is impossible with one eye to looke vp to heauen and with the other downewarde to the earth so against reason is it that so-long as thine affection is bent toward earthly thinges thou shouldest enioy the comforts of the spirite If therefore thou haue any desire at all after God of necessitie thou must depriue thy selfe of all humane ioy when it is an hinderance vnto heauenly consolation Flie with all thine heart from al comfort of the world and thou shalt be comforted of God Plucke away from thy soule the loue of the world that a place may bee lefte wherein the loue of God may be ingraffed and take root God would not suffer that one and the same Altar shoulde serue for himselfe and for Dagon too and though the Philistines with might and maine labored yet neuer coulde they bring the same to passe God will not that the idoll of sinne which thou wouldest adore shall haue anie roome there where his heauenlie maiestie hath an abiding place He cannot abide that himselfe and the world should be worshipped together If thou wilt loue God of force thou must hate the glory of Purge thine hart from al wickednes and thou shalt come vnto that peace Learne in euery thing to conqâ—er thy selfe so shalt thou haue the inward quietnes of the minde Breake thine vnbridled appetites remoue away the vaine desires of this present world abandon pleasures that thou maist liue at peace and tranquilitie that nothing may trouble nor molest thee that finally thou maist enioy the sweetnesse of the spitit and attaine a certaine Paradise in this world Nothing can happen vnto a righteous man vnto his perturbation Thine own affections are they which moue bates against thee and thine enemies being within howe canst thou complaine of them without He is a great Lord that can commaund himselfe And this in fine is the noble soueraigntie of our will that it hath more power than the Kinges and Emperours of the world who of enemies cannot make friends as can our will being disposed therevnto when she subdueth the disordered appetites Why are iniuries and afflictions whatsoeuer greeuous vnto thee but bâ—cause thou dost shun them Now if they would bee sweete rather and not irkesome wouldest thou once loue them S. Paul reioyced in the Crosse of Christ and those glorious Apostles went away reioycing that they were counted worthie to suffer rebuke for his name Why did â—hese so holy men reioyce in tribulations wherein thou hast no ioy Surely that pleased them which is vnpleasant to thee Once do thou loue that which holie men haue loued and thou shalt finde that comforte which they had in troubles If persecutions bring thee griefe complaine not on the persecutor but rather on thy selfe who flyest from that wherein thou shouldest reioyce Conforme thy selfe after the ensample of Iesus Christ be a friend of his crosse and suffering Resign thy selfe wholy into his hands and loue that which hee did loue so shalt surelie it were alone sufficient to confounde then which in title onely be Christians Let vs bee ashamed to passe the time in pleasures and delights when our Captaine liued in great reproach and perill â—â—ee is no good Souldier which beholding his captaine dying before his face wil not venture himself to the peril of death without thinking of his owne life and pleasure If thou seeke after honour seeing thy Captain dishonoured it is a great argument that thou art none of his band and counting thy self a Christian thou shouldest greatelie blush if thou finde in thy selfe any loue at al of vanitie which Infidels seeke after Many there bee which say they are christians but very few do imitate the life of Christ. They bee in name like it cannot be denied but altogether vnlike for manners If the life of many Christians were compared with the life of our redeemeâ— it would then euidently appeare how crooked their heartes bee and how much also they decâ—ine from that straitnes which God did set them in seeing they turne themselues vnto the loue of those things which his pleasure is should be despised I would gladly knowe who hath more knowledge God or the world If thou beleeuest that God knoweth more marke how he hath chosen pouertie and a base condicion and this onely may suffice to teach thee how wicked thy life is That so hard cratch wherein hee lay on the day of his birth condemneth the delicacie of this world that stable doeth demonstrate how vaine the honors and prosperitie of this life are those vile clothes wherin his deuine maiestie was wrapped doe sufficiently shewe of what account are the riches of this world Consider a litle the dicourse of his life and behold also his death so shalt thou find that the Sonne of God become man hath alwaies adhorted vs to contemne the world aswel by example of his life as by wordes doctrine The Lord preaching vpoÌ„ the moâ—Ì„t thus began his Sermon Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heauen The Lord came not to destroy thee but to direct thee into the way of heauen and to bring thee vnto euerlasting saluation If Christ haue not erred thou dost erre if he hath chosen the good thou chusest the ill if hee through infamie and suffering hath entered into the gates of glorie out of question thou takest the readie way vnto hell which so louest immoderately honor and vanitie In great perill thou liuest and thou dost hazard thy saluation if thou returne not from this way and detest that which thou so louest and earnestlie determine with thy selfe hereafter to follow his steppes which cannot erre O what an abuse is it that a most vile worme of the earth doth so desire to be great when the God of maiesty hath made himselfe so small Therefore Christian soule if thou see thy husband Isaacke going on foot thou must after th'nsample of Rebecca alight from thy Camel for thou shouldest blush to beholde Iesus in a base estate thy selfe aloft vpon a Camel of worldly vanities Come downe therefore come downe I say as shee did by contemning the promotions and vanitie of this present world and conforme thy selfe according to the life of thy redeemer that with him hereafter thou maiest enioy the true ioy and eternal glory CHAP. IV. All the thinges of this world are vaine VAnitie of vanities saith the Preacher vanity of vanities al is vanity I haue considered al the workes that are vnder the Sunne and behold all is vanity This world in the sacred Scripture is rightly called an Hypocrite who though to the outward apparance it seeme wonderfull goodlie yet within is full of vanity and corruption In those good thinges which are sensible it appeareth good wheras in truth it is full of falshood and deceit Fasten not the anchor of the shippe of thine hearte in the sea of worldlie loue The
knew him not meaning Iesus Christ. And no maruell hauing their eyes so full of earth They haue wandred as blinde men in the streâ—tes sayeth the prophet Ieremiah of worldly minded men which are so blinde that they suffer themselues to bee led about euen of the blinde vnto the example of wickednes They which are bodily blinde in deed they know yet that they are blinde but none are so wretchedly blind as the men of this world while they haue them in derision which vse the sight of their eyes The Lord said vnto the sinnefull Pharisies Now ye say we sâ—e therefore your sinne remaineth and being so blind that they thinke all others blind sauing themselues and such as they be therefore their impietie is the greater as was that of the seuenty Ancients of whom Ezechiel speaketh from the mouth of the Lord Beware therefore of such a blindenesse that thou fall into absurde and intollerable errors to the dishonour of God CHAP. 18 Great is the sorrow which worldlings doe feele when they must eyther leaue this world or go vnto hell torments THE labour of the foolish doth wearie him sayeth Salomon When death once approacheth then will it grieue a worldling to leaue this world for no man can leaue that hee loueth without much griefe That which the world loueth it getteth with great labour it keepeth with great feare it leaueth with great sorrow In the Reuelation it is written that They shall haue no rest day nor night which worship the beast and his image no more shall they that worship their beastly appetites and affections Terrible will that houre be when the body of a worldly man brought vp deliciously shal be separated from the soule to bee deuoured speedilie afterwarde of wormes It will be a greiuous thing for the riche man to depart from his riches and estimation in the worlde which so inordinately he loued The horses of great men goe trapped richly all the daie with manie seruing men attending vpon them but when they come vnto the stable at night or to the ende of their iourney all their glorious furniture is taken from them and nothing there continueth with them but spurgals bruzes and wearinesse In like sort the rich and great men of the world they are woondered at so longe as they are iourneying in this life but when they come vnto their graue euen the end of their iourney their glorie leaueth them and nothing els do they beare awaie but woundes vices and wickednesse Kinges and Princes also are not like to carrie awaie their goâ—de or their siluer from hence but onely the faultes which they haue committed while they were of auctoritie Consider therefore how irksome it will be for a worldly minded man to leaue this life which he loueth world which is so forgetful and vnthankeful Vnlesse thou iudge of the worlde as it is thou art not meet for to meete Christ. Therfore our Sauiour he calleth such vnto him not as thinke the yoake of this world to bee sweet but which deeme it greeuous and burdensome The world vseth to giue after a short pleasure euerlasting torments but God for a little paines for his sake giueth ioyes that shall haue no end Marie Magdalene that holy woman she in her troubles resorted vnto Christ in the house of the Pharisei obtained remission of her sinnes but desperate Iudas in troubles flying vnto the comfort of the worlde did hang himselfe and so â—el hee head-long into hel insomuch that she truly repenting shewed her selfe wise but he despairing of Gods mercy proued extreemely foolish Is it not better then to serue God and so to enioy eternall blisse than to serue this corruptible worlde and after to be tormented for euer with the Deuil and his Angels Surely it is better in this life to want a little short pleasure than with the same to be tumbled hedlong into hel better is it to liue obediently according to the lawe of God than wickedly to serue the worlde which by certaine coloured things which it calleth good snarleth and seeketh thine vtter ouerthrowe At that same rigorous passage of thine out of this world by death wheÌ„ al thinges wherein thou puttest thy trust shal see â—e in thine â—ies to bee but dirt and dung how then wil thy former folly thinkest thou grieue thee at thine heart Marke I pray you what a notable reward the world the Diuel and the flesh do promise vnto you euen such a reward as if thou haue it thou canst not haue the reward of heauen What shalt thou reape of the flesh but corruptiâ—â— as S. Paul doth say What shalt thou receiue of the deuil but intolerable tormâ—Ì„tes What of the world but speedy forgetfulnesse They promise largely these tyrantes but they performe slowly No man did euer yet serue the worlde but he was sorry for so doing at one time or other It would continually be serued and yet for all the seruice done it maketh his seruants either for hunger to starue or else with strips to be thrust naked out of doors In a word looke for no recompence of the world besides griefe and anguish of heart No man that wise is will enter into seruice with an other man except first he doe knowe what wages hee shall haue for his paines but with these tyrantes whom I haue named no couenant is to bee entered into because they will promise much and performe nothing that good is But if thou wilt serue Christ though thou suffer troubles yet in the midst of them thou shalt bee sure to finde consolation both inwarde and aeternall Man that is borne of a woman is but of short continuance The paines of good men are quickly gon but the sorrowes of the wicked shall euermore endure Better were it for thee by obedience to go into the fire of affliction than after thy pleasures of the worlde to bee damned for euer Let not thy laboures dismay thee which haue an ende with thy life but feare those troubles which when thy life hath an ende do begâ—nâ—e and shall neuer come to an ende From those paines neither friendes shal deliuer neither riches nor any friendship of man shal saue thee The world it shal haue an ende but God and his seruantes shall endure for euer Trust not in the world for it plaieth the hangman with thee which first conducteth thee by the faire greene way of his false consolations and after with all possible speede thrusteth thee downe to hel Doe you not see what a good recompeÌ„ce you receaue for al your seruice CHAP. 6 Soone are they forgotten and ouerthrowe which giue themselues to serue the world I Haue seene the wicked strong and spreding himselfe like a baie tree yet he passed away and loe he was gone and I sought him but he could not be found The worlde doth highly now and theÌ„ aduaunce them which serue it but they haue no sooner
people of whom more profite shall you receiue at the length than at the first you would imagine CHAP. 29. The world must be despised in no worldly respects WHosoeuer shall forsake houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my Names sake hee shall receiue an hundred folde more and shal inherite euerlasting life saith the Lord Many do forsake great possessions which yet receiue no reward because they forsake not these thinges for Christ his sake but seeke themselues loue their owne glorie and couet the praise of men The more thou louest God the more acceptable is that whatsoeuer thou doest Though I feede the poore with all my goods and though I giue my bodie that I be burned and haue not loue it profiteth me nothing saith the Apostle Study thou onely to please God and let his loue onely mooue thee to serue him contemne this world not hoping for any temporall commoditie God he praised Iob and the Diuel replied againe Doth Iob feare God for nought The Diuel he denied not the workes of Iob but he argued vp In euery worke therefore let God be the cause and ende of the same if thou haue no purpose to worke in vaine CHAP. 30. Death is to be had in continunual remembrance WHatsoeuer thou takest in hand remember the ende and thou shalt neuer doe amisse saieth a wise man The remembrance of death it auaileth much to make vs to contemne this world Hee will easily despise all which hath in minde that he shall die Vnto Adam and his wife did the Lord God make coates of skinnes and clothed them that thereby they might haue in remembrance the sentence of death whereinto they were fallen through sinne Seeing thou with all mortall creatures art condemned to die the death and art still going the right way vnto the graue thou oughtest to giue thy selfe vnto continuall mortifying of thy selfe It is a soueraigne medicine for to refraine thy sensual and wicked appetites to haue death in remembrance whereby the bodie shal be turned into duste and ashes and eaten vp of wormes The cogitation of death it throweth water as it were into the fornace of our burning desires to quench them Death is the clocke by which wee set our life in order and the memory thereof doth choake vp much of that loue that wee doe beare vnto the world As Daniel by strawing of ashes in the flore discouered by the print of the feete the deceipt of the false Priestes of Babylon so doe thou cast in thy memorie the ashes whereinto thou shalt one day bee conuerted and thou shalt perceiue the deceiptes of the worlde the subtilty of the Diuel and the secrete tentations whereby the wicked spirits doe impugne thy soule O that these thinges were in thy minde howe purely should the life beleeue the things which dayly thou seest to happen before thy face Thinke that euery moment thou hearest that terrible trumpet resounding in thine eares Arise ye dead and come vnto iudgement The memorie of death in a good man it clenseth and purifieth all that passeth through it as a strainer clenseth all that liquor that is powred into it Driue not from thy mind the remembrance of death for it will detaine thee greatly from reuenging iniuries and from following the vanities of this world which as yet abide in thy minde and study to get the Christian virtues which highly doe please God and are profitable to man CHAP. 31. The houre of death is vncertaine WAtch for yee knowe neither the day nor the houre when the sonne of man will come saith our Sauiour Seeing death is so certaine and the time thereof so vncertaine we are continually to watch and to thinke that euerie day shall bee the last Many doe builde houses yet wot they not whether they shall inhabite them or no Many doe make prouision against the yeere to come which it may bee they shall neuer see They giue themselues to this life which is vncertaine and ouerpasse the caâ—e of death which is most certaine Seeing then with such an earnest studie thou prouidest for vncertaine thinges why prouidest thou not against death which is of all most certaine