fall at noone daie when their eies be open The three friends of Iob agreed together to come to lament with him and to comfort him but afterward the worlde as they did And experience doth did nothing else teach vs that by desiring to get we loose honour and while wee couet to be great wee become smal that which we thinke shal be the meanes to vpholde vs shal throwe vs downe and then wee loose when wee thinke to gaine O foolish wee and blinde in deede that would be deemed great when God wil haue none to be great but such as first were smal we hunt after fame and yet shal neuer be remembred No man is more honorable than he which shunneth honor None richer than he which is content with a little none shal sooner be forgotten than he which most ambitiously hunteth after glory Mattathias vnto his sonnes saide on this wise Now therefore my sons be ye zealous of the law giue your liues for the couenāt of our fathers Cal to remembrance what acts our fathers did in their time so shal ye receau great honor and an euerlasting name The prouidēce of God hath so appointed that there should be a perpetual memory of the enemies of the world and that the friendes of the same should quickely be forgotten God vtterly put out the
belonging to the body they haue scarce any time to thinke of matters pertaining to the soule Wordly thoughts aud cares bee the children of riches and the occupations busines which they bring with them doe suffocate aod choake vp all good motions of the spirit Despise the vanitie of these incorruptible goodsr so the more freelie shalt thou serue God For it is vnpossible for thee to fly vp vnto heauen vnlesse thou breake the bondes of this world wherewith thou art deteined Let not the pleasure of this world separate thine heart from the loue of Christ. Poyson commonly is giuen in some sauery and well relished meate but hee that receiueth the same liueth not long after Riches are sweete to such as loue them but such as embrace them they puffe vp with pride and so bring them vnto euerlasting destruction The preacher saith He that loueth riches shal be without the fruicte thereof And they that will be rich fall into tentation and snares and into many foolish noysom lusts which drown men in perdition destructiō saith the Apostle Al creatures be such vnto man as man is vnto himselfe A good man cannot be the worser for these outwarde thinges nor an euil man the better What good doeth an heape of riches to this corruptible flesh they cannot deliuer the soule from death O happy is that soule which is not subiect vnto riches The men of riches haue slept their sleepe saith the prophet men of riches that is the seruants of riches not the masters That gaine which is gotten with the losse of a good name may well be counted a great losse and no gaine at all When the seruantes haue a care of the maisters good estate then may the masters giue themseules to ease But so it is not with riches for they are so farre from vnburdening their masters of care that they presse them sore with worldly cogitations A very vaine man art thou if thou place thine happines in these corruptible goods Despise therfore from thine heart al these earthly riches so shall thy minde be filled with most heauenlie treasure CHAP. 19. Al earthly riches but vaine I Haue counted al thinges bnt losse and doe iudge them but dung saide the Apostle when he spake of these worldly thinges He could finde nothing more fit then the very dung whereunto hee might compare the riches of the earth And surely though otherwise they were of great account yet in respect of heauenly treasure they are of litle or no price at al. For what is gold the verie drosse of the earth What siluer and precious stones the dregs of the ground gathered together on a heape What be your fine sattins damaskes and al kinde of silkes the dung of vile wormes What is your best cloth the wool of sheep What be your costly furres the skinnes of dead beastes Your painted palaces your loftie toures your sumptuous buildings your large populous tounes what are they Euen verie earth What is honor Nothing To conclud what soeuer is in the world it is but dust Doest thou loue the good thinges of the earth if they may be called good Surely thou louest nothing but earth Consider the vanitie of those thinges which the world offereth vnto thee beware thou set not thine heart vpon them A wonderfull thing it is that thou so excellent a creature made to serue to haue the ioy euen of GOD himselfe canst so debase thy selfe as to cast thy minde vpon so vile thinges If thou wouldest bee accounted noble loue noble thinges I meane thinges spiritual according to that nobilitie which God hath imprinted in thy noble heart Euen as loue doth change the louer into the thinge loued insomuch that hee is not his owne but the thinges which is loued So in louing these vile thinges of the earth thou giuest that which is better for that which is worse that is thou giuest thine heart which is all pretious euen for very doung which is most filthy These thinges are farre vnseemely for a man of reason whereby thou shewest that not onely thou art forgetfull of thine estate but also renouncest al thy chiefest priuileges God therefore would haue thee to loue him not because his heauenly Maiestie