deferring his pennance vntill the very laste day both which wayes wolde be very daungerous and inconuenient for his saluation An hastie pennance and a vayne deferring of pennance are both very hurtfull to a mans conscience to deliuer thee from both these inconueniences the prouidence of God hath so ordeyned that the houre of thy death sholde not be made knowne vnto thee but kept secret from the and that thou sholdest allwayes stand in some awe of death because thou sholdest still seeke how to lyue a vertuous lyfe thou arte much bound vnto God that by keepinge secret from thee the houre of thy death hath gyuen thee thereby a singuler occasion to lyue well and to worke thyne owne saluation And in that pointe sheweth be his mercie vearie much that by keeping thee from the certeintie of death doth gyue thee occasion daylie to conuert thee vnto hym lest thou sholdest be taken vnprouided for yf the day had bene set downe certayne vnto thee thou woldest haue multiplied and increased thy sinnes vearie much Also God wolde not that thou sholdest knowe the daye of thy death because he wolde haue thee for to lyue for the profit and coÌ„moditie of other and not for thyne proper benefite onely The common commoditie is to be preferred before the priuate and particuler And yf thou knewest that thou sholdest die shortlie thou woldest leaue many good workes to doe whiche sholde redounde to the benefite of others and onely occupying thy selfe about thyne owne proper commoditie thou woldest haue care of none but of thy selfe and so wholy forget thy neighbours And yf agayne on the other syde when a man is sicke yf he sholde knowe surelie that that sickenes sholde not be his last sickenes he wolde neyther confesse hym selfe nor receyue any of the sacramentes neyther calle on God and his Sainctes nor procure the prayers of his frendes nor the common suffrages of the Church to be sayde for hym All these good workes with many more wold he omit yf he shold knowe for certentie that he sholde then recouer and not die Many in their sickenes doe turne vnto God thynkinge that they shall die which they wolde not doe yf they knewe surelie that they shold lyue Further also did God prouyde and most wyseâ—ie ordeyne that men sholde not knowe the end of their lyfe both for humayne conuersation and also for a quyet and peaceable trade of lyuing amongest men For yf men did knowe that they sholde lyue many yeares they wold seeke to reuenge theÌ„ of all their iniuries and growe full of hatred and malice And agayne yf they sholde knowe that they shold quickelie die they wolde goe vp and downe all heauie and discontented and wolde in all company and coÌ„uersation be vearie vnpleasant and noysome to their neighbours those that must keepe them company and lyue with them And so by both those meanes they sholde disturbe the common peace and ciâ—ill conuersation of men All this hath God done for our pâ—ofit and commoditie whome wee haue allwayes iust cause in all his doinges to prayse to loue and to serue for euer THERE IS NO OTHER MEdecine so good against death as the often meditation of death for yt causeth a man so to lyue as at the houre of his death he ouercommeth death and begynneth a happie and a perpetuall lyfe CHAP. 33. ALTHOVGH thou doest lyue many yeares in ioy and gladnes yet must thou haue alwayes in thy minde the darke day of death sayeth the wyse man Death wolde be vanquished as soone as he sholde come if it were well thought on before it come No weapon will so well defend thee from death as the very memorie of death it selfe nothing shall so easely delyuer thee from death as the often meditating thereon A wyse mans lyfe is the meditation of death he is vnworthie of comfort in his death that in his lyfe was cleane forgetfull of death Christ in his glorious transfiguration tooke with him Moyses who was deade because that in our temporall glory we sholde haue alwayes death before our eyes death which we see to be so contrary to lyfe almightie God him selfe tooke as a meanes to gayne vs lyfe by Iesus Christ hath by his blessed death so qualified and tempered death vnto vs that it is nowe no longer death but an instrument for vs to attayne euerlasting lyfe by for by death wee doe gayne eternall lyfe So as that which before his glorious death was vearie death in deede is nowe become lyfe to all good men and to all wicked men it is a sure port of euerlasting death It is the table of accompte or the place of payment where the true knighte and the faythfull souldier is payed his wages and the faint harted coward turned out of paye and discharged Death doth gyue his hyre diuerslie accordinge to the diuersitie of mens lyues Seeke to be of the Number of those which shal be well rewarded Thou shalt not falle on the right hand of death yf thou doest not forget death in thy lyfe tyme. It is the cheefe poynt of philosophie to be exercysed still in the conteÌ„plation of death The father of the householde commaunded his seruantes to goe seeke out in the wayes for geastes to come vnto his feast that they shold watch at the endes and corners or angles of the high wayes to bringe them vnto hym And for asmuch as wee be all trauaylers and wanderers in this world God wold that wee shold consider well the ende of our waye which is death Carry allwayes before thynes eyes the consideration thereof doe not lyue in blyndnes The Niniuites hearinge the sentence of death pronounced against them by Ionas the Prophet they straight wayes fell to pennance Behold how much good the memorie of death doth worke in man when it made so sodayne and so greate an alteration in those sinners hartes If thou doest meditate well of death temptation shall neuer ouercome thee Beware that thou loue not so this lyfe that thou doest thereby forget death for then doest thou die most of all when thou hast best good will and most desire to lyue The memory of death keepeth a man from beinge to high mynded in prosperitie It is a good thinge to be readie to welcome death before he come and to expect with good will the tyme that is to folowe after death If thou doest see others die before thee thou mayest well knowe that thou art walking that same way althoughe for the present tyme thou thinkest thy selfe to stand still and moue not VVhen two shippes meete vpon the Sea together they that be in the one shippe doe thinke that they whiche be in the other doe sayle exceedinge fast and that them selues goe but fayre and softelie or rather stand still although in trueth they sayle as fast as the others doe which they see passe by them So many which doe see others die daylie before their face doe thinke that them selues be immortall
men that goe aboute to build vp the holy edifice of the heauenly Hierusalem But the verye naturall and true Israelites with one of their handes framed vp their building and with the other hande defended them selues from their enimies And the lyke must thou doe also thou must not leaue the good worke whiche thou haste begonne and taken in hande but still folowing of thy labor and going aboute thy good and vertuous busines thou must defende thy selfe by patience from the malice of thyne enemies It is a great token that thou arte not good when thou canst not beare well the iniuries of euill men and he that through his impatience can not suffer the wronges of the vniust doth gyue testimonie against him selfe that he is not yet a good man Thou oughtest couragiously to beare and willinglye to suffer the persecutions of worldly men for it is not onely no shame to thee to beare them but rather a greate prayse and glory vnto thee It were a shame for thee to be praysed of such as are nought and it is all one thinge to be flattered of them that are noughte and to be praysed for doinge of that which is noughte And as it is all one thing to be iniuried of the wicked and to be praysed for doing good deedes so is it a very madnes to doe any thinge that may make thee famous amongest infamous persons For when wicked men doe finde faulte with our lyfe then in truth is our lyfe approued and that lyfe is approued which the wicked doe reproue Thou shewest some parte of iustice to be in thee when thou beginnest to be a trouble vnto the enemies of iustice It is no reproch vnto the light that the battes can not away with it but it is a commendation vnto it that they doe flye from it Ye be the children of lighte sayeth the Apostle vnto good men The same Apostle sayeth what hath lighte to doe with darkenes VVisdome is persecuted by the ignorante and fooles doe alwayes despise those that be learned and therefore ought not the children of light to be greeued that they be iniuried by the children of darkenes If blinde men doe not iudge rightlye of colors the faulte is not to be attributed to the colors which be neuerthelesse bewtifull and fayre To be praysed of such is a greate disprayse and an honor it is to be dispraysed by them It is alwayes a signe of greate courage to despise iniuries and offences Salomon sayeth That a patiente man is more worth then a strong man and he that can conquere him selfe of greater value then he that conquereth greate cities vertue withereth away if it haue no aduersaries It is not for anye man to stoppe the mouthes of all men Although the dogges doe barke at vs that can not let but that we be men indewed with reason and they beastes still And although the wicked doe murmure agaynst thee and doe persecute thee that can neuer make but that thou arte still vertuous and they sinners and enemies of God And if worldly men doe learne meanes how to persecute thee thou muste also learne patience how to withstande them this is that wisdome which thou oughtest to studie for in the schoole of Iesus Christ. Ecclesiasticus sayeth Against good is euill and against lyfe is death So is the synner euer against the iust man And since that worldlie men doe allwayes persecute the seruantes of Christ thou must seeke to ouercome by silence and patience And so shalt thou get a glorious crowne at the last HOVV INIVRIES OVVHGT patientlie to be borne and not to be reuenged but the reueng to be committed into gods hande for vvhose sake thou oughtest to forgyue all vvronges that be done vnto thee CHAP. 23. LEAVE vnto mee reuengement and I will pay it for you sayth our lorde If thou doest reuenge thee of the offences commytted against thee what shall God haue to reuenge for thee The greatest reuenge that thou canst take of thyne enemy is not to be reuēged on hym at all for thou canst not hurte hym but that thou must first begynne with the hurtinge of thy selfe Leaue vnto God the punnyshement for he will take reuengement for thee much better then thou canst doe for thy selfe If thou doest hold thy peace God speaketh for thee And yf thou speakest God will hold his peace It will be much honor for thee that God doeth make aunswere for thee S. Marie Magdalene beinge condemned and despised by the Pharisey held her peace and our lorde made answere for her and became her aduocate the setter fourth of her prayse and well-doinge Thou shalt get more honor by holdinge of thy peace then thou shalt doe by thyne aunsweringe Doe not render euill but ouercome euill with doing well So much of a wyse man hast thou in thee as thou hast patience in thee And so much of a foole hast thou in thee as thou hast impatient passions in thee Vertue without patience is a widdowe and patience is the preseruer of all vertue Patiēce enioyeth well the sharpest stormes of tribulation And the greatest token by which a iust and a good man may be knowen is with good courage and fortitude to beare the assaulte of aduersities and affliction By aduersitie it is made manyfest to the world what loue a man doth beare to God and to a vertuous lyfe And he that hath patience ouercometh hym selfe If thou diddest consider with what loue God doth send thee tribulations thou woldest willinglie receyue them and gyue hym thankes for them Aduersities be the gratious giftes whiche God bestoweth vpon his frendes and familiars to sett out and to bewtefie their soules withall An impatient sicke man maketh the phisition cruell If thou be greeued at the bitternes of thy medecine thou doest but increase thyne owne paynes the more for that which is taken with good will can neuer offend nor displease thee The greatest part of discretion is to vse patience The punishement and afflictions of God be like vnto the surgeons launcers and rasors which who so in tyme of neede repelleth and putteth away from hym is the causer of his owne woe and miserie God vseth afflictions for our remedies which who so necglecteth neclecteth God also who for our good did send them to vs. But God knowing our weakenes frayltie doth sometyme bynde vs hand and foote As the surgion doth an impatient sickeman that so he may make vs to recouer agayne the health of our soules impaired by our owne impatience The best way therefore for thee to be made whole is to take patientlie all aduersities Christ and his disciples sayled with a contrarie winde Contrarie to malediction is benediction and contrarie to hate is loue If thou doest offende him that offendeth thee thou doest not saile with a contrarie winde Blesse him that curseth thee loue him that hateth thee and that is the readie way for thee to heauen The Apostle sayeth
Blesse ye all those that doe persecute you blesse but curse not at all And in an other place he sayeth Let vs blesse when we be cursed if persecutions doe fall to vs let vs beare them He sayleth with a contrarie winde as Christ sailed on the shippe of the crosse that prayeth for his enemies and doth good to them that doe persecute him The wicked doe also many tymes suffer persecutions and sickenes as well as the good for that God will that they shall in this lyfe beginne to feele of the tormentes which they must suffer after in hell But by the aduersities them selues it is easelie knowen which be they that be gyuen for to gayne by them lyfe euerlasting And which be they which are gyueÌ„ to begynne euerlasting death by If thou shalt see any man which in his sickenes shall blaspheme or greeuouslie offend God thou mayest perceyue how that tribulation is gyuen hym for his punnyshment and for to begynne to feele his hell here But yf he haue patience and doe gyue God thankes in his punnyshement then mayest thou be sure that God hath sent that infirmitie vnto hym for his good and benefite to clense hym from his former faultes and to augment his glorie in heauen Thou must haue patience in aduersitie yf thou lookest to be of the number of the elect Patience in aduersitie and tribulation is to God a most acceptable sacrifice In patience there be many good thinges Doe but hold thy peace and thou shalt ouercome And yf thou be sorie to day thou shalt be glad to morowe If thou be to day discontented thou shalt to morow be comforted For so small a tyme then temper thy sodayne motions and refrayne thy tongue Doe not afflict thy selfe neyther doe thou drowne thy selfe in a small water In good workes as fasting almes and penitence thou arte so pursued with humayne prayses that thou doest often loose a greate parte of thy merite but patience is a secret treasure For men can not see what thou sufferest neyther can they perceyue the iniuries done vnto thee because they touch not them If thou haue patieÌ„ce and doest holde thy peace thou arte not praysed because in suffering silence beareth the sway and hath the domination but yf thou be impatient then doe many wordes beare all the rule If thou be impatient then doe all men finde fault with thee but yf thou haue patience then will no man saye ought of thee for men doe heare well thine impatient wordes but of thy patieÌ„ce being done sayeng nothing they haue no consideration at all The more that thyne harte is sacrifised vnto God the more is all the worke that thou workest acceptable vnto him and so much as thy workes be lesse noted and commended of men so much be they the more perfect and better accepted of God Suffer then and haue patience a whyle for tyme cureth all thinges if thou be faythfull vnto death thou shalte receyue the crowne of lyfe BECAVSE THE VVORLD IS fâ—ll of confusion disorder and miserie it oughte to be fled from of hym that is desirous to fynde the treasor of heaueÌ„lie riches CHAP. 24. FLYE from the middest of Babilon sayeth God The world is full of confusion where no order is but euerlasting horror Golde is more esteemed then vertue transitorie goodes be preferred before spirituall and true goods the worlde is so full of confusion that he which hath a soule hath not a true lyfe it exalteth them that be euill and it subdueth those that be good Our Sauiour brought three of the perfectest disciples which he had vnto the toppe of an hill for to transfigure himselfe before them The worlde exalteth Iudas vnto honors and high estats leauing those that be good vnder the foote it is good for thee not to inhabite where so litle order and so great confusion is Esai speaking of the great mischeee that reigned in Babilon sayed that the Arabians wolde not pitch their tentes in that place And he that considereth the confusion and disorder of the world will neuer sett his affection therevpon VVhen a sicke man findeth not health in one place he chaungeth his dwelling and goeth to another This world is full of sickenes vearie daungerous for thee to recouer thy health in Thou wilt neuer get thy perfect health whilest thou doest abide with it Chaunge it and thou shalte finde healthe forsake it and thou shalte finde lyfe flie from it betyme yf thou wilt escape death Seperate thy selfe from the noyse of this world yf thou doest meane to lyue in rest and quyetnes The pleasures and the consolations thereof be more bitter then the waters of Iherico and they be as mutable as the moone Thou canst not find so euill waters agayne vpon the whole earth Little shalt thou profit in vertue in so barrayne and hungrie a soyle Abraham looked toward Sodome and he beheld all the land smokinge and flamynge as it had bene a fierie fornace And he that will consider this world well shall finde in it nothing but the smoke of pride and vanitie and the flame of disordinate desires He doth well that forsaketh all worldlie thinges flieng from the wayes of sinners and hydeth hym selfe farre of from all the busines and daungers of this world That seruante is wyse which knowinge that his maister whome he serueth intendeth to put hym awaye doth determyne to forsake hym first and take his leaue of hym And since the world is such as doth forsake his frendes in their chiefe tyme oâ— neede the best is for thee to forsake it before it doe forsake thee VVhen Isaacke was borne Abraham made no feaste at all but when he tooke him from nourrisse and wayned him then he made a great feaste VVhen man is first borne ther is no cause of feaste because a man knoweth not what will become of him but when he is seperated from this worlde and wayned from all his pleasures and delightes then oughte we to make a feast for him Flie from the worlde and thou shalte finde the treasor hidden in the fielde He which diggeth after any treasor the nearer that he cometh vnto it so much the more withdraweth he him selfe from the conuersation and companie of men and the nearer that he approcheth it so much more haste doth he make in his worke So doe the holy and good men the nearer that they draw vnto death the more earnest they be aboute all good workes as though they began but euen then to labor He that did eate of the Pascall lambe was firste circumcised And if thou doest not first circumcise thy selfe by dryuing from thee the loue of this worlde and spoyling thyne harte of all sensuall desires thou shalte neuer taste of the spirituall foode of the soule If thou haddest a greate deale of good grayne in a lowe bottome and one sholde tell thee that it marreth and corrupteth in that place thou woldest strayght waye