It is not good to leaue the certaine for the vncertaine Man knâ—weth noâ— his time sayeth the preacher but as the fishes which are taken in an euill net and as the birdes that are caught in the snare so are the children of men snared in the euil time when it falleth vpon them suddenly Why tariest thou longer vpon present things If a King of speciall fauour should giue thee one of the cities of his stingdome and should assigne thee a certaine houre to confirme his graunt wouldest thou not with all studie and diligence endeauour that that houre should not bee ouerslipt But now a farre more excellent and glorious city than any is in this world euen the celestial Ierusalem is promised vnto thee by the vnspeakeable magnificence of the King of Kinges The time of this life is giuen thee to attaine therein this blessed citie Leese not thy time therefore omit not a good opportunitie least thou leese that happinesse which thou so longest for The night commeth when no man can worke No man hath an houre sure of his life Therefore the time being so short and the promises so ample what a woonder is it that many can so idlely passe the time away in vanities and pastimes as though they had yet an hundred yeeres moe assured them to liue and looked for none other world after this life If for the getting of some temporal good thing thou art willing to breake thy sleepe to refraine from meate to absent thy selfe from many meetinges of pleasure and that onely to finish which is in thine handes least the occasion doe slip and thou wottest not when to haue the like againe why doest thou not take the like occasion now giuen thee of God for the attaining of that life which shall endure for euer Those fiue foolish virgins that sufâ—ered the time praeâ—ent unprofitably to passe-away and presumed of the time to come were deceiued of their vaine expectation Disire not a long but a good life nor many but good yeares Endeuor rather to liue well than long and seeke not onely to haue a good-will but adde thereunto good workes Many contenting themselues with a good intentes haue descended into the tormentes of hell Vncertaine is the houre of death which is a thing that should stirre vs vp vnto more watchfulnesse in our calling It were extreme foolishnesse for thee to liue in that state in which thou wouldest not that death should finde thee And seeâ—ing this may fall out euery houre euen in reason it standeth thee vppon to liue well for little doe you knowe the houre when death wil summon you to answere for your life before the iudgement seate of God CHAP. 32. The houre of death is vnknow en because we
should continually prepare our selues to dye MAN that is borne of a woman is but of shorte continuance and full of trouble Are not his dates determined The number of his monethes are with thee O Lord thou hast appointed his boundes which hee cannot ouerpasse saith Iob The houre of death is vncertaine neither know you what houre your master will call you vnto account Because the houre of death is vncertaine wee should presume that our life may soone bee ended and that the last houre is still at hande And herein as in al other thinges the Lord God hath dealt most mercifully with vs in keeping from our knowledge the houre of death to the ende wee should liue with more purity of heart and soule As wee are sound at the houre of death so shall wee be iudged and for somuch as euery moment wee may dye let vs liue in all innocencie that when wee are to giue vp our account we may bee found good seruantes The more zealous should you bee in doing well the more vncertaine you are when you shall forsake this world whereunto continually you ought to be prepared If many now offend God hauing the houre of death hidden from their eies what wicked â—â—reches woulde they proue if they knew of a certaine that their daies were many The vncertainety of the houre of death it bridleth many from committing sinne who if they knew that they should liue many yeares would wrap and defile themselues with most lothsome wickednesse Againe though the vncertainty of death reclame not all men from their sinnes yet maketh it many not to continue still and perseuere in vngodlynesse If a man might knowe assuredly the houre of his death yet is it plaine that hee could not know it but vnder one of these two conditions to wit either that hee should dye suddenly or else haue some certaine time after appointed and praefixed him to die in Now if hee knew that his death were sudden and so defer his repentance vntill then it were a daungerous thing For hardly can hee truely repent which repenteth suddenly Againe if hee knew his time of life to bee long then it may bee thought he would take more liberty to sinne putting-off the reformation of his wicked life vnto the last day Both which are very daungerous and inconuenient for the saluation of man Therefore to deliuer thee from both these daungers the all wise God hath so ordained that the houre of death should bee alwaies kept from thy knowledg that suspecting death alwaies to bee nigh at hande thou wouldest alwaies liue in the feare of God and bee thankefull to his Maiesty for this so singuler benefite of concealing the houre of death whereby as with a spurte he pricketh thee on to follow practise the works of godlinesse Besides God would not haue thee to know the houre of death because thou shouldest learne to liue for the benefite of others and not to thy selfe For a publique benefite is alwaies to bee prefered afore a priuate Diddest thou knowe that quickly thou shouldest die many good workes thou wouldest leaue vndone which might bee profitable to the common-weale and thy study would bee of thine owne saluation neglecting without the more grace of God the profite of thy neighbour Aud what more If many did knowe beeing sicke that their sicknesse were not vnto death surely neither would they hartely turne vnto the Lord by repentance nor doe those workes which Christians are to doe But now many lying greeuously in paine vpon their bed they turne vnto the Lord God knowing themselues neere vnto death which questionlesse they woulde not doe if they knewe they should liue still and not die Last of all euen for the preseruation of Christian peace and concorde among men God would not haue vs aforehande to knowe the time of our departure out of this world For did wee know that yet many yeeres wee should continue heare there would follow or bee nourished stil in vs hatred desire of reuenge and such like sinnes againe did we know that very speedely wee should die we should be euermore sad and full of melancholy passions and so be vncomfortable to our selues and to all such as are about vs. All which doe violate the common peace and fellowshippe of man Seeing therefore by this vncertainty of our life God hath prouided so well for the benefite both of our selues and of others there is great cause why for the same wee should thanke him loue him worshipe adore him that onely euermore CHAP. 33. The remembrance of death is a goodly medicine against the feare of death THough a man liue many yeares and in them all he reioyee yet he shal remember tbe dayes of darknesse saieth the Preacher Death would be vanquished as he doth approch if it were well thought vppon afore neither is there any thing that from death better may defend thee than after God the continuall memory of the same A wise mans life is the meditation of death and vnworthy is hee all comfort at the houre of death which hath beene forgetfull of death in the daies of his life Death though it seeme contrary to life yet hath God appointed the same to bee a meane whereby to attaine vnto life And Christ hath made death so sweet for vs that laying aside the name of death it is become the iustrument of life inaâ—â— much as thereby wee attaine vnto the true life in heauen in such wise as that which before his glorious resurrect on was very death is nowe life life I say to the good but a gate of eternall death vnto the wicked Death it is the ende when the valieant soulders receiue their pay and the cowards are dimissed with shame According to the diuerse liues of men a diuerse rewarde is giuen to men by death If thou forget death then will death forget thee It is the chiefest point of Philosophy to bee still occupied in the meditation of death The Niniuites hearing the sentence of death pronounced against them by Ionas the prophet straight did humble themselues before the Lord with harty repentance Seeing therfore the consideration of death did so change the mindes of those sinners thou mayest percease the great profite that commeth to man by the same If thou thinke of death as thou shouldest tentatation cannot ouercome thee Beware thou loue not life so immoderately that in the meane while thou put death out of thy minde For then looke especially for to die when thou desirest chiefely for to liue The remembrance of death maketh a man not to waxe proud in prosperitie It is good to be ready to die before death come and to expect with patience the time that insueth after death When thou seest other men to die before thy face thinke thy selfe also to hasten toward the graue though thou maiest seeme to haue sure footing on the earth When two shippes meete vpon the sea together they that bee in the one shippe
the death of the other They bee so linked together that being two they are yet but one and being one are neuerthelesse two Betweene these twaine passeth the whole course of the life And therefore sundry names and titles are giuen them by the Apostle when hee calleth the one Spirite the other flesh the one the soule the other the body the one the lawe of the minde the other the lawe of the members the one the inner man the other the outward man Walke in the Spirite saith the Apostle If yee liue after the flesh yee shall die but if ye mortifie the deedes of the bodie yee shall liue The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh A wonderfull warre is this questionlesse wherein peace is sought and in peace warre in death life and in life death in bondage libertie and in ouercomming a mans owne selfe and bringing vnder the inordinate passions of the minde the whole force of a Christian man is declared To bridle thy desires is verie fortitude of the minde and contrariwise in folowing them the weakenes of the heart is declared More valiant is that man which ouercommeth the passions of his minde then hee which subdueth his outwarde enemies Wouldest thou atchieue a greate dominion Then ouercome thy selfe He that ruleth his owne minde is better then him that winneth a citie saith Salomon There be manie that sacke cities but fewe that conquer themselues He that is Lorde ouer himselfe is a mightie Lorde If thou once subdue thy selfe thou shalt easelie subdue all other things He is to bee taken for a good and valiant souldier that can master him selfe And that is the true seruant of Iesus Christ which bringeth the flesh in subiection to the spirite and the sensual parte vnder the obedience of reason If thou bee ouercome ascribe the same to thine owne default If thou pamper thy body in ease with dainty meates and drinke then shal thy soule be vanquished of the bodie The Apostle saith God is faithful which wil not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you be able but wil euen giue the issue with the tentation that ye may be able to beare it It is the manner of those which bee iudges in combates to measure the weapons of those that are to fight together in the listes This doeth God the most righteous iudge for he suffereth none of vs to bee tempted aboue that wee are able to endure When two in all thinges equall enter into the combate needes must hee preuaile which hath another to assist him If thou cheerish thy bodie with ease ' drinke good fare and sleepe thy bodie it will ouercome and thy soule of the body shall bee subdued but if thou assist thy soule with watching and prayer the flesh by the grace of God shall easily bee brought vnder and the soule shall ouercome It is better that the soule should ouercome that soule and body may be saued than that the bodie should preuaile to the vtter destruction both of body and soule If thou loue the flesh make it obedient vnto reason and neuer pamper the same too-much He that loueth hateth and he that hateth loueth Christ Jesus doth say He that loueth his life shall loose it and he that hateth his life in this world shall keepe it vnto eternall life Thus you see how much the victory which the soule atchieueth is better than the victorie of the bodie and what gain is gotten by bringing thine affections vnder the yoake of reason If thou be wise thou wilt helpe the soule to subdue the sensuall part of man the conflict thereof is but short the victory will be glorious and the reward most blessed Shunne no labour if thou lookest for a reward which is not giuen but to him that striueth Bee thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee a crowne of life saith the Lord CHAP. 13. The knowledge of our selues bringeth vs vnto the knowledge of God THE inuisible things of him that is his eternall power and Godhead are seene by the creation of the world saith the Apostle If any creature in the world doth by the creation thereof declare vnto vs the great wisedome and omnipotencie of God surely man doeth the same which is made according to the image or likenesse of God himselfe Many there be which know much and yet they knowe not themselues they see others but they passe by themselues they seeke God in outwarde neglecting inwarde thinges where chiefely hee may bee founde The more thou knowest thy selfe the more perfectly shalt thou knowe God And although by the knowledge of the noble condition of the minde the true and perfect knowledge of Gods greatnesse is best seene and perceiued yet to abase thy pride withall thou hast alwayes before thine eyes the misery of the body and the shortnesse of thy life that thou maiest come by that way vnto some knowledge of God In knowing of thy selfe thou wilt humble thy selfe and in humbling thy selfe thou wilt feare God and because the feare of God is the beginning of wisedome thou art first to begin at the knowledge of thy selfe If thou haue a desire to know who thou art take a glasse and beholde thy selfe in it The glasse that a man may best beholde himselfe in is another man Nowe if another man which thou beholdest is but earth ashes and a very worme surely euen such art thou how rich soeuer and of great estimation thou seemest to be in the world And that thou maiest not bee deceaued beholde not thy selfe in a glasse that is hollow which maketh a shewe of the thing represented therein cleane contrary to that which it is indeede but take vnto thee a glasse that is plaine which setteth out a man according as hee is in truth If thou beholde thy selfe in the inside of a siluer spoone that is bright and cleare thou shalt see thy face with the wrong end turned vpwarde thy bearde aboue and thy fore-head beneath So in man there be two glasses and states one is of life the other of death Life is the hollow glasse which maketh vs to seeme otherwise than wee be It sheweth thee forth to bee sound lustie strong and long-liued all which is vanitie and lies If thou behold therein fresh and lusty youth doe not trust therein for it will deceiue thee Fauour is deceitfull and bewtie is vanitie This false life of ours it seemeth some great thing vnto men when it is nothing so But the state of death or of a dead man is the plaine and true glasse which doeth manifest thinges euen as they bee without fraude and deceite Therefore if thou wouldest see what thou art in deede then looke not vpon thy selfe aliue but vpon another man that is dead So thou shalt perceiue that thou art earth ashes a very sinke of all filthinesse a little set out and beautified on the out side by
