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
thy sinnes Thou shouldest rather feare and tremble in this vale of teares than be ioyfull vaine glorious for thou knowest neither how acceptable thy works are in Gods sight nor yet how long thou shalt continue in doing wel Let him that thinketh he standeth take heede lest he fail saieth the Apostle If thou do vainly boast of the glory giuen vnto thee of God thou shalt be depriued of the same So saith the writer of the â—salmes In my prosperitie I said I shall neuer be moued because he gloried in himselfe he had a shameful downefal as himselfe doth say Thou didest hide thy face and I was troubled If thou doest any good at al it is by the power of God why then braggest thou in those good thinges which are not thine They be the foolish virginâ— without oile in their lampes which seeke the vaine and outward glory of this world If thou dost glorifie thy selâ—e thy glory is not worth a strawe If the Angels of so great honor and excellenciâ— in heaueÌ„ do seeke onely the glory of God how much more ought vile mortal man to humble him by renouncing al vain glory Learne miserable man to be lowly in heart that thereby thou maiest get fauour before GOD which through pride and vanitie the wicked Angels haue forgon CHAP. XI Vaine glorie is to bee eschewed HE that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lord saith th' apostle Reioyce not of thy works for all the glory of the seruant of Christ should rest in God alone Despise the vaine glory of this world if thou desirest to haue more grace before the Lord. The more shouldest thou feare that thou proue not vaine glorious the more zealous thou art of the glory of God Vaine glory ariseth of some good thing but it goeth not away with that good but mightilie encreaseth For as God of his goodnes fetcheth good out of euill so the Diuel thorough his naughtines draweth euill out of good For out of a good work he draweth vain glorie that the worker may attaine no reward at Gods hande When thou thinkest thou doest much thou doest but a little in respect of other holy men The thing which semeth white compared with snowe wil straight appeare in a manner blacke If thou wouldest calle to remembrance how great thinges holy men of God haue suffered and with what austeritie of life they haue humbled their bodies thou wilt say thy selfe that little thou hast donne Acknowledg thine owne imbecilitie and how weake thou art neuer so vainely doe thou vaunt thy selfe Let not this vanitie moue thee vnto good workes neither looke for a rewarde from men The wind-mil wil not turne about nor grinde the corne vnlesse a gale of wind doe driue the same about so many wil not grinde the corne of good workes except they be moued there-unto by the winde of vanitie Thou leesest the price and praise of wel doing if onely vanitie moue thee to do wel And albeit thou do all which the lawe commaundeth yet â—hat hast thou whereof to boast â—hen yee haue don all those thinges â—hich are commaunded you say we are â—worâ— profitable seruants saith Christ 〈◊〉 thou shouldest al thy life long serue â—OD yet still thou shouldest thinke 〈◊〉 vnprofitable For wouldest thou more exactly â—eigh these thinges with thy selfe â—ou couldest not but see that very â—â—ten thou hast offended God And â—en and not afore hast thou donne 〈◊〉 when thou art of opinion that â—â—ou hast done nothing Destroy not the fruite of thy labours either consume thy sweate in vaine â—od he knoweth and that much betâ—â—r than thou whatsoeuer thou doest â—nd what thy workes deserue hee â—â—ill not leaue a cup of cold water â—iuen of thee to the least of Gods â—hildren vnrewarded Then why praisest thou thy selse 〈◊〉 thou ignorant that so doing thou â—halt haue no praise of God Take 〈◊〉 selfe but for one altogether vnâ—â—ofitable and so God hee will take â—ee for one of his profitable and â—erfect seruantes If thou praise thy selfe thou shalt be dispraised though afore thou seeâ—mest to be worthie all praise commendâ—tion If thou thinke thy selâ— vnprofitable thou shalt forth with beâ— profitable though afore thou weâ—â— worthy all blâ—me and reproch It is necessary to call thy wits toâ—gether To forget thy good deedes it is a good thing If thou haue thy sinnes in obliuion which thou ought est to haue in continuall memorie why hast thou not the good which thou hast done in obliuion alâ—o He lâ—ieth vp a good treasure which forgetteth his good deedes The Saintes in olde tâ—â—e did labor much to call backe their sinnes into remeÌ„braunce and therefore they were humble But the Pharisie through pride dâ—d cast away himselfe euen when he seemed to be most thankefull vnto God If thou praise thy selfe both God will abhor and men will hate thee If thou wouldest haue thy deedes to be great count them but small else can they not be great Therefore in all things be thou lowlie before God and so thou shalt receiue the greater grace at his haÌ„ds CHAP. 