synne Seeke not thou to lyue in pleasure synce that thou seest all pleasant thinges coÌ„temned and abhorred of them that are condemned to dye and thy selfe carying the sentence of death aboute thee drawing daylie toward thy graue thou oughtest to spend this short tyme of thy lyfe in contynuall sorow and sighinge for thy synnes It is a souereigne medecyne for to refrayne thy sensuall appetites withall 〈◊〉 haue in thy mynde the coÌ„sideration of thâ— â—mall tyme that thou hast to remayne here And in how short space thy bodie shall afâ—er be eaten with woormes and conuerted â—nto dust This remembrance of death doth â—s it were throwe water into the fornace of our hoat fierie appetites and desires Death is the clock by which wee sett our life in an order and the memorie therof doth choke vp all that earnest loue that we doe beare vnto the worlde As Daniell with throwing of ashes in the flore discouered by the printe of the feete the deceyte of the false priestes of Babilon So if thou wilte sprincle thy memorie a little with those holesome ashes into which thou must within a while be conuerted thou shalte likewise discouer the deceytes of the worlde the crafte and subtiltie of the deuill the secret temptations with which the enemies of thy soule doe seeke to vndermyne thy saluation O that this thought wolde neuer falle out of thy remeÌ„braÌ„ce with what cleannes of conscience sholdest thou lyue what bitternes sholdest thou then finde in those thinges which nowe doe seeme so sweete vnto thee and how warelie then woldest thou walke in the way of this miserable lyfe which thou doest nowe so inordinatlie loue At that strayte passage of death shalt thou knowe how much it had bene better for thee to haue serued God then to haue consumed and spent out thy tyme which is so pretious a thinge in vanities and idle busines which at that tyme will doe the no good Thy frendes and kynnesfolkes thy riches temporall goodes of whiche thou makest now so greate accompte O how little good shall all these doe thee then when as a pure coÌ„scieÌ„ce at that tyme shall stand thee in better steade then to haue had the whole world vnder thyne obedience The trauayll of that hard passage with tongue cannot be expressed nor by any meanes escaped The maryner that guydeth the shippe sytteth allwayes at the stearne so must thou that wilt sayle in the tempesteous Sea of this world seeke for thy assurance in the end of thy lyfe where thou must staÌ„d as it weere at the stearne of the shipp and there by contemplation of death coÌ„sider well how thou mayest gouerne the course of thy whole lyfe Ashes doe preserue and keepe in the fire And the memorie of Ashes into which thou art to be coÌ„uerted preserueth grace Greate follie is it then for a mortall man that is daylie dying to forget death It is wisdome for euerie man to haue it allwayes in his mynde But worldlie men haue allwayes lyfe in their remembrance and put death cleane out of their mynde and yet nothing dryueth synne away from man so much as the contynuall remeÌ„braÌ„ce of death Happie is he that carrieth daylye before his eyes the remembrance of â—eath and continually disposeth hym selfe to die Happie is he that thinketh in the morning that he shall not lyue till nighte and at nighte thinketh likewyse that he shall dye before the morning come happie is he that is so prepared as death doth neuer finde him vnprepared happie is he that seeketh to be such in this lyfe as he wolde be founde when death cometh It is reason that thou sholdest beleeue the thing which thou seest dayly before thy face At all howres and tymes of thy lyfe let that dreadfull sounde of the trumpet rynge in thy eare whiche will calle â—lowd Rise vp all ye that be dead come vnto iudgment The memorie of death doth clense and purifie all that passeth through it as a strayner clenseth all the liquor that is powred into it Dryue not from thee the memorie of death which many wayes doth thee great good it maketh thee to refrayne from the reuenge of those iniures which thou thoughtest to haue reuenged And it keepeth the from the folowinge of the pleasures and vanities of this world Doe as the seruante of God ought to doe that is forget all such like vanities haue the hower of thy death fixed in thy memory to the intent that thou mayest get that true lyfe eternall whereby thou mayest lyue in blisse for euer VVHEN EACH MAN LABOVreth so earnestlie to bring any vvorldly busines to passe by some certayne tyâ—â— appoynted hym much more ought 〈◊〉 to labor earnestlie about his soules bâ—sines and doe pennance for his sinnes lyfe being so shorte and the houre of death so vncertaine CHAP. 31. VVATCHE sayth our Lord because ye knowe neyther the daye nor the houre Death being so certayne 〈◊〉 the tyme so vncertayne thou oughtest to watch coÌ„tinually for when thy lyfe is ended thoâ— canst not chauÌ„ge that state in which death did finde thee thou oughtest so to orâ—dayne euery day as though that day shoâ—â— be thy last Many doe builde houses not knowing whether they shall dwell in them after they be made Many doe make greate proâ—uision for victuall for the yere that â—â—â—eth and happely they doe not lyue to 〈◊〉 it they prepare for a lyfe which is altogyâ—ther vncertaine and haue no care of deaâ—â— which is most certayne they seeke 〈◊〉 â—ll care and diligence for that tyme which â—hey knowe not whether it shall come or â—o and be altogether necgligent in prepaâ—ing for death which they knowe shall â—urely come And seeing thou prouidest â—or vncertaine thinges with so much care â—hat is the cause that thou makest not â—rouision for death that is so certayne to â—ome It is not meete nor conuenient that â—hou sholdest leaue the certaynetie for the â—ncertainetie The dayes that we haue to lyue be vnâ—erteine and very sure it is that they must â—ll needes shortly haue an ende Neuer â—aue thou any greate care of such thinges â—s thou art vncertaine whether they shallâ—e or no But let thy care and diligence be â—o prouyde for thy selfe to prepare for â—hat houre which thou art vearie sure will â—hortlie come No man knoweth his end 〈◊〉 therefore the wyse man sayth As fishes â—e taken with the hooke and birdes with â—he net so shall synners be taken in the day of vengeance VVhen a thing is neare at â—and and certayne to come thou doest accompt of yt as of a thinge alreadie past â—hat cause is there theÌ„ but that thou sholâ—est so thinke of death also which staÌ„deth â—till readie at thy dore to lay hold on thee And to prepare for yt as for a thing rather present with thee then farre of from thee If a kinge shold gyue thee his graunte of some greate citie or towne of his kingdome And shold but allowe
and that they doe stand stocke still whilest others doe goe on a pace towards death If death doe come vpon a sodayne and doe carrye anye man awaye with hym neuer say that he playeth the traytor with hym since that he hath longe agoe proclaymed hym selfe for an open enemye to vs all And it is a playne token that he neuer meaneth to make a perfect peace that euerie day is killinge some one or other So that yf he doe take thee vnprouided the fault must needes be thyne seeing he threateneth thee daylie and thou wilt neuer beware Thou must still looke for hym and thinke of hym as of one that were present with thee and so shall he neuer catche thee like a traytor by treason If thou considerest well of death thou wilt lyue with some feare in thy lyfe They which goe throughe the fieldes when they be couered with snowe their eyes doe so dasell that they can skant see any thing when they be entred into their house and therefore were it greate perill for them to come into any place where daunger were Euen so the glisteringe brightnes of this worldlie prosperitie doth so dymme the eyes of worldlie men that haue passed through it that when they once enter into the nexte lyfe through the passage of death they can see nothing but blindly runne into the pit of perdition Into such confusion doe these worldlings runne through their ouermuch delighting in worldly pleasures and the little consideration of their owne estates and conditions and no maruayle is it that they doe then feele pouertie which lyued before in welth ouer wantonly and that they doe taste of sorowe after they be deade which in their lyfe tooke all their fill of pleasure and worldly vanitie It is but meete that he which in his lyfe forgetteth him selfe sholde when he dyeth forget God also at that tyme the worldly man can haue no full sighte of his owne saluation by reason of the glistering lighte of this false deceyuable worlde which doth so dimme his eyes The remedy that such a one hath is first to sit without at the dore of his house and there looke well about him and settle firmelie his eye sight agayne And when he hath shaken of the dymnes of his sight whiche the earnest beholdinge of those shyning visible thinges did dasell his eyes withall then may he safelie enter into his house neuer indaunger him selfe at all After this manner in this lyfe must thou behold death considering what the glorie of this worlde is worth and the vayne honors and riches thereof Elias stode at the dore of his little cabine where he did still meditate and contemplate vpon celestiall thinges And here in the contemplation of death shalt thou see like an other Elias how the furie of gods wrath doth consume all these worldlie thinges and bringeth them to an end And here shalt thou further see allso as Elias did how that God is not in the flamynge fire of these disordinate desires of the world neyther in the honors nor the statelie dignities thereof The fire and the wynde allso passed away a pace before Elias and so doe all worldlie honors pleasure and prosperitie passe away in hast and doe neuer stay Thinke earnestlie on death and consider the vanities of this lyfe that by the despisinge of this short and deceyuable lyfe thou mayest get the eternall and true happie lyfe HOVV GOD SENDETH tribulation vnto man to conquer pryde in hym vvhich is the begynnynge and roote of all his miserie and doth accompany hym that is subiect vnto it i◠〈◊〉 his actions and thoughtes CHAP. 34. ALL that is in the worâ—â— sayth Saincte Iohn eythâ—â— it is the desire or longing 〈◊〉 the eies or the concupisceÌ„â—â— of the flesh or pride of lyfâ— These be the three square battailes wiâ—â— the which the world doth fight against vâ— These be the three armyes that the Chaldeans made for the ouerthrowing of hoâ—y Iob. VVith honors riches and with pleaâ—sures doth the worlde assaulte all thosâ— which are borne to be souldiers in thâ— fielde of this lyfe but pride amongest thâ— reste doth rush in with most violence anâ— indaunger most the soule of man For thâ— roote of all euil is pride saith the wise maâ— If thou wilt gyue thy selfe vnto God flie from the pride of the harte for Goâ— resisteth the prowde harted and vnto thâ— humble doth he gyue his grace Thâ— waters of gods grace doe passe away froâ— â—he mountaynes of the vayne and highe mynded people and doth runne into the valleys of them that be humble and meeke spirited Doe but consider who thou art and â—hou shalt see how little cause thou hast to â—e proude Thou shalt finde thy concepâ—ion to be synne thy birth miserie thy â—yfe payne and thy death anguysh and torâ—ent Almightie God to tame and subdue â—y pride withall hath so ordeyned that â—â—ou sholdest be vexed here in this lyfe â—ith the most vyle and simple creatures of â—is making such as he sent to plague the â—giptians withall as gnattes and frogges â—â—d other small vermyne to the end that â—â—ou mightest knowe how much without 〈◊〉 reason thou arte proude when thou art â—biect to the molestation and offence of 〈◊〉 small and simple thinges Doe not thou proudelie esteeme and â—ake accompte of thy vertues by compaâ—â—ng and conferring them with the defects 〈◊〉 faultes of other men but humblie looke â—â—on thyne owne defectes and consider â—ithall the vertues of thy neighbours If â—â—ou doest lay thyne owne faultes before â—â—yne eyes and the vertues of thy neighâ—â—urs withall thou shalt happelie fynde â—y selfe to be a synner thy neighbour Saincte Be not like vnto the proude â—arisâ—y that reckened vp his owne verâ—es and the Publicans faultes Tell rather thyne owne faultes let other men haâ— the care to tell of thy vertues Be not proude nor highe mynded lest thou doe falle into the most rigorouâ— punnyshement of God for the same Moâ—â— is waxen proude sayth God Thou hast not in thee whereof to be proude but rather deseruest shame and confusion Looke a little into thy selfe and beholde within thee what thou art Thou arteâ— vyle woorme of the earth and a deâ—â—â— full of filth and abhomination Remember that thou art but earth shalt turne into Ashes Moyses threw vp ashes into the ayre and ther folowed after it a greaâ—â— plague amongest the Egiptians And yâ— thou being but ashes doest lifte vp and extol thy selfe by pride thou shalt be puâ—â—nished also as they were Because that Naâ—buchodonoser did aduaunce hym selfe by pride he was depriued of his kingdome Thou canst not by any faulte so much resemble the deuill as by pride The deâ—uill hath a particuler domynion ouer thâ— proude man accordinge to the sayinge oâ— Iob. There is he prince ouer the childreâ— of pride To cure this greate sinne of pridâ— God hym selfe came humblie hether 〈◊〉 the earth Pride is the begynninge of eueriâ—
way to finde that comforte which thy soule seeketh after VVhen temporall goodes be once gotten they be but little esteemed but thinges eternall which be gotten with lesse trauayle then the other be much esteemed because they gyue perfecte contentment All the tyme that Iacob continued in Labans house he neuer had any thing but displeasures and disquyetnes but as soone as he was gone from him he met strayght way with an whole hoste of angels They which doe serue the worlde neuer finde out any thing but trouble and trauayle as Iacob did when he serued Laban therefore the seruant of Iesus Christ ought to turne towarde his fathers house which is God him selfe and there shall he finde diuine consolations as in all mischeefes the remedie that we haue is to goe out of them the same way that we came into the so the remedie to make vs perfecte is to returne thether from whence we were departed and it is naturall for euery thing to returne vnto that from whence it firste came in this consisteth our perfection The bull when he is well bayted in the market place goeth ouer out agayne at the same dore that he came in at for naturall instincte did teach him to seeke to auoyde daunger the same way he entred into it and thou when thou arte well bayted and hunted vp and downe here in the worlde endeuor thou to goe out agayne the very same way that thou camest in for it is the onely remedie to get perfection of blisse to enter thether agayne from whence we firste departed God being then the onely beginning from whence all our good proceedeth since euery good and perfecte gyfte proceedeth from aboue as S Iames sayeth If thou wilt finde rest and true ioye it is necessarie for thee to turne thee vnto god Nothinge doth at any tyme receyue the perfection of his owne nature vnlesse it be reduced to the generall originall of the same And because that God is the generall originall from whence all our good proceedeth therefore desireth our soule so earnestly after god because that getting once hym he getteth all that is good for all that is good eyther it is God hym selfe or els it cometh from God VVhen a greate worldly Prince goeth â—o make his abidinge in a countrie that is â—ut barrayne and poore yet all maner of victuals be founde there aboundantlie â—nd when he departeth thence agayne it â—hall remayne barrayne poore as it was before So wheÌ„ God abideth in our soule euerie good thing is there aboundantlie â—nd when he departeth thence agayne it â—axeth all barrayne and drie VVith gods presence all good thinges doe come to â—hee and in hym shalt thou finde rest and â—ut of hym there is nothinge but trouble â—nd disquietnes The Egyptians had amonge them for â—ne of their plagues the busy vnquiet â—iâ—s which be the troublesome cares of â—he minde but Israell which is the true people of God had the sweete Sabaoth of â—est and pleasure It is a greate torment to burne in the desire of earthlie thinges and greete comforte it is not to haue any longinge after any thinge in this worlde He onlie thâ—â— hath his sure hold fast vpon god almightie is merie and ioyfull whilest other lyue iâ— in torment and heauines THERE IS NO TRVST TO be had in thinges of this vvorlde fâ—â— at our most neede they be gone avvâ—â— from vs onlie God is to be loued aâ—â— in hym is our trust to be placed for â—â— neuer forsaketh them that trust in hym but is alvvayes a readie helpe for thâ—â— in all their afflictions CHAP. 5. TRVST in God and doe wâ—â— sayth the Prophet Aâ—â— thinges that be created dâ—â— fayle vs at our most needâ—â— and for that cause it is vaâ—itie to put any trust in them If thou doest trust in men thou shalt ofteâ— be deceyued After good seruice thâ—â— gyue but sclender rewardes yf thou do eâ—trust in them thou shalt finde discomforâ—â— thereby for it is written cursed is he thâ—â— putteth his trust in man Trust not in princes nor in the sonnes of men in which there is no saluation saith Dauid the Prophet Amon did put greate â—onfidence in the fauor that he founde â—t kinge Assuerus hand but at last he came â—hereby vnto a miserable end They that â—yue in most fauor of the world they commonlie loose all their fauor agayne at the â—â—st and they which were most beloued â—ecame to be after as much hated accorâ—ing to the common course of the worlde â—he world doth alwayes turne aboute â—â—oughe a man were so fortunate to conâ—â—nue all his lyfe in good grace and fauor â—hat good will that doe hym when death â—â—meth and catcheth hym Thinke not â—â—ou to haue any sure stay in a staffe that made of reede no better trust is there 〈◊〉 be had in any mortall man In the psalme it is written happie is 〈◊〉 that putteth his trust in our Lorde hapâ—â—e is he that loueth God with his whole â—â—rt and putteth his trust in hym for he â—â—il deliuer him in the time of his distresse â—â—t because that true hope is founded â—â—on a good conscieÌ„ce the Prophet saith â—â—at he sholde not onlie trust in God but â—â—so doe well The hope of the wicked sayth the â—yse man shall perish because it is not â—â—unded vpon good workes They lyue â—â—delie and yet hope that God will gyue â—â—em glorie If thou hopest that God will â—â—ue thee his blisse when thou daily offendest him it is rather rashe presumption iâ— thee then any well ordered hope Trusâ— thou in God for in fulfillinge on thy part that which longeth vnto thee God of hâ—â— infinite mercie will not fayle to gyue theâ— glorie since he neuer forsaketh them thâ—â— doe put their trust in hym Salomon sayth of a diligent Christiaâ— thus He putteth his handes vnto strongâ— labors his fingers haue not refused thâ— spindell Vpon the distaffe doth remayâ—â— that which is to be sponne and that whicâ— is alreadie sponne is vpon the spindâ—â— and so that which wee haue labored foâ— and trauailed to get is now vpon the spiâ—â—dle and that which hangeth still on thâ— distaffe remayneth yet to be wrought anâ— labored He setteth his fingers to the spiâ—â—dle that trusteth in God vpon that whicâ— he hath done alreadie and he taketh thâ— distafe in hand that is in good hope vpoâ— that which is yet to be done It is a verye vayne thinge for thee 〈◊〉 leade an euill lyfe and then to truste vpoâ— pennance to be made after at leasure wâ—â—â— thou knowest not surely whether thâ—â— shalte lyue vntill to morowe These haâ—â— in their handes their distafes whereâ—â— hangeth that which they haue to workâ— which they neuer goe aboute to make aâ— ende of Thou oughtest by and by to reformâ—â— thy lyfe and to haue good hope that Goâ— will gyue thee of his glory since it is 〈◊〉 sure that he neuer denieth it to any which
doe that which he commaundeth So in fulfilling of the commauÌ„dements of God â—hou mayest make full accompte that he will gyue him selfe vnto thee to the ende â—hat by thine enioying of him thou maiest â—lwayes be happie Trust alwayes in God sayeth the scripture and he will delyuer â—hee from all thy temptations saying by â—he mouth of SalomoÌ„ That he is the shild â—f them that put their trust in him Dauid â—ut his truste in God and he was holpen Happie is he that putteth his trust in God and feareth nothing the malice of men Happie is he that had no feare in his mynde neyther fell from his hope at all Happie is he whose strength is God hym â—elfe for in the tyme of tribulation his â—ope shall not be vayne Ecclesiasticus â—aith coÌ„sider o ye mortall men and knowe 〈◊〉 for certaine that neuer any trusted in â—ur Lorde and was confounded nor perseuered in his commaundemeÌ„tes and was forsaken The sicke man hath good cause to trust â—n that Phisition for his health that cureth â—ll disseases Our Lord saith the Prophet is he which healeth all thy sickenes and saueth thy lyfe from death He is neare vnto all those that call vpon hym AS GOD DOTH IN GOODnes exceede all other thinges so ought man to loue hym incomparablie abouâ— all other thinges vvhich yf they haue any iote of goodnes in them they haue it by participation of some peece of gods infinite goodnes CHAP. 6. THOV shalt loue God with all thyne hart with all thy soule and with all thy force sayth our Lord for it sufficeth not to tell thee onelie of the daungerous way of the worlde which thou must forsake but also to instruct thee withall of the good way that thou hast to folowe in hating the vanities of this world Place thy loue in God onlie with out louing thou canst not lyue And seeing then that thou must needes loue bestowe thy loue there where thou mayest fynde most sweetnes delighte Thou oughtest not to commyt so great an offence against the high maiestie of God as to cople together his deuine loue with the loue of these most base and beggerlie thinges of the world As God doth infinitelie exceede all 〈◊〉 creatures so ought our loue to hym â—â—comparablie exceede the loue of all â—â—her thinges VVho ought to gather the â—â—â—te but he that planted the tree sayth â—â—e Apostle VVho planteth a Vyne and â—â—th not of the fruyte thereof And â—â—om oughtest thou to loue but him that â—â—de thee able to loue In hym alone â—â—ghtest thou to put thy loue of whome â—â—ou receyuedst thy power to loue Fly â—â—e corruption of the world make not thy â—â—rt thrawle to the vanitie thereof Take â—â—e loue of God for thy refuge defence This is the verie mountayne that God â—â—d Lot to saue hym selfe aâ— vnlesse he â—â—â—d be burned vp with the fire of Soâ—â—me So thou O Christian soule flie â—â—om the maledictioÌ„ of this world vnlesse â—â—ou wilt be burned vp in the flame of â—orldlie passions Nothing will so easelie make thee 〈◊〉 despise the vanitie of the world as the â—â—ne of God And because thy harte was â—uer throughlie towched with the fire of â—â—ds loue thereof groweth it that thou art â—llen so in loue and hast so great a sauour 〈◊〉 the corruptible goodes of this vnâ—â—ppie worlde All the troubles and cares â—â—at thou arte vexed with proceede hereâ—â— that thou louest not God as thou â—ughtest to doe O that thou mightest but taste a little