a liuely hewe that life hath lent thee there thou shalt see the foundation of your stocke and the largenesse of thy dominion That which thou now art thine ancestors were and as they are such shalt thou bee If thou looke well into thy selfe thou shalt finde greate matter why to contemne thy selfe For what art thou as touching the bodie but a vessell of corruption And in respect of thy soule setting the grace of God apart what art thou but an enemie vnto righteousnesse the childe of wrath a friend of vanitie a worker of iniquitie a despiser of God euen a creature proane vnto all wickednesse vnapt to doe well What art thou but a miserable creature in thy counsailes blind in thy wayes ignorant in thy wordes vaine in thy deedes faulty in thy destres◠filthy to conclud in all thinges vile great onely art thou in thine owne opinion Therefore if thou seeke to knowe thy selfe it will cause thee neither to bee proude nor ambitious nor disdainefull it will make thee to beare iniuries with a quiet mind in asmuch as thou shalt finde thy selfe to bee a miserable sinner and worthy of all mē to be hated and contemned Know thy selfe as admonished from heauen What booteth it to know the seuen liberall sciences and to bee a great Doctor in al the arts if thou art yet ignorant of thy selfe It is better to know thy selfe than to haue all the Scripture at thy fingers ende Consider who thou art whence thou camest where thou art and whether thou art going Thou art a mortall man a little earth a vessell of corruption full of misery standing in neede of many thinges thou wert conceiued in sinne thou camest into the world with paine to thy mother and griefe to thy selfe enuironed thou remainest with al manner of dangers and thou art bounding towarde the graue of putrefaction Iob saith I am become like ashes and dust Let the light of God teach thee who thou art Thou sayest thou art rich and encreased with goods and hast neede of nothing and knowest not how thou art wretched and miserable poore and blind and naked CHAP. 14 Miserable is the condition of man in this world MAN that is borne of a woman is of short continuanc and full of troble saith Iob What thing is so miserable as man Must not the body which thou so makest of die at the length and rot in the graue And what is more horrible than a dead man How much so euer thou wert made of beeing aliue none no not thy verie friendes will abide thee after thou art dead Is not the state wherein thou liuest a certaine vnhappy bondage It is a miserable thing to be borne a slaue to liue a slaue and to die a slaue Behold I was borne in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceiued mee saith Dauid O miserable life inuironed about with so many dangers and periles For one pleasure wee receaue a thousand sorrowes so that this life may iustly bee tearmed a death and not a life There is no creature more needy than a man for hee is driuen to begg his meate and rayment of the beasts and earne his bread with the sweate of his brows al which for the most part the birdes and the brute beastes haue of themselues and haue no neede to begge or to aske of any other Some liuing creatures haue wings to fly withall others haue clawes and teeth both to defende themselues and to hurt others others are light of foote to runne from dangers Al which man hath not and those which hee hath bee not in such measure in him as in them so that hee is fain to borrow helpe from those base creatures Whereby hee may learne to bring downe himselfe in the eies of God by humility and to lay-away the pride of his mind Man hath no peace in this worlde for hee can neither rest himselfe alwaies nor alwaies watch When he seemeth best in health then hath hee sundry infirmities to disquiet him as hunger thirst wearisomnesse and diuers other necessities heate cold stormes tempests lightninges thunder plagues poyson periles by sea perils by land griefes and diuers infirmities and laste of all death it selfe Eli the priest of the Lord when little hee thought of death he suddenly fell from the seate backward and brake his neck This may teach thee that when thou sittest and thinkest thy selfe most sure thou maiest take a fall and die The sleepe which thou vsest for the great ease benefit of the body howe full is it of false and vaine imaginations It is meere blindnesse and folly to loue this world so replenished with miseries wherein if any good thinge bee founde that good is mixed with innumerable sorrows and molestations which are to those that set their delight in the world euen the beginninges of the perpetuall tormentes of the reprobate in hell It is easier many times to bee in tormentes and paine than to expect the same And because that euery day thou lookest for the sentence of death to bee pronounced against thee and knowest that the life which thou liuest is miserable and not to bee tearmed in deede a life as neither death may properly bee called death but a sleepe the Lord would haue this life to bee full of all manner miseries that disliking it thou maiest couet and long after the life in heauen Thinke how this life was giuen thee of God as a ship to carry thee like a traueler thorough the raging seas of this troublesome world wherin thou wert to endure manifolde dangers and perils and that to the intent thou shouldest the more earnestly desire the other life which is the sure harbarough and hauen of most blessed comfort If this life should haue bene all prosperous and pleasant it so would haue drawen a man to the likeing thereof that hee would quite haue for gotten the other life for the enioyning wherof hee was created The manifold euils and miseries which continually thou sufferest they inuite and call thee vnto the desire of the celestiall paradise The troubles of this life doe make thee to goe vnto God many times by harty prayer and beeing thus pressed with afflictions a wonder it is that yet thou art no more willing to leaue this miserable state wherein thou art Cast not thine heart vppon these transitory thinges Here thou art subiect to continuall debate and troubles in ouercomming whereof thou shalt get a Crowne of perpetuall glory God seeing that naturally thou art desirous of quietnesse hath thought good that this life should bee full of troubles to the end thou shouldest loue and long for that quietnesse which is eternall in the heauens CHAP. 15. It is expedient that we know so much of God as he hath reuealed of himselfe in his worde I haue heard of thee by the hearing of the eare but now mine eie seeth thee Therefore I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes saith
to continue in doing well least the curse of God come vppon vs as it did vppon the vnfruitfull figge tree CHAP. 33. Perseuerance in godlinesse is necessary HE that endureth to the end hee shal be saued saith Iesus Christ Many doe begine wel but few hold out it booteth not to hau begun except thou perseuere Take away perseuerance and neither vertue shal haue her rewarde nor a good worke a recompence The friendes of Iob they begann wel in that they not onely agreede together to come to lament with him and to comfort him but also in that seeing him they wept rent their garments sprinkled dust vppon their heades towarde heauen and sate by him vpon the ground seuen daies and seuen nightes mourning without speaking any worde because his grife was very great but they perseuered not in doing the duty of friendes and therefore they were rebuked and that deseruedly of the Lord The beginings of Saule were good but perseuering not in goodnesse he died an euill death If thou despise the vanity of the world thou shalt bepursued of worldly men Many haue renounced the worlde and because they looked back as did Lot his wife vnto Sodome they both in this life were and in the life to come shall euerlastingly bee tormented Endeuour thou to proceede in that good waye where-into thou art entered Be thou faithfull vnto death and I will giue thee a crowne of life saith God Vppon the skirtes of the cheefe Priests vesture there were made Pomgranets of blew silke and purple and Scarlet round about the skirtes thereof and bells of golde betweene them rounde about Of all fruites that growe onely the Pomgranet hath a crowne on the toppe the which being the rewarde of vertue is placed amonge good woorkes which are signified by the little belles of golde they are not set in the highest parte nor in the middest of the garment because they are not giuen vnto those either that beginne well or be in the midst of well dooing but they are set in the end or lowest part of the vesture because they onely shall receiue the crowne which perseuere in dooing their duties vnto the end The tree that is often remooued dooth seldome beare fruite or not so much as that which continueth in a good soyle and being well bent if thou change thy minde from one thing vnto another thou shalt neuer bring foorth the wholesome frute of Christianitie or not so much as the constant man By exercising of good workes and adding vertue vnto vertue the very habite of godlinesse is attained There is nothing better than God and therefore the seruice of God is not to be omitted for any thing in the world The talking of him that feareth God all wisedome as for a foole he changeth as the moone saith the wise man Be not moued with euery wind The foules they fell on the carkases which Abraham was to offer vnto the Lord and troubled the good man very much yet could they not make him to giue ouer his good worke but he droue them away If busie and importunate cares doe trouble thee being about to offer the sacrifice of praier and thankesgiuing vnto the Lorde yet let them not altogether discourage thee but driue them away as Abraham did the foules but let them neuer driue thee from that which is good What booteth it to take great things in hande vnlesse thou bring them vnto a good ende Consume not thy time in beginning to doe well for feare least death doe come vpon thee and finde thee idle and out of the right way A painted image of a man that is made sitting in a chaire giueth a show to the eie as though it would rise and stand vppe but it neuer standeth it seemeth as though it would goe but it neuer mooueth And so playeth many a man that is often determining to draw toward God but yet hee goeth not vnto him at all he maketh many profers of going and yet standeth stocke still Our Lord himselfe saith No man that putteth his hande to the plough and looketh backe is apt to the kingdome of God The foure beasts mentioned in the Reuelation they neuer ceased day nor night praising and magnifying him that sate vpon the thron no more shouldest thou doe The kine that were yoaked together and brought the Arke of the Lorde from the Philistines although they had young calues yet did they goe the straight way to Beth-shemesh and keept one path and lowed as they went and turned neither to the right hand nor to the left And since thou hast taken vpon thee to carry the yoake of our Lord and to beare on thy backe the burden of his most holy commaundementes thou must not goe out of thy way neither to the right hande nor to the left though thy sensuall appetites like young children doe drawe and call thee backe againe from the seruice of God Let the loue of God vanquish naturall affection and whatsoeuer the children of the worlde doe crie and say yet passe thou forwarde as one that hath neither eares nor mouth vntill thou come vnto Beth shemish the house of the Sonne euen vnto that light eternall and incomprehensible glorie where thou shalt see God euen as thou art now seeene CHAP. 34. Tentations cannot be auoided MY sonne if thou wilt come into the seruice of God stand fast in righteousnes feare preyare thy soule to tentation saith the wise man When thou art tempted feare not for being in the seruice of God thou hast weapons appointed to defend thy selfe with all Pharao the King of Egypt did more persecute the Israelites after they made sute to goe into the wildernesse to doe sacrifice vnto GOD than euer hee did afore So dealeth our aduersarie the Diuell with vs. He plagueth him with greater stormes of tentation that is about to forsake him and to giue his minde to serue God than him whom alreadie hee keepeth in his owne possession God hee suffereth thee to fall into tentation to the end he may see whether thou wilt perseuer in that which good is or no. But beware thou consent not vnto a wicked tentation Though that fire bee striken out of a flint by force of the steele yet if there bee no apt matter vnder it for the fire to take hold on it serueth to no purpose So though the Diuell with the steele of his tentation doe strike vpon the stone of thy sensualitie yet shall hee neuer strike any fire out of it that shall doe thee harme except thou ioyne the consent of thy will thereunto Vnlesse thou bee very circumspect thou shalt soone bee deceiued For some do come to you in sheeps clothing which inwardly be rauening wolues dissembling their naughtie purposeâ— of all tentations that is the soarest because vnder the showe of vertues they faine good will being vtter enimies The rouers on the sea doe carry in their shippe with
reedes when they beginne to spring do delight the sight and the eyes are comforted with their goodlie hue and flowers which notwithstanding if you breake you shal find altogether emptie and destitute of substance within Let not the worlde deceaue thee neither suffer thy eyes to be taken with the vaine and apparant bewtie of the same for do thou cast thine eyes into the inward corners thereof thou shalt find there nothing but meere vanitie If the world were opened with the sharpe knife of truth it would by and by bee found both vaine and deceitfull For all in the world eyther it is already past or present or to come That which is past is not now that which is to come is vncertaine that which is present is vnstable and but for a moment It is vanity to trust but greater vanity greatly to esteeme the fauour of the world It is vanitie to desire the promotions but greater vanitie to loue the riches and pleasures of the same It is vanitie to couet the transitory goodes and surely vanity is it to make greate accompt of the corruptible substance of this worlde It is vanity to hunt after the winde of humane commendation vaine be the cares which are bestowed vpon the seruice of this vnhappie world To ende al is vanity sauing to loue and onely to serue God O happy is that man which is not mindeful of the world surely he shal liue at ease neither can any thing reclame him froÌ„ his spirituall exercises so long as he enioyeth the sweetnes and tranquillity of the spirit It is better to bee poore in spirit than rich in sinne it is better to bee little in our owne eyes then great it is better to be of smal learning with humility than to be profoundly learned with vaine and proud mind To abuse thy knowledge other graces vnto more licenciousnes which God hath giuen thee to binde thee thereby the more zealously to serue him it is also meere vanity arrogancy of minde Surely surely that last day at that straight and rigoreus iudgmeÌ„t where the bookes of al menâ— conciences shal be opened and red in the presence of the whole world shal euidently declare how much better it is to be of smal than of great reputation in this world It shal then appeare that better it had bin to haue loued God than to haue disputed about many curious and subtil questions a good conscience shal do more good then than many and hie orations vttered in the world it shal not there be demaunded what wee haue said but what we haue done neither wil it do vs good that we follow the deceipts and false promises but that we haue contemned the glory oâ— this world and better thou shalt finde it at that day for to haue repented thee of thy sinnes than for a time to serue thy fleshly appetites and afterward for euer to bee câ—st into the pit of hell Consider with thy selfe and count howe much thou hast bestowed vpon the world and howe little vpon God and that in this life which he hath lâ—nt thee to serue him in what is become of so many years without profite what fruite hast thou reaped from the tim thou first serued the world The time passed cannot be recouered The daies are passed thou wottest not howe and death shortly wil ouertake thee What hast thou of that which thou hast done Thou hast found in thy friendes no fidelity in them vpon whom thou hast bestowed benefites ingratitude in men generally much fraud and dissimulation See now al is lost whatsoeuer thou hast done That litle experience which thou hast of man and the things whereof thou so complainest they do al and that continually cry vnto thee that God aboue shoulde haue been loued that he alone should haue been serued All thy laboure is lost which is not bestowed vpon the onely seruice of Iesus Christ. That time onely is for thy good which thou emploiest vpon the seruice of God but al the rest tendeth vnto vanity and destruction If yet more exactly thou wilt consider the ingratitude of men and note how a good parte of thy time thou hast spent vpon their seruice it will make thee to lament the time so vnprofitablie consumed and hereafter to addresse thy selfe to serue thy creator And seeing the time passed cannot be recouered woulde to God at the least now thou wouldest beginne to serue him and leade such a life now before thou be very olde as thou thinkest to do when thine heares bee hoary and thou drawest to the graue Doubtlâ—s it is greate vanitie to spende the life in pleasing of men Resigne vp thine appetites doe away thine offâ—ctions and counte that as nothing which now appeareth something CHAP. V. The end of worldly thinges shew them to be but vaine MAnie walke of whome I haue told you often now tell you weeping that they are the enimies of the crosse of christ whose end is damnation as the Apostle saith The end of them which loue the world as witnesseth the Apostle is death and destruction Cleaue not to the thinges which the world doth offer thee for sodainlie thou shalt fal into the snares therof The pleasures therof be the forerunners of death flie the deceites vnlesse thou wouldest be caught consider not what is present but what is to come Be diligent in considering the end of sinne by waying aswell that not yet come as that which is present so shalt thou hate the pleasures and vanities which the world setteth before thine eies Our life is like a riuer running vnto the sea of death The water of the riuer is sweete indeed yet the end thereof is to enter into the bitter waters of the sea Life is sweet to them which loue it but it wil proue bitter to such as draw nigh death The end of the pleasant waters of the riuer proueth bitter so the end of mans life is bitternes it selfe might put her in remeÌ„brance of the ende of al things Againe why did our Lord weepe for the same Ierusalem but onely for that she had not in minde the euilles which were to fall vpon it It is a lamental le thing to haue an eye only to the ioy that is present and not vnto the paine which followeth after pleasure this made Christ to weepe that Ierusalem was so foolishly bewitched with present ioye that shee had not regard of the troubles that would follow Euen so doudtles it is much to bee lamented that thou walt suffer thy selfe so to bee deceaued that thou canst not see the cursed endes of all these worldly pleasures Measure not thy selfe by the things which appeare at the first but wisely consider what wil follow â—ee ruled rather by reason than by a vain appetite And when thou knowest how bitter the ends of these worldly thinges are make not accompt of the goods thereof Desire nothing before you throughly doe knowe whether it be