12 They which would bee great in this world are become vaine men BE not highe minded but feare If thou wouldest bee great in heauen be litle in earth Thou hast knowne many which haue been great and mighty in this worlde whose memory now is buried with their bodies How many great Prelates and men of power haue there been whose vanitie is vanished like the smoke of whom no man now hath any care at al Dead they are and others occupie their places which neuer thinke whether their soules be either in ioy or paine Why seekest thou rule and to be of power Why dâ—sirest thou to be great in this world â—aue not others been in thâ—t state which thou labourest for and hath not the world forgotten them Dost thou not consider the ende of them That which came vnto them happen wil vnto thee for the world will not leaue his old wont Thinke how they did rise and againe how they did fall and that their fal was the greater the higher they aspired Hee whom those great men contemned in their life doth either bury them with dust or tread vpoÌ„ them lying in the graue RemeÌ„ber how in that state which thou desirest others haue been whose names thou knowest not and the worlde hath so forgot as if they had neuer been and touching their bodies they be reduced into dust and ashes Respect not so much the time present as to come neither esteeme the honor which this world doth offer thee but marke what wil followe afterward Fasten thine eie vpon the thinges which will ensue after this short life and liue content in that state or condition whereunto God hath called thee Thinke not through the instinct either of Sathan or of the worlde how thou wilt serue God in an high calling better than in a low degree Honor blindeth the eyes of men-Greate men
what answere hee may make for himsâ—fe though hee be not made to answere for the soules of other men Iâ— then thou shalt bee so busied that hardly thou shalt vnwinde thy selfe from the sentence of coÌ„demnation in respect of the sins committed by thy selfe then much more hardly shalt thou escape the same hauing taken vpon thee to answere for the consciences of other men It must needes therefore bee a vaine thinge after this manner to bring thy saluation into so great a danger It is vanitie to couet supereminence ouer others in this place of banishment God for his parte wil more loue thee if thou bee a good man and good men for their parte will more esteeme thee being a godlie subiect than a proud prelate I graunt indeede thou shalt not bee feared being not preferd but thou shalt be loued which is the better of the twaine Doe away therefore thy inordinate affections and keeep thine hart from vanitie Loue humilitie as the seruant of Iesus Christ and cast from thy mind the desire of honor For at the houre of death it will not helpe a whit but rather hurt thee CHAP. 14. This world is not our natiue countrey but a place of banishement WHile wee are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord againe Here wee haue no continuing cittie but weÌ„ seek one to come saith the Apostle There is no iourney taken without labour There is no pleasure to bee sought for in this world wherin wee do but soiorne Couet not to build much or to abide in the world seeing thou hast a father in heauen so rich and mightie but hold on a right course towarde that land where all manner of felicitie doth abound S. Peter saith I beseech you as strangers Pilgrims abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule It is the manner of Pilgrims to leade an hard life They are alwaies like for rainers their true friends are in an other countrey Procure not that friendship which is hurtfuâ—l to thy soule neither take it greeuously though al thinges fal not out according to thy desire For thou art but a traueler in this present world which if thou wouldest beare in minde much dangers thou couldest not but auoide Make speed therefore away like a post neither purpose thou to staie in this miserable world He that betaketh himselfe to an Inne there to tarry onely for halfe an houre bedecketh not the house for so short a time for then would hee be counted an egregious foole Thou art a Pilgrim vpon earth yester-day thou camest and to morow thou shalt depart Care not therefore for these honors riches or vanities of this world but let thy whole minde be touching the lande of the liuing where the Sainctes with Christ doe euerlastingly triumph haue in minde the lande of the heauenly father but sette not thine heart vpon this place of banishment It is a wonder how thou canst promise to thy selfe in this worlde any stability at all seeing this life is so short and the houre of death so vncertaine that thou knowest not whether thou shalt liue till to morrow or not Thinke how the troubles of this world are of small continuance and very shortly thou must goe vnto heauen where thou shalt rest for euermore Wouldest thou beare in minde that the life which we do looke for shall continue