of â—â—e sweetenes of gods spirite O how easelie woldest thou then despise that whicâ— thou now settest so much by Thou shoâ—â—â—dest not then haue so many cares for vnâ—â— the seruante of God one care is sufficieâ—â— The nature and propertie of loâ—â— is to haue no care aboute any thing 〈◊〉 that which he loueth That is well â—â—â—fied here in this worldly loue where 〈◊〉 shall often see that some one man for 〈◊〉 obteynynge of that thinge which he â—â—â—nestlie loueth maketh no reckenynge 〈◊〉 eyther goodes honor or fame and ofâ—â—â—tymes hasardeth his lyfe therefore 〈◊〉 He putteth all thinges in adueÌ„ture to haâ—â— his will He forgetteth him selfe and eueâ— other thinge for that whiche he deareâ—â— loueth Now yf this fond loue of thingâ— so little woorth the louinge be of suâ—â— force that it taketh from a man the louâ—â— the care of euerie other thing how muâ—â— more shold the loue of God make hym 〈◊〉 be free from all other care eyther of hyâ— selfe or any thing els These superfluous cares which thoâ— takest and the much caring for thy selfâ— maketh it to appeare playne that thoâ— louest not God at all For yf thou diddeâ—â— loue God the onlie care that thou sholdeâ—â— haue aboute the seruing of hym woldeâ—â— occupie thee that thou sholdest haue 〈◊〉 tyme left to bestowe in louing any thing beside hym After this manner did the old father in tyme past transfourme them selueâ— â—nto God that they forget them selues â—ll other worldlie thinges so as they were â—eputed of worldlie men to be no better â—hen careles Idiotes vtterlie voyde of reason and sense Let it be thy principall exercyse to â—ake thyne accompte with God and with thyne owne soule so as yf there were â—ot any other thinge in the world for thee â—o doe besydes Thou oughtest to loue God so as yf it might be possible thou â—oldest forget thy selfe in such sorte as â—â—at thou mightest trulie say as the Apoâ—â—le did I lyue not but Iesus Christ liueth 〈◊〉 me Loue not the thinges of this world â—o as to make them the end of thy loue â—ynce all that thou canst loue in this world â—hou shalt fynde to be much more perâ—ectlie in God then in the worlde If thou â—oest loue any thinge because it is bewtiâ—ull why doest not thou loue God who is â—he fountaine of all bewtie And yf goodâ—es be the thinge that our will is fixed on who is better then God There is none good but God alone in his owne nature substance The goodnes of a creature is so farre forth good as it doth participate with some droppe of that greate Sea of gods infinite goodnes Now yf thou doest so much loue any creature for some shew of goodnes that thou perceyuest therein althoughe there be in deede infinite imperfections in it why doest not thou loue God who is essentiallie good of hym selfe and the perfection of all goodnes The lesse materiall substance that there is in bodies so much lighter they be and so much the better disposed to ascend vpward Therefore yf our soules be laden with the loue of earthlie thinges they shall the lesse be able to ascend vp by charitie to God There is perfect loue where there is no disordinate passion and he that doth perfectlie loue God will nothing esteeme the vanities of the earth THE LOVE OF THY NEIGHbour is so ioyned vnto the loue of God that it is vnpossible
yet sitting â—uyetlie in a chayre in his owne house he â—â—ll and brake his necke So little suertie â—s theâ—e any where to be founde The sleepe which thou takest for thy cheefest quyet and repose is full of false â—maginatioÌ„s and vayne dreames whereby â—hou art often tymes molested It is an â—nmeasurable blindnes and A vearie exâ—reeme follie to loue this vyle miserable world so full of many miseries where yf â—ny good be it is myngled with infirmitie sorowes and calamities which are to those that take delight therein the vearie begynninges of the perpetuall greate miseries and paines of hell It is an easier thing to suffer any miserie then still to looke for yt and expect it And seeing that thou lookest euerie day for the senteÌ„ce of death thou must needes perceyue thereby the miserie of this preâ—ent lyfe which thou now enioyest So in scripture this lyfe is not properlie called lyfe nor this corporall death is called death but sleepe God ordeyned that this lyfe shold be so paynefull to the end that thou mightest take a loue to the other lyfe which is to come Consider how this lyfe was gyuen thee as it were a shippe for to carry thee like a trauayllour throughe the tempesteous seas of this worlde wherein thou wert to endure many daungers to the intent that thou mightest more earnestlie desire the other lyfe which is the sure harborowgh and glorious hauen of heauen If this lyfe shold haue bene all prosperous pleasant it wold so haue drawâ—â— a man to the loue and likinge thereof that he wold quyte haue forgotten the veariâ— true lyfe for the which he was in deedâ— created But the miseries which thou sufferest and the difficulties which thou endurest and arâ— compassed aboute withall doe inuite thee to the loue of heauen The paynes which thou abidest here coÌ„pell thee to make haste vnto God The afflictions which thou doest here suffer what doe they seeme to crye and calle vpon thee but that thou sholdest not loue this miserable lyfe Cast not the ancker of thyne harte vpon such moueable and vncertayne coÌ„modities as this lyfe bringeth forth It is for thy benfite that God doeth compasse thee aboute with so many miseries to the end that thou sholdest keepe in memorie and haue alwayes in thy mynde that this is not the lyfe which thou wast created for Here art thou made subiect to contynuall contention trouble to the end that by thy conqueringe of them thou mayest get a crowne of glorie He wold haue that this lyfe shold be paynefull vnto thee and full of busines for asmuch as thou being by nature a frend and a louer of rest and quyetnes thou sholdest take pleasure and delighte in the true rest of heauen IT IS NOT SVFFICIENT onlie to knovve that there is a God but requisite also for vs to vnderstande all such particularities as his deuine Maiestie vvill gyue vs leaue to knovve CHAP. 15. MYNE eyes doe now beholde thee and I doe pennance in ashes sayth holie Iob vnto God Synce thou wast made to knowe God open thyne eyes to the end thou mayest know hym Of the knowledge of God cometh the knowledge of thy selfe and by the knowing of thy selfe groweth the knowledge of God and therefore sayed Iob Myne eyes doe beholde thee and for that cause in ashes I will doe pennance By thy knowing God thou arte moued to reuerence him and if thou knowest him not thou doest aâ— he doeth that passeth by a greate Prince and for wante of knowing him passeth by him without any reuerence gyuen him The poore country man meeteth with the King in the fielde and talketh with him and doth no duetie vnto him because he knoweth him not Marueile not that the holy men of old time did so humble them selues when they came before the presence of God for they knew him to be the Kinge of heauen and therefore they fell flatte prostrate on the grounde before him and doe thou most hartely pray vnto God with teares that he will gyue thee the grace to know thy selfe Doe not thou deceyue thy selfe by thinking that thou doest fully know God when thou doest but knowe onely that â—here is a God and beleeuest that which holy Church beleeueth A rude rusticall â—heepeheard that neuer wente further then his flocke and his sheepe cote may haue 〈◊〉 certayne grosse knowledge of the kinge when he heareth other men reporte of him that he is rich and mightie and hath â—ower to punnish others whereby he conceyueth some reuerence ought to be gyuen him If thou doest know no more but that he is God thou wilte make but small accompte of him but thou must knowe also that it is he which doth minister iustice and that doth punnish thee when thou offendest to the ende thou maiest feare him â—hou must knowe his great mercyes to the â—ntent thou mayest put thy confidence in â—hem thou must learne to know the great â—reasures which he hath in store for his frendes that thou mayest thereby the rather fullfill his will Thou must further also consider his great goodnes that without any merite or desert of thyne or without any neede that him selfe had of thee came of his owne voluntarie good will to seeke thee and with his infinite greefe and paynes to redeeme thee because he did so dearely loue thee Consider also his greate power his wisdome and his infinite greatnes by all which thou mayest gather occasion to reuerence him to feare him and to serue him If thou beleeuest God to be good seeke with all diligence after that goodnes and all that which thou knowest to be in him God wolde not haue any other beastâ— offred vp in sacrifice to him then such aâ— did ruminate or chue their cudde which is mente by such men as doe contiÌ„nually meditate in their minde and reuolue by contemplation the perticularities of such thinges as God hath created that by those meanes they may come to the more perticuler vnderstanding and distinct knowledge of our Lorde Labour to knowe thy God and thy Lord. It is written that the eyes of a wyse man doe stand in his head VVhich is not ment by the bodely eyes for both the eyes of the wyse man and of the foole too doe stand in their head but it is ment by the eyes of our vnderstanding which the wyse man hath alwayes fast fixed in that head â—hich is by the Apostle sayde to be Iesus â—hrist hym selfe VVilt thou know who God is beâ—olde who thou art by hym and beholde â—ho he is by thy selfe Thou must take â—way the earth whiche the loue of the â—orld hath set before the eyes of thyne â—nderstandinge yf thou wilt knowe him Before that God made hym selfe â—nowen vnto Moyses he commaunded â—ym to plucke of his shoes God will neuer â—t thee knowe who he is except thou first â—emoue away from thee all thy worldlie â—ffections VVhen our redeemer did reueale his â—lorie vnto his
thou mayest easelie woodâ—â— well and therefore doe thou neuer ceaâ—â— laboringe to doe well The Apostle sayth let vs neuer 〈◊〉 slow nor slacke in well doinge for in tyâ—â— to come wee shall gather the fruit thereâ—â— It is not good then to leaue the doinge 〈◊〉 good deedes for althoughe thou meritâ—â— not heauen by thy good deedes presentâ—â— done without the state of grace yet mâ—â— thou not faynte in the doinge of them 〈◊〉 the tyme will come when thou shalt haâ—â— chaunged the state of thy lyfe that thâ— wilt reioyce of the doinge of them Christ passing by a figge tree becaâ—â— it had no fruyte vpon it he cursed it anâ— strayght way it withered away And albeâ—it it was not then the tyme of bearinâ— fruite yet for all that he gaue it his curâ—â— God knoweth well that when man is 〈◊〉 sinne it is not his tyme of bearinge fruyâ—â— â—hich be the meritorious woorkes of â—â—ernall lyfe yet will he neuerthelesse that â—e sholde doe them This is to be vnderâ—â—ode in Christes cursinge of the figge tree 〈◊〉 that tyme that man ought neuer to be â—nfurnished of good deedes at any tyme. God wolde not that any vncleane beast â—â—olde be offred to him in sacrifice and â—et he wolde not haue the beast cast away â—ut commaunded to haue it solde away â—â—d onely the pryce thereof offred vnto â—im The workes that be wroughte in â—â—nne out of the state of grace although â—â—at they be morally good yet are they but â—â—ke vnto the vncleane beast and God reâ—eyueth not the worke but onely the price â—â—ereof being willinge that thou sholdest â—xercyse thy selfe in good workes to the â—â—tent that by custome of doing them and â—y the fulfilling of his commaundementes â—hich thou arte bounde vnto God may â—ccepte those workes after in their due â—â—me although that presently those works â—oe merite nothing That Doctor of the lawe which deâ—aunded of Christ which was the greatest â—ommaundement of the lawe although â—â—at he asked it of him to tempt him withâ—ll and of an euill intent yet in as much â—s the demaunde was good he deserued â—y it to haue this much lighte gyuen him â—t Godes hande that he tolde him he was â—ot farre of from the kingdome of God â—or although that thou meritest not glory yet doest thou merite temporall benefites thereby and that the deuill hath the lesse power to doe thee harme therefore it 〈◊〉 good at all tymes that thou sholdest exerâ—cyse thy selfe in doing of good deedes frâ—â— some good by them will redounde vnto thee at the last THE REVVARD OF ETERnall lyfe is not gyuen vnto them thâ—â— beginne to doe vvell and after leaue it of agayne but they are onely crovvneâ— vvith euerlastinge glorie vvhich doâ—â— perseuer therein vnto the ende CHAP. 33. HE that perseuereth vnto the ende shal be saued sayth Iesus Christ. Maâ—â— beginne with vertue but fewe attayne to the endâ— of it It profiteth thoâ— nothinge to haue begonne well yf thoâ— doest leaue it of agayne Take away perseuerance and thy vertue shall haue no reward nor thy good woorke any merite Some doe begynne well and for thaâ— they continue not in it they doe not onely loose the merite of their woorke but also â—â—serue to be punnyshed The frendes of Iob beganne well in â—â—uing of hym comfort and contynued in â—euen dayes together who because that â—â—ey perseuered not in that good woorke â—â—ey deserued punnishement at gods hand The begynnynge of Saule was good â—â—â—t because he perseuered not therein he â—â—ed and euill death If thou doest despise â—â—e vanitie of the worlde worldlie men â—â—ll begynne to persecute thee Returne â—â—â—t agayne to that which thou hast once â—â—ft and quyte forsaken Many haue had the world in contempt â—â—d yet because they haue returned and â—â—oked backe to the worlde agayne like â—â—tts wife that looked backe towarde Soâ—â—me they haue receiued their punnisheâ—ent therefore and doe nowe burne in â—ll for euer Many are nowe in hell that once desâ—sed the vanities of the worlde but they â—â—rseuered not therein And our goostlie â—â—emy the deuill careth not howe well â—â—ou begynnest so that thou perseuerest â—â—â—t therein Labor to continue in the good â—â—â—y wherein thou hast begonne and conâ—â—â—ue on thy course if thou doest thinke â—â—wynne the victorie Be faithfull vnto 〈◊〉 death and thou shalt get the crowne of â—â—fe In the border of the cheefe Priestes â—â—sture there were wroughte certeyne â—â—und gernetts which stoode betwixâ—â— the litle belles of golde that hange at the 〈◊〉 of the vesture Of all the fruit that groâ—â—eth onely the pounegarnet hath a crowâ— in the toppe the which because it is 〈◊〉 rewarde of vertue is placed amonge gâ—â— workes which are signified by the 〈◊〉 belles of golde they are not set in 〈◊〉 highest parte nor in the middest of 〈◊〉 garmente because they are not gyuen vâ—â—to those that beginne well nor vnto thâ—â— that doe come vnto the middest of thâ— worke but they are set in the ende or loâ—â—â—est parte of the vesture because they oâ—â—â—â— shall receyue the crowne that doe coâ—â—â—â—nue vnto the later ende The tree that is often remoued â—â—â—uer taketh any sure rooting and if thâ—â— doest chaunge and alter thy course 〈◊〉 doest not continue in that thou haste 〈◊〉 begonne thou shalte neuer bring forth â—â—â—ny fruite of vertue By the frequenting good workes and the multiplyeng of vâ—â—â—tuous deedes the very habite of verâ—â— is fully grounded in thee Is there any thinge better then Goâ— that thou wilte leaue the seruice of hyâ— for any other thinge Salomon sayth thâ—â— the wise man perseuereth and abideth 〈◊〉 his wisdome firmelie like vnto the sonnâ— but the foole chaungeth still lyke 〈◊〉 moone Be not thou moued at euery winâ—â— The birdes wold haue troubled Abâ—â—â—ham in the offerringe of sacrifice to Goâ— almightie but Abraham wold not leaueâ— his sacrifice for any trouble that they cold gyue him If thou doest gyue thy selfe vnto prayer take heede that thou be not moâ—ested with busie and importante cares which will annoy thee and trouble thee as the birdes troubled Abraham but thou must dryue them away from thee and conâ—inue earnest in that which thou goest aâ—out for what good doeth it to take great matters in hande and bringe none of them â—o a good ende Spende not all thy lyfe in â—eginning to doe well for feare lest death â—ome vpon thee and finde thee idle and â—ut of the way In the psalme it is written Man passeth â—way lyke an image A paynted image of a man that is made sitting in a chayre gyueth 〈◊〉 shew to the eye as though it wolde rise â—tande vp but it neuer standeth it seemeth â—s though it wolde goe but it neuer goeth And so playeth many a man that is often â—etermining to draw toward God but yet â—e goeth not to him at all he maketh maâ—y profers of going and yet standeth still when he sholde goe
it most of all The true peace of harte is neuer obteyned by the louers of this world Loue God and thou shalt haue lyfe Deny thy selfe and thou shalt haue the true peace But who is he that getteth perfect peace in deede He that is humble and lowlie of harte Purge thyne harte from all malice and thou shalte haue the true and happie peace Learne to conquer thy selfe in euerie thinge thou shalt haue the inward peace of the mynde Breake of thy disordinate appetites take away thy vayne desires and dryue from thee the vnsatiable loue of the world then shalte thou lyue at peace and quyetnes No man shall then trouble the nothinge shall molest the but thou shalt enioye the sweetenes of spirite find euen Paradice here vpoÌ„ the earth Nothinge can happen vnto a iust man that may gyue hym any perturbatioÌ„ Thine owne proper passions be they that make warre agaynste thee And when thine enemyes be within thee why coÌ„pleinest thou of those that are without thee A greate Lorde is he that can coÌ„maunde hym selfe The dominioÌ„ of our owne will is of wonderfull power effect may doe more theÌ„ all the kings Emperours of the earth who can by no meanes make their enemyes their frendes as your will can doe being disposed therevnto in subiectinge our vnrulie appetites vnto the sweete rule of reason The vearie cause why iniuries â—duersities and all kynde of other tribuâ—atioÌ„s annoy thee so much is because thou â—oest seeke how to flie awaye from them to escape them Thou proclaymest open â—arre against them accoÌ„ptest theim for â—hy enemyes whiche causeth them to â—orke the al thee displeasure they can But â—f thou faule in league with them and â—egynnest once to loue them they that â—efore did gyue thee muche trouble will â—fter gyue thee as much comforte Sainte Andrew reioyced in his Crosse that glorious father Sainte FraÌ„cis called â—nfirmities his sisters whereby we may see â—ow these and other holye men reioyced â—n those tribulations which doe so muche â—ffeÌ„d thee They loued that which thou so â—uch hatest And doe thou loue that which â—hey loued synce it lyeth in thy power â—hou shalt theÌ„ find coÌ„fort in thy tribulatioÌ„s â—s they did If in suffering tribulatioÌ„s thou â—indest the payne greuous vnto the compleine not of theÌ„ that persequute thee but â—ather of thy selfe who hauing free libertie â—n the to loue persequutioÌ„ wilt not loue it Thou must conforme thy selfe to Iesus Christ and loue his Crosse and Passion Resigne thy selfe wholie to hym and loue that wihche he loueth and then shalt thou finde coÌ„forte sweetenes in those thinges whiche now thou takest to be vnsauorie Enter into thy selfe and destroy within thee all thy passions and worldlie desires and thou shalt not haue cause to coÌ„pleyne against any man And yf any thinge seemâ— greeuous vnto the make the reuenge vpâ—â— thine enemyes within thee that doe affliâ—â— thee and neuer compleyne of those enemies which are without thee since they caÌ„not hurt thee but by thyne owne consent Like as the moth bred in the cloath coÌ„sumeth the selfe same cloth wherein hâ— breâ—deth And in like maner the woormâ— eateth vp the wood which broughte hyâ— furth ingendred hym euen so these heâ—â—uie cares whiche so much aggreeue thynâ— harte growe in thee of thyne owne concupiscence They take their norishement iâ— thee at last doe coÌ„sume thee playeng thâ— vypers with thee which eate their way owâ— of their mothers belly which bread them Oh in what peace shouldest thou rest 〈◊〉 thou wert verelie mortefied Trew is thâ— sentence whiche sayth That no man is huâ—â— but by hym selfe The greatest enemy which thow hast iâ— thy selfe All that is good in thee consisteth in the vertue of thy mynde to whiche nâ— man can doe harme allthowghe he takâ— away libertie honour or riches And persequutions doe not onlie noâ— hurt thee but also gyue matter of merite Now yf the glorie of a christian be the crosse of Iesus Christ imbrace it and theâ— shall none trouble thee nor hurte thee buâ— thou shalt obteyne the true rest and quietnes of mynde and lyue euer after contentedlie and peaceablie â—Y THE LYFE AND DEATH of our Sauiour Iesus Christ it is plainly perceyued vvhether the honour and riches of this vvorld ovvght to be esteemed or no VVho being hym selfe vearie true god both by his example and doctrine teacheth vs vvhich vvaye they haue to take vvhich desire to goe the streight and direct vvay CHAP. 3. BE ye folowers of Iesus Christ as his welbeloued children sayth the Apostle let all thy labour and studie be to conforme thy lyfe to â—he lyfe of our sauiour If wee had no other reason for to coÌ„demne the vanities of the world with all yet the lyfe of Iesus Christ and the example which he gaue vs here in earth were sufficient alone to confounde all Chistians with all It were shame for vs to lyue in pleasure and delight our great captayne Ioab liâ—ing in great daunger and ignominie There is not any souldier which seeth his captayne die before his face but that he will willinglie also put hym selfe to the daunger of death forgetting all his former pleasures and delightes If thou seeke for honour when thou seest thy Captayne generall lyue alltogether without honour iâ— is a greate token that thou arte not of his bande And sithence thou reputest thy selfe for a Christian thou maiest well be asshamed to seeke after the loue of suche vanities as the infidelles delight in Many be they which call them selues Christians but there be but few of those whiche folowe the lyfe of Christ in deede in name they agree all together but in conuersation and behauiour they be verie farr coÌ„trarie If the lyues of many Christians were tried and compared together with the lyfe of our redeemer as the woorkemaÌ„ tryeth his woorke by a lyne to finde out the crokednes thereof It would soone appeare veary manifest how much our hartes were gone away froÌ„ the true leuell in the which God did once rightlie settle vs towardes the loue of those thinges whiche he would haue vs to despice and contemne VVhome thinkest thou to knowe more God or the world Now if thou thinkest that God knoweth more Behould how he chooseth pouertie and a moste base kynde of lyfe And this suffiseth for thee to know how much thy lyfe is out of square Thou goest cleane wyde from the true pathe oâ— heauen yf thou doest disordinatlye seekâ— after the honours riches of this world If the worlde had bene good and thâ— â—onours riches thereof profitable our holie redeemer woulde neuer haue commaunded his disciples to despise them In â—he litle esteemynge of hym selfe whilest â—e liued here and in the greate austeritie â—f his owne lyfe our Lorde did teach vs â—ow litle wee ought to make accompte of â—hese worldlie thinges The hard maunger in whiche he was â—yed after his