conuenient you should haue it or no. and marke the ende After a good thing followeth a euill and after ioy sorrow and after pleasurs bitter lothsomnes It is a rule in the world to giue a dainty dinner and after-warde an homely supper Al men at the beginning set forth good wine and when men haue wel drunke theÌ„ that which is worse said the gouernour of the feast So is it the facion of the world to begin with mirth and to end with mourning But it is otherwise at the banqueit of Christ where the beginning is somwhat troublesome but the end is al ioyfull The beginnings conceale but the ends they reueale the wickednes of the world When they shall say Peace and safety then shall come vpon them suden destruction The end giueth being to al things As the end is such are the thinges wherein thou delightest The end of pleasure is paine the ende of much eating is sicknes the end of this life which thou so louest is wormes meat and ashes the end and conclusion of all sinne is extreame and euerlasting torment CHAP. VI. The end of worldly thinges is diligently to be considered MAN shall not continue in honour he is like the beastes that die saith the Psalmist When God had warned man to consider what should ensue and to marke the end of worldlie vanities he would not but considered onely the present honour not how bitter the ende thereof might be he dwelt vpon the pleasure before his eyes and regarded not the paine which was to follow yea he thought not thereof at all vntill hee felt the smart of the same The preacher saith I considered in mine hart the state of the children of men that God had purged them yet to see to they are in themselues as beastes After that Adam had sinned GOD made him coates of skinnes to shew that through sinne he was fallen into the misery of beastes When the sinner had once offended he crieth presently O that had not sinned But foolish man seeing miserable experience now telleth thee how nought the world is and that repentance commeth after vnlawful pleasure why diddest thou not foresee it before thou diddest offend But what the wise man dooth in the beginning the foole doth in the end It is the property of a prudent man to forethinke but of a foole to say I did thinke thereof Consider aforehand of the lamentable ende of these worldly things so afterward thou shalt not bee deceiued The Psalmist doth say I haue considered my waies and turned my feet into thy testimonies By considering the end of sinne men leaue the way of wickednes and treade the pathes of Gods commaundements If one should say vnto thee as thou art in thy iourney goe not that way for thou canst not escape the handes of theeues robbers wouldest thou persist in thy iourney and not leaue the same or at least take another way In the way of voluptuousnes wherin thou walkest there be theeues which murther steale thy grace spiritual good thinges if therfore thou art wise and wouldest escape the danger of eternal death thou wilt shun so dangerous a way And let no sooner a tentation come into thy minde but thinke whether the way of pleasure which thou art entering into leadeth leaue the same The Apostle saith The wages of sinne is death Iaacob Esau being in the same wombe striued who should first come into the world and in the birth Iaacob his hand held Esau by the heele The head is the hiest the heele is the lowest and extremest parte of man This is the difference betwene the euil the good good men take sinne by the heele euil men take it by the head the wicked embrace all kinde of honors and pleasures not respecting what is the ende of them but the good take the world by the feete considering the bitter endes of the same The pleasure prosperity of this world do shine like a candle that is set on fire whose flame is faire so long as substance is ministred but that being consumed all commeth in the ende to smoke and stinche So though now the pompe and vanitie do delight thee much yet in conclusion it will bring great affliction and remorse if in time thou take not heede It is written in a Psalme As the smoake vanisheth so shalt thou driue theÌ„ away and as the waxe melteth before the fire so shall the wicked perish at the presence of God If thou be wise thou wilt prouide for thy selfe against the time to come The Kingly prophet sayeth The meate was yet in their mouthes when the wrath of God came euen vpon them The men of this world do scarse begin to tast of vanity when the iustice of God commeth suddenly vpon theÌ„ for the punishment of their sinne To ende seeing affliction is such an inseparable companion of worldly thinges if at the beginning thou wouldest aduisedly perpend what shal be the end it would cause thee to reframe from al vanity thereof CHAP. 7 The iudgements and words of men are vaine CAst thy burden vppon the Lord and hee shall nourish thee saith the prophet Let all thy study be to â— please God neither be thou puffed vp when men do praise thee nor troubled in minde when they murmure against thee The cause why thou art ill spoken of is for that thou seekest to please them to the end they may praise thee But wouldest thou onely seeke to please God and to get his fauour then should not mans words be they neuer so bitter offend thee at all Therefore endeuour thou to please none but God onelie so shalt thou liue in quiet with a merry heart Let nothing so afflict thee as the wrath of God let nothing so delight thee as a good conscience It is a vaine thing to regard the wicked censures of men when thou art at peace with God Many haue beene commended of men which now are condemned in hell and many haue beene counted fooles which enioy the true happines of heauen with Christ. This being so thou shouldest neither reioyce when thou art commended nor lament when thou art ill thought of If thou art iustly praised for some good within thee bee not proude thereof But consider the secret imperfections wherewith thou doest abound which if men did know assure thy selfe they doe not so much coÌ„mend thee for that which is good as they would dispraise thee for thy faults if thou art praâ—sed for some vertue which thou hast not labour to attaine the same that the worlde bee not deceiued in thee if they haue cause to murmure labour to reforme thy selfe if vniustly thou art condemned confesse them to be meÌ„ who cannot hurt but profite thee if thou haue patience If God were to consult with men whether hee should receiue thee into his glorie or send thee vnto hell or do some other thing with thee
belonging to the body they haue scarce any time to thinke of matters pertaining to the soule Wordly thoughts aud cares bee the children of riches and the occupations busines which they bring with them doe suffocate aod choake vp all good motions of the spirit Despise the vanitie of these incorruptible goodsr so the more freelie shalt thou serue God For it is vnpossible for thee to fly vp vnto heauen vnlesse thou breake the bondes of this world wherewith thou art deteined Let not the pleasure of this world separate thine heart from the loue of Christ. Poyson commonly is giuen in some sauery and well relished meate but hee that receiueth the same liueth not long after Riches are sweete to such as loue them but such as embrace them they puffe vp with pride and so bring them vnto euerlasting destruction The preacher saith He that loueth riches shal be without the fruicte thereof And they that will be rich fall into tentation and snares and into many foolish noysom lusts which drown men in perdition destructiō saith the Apostle Al creatures be such vnto man as man is vnto himselfe A good man cannot be the worser for these outwarde thinges nor an euil man the better What good doeth an heape of riches to this corruptible flesh they cannot deliuer the soule from death O happy is that soule which is not subiect vnto riches The men of riches haue slept their sleepe saith the prophet men of riches that is the seruants of riches not the masters That gaine which is gotten with the losse of a good name may well be counted a great losse and no gaine at all When the seruantes haue a care of the maisters good estate then may the masters giue themseules to ease But so it is not with riches for they are so farre from vnburdening their masters of care that they presse them sore with worldly cogitations A very vaine man art thou if thou place thine happines in these corruptible goods Despise therfore from thine heart al these earthly riches so shall thy minde be filled with most heauenlie treasure CHAP. 19. Al earthly riches but vaine I Haue counted al thinges bnt losse and doe iudge them but dung saide the Apostle when he spake of these worldly thinges He could finde nothing more fit then the very dung whereunto hee might compare the riches of the earth And surely though otherwise they were of great account yet in respect of heauenly treasure they are of litle or no price at al. For what is gold the verie drosse of the earth What siluer and precious stones the dregs of the ground gathered together on a heape What be your fine sattins damaskes and al kinde of silkes the dung of vile wormes What is your best cloth the wool of sheep What be your costly furres the skinnes of dead beastes Your painted palaces your loftie toures your sumptuous buildings your large populous tounes what are they Euen verie earth What is honor Nothing To conclud what soeuer is in the world it is but dust Doest thou loue the good thinges of the earth if they may be called good Surely thou louest nothing but earth Consider the vanitie of those thinges which the world offereth vnto thee beware thou set not thine heart vpon them A wonderfull thing it is that thou so excellent a creature made to serue to haue the ioy euen of GOD himselfe canst so debase thy selfe as to cast thy minde vpon so vile thinges If thou wouldest bee accounted noble loue noble thinges I meane thinges spiritual according to that nobilitie which God hath imprinted in thy noble heart Euen as loue doth change the louer into the thinge loued insomuch that hee is not his owne but the thinges which is loued So in louing these vile thinges of the earth thou giuest that which is better for that which is worse that is thou giuest thine heart which is all pretious euen for very doung which is most filthy These thinges are farre vnseemely for a man of reason whereby thou shewest that not onely thou art forgetfull of thine estate but also renouncest al thy chiefest priuileges God therefore would haue thee to loue him not because his heauenly Maiestie doth neede thy loue but for thine owne aduauntage and preferment For while thou transformest thy selfe into his likenesse as it were through loue thou gettest great commoditie For thou giuest that which good is for that which for excellencie is so surpassing that it cannot sufficiently be either praised or prised God in depriuing his especiall friend Iob of al his earthly substance at the instance of Sathan would haue thee to learne how little he esteemeth the goods of this world Open thine eies consider how shamefully thou debasest thy selfe man while inordinatly thou couetest after earthly riches and againe how worthily thou lookest vp when thou despisest them Reclaime therefore thy mind from al these vanities and giue it wholy to the seruice of Christ CHAP. 20 To be proud of riches it is a vaine thing I Compare not pretious stones vnto wisdome for all gold is but a litle grauel in respect of her and siluer shall be counted but clay before her saith the wise man To be worldly rich is to bee verie poore Cast not thy minde vppon the vanitie of creatures but lift it vp vnto heauen where God is Humble not thine hearte before these earthly thinges God hath made thee to loue heauenly and to contemne the thinges of the world And because hee seeketh thy good hee hath laid al necessarie thinges which hee knoweth thou shalt neede vppon the face of the ground as bread wine flesh and such like that readily thou maiest find them but as for things lesse necessary as gold and siluer hee hath buried them deepe in the earth that as they are out of sight so they should bee out of mind Couet not greedily for vaine things Dauid saith O ye sonnes of men how long wil ye turn my glorie into shame louing vanitie and seeking lies Seeing God hath endued thee with reason why abusest thou it in placing thine happinesse in earthly goodes when thou art created to be the heire of heauen All that thou louest is vanitie saith the Psalmist and whatsouer the worlde promiseth thee is but lies This gold is but earth and this silke whereof thou vauntest it commeth from the vilest wormes These pretious stones wherewith thou glitterest and those borders of imbrodered worke which thou settest out to th'vttermost what are they all but vanity Glory not therefore in thine apparell nor in thine hangings nor in thy glorious cortins such like for these be not the riches these make not a man rich these make not him that is foolish wise that is proude lowely that is cholerike patient that is incontinent chast that is vnciuill courteous they make neither the angry man milde nor the enuious charitable and louing but the contrary they doe Then
conclude seeing the worldly ioy is vaine and false in God onely we are to reioyce CHAP. 23. The honor of this world sis vaine THy friendes be very honorable O God their dominion is full of comfort saith the prophet If thou desire honor loue thou God for he whom God liketh he only shal be aduanced It is follie to seeke after the honor of this present world for with much labor it is attained and maintained with great charges and when all is done easilie forgone The true honour belongeth properly to the seruantes of God But they al were not the friendes of God whom the world doth honor The honor which the Saintes both in heauen and in earth also be adorned withall they got the same not by seeking but by shunning promotion Wouldest thou bee had in honor and reputation Then humble thy selfe be low in thine owne eies Wouldest thou be knowen of al men Labour to be vnknowen The shaddowe flieth from him that followeth it but tarrieth with him that boweth himselfe to the ground Promotion it is got by humilitie but either commeth not vnto or tarrieth not with the ambitious man If thou couet the eternall fly temporal honor Consider the end whervnto all these honors do come so easily thou wilt condemne them al. In processions the manner is to carry about and that with greate pâ—mpe and pride some wodden image costly bedecked with other mens iewels which foolish people gaze vpon and haue in admiration but when thâ— procession is done the gaie thinges are taken awaye and it remaineth as it was a verie block Euen so fareth it with thee which art aduanced the image is wood thou art earth and a great sinner be thou neuer so hie the gaie ornamentes which it had were other mens thine honor and riches it is but borrowed for a time it was gazed vpon of all men so shalt thou be being aloft but when the procession is ended and thou hast played thy pageant that restored againe wherewith thou wast adorned and thou art laid naked vpon the floure to be carried vnto the graue then who honored thee in thy prosperitie they will set light by thee in thy most base estate Great kings and mightie men wee haue knowen which beeing decked with rich apparell and excelling for honor were had in great admiration like that wodden image and yet being now buried in the earth how are they trampled vppon with the feete of men And so yesterday aduanced to day throwen downe yesterday commended of all to day remembred of none The winde of that vanitie is passed away the feast is past their honor is euen withered And would to God that these honors of the world and of preferment were not to expect another punishment after death but onely should be forgotten of men and that might not befall vpon them which often commeth vnto the image which being broken into peeces is cast into the fiâ—e so they also for their reward bee cast â—eadâ—long into the fire of hel Se you not the goodly end of this vaine honour The seruant of Iesus Christ he hunteth not after the honour of this time which hee knoweth is but vaine and transitoriâ— The seruant of Christ more loueth the honor of his Lord than his owne Happy is hee which in al thinges that he doth seeketh onely the