yea is euerlastinge surely thou wouldest thinke this life though it were to last a thousande yeares in comparison of that to come scarce halfe an houre in length Yea al our life compared to that is but a moment This moued Th'apostle patientlie to beare the troubles of his pilgrimage as himselfe writing vnto the Corinthians doth say on this wise Our affliction which is but for a momeÌ„t causeth to vs a farre mooe excellent eternal waight of glory while we looke not on the thinges which are seene but on the thinges which are not seene for the things which are seen arteÌ„poral but the things which are not seene are eternal Thus did th'apostle meditate of heaueÌ„ waying with himselfe the shortnes of this liefe If thou be a stranger in this world maruel not though thou be vnknown to men if the labour of this life trouble thee be not disquieted in thy selfe for shortly thy iourney shall haue an ende The fathers in the olde Testament confessed they were strangers pilgrims on the earth and wandred in wildernesses and mountaines and dens and caues of the earth and neuer found rest Neuer be of mind that thou must inhabite this earth Kain was the first that we read of which built a city vpearth lost he not heauen Neither was Saint Peter rebuked without cause who being a stranger would yet haue an house builded vpon mouÌ„ Thaber as if he had been to inhabite therevpon They which trauel like pilgrimes vse not to buie fruite trees and such like thinges as are too heauie for them to beare but such thinges as are of light carring but yet of greate price as precious stones and other iewels In like sort forsake thou the honors and riches of this life and â—arrie about thee the precious iewels â—f an vnspoted conscience Why then heapest thou promotion â—pon promotioÌ„ so fast which of necesâ—â—tie thou must leaue behind thee Why wouldest thou be loaden with â—â—ches in the race of this life Rather â—eeke for the inestimable iewels of good workes that thou maiest liue in perpetuall riches and honor in the heauens CHAP. 15 Beautie is a vaine thing FAuour is deceitfull and beautie is vanitie saith Salomon If no vanitie is to be accounted of any thing at al and beautie is a vaine thing surely beauty is nothing to be accounted of Then most vaine are they which haue in great price the vaine beautie of the body Let not thy beautie puffe thee vp neither cast an eye vnto the shadowe of thy countenance least thou fall into destruction and loose thy life as Nareissus did who beholding his beuty lost his life Absolons goodly lockes of haire were the haltars to hang himselfe withall Beuty is giuen vnto maÌ„ to th' ende he should lift vp his mind vnto God the giuer of the same When thou findest a litle vaine of water thou followest the same till thou come vnto the spring from whence it flowed first Euen so when thou meetest with a beutifull body leaue not vntil thou come vnto the author of the same which is God himselfe the fountaine of al beuty Litle children thou knowest doe wonder at the gay letters pictures which are in bookes but the substaÌ„ce which is the learning comprised therein they regard no whit Shewe thy self not a childe but a man of wisedome gaze not so curiously vpon the external beuty of any creature but marke diligently what is written therein to the end thou maist loue the author and creator of such fairnesse Creatures be spectacles as it were which serue vs
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
if nothing they further vnto vertue but hinder much why so impatiently dost thou couet them Art thou so blinde that thou seest not how embracing riches thou nourishest a serpent or scorpion in thy bosome For as the scorpion will kill them with poyson which cherished them with their heate so these riches which with the heate of in ordinate desire thou doest nourish and augment they will eate thy bowels gnaw thy conscience choke the good spirit hinder thee from saluation aud bring thee to destruction both of body and soule This is that thou louest O thou blind man this is that thou seekest this is that lastly that destroieth Call thy wits together a little and behold the falsehood of these riches so shalt thou lift vp thy mind not onely vnto the liking but also vnto the louing of thinges far much greater and euery way more true CHAP. 21. To loue riches and earthly thinges it is meere vanitie LOue not the world nor the thinges in the world saith S. Iohn By the light of nature wee are taught not to loue these natural thinges in regarde of themselues For loue is a thinge so pretious that it should bee bestowed onely vppon him who can with like affection of loue answere the good wil. But seeing no creature natural can with like measure recompenc thy loue therfore thou oughtest not to applie thine heart to the thinges of this world Doubtlesse couldest thou perceiâ— thus much in desiring to enioy the thinges which be ordained onely for thy vse thou doest peruert the