doth neede thy loue but for thine owne aduauntage and preferment For while thou transformest thy selfe into his likenesse as it were through loue thou gettest great commoditie For thou giuest that which good is for that which for excellencie is so surpassing that it cannot sufficiently be either praised or prised God in depriuing his especiall friend Iob of al his earthly substance at the instance of Sathan would haue thee to learne how little he esteemeth the goods of this world Open thine eies consider how shamefully thou debasest thy selfe man while inordinatly thou couetest after earthly riches and againe how worthily thou lookest vp when thou despisest them Reclaime therefore thy mind from al these vanities and giue it wholy to the seruice of Christ CHAP. 20 To be proud of riches it is a vaine thing I Compare not pretious stones vnto wisdome for all gold is but a litle grauel in respect of her and siluer shall be counted but clay before her saith the wise man To be worldly rich is to bee verie poore Cast not thy minde vppon the vanitie of creatures but lift it vp vnto heauen where God is Humble not thine hearte before these earthly thinges God hath made thee to loue heauenly and to contemne the thinges of the world And because hee seeketh thy good hee hath laid al necessarie thinges which hee knoweth thou shalt neede vppon the face of the ground as bread wine flesh and such like that readily thou maiest find them but as for things lesse necessary as gold and siluer hee hath buried them deepe in the earth that as they are out of sight so they should bee out of mind Couet not greedily for vaine things Dauid saith O ye sonnes of men how long wil ye turn my glorie into shame louing vanitie and seeking lies Seeing God hath endued thee with reason why abusest thou it in placing thine happinesse in earthly goodes when thou art created to be the heire of heauen All that thou louest is vanitie saith the Psalmist and whatsouer the worlde promiseth thee is but lies This gold is but earth and this silke whereof thou vauntest it commeth from the vilest wormes These pretious stones wherewith thou glitterest and those borders of imbrodered worke which thou settest out to th'vttermost what are they all but vanity Glory not therefore in thine apparell nor in thine hangings nor in thy glorious cortins such like for these be not the riches these make not a man rich these make not him that is foolish wise that is proude lowely that is cholerike patient that is incontinent chast that is vnciuill courteous they make neither the angry man milde nor the enuious charitable and louing but the contrary they doe Then
thou wottest not when death will approch Make haste and be diligent in thy busines for now the time draweth â—eere wherein thy life shall be examined and according to thy worke such shall your wages be The Falcons towarde night bee greedy and labour eagerly for their pray for it is too late for them to pray when the night once commeth Remember thou likewise how the time of thy working in this life iâ— but short and that it is meete that thou vse all earnest painefullnesse to come vnto heauen by sighing mourning and praying vnto God It is a wonder that thou canst be so negligent hauing as thou hast one foot in the graue If thou be negligent in seeking the saluation of thy soule it may be affliction may come vnto thee as came vnto that Leuite which would needes goe on his iourney when the day was farre spent contrarie to the minde of his Father in law wherby much trouble came vnto him and his But out of hande art thou to reconcile thy selfe vnto the Lorde and whoseuer shall hold thee backe or hinder thee heare him not least death happily oppresse thee and thou be made to take vp thy lodging in that obscure place of the infernall spirites and so canst not reach at all vnto thine owne home which is heauen toward which thou art bounding Rise therefore in time and go forward to the vttermost of thy power in reconciling thy selfe both to God man if thou purpose to rest in the house where thou wouldest bee least death at any time ouertake thee on the sodaine CHAP. 39. Though repentance at al times pleaseth God yet it is not good to prolong the same vntil the houre of death BEhold now the time accepted beholde now the day of saluation and in al things we approue our selues as the ministers of God in much patience in afffictions in necessities in distresses so saide the Apostle vnto the Corinthians In the time of thine health tnrne thee vnto God for when the floudes of many waters doe compasse thee about on euery side that is when the stormes of great sorrowe shall come vppon thee and the feare of death bee present afore thine eies hardly shalt thou truly turne vnto the Lord. Assuredly hardly shalt thou at thy death drawe neere vnto God if all thy life thou hast keept thee from him God he saith In an acceptable time haue I heard thee and in a day of saluation haue I helped thee The day of saluation is the state of the life present therefore suffer it not to slip for in the same though it bee neuer so short by vnfained repentance thou maiest com vnto heauen To all thinges there is an appointed time and a time to euery purpose vnder heauen There is a time to weeepe a time to laugh