that all men â—â—ould sounde furth thy prayses with one â—â—outh If thou beinge a vessell full of all â—â—etchednes iniquitie art yet of many â—â—mmended lett it not displease thee or â—â—eeue thee that there be some agayne â—hich speake litle good of thee There is not any so good or so holie 〈◊〉 this worlde whose lyfe is of all men â—â—mmended neyther is there any mans â—â—â—orke so well iustified but that the â—â—cked will mumure at it It were a fowle â—â—our not to vse vertue in respect of any â—â—â—nge that the worlde can saye against it â—t thy lyfe be neuer so holie there will â—â—t wante some which will speake against 〈◊〉 And yf thou be so light as to be moued â—â—th all that men saye of thee thou shalt â—â—uer doe any woorke that good is The poore blinde man that sat by the â—â—ye syde at Iherico calling vpon Iesus â—â—rist to helpe him wanted not some that â—unde faulte with hym But he the more â—â—ey founde faulte with hym the more he â—â—rseuered in cawlinge vpon hym It is â—â—possible to refrayne the tonges of the â—â—cked and the malignante people Draw thou neare vnto God and folow â—â—e way of vertue and coÌ„tynue in it when â—â—ou hast begonne it not making any acâ—â—mpte of the wordes of idle felowes â—hich haue no other busines but to glose â—â—on other mens intentions and to interâ—â—ete amisse of their neighbours doinges It were a readie waye for thee to makâ— thee to loose thy wittes yf thou shouldeâ—â— gyue eare and make accompte of all thaâ— the people talketh Endeuour thy selfe contynuallie to please God and to fullfiâ—â— his will for all the rest is but vanitie anâ— affliction of mynde LET EVERIE ONE LABOVâ— to doe good onelie to please God vvitâ— all and not for the desire of vvorldliâ— prayse yf he looke to be revvarded foâ— his vvell doinge CHAP. 9. BEVVARE that you doe noâ— your woorkes sayeth ouâ— Lorde to the intent to be seene of meÌ„ And allthoughâ— our Sauiour saieth likewyse in another place Let youâ— light so shyne before men that they mayâ— see your good woorkes yet was it not hiâ— will for all that wee shoulde seeke ouâ— owne prayse but the glorie and honouâ— of God And therefore he added sayingeâ— to the intent that they maye glorifie youâ— father which is in heauen He that doth 〈◊〉 good woorke because he would be prayâ—sed for the doinge of it seeketh not goâ—â— â—lorie but his owne God doth not prohibite vs to doe good â—penlie but he would that our intention â—houlde be secret He commaundeth thee â—ot to seeke thyne owne prayse but in the â—ood whiche thou shalt doe to seeke to â—lease hym If thou commit the treasour of thy â—oorkes to an other mans mouth It is theÌ„â—o longer in thine owne power eyther to â—eepe it or to loose it Keepe thyne owne â—easour thy selfe and hyde priuelie the â—â—ches of thy vertues vnlesse thou wilt let â—â—atterers spoyle thee quyte of them Kynge Ezechias because he shewed his â—â—easure to the Embassatours of the kinge â—f Babilon he was greuouslie punished â—herefore Doe not publishe abrode thy â—ood woorkes whiche thou doest lest â—hou be punnished by God for a vaine 〈◊〉 arrogant person Seeke not for the reâ—ard of thy well woorking in this world â—est thou loose thereby thy rewarde in â—eauen and that the Iudge doe saye vnto â—hee at the iudgement daye Thou hast reâ—eyued thy reward all readie Be not thou desirours to be iustified â—y men for yf thine owne conscience doe â—ccuse the what auayleth thee then their â—ayne prayses Flie from beinge praysed â—est thou be deceyued And so loose the â—erite of thy good worke Let not the prayses of men nor the faâ—ours of those whiche are mightie any thinge moue thee or delight thee for all such thinges as doe seperate thee from the cheefest felicitie of all be bothe vearie vaine and verie daungerous Of woordes make thou no accompte at all for wysemen waye more thy workes them thy wordes A good worke is praise worthie of it selfe and they that seeke after wordes shall nothinge finde at the last The vertue that is wroughte in God shall receiue reward at the hand of God If thou wilt coÌ„mit thy life vnto the mouthes of meÌ„ thou shalt neuer be quiet nor at rest amongest them for sometyme thou shalt be of good accompte amongest them and some tyme agayne thou shalt be no bodie as their fansies serue them The good and iust man is not moued with fayre woordes but seeketh all that he can to please God alone Retorne and looke into thyne owne conscieÌ„ce where thou shalte fynde recorded the vearie truth of that whiche thou art in deede There shalt thou fynde how thou arte a weake and a frayle sinner And that thou hast not longe to lyue here And when death in deede shall come then shalt thou see howe vayne the glorie of this world is how brittle is the ioye And how litle worth the prayses of men are Desire not to be in the mowthes of men for that they doe easelie deceyue with their vaine prayses the greedie and fonde folowers of this worldlie honour It is but a vayne delighte which is not founded vpon a pure and a cleane conscience As goulde is tried in the fornace so is man tried in the mowth of hym that prayseth hym The gould is pourged in the fornace and that whiche is not gould turneth into smoke and sinders So vertue being once passed throwghe the fornace of prayse yf it be false it consumeth awaye to nothinge but yf it be trew it is by praise increased If thou desire the praise of men thou hast not trew vertue in thee If thou doest exalt thy selfe by mans praises thou art not surelie vertuous Those of Babilone when they hard once the musick sounde they adored the Idoll and so doe vearie manie men hearinge them selues once praysed they falle after to the adoringe of the Idoll of vice The Manna which the Israelites did reserue for any of the weeke dayes they founde it allwayes the next daye folowing to be eaten vp with wormes But that whiche was kept for the saboth daye remayned sounde and incorrupte By this is to be vnderstode That by the weeke dayes is signified the tyme of this present lyfe And all the workes that thou doest in this worlde to be praised therefore of men are all marred and corrupted But those which thou doest lay vp in store for the greate feast of the glorious Saboth in heauen wil contynue good and sounde for thee there for the which also thou shalt receyue rewarde Laye therefore all thy woorkes vpp in store against that highe feast of glorie VVhen God commaunded that the stones of whiche the Aulters were made should not be pollished nor wrought but should remayne rude without woorkemanship he ment thereby no other thing but that the woorkes which wee shoulde doe wee should not doe them
thinges which seâ—â— for nothing but to extinguysh in thyâ— harte the loue of God The carefulnes 〈◊〉 riches doth suffocate the word of God 〈◊〉 thee It is no marueyle thoughe the geâ—â—tiles infidels liued still in care beleuiâ—â— and trusting in fortune as they did 〈◊〉 thou which art a christian beleeuest 〈◊〉 prouidence of God oughtest not to be 〈◊〉 refull aboute temporall thinges for thâ—â— knowest that yf thou doest that which longeth for thee to doe God will promiâ—â— all that which is necessarie for thy lyfe And yf he maynteyne the birdes whicâ— he created for mans vse will he not mayâ—â—teyne man also which he made for hyâ— selfe Make thyne harte cleane and disâ—charge it of all carefulnes and exterioâ—â— busines that thou mayest the easelier liâ—â— it vp to heauen The distraction of thâ— hart cooleth the affectioÌ„ of loue putteâ—â— man into many temptations and daungeâ— of the deuill Our sensual part is veâ—â— stronge and must well be looked vnto for yt desireth by all meanes to satisfieâ— selfe in the vanities and pleasures of 〈◊〉 worlde whereby the vnderstandinge 〈◊〉 darkened and the spiritie becomeâ— insensible and euerie spirituall excerciâ—â— vnsauorie and without tast Much busines and occupations alâ—though it be in thinges lawfull doe briâ—â— a greate distraction to the mynde whiâ—â— â—ill hynder much thy praying and deuoâ—â—on For they will not suffer the most inâ—â—arde partes of thy sowle to gather them â—â—lues together into any quyet vnitie â—nd accorde Exterior occupations doe blynde â—â—e sighte of our vnderstanding and doe â—epriue vs of our true light he that will â—â—yue hym selfe wholie vnto God must seâ—erate hym selfe froÌ„ euerie worldlie care â—nd exterior occupation HOVV DECEIVABLE AND false the vvisdome of the vvorld is vvhich iudgeth onelie by those thinges vvhich appeare good to the vvould not considering hovv acceptable to God they be and vvhat revvard they doe deserue vvhiche for the loue of God dispise all those thinges vvhich the vvorld holdeth most deare CHAP. 33. THAT which is foolishnes before God the men of the worlde esteeme for high wisdome sayeth the Apostle The world accompteth him for a wyse man which beste can cloke his owne vyces here amongest men and so behaue himselfe 〈◊〉 he can get the dignities and honors of thâ—â— world and those it holdeth no better thâ—â— for very fooles which despise all such vaâ—nities The wyse man sayed in the person 〈◊〉 worldly folke VVe haue taken the 〈◊〉 of iust men to be dishonorable and full 〈◊〉 folly The worlde calleth them wyse 〈◊〉 which desire these false honors and beâ—stowe all their trauayle and labor in 〈◊〉 getting of them And those that lyue 〈◊〉 to this worlde the fonde wisdome of 〈◊〉 worlde reputeth as dead folke they are laughed to scorne of worldly men aâ—â—though they had no wit in their headeâ— The foolish wisdome of the world knoweth not that the seruants of Christ be like vnto â—â—ndles that be lighted the which this world lyke a boysterous winde bloweth and putteth out and therefore they that be good in it doe seeke to hyde them selues out of the way to be in the more safetie they care not for to shew their holines but vnto him whom they seeke to please who is God him selfe who beholdeth not the out side but looketh what is within The wisdome of God is cleane contrary to the wisdome of the worlde Good men are litle esteemed of worldly folke are much esteemed of God The iudgementes of God be verye farre differinge from the iudgementes of men The world â—ooking onely to that which appeareth on â—â—e out side taketh him onely for happye â—hich is mightie and riche VVhen Samuel went about to anoint â—ne of the sonnes of Isay to be king of Isâ—aell he refused him whom the father esâ—eemed most likely and anoynted Dauid â—ing who was thought most vnlikelie â—mongest them all and the other children of Isay that most were esteemed of men were reiected in the sighte of God They â—hat were accompted wisest amongst men were taken for moste ignorante before God and he whom the worlde esteemed â—east him did God choose to be king He that hath a cause to pleade before learned Iudges that can skill of iustice careth not much though he be first condemned by some ignorante Iudge befoâ—e because he knoweth that he shall after appeale before a learned Iudge whose sentence he knoweth to be of force and auayleable VVorldly men be such iudges â—here of the good and doe condemne them for very fooles and people of no value and this sentence holdeth for good while this lyfe lasteth by which they be all condemned and so doe lyue here in this world lyke persons condemned and despised The Princes of the worlde had neuer any better opinion of our holy Martyrs seeing them dye so willingly for their fayth and many wyse men of the worlde esteemed for very madnes the wilfull pouertie and beggerie which they sawe â—â—â—ny good men susteyne for the seruice 〈◊〉 Christ their maister who had suffred 〈◊〉 them so greate and extreme pouertie bâ—â—fore A worldlie wyse man saide vnto S. Paule the Apostle Thy much lerningâ— hath made thee madde S. Paule made anâ—swere I am not madde I speake the wordâ— of truth And because that Festus did not vnderstande the misteries of the Apostlâ— doctrine he reputed him for a foole as thâ— worlde doth now esteeme all that for foolishenes which it neyther coÌ„prehendeth nor vnderstaÌ„deth for want of knowledgâ— and practize therein This is that iudgemeÌ„t which the world gyueth like a blindâ— and an ignorant iudge vpon those whichâ— be good and iust in the world But when death cometh the seruantâ—s of Christ shal appeale to God that great learned and skilfull iudge who knoweth well all their whole cause And then shall he condemne that former false sentence of the worlde for vniust shall gyue hym selfe a cleane contrarie sentence which shal be irreuocable and neuer called backe agayne wherein he wil pronouÌ„ce that the worldlie men which florished in this lyfe were vayne and foolish And those good 〈◊〉 which the world condemned were 〈◊〉 wyse and discrete Therefore let it neuer greeue thee that the world condemneth thy lyfe for thou â—â—st thy remedie of appellation where â—â—ou shalt haue full restitution agayne â—he day is at hand in which the chiefe â—dge of all will approue that whiche the â—orld hath reproued Doe not thou therefore care for the â—â—rldes condemnation The redemer of â—â—e worlde was esteemed of worldly folke 〈◊〉 a foole and for such a one they appaâ—ed him in Herodes howse The deepe â—â—d high wisdome of God is reproued by â—â—e world as that which their blinde eyes â—â—ll not serue them to looke vpon They â—â—ndemne at their pleasure the good and â—â—rtuous men of the worlde but of their â—â—inions take thou no regarde for soone all their vayne iudgements be confounâ—â—d and the true vertue made manifest â—HE VVISDOME
take in their ordinarie pleasures they be so cloyed with the common vse of them But when troubâ—es and misfortunes doe come their parte is greater in them then other mens is because they haue bene allwayes now seled in pleasures and delightes and throwgh the longe lordlie libertie which they haue liued in they thinke that they were not borne for those aduersities The meane sort of people may better abide tribulation when it cometh take more comfort therein because they are more inured with affliction And greate men doe as little escape daungers as the other but rather of the twoe doe tast of them more often then they But vnto all sortes of men in generall God wolde that this lyfe shoulde be troublesome daungerous because they shoulde seeke after the lyfe that he hath created them for which is the eternall lyfe of heauen THE TYME OF OVR LIFE being short vncertayne vvee ought not to prolonge our pennance lest vvee be taken by death vnprovyded and so svvalovved vp by the deuill in to hell CHAP. 38. BE not slacke in turning vnto our Lord neither deferre pennance from day to day for sodaynly shall the angre of God fall vpon thee and in the day of vengeance shal it destroy thee sayeth Ecclesiasticus Thou oughtest to doe thy pennance quickely seeing thou hast not one houre of lyfe sure for thee to lyue 〈◊〉 God sayeth I will not the death of a sinner but that he sholde be conuerted and lyue God doth here promise thee pardon when thou doest aske it but he promiseth thee not to morow to aske it in why puttest thou of thy pennance for a tyme which perhaps thou shalt neuer lyue to see He that is of greate welth and hath fayre inheritance of his owne what matter is it though he doe spende some of his moueable goods But he that hath no more then he getteth day by day and must also gyue a reckeninge to his maister of that to what purpose should he be lauish in spending VVilt thou then that hast not one day certaine to lyue expect for the yeare that is yet comminge to make thy pennance in Thou which art so poore of tyme that thou hast not one howers lyfe of certentie to reckeÌ„ vpon wilt thou so liberally promise to thy selfe many yeare to liue Cast not the tyme away which iâ— gyueÌ„ thee make not thou to light accompte thereof remember that thou art but poore and miserable And yt may chaunce that euen this day there shall a straight accoÌ„pt be asked of thee how thou hast spent the tyme which hath bene gyuen thee for to doe thy pennance in Thy lyfe is in the same daunger that the sheepes lyfe is in which is in the wolues mouth and all the helpe thou hast is to bleate for Christ the trew sheepherd except thou wilt straight wayes be swalowed vp by death Doe not promyse vnto thy selfe any longe lyfe The wysemaÌ„ sayth An vniust promyse hath vndone many that haue put trust therein Doe not ye knowe how our lord saith That the father hath put all tyme in his sonnes power God hath not put the time into thy power but into his The prophet sayth in the psalme The tyme is for thee to worke O lord for they haue destroyed thy lawe Except thou doe vse well this tyme God will shorten the dayes of thy lyfe At Noes tyme God graunted vnto man an hundred and twentie yeares to doe his pennance in but because he vsed the time that he gaue hym so euill at the fludd he cut twentie of them cleane away So shalt thou be cut of quickelie to yf thou vsest thy tyme euill The health of the bodie is gotten by little and little because it is not of any necessitie that health shold comme vpon a sodeyn vnto any man But the health of the soule which is a thinge of necessitie vnto man may be gotten at an instant and of the tyme thou hast but onlie an instant which shall yet suffice thee for thy conuersion vnto God Deferre not thou thy pennance for many yeares since it is gods will that thou shouldest be conuerted in a moment Prolonge not that worke which God wolde haue done lest there may happen some impediment to thee that may keepe the alltogether from the doing of it Tarrie not vntill to morow for it may be he will calle to day for an accompte Be diligent then to doe well since thou arte so neare vnto death This lyfe was gyuen thee to the ende that with these troubles thou mightest buy eternall rest He that taketh any worke to doe in haste and bindeth him selfe to the doing of it by a certeyne day he dispatcheth his handes of all other busines vntill that which he hath vndertaken be done for the keeping of his credite The tyme of this present lyfe our Sauiour calleth the day in which we haue to worke for when the night of our death doth once come on there can no man worke any longer he can then neyther gayne neyther loose This lyfe is the tyme that thou receauedst of God to merite the other in Haue thyne eye vnto this worke which is nowe in thine hande and if the worlde call on thee and wolde haue thee goe about any other worke thou must not harken thereunto and if it bid thee forsake this worke and take his worke in hande promising thee for thy labor honors riches and pleasures tell him agayne that thou canst not for thou knowest not when the tyme of thy lyfe shall haue an ende Make hast and leaue not one iote of thy busines to doe because the time draweth on in which thy lyfe shall be examined and according to thy worke shalte thou receaue thy payment The falcons towarde night be greedie and labor harde to get their prâ—ye for that the tyme of proyeng is paste with them when night cometh Thou must remember also that the tyme of thy working here is but short and that it is meete for thee to vse all carefull diligence to get heauen by sighing sorowing and praying and all the meanes that thou canst vse There be very many that doe but litle consider that the dayes of our pennance doe passe away a pace neyther doe bethinke them that the tyme of their saluation slippeth euen through their fingers A wonderfull thing it is to see any man so necligente going in such hast toward his graue If thou be necligent in seeking the saluation of thy soule thou mayest hap to be handled as that Leuite was which at the intercession of his father in law departed late to his howse and not comming home in due tyme was by meanes thereof greeuouslie abused and iniuried Thou owghtest straight way to doe thy peÌ„nance and not harken to any that wolde withhold thee or deteyne thee lest when thou arte goinge onward in thy way thou be ouertaken with the darke night of death and then thou be forced to take vp thy