honor of his God Happy is he which in all humility followeth Iesus Christ and from his heart despiseth the vaine glory of this world to the end hee may raigne for euer with Christ. Couet not the honor of this world and thou shalt attaine the true honor of heauen beware thou forgoe not the truth for the shadowe The Apostle saith be not children in vnderstanding The childe maketh more account of a reeden horse and of a puppet of clouâ—es than of true horses and very gentle-women in deede Take heede thou set not more by a shaddow of truth than by the truth it selfe The riches honors of this worlde are but shadowes as it were of true riches and glory of heauen Cast not thy minde vpon these toâ—es and vanities seeing thou art a reasonable man endued with iudgement and discretion CHAP. 27 The men of honor authoritie in this worlde be in dangerous state ASke not of the Lord preeminence neither of the King the seat of honor They which clime vp to the tops of high and steepe buildinges are in great danger and therefore they had need to haue a good braine least they breake their neckes If thou haue an aspiring minde after preferment get thee a good braine and cal for the assistance of God otherwise thou canst not but fall into the pittâ—â—f hell Prosperitie is more daungerous than adueâ—sitie a thousand shall fall at thy side ten thousaÌ„d at try right hand saith the Psalmist Moâ—â— perish on the right hand of worldlie honor than on the left hande of a lowe degree The felicitie of worldlie men is an euill that standeth in neede of all maner of correct on Mount not vp to the place of honor lest thou be made to goe downe againe with shame enough The phrenticke man suffereth manie imaginations which if he driue not aware from his minde they will hasard his estate Banish these cares of honor from thine heart which if thou doe not thy soule must needes be in daunger and if thou wouldest attaine saluation remoue from thee all roude cogitations which wil neuer permit thee to haue a quiet and contented minde Dangerous greatly is the honor of this world and in the same many haue perished and bee cast away Many for the maintenance of their credite among men they blush not to offende God and to defame their neighbour many had rather go hedlong into hell then to fore-goe their countenance in the worlde by paying their debtes Euen among the chiefe rulers many beleeued in him saith S. Iohn but because of the Pharisies they did not confesse him lest they should be cast out of the sinagogue For they loued the praise of men more theÌ„ the praise of God This is that dangerous condition wherein the louers of temporall glorie doe liue they had rather loose their soule than their worldlie reputation Pilate though he knew the innocencie of Christ that for enuie the Iewes had deliuered him yea though he had a desire to set him at libertie yet hearing his accusers to say If thou deliuer him thou art not Caesarsfriend and fearing least by contrarying their affection he shold be depriued of the honor which immoderately he desired he pronounced the sentence of death vpon our Sauiour yea he renounced al iustice equitie reason yea and God too rather than he would fal into the displeasure of Caesar and leese any whit of his reputation in the worlde If thou therefore make more of worldlie honor than of the fauour of God it cannot be but thou must al into an infinite number of these and
such like most noysome cogitations and errors Many are depriued of all heauenly ioÃe because they will not be depriued of some worldly authoritie This is a perilous condition for temporall to forgoe the glorie which is eternall O that men would prudently consider the daungers that they are in which be of hie degree suâ—ely I am of minde they would soone be wearie of their glorious estate Mâ—nie haue bin losse and spoiled themselues in their chiefest glorie Adam in that earthly paradise in great glorie he sinned Iob contrariwise encountring with manifold tribulations offended not Adam was in great dignitie obeyed of all and fell but Iob in great miserie despised of all and yet stood He that standeth in an hie tower or some slipperie place is in great danger of falling In more danger be they which stande on the top of loftie buildinges than they which are vpon the firme ground In a lowe degree thou needest not feare so much and more securely thou shalt liue Noble and men of glory in this world they raigne for the most parte in idlenes which is the mother of vices and the step dame of Christian vertues They spend the time idlely and consume it in pastimes and pleasure in vaine delightes and banqueting More doe these men offend than the poore laboring men which get their liuing with the sweat of their browes Woul dest thou attaine the life which is euerlasting Then set thy â—oue vppon those thÃnges which bee here of great account The merchaÌ„t â—uieth his ware good cheape where 〈◊〉 is plenty and selleth it againe in places where it is scant Thou desirest to goe to heauen and thetherwarde thou art bounding take not that with thee thether which is good cheape there There bee all manner of true honor riches and abundance Carrie with thee thether the ware which is not there to be gotten so shalt thou be sure to be well paide for the same Contempt persecutions teares fastinges repentance are not there to bee found if therefore thou prouide thy selfe good store of these wares when thou commest thether thou shalt be sure to bee well rewarded for the same infomuch that thou wilt say thou art rich indeede and of great honor but if thou heape to thy selfe honor vpon honor in this world be thou well assured thou shalt not finde them there Flie therefore from the glorie of this world so shalt thou be glorified in heauen CHAP. 28 The prosperity of this world it is vaine THE prosperity of fooles destroyeth them sayeth the wise man Much oughtest thou to feare the prosperitie of this present worlde if thou hast any desire to bee of a lowly minde and to serue thy Sauiour Christ. Saul than whome there was not a more holy and better man in his low estate being once aduanced ouer the people of Israel his heart withall became exceeding proud Dauid in his aduersity spared the life of his enemie Saul but in prosperity tooke away the life of his faithfull seruant Vriah â— He that in the time of persecution gaue life vnto them that had deserued death in prosperity brought vnto death such as deserued life It is a hard thing to be wise and prosperous too Looke how thou vse prosperitie well for such shal be thy punishment as thou hast been negligent in thy flourishing estate Dangerous is that life which seemeth to be the nourisher of great security and negligence Many of good men became proude and dissolute being once aduanced vnto high degrees of promotion After prosperitie foloweth the forgetfulnesse of God The request of Ioseph vnto the chiefe butler of Pharao was that he would haue him in remeÌ„brance when he was in goodcase yet the chief butler did not remember Ioseph but forgot him saieth the Scripture The king of Aegipt Pharao in his prosperitie saide who is the Lorde that I should heare his voice and let Israel goe I know not the Lorde neither will I let Israell goe but in his tribulation he began to know God and besought Moses and Aaron to praie vnto God for him S. Peter being aloft in glorie vpon the mount Thabor wished for three Tabernacles there One for Christ another for Moses the third for Elias but he had neither himselfe nor his fellowe Disciples in remembrance And no maruell for in prosperitie man forgeteth commonly both himselfe and his friendes too It is more dangerous sailing vpon the sweete waters of the running riuers than vppon the salt waters of the wide sea In more daunger thou art in the ioyful time of prosperitie than in the troublesome stormes ofaduersitie The nigher thou art to prosperitie the nigher thou art to thy peril the vniting therof to the flesh is the killing of the soule Thinke of prosperitie as of a thing lent thee but for a shorte time and may easilie be taken away thinke againe of aduersitie that it is momentanie so the more patiently shalt thou endure the same Flie from prosperitie and the vain honors of this world if in the other you would liue for euer-more with Iesus Christ. It is better to bee troubled with Christ than to spend thy life in a flourishing state Despise therefore from thine heart the felicitie of this present world so shalt thou come vnto the glory of heauen which is eternall CHAP. 29. Great good commeth by persecution AL that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shal suffer persecution Euill trees which beare no fruit are not beaten but hewen downe by the rootes and cast into the fire as our Sauiour saieth of the withered figge tree but it is otherwise with good trees which are not hewen downe though they bee beaten The Lord compareth men vnto trees among whom the euil so wel as the good doe suffer persecution but when death once approcheth the wicked shal be cut vp by the roots and throwen headlong into the fire of hell If thou suffer persecution take it not greeuously but thanke GOD that hath admitted thee to bee one of that number which hee hath chosen for himselfe Christ himselfe hath suffered persecution and all that haue loued Christ at any time haue endured the same If thou thereforâ— art without persecution feare least all manner of euils fall vpon thee at the point of death that may foreuer roote and raze thee out of the ioyes of heauen Thinke not thy selfe the more acceptable in Gods sight because thou sufferest no persecution Christ wee reade gaue vnto Iudas a sop wheÌ„ it was dipped when the rest of the Disciples did eate drie bread yet was not Iudas any whit the holier and more perfect for al that Thinke not thy selfe the better if thou eate thy bread with varietie of pleasant sauses yea better it may bee are the poore feeding on the drie bread It is the wâ—nt of God to deale his earthly blessinges more liberally vpon sinners than vpon righteous men Did not the Lord betrust Iudas with the
thou wottest not when death will approch Make haste and be diligent in thy busines for now the time draweth â—eere wherein thy life shall be examined and according to thy worke such shall your wages be The Falcons towarde night bee greedy and labour eagerly for their pray for it is too late for them to pray when the night once commeth Remember thou likewise how the time of thy working in this life iâ— but short and that it is meete that thou vse all earnest painefullnesse to come vnto heauen by sighing mourning and praying vnto God It is a wonder that thou canst be so negligent hauing as thou hast one foot in the graue If thou be negligent in seeking the saluation of thy soule it may be affliction may come vnto thee as came vnto that Leuite which would needes goe on his iourney when the day was farre spent contrarie to the minde of his Father in law wherby much trouble came vnto him and his But out of hande art thou to reconcile thy selfe vnto the Lorde and whoseuer shall hold thee backe or hinder thee heare him not least death happily oppresse thee and thou be made to take vp thy lodging in that obscure place of the infernall spirites and so canst not reach at all vnto thine owne home which is heauen toward which thou art bounding Rise therefore in time and go forward to the vttermost of thy power in reconciling thy selfe both to God man if thou purpose to rest in the house where thou wouldest bee least death at any time ouertake thee on the sodaine CHAP. 39. Though repentance at al times pleaseth God yet it is not good to prolong the same vntil the houre of death BEhold now the time accepted beholde now the day of saluation and in al things we approue our selues as the ministers of God in much patience in afffictions in necessities in distresses so saide the Apostle vnto the Corinthians In the time of thine health tnrne thee vnto God for when the floudes of many waters doe compasse thee about on euery side that is when the stormes of great sorrowe shall come vppon thee and the feare of death bee present afore thine eies hardly shalt thou truly turne vnto the Lord. Assuredly hardly shalt thou at thy death drawe neere vnto God if all thy life thou hast keept thee from him God he saith In an acceptable time haue I heard thee and in a day of saluation haue I helped thee The day of saluation is the state of the life present therefore suffer it not to slip for in the same though it bee neuer so short by vnfained repentance thou maiest com vnto heauen To all thinges there is an appointed time and a time to euery purpose vnder heauen There is a time to weeepe a time to laugh The time that wee haue here to liue is the time to weep and to repent in Which repentance prolong not vnto the houre of death hardly then shalt thou finde fauour which hast contemned the same all thy life afore And who will not think that the feare of hel torments which iustifieth no man rather than a true faith in Christ whereby we are saued driueth a man to weepe shed teares at that time The passions of melancholy doe more strongly worke in the minde of man then doe those which come of any pleasant and delectable cause Now if a short delectation doth hinder the vse of reason much more wil an extreame sorrowe confound the iudgement especially the sorrow and horror of death which is so terrible and so doth darken reasoÌ„ within thee that hardly if at all shalt thou turne thee vnto God hauing serued the world all thy life afore Adde hereunto that thine vnderstanding cannot at one time perfectlie beholde two sundry and diuers obiectes yea at the houre of death dolors will so oppresse thee that very hardly thou shalt so much as lift vp thine hart vnto God The wise man saith d Man is not Lâ—â—douer the spirit to reteine the spirit neither hath hee power in the day of death An habit is such a qualitie as hardly can be remoued Sin wherein thou hast beene inured shall hale thee on the one side and greeuous tentations shall oppose themselues against thee on the other Those whom Sathan hath giuen ouer while they were well he will eagerly assaile when they are greeâ—ously sicke knowing that then â—hey bee either woone or lost for euer Besides tentations at the houre be deceiued then trust in no creature at all Wherin dost thou trust o mortal maÌ„ Trust not in thy strength seeing as valiant champions haue been whose names are not so much as thought of now adaies The wise man saith The mightie shal be mightely to rmented there is no cause therefore why thou shouldest vaunt of thy great might It is great folly our life being so short to build stately pallaces when our forefathers conteined themselues with meane cottages The Prophet Ieremiah saith Woe vnto him that buildeth his house by vnrighteousnesse his ChaÌ„bers without equitie Take not pride in thine horses pompously be trapped nor in the vaine pompes of this world seeing God he saith Woe to them which are at ease in Zion trust in the mountaine of Samaria which were famous at the beginning of the nations the house of Israel came vnto them Set not your ioy in banqueting and feasting but marke the sentence of God against Balshazzar the king of Babilon and remember which God saith in an other place Woe vnto them that rise vp early to follow drunkennes and to them that continue vntil night til the wine do inflame theÌ„ And the harpe viâ—l timbrel pipe and wine are in their feasts but they regard not the worke of the Lord nether consider the worke of his handes Trust neither in the nobilitie of thy birth noâ— in the beauty of thy body seeing the Scripture saieth Fauour is deceiptfull and beauty is vanitie Trust not in thy knowledge for no man in this world knoweth more than the very Deuil doth yet cannot al his knowledge deliuer him froÌ„ the paines of hel Trust neither in the nimblenesse and agilitie of thy body not many other such graces for euen many brut beastes in these thinges do farre exceed thee Asahel that was so light on foote as a wild Roe hee lost his life by following after Abner A miserable thing is it to set the heart vpon such thinges for al is vanitie and very foolishnes Great rashnesse is it to giue sentence before thou haue heard both parties If thou iudge the things of this worlde to be good why doest thou not thinke the thinges pertaining vnto God to be good in like wise The men of the world they pronounce senteÌ„ce in fauour of the world approuing greatly the mucke of this earth because they neuer tasted the good things of the spirit They deeme the world to be