The time that wee haue here to liue is the time to weep and to repent in Which repentance prolong not vnto the houre of death hardly then shalt thou finde fauour which hast contemned the same all thy life afore And who will not think that the feare of hel torments which iustifieth no man rather than a true faith in Christ whereby we are saued driueth a man to weepe shed teares at that time The passions of melancholy doe more strongly worke in the minde of man then doe those which come of any pleasant and delectable cause Now if a short delectation doth hinder the vse of reason much more wil an extreame sorrowe confound the iudgement especially the sorrow and horror of death which is so terrible and so doth darken reasoÌ„ within thee that hardly if at all shalt thou turne thee vnto God hauing serued the world all thy life afore Adde hereunto that thine vnderstanding cannot at one time perfectlie beholde two sundry and diuers obiectes yea at the houre of death dolors will so oppresse thee that very hardly thou shalt so much as lift vp thine hart vnto God The wise man saith d Man is not Lâ—â—douer the spirit to reteine the spirit neither hath hee power in the day of death An habit is such a qualitie as hardly can be remoued Sin wherein thou hast beene inured shall hale thee on the one side and greeuous tentations shall oppose themselues against thee on the other Those whom Sathan hath giuen ouer while they were well he will eagerly assaile when they are greeâ—ously sicke knowing that then â—hey bee either woone or lost for euer Besides tentations at the houre be deceiued then trust in no creature at all Wherin dost thou trust o mortal maÌ„ Trust not in thy strength seeing as valiant champions haue been whose names are not so much as thought of now adaies The wise man saith The mightie shal be mightely to rmented there is no cause therefore why thou shouldest vaunt of thy great might It is great folly our life being so short to build stately pallaces when our forefathers conteined themselues with meane cottages The Prophet Ieremiah saith Woe vnto him that buildeth his house by vnrighteousnesse his ChaÌ„bers without equitie Take not pride in thine horses pompously be trapped nor in the vaine pompes of this world seeing God he saith Woe to them which are at ease in Zion trust in the mountaine of Samaria which were famous at the beginning of the nations the house of Israel came vnto them Set not your ioy in banqueting and feasting but marke the sentence of God against Balshazzar the king of Babilon and remember which God saith in an other place Woe vnto them that rise vp early to follow drunkennes and to them that continue vntil night til the wine do inflame theÌ„ And the harpe viâ—l timbrel pipe and wine are in their feasts but they regard not the worke of the Lord nether consider the worke of his handes Trust neither in the nobilitie of thy birth noâ— in the beauty of thy body seeing the Scripture saieth Fauour is deceiptfull and beauty is vanitie Trust not in thy knowledge for no man in this world knoweth more than the very Deuil doth yet cannot al his knowledge deliuer him froÌ„ the paines of hel Trust neither in the nimblenesse and agilitie of thy body not many other such graces for euen many brut beastes in these thinges do farre exceed thee Asahel that was so light on foote as a wild Roe hee lost his life by following after Abner A miserable thing is it to set the heart vpon such thinges for al is vanitie and very foolishnes Great rashnesse is it to giue sentence before thou haue heard both parties If thou iudge the things of this worlde to be good why doest thou not thinke the thinges pertaining vnto God to be good in like wise The men of the world they pronounce senteÌ„ce in fauour of the world approuing greatly the mucke of this earth because they neuer tasted the good things of the spirit They deeme the world to be
to fooles as papers of infamy Though prodigality bee a vice yet couetousnesse is worse because a prodigal man doth good to many but the couetous person doeth profite none CHAP. 38. Vnlawfull lust is lothsome in God his sight KNowe ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you If any man destroy the Temple of God him shall God destroy â—saith the Apostle Now commeth the thirde band of enemies to bee spoken of comprised in the lust of the flesh Other vices doe defile but on part of man onely namely the soule but this vice polluteth the whole man Looke not to escape the terible iudgement of God if thou handle the Temple of the holy spirit dishonestly For vnlawfull lust the Lord destroyed the old world with water Sodom Gomora with the fiue citties next adioyning Hamor and the Sichimites Onan and the whole tribe of Beniamin in a maner with the sword For this vice was Amon murthered Salomon bereaued of the Spirit of God Samson blinded Dauid manie waies afflicted the two Elders that accused Susanna vnrustly stoned three and twenty thousand in one day put vnto the sword and most greeuous plagues for this vice hath the Lord sent among his people Fly from this infection and God his spirit will comfort thee haue death in minde and lust will soone bee quenched Auoid idlenesse and repell the tentation of the flesh from thee Remember the fire of hel where