worlde lest the pleasant and gorgeous â—hewes thereof so glitter in thyne eyes to â—ake thee blinde that it bring thee thereâ—y at the laste vnto distruction There is â—othing in thyne vnderstanding but that was before in thy senses and when thyne vnderstandinge cometh to drinke at the â—esterne of thy senses the worlde playeth â—acobs part and sticketh there downe cerâ—ayne whyte populer tree wandes of faire â—leasant delightes to beguyle thee withal â—nd to infecte thereby thyne vnderstanding The honors and delightes of this world â—e but lyke vnto flowers that soone fade â—nd are gone and doe not thou thinke that in the worlde which thou seest with thyne eyes there is any fruite or commoditie it is all but vayne fruitles leaues 〈◊〉 the populer tree which neuer beare fruitâ— at all Those fruiteles vanities doth thâ— world offer vnto thy senses and althoughâ— thyne vnderstandinge be well purged yoâ— will thy senses earnestlie labour to spoâ—◠〈◊〉 and defile it againe And as a fayre looking glasse doth easely by often lookinge in 〈◊〉 gather spottes so doth our vnderstanding by euill imaginations gather errors And when our vnderstaÌ„ding is watered at thâ—â—enses with earnest imaginations of vaniâ—â—ies disceytes which the world offred â—s It begynneth to conceyue as Iacobâ—â—heepe did spotted lambes whiche be ouâ—â—orldlie desires whiche bringe foâ—â—â—â—ftâ—rward vniust workes Doe not thou therefore behold 〈◊〉 set thyne eyes vpon such varietie of â—â—â—â—ginations as the world doth make shew 〈◊〉 vnto thee for it is but an exterior appâ—â—â—rance without any sounde substanceâ— deceyueth them that are delighted 〈◊〉 it as little children are deceyued withâ—â— candle that is lighted which when thâ— see and earnestlie beholde they will 〈◊〉 their fingers into it vntill they haue bâ—â—â—ned them in the flame And then they 〈◊〉 out and no bodie can still them Eueâ—â— are worldlie men without iudgement 〈◊〉 vnderstanding deceyued with the apâ—â—â—rance of worldlie bewtie casting thâ—â—â—selues into the fierie flame of the vyces â—nd fowle sinnes thereof findinge their handes emptie and their consciences burnte THERE IS NO CREDITE TO be gyuen to the vvorld in any thinge for all the fayre shevv that it maketh tendeth but to falsehood and fayned flatterie vvhiche doe dravve a man from God doe throvv hym dovvne headlong into the depth of all miseries CHAP. 3. HE doth faynedly humblâ— him selfe and his inwarde partes be full of deceyte sayeth the wyse man Doe not beleeue that which the worlde doth â—ell thee nor doe not thou thinke that it â—eareth any perfecte good will vnto thee â—nder the color of good holesome victuâ—ll it gyueth vnto thee poyson to destroy â—hee Doe not thou gyue any truste vnto the world neyther beleeue it to be thy frend â—or if thou doest gyue it credit and comâ—it thy selfe into his handes it will doe â—y thee as Ioab the cheife captayne of â—auid did by Amazias who imbraced him frendly in his armes and kissed him and secretly the whyle did kill him with his dagger Let it say vnto thee what it will let it gyue thee the counsaile that shall best lyke thee for the tyme yet shalte thou finde all false and full of lyes what so euer it hath tolde thee There were no lesse then foure hundreth false prophets which flattered Achab promising him both lyfe and victorie if he sholde goe to the warre And all this was but to please his fantasie and satisfie his minde All that the worlde doth aduise thee to and what so euer thy false appetites doe gyue thee couÌ„saile to be but mere deceytes to abuse thee withal They wold haue thee to thinke by their false persuasions that in liuing after their counsaile and contynuyng the euill trade that thou art entred into thou shalt haue a solemne victorie here lyue in tryumph in this world ende thy daies in peace and after enioye the lyfe euerlasting But yf thou doest beleeue these lyeng prophets thou shalt die as Achab did most miserablie But thou must harken vnto the Prophete Micheas which must be thyne owne conscience it is that which muste tell thee the trewth and discouer vnto thee all their false lyeng and deceytes But thou hast no liking to gyue any eare thereunto no more then Achab had vnto Micheas because he told hym that which was not agreable to his owne appetite And thou hast no regard vnto thine owne conscieÌ„ce because it telleth thee nothing but the truth which thou art not willing to know It seeketh thy profite but thou hast no delite to heare thereof Thou haddest rather goe out of thy way by folowing of liers to the losse of thy lyfe then to doe well with the prophet of God and lyue without deceyts Thou folowest the world and thyne owne appetites and so goest furth to the battaile there art ouerthrowen loosest thy lyfe These be also those false witnesses which Iesabel brought forth who because they be beleeued doe kill thy sowle Gyue no eare vnto their lyenge except thou meane to be taken captyue in the nettes of their false deceytes All the fayre wordes of this worlde be but false fictions to deceyue thee and to take thee vnprouyded Allthoughe that for the present tyme it sheweth a frendlie face yet in tyme of necessitie thou shalt fynde a bitter enemye of it It will doe by thee as quicksiluer doth by golde whiche allthough it be neuer so fast ioyned vnto yt as soone as it cometh to the fyre it goeth straight away from it and forsaketh it And so will this world play by thee wheÌ„ thou comest into any strayte and that the fire of tribulation beginneth to catch hold of thee it will straight way forsake thee And then shalt thou easelie see what all the vayne glorie of the world is that doth so sodaynlie fayle thee The frendship that the world sheweth thee is but of purpose with his fayre shewes good countenance to deceyue thee And allthoughe it pretend thy good neuer so much for the time it seeketh but thereby occasion the better to ouerthrowe thee Drinke not thou of the sweete milke of his deceytes neyther seeke thou to sleepe in the confidence of his frendship vnlesse thou wilte perish and dye an euill death as Sisara did who committing trust vnto Iahell and feedinge of her dayntie fare was miserably put vnto death by her God sayeth O my people they which doe say vnto thee thou art happie be they which doe deceyue thee If the world will bid thee vnto a feaste and tell thee that those honors riches and pleasures which it profereth thee and setteth before thee be very good and sauory meate for thee to feede vpon yet doe not thou beleeue it excepte thou wilt dye an euill death as that prophete did which for the gyuing of ouer lighte credite vnto the wordes of a false prophete was killed with a lyon going by the way Although it say vnto thee that God commaundeth it and that there is no sinne
did he loue her that rather then he wolde displease her he wold be taken and made a seruile prisoner for euer And so was his fond loue the cause of his fowle falle by meanes whereof he was led shortlie after to his death and so was his light crediting of false lyeng wordes made his confusion VVho doth holde thee now in the seruice and bondage of this world but thy light creditynge of his false lyes and flattering wordes whereby at the first thou wert brought vnto this estate which yf thou hast not good regard vnto 〈◊〉 thou mayest happelie be vsed at the last as Sampson was by that false lyeng Dalida Doth it not appeare in the storie how the first thing that they did vnto Sampson after his taking was the plucking out of his eyes And thou which the world taketh into his seruice what arte thou but made blinde thereby As it maketh all those blinde which doe gyue credite to his deceyfull wordes which he abuseth them with to the end that they may not perceyue the paynefull state in which they lyue nor know how sweete the yoke of Christ is Oh how much is it better for thee to reigne with God by seruing of hym then to lyue in the world and suffer extreeme bondage Thou mayest wel see heere now how the world doth vse all those which doe serue it shake of therefore from thy necke the most heauie yoke thereof and put on the most sweete and easie yoke of Iesus Christ. THE CONSIDERATION OF much bitternes that vvee fynde in the vvorld vvherein so little svveetenes is to be fovvnde and that but onelie in apparence doth gyue vs easelie to vnderstand hovv heauie the yoke of his bondage is and hovv much it is to be eschevved CHAP. 11. COME vnto mee all ye that doe trauayle and be laden I will refresh you sayeth our lord The louers of this world sayeth God allmightie doe goe aboute like men that are laden and carrie heauie burtheÌ„s aboute them The world doth gett all that which it â—rauayleth for with trouble and busines and with feare doth enioy it with greefe forgoe it agayne It is writteÌ„ in the Apocalips That thei which had adored the beast neuer had rest which they in deed can neuer obteyne which doe adore their beastlie appetites Little childreÌ„ doe runne vp and downe all day blowing of a fether in the ayer and sometyme they hurte theÌ„ selues by falling but they are to be pardoned because they be without iudgement But thou that art a man of reason and of perfect age art worthie of much reprehension yf thou sholdest runne and take payne after the vanitie of this world the vayne blastes of false honours and riches Thou seest not where thou settest thy feete Thou knowest not the daunger in which thou liuest Thou considerest not the trauayle that thou endurest nor wherefore thou doest endure it which yf thou diddest weygh well thou sholdest fynde all that thou seekest and laborest for here to be in effect nothing VVhat profit doe the little children gett in runnyng all day after a fether they are wel weried for their labour And proffit or commoditie haue they none but sometyme perhappes a good knocke on their head by reason of some fawle that they take And wheÌ„ death cometh that must make an end of thy paynefull lyfe wherein thou haste serued the worlde thou shalt haue no other reward for thy paynes but new sorowes agayne VVhosoeuer will lay siege to a towne will first looke well that the expences of the siege exceede not the comoditie that he shall gett by wynnynge of the towne And yf thou woldest but consider what the seruice of the world doth cost thee thou woldest soone leaue of thyne enterprise If in thy worldlie consolations thou fyndest sorow thou must not marueyle thereat for it is a sower crabbe therefore no marueyle that it setteth thy teeth on edge God sayth I will compasse thy waye aboute with thornes The pleasant orchardes be sett aboute with sharpe thornes because no man shold come at the fruyte These thornes sayth our lord be the cares and loÌ„ginges after riches These hath God layed in our way to the intent that when wee shold see with what payne those fruites be gotten wee shold be affrayed to meddle with them Amonge all our pleasures here God hath planted sorow and remorse of conscience because wee shold not haue any earnest desire or longing after theÌ„ Among our prosperities hath he put much bitternes because wee shold not loue them And synne is allwayes the torment of hym that commytteth it The greefes and the felicities of this preseÌ„t world doe goe allwayes accompanied together If thou doest loue the gooddes of this world thou must needes be subiect vnto much trauayle care for them for when thou hast thâ—m thou wilt be affrayed to loose them But yf thou be disturbed in the quyet possessioÌ„ of theÌ„ then doest thou suffer some trouble presentlie by them which God doth suffer allwayes to falle vnto thee that thou mayest set thyne whole loue vpon hym remoue it cleane away from these vanities of the world God hath appoynted this for a medecyne to temper our disordynate appetites withall But this world hath such a greedie sorte of seruantes folowing it that they will not stick to runne through the thornes all imbrewed with their owne blood for to gather of this fruyte Oh how many are there at this day like vnto those who for the satisfying of their vnruly appetites and for the wynnyng of some fonde pleasure doe suffer greate greefe and remorse of conscience and doe bringe their lewde desires to effect allthoughe it be with neuer so much losse and hynderance to their sowle And all this labor doe they take for to please their senses without any recoÌ„pence at all agayne for their paynes If thou diddest but consider with what preiudice to thy conscience thou diddest buy all this short delight thou woldest not be so much a foole as to thrust thy selfe into so many daungers of the world The seruice of the worlde is a deare seruice It is an hard yoke and an importable burthen Christ calleth all those vnto hym that are weried with carying so heauie a burthen on their backe as the heauie yoke of the world is And when he fyndeth that thou art weryed with seruinge of the world and that thou doest playnlie perceyue all thyne owne defects Then doth Iesus Christ call thee as one being then best disposed to come vnto hym He that doeth not first hate the vanitie of this lyfe will neuer lay hand vpon the crosse of Christ. And vntill thou thinke all this whole lyfe to be but a vearie vayne follie thou art not meete to folow Christ. Therefore Christ our redeemer calleth not those that doe thinke this worldlie yoke sweete but those that doe take yt as an heauie burthen are growen werie of it And so much lesse payne as thou findest
all the fieldes meadowes fresh and greene when sommer cometh the heate of the sonne drieth vp withereth away the greenes of the fieldes and then be the trees in their cheefe bewtie all fresh and florisshing with their greene leaues and their fruyte vpon them This miserable lyfe of ours is nothing els but a sharpe a hard wynter in which worldlie men be fresh and galante like the greene fieldes enioying all the glorie and pleasure of this world But let them nâ—â— put any trust therein for when the pleasaÌ„t sommer cometh of the next lyfe which shall last and continue for euer they shal be dried vp and quyte coÌ„sumed away Death will mowe downe all their grasse and make therewith matter to increase the flame of the fierie fornace of hell I saw sayth Dauid the wicked man exalted aboue the high trees of libanus and a little after I looked agayne and beholde there was not any such The iust men were accompted and holdeÌ„ for dead like vnto the trees in wynter whose true vertue remayneth hidden in the roote which made them to be counted of the worlde for vnprofitable and nothing worth But the sommer cometh and their vertue florisheth and then shall they appeare in their glorious array The iust shall say the winter of our tribulatioÌ„ is past and now doe the flowers shoote vp in our land which shall shyne like the sonne and so be presented before the face of our God Put not thy trust in the greene and glorious shew of this worldly vanitie for all this freshnes is sone gone in an instant is quyte consumed Loue not the worlde which thou seest slide so fast away for the loue and frendship of this world is enemy vnto God Salomon sayth that the world shall passe away like a sodayne tempest as a thunder clap which maketh a great noyce in the ayer and like a sodayne shower of rayne which soone passeth away and by and by cometh fayre weather agayne so is all the pompe and glorie of this world which no sooner cometh but it is gone agayne Loue thou the lyfe eternall which shall for euer endure be carefull to gett that lyfe which lasteth euer where thou maiest allwayes lyue without feare of fallinge into death And yf thou canst loue this lyfe wherein thou fyndest so much trouble and busines how much more oughtest thou to esteeme that lyfe in which there is all rest and quyetnes Remember that thou â—rt but a pilgrime in this world be diligeÌ„t therefore to get the a sure restinge place in heauen All thinges in this world passe like a shadow away And as worthie of prayse be they that will not florish with the world that florissheth as they be worthie of reprehension which doe delight to perish with them that doe perish That payne which thou takest here to deferr death and to prolong this transitorie lyfe of thyne thou mightest doe well to bestowe vpon the getting of the lyfe eternall which can neuer perish THE DESIRE THAT MAN hath to content his ovvne vvill and to abounde in the thinges of this vvorld doth cause hym to haue much care trouble of mynde vvhich neuer vvill let hym be quyet but doth put hym still into nevv thovvghtes more anguyshe of mynde CHAP. 15. YOv shal serue straunge goddes which will neuer let you haue rest neither by day nor night sayth God Allmightie The world will not gyue thee any rest at all If thou doest folow thyne owne appetite thou shalt neuer want trowble and disquietnes In the thinges of this lyfe thou must neuer looke for quyetnes And greater disquietnes can no man haue then in seruing his owne passions Thou which doest serue the world art in asmuch vnquyetnes as the wheeles of a clocke by meanes of thy contynuall carefulnes and taking of thought which doe growe in thee by occasion of the counterpeases of worldlie loue which doe hange vpon thy will This is that which turneth the wheeles aboute This is that whiche maketh thee leade so euill a lyfe This is that whiche neuer suffereth thee to haue rest but doth keepe thee in a contynuall motion There was greate stryfe and contentioÌ„ betwixt the shepherdes of Lott and the shepherdes of Abraham and the cause thereof grew by no other thinge but by their wealth and their aboundance of riches They were both vearie welthie in worldlie substance but what els did it but minister vnto them matter of trouble and disquietnes And it was the cause that these twoe greate frendes and neare kynnesmen were driuen to deuide and seperate them selues one from another This is the good that groweth by much riches One of the greate plagues that God visited Egipt with all was the little busie flies whose properties are allwayes to be buzing about men to molest to vex them And yf they be driuen away froÌ„ one place of a maÌ„s bodie they will get vnto an other And like vnto these be the cares of worldlie men which will neuer suffer them to rest nor be in quyetnes And these cares be sent by God to vex the riche ambitious man as the flies were sent to vex the Egiptians Esay sayth of wordlie men They haue weyued the spiders web The spiders doe consume them selues with much trauayle and payne in making of their fyne webbes to catch flies And so doe worldlie men consume them selues with much â—â—omaginge of their consciences for the getting of riches and honours which doe after worke their owne ouerthrowe vndoinge VVhat proffit and coÌ„moditie doe they gett by all their trauaylles susteyned for the wynnynge of worldlie honour and riches They get nothing at the last but care and trouble And is not this a greate infelicitie for a man to trauaile long and take greate paynes and to haue therefore nothing but care and vnquietnes in the end And in the same chapter the prophet Esai sayeth further They haue put their trust in nothing Thou art much deceaued if thou thinkest that thou canst haue any true reste in the goodes of this world their trust is like vnto a spiders cobweb sayeth Iob. All is with them but trauaile and care and affliction of spirite and if it were but for the vnquietnes that these worldly folke are subiect to thou oughtest to flye the vanities of this world For two causes did the children of Israell desire to departe out of Egipte the one was for the great torment which they susteyned by the tyranny of Pharao the other was for the goodnes and happines of the land of promise The trouble which thou suffrest in the worlde doth inforce thee to forsake the worlde let the goodnes and happines of the lande of the liuinge which is promised thee inuite thee as well to leaue all these false gooddes of the worlde Be not as a number of those Israelites were which wolde rather suffer the vntollerable seruitude of Pharao then