order of God God alone thou must enioy by louing him as the soueraigne good thing from the bottome of thy heart but vse thou must the things of the world as seruants referring the loue of them vnto God and to the setting out of his glory God created man after his owne likenes to the end that as other liuing creatures do he should loue his like Seeing therfore thou hast no likenes with earthly thinges thou art bound of equity to loue not these earthly thinges but God after whose similitude thou art made All the while that Iacob had children by Leah and her handmaide he neuer thought of returning into his countrey but so soone as Rahel had borne him a sonne he had a longing forthwith to returne home againe So the men of this world while they are occupied about earthly thinges they are forgetfull of the Celestial countrey but when they once bring out the fruite of Godlines then begin they to loath their former state and greatly to desire the happinesse of heauen When the king of the Egyptians was dead the children of Israel sighed for their bondage and cried God heard their mone but afore his death though they cried bitterly yet were they not heard Both good and badde al crie vnto God but none be heard saue they which haue killed the kinge of Egipt that is the loue of this world which worldlinges haue not Let the loue therefore of the worlde once be dead and God wil heare thy praier out of hand It is the lawe of vnfained loue that you doe shewe your selfe to bee such as that is which you loue Our soule is like vnto waxe which taketh the forme of that which is imprinted thereupon As that is which you loue such is thy soule earthly or heauenly If thou puttest a glasse toward heauen thou shalt see the figure of heauen there-vpon if thou turne it to the earth warde there shalt thou beholde the figure of earth So thy soule is like vnto that whereunto thou appliest the same insomuch that whatsoeuer goodnes or badnes is in thee thou maiest ascribe the same to that thing which thou so leuest Nebuchad-nezzer louing the world became a beast and did eate grasse like an oxe but lifting vp his eies vnto heauen by true repentance hee came againe vnto his former shape When God had made the Sunne the Moone and all other creatures hee saide of them all that they were very good for such did approue them but man being created he was neither said to be good nor ill not thereby preferring other creatures aboue man for whose sake they were all created Why then said God of all other creatures how they were good and said not so of man who was better then they The reason is because God he looked that man according to his freewil should worke and as he made his choise so should his titles be good or euil When hee loued the good he was good but when he loued the euill he was ill For man onely of all creatures had free libertie to chuse either good or ill The holy Apostle speakinge of certaine wicked men saide They turned the glory of th'incorruptible God to the similitude of the image of a corruptible man and of birdes foure footed beastes and of creeping thinges As they made God such were they themselues the images â—â—ey made of God were not so vnlike him as they resembled their images which they made The proper seate of the soule is in heauen where they onely do inhabite which be perfect men as the apostle doth say Our conuersation is in heauen Loue not riches and thou shalt be rich It is great riches not to couet riches Who possesseth much Euen hee that desireth little God gaue in commaundement that no man to his proper vse should take any parte of the rich spoiles of Iericho which in respecte of the mutabilitie thereof representeth the worlde the treasures whereof should not bee desired of Christians least they com vnto that destruction which Adam did CHAP. 13. The rices of this worlde are to be contemned WHosoeuer renounceth not all that he hath he cannot be my Disciple saith our Sauiour Christ Despise from thy hart these transitory things They which followed Christ frosooke so much riches as they could desire which followed him not And so infinite is our will in coueting that he shall neuer be satisfied which foloweth the same and he which renounceth it renounceth al thinges Insomuch that poore S. Peter left as much indeede as ambitious Alexander could in heart desire These thinges if thou contemne thou shalt find thy selfe but if thou doe them loue thou dost for-doe thy selfe Happy is that soule which earnestly despiseth these transitory thinges which the couetous minde so greedily desireth For by contemning thinges corruptible the riches which are eternal be attained Golde and siluer are to loade a beast not a man Yet no beast is so voide of vnderstanding that willâ—ngly will take more than it can beare Onely the couetous man as more voide of reason than a beast will offer himselfe to beare it lay on him what or how long soeuer yee will But if thou be wise thou wilt vnburden thy selfe by renouÌ„cing the vaine riches of this world so assure thy selfe thou shalt goe the lighter A fond man thou art that may haue poore men in ough to beare