this life and with what toile they be gotten and with what care preserued it cannot be but thou wouldest take another trade of life than thou doest Looke not so earnestly vpon these worldlie pleasures and vanities least thou be taken by the snares of them and least theire goodlie she wes so dazell thine eies that thou rush headlong into the pit of hell There is nothing in the vnderstanding but first it was in the senses After that the vnderstanding hath once drunke out of the chanels of the senses the world playing Iacobs part sticketh there downe white rods of greene poplar and hasell and of the chesnut of faire delightes to beguile thee withall and to infect by thy senses thy vnderstanding The honors and pleasures of the worlde they are but as flowres that soone fall and fade awaie The world offereth to thy senses floures and vanities and albeit thine vnderstanding be pure yet the senses labor by these outwarde thinges to dull and darken the same And as a menstruous woman dooth pollute the glasse which she looketh in so a naughty imagination infecteth the vnderstanding with error And when the vnderstanding hath once tasted the water which sensuall imaginations haue offered thereunto it conceaueth like Iakobs sheepe lambes of party color and with small great spots euen worldly desires and bringeth forth afterward sin and ill works Fixe not therefore thine eyes vpon the greene roddes which the worlde presenteth to thy consideration for it is but a bare shewe without substance It deceiueth worldly men as the burning candle doth children Children many times when they see the candle they cannot bee content but they must needes touch it with their finger also and they haue no sooner so done but they plucke it backe againe and crie So the children of this world euen like infants without discretion deceiued with the apparent shewe of worldly bewty they cast themselues into the flames of wickednes but after they finde that both their handes be emptie without substance and their conscience feared by the fire of sinne CHAP. 3 The world is false and seeketh to deceiue THere be some that being about wicked purposes d◠bowe downe themselues are sad whose inward partes burne altogether with deceipt sayth the wise man Giue no credite to the worlde neither enter into any league of friendship with the same for if thou doe it will play with thee as Ioab did with Amasa who took Amasa by the hearde with the right hand to kisse him and with the left stabde him with a sword Whatsoeuer it saith and counsaileth it is but falsehood and flattery whatsoeuer thine appetite shall entice thee vnto it is but deceit to abuse thee withall for though it promise life yet leadeth it vnto death so that if thou beleeue the same thou shalt perish with Ahab which beleeued the foure hundred false Prophetes that flattered and promised him both life and victorie But Michaiah euen the remorse of conscience it is which telleth truth and discouereth the manifolde deceites of thy flattering affections Yet for al this thou pursuest it with hatred as Ahab did Michaiah for telling him the truth thy conscience it seeketh thy profit yet thou canst not abide the counsell of the same but choosest rather to goe out of the waie with lying spirites to the losse of thy life than to doe well with the Prophet of God and so liue without daunger The worldlie man following his affections doth euen hasten vnto the battell of death where hee doth loose his life These be like the false witnesses of lezebel which being once heard do euen quench the spirite and kill the soule Giue none heed vnto their lying wordes vnlesse thou wouldest be taken captiue by the nets of their false deceiptes All the louing countenance of the world it is but fained to entrap thee before thou art aware Therefore CHAP. 4. The promises of the worlde are false and deceitfull RAsh promises saieth Ecclesiasticus in effect hath destroyed many a man Who in this worlde hath found either ioy without sorrow or peace without troubles or health without weakenes or mirth without griefe The world it promiseth all good thinges but it giueth nothing but euill it promiseth ioy it bringeth paine it promiseth to continue but it stayeth not it promiseth rest and bringeth troubles it promiseth estimation but it causeth shame it promiseth long life but by experience wee find that our life is both shore and subiect to manifold perils and miseries And the life which it sheweth it may not be called the true life The life of some it prolongeth to deceaue of some it shorteneth that they may haue no space to repent of some it prolongeth to make them proude of some it shorteneth that they maie doe no good at all but liue as them list All these it deceiueth depriuing them of the true knowledge both of God of the worlde and of themselues Seauen yeeres did Iacob serue Laban for his daughter Rahel wherby hee deserued to haue her for his wife but his father in lawe gaue him Leah in stead of Rahel by deceite Such partes playeth the world it promiseth one thinge and intendeth another The men of the world they perceaue not the◠anitie of the world vntil the daie appeare and the darkenesse of this present life bee departed awaie by death when the eies of their vnderstanding be opened then like Iaacob they perceaue the subteltie of craftie Laban the world Manie although they see welenough the deceitfulnesse of the worlde yet are they content to be deceaued thereby and to fall at noone daie when their eies be open The three friends of Iob agreed together to come to lament with him and to comfort him but afterward the worlde as they did And experience doth did nothing else teach vs that by desiring to get we loose honour and while wee couet to be great wee become smal that which we thinke shal be the meanes to vpholde vs shal throwe vs downe and then wee loose when wee thinke to gaine O foolish wee and blinde in deede that would be deemed great when God wil haue none to be great but such as first were smal we hunt after fame and yet shal neuer be remembred No man is more honorable than he which shunneth honor None richer than he which is content with a little none shal sooner be forgotten than he which most ambitiously hunteth after glory Mattathias vnto his sonnes saide on this wise Now therefore my sons be ye zealous of the law giue your liues for the couenāt of our fathers Cal to remembrance what acts our fathers did in their time so shal ye receau great honor and an euerlasting name The prouidēce of God hath so appointed that there should be a perpetual memory of the enemies of the world and that the friendes of the same should quickely be forgotten God vtterly put out the
euen deuoure and eate vppe the poore the waues of the sea bee neuer at rest but alwayes are mouing and working so the hearts of worldlinges they are neuer quiet but are continually beaten vp and down with the heauy thoghts cares of the world This made the Prophet Isaiah to say The wicked are like the raging sea that cannot rest whose waters cast vp mire and dirt Daniel hee saw the foure windes of the heauen striue vpon the sea The companion of honor is care and with riches go carefulnesse â—nd among the dignities and â—anitieâ— of the worlde is mixed pride and arrogancy for the most part You shall see few rich men but they haue store of sinnes few men of greate calling but they are proud few that followe the trades in the worlde that loue God from their heart yea a wonder were it that a man wrapped among the busines of this world should put his confidenc in the inuisible God Happie is that man which setteth not his heart vpon the vaine thinges of this world which are so full of daungers and trappes and drawe hedlong vnto hell If thou wouldest bee deliuered fâ—om them flie with Eliah into the wildernesse of true repentance Much trouble in the world thou mightest auoide if diligently thou didest thinke thereof but he that doth not somuch as feare them falleth into them ere hee be aware When there is a calme in the sea the Sailers be in good safetie but when such a storme doth arise that doth hazarde the ship and all therein then is it their manner for the sauing of their liues to throwe their goodes ouer boorde If then for the safetie of the bodie men will euen throwe awaie their temporall riches how much the rather should wee doe the same if they bee an impediment to the spirituall proceeding Preferre not therefore I pray you these momentaâ—y and transitory things to those true riches and eternall And seeing the world is like in many respectes to a tempestuous sea where daunger is present looke well to thy self that with Pharao the King of Egypt thou bee not drowned therein CHAP. 9 Men are not to bee without care of their saluation liuing in this dangerous world ELiah lay and slept vnder the iuniper tree saith the Scripture Way fairing men doe vse to rest them and to sleepe vnder the shadow of a tree as they iourney by the way and when the shadow is gone and they beginne to awake they finde themselues all in a sweat by reason of the parching heate of the Sunne Are not all the things of this world as a shadow in which the seruantes of this world doe lie and rest themselues while being forgetful of their owne saluation they repose confidence in the vaine honours of this worlde If thou trust in the fauour of princes thou sleepest vnder a shadowe which soone is gone for their fauor continueth not and quickly mayest thou come into disgrace with them if they do liue but if they die being honoured before of some thou shalt then be forsaken of all Cursed bee the man that trusteth in man saith the scripture Put not your trust in princes nor in the sonne of man for there is none helpe in him You can promise to your self nothing certaine from these men for if they fauour you to day they may abhorre you to morrow Sleepe not vnder the buckler of strange friendshippe or of riches for these last not Trust not in bewtie for as a vapor it vanisheth soone away Put no confidence in the glory of this world For as the winde it is quickly gone As for honours alas they passe away euen as a smoake and as a shadow Whatsoeuer things are in this world they slide away and are transitorie euen thy selfe man shortly shalt be carried to the graue Saul he put his trust in the strength of his men and weapons which hee had about him and therefore betooke himselfe to sleepe to the â—azarding of his person Euen so many men reposing trust in the strength of their bodies and youth put off the amendment of their liues securely from time to time whereby they fall into the danger of leesing the life of their soules for euer and euer The Sonne of Saul Ishbosheth hee slept at noone day on his bed in a troublesome time where hee was smote slaine and beheaded Take heede that the like come not vnto thee as it can hardly bee auoided if thou sleepe securely in the vanities of this world Death it will come at the length and being awaked out of thy slumber of sinne thou shalt find thy selfe â—ast headlong into that vnquenchable fire of hell At the point of death how wilte thou be troubled in minde when all the thinges wherein thou trâ—stedst thou shalt see coÌ„uerted into a smoke and shadow Sleepe not therefore in the shadowe of worldly vanitie least in death thou finde thy selfe enuironed with sundrie afflictions and torments CHAP. 10. It is a miserable slauerie to serue the world BEcause your fathers haue forsaken me saieth the Lord c. yee shall serue other Gods day and night They which giue themselues to the satisfying of their owne desires they shall suffer such torments as be intollerable The fained loue of Delilah it was the cause why Sampson did leese both his eyes and his liberty beeing made a slaue to grinde in the prison house Thou art like vnto blinde Sampson whosoeuer thou art which sub duing the vnrulie passions of his heart through the discipline of the worde Doth it not argue great folly in that man which beeing free to the preiudice of his owne libertie will enter into matrimonie with a womaÌ„ that is bond And is it not as greate foolishnes despising the feare of God for the will to submit it selfe to the seruitude of creatures and the bondage of the world Did not Sampson declare a great ouersight in that knowing himselfe often to be deceaued by Delilah and that she ment nothing more then to deliuer him into the handes of the Philistines his enemies yet had rather with the danger of bondage to serue and obey her as it fell out to his vtter ouerthrow than to crosse her desire or to bridle his owne affections Into the same reproach thinke not but thou shalt fall if thou beleeue the enticements and falsehood of this flattering worlde Take heede least the world do make a sale of thee as Delilah did of Sampson If it doe with Sampsons thine eyes shal bee plucked out so that thou shalt not beholde the deceipts the cares and troubles of the world nor taste any whit how sweet the yoake of thy Sauiour Christ is Oh how much better is it to serue God and so to raigne than by seruing the world to feele that intollerable hunger and thirst in the pit of hell Being warned therefore by the danger of other men casting off that most grieuous yoake of the worlde put thou vpon
when it is discommended of ill men and they are to bee praysed which vile persons dispraise It is no reproch at al vnto the light that the Battes and Owles cannot away therewith Yee are the children of the light sayeth the Apostle to all good christians What communion hath light with darkenes knowledge is contemned of the ignorant and fooles despise wisedome and instruction Therefore let not the childreÌ„ of the light be grieued though they be hated and persecuted of the sons of darkenes If blind men iudge amisse of colours the blame is not to bee laid vpon the colours which may be good and beautifull but vpon the censurer which lacketh iudgement To bee praysed of the vngodly is to bee dispraised and to bee dispraised of them it is hie commendation So then to despise iniuries and reproaches it is a signe of a minde that is rightlie noble He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty man and he that ruleth his owne mind is better than him that winneth a citie saith SalomeÌ„ Vertue it withereth without an aduersary True loue it is fixed in the bottom of vertue and is tried by affliction The patient man is the Lord of himselfe He that knewe of what loue to vsâ—ward God sendeth tribulation doutlesse he would receaue it with a gratefull heart AduersitÃe it is the good gifte of God sent of his maiestie to such as he liketh and loueth wel for the setting out of their soule A sicke man impatient causeth a Physition to be rigorous If thou chafe at the bitternesse of the medicine thou doest but augment thy paine but that which is taken with a willing minsd it hurteth not The chiefest part of wisedome is patience And yet maruell it is that rather thou haddest to abide without God than to suffer somewhat If thou desirest health neuer wrest the rasor out of the Chyrurgions hand Flie not the troubles which make for the welfare of thy soule abide aduersity if thou desirest health The Apostle saith Blesse them which persecute you Blesse â—say and curse not And again Wee are euill spoken of and we pray we are persecuted and we suffer it Saile thou with a contrary wind as Christ sayled vpon the crosse wheÌ„ hee praied for his enemies did good to his very persecutors As for the wicked they suffer also much persecution and troubles because the pleasure of God is that of the torments of hell they shoulde haue some taste in this present worlde If thou see a man to bee grieuously offended for the affliction that is laide vpon him assure thy selâ—e it is a signe of his farther troubles in the time to come But if he thank God for the same then know againe that his defects shall bee put away and his rewarde shall be very great The chosen and elect people of God they are patient in troubles A most acceptable sacrifice vnto God is patience in aduersity tribulation Be therefore of a patient minde if thou be sad to day thou shalt be glad to morrow if troubled to day thou shalt bee comforted the next day Bridle thine anger and lay a bitte vpon thy tongue for breaking oâ—â— into intemperate speech Take not aduersity too greeuously and drowne not thy selfe in a litle water When thou hast humbled thy bodie with fasting releiued the poors by thy liberalitie and showen other fruites of a penitent soule little shall all this profite thee afore God 〈◊〉 thou be carried away with the vaine prayses of men Patience is like a treasure hid in the field where patience is there is silence but the impatient man troubleth many with his wordes He that can bridle his tongue is a prudent man and worthy all prayse and the more thou dost sacrifice thine heart vnto God the more acceptable shalt thou be in his sight Haue thou patience therefore assure thy selfe that all things shal bee remedied in time To conclude Be thou faithful vnto the death and I will giue thee the crown of life sayeth the Lord CHAP. 24. The world is not to be accounted of FLie out of the middest of Babel saith God The worlde is â—ul of confusion there little order is but exceeding horror there golde is more esteemed than vertue and transitorie things preferred afore spirituall riches So full of confusion is the worlde that it exalteth the wicked and casteth downe the good The world promoteth Iudas but keepeth backe the vertuous from preferment He that well considereth the confusion and disorder of the world will neuer set his heart thereupon The pleasures and comfortes of the worlde they bee more noysome than the waters of Ierico more changeable than the moone Hardly shalt thou go forward in the way of godlines liuing in the same Abraham looking toward Sodom and Gomorah and toward all the lande of the plaine sawe the smoke of the lande mounting vpp as the smoke of a furnace And hee that looketh into the world aduisedly shal finde from thence the smoke of pride and vanitie and the flame of disordinate concupiscence to arise Holy and good men the nearer that they drawe vnto death the more earnest they bee about al good workes They which were to eat the Passeouer did first circumcise themselues according to the commaundement of the Lord If thou circumcise not thine heart from the inordinate loue of this world and the delightes of the same looke not to haue anie taste of the spirituall comforts of the soule If thou haddest come lying vpon a low and moist flower and one should tell thee if thou remoue it not it will â—ot and putrifie wouldest thou not for the preseruation of the same remoue it into some higher roome But God himselfe in his worde hath warned thee not to laye â—hine heart vpon the lowe and base thinges of this earth but to place the same vpon hie and heauenly matters and yet wilt thou not harken vnto his wholesome counsaile CHAP. 25. The world neuer keepeth at a stay THou hast made the lande to tremble and hast made it to gape heale the breaches thereof for it is shaken sayeth the Prophet The very change of the worlde were there nothing besides weâ—e sufficient to cause the same to break into splintes and peeces God himselfe the master workeman of al doth tell thee how heauen and erth shall passe away And S. Iohn saith The world passeth away the last thereof â—onors vanities do fal and alter euery moment Consider how great the chaunge is The monarchy of the worlde began â—irst with the Assyrians from thence it came vnto the Persians from the Persians vnto the Grecians and from the Grecians vnto the Romaues and from the Romanes it is nowe come vnto the Almans Now if the Empire which is the chiefest place of honor hath so often been changed from one people to another nation where can you finde in this worlde any thing