enioye the pleasant lande of promise Thou must not let thy iudgemente be so much corrupted as to choose rather a miserable life in the perturbations and remorses of conscience then to enioye a moste quiet and peaceable lyfe in Christ Iesu. VValke on toward that celestiall Hierusalem your free mother their shalt thou fynd perpetuall rest sayth the Apostle Abhorre with all thyne hart such vnquyet trouble and affliction of thy sowle The vearie miserie of thy lyfe it selfe biddeth thee to forsake it The world it selfe crieth out vpon thee not to esteeme it Be not like vnto the children of Gad which willinglie refused the land of promyse for the liking that they tooke vnto the hill of Galaad where they meÌ„t to make their perpetuall habitation In like maner are their diuers that care not for the glorie eternall contenting them selues with the gooddes of this miserable world Thou must not thinke to fynde rest there where all is in a confusion and alteration The worldlie men be amazed and confounded they knowe not them selues what they doe nor whether they doe inteÌ„d to goe no more then did the builders of the tower of Babilon BECAVSE THAT ALL THE consolations of this false vvorld be accompanied vvith so many infinite sorovves and troubles and are full of bitternes and greefe vvee ought onlie to loue God and his eternall beatitudes CHAP. 16. GOD graunteth not that my spirite shold haue rest and hath filled me full of bitternes sayth Iob. Thou canst not in the world enioye any perfect rest nor receyue any true ioye where all is bitternes and sorow Consider what sharpenes is founde hiddeÌ„ vnder that which appeareth sweete First consider the pleasure of synne And after weygh withall the payne that succedeth it Vyces doe allwayes apparell them selues after the best and finest facion being of them selues miserable filthie bondslaues Let not the pleasure of these worldlie shewes deceyue thee for all that is within it is nothing but affliction and bitternes By this thou mayest perceyue what an euill thinge vyce is that going so well galantlie apparelled is in deede all horrible and lothsome And contrariewyse thou shalt konwe the goodnes of vertue who allwayes goeth poorelie and barelie clothed and yet is in deede all fayre and gratious In all wordlie thinges thou shalt fynde greate trouble and greefe Christ our sauiour beinge in the glorie of his transfiguration made mention of his holie passion to teach vs that the felicitie and prosperitie of this world is full of bitternes and vexation If the world being so full of bitternes as it is be yet so much beloued and esteemed how wolde men haue loued and esteemed it if it had bene all sweete and pleasante God hath mingled sorowes among our consolations here in this world because we sholde hate this lyfe and loue the lyfe to come A man that was such a louer of worldly honor was very ioyfull to see how he was inuited to the feast of queene Hester but his greate ioye was turned into bitter mourning when he saw that Mardocheus wold gyue him no reuerence Sorow doth alwayes goe accompanied with worldly ioye and to them that lyue in continuall prosperitie euery small griefe doth much annoyance It is marueylous to beholde that al thinges in this lyfe sholde be so full of bitternes and yet that they sholde be esteemed of so many men for sweete and sauorie Greate is thy daunger if thou canst not onely be contented to lyue amongest so great sorowes but also to take pleasure and delght in them That sicke man is in greate daunger whose stomacke refuseth good and holesome meate and can eate nothing but that which is hurtefull and euill for him and as little hope is there to be had of that man which leaueth thâ— sweete conuersation of Christ Iesu and casteth his affectioÌ„ to like of the poisoned meates which this world doth offer hym VVhen God fedde the Israelites wiâ—â— bread froÌ„ heaueÌ„ yet murmured thei against Moyses and wisshed to haue agayne their old grosse diet of Egipte Their sowles lothed euerie kinde of meate sayth the prophet Dauid The onlie consideration of the bitternes that is in all these worldlie pleasures is sufficient to moue vs to the detesting of all earthlie comfortes Dauid being in his greate triumph and deuydinge of his pray amongest hiâ— souldiers after his victorie receyued the wofull message of the death of Saul thâ— ouerthow of all the Israelites army whicâ— turned his ioyfull victorie into a sorowfull heauines and made both hym selfe all that were present with hym to chaungâ— their myrth into mournynge and the ioyfull feast of their triumphant victorie diâ— they coÌ„uert into a longe lamentinge both for the death of Saul and Ionathas thâ— greate slaughter of the people of Israel Here may yow see how all vpon a sodayne sorow ouertaketh ioye Doe not thou therefore loue the glorie of this preseÌ„t world except thou doest delight to lyue in sorow and disquietnes For wheÌ„ thou art once entred into the delighte of those false alluring pleasures art parting the pray of thy pleasures amoÌ„gest thy senses As Dauid deuyded his bootie amongest his souldiers thou shalt straight wayes be ouertakeÌ„ with the messenger of death which is a troubled conscieÌ„ce fearfull scruples which be allwayes ioyned vnto sinne This is that discomfortable messeÌ„ger which will neuer suffer thee to enioye longe any pleasure of this world This is he which disquyeteth all thy ioyes and turneth all thy worldlie comforts into bitter sorowes O open thyne eyes and consider what thou hast lost by thy louyng of the world Lament vpon thyne owne soule o miserable man and beholde how the noble men of Israell be slayne when the light of grace is gone from the and that thy noble vertues be wounded within thee The people is also destroyed when the merites of thy good workes be lost Shut thou the gate of thy sowle neuer so close thou canst not keepe out this messenger from entring in Now since this euill newes may so easely come vnto thee when thou thinkest least thereof the sure way is for thee to loue God and his eternall and true felicities and so mayest thou lyue contentedlie for this present tyme and enioye the endles comforte of heauen when this lyfe is past THE VVORLD DOTH SO blinde his seruantes vvith the smoke of honors and vvith the svveetenes of his delightes that they setting their vvhole mindes thereupon can not perceyue the deceyts thereof nor the fovvle filthines of synne vvhich they are drovvned in CHAP. 17. MY vertue hath forsaken me and the light of myne eyes is not with mee sayth the Prophet Dauid Thou arte surelie blinde yf thou perceyuest not the vnhappie state that thou lyuest in by seruing of the world Thinkest thou that the faulkener can keepe his hauke quiet vpon the pearch except he put her hood vpon her head to couer her eyes The world
could neuer keepe thee in the subiectioÌ„ of his miserable bondage except it first depriued thee of thy sighte Thou woldest not be so tied vnto these earthlie thinges which thou louest so much yf thou diddest but knowe their vanitie and their fowle corruption But because thou arte blinde and knowest not the filthines of sinne in which thou liuest therefore arte thou made a slaue and a bond man vnto sinne and to thyne owne sensuall appetites OpeÌ„ thine eyes looke into the vnhappie state into which thou art fallen The dong of the swallow which 〈◊〉 vpon Tobies eyes being a sleepe maâ—â— him to loose his sight And the Aopstle saieth that the goodes of this earth be but dong which we finde also by experience to haue that quality of making men blind as had the dong of Tobies swallow The propertie of the swallow is to sing at the beginning of the sommer but sodenly afterwarde she stayeth her singing agayne That condition hath the world also first with a little delicate harmonie to lull his louers asleepe and after to make them blynde with the vayne delighte of this earthly mucke and worldly honors These worldly men haue not eyes to see the lighte of God nor the good which they doe loose by hauing their eyes closed vp with the pleasures of those vanities which they so earnestly doe loue They be lyke vnto Ely the priest which had his eye sighte so weake that he colde not see the lampe of God which hange coÌ„tinually light in the temple Although they seeme wyse and of good vnderstanding yet are they not such in deede sauinge onely in worldly matters they be like moles whiche liue vnder the earth which when they come abrode into the lighte to deale in matters touching the soule they shewe them selues to be both blinde and ignorant Open the eyes of thy soule that thou maiest espie the vanities of these corruptible goods behold that diuine light with which our Lord doth lighten his seruaÌ„tes Goe not thou lyke a blinde man falling from one sinne vnto a nother accordinge to that which the prophet Sophonias spake of worldlie men They went aboute like blinde men for they synned against God VValke in the day sayth our lord that thou be not ouertaken with darkenes If synners doe walke by nighte and in the darkenes of their owne ignorance it is no marueyle thoughe they doe falle and hurte them selues The eyes which are accustomed to behold these worldlie vanities when they be once withdrawen from the loue pleasure of the world they be waxen blinde to beholde the true lighte and are fallen into that blindenes whiche God strake the Egiptians withall whiche was such as the scripture sayth That one man saw not an other in three dayes together nor was once able to moue out of his place where the darkenes tooke hym If thou haddest eyes to behold the miserie in which thou liuest thou woldest not stand still as they of Egipte did without mouing thy foote or forsaking thy vyces But thy blindnes doth holde thee fast The loue of the glistering shewes of worldlie vanities doth take away thy sighte as the sighte of a beare is taken away with the beholding of the glistering beames of an hoat burnyng basen shynyng vpon hym If worldlie men had not bene blinde Saincte Iohn wolde neuer haue sayde that the worlde knew not Iesus Christ. It was no greate marueyle that they were blynde and knew hym not hauing vpon their eyes so much earth as they had They went out of their way like blinde men sayth the prophet Iheremy and so blinde that they wolde not take any for their guyde but such other as were blinde also VVhich is the verie trade of synners Blinde folkes doe yet knowe that they be blinde but worldlie meÌ„ be blinde and yet they lawghe and iest at all those which are not blinde according to the saying of the wyse man The wicked men flie froÌ„ al those that ruÌ„ne by the right way Our lord saide vnto certein synners why say you that you doe see beinge blinde your sinne is therefore the greater And because that they doe not see them selues they thinke that other men doe not see them and therefore they doe presume to offend God like vnto the seuentie olde men of Israell which God shewed vnto the prophet Ezechiell Beware of this blindnes except you be willing to falle into the worst and most daungerous errours of all THE DEPARTINGE FROM this present lyfe is a most terrible and sharpe thinge to the louers of this vvorld asvvell for their riches honors vvhich they leaue behinde them as for the paynes vvhich they knovve that they shall susteyne vvhen they be gone hence CHAP. 18. THE trauayle of fooles will greeuouslye afflicte them sayth the wyse man VVheÌ„ death cometh the departing of this lyfe will be very paynefull vnto worldly meÌ„ for that caÌ„ not be departed froÌ„ without sorow which was loued without measure Death vnto a poore man will be lesse trouble that hath not any thing to leaue behinde him then to the welthie man which hath great riches to forgoe then to the louer of these corruptible worldly goodes The troubles of them which despise the worlde shall take ende by death and then shall the tormentes of worldly men beginne a new agayne A terrible tyme shall that be when the bodie of the worldlie man which hath bene brought vp in delicacie and tendernes shal be separated from the sowle to be consumed shortlie after with wormes It wil be a greuous departing that the riche man shall make from his riches which he hath allwayes disordinatelie loued and a â—earie hard thinge it wil be vnto the louer of worldlie honor to see hym selfe so sodeynlie spoyled of them The horses of great men goe couered â—ll daye with costlie furniture and with many men attending vpon them but when they come into the stable at nighte they haue all their fresh furniture taken of â—heir backes and then remayneth nothing â—pon them but the blowes which their maisters haue bestowed on them with the sweat and wearines of their trauayle The riche and the mightie man likewyse that maketh his iourney through this world is of all men coÌ„mended honored serued â—ut wheÌ„ the hower of death doth come al â—is honors and riches be taken away and â—othing remaineth behynd but the blowes which he receyued by his sinnes vices which maistered hym and kept him vnder â—rinces and kinges shall not carrie their gold and siluer with them when they deâ—arte this worlde but onely their necgligences and errors committed in their gouernement and charge Consider how greeuous it will be for thee to departe from those vanities which thou hast so much esteemed And learne tâ— leaue the world before it leaue thee Takâ— thou some good sure handefast betyme that thou falle not into all those miserieâ— which then doe accompany death Allthough that the world doth much tormeÌ„t
good so much did he gett and recouer agayne by vniting hym selfe vnto them It is a daungerous thinge to forsake the coÌ„pany of them that doe feare God And it is a thinge of wonderfull profit to be conuersant amongest spirituall men The holye Ghoste descended vpon VVhitsonday where the disciples were gathered together And if thou wilte contynew amongest good men thou shalte receyue the holy Ghoste as they did thou shalte delyuer thy selfe from the daunger of euill company if thou wilte ioyne thy selfe to those which be good with their wholsome admonitions they doe keepe thee from many euill attemptes and with their vertuous examples doe they excyte thee to doe good workes Choose those for thy companions to walke withall to talke vnto and to imitate by whose sweete conuersation and fruytfull communication thou mayest be brought vnto the loue of God For euill speeches doe corrupt good manners As necessarie and as profitable as it is for the health of thy bodie to haue a good ayre and an holesome situation so necessarie is it for the health of thy soule to haue conference and conuersation with the seruantes of God And since thou fliest from vnsounde and vnholesome places for the coÌ„seruatioÌ„ of thy corporall health why doest not thou likewyse for the mayâ—enance of thy soules health Flye from all worldlie company and seeke out for the frendship and conuersation of those which are good and iust Flie worldlie company as thou woldest flie hell fire and conuerse with the frendes of God for at the ende of thy iourney thou shalte get more by it then thou canst now well imagine ONLY FOR THE LOVE OF God and for the desire of obeying his holie vvill ought man to despise the vvorlde and the vanities therefore yf he vvill that the despising of them shall serue hym for the gettinge of heauenlie glorie CHAP. 29. HE that leaueth his house his father mother and his brothers for my sake shal receyue a hundred tymes as much agayne sayeth our Lorde Many haue forsaken their possessions and neuer receyued rewarde therefore because they despised not the worlde for Christes sake They seeke them selues they loue their owne glory and desire to be talked of in other mens mouthes So much shall thy worke be meritorious as it shall be founde to beare iuste weighte with it iâ— the ballance of God his loue The Apostle sayeth If I shall gyue all that I haue to the poore haue no charitie it profiteth me nothing Let all thy desire pleasure be to contente to please God and let his loue onely moue thee to the seruice of hym despisinge wholie this world and pretending to thy selfe no profit or commoditie thereby God praysed Iob and the deuill replied agayne saying Happelie doth Iob serue thee for nothinge This deuill pleaded his cause subtillie with allmightie God for he denyed not the workes of Iob to be good but he argued vpon his intent sayinge that happelie he did them for his owne commoditie and not freelie of good will For yf Iob had bene moued to doe those workes which he did for his owne interest and profit and not for the loue and glorie of God he had proued by good reasoÌ„ to God allmightie that Iob had bene neyther a iust man nor a good man The seruante of God oughte in all that he doth to haue no other respect principallie but vnto the seruice and honor of God yf he will that his worke shal be meritorious vnto hym for the wicked men doe many good morall workes but the difference is that good men doe their workes in the fayth of God for his loue It is against all reason that the goodes of the earth sholde be preferred before God Art thou better then he that thou doest esteeme thy selfe more then his deuyne Maiestie If thou doest forsake synne eyther onely or principally because God sholde gyue thee glorie therefore thou shalt neuer enter into that glorie Or yf thou despisest the world and leauest synne onlie or cheefelie because thou woldest not come in hell thou hast takeÌ„ euen thereby a redie way thether For yf thou coÌ„siderest all this well thou shalte fynde that it proceedeth from the loue of thy selfe and if thou doest examine well thyne owne intention and meaning herein thou shalte see how the loue that thou haste to thy selfe doth inuyte thee and moue thee thereunto and then arte not thou full lord of thy selfe neyther arte thou throughly mortified neyther canst thou yet tell what thing it is to serue God Doe not thou thinke that all they whiche haue forsaken their temporall goods haue therewith also forsaken them selues nor that all they be the frendes of God that doe despise the world But who is the frend of God in deede Euen he that doth forsake the world for God And who is the seruant of Iesus Christ. Euen he that hath no will in this world but to fulfill the will of Christ. The Prophet Dauid saide I haue inclyned my hart to doe thy commaundementes for a reward The reward that moued that holie man Dauid was God hym selfe According vnto that which God him selfe had told the Patriarke Abraham long before saying I am thy greate and thyne aboundant rewarde God ought onelie to moue thee principally thy will ought to be chieflie to haue hym for the reward of all that thou shalt doe Let al thine intentioÌ„ be onelie to please God and thou shalt merite much euen by the smalest workes that thou doest which ought not yet to be called small when they doe proceede out of that roote Seeke onelie the glorie of God and folow the counsayle of the Apostle which sayeth Doe all that thou doest for the glorie of God The perfect true louer seeketh God in all that he doeth and despiseth hym selfe for charitie is a bonde of loue by the whiche wee be vnited vnto God renouncing our selues Althoughe that naturall loue and diuine loue be like in their outward workinge yet be they farre differinge in the â—ntention for charitie doth not in any â—hing loue it selfe and naturall loue doth â—n all thinges seeke his owne good onelie for it selfe He may well and ought to be esteemed an euill man that is good onelie for his owne pleasure and delighte Let Christ be the cause and the end of all thyne actions yf thou wilt not loose thy tyme in the poing of them THE CONTINVAL REMEMbrance of death and that our bodies must be turned into Ashes is the perfectest and the best remedie against the temptation of sinne CHAP. 30. REMEMBER the last thinges and thou shalt not synne for euer The memory of death helpeth much to make vs lightlie to esteeme the vanitie of this world He will easelie despise all thinges that remembreth he must die God appareled our father Adam with the skynnes of dead beastes because he shold haue euer in his memory the senteÌ„ce of death which he fell into by his