thou be exercised and hewen thou canst not serue for any vse in the spirituall building Persecutors bee the rough masons Hee therefore that flyeth persecution refuseth to be of Ierusalem that is abouâ— Better was Dauid than Salomon inasmuch that certaine it is the father was saued whereas the safetie of the sonne commeth into question The whole life of Dauid was full of tribulation and teares but Salomon contrariwise liued altogether in prosperity and peace by tribulation K. Dauid entered into heauen and by the prosperity of Salomon whether hee bee saued or no many are in doubt Much good commeth to the soule by aduersity Whereas prosperity quencheth the good spirit aduersity enlighteneth the vnderstanding of the minde While Ioseph shewed much honour to his brethren they knew him not but hauing once made them sad they knew him Therefore doth God send thee tribulation euen that thou shouldest know him for when he doth good to thee thou soone forgettest him Because thou sleepest securely as vnmindfull at all of God therefore his maiestie dooth depriue thee of thy delights wherein like a beast thou diddest tosse thy selfe and tumble to th' end thou mightest awake and confesse thy God Grieue not thy selfe when God doth bereaue thee of worldly comfort for he alwaies doeth it for thy profit So dealt Dauid with Saul wheÌ„ he tooke from him being a sleepe his speare and pot of water not for his hurt but for his good as it appeareth not onely by his owne wordes but also by Saul his humble confessing his offence By afflictions if thou be the child of God assure thy selfe that thou shalt recouer the inward sight of thy soule euen as Tobias did the outward sight of the body by the gale of the fish At the baiting of a Bull if a man perceaue that hee may fall into any danger thereby he wil carefully giue place that the hornes of the Bull goare him not at all In like sort therfore doth God suffer thee to be in peril somtime to the end thou shouldest see vnto thy selfe by flying vnto the Lord for refuge with vnfeined repentance Euen as prosperitie turneth the minde of man from God so aduersitie draweth man vnto God In my trouble did I call vpon the Lord saith Dauid The more the waters of the â—loude did encrease the more was the Arâ—ke of Noah lifted vp the more the people of Israel were vexed in AEgypt the more they multiplyed and grew the more we are afflicted the more both we for our partes doe thinke vpon God and God for his part doth encrease his blessinges vpon vs. Like well therefore of tribulation for it openeth a way for thee vnto heauen The first thing that God wrought in the conuersion of S. Paul was that he flang him vpon the ground leting vs thereby to know that the first entrance into the seruice of God is tribulation As in the barne the chaffe and the corne are mingled together so in this world the bad the good they liue one with another but when the winde of tribulation beginneth once to blow the wicked are throwne downe to the grounde for very anguish of heart but the vertuous they are more strongly vnited both to Christ and themselus That which is il to the wicked is good for the godly The blacke pitch becoÌ„meth white through beating and if the good men haue gotten any spots of sinne by prosperitie affliction doth wash and wipe it cleane away Gods chastisement in this life is a fatherly correction for God hee punisheth alwaies with great fauour but the chastisement in the life to come it shal bee with indignation and furie without al pitie and mercy according to the saying of the Prophet Thou shalt crush them with a septer of yron and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell Choose therefore rather in this worlde to be troubled that so by afflictions which are but smal and momentanie in respect thou maiest attaine the kingdome of God which is eternall CHAP. 32 It is a vaine thing to be careful for the thinges of this worlde BE not careful for your safe what ye shal eate or what ye shall drinke nor yet for your body what ye shall put on saith the Lord For the care of these thinges wil suffer thee to haue small care of thinges eternall God he made man to the end hee should know and by knowing shold loue and by louing shoulâ— enioy the soueraigne felicitie from the enioying whereof the immoderate care of thinges temperall doeth detaine vs backe Had the people of Israel been carefull about meate drinke and apparel in the wildernesse they had neuer doubtlesse set foote in the lande of promise Circumcise therefore from thine heart all superfluous cares of transitory thinges if thou minde to haue enterance into the lande of promise And of those Hebrewes which left Egypt many died in the wildernesse and could not bee suffered to goe into that fruitfull lande so often promised and that