thinke the other doe saile exceeding fast and that themselues doe go but faâ—re and easily or rather stand still although in truth one ship saileth so fast as the other Euen in like sort many that see other men dayly to die before their face doe thinke themselues notwithstanding to be immortall and that they doe abide stocke still while others doe goe on apace towardes death If death doe come vpon a suddaine and doe carrie any man away with him neuer say that hee betrayeth any man since long afore hee hath proclaimed himselfe to be an open enemie of vs all And it is an euident argument that he meaneth not to bee at truce with men when euery day he killeth one or other It is thy part therefore to prepare thy selfe and euery moment to looke for death and to liue in the feare of God They which goe through the fields that bee â—cuered with snowe they knowe not their way and while they thinke to enter into their lodging they fall into some daungerous pit or place Euen so the men which enioy all manner of prosperity which as snowe taketh away a great part of the sight of men while they thinke howe still they shall liue they rush headlong vpon death and come vnto destruction No maruaile then that of rich they become poore and from pleasure and pronâ—otion they come vnto anguish and plaine For good reason is it 〈◊〉 at his death he should forget himselfe which in his life would not remember God And then can hee hardly thinke of his saluation being occupied with the deceiptful light of the worlde vnlesse hee lay aside first all hurtfull sticking about visible things So ought a man to behold death despising all the vanity glorie and worship of the world CHAP. 34. Pride is horrible in the sight of God AL that is in the worlde as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of lift is not of the Father but of the worlde sayeth S. Iohn By these three troupes of enemies doth the world oppugne thee But of these the mightiest of all is pride which is the originall of all sinne If thou purpose to approch neere vnto God flie from pride becausâ— God resisteth the proude and giueth grace to the humble The waters of Gods grace they doâ— runneaway from the hie mountaines of the vaine and hie minded people and goeth into the vallies of them that bee humble and meeke hearted Consider who thou art and thou shalt see how little cause thou hast to bee proud Thou shalt fiâ—de that in thy conception there was sinne in thy birth misery in thy life troubles and in thy death anguish and vexation To bring downe thine hie stomacke withall Almighty God hath ordained that thou shouldest bee vexed here in this life with the most vile and simple creatures as gnattes frogges and such like vermine as he plagued the proude Egyptians withalâ— Boast not arrogantly of thine own vertues neither lay open the faultes of other men but humbly consider thine owne defects and thy neighbours vertues and confesse thy selfe to bee a sinner and thy neighbour to bee an holy man Doe not thou imitate the poude Pharisie that made mention of his owne good workes and of the Publicans wickednesse Bee not arrogant least thou fall into the rigorous iudgement of the almightie God Be not proude man for thou art worthy all shame and confusion Thy casting downe shal be in the middest of thee saith Micheas Thou art a vile worme of the earth and a deâ—ne full of filth and abomination RemeÌ„ber that thou art but dust and shalt returne againe into ashes Moses he sprinkled ashes toward the heauen and there came a scab breaking out into blisters vpon man and vpon beast If thou being but ashes dost lift vp and exaâ—t thy selfe by pride thou shalt be punished as the Egyptians were and as was Nebuchadnezzar There is no sinnner that so resembleth Satan as the proud man To remoue this sinne of pride God he descended vpon the earth in great humilitie Pride is the originall of al sinne Other sinners be separated from God either by some commoditie or pleasure but the cursed proude man is so past all shame that voluntarily hee renounceth euen God himselfe Other sinnes are knowen to proceede from certaine inordinate desires but the proude man in all that hee doeth maketh showe of pride He sheweth his pride in his pompous tables in his costly bedding and in many other things It is a continuall ague that continueth still and followeth a man often yea euen to the graue and after hee is dead Whereof are witnesses the stately monuments and toumbes which they cause to bee set vp and erected for them after they bee laide full lowe in the graue For the auoiding of this pride God hee suffereth man to fall into other sinnes An argument that of all it is the greatest Euery proud man is an abhomination to the Lord For he hath stretched out his hand against God and made himselfe strong against the Almighty saith Iob Onely by pride doeth man make contention saith Salomon With other sinners man may haue some societie but the proude man will admit no peere When Saul was little in his owne fight he was made the heade of the tribes of Israel but after hee became proude he lost his kingdome Pride it is the roote of all vice and the destruction of all vertue The trees that bee planted vpon hie places doe soonest loose their leaues thorough the vehemencie of the windes Studie therefore to bee little and make account of humilitie for therein shalt thou finde most safetie CHAP. 35. God giueth grace to the humble HE that humbleth himselfe shal be exalted saith the Lord As much as pride is hatefull so much is humility acceptable in Gods sight This humilitie is so liked of Iesus Christ that therein hee would bee borne and therewith as with a most deere friend he spent the time all the the dayes of his life Enter in at the straight gate for it is the wide gate and broad way that leadeth vnto destruction and many there be which go in thereat Because the gate is straight the way narrow that leadeth vnto life saith the Lord He that wil goe in at a lowe doore had neede stouâ—e and bowe downe himselfe if thou doest not â—umble thy selfe thou shalt neuer enter into heauen Except ye be conuerted and become as litle children ye shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Learne of me that am meeke and lowly in heart saith our â—auiour Many there be which know themselues to be weake and offenders yet will they not be taken to be such but be thou humble in will and be content to bee as slenderly accounted of by other men as thou knowest thy selfe to bee worthy of the same and this is to be humble in very deede Iesus
to fooles as papers of infamy Though prodigality bee a vice yet couetousnesse is worse because a prodigal man doth good to many but the couetous person doeth profite none CHAP. 38. Vnlawfull lust is lothsome in God his sight KNowe ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you If any man destroy the Temple of God him shall God destroy â—saith the Apostle Now commeth the thirde band of enemies to bee spoken of comprised in the lust of the flesh Other vices doe defile but on part of man onely namely the soule but this vice polluteth the whole man Looke not to escape the terible iudgement of God if thou handle the Temple of the holy spirit dishonestly For vnlawfull lust the Lord destroyed the old world with water Sodom Gomora with the fiue citties next adioyning Hamor and the Sichimites Onan and the whole tribe of Beniamin in a maner with the sword For this vice was Amon murthered Salomon bereaued of the Spirit of God Samson blinded Dauid manie waies afflicted the two Elders that accused Susanna vnrustly stoned three and twenty thousand in one day put vnto the sword and most greeuous plagues for this vice hath the Lord sent among his people Fly from this infection and God his spirit will comfort thee haue death in minde and lust will soone bee quenched Auoid idlenesse and repell the tentation of the flesh from thee Remember the fire of hel where fleshly men shal burne for euer and the lust of the flesh will not so inflame thee It seemeth to thee harde to resist tentations but much harder will it bee to suffer the paines of hell Hee that is not deliuered from the first shall not escape the second fire One heate euercommeth another The remembrance of the infernall fire will extinguish the flame of the internall fiâ—e If thou art held with the loue of God al other vanities wil vanish from thine heart Hee is the seruant of Satan which serueth the lust and wicked affections of the mind Of this sinne did the Apostle speake when he said They that doe such things shalt not inherite the kingdome God The sinne of the flesh is a fire of hell and the maintainer thereof is riotousnesse and gluttonie The flame thereof is filthinesse the ashes vncleannesse the smoake infamie the ende vexation of the minde destruction of the bodie shipwrack of a good conscience and an horrible contempt of the holy commaundements of God Many of them bee vtterly cast away through the wrath of GOD which giue themselues to this vice If thou wouldest ouercome thou must flye from this sinne according to the commandement of the Apostle from God himselfe This victorie is gotten by flying and not by violence Daintie fare prouoketh lust but a sober diet with godly exercise keepeth chaste A wonder it is that euer thou canst auoide this persecution of the flesh faring deliciously and liuing in idlenesse The water of teares quencheth the flame of concupiscence and vnlesse thou auoid occasions hereunto it is almost impossible but at one time or other thou wilt yeeld vnto his sinne Few there be but either in youth or in age do humble themselues before this idole and giue themselues to the flesh Many there bee which commende the unspotted life but few retaine the chastitie of the body much lesse of the mind they would seeme honest and praise honesty but yet they auoide not as they ought the occasions which cause them either to bee or to be thought dishonest Their meaning is good but their knowledge is but smal and not sufficient Happy is that soule which in a pure body serueth her spouse Iesus Christ and happy is that man which prepareth in his heart an habitation for the holy spirite Remember still the death the corruption and the filthynesse whereinto our bodies shall bee resolued and doing so much wilt thou bee moued to serue God in all holinesse of conuersasion whereby thou shalt enioy him blessedly in the heauens being deliuered from the fire of hell where they continue boyling in torments which like beastes in this worlde did giue themselues to al inordinate desires of the flesh CHAP. 39. The chaste Christian God delighteth in WIsedome cannot enter into a wicked heart nor dwel in the bodie that is subiect vnto sinne saith the wise man Gather thy senses together and refreine thine appetites Death is come vp into our windowes and is entered into our palaces sayeth Ieremie Vnlesse thou settest a watch ouer thy senses thy soule is in danger to die of an euill death Because Ishbosheth looked not well vnto his doores hee lost his life euen in his owne house lying vpon his bed Consider in thy minde what mischiefe came into the worlde through Euahs casting her eie vpon the forbidden fruite It is not lawfull for thee inordinately to beholde that which is not lawfull for thee in heart to desire Had not Dauid cast an vnchaste eie vpon â—athsheba he had neither lost so many good things neither fallen into so many euils as he did Looke warely vnto thy senses the want hereof brought destruction vnto Olofernes No vice so troubleth th'understanding nor ouerthroweth the reason of man as doeth the sinne of the flesh God who is all simple and pure He fedeth among the lillies as the Spouse doth say signifying thereby how hee is delighted altogether in cleannesse and chastitie The puritie of the creature is most gratefull before God and therein doth he most gladly rest himselfe It is written that There shal not enter into it the heauenly citie any vncleane thing The principall bewtie of the soule is principally ascribed vnto chastitie through bringing the flesh in subiection to the spirite The memorie of the chast persons is afore God immortall and renowmed of men Chastitie is compared vnto the roase not onely for the beautie and sweetnesse thereof but also for that it springeth encreaseth and continueth as the rose doth among thornes For chastitie neuer groweth nor continueth but where there is sharpenesse and austeritie of life and mortification of the flesh it is alwaies in danger where pleasure is Chastitie cannot liue where no fasting is vsed nor temperance appeareth And a wonder it were that such as are not sober should be chaste If thou wilt continue chaste bee still doing of some good worke or other flye the companie of dissolute persons and prepare a place in a pure bodie for the holy Ghost The Doue which Noah sent out of the Arke could haue no footing at all but vpon carion which she liked not and therefore returned vnto the Arke againe The holy Ghost which sometime was resembled to a Doue it cannot abide in bodies that bee vncleane but in the pure and holy Flye the vices of the flesh as thou wouldest the plague or pestilence that thy soule may remaine pure