thee one houre to get thy conueyance thereof to 〈◊〉 assigned vnto thee O with what diligâ—â—â—â— woldest thou goe aboute to get it draweâ— written out fayre for the kinge to signâ— lest the tyme shold ouerpasse thee and so thou sholdest loose so greate a grace aâ— the kinges hande No other busines shold let thee nor occasion stay thee but thaâ— thou woldest onelie applie thy selfe to get the confirmation of thy graunt But the heauenlie citie of Hierusalem which the greate kinge of heauen hath promysed vs is a farre greater and better Citie then all the Cities and kingdomes of the world bâ— besides The glorie of this Citie and the eternall felicitie thereof vnto the which wee labor to come farre exceedeth all the principalities empires of the whole worlde This notable kingdome is that which God of his bountifull liberalitie doth grauÌ„t vnto thee And this short space of this present lyfe is the tyme that is gyuen thee to deserue it in The night of death draweth on when no man shal be able to worke No man hath one houre sure of his lyfe the tyme whereof being so shorte and the promyses of God beinge so large and liberall howe happeneth it that so many doe spend their dayes in idlenes and vanities as thoughe they were sure to lyâ—â— an hundreth yeares and that after this lyfe there were no other to be looked for If thou doest so toyle thy selfe here by â—osinge of so many nightes sleepes forbearinge thy meate drinke so many meales â—y forgoing of all thy other pleasures and â—ll to make hast for the gayning of a temporall commoditie which els thou mighâ—est forgoe why doest thou not in this short space that is graunted thee to lyue â—eaue all worldly busines and occupations â—nd bestow all the whole tyme of thy lyfe â—n gettinge that durable and euerlastinge â—yfe Be not thou idle nor lyue not lyke one that were blynde neyther deceyue â—hou thy selfe with the vayne hope of to morow which perhapes thou shalt neuer see Those fyue foolish Virgins that had tyme gyuen them to make prouision for them selues wold not but did put of their â—are still vntil the tyme were past wolde gladlie after haue had tyme and earnestlie sought for it but none wold be graunted them Put not any trust in the tyme that is to come Thou hast not to take care for a â—onge lyfe but for a good lyfe neyther ought thy trauayll be to lyue many yeares but to bestowe well those yeares which thou doest lyue Saule reigned twentie yeares in Israell but the scripture in the accompte of the yeares of his reigne setteth downe but two For God accompteth not the yeareâ— that be euill spente but those whiche be â—pente onelye in his seruice Thy labor had neede to be greater in taking payne to lyue well then to lyue longe Spend not thy tyme still in proposing and determynyng with thy selfe to lyue well but put thy determinations into practise and see that thou lyuest well in deede There be many in hell which deferring still their pennance were at the last ouertaken with death and so their colde determynations with out executions were buried vp in the hoat fire of hell The houre of death is vncertayne the consideration thereof alone is sufficieÌ„t to make thee lyue still in care that thou be neuer taken vnprouyded It were madnes for thee to lyue iâ— that state in which thou woldest not that death shold fynde thee And because that this may happen vnto thee at any houre reason alone may teach thee to lyue well for the doubte which thou hast of the vncertayne houre of thy death BECAVSE THAT EVERIE man sholde still be prepared and that no man sholde take licence to sinne our Lorde vvill not that the houre of our death sholde be knovven vnto vs. CHAP. 32. THE dayes of mans lyfe be shorte and God knoweth onely the number of the monthes sayeth Iob. Nothinge is more sure then death nor any thing more vnsure then the houre of death Thou knowest not at what houre of the watch our Lorde will call In concealing from vs the houre of death God hath thereby taught vs that we sholde not presume of any long lyfe but that we sholde in this short space of our tarying here looke that euery houre shold be our laste And in this as in all other thinges beside God hath dealte most mercifully with vs in keeping froÌ„ our knowledge the houre of death to the intente that we sholde lyue with more puritie cleannes of harte Such as we shall be found at the houre of death for such shall we be iudged at the handes of almightie God and since experieÌ„ce doth dayly teach vs that we may dye in euerie moment let vs lyue innocentlie that wee may be founde in no arrerages at our counting day And so much more feruent oughtest thou to be in thy doing of good deedes as thou arte vncerteyne of the houre when thou shalt be called since the tyme when thou shalt dye is vncerteyne thou oughtest allwayes to be readie and prepared for to receyue death If there be many now which doe lyue in the offence of God hauing the day of their death vncertayne how many more wold there be much worse yf they shold know certeinlie the end of their lyfe They wold deferre their pennance and commit many moe offences vpon that assurance If men doe lyue lewdelie now being not sure to continue vntill to morow in what sort wold they lyue yf they might be sure to lyue here an hundreth yeres The ignorance of the last houre maketh many to absteyne from synne And if some men doe happelie gyue them selues a little to the world yet doe they not wholie addict them selues thereunto for the feare that they haue of the sodayne comyng of death vpon them whiche they wold not doe yf they knew they shold lyue many yeares for then it is most manifest that they wold with more negligence and forgetfulnes of God gyue them selues vnto vice And allthoughe that the vncertentie of death doth not keepe a man all together from synne at the leastwyse yet it maketh hym not to contynue therein so longe as els he wolde If wicked men knew the houre of their death they wolde be much worse then they be Many dare not sinne leste death sholde take them whylest they be doing it If a man might knowe surely the houre of his death yet is it playne that he colde not knowe it but vnder one of these two conditions that is to say eyther that he sholde dye very sodenly or els haue some certayne tyme after appoynted and prefixed him to dye in and if he sholde knowe that he sholde dye sodenly his pennance being vpon a sodayne were lyke to be very daungerous and doubtefull and if on the other side he sholde knowe his tyme to be lengthened for a longer space then wolde he take more occasion to sinne
other had his restinge place in the bosome of our Lorde where he had his heauenlie secretes reueled vnto hym And after in the Isle of Pathmos he reueled vnto hym also the whole state of the church militant By this singuler prerogatiue of their chastity they were more purified had the more exquisite knowledge of diuine thinges as appeareth in the scriptures Thomas of Aquine beinge indued with this singulier vertue did shyne by his wonderfull wisdome in the Church of God He that is free from all earthlie cares may well contemplate the heauenlie secretes Gather thy senses together and refrayne thy appetites and so shalt thou keepe chastitie Iheremy sayth Death entreth in at our wyndowes Vnlesse thou settest a watche ouer thy senses thy soule is in daunger to dye of an euill death Isboseth lost his lyfe because the dores of his house were not well garded and kept If thou takest no care about the keepinge of thy senses thou shalt not be able to keepe this precious treasor Doe but consider what harme hath happened to the world by reasoÌ„ of Eua her ouer earnest settelinge of her eyes vpon the bewtie of the forbidden tree It is not lawfull for thee ouer curioustie to behold that which is not lawfull for thee to desire If Dauid had not so intentiuelie beholden Bersabe as he did he had neuer lost so much good as he did loose neyther had he fallen into so much euill as he fell into Be thou vigilaÌ„t carefull in the keeping of thy senses The scripture sayth myne eye hath taken away my soule This caused the death of Holofernes Lay chastitie for thy foundation and therevpon mayest thou buyld vp other vertues As amonge all vyces none so much troubleth the vnderstandinge nor darkeneth reason as the sinne of the flesh doth so likewyse by the contrarie chastitie setteth man at libertie and submytteth the sense vnto reason Of God that is of his owne nature most pure and clene the scripture saith that he feedeth amoÌ„ge the lillies because that he taketh delight in the cleannes and brightnes of chastitie Euery thing delighteth in his like The puritie that is in a reasonable creature is most acceptable to God wherein as in a thing most conformable to his owne nature his pleasure is cheefelie to rest It is written No vnclene thinge shall enter into the heauenlie citie The spirituall bewtie of our soule is principallie attributed vnto chastitie because it maketh a consonance and a proportionable agreement betwixt the soule and the bodie by subduinge the flesh vnto the soule The wyse man sayth O how bewtifull is the chaste generatioÌ„ with cleannes The memory thereof is immortall and it is well knowen both to God and man It is likened in scripture vnto a rose as well for the bewtie thereof as also because it groweth and contynueth amongest sharpe prickels for chastity neither groweth nor contynueth but where there is sharpenes and austeritie of lyfe and mortification of the flesh Chastitie is alwayes in daunger being among pleasures and delightes Chastitie dyeth without it be maynteyned by fastinge and temperance And beinge vpholden by these two it lyueth and reigneth gloriouslie and is crowned at last immortallie It is as greate a miracle to rayse a deade man to lyfe as it is to be chaste without abstinence Thou must not be idle yf thou wilt haue this vertue Flie from the company conuersatioÌ„ of all those that be dissolutely disposed and by this meanes preparinge thy bodie thou shalt make it a meete dwelling for the holie Ghost The Doue flieng out of the Arke of Noe neuer found where to rest but vpon dead bodies and therefore returned shee backe to the Arke agayne The spirite of our lord doth not inhabite in vncleane bodyes but in those that be pure and chaste This chastitie is a glorious and an Angelicall vertue Fly from the pestilence of carnall vyces that thy soule may be the true and faythfull spouse of Iesus Christ. THOSE THINGES VVHICHE seeme most goodlie to the vvorld being compared vvith heauenlie thinges be as it vvere nothinge And therefore happie are they that doe consider it And doe despise the vvorlde vvith all the vanities thereof and ioyne them selues vnto Christ of vvhome they may afâ—er receyue the revvarde of eternall lyfe CHAP. 40. THEY set nothinge by the lande that most was to be desired saide the prophet of worldlie men It is a wonderfull matter that the thing which wee most of all desire and least make reckenyng of is glorie VVee doe not naturallie loue any thing so much neyther doe we loose any thing more easelie but yet for glorie will no man be content to venter the losse of all he hath or may haue And he that seeketh ambitiouslie after this worldlie glory doth loose in this lyfe the comforte of the spirite and in the other eternall felicitie The seruantes of this world doe depryue them selues of much good greate consolation And for the greate loue they doe beare to those corruptible goodes they neuer come to tast of the sweete conuersation of Iesus Christ. It is much to be lamented to see in what thinges men doe receyue their cheefe delight and that they haue so corrupted their taste that the sweete comfortes of God doe growe vnto them noysome and vnsauorie And the coÌ„templation of God and deuoute praying doe seeme vnpleasant And all the bitter vnsauorie pleasures of this world doe onlie seeme sweete pleasant vnto them The taste of gods loue is so delicate sweete that they onlie may taste thereof that haue no taste in any of the vaine pleasures of this world Flie away from the vanities of this world for so much the further as thou goest from them so much the nearer shalt thou come vnto God And be made pertaker of his heauenlie consolations And the lesse that thou doest conuerse with the world so much shalt thou enioye the more of gods loue If they which doe contemne the vanity of this world doe giue them selues to the seruice of God be so filled with so many and so great spirituall comfortes why doest not thou also make hast to goe toward hym how long wilt thou stay Thy losse thy ruine must needs be great since the loue of such base stuffe as this world doth yeld thee is able to withholde and keepe thee from hym Let not the bitter pleasures of this lyfe depryue thee of the sweete and perfect pleasures of the other lyfe Consume not thy dayes in the loue of such vyle thinges and of so little estimation Consider with thy selfe both what it is that thou loosest and for what thou loosest it that which thou louest in this worlde is nothing and that which God hath prepared for them that doe loue him is infinite as he him selfe is infinite happie is that soule that is fed onely with the loue of God and is norished with the odor of his holy vertues
in it the glasse that a man may best beholde him selfe in is an other man and if the other man that thou beholdest be but earth wormes and ashes thou mayest well accompte thy selfe for such a one also be thyne estate riches or dignitie neuer so greate whereunto thou arte exalted in this world and yet because thou mayest not be deceyued by the glasse see that thou takest not a glasse that is holowe within for that sheweth the thing that is represented therein contrarie to that which it is in deede but thou must looke in a playne glasse which sheweth thee the very truth what man is If thou beholdest thy selfe in the inside of a siluer spoone that is cleane and cleare thou shalt see thy face with the wronge ende turned vpward thy bearde to stand vpwarde and â—â—y forehead downeward So there are in â—â—an two glasses which be the two states 〈◊〉 which thou mayest beholde thy selfe â—â—â—e is lyfe the other is death Lyfe is the holowe glasse which shewâ—â—th thy face cleane contrary to that it is in â—â—eede it sheweth thee to be sound strong â—nd lustie and that thou shalte lyue many â—â—eares and all is but vanitie and lyes If â—hou espiest therein fresh lustie youth doe â—ot thou truste therein for it is very deâ—eytfull Bewtie is also very deceytfull â—hou seemest stronge when thou arte but weake this false lyfe seemeth vnto man to â—e some greate thinge but it is in deede contrary to that which it semeth and reâ—resenteth But the state of death is the very playne and true glasse which sheweth â—hinges truly as they are in deede without â—ny deceyte at all If thou wilte therefore O man know â—ruly who thou arte behold an other man not a quicke liuing man but one that is deade and there shalte thou see how that thou arte earth and ashes a very caue of filth and vncleanes a litle set out and bewtified on the out side by the lyuely hew that lyfe hath lent thee there shalte thou see the foundation of thy parentage there shalt thou knowe how large thy dominon is that which thou art they were and that which they are thou shalte be If thou wilt well beholde thy selfe thou shalte finde small cause why thou sholdest make any greate accompte of thy selfe what is man in respecte of his body but a vessell fraughte full of corruption And what is he in respecte of his soule setting a side the grace of God but an enemye vnto iustice an heyre of hell a frende of vanitie a worker of iniquitie a despiser of God a creature most apte to all euill and moste vnable to doe good VVhat arte thou but a moste miserable creature in all things that doe apperteyne vnto thee In thy counsayles thou arte blinde in thy waies ignorant in thy wordâ— vayne in thy workes faultie in thyne appetites filthie and finally in all thy doingâ— vyle and onely greate in thyne owne estimation it is a noble exercyse to learne well to know thy selfe Seeke to knowe thy selfe and thou shalte cut of much mischeefe thou shalte not be proude nor ambitious thou shalte not be a despiser of others thou shalte suffer all iniuries with patience knowing thy selfe to be a miserable sinner and well worthie of all creatures to be despised This singuler saying know thy selfe is a worde descended from heauen aboue for what good doth it thee to knowe all the seuen liberall sciences and to be a Doctor in all faculties and not to knowâ— thy selfe at all The humble knowing 〈◊〉 thy selfe is more worth then to knowe aâ—â— much as is written in the world know first who thou arte whence thou camest wher 〈◊〉 thou arte and whether thou arte goinge thou arte a mortall man a litle earth a vessell of corruption and full of much miseâ—ie and necessitie thou camest cryinge from thy mothers bellie thou art conceyâ—ed in sinne inuironed aboute with all â—aungers and going toward thy graue Iob sayeth I am likened vnto myre â—nd to the snuffe of a candle Let the light â—f Gods grace shyne vpon thee and then â—halt thou knowe who thou art thou sayest â—hou arte rich and hast neede of nothing but in truth thou arte poore and beggerly â—lthough thou knowest it not THERE IS NOT ANY CREAture in this vvorld more poore and miserable then man vvho can not get his liuinge nor any thing perteynynge tovvard it vvithout payne and trauaile and that vvhereon he liueth must be had of creatures much inferior to hym selfe CHAP. 14. A MAN that is borne of a woman liueth but a short tyme and is full of many miseries sayth holie Iob VVhat thing is so miserable as man This bodie which thou so â—uch esteemest in the graue must lie a rotting And what thinge is more horrible then a dead man He may not remayne amonge his frendes one day aboue the grounde after he is deade How much so euer they loued hym when he was a lyue yet when he is deade they may not abidâ— hym The state wherein thou liuest is an vnhappie seruitude It is a miserable lyfe to be borne a slaue to liue one and to die one Dauid sayth In iniquitie was I coÌ„ceyued A lyfe that is so compassed aboute with trauayle payne and sorowe as ours is whiche for one pleasure receyueth 〈◊〉 thousand sorowes may well be accoÌ„pted rather a death then a lyfe There is no creature more pooreâ— then a man he is so needie of all thinges that he is fayne to borowe his verie garmentes that he is cloathed withall eueÌ„ froÌ„ the sely beastes backes And that which he liueth on his vearie meate must he beggeâ—â— of the birdes of the ayre and beasts of the field And the breade that is his cheefe foode he must get with the sweate of his browes All which for the most parte the birdes brute beastes haue of theÌ„ selues and haue no neede to begge or to aske of any other Some liuing creatures haue winges to flie withall others haue nayles and â—â—eth both to defend them selues and to offend and hurt others And others haue lightnes and swiftenes to flie escape those daungers which they be subiect too Of all which thinges the poore miserable man is voyde for of hym selfe he hath nothinge and that which he hath he hath taken it from some other creatures that be inferior and of lesse force then hym selfe By this â—e may learne to humble hym selfe and to abate the pride and the arrogancie which he is holden withall He can not haue any continuall peace â—or quietnes for he can not continuallie â—tand still nor alwayes walke nor alwayes â—leepe or watch wheÌ„ a maÌ„ is best in health â—e hath a thousand infirmities which be â—unger thurst sleepe wearines and other â—ecessities wherewith he aboundeth as â—olde heate tempestes lightnynges thunâ—ers pestilences poyson serpentes daungers by sea daungers by lande sorowes â—ickenes and death VVho cold be in more safetie then â—â—ly the Priest of God was and
his Father in the garden and at many other tymes the Euangelistes doe tell how he went alone for to pray the conuersation of many is noysome and therefore must thou flie from the tumulte and sturre of much people VVhen Adam was alone in Paradise he was gratefull to God and to all his Angels and fearefull to the deuill but after â—hat he was accompanied he loste many a â—enefite whereof company ministred the â—ccasion The prophete Dauid sayeth I â—eperated my selfe by flying away and I â—emayned in the wildernes Elias being alone was fedde with bread â—rom heauen and being amongest a greate â—ompany he colde scarse get whereof to â—ate VVhen man is alone he fyndeth â—eauenly consolation but in the compaâ—y of men he looseth the bread of heauen â—he Children of Israell did neuer eate Manna vntill that they were passed thâ— redde sea which be the perturbations oâ— this present worlde And if thou couetest much the company of men thou mayest happely thereby loose God make not thou so litle accompâ— of God as to loose him for so small a commoditie as the company of this worldâ— doth yelde thee SILENCE IS A GREATâ— keeper and maynteyner of deuotion â— religion and therefore they that obâ—serue it not but are full of vvordes dâ— make avvay for the deuill to hâ—â— them and can by no meanes be perfecâ— religious men CHAP. 20. SILENCE is the best keepâ—â— of iustice sayth Esay He thâ—â— is not a louer of silence aâ—â— solitarines shall neuer be 〈◊〉 perfect religious man Saint Iames sayth thâ—â— whosoeuer thinketh to be a religious maâ—â— and refraineth not his tongue his religâ—â—â— will be to hym but vayne and of no effeâ—â— for whatsoeuer is gotten by prayer is 〈◊〉 agayne by babblinge and much speakinge Silence is the best keeper and maynteyner of deuotion doe not maruayle if thou doest finde thy selfe often tymes colde in thy deuotions if thou doest vse to spend much tyme in superfluous talke and idell wordes Thou must learne to holde thy peace if thou wilt looke to profit for why did God almightie bestow on thee but one tongue two handes but because thou sholdest speake little and doe much God hath ordeyned for thy tongue two dores to kepe it in with the one is of flesh which be thy lippes the other is of harder substance more stronge as bone which be thy teeth to the intent that being so kept it sholde neuer speake vpon any superfluous cause but onlie when necessitie inforceth and gyueth occasion If thou be a busie talker and full of wordes what els art thou but a citie without a wall a house wiihout a dore a shippe without a stearne a vessel without a couer and a horse without a bridle VVhat hast thou gotten or what canst thou keepe if thy tongue be alwayes looselie walkinge And if that parte be no better garded the deuils who are thy mortall enemyes will easelie enter into thee and robbe away from thee all the good that thou hast gotten together Thy death and thy lyfe doe both stand in the handes of thy tongue Holie religious men haue alwayes highlie esteemed silence and haue taken great paines to mainteine it in them as the vearie key of religion lest they sholde haue lost with much talkinge that which they had bene longe aboute in gettinge Esay sayth silence and hope shal be your fortresse silence gyueth a great grace vnto all maner of vertues Zacharias after his longe silence receyued at gods hande S. Iohn which signifieth grace If thou doest holde thy peace and keepe silence thou shalt the sooner receyue the grace of God As the pot that is couered will sooner be hoat cause the liquor that is in it the sooner to boyle theÌ„ that which is vncouered by reason of keepinge in the vapors so if thou doest keepe thy mouth shut vp close by silence thou shalt the sooner waâ— warme and feruent in deuotion and gods seruice If thou wilt not learne to holde thy peace thou shalt neuer learne how to speake Of the good man the scripture sayth thus he wil be solitarie and silent and will haue regarde vnto hym selfe He that holdeth his peace goeth alone bethinketh hym of his owne estate and maketh his contemplation of heauenlie thinges and despiseth the thinges of the earth He that keepeth silence with more ease doth liftâ— vp his harte vnto God Saint Iames sayth let euery man be slow to speake and readie to heare They falle quickelie from the state of perfection that breake silence and vse many wordes Euen as when you shut a conduytes mouth where water passeth the water will strayght wayes mounte vp on highe so yf thou shuttest fast within thee the good spirite of deuotioÌ„ by silence thy prayers shall the sooner ascend vp on highe vnto God and thou shalt the better feele within thee what sweet taste thy deuowte prayers doe bringe vnto thee and by as many idle wordes as thou spendest thou doest as it were by so many smal water streames sende forth agayne the deuotion which thou before receyuedst And so many dores doest thou leaue open to thyne enemy that gyueth good watch vpon thee as thou vsest to speake lighte wordes and vayne It is written He is lyke vnto a citie that is vnwalled that can not refrayne his spirite by keeping silence The citie of our soule muste needes suffer many mortall woundes when it is not defended by the walles of silence Nabuzardam brake downe destroyed the walles of Hierusalem robbed the temple and caried the people captiue to Babilon which the deuill attempteth to doe by thee as often as he seeketh to make thee breake thy silence that so he may robbe thee and make spoyle of the temple of thy conscience and bring thy soule prisoner into the confusion of BabiloÌ„ which is hell it selfe Set then good watch abouâ— thy walles lest thou be robbed spoyled by thyne enemies THE GOOD SERVANTES OF Iesus Christ ought to flie idell talkâ— vvhich breedeth much daunger anâ— detriment to the spirituall lyfe and gyue them selues to the contynualâ— exercise of godlines and pietie CHAP. 21. OF euerie idell worde shalâ— thou gyue a reckeninge iâ— the day of iudgement saitâ— our Lord. Our harte is likâ— vnto a peece of wax thaâ— with colde groweth to 〈◊〉 hard and by heate waxeth softe and tendeâ— agayne and when it is once softe it receyueth the printe of the kinges owne Image Thou must stop thyne eares from hearinâ— vaine and idell wordes for they coole anâ— harden thyne harte And if thou doest 〈◊〉 keepe thy selfe well from hearinge theâ— thou shalt not profit much in the seruicâ— of God Holie and spirituall wordes inflamâ— the harte accordinge vnto the sayinge 〈◊〉 the prophet Thy worde O Lord is fierie In the day of Christes resurrectioÌ„ the two disciples that went trauaylinge by the way toward Emaus talkinge with our Sauiour had their hartes inflamed