because they fell a lusting after the fleshe pots of Egypt Set not thine heart vpon the good thinges of this life hut let thy desire be vpon heauenly matters couet not immoderately these visible thinges vnlesse thou passe not for loosing the good thinges which are inuisible To manie too too carefull about their owne but carelesse altogether about the matters of God the Lord himselfe doth saie Because of mine house that is waste and ye runne euery man vnto his owne house Therefore the heauen ouer you stated it self from dew and the earth staieth her fruit It is meete that they feele the smart of povertie which prefer the matters of this worlde before the maker of all thinges The Lorde compareth the life of the righteous vnto birds not onely in respect of the little rest and stare which they haue vpon the earth but also for that commonly they abide in the higher places whence it was as not vnprobably wee maye gather that Christ when hee found faâ—lt with immoderate carefulnesse he said Behold the soules of the heauen for they sow not nether reape nor carie into the barnes yet your heauenly Father seedeth them Blush therfore and be thou ashamed that so thou abusest thy desires by cleauing vnto the filthie dung of the world when thou maiest be refreshed with the odoriferous flowers of the celestiall paradise O prodigeous cruelty to consume thy selfe in trauelling about to gette and gaine in this worlde when with as little yea lesse paine thou mayest come vnto the riches of heauen And this thou shouldest doe at the least for thy fathers sake which is in heauen For the diligence and carefulnes of the child is a blaming though secretly the Father of negligence For if the childe bee not sufficientlie prouided for of necessary thinges it followeth that the Father hath not performed the duety which a father is bound vnto â—ee not therefore so carefull to get temporall good vnles thou wouldest
the same So is the battel ordered somtime by the captaine and such newe stratagems he vseth that they seeme foolish altogether to the barbarous soldiers because they knowe neither the ground of his deuise not yet the ende whereunto it tendeth So doth foolish man iudge of the wisdome of God Which euen worldly folke as it is in the booke of Wisdome confessed whē they said The light of righteousnes hath not shined vnto vs and the sunne of vnderstanding rose not vpon vs. For the weake eies of our vnderstanding they are not able to comprehend the glorious light of heauenlie wisdome Moses so long as he was in Egypt he was taken to be a very wise man but whē once he was to speake before the Lord of heauen and earth he then confessed that slow he was of speech and slow of tongue For hee was onely wise with secular wisdome Salomon was a very wise man yet when he compared his wisdome with the wisdome of God he thought himselfe more foolishe than any man It is a point of great wisedome for Gods sake to contemne the worlde In the true knowledge of a mans owne selfe consistteh the high and heauenly wisedome of Iesus Christ. In comparison of this high wisdome all knowledge is but ignorance to the seruant of God If thou haue the perfect knowledg of all the liberal artes what wil it profit thee if thou know not thy selfe Thou wanderest about and thinkest that thou knowest much whē in deed thou knowest nothing as thou shouldest Happy is the soule which is replenished with heauenly wisedome and happy is the man whose care is to bee wise in the sight of God To haue one litle drope of heauen ly wisdome it is better than to haue euē a whole vaste sea of secular knowledge True wisedome is nothing els but a perfect mortificatiō of a mans owne selfe The more thou knowest the more ignorant shewe thy selfe and deade vnto the world Righteous men which see God as Iaacob did because they know God they are lame and vnapte as it were vnto earthly affaires and counted fooles of men because they are wise in Gods sight As that part of the moone which is toward the Sun is so glorious with light that the other part therof which hath respect vnto the earth giueth no light at all so when the chiefe and principall part of thy soule is fixed vpon the Sunne of righteousnesse it will be so possessed of the glorious beames thereof that it wil haue noe light to cast vpon the earth earthly thinges The foole saith Ecclesiasticu◠changeth as the moone for leauing the light of God he turneth himselfe vnto the inferior things of the earth The wisedome of this world it is confoūded of the heauenly wisdome For as the serpent of Moses deuoured the serpents of Pharoas magicioners so the wisedome of God deuoureth consumeth all the wisedome of man God in the old lawe hee promiseth riches vnto men and those thinges which the nature of man desireth yet notwitstanding fewe there were that turned vnto the Iewish religion which was the true worshipe of God But Christ our Sauiour when hee came and preached persecution and tribulation