the â—salmist All creatures when thou hast most neede will faile thee and therefore it is a vaine thing to repose any confidence in the things of this world If thou trust in men looke often to be deceaued for their wont is after a long and great seruice to make but a simple recompence Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and withdraweth his heart from the Lord Put not your trust in Princes nor in the sonne of man for there is none helpe in them saith the Psalmist Haman trusted much in the fauour of King Ahashuerosh of which he was soone depriued and brought to a most infamous and miserable end To be in fauour with great men of this world it doth vs little good and surely it vanisheth as nothing if not afore yet at the point of death What stabilitie canst thou promise thy selfe I pray you in a broken staffe of reede Euen such is man O Lord of hostes blessed is the man that trusteth in thee saith the Psalmist Happie is hee which loueth God with his whole heart and putteth his trust in him the Lord will deliuer that man from all trouble But forasmuch as true hope is founded vpon a good conscience the Psalmist doth say that is not enough in God to trust but besides a man must worke that which good is according to that Blessed is he that iudgeth wisely of the poore againe sayeth the wise man The hope of the wicked shall perish because it is not grounded 〈◊〉 on a good foundation To trust in the Lorde as some say they doe and yet dayly to sinne what is it but rash and vndiscreete presumption â—ut thy confidence in God for if thou for thy part doe that which thou oughtest doubt thou not but God of his infinite goodnesse will giue thee glorie for hee neuer for saketh them which trust in him It is a vaine thing liuing ill to presume vpon hoâ—e to repent thee heereafter whereas thou art ignorant whether thou shalt liue any longer than to day or no. Thou oughtest by and by to reforme thy life and to haue good hope that God will giue thee of his glorie since it is most sure that he neuer denied it to any which fulfill that which he commaundeth Hope still in thy God saith the Scripture so wiâ—l he deliuer thee from al thy troubles For hee is a shield to them which put their trust in him Dauid put his trust in the Lord and he was holpen Blessed is the man which feareth the Lord he will not be afraide of euil tydinges Happy is the man which falleth not from his hope happy is the man whose force and strength and refuge God is such an hope shall neuer be in vaine in the daies of trouble Consider the old generations of men ye children saith Ecclesiasticus and marke them well was there euer any confounded that put his trust in the Lord or who hath continued in his feare and was forsaken or whom did he euer despise that called vpon him Is it not good reason that the sicke man should put his trust in the Physition that healeth all diseases It is the Lord saith the Prophet which healeth all thine infirmities The Lorde is neere to all that call vpon him yea to al that cal vpon him in truth CHAP. 6. God is to bee loued aboue all THou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy minde saith the Lord. If so thou wouldest doe then is it not sufficient for thee to leaue the euill way vnlesse thou walke by the good way through the detestation of worldly vanities Loue God aboue all Thou canst not liue without loue seeing therefore of force thou must loue then louâ— that which of all is most sweete and pleasant Thou maiest not so loue the world that thou offend God For what proportion is there of God his excellencie vnto the profite of the world For as God infinitely surpasteth his creatures so the holy loue of God without all comparison is more excellent than all other loue Who should reape the fruite but he which planted the tree The Apostle saith Wâ—o planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit therof WhoÌ„ shouldest thou loue but him that hath giuen thee power to loue He onely is to be loued of whome thou receiuest abilitie to loue Flie therefore the corruption of the world and embrace the loue of GOD with al thine heart Runne vnto the loue of God as vnto a refuge and defence Nothing so soone will make thee to despise the vanitie of earthly things as the loue of God but because thine heart was neuer touched throughly with the fire of his loue thereof it groweth that thou art so in loue with the corruptible goods of this wretched world Hence is it that thou art so troubled with cares and griefe of minde and hence thou settest not thine hart vpon the loue of God O that thou hadst but some small taste of Gods spirit to begin withall It is the nature and propertie of loue to make his account of that which it loueth That is well verified here in this worldly loue where we see many times that for the attaining of that which they loue they make no reckoning either of goods honor or name they forget themselues through musing vpon the thing beloued After their example therefore thou which sayest thou louest God giue thy selfe wholy to loue him and casting aside all other matters of the world occupy thy selfe wholy and altogether in his seruice So did the holy Fathers in times passed showe themselues they were transformed into a heauenly nature they thought not of themselues nor of the world for which cause they were iudged of the world to be very fooles not to haue so much as common sense Let it be thy chiefest exercise that God and thy soule may agree well together as though there were nothing besides vnder heauen to bee done and as though thy selfe besides wert nothing so that thou mightest truely say as the Apostle did I liue yet not I now but Christ liâ—eth in me Be not so taken with the thinges of this worlde as to make them the end of thy loue since all that thou canst loue in this world is more perfectly a great deale in God than in the world If thou loue any thing because it is beautifull why louest thou not God the fountaine of all beautie If goodnesse bee the thing wherevpon thine heart is fixed what is better than God None is good saue one euen God God is purely good in his essence and substance The goodnesse of a creature is so farre good as it receiueth some little drop from that infinite sea I meane from the incomprehensible goodnesse of God the creator thereof If thou dost so much loue any creature for some showe of goodnesse that thou
is it for man which by creation is made little lower than God to fulfill the minde of so vile a slaue as the flesh is CHAP. 19. The louer of God loueth little company I Wil allure her bring her into the wildernesse and speake friendly vnto her saith the Prophet When God speaketh vnto our soule hee needeth no witnesses When the pleasure of God was to blesse Abraham hee willed him to get him out of his owne countrey and from his kinred and from his fathers house God called Moses out of the mount vnto himselfe and charged that none besides should goe vp to the mount nor touch the border of it As Hagar wandered vp and downe in the wildernesse alone the Angel appeared vnto her to her exceeding comfort Eliah also was farre from the companie of men when the Angell said vnto him Vp and eate God when hee seeth thine heart to bee solitarie and alone hee then desireth to rest in the same and seeing our soule withdrawen from the cares of this world he reuealeth many things thereunto which he would not if he saw it occupied immediatly with the affaires of this world God is a Spirit and therefore careth not so much that the body as the soule should be solitarie Hee may bee said to be a sole man whose minde is not fixed vpon these worldly things O that thou wouldest leaue all these dreames and toies and idlenesse and commend thine heart into the hands of Christ thou shouldest then haue much comfort of the spirite which now thou goest without If thou diddest know what losse thou receauest while thou busiest thy selfe in worldly affaires thou wouldest not thinke it such a paine to serue Christ as thou doest The woman mentioned in the Gospel which was diseased with an issue of bloud came secretly behind our Sauiour touched the hemme of his garment and was presently healed Let euery Christian soule that is diseased and weake drawe neere secretely vnto Iesus Christ for in him it shall finde perfect saluation and true comfort of spirite Thou shalt sooner be cured if thou lift vppe secretlie thine heart vnto almightie God in thy chamber than if all the daie long thou shouldest walke vppe and downe in the market steedes or pallaces of earthlie Princes No tongue is able to expresse the sweetenesse of that prayer which is priuate if it be vnfained Thinke nor thy selfe then to bee alone for as said Flisha They that bee with vs are moe than they that be with them Thou hast neuer more companie than when thou art most solitarie Sweet is the felowship of Iesus Christ and the comfortable societie of the blessed Angels But when thou praiest enter into thy chamber and when thou hast shut thy doore pray to thy Father which is in secrete saith the Lord If thou diddest sauor the thinges of the Spirite thou wouldest not deeme solitarinesse vnnecessarie for prayer It is the nature of them that loue to couet to be solitary and alone Haue you not read that it was the wont of our Sauiour Christ to pray alone vpon the mount of Oliues When our first parentes were alone in paradise they were gratfull to God and to his holy Angels and dreadful to Satan but they had no sooner acquainted themselues with strange company but their eies were opened their bodies naked and they lost the fauour of God to their extreame affliction To bee short therefore thou shalt forgoe thy Lord and maker vnlesse thou carefully doe auoide the company I say not of men but of vngodly and prophane persons Make not so small account therefore of God that for the companie of thy pot companions here thou wilt loose the company of thy God in the world to come CHAP 20 The more wise and godly a mā is the more silent he is and of the fewer wordes IN silence and in confidence shal be your strēgth saith Isaiah Vnlesse thou auoide vnnecessary company and loue silence thou shalt neuer bee perfectly religious S. Iames doth say If any man among you seemeth religious and refraineth not his tongue but deceiueth his owne heart this mans religion is vaine He giueth a great argument of wisdome which is sparing of his speech Whatsoeuer thou hast wonne by prayer thou wilt loose by prating Silence is a good keeper of men in deuotion Maruell not that thou art colde and weake in prayer if thou spende thy time in superfluous and idle speech Learne to hold thy peace if thou wilt profit For why hath God giuen thee but one tongue and two handes but because thou shouldest speake little and doe much God hath appointed two hatches to thy tongue one of them is of flesh as the lips the other of bones as thy teeth this is to the end that beeing so kept in it should neuer speake superfluously but onely when necessity enforceth and ministreth iust occasion When thou bablest or pratest what art thou but as it were a citie without a wall a house without a doore a vessell without a couer or an horse without a bridle What good thing canst thou keep if thy tongue doe runne before thy wit If it bee lauish of speech it will open an entrance for the diuels into thee which will carrie that away which thou hast gotten before Death and life are in the power of the tongue A goodly ornament of all vertues is silence As the vessell that is couered will sooner bee hot and cause the liquour that is in it the looner to boyle than that which is vncouered by reason of keeping in the vapors so if thou keepe thy mouth shut vp close by silence thou shalt the sooner waxe warme and zealous in the seruice of God Vnlesse thou haue learned to hold thy peace thou wilt neuer learne to speake aduisedly The Scripture speaking of the godly man doth say Hee sitteth alone and keepeth silence He that keepeth silence wil the more easely lift-vp his heart vnto the Lord. S. Iames saith Let euery man be swift to heare slow to speake and slow to wrath Easely they fall from the rule of Godlynesse which vnaduisedly doe breake-out into much babling Euen as when you shut a conduct mouth where water passeth the water will straight-wayes mount vp on hie so while you keepe close the lipes with silence the spirite mounteth zelously vnto the sight of God and the soule ascendeth on hie and tasteth the more sweetly the comfortes of the spirite by zelous and earnest prayer But if thou babble with thy tongue thou hindrest thy deuotion and openest a doore to thy watchfull enemie at what time soeuer thou speakest idle wordes The citty of our soule must needes suffer many a sore assault when it is without the walles of silence to keepe of strokes It is written of Nebuchad-nezzer that hee brake downe the walles of Ierusalem robbed the temple and caried the Iewes into captiuity Surely the like would
created Hee that hauing a soule liueth as though hee had none and hee that giueth his vnderstanding and mind to the getting of worldly riches and honour doth greatly hurt and endamag his soule for vnto these endes he was not created Happinesse is the finall end of man whereunto all thinges bee ordained Place not thy felicity in earthly thinges for rest shalt thou finde neither in honour neither in riches not in learning nor in any other thing that is created Call home thine heart from all earthly thinges loue God onely of whome and for whom thou art created Despise this present worlde and so shalt thou come vnto thy desired ende This very reason were there no more besides were sufficient to perswade thee to contemne the vanity of the world if thou didest beare in mind that created thou wert for heauen and not for this world Abase not thy selfe so much as to delight in these base and contemptible thinges of this worlde and thou shalt bee quiet heere in this world for the time and happy and gloryous for euer afterwarde in the heauens CHAP. 38. Terrible and horrible shal bee the day of iudgemente vnto the wicked ENter not into iudgement with thy seruant saide the kingly prophet Dauid was the seruant of God and yet loe he had in remembrance the day of iudgement So rigorus shal the iudgement of death bee that euen the holy propheâ— so beloued of God doth quake againe at the consideration of the same Seeing therefore hee that faithfully did serue God so feared Gods iudgement howe much should hee stande in dread of the same which serueth not God but the world Enter not saith hee in iudgemente with thy seruant If the righteous scarsly be saued where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare It is a thing much to bee lamented that any man should bee addicted to these vanities which wee haue so spoken-of especially beeing so neere vnto the ende wherein God will lighten thinges that are hid in darknesse and make the counselles of the heartes manifest Belshazzar king of Babylon liuing in all manner of voluptuousnesse and satisfying his lustes in all kinde of sinne had suddenly the sentence of Gods displeasure pronounced against him heards Mene God hath numbred thy kingdome and hath finished it Tekel Thou art waied in the balance art found to light Peres Thy kingdome is deuided and giuen to the Medes and Persians The houre is very â—igh at hande when a straight reckoning shal be taken of all thy deedes wordes and thoughtes Al the secretes of thine heart shal be disclosed and with al rigor of iustice punished Thou shalt not haue the face to deny any thing for thine owne conscience shall be thine accuser neither shalt thou haue power and courage to reason the matter before the glorious maiesty of Iesus Christ the King of Kinges Thy sinnes shal be put into the balance and all the circumstances of them shal be waied and all the benefites which God bestowed vpon thee thou most cursedly didest contâ—ne shal be rehearsed Then shal thy kingdome be diuided when thy body shal be committed to the earth to bee deuoured-vp of wormes and thy soule shal bee sent vnto hell there to bee tormented in hel fire To cal then vppon God for helpe and mercy it will not auaile thee Then shalt thou see about thee a seuere iâ—dge with a most angry countenance vnder thee hell wide open gaping to deuour thee on thy right hande thy manifold and outragious sinnes accusing thee on thy lefte a most horrible spectacle of infernall and damned spirites ready to torment thee within thy conscience without the worlde all on a hot fire If our first parentes for eating but a litle of the forbidden fruite contrary to the commandement of God did hide themselues from the presence of the Lord God where wilt thou hide thy selfe when God shall appeare with thousands of his holy Angells to call thee to an account and finde thee euen fully fraughted with sinnes and wickednesse As waxe melteth before the fire so shal the wicked perish at the presence of God It is written Let al the earth feare the Lord let al them that dwel in the world feare him At that day it shal be as great a paine to stand before the glorious maiesty of the Lord of hostes as afterwarde to lie boyling in the pitte of hell for hee shall not appeare vnto them to their ioy but to their shame and confusion The friends of this world they will not be brought to the knowledge of the vanitie wherein they liue till by the punishment in that burning lake their vnderstanding bee inlightened and they bee enforced to bewaile their extreame wretched and cursed estate Despise therefore from thine heart the vanitie and false goods of of this present world least afterward thou repent when it will bee too late CHAP. 39. The remembrance of the paines of hell should reclame vs from sinne IN asmuch as shee glorified her selfe and liued in pleasure so much giue yee to her torment and sorrow saith the Lord If thou didest consider how these pleasures and vanities in which thou liuest shall take an ende thou wouldest liue in sorrow and bitternesse of soule and of such thinges as thou now delightest in thou wouldest take small ioy Iob hee said Such things as my soule refused to touch as were sorowes are my meate In this life men cannot away with any thing that may annoy them and in the next all things will they nill they shal vexe and torment them Gather hence that the more pleasantly men passe their daies heere the more wretchedly in tormentes shall they consume the time in the other world For looke by how much any thing doth resist his contrary so much is the working of that thing perceaued to bee more forceable which ouercommeth and mastereth that which resisted it Fire doth more resist iron than woode but when the fire ouercommeth them both the heate is greater in the iron than in the woode So they which in this life doe feele no sorrow shall be the more tormented in the worlde to come as on the otherside the righteous which in this life haue had no rest shall finde the greater comforte and ioy hereafter The mightie shal mightely be tormented In those daies shall men seeke death and shall not find it and shall desire to die and death shall flie from them Like sheepe they lie in graâ—e death deuoureth them The grasse feedeth the beastes of the fielde and afterwarde it groweth againe so the damned soules in dying they shall neuer die aud though their members bee quarâ—eâ—ed into peeces yet shall they not perish Note by the hard handling of his friendes in this world how greeuosly God will afflict his foes in the life to come The Apostle saith If I should yet please men I were not the seruant of Christ. The holy Martyrs which