The memorie of this world momentaniâ— God onely remembreth his seruaÌ„tes eternallie cap. 6. How the world knoweth not her folowers cap. 7. Of the daunger wherein worldlie mâ—â— lyue cap. 8. Of the carelesnes wherein worldlie meâ— doe lyue cap. 9 Of the slauerie of wordlie men cap. 10 Of the heauie yoke of the world cap. 11 Of the sweetenes of Christ yoke cap. 12 How in our afflictions wee are to rune 〈◊〉 God and not to the world cap. 13 How speedelie the world passeth away cap. 14. Of the vnquiet and carefull myndes 〈◊〉 worldlinges cap. 1â— â—ow worldly consolations are full of bitternes cap. 16. Of the blindnes of worldly men cap. 17. Of the greefe of worldly men in partinge with the worlde cap. 18. Of the wages that the worlde gyueth her seruantes cap. 19. â—ow quickely the worlde casteth of her seruantes cap. 20. â—owe the loue of the worlde excludeth God cap. 21. â—ow the worlde doth continually persecute the good cap. 22. Of patience in aduersitie cap. 23. Of flying from the worlde cap. 24. Of the mutabilitie of the worlde cap. 25. How we are to shunne the small euills of the worlde cap. 26. Howe we oughte to flye the companie of worldly men cap. 27. Howe we oughte to accompanie with the good cap. 28. Of the intention of him that despiseth the worlde cap. 29. Of the memory of death cap. 30. Of the vncertaine houre of death cap. 31. VVhy God will not haue vs to to knowe the houre of death cap. 32. That the seruante of God oughte to meditate vpon death cap. 33. Of the firste armie of the worlde which is pryde cap. 34. Of humiltie cap. 35. Of couetousnes cap. 36. Of Liberalitie cap. 37. Of Lasciuiousnes cap. 38. Of Chastitie cap. 39. Of the good that worldly meÌ„ loose ca. 40. The end of the second parte OF THE VANITIE OF THE worlde The third parte VVhich shevveth vs hovv contemnynge vvorldlie vanities vvee ought to serue Iesus Christ. HOw the worlde doth not satiate our soules cap. 1. Howe God alone doth satiate our soules and not the world cap. 2. VVhy God doth satiate our soules and not the world cap. 3. How perfecte contentement is founde in God alone cap. 4. How we ought to trust in God alone ca. 5. Of the loue of God cap. 6. Of the loue of our neighbour cap. 7. Of the loue of our enemies cap. 8. Of selfe loue cap. 9. Of the denying of our selues cap. 10. Of the contempt of our selues cap. 11. Of the conquest of our selues cap. 12. Of the knowledg of our selues cap. 13. Of the consideration of mans miserie cap. 14. Of the knowledg of God cap. 15. Of meditation and conteÌ„plation cap. 16. Of true mortification cap. 17. Of abstinence and fasting cap. 18. Of the loue of solitarines cap. 19. Of Silence cap. 20. Of Idle wordes cap. 21. Of murmuring cap. 22. How the seruante of God oughte not to â—xamine the lyfe of others cap. 23. â—ow we oughte to beare with our neyghbours imperfections cap. 24. â—f Idle thoughtes cap. 25. â—f Idlenes and slouth cap. 26. â—f the fâ—ruor of good workes cap. 27. â—owe we oughte not to resolue rashely cap. 28. â—f the feare of God cap. 29. â—f obedience cap. 30. â—f pouertie cap. 31. â—ow we oughte continually to doe good workes cap. 32. â—f perseuering in goodnes cap. 33. â—f temptations cap. 34. â—f the profit of temptations cap. 35. â—f the remedie agaynst temptatioÌ„s which is prayer cap. 36. â—f the end whereto man is created ca. 37. â—f the dreadfull iudgemeÌ„t of God ca. 38. â—f the paynes of them that loue the vanitie of this worlde cap. 39. â—f the glory that they shall haue which despise the vanitie of the world cap. 40. The ende of the third and last parte Laus Deo O felix puerpera gloriae lucerna Surge veni propera domina superâ—â— Mea terge vulnera veniae pincerna Me Christo confedera me sempeâ— guberna Iesu fila Dauid 〈…〉 O regina virginu per quaÌ„ luxest orta Reparatrix hominuÌ„ felix coeli porâ—â— Verus splendor luminum quaeso mâ— conâ—orta Sursum ante dominum preceÌ„ meaâ— porta Mat. 6. Exd. 3. 1. Reg. 5. Exod. 2. Exod. 16. Io. 14. Pr. 12. Gal. 6. Eph. 5. 2. Reg. 11. Mat. 4. Luc. 2. Mat. 5. Gen. 24. Eccl. 1. Phi. 3. Amos. 9. Prou. 14. Danie 2 Thren 1. Luc. 9. Ioh. 2. 1. Thess. 5 Psal. 48. Eccle. 3. Genes 3. Psal. 118. Rom. 6. Gene. 25. Psal. 67. Rom. 6. Psal 77. Psal. 54 1 Cor. 4. Math. 27. Iohn 8. Iohn 5. Luc 18. Mat 6. Mat. 5. 4. Reg. 20 Mat. 6. Prou. 27. Dan. 3. Exo. 16. Exo. 20. Ios. 7. Esa. 10. Exo. 10. 1 Cor. 15. Apoc. 4. Psal. 113. Esa. 25. Dan. 4. Iu. 15. Iob. 31. Exo. 4. Oze 13. 1. Cor. 10 Psal. 29. Psal. 29. Mat. 25 Iohn 8. 1. Cor. â—1 Psal. 90. Luc. 17. Luke 18 Rom. 11. 4. Reg. 25. Mat. 20. Mar. 10. Num. 10. Mat. 26. Iob. 1. Gene. 30. Exod. 13. Act. 1. 2 Cor. 5. Heb. 13. 1. Pet. 2. Psal. 141. Psal. 38. 2. Cor. 4. Heb. 11. Prou. 31. 2. Reg. 18. Eccle. 11. Luke 16. Mat. 11. Mat. 6. 1. Tim. 6. Gal. 1. Heb. 11 Iob. 1. Iob. 16. Psal. 34. Esa. 14. Psal. 98. Sohp 1. Eccl. 19. Iob. 17. Ose. 9. 1. Reg. 9. Math. 4. Psal. 61. Psal. 75. Eccl. 13. Luc. 15. Luc. 10. Genes 3. 2. Cor. 12 Mat. 15 Eccle. 5. 1. Tim. 6. Psal. 75 Philip. 3. Luc. 10. Iob. 1. Sap. 7. Psal. 4. 1. Iohn 2. Gen. 13. Gene. 31. Exo. 1. Dan. 4. Gene. 1. Rom. 1. Phil. 3. Luke 14. Gene. 39. Mat. 19. Mat 16. Leu. 11. Iud. 7. Iob. 1. Luc. 6. Psal. 83. Psal. 41. Psa. 136 Mat. 5. Apo. 7. Apo. 21. Iob. 3. Iob. 21. Luc. 16. Iohn 11. Luc. 19. Iohn 11. Luc. 19. Mat. 18. Exo. 14. Eccl. 2. Exod. 2. Psal. 93 Tob. 5. Prou. 15. Esa. 24. 1. Cor. 7. Sap. 10. Heb. 11. 1. Pet. 2. Sap. 7. Psal. 11. Ioâ— 1. Iob. 10. Io. 16. Phil. 4. Luc. 10. 1. Cor. 1. Psal. â—1 Esa 14. Prou. â— Luc. 1. Psal. 3. Can. 4. Ioh. 14. Eph. 2. Gen. 21. Iohn 16. Gal. 5. Psal. 102. Psal. 138 1. Cor. 14. Eccl. 9. Psal. 90. Io. 12. Io. 19. Gene. 3. Iob. 1. Prou. 1. 1. Re. 9. 2. Reg. 11. 2. Reg. 1. Gene. 40. Mat. 17. Mat 5. 2. Tim. 3. Luc. 13. Math. 7. Io. 15. Io. 12. Mar. 55 Mar. Vlt. Io. 15. Mat. 5. Act. 7. 2. Cor. 12. Mat. 5. Hester 3. Mat. 16. Luke 16. Act. 14. Psal. 60· Prou 13. 2. Re. 20. Psal. 50. 1. Pet. 2. Gene. 42.45 1. Re. 26. Tob. 11. Psal. 15. Psal. 119. Gene. 1. Exod. 1. Act. 9. Psal. 2. Mat. 6. Exo. 12. Num. 11. Ag. 1 Mat. 6. Gene. 1. Mat. 25. 1. Pet. 5. Psal. 93. Luc. 8. Io. 19. 1 Cor. 3. Srp. 5. 1. Re 3. Act. 26. Luc. 23. 1. Cor. 3. Pro. 10. Luc. 16 Sapi. 5. Exo. 4. Prou. 3 Gen. 32. Eccl. 27. Exod.
these earthlie thinges VVhen he depriued his greate frend Iob one whome be loued so well of them at the request of his greate enemy the deuill Open thine eyes and consider how much thou doest abase thy selfe in the vnordinate louing of riches how much thou doest exalt thy selfe agayne by the contemninge of them Take awaye therefore thy loue from these vanities bestowe it onlie vpon Iesus Christ. NO MAN OVGHTE TO BE proude nor to glorie of his earthly possessions vvhich doe further nothinge tovvard the attaynynge of vertue but rather as hurtfull thinges they ovghte to be reiected and abhorred of vs. CHAP. 20. COMPARE not the wisdome of God vnto a pretious stone for all the golde in the world being compared vnto that is but as the small sande And siluer in respect of that shal be accompted but as a peece of clay saith the wise man That is great pouertie whiche the wordl calleth riches Put not thy mynde vpon such vanities but lifte it vp to God alone Abase not thy selfe in subiecting thy will to such vvâ—e thinges God hath created thee to goe vpright and straight because thou shouldest looke vpwarde to heauen and loue heaueÌ„lie thinges And set nought by these thinges of the earth And because God looketh and hath respect to helpe thee to doe thee good therefore hath hâ— placed all thinges that thou haste need◠〈◊〉 vpon the vppermost face of the earth as bread wine meate and all other thinges necessarie for thee because thou mightest finde them redily and easely at what tyme thou haddest neede of theÌ„ But the superfluous things as golde and siluer he hath hiddeÌ„ vnder the earth because thou shouldest not wish for them nor desire them Seeke not therefore after such false ware The prophete sayeth Ye children of men why doe ye loue vanitie and seeke after lying Thou being the sonne of a reasonable man which haste also the vse of reason doe not thou lyue so without all reason as to make these earthlie gooddes the vttermost end of thy trauailles synce thou wast created for to enioye the heauenlie gooddes All that thou louest is vanitie sayth the Prophet and whatsoeuer the world promiseth thee is but lies This golde is but earth and this silke which thou esteemest for so delicate a thinge cometh from the selie woormes and what thinges be more vile then those These be those pretious thinges whiche adorneth thee with this dayntie stuffe thou settest thy selfe out to shew when all this was vpon thy backe wast thou cloathed with any thinge but with pouertie and with vanitie Be not thou proude of any such like cloathinge neyther doe thou vaunt thy selfe of thy riche hangings or other costlie stuffe that thou doest adorne thy house with all for thoughe to thy blynde eyes they seeme to be great riches yet in truth they be none nor for such are they esteemed of men that be wise and of vnderstaÌ„ding These thinges be not they whiche shall make a man riche If thou wilte be riche thou must loue that which is verye true riches in deede These riches can not make a man wyse humble patiente chaste or mercifull they conuerte not anger into meekenes nor make a cruell man piteous nor the enuious man charitable Now if towarde the vertue of the minde they doe further nothing at all but rather as by experience we daylye see doe make men worse in maynteyning vyce and dryuing away vertue what reason is it why thou sholdest so fondly esteeme them for euen as when thou doest norish in thy bosome serpents and scorpions who when they haue well warmed them there will stinge thee and poyson thee for thy labor and do as much as is in them to kil thee So with the heate of thy disordinate desires thou doest norish and augment these riches and delicacie wherein thou lyuest which being fostered with in thy bowels doe after gnaw thy conscience and extinguysh the good spirite with in thee and so put thy saluation in great daunger· This is that which thou hast loued so well O thou blinde man This is that after which thou seekest so fast And this is that which thou consumest thy selfe for Praye vnto God to gyue thee thy right vnderstaÌ„ding to the intent that thou mayest knowe the deceytfulnes of these gooddes which thou louest so well and that thou mayest lyfte vp thy harte to the loue of those thinges in whiche true riches are to be founde MAN BEINGE CREATED TO the image and similitude of God ought onlie to loue hym and not these earthlie riches vvith vvhich in deede he hath no maner of resemblance CHAP. 21. DOE not thou loue the world nor the thinges which be in it sayth Sainte Iohn By the light of naturall reason it is manifest that thou oughtest not to loue any of these earthelie thinges â—or loue is a thinge of that nature price â—hat it cannot be due vnto any thinge but â—hat which is able to render loue backe â—gayne and requite loue for loue which â—s the iust recompence and price thereof â—nd because no vnreasonable creature can â—hus doe therefore must not thou set â—ayne harte and affection vpon any of theÌ„ It is a greate peruerting of order to vsâ— thinges to other endes then they are appoynted and created for Only god is to be loued for hym selfe as that which is the cheefe good of all and as it were the verie centre of thyne harte And his creatures must thow vse in their kyndes to serue hym with all as he hath ordeyned but for that good which thou doest thy selfe take by theÌ„ thou must thaÌ„ke God threreof And vpon hym must thou bestowe all the loue therefore that thou canst vnto whom it only belongeth froÌ„ whome thou onlie receyuedst the fruyte and benefite of those his creatures But yf thou doest loue the creatures them selues not referring the loue thereof vnto God Thou pâ—ruertest the order of nature and art worthelie to be punisshed therefore God created man to his owne image and likenes to the ende that as all other lyuinge creatures of their owne natures doe loue their lyke so he sholde gyue all his loue and affection to God alone and not set his lykinge in these earthlye and transitorie thinges But with riches whâ—â— resemblance or likenes hast thou VVhâ—â— hath thy soule to doe with golde Thoâ— hast to loue God onlie after whose imagâ— thou arte made And not these earthâ—â— creatures All that longe tyme that Iacob haâ— children by Lya and her handmayde 〈◊〉 neuer remembred his returnynge to 〈◊〉 owne countrie agayne for the louers of â—hese temporall gooddes being occupyed â—boute externall thinges doe forget heaueÌ„ which is their true countrie in deede But â—s soone as he had children by Rachell he â—esired to retorne to his natiue countrey â—gayne And so doe all those whiche doe good woorkes desire to comme to glorie â—nd rest in heauen VVhen the king of Egipt was dead
the â—sraelites cried vnto God and they were heard They had cryed lykewyse before his death aswell as they did after but he â—arkened not vnto them The good and the bad doe all crye vnto God but God geueth not eare vnto the wordlie people for that they haue not killed the kinge of Egypte whiche is the loue of worldlie things But yf thow doest kil once the loue of the world by by god will heare thee This is the verie force and true effect of loue to haue the to be such as is the thinge that thou louest Thy soule is like vnto waxe which taketh the forme of that whiche is impressed therein That which the seale doth imprinte in it that shalt thou fynde therein If thou impresse therein the loue of worldlie thinges thou must be worldlie but yf thou place heauenlie thinges therein thou shalt be heauenlie thy selfe If thou puttest thy glasse towarde heauen thou shalt fynde heauen fygured thereiâ— and yf thou turnest it toward the earth thou shalt finde the earth figured therein So shalt thou alwayes takâ— that figure whiche thou wilt applie thy selfe vnto and accordinge to that thingâ— which thou louest shall thy selfe be eitheâ— good or euill Nabuchodonozer when he was in louâ— with the world he went aboute the hilles and the wooddes feedinge on grasse like a beast But retorning agayne vnto God by penance he recouered his former image which he had lost before VVhen God created the sonne and the moone and all his other creatures God sayed that they were all good and approued them for such But when he created man he neyther saide that he was good or bad Yet are not those creatures better then man but lesse worthe theÌ„ man because that for his sake they were all created And why did God say of other creatures that they were all good and saide not so of man that was better then they all God paraysed not man neyther called he hym good or euill because he looked that he sholde so worke with his free will that according to that which he sholde chose hym selfe eyther good or euill he shold haue his denomination callinge If thou doest loue that which iâ— good theÌ„ art thou good And yf thou doest loue that which is euill then arte thou euill So man only because he hath his freâ— eleection to take eyther good or euill God wolde firste see both what he wolde â—â—oose and what he wolde loue before he â—â—olde gyue him any addition of dignitie â—â—d then after gyue him his title accorâ—â—ng to his choyse and this power hath â—ot God gyuen to any other of his earthly â—â—eatures but only to man The Apostle S. Paule speaking of a â—ertayne sorte of men sayeth That they â—â—aunged the glorye of the incorruptible â—od into the likenes of a corruptible man 〈◊〉 birdes fowrefooted beastes and of serâ—entes You may hereby beholde what â—â—pressioÌ„s be made in maÌ„s soule through â—â—e loue of these earthly thinges The proper habitacion of the soule 〈◊〉 heauen where they onelie that be perâ—â—cte must inhabite Our conuersation is 〈◊〉 heauen sayth the Apostle The waye to â—â—e riche is to despise worldlie riches It is â—reate riches not to care for riches VVho 〈◊〉 he that hath much euen he that is conâ—â—nted with a little God commaunded the Israelites that â—â—ere sholde no man take away or enioye â—â—y part of the spoyles of Iherico VVheâ—ein was signified vnto vs that wee shold â—ot couet after the mutable treasures of â—is world which is implied in this word â—herico which signifieth mutabilitie or â—hange But as Iosue did burne and conâ—ume with fier both the towne and all the â—iches thereof so sholde wee that be â—aythfull consume with the hot burnyng â—oue of God all the riches and gooddes of this world which a true faythfull maâ—â— should neuer esteeme or set by And whâ—â— so doth otherwyse shal be put to death aâ— Acham was and committed vnto euerlaâ—stinge damnation therefore EARTHLY RICHES OVGHT TO be despised together vvith the desire oâ— them because they are heauie and doe hynder a man that is clyminge vpâ—â— tovvard heauen CHAP. 22. HE that renounceth not all thaâ— he possesseth in this worlde can not be my disciple sayetâ— our Lord. If thou wilt thereâ—fore be the true disciple of Iesus Christ thou must with thyne harte despyse all the transitorie thinges of thiâ— worlde They which folowed Christ dâ—â—â— forsake asmuch as they could desire which folowed hym not Our wil is so vnsatiablâ— in desiringe that he whiche hath moâ—â— thereof is least satisfied and he that caâ— forsake his will forsaketh all thinges Anâ— by that meanes did Saincte Peter forsaâ—â— as much as Alexander could desire By thy contemnynge of these thinges thou findest thy selfe But in the louing oâ— â—hem thou loosest thy selfe Happie is that â—oule that laboureth in the renouncinge â—f all those thinges that the world so much â—mbraceth Dispise thou corruptible thinâ—es to gayne vncorruptible Golde and siluer are not a loade for â—an but a burthen for beastes There is no â—east that carieth a greater loade then he â—ay well beare but the louer of riches â—arieth asmuch as may be layed by any â—eane vpon him Lighten thy burthen â—ast of these false honours from thee and â—hou shalt afterwarde goe with the more â—ase VVhy wilt thou goe so heauelie ladeÌ„â—heÌ„ thou mayest haue helpe of the poore â—an to carrie parte of thy burthen for â—hee Thou mayest goe best when thou art â—nladen And wrestle best when thou art â—aked when thou doest wrestle with the â—iuell naked thou wilt easelie ouercome â—ym but yf thou haue thy clothes vpon â—hy backe for hym to take holde on thou â—ayest easelie be ouerthroweÌ„ Iesus Christ â—ought naked vpon the crosse for thee â—nd yf thou wilt folow hym thou must â—idde from thine hart all loue of temporal â—hinges Ioseph being tempted in Egipt fled â—waye and left his clothes in the handes â—f his persecutor and after he had disâ—hardged hym selfe and cast his outward â—ooddes away he became a greate lorde â—nd ruler in Egipt They that contemne â—iches shald receyue therefore agayne an hundreth tymes as much saith our Lorde There is nothing greate in this worlde but that harte which contemneth greatâ— thinges VVho is poore he that appeareth riche and he that most hath enioyeth leasâ— libertie and with lesse ease doth lifte vp his harte to God Crates the ThebaÌ„ Philosopher despised riches because it hindred his studyinge in Philosophie and doest not thou thinke that they will hynder thee more towarde the gettinge of heauen It is hard for thee to carrie a greate burthen on thy backe although thou walke on the eueÌ„ grounde How much more hard is it for thee then to clyme vp to heauen being laden VVhat busines so euer thou doest goe aboute in this worlde thou wilt as much as thou canst put from thee all such cares that shold hynder thee therein and yet in