fleshly men shal burne for euer and the lust of the flesh will not so inflame thee It seemeth to thee harde to resist tentations but much harder will it bee to suffer the paines of hell Hee that is not deliuered from the first shall not escape the second fire One heate euercommeth another The remembrance of the infernall fire will extinguish the flame of the internall fiâ—e If thou art held with the loue of God al other vanities wil vanish from thine heart Hee is the seruant of Satan which serueth the lust and wicked affections of the mind Of this sinne did the Apostle speake when he said They that doe such things shalt not inherite the kingdome God The sinne of the flesh is a fire of hell and the maintainer thereof is riotousnesse and gluttonie The flame thereof is filthinesse the ashes vncleannesse the smoake infamie the ende vexation of the minde destruction of the bodie shipwrack of a good conscience and an horrible contempt of the holy commaundements of God Many of them bee vtterly cast away through the wrath of GOD which giue themselues to this vice If thou wouldest ouercome thou must flye from this sinne according to the commandement of the Apostle from God himselfe This victorie is gotten by flying and not by violence Daintie fare prouoketh lust but a sober diet with godly exercise keepeth chaste A wonder it is that euer thou canst auoide this persecution of the flesh faring deliciously and liuing in idlenesse The water of teares quencheth the flame of concupiscence and vnlesse thou auoid occasions hereunto it is almost impossible but at one time or other thou wilt yeeld vnto his sinne Few there be but either in youth or in age do humble themselues before this idole and giue themselues to the flesh Many there bee which commende the unspotted life but few retaine the chastitie of the body much lesse of the mind they would seeme honest and praise honesty but yet they auoide not as they ought the occasions which cause them either to bee or to be thought dishonest Their meaning is good but their knowledge is but smal and not sufficient Happy is that soule which in a pure body serueth her spouse Iesus Christ and happy is that man which prepareth in his heart an habitation for the holy spirite Remember still the death the corruption and the filthynesse whereinto our bodies shall bee resolued and doing so much wilt thou bee moued to serue God in all holinesse of conuersasion whereby thou shalt enioy him blessedly in the heauens being deliuered from the fire of hell where they continue boyling in torments which like beastes in this worlde did giue themselues to al inordinate desires of the flesh CHAP. 39. The chaste Christian God delighteth in WIsedome cannot enter into a wicked heart nor dwel in the bodie that is subiect vnto sinne saith the wise man Gather thy senses together and refreine thine appetites Death is come vp into our windowes and is entered into our palaces sayeth Ieremie Vnlesse thou settest a watch ouer thy senses thy soule is in danger to die of an euill death Because Ishbosheth looked not well vnto his doores hee lost his life euen in his owne house lying vpon his bed Consider in thy minde what mischiefe came into the worlde through Euahs casting her eie vpon the forbidden fruite It is not lawfull for thee inordinately to beholde that which is not lawfull for thee in heart to desire Had not Dauid cast an vnchaste eie vpon â—athsheba he had neither lost so many good things neither fallen into so many euils as he did Looke warely vnto thy senses the want hereof brought destruction vnto Olofernes No vice so troubleth th'understanding nor ouerthroweth the reason of man as doeth the sinne of the flesh God who is all simple and pure He fedeth among the lillies as the Spouse doth say signifying thereby how hee is delighted altogether in cleannesse and chastitie The puritie of the creature is most gratefull before God and therein doth he most gladly rest himselfe It is written that There shal not enter into it the heauenly citie any vncleane thing The principall bewtie of the soule is principally ascribed vnto chastitie through bringing the flesh in subiection to the spirite The memorie of the chast persons is afore God immortall and renowmed of men Chastitie is compared vnto the roase not onely for the beautie and sweetnesse thereof but also for that it springeth encreaseth and continueth as the rose doth among thornes For chastitie neuer groweth nor continueth but where there is sharpenesse and austeritie of life and mortification of the flesh it is alwaies in danger where pleasure is Chastitie cannot liue where no fasting is vsed nor temperance appeareth And a wonder it were that such as are not sober should be chaste If thou wilt continue chaste bee still doing of some good worke or other flye the companie of dissolute persons and prepare a place in a pure bodie for the holy Ghost The Doue which Noah sent out of the Arke could haue no footing at all but vpon carion which she liked not and therefore returned vnto the Arke againe The holy Ghost which sometime was resembled to a Doue it cannot abide in bodies that bee vncleane but in the pure and holy Flye the vices of the flesh as thou wouldest the plague or pestilence that thy soule may remaine pure