which men naturally do hate in all partes of the worlde many were conuerted vnto the faith The wisdome of God is of that force that by foolish thinges of the world the wise are confounded and by weake thinges of the worlde hee hath confounded the mighty whē they professed themselues wise they became fooles saith the Apostle And what maruel seeing all thinges are subiect to the wisdome of God This wisdome Sathan would plucke from thee as would Nahash the Ammonite the right eies of the Israelites which is the knowledge of celestiall thinges The eies of a wise man are in his head which is Christ Neither doth a wise man seeke nor looke vpon any thing but Iesus Christ accordine to that of the Apostle I esteemed not to know any thing among you saue Iesus Christ and him crucified Therefore let thine whole exercise be in the meditation of the passion of Christ to the intent that knowing him in part here on earth thou maiest afterward haue a full sight of him in heauen CHAP. 35 The life of man vpon earth is but both short and vaine MAN that is borne of a woman is of short continuance and full of trouble saith Iob Hee shooteth forth as a flouer and is cut downe he vanisheth also at a shadowe and continueth not Our life is euen a vapor that appeareth for a little time and afterwarde vanisheth awaie like a cloud in the aier which so soone as the Sunne shineth disperseth it selfe This life so much accounted of seemeth among men to bee very goodly insomuch that it rauisheth the mindes of many with the glory of the same But vaine are such persons for who so knoweth not that euē a little sicknesse and infirmitie resolueth euen the goodliest personage into dust and allies So that he becommeth very vile that was so glorious but a while before What is the whole time of our life but euen a very instant which runneth away more swiftly thā the wind They are more swift thā a poste they haue fled aud haue seene no good thinge Euen as lightening in the aire which in the twinckling of an eie is dissolued so passeth away both the life and the glorie of this world For all is vanitie Number al the daies hours monethes and yeares of thy life and terme wherebe they now They are all passed away like a shaddow and like a spiders webbe that is blowen away with the wind There is nothing stable vpon earth whereout Adam was formed and his children I here is nothing shorter thā life which carieth death alwaies with it It is both short and miserable good men beare it mith patience and euil men loue it with great delight We must needes die and we are as water spilt on the grounde which cannot be gathered vp againe saith the Scripture There is no streame that runneth so fast awaie as the life of man doth the water streames neuer turne backe againe and the daies that are passed cannot be called backe The time past is irrecouerable Thou maiest sit by the riuer as Tobie did at the floud Tybris and by tht swiftnesse of the same consider how swiftly thy life it passeth awaie That riuer Tybris had his name of his speedie runninge and yet is not the course thereof fo swift as is the course of thy yeares after which thou art drawen immediately vnto death In this consideration wash the feete of thy soules affections in this contemplation purge thy selfe from the filth of earthly loue which thou hast gotten by much busying thy selfe in the world The life of man is but a dreame and deceite The Psalmist saith I saide in my feare all men are lyers The
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
that is of durance and Perpetuetie As for riches sensualitie and such like they are much more subiect to mutabilitie and alteration Seeing therefore that the verie pillars of the worlde be so fraile and totter is it not a verie daungerous thing to liue in the worlde subiect to such alteration and mutabilitie If the worlde which in this sorte doth threaten a destruction be so loued howe would it be liked were it stable and of continuance Howe were it possible for thee to flie therefrom if it were louely when thou doest embrace the same beeing so lothsome How couldest thou but gather the flowers seeing with thy fingers thou dost handle the thornes of the same Thou wilt still loue the worlde which wil and doth leaue thee whether thou forsake it or no. Looke for no quietnesse heere where euerie moment there is alteration neither loue a thing moueable seeing thy selfe desirest to continue and not change at all The sailer whether hee will or no must needes moue when the shippe moueth al thinges in this world be moueable and change to daie they be to morowe they be not and as they change so dost thou with them What comfort therefore canst thou haue in such vnstable thinges The name whereby most fitlie almightie God is expressed is I am Moses speaking of God saith I am hath sent me vnto you God contiunally Is but man altogether is changeable and hath no certaine being And so are you to thinke of the world of which you make so great an account Loue those thinges that bee and continue and not the thinges which by reason of their often change doe come vnto nothing It is an il dwelling in the countrey which is subiect to often earth quakes bestowe not cost vpon that grounde which is not firme but vppon that foundation which will continue Let all thy care bee to haue a mansion place in heauen which is a place of safetie and blessed quietnesse The winde of flattery which is included within the bowels of the earth which bee the pallaces of princes and houses of great men when it seeketh to breake out and to ascend to honour and hye promotion it is the cause of great earthquakes in the world Seeke not to dwell in so daungerous a place neither make friendes to serue in the pallaces of great men where continuall earthquakes bee by reason of the great windes of ambition that bee there kept vnder and hid with the cloake of hypocrysie which breaking out at the last doe cause great disorders and troubles in a land and country Daily if thou marke thou shalt heare of innouations in the world Daily some of rich become poore and of poore bee made rich If fortune to day doe smile shee will frowne to morrowe In the morning the sunne shineth most comfortably and within an houre or two commeth a storme and tempest This sheweth that in the world nothing is of long continuance Pleasure is no sooner come but straight-way entreth sorrow and disquietnesse The mutabilitie that is in the world is by nothing better expressed than by the vsage and handling of our Sauiour Christ who was honored with all ioy of the Iewes at one time at another forsaken of theÌ„ at one time was welcommed in the waie with greeâ—e bowes at another was scourged with drie rodes at one time they strewed their garmentes before him in the way at another by and by they spoiled him of his raiment whipped and crucified him at one time they cried Blessed is hee that commeth in the name of the Lord at another they called vppon pâ—late to hang him at one time hee entered into Ierusalem with great glory at another hee came out of the same Ierusalem with great shame Perceiue you not hereby the suddaine change whereto the honours of the world are subiect If now you laugh looke by and by to weep Put therefore thy trust and confidence in God alone which is thy true friend and will not faile thee CHAP. 26 The smallest sinnes must be auoided FLie from sinne as from a serpent saith Ecclesiasticus The friendshippe of the worlde dooth so wound the conscience that not in a small thing are you to conform your selfe after the same Whatsoeuer is in the world it is full of wickednes and sinne which though it be but small yet is it to be shunned Ecclesiasticus hee likeneth sinne vnto a serpent which though it bee but a little one yet wil not man abid it The Prophet Isaiah doth say Out of the Serpents roote doeth come a cockatrise That fearefull cockatrise doth proceed from the small serpent which is alwaies verified when the great sinne doth arise out of a little offence Assuredly if thou take not heede of smal thou wilt fall into great and greeuous sinnes Vnlesse thou fly the serpent thou shalt light vpon the Cockatrise If thou stop not a small cliffe in a ship where throug the water coÌ„meth so much by little and litle wil enter as in the end wil ouerwhelme drowne both the ship and thee So small incoÌ„ueniences are to be fled least greate perils doe ensue Seuer thy selfe from all vnnecessary busines of the worlde from toying and idlenesse least thou leese thy zeale and fall into greater discommodities which though they seeme but small yet being multiplied may ouerthrowe thee Kil thine enemy sinne I meane when hee is yet but little for when hee is growen vp to his full biggenesse for sparing him he wil murther thee It is the part of a wise man to feare his enimie bee hee neuer so weake Take example here of from Kaine who because he shunned not the griefe of minde conceiued from the good of his brother hee ioyned afterwarde to his enuy malice whereby hee committed murther after that fel into heresie supposing that God saw not what hee had done and after that vtterly despaired of all mercy from Gods hand One deep calleth another deepe one sinne draweth easely another sinn that is greater Bee not therefore negligent in looking well to auoide euen the smalest offence Thou hast neede to bee very circumspect and vigilant liuing in such a daungerous world Men vnprouided bee easily ouercome Thou must flye from euery euill custome as from the pestilence for death is at the doors and will enter straight if thou let open to his messenger One of the plagues of Egypt was of small yee which suck the bloud and after them followed great swarmes of flies which cruelly vexed both Pharao and all his people After the lesse plague came still the greater and after a smal a greater teÌ„tation followeth Ecclesiasticus doth say Hee that coÌ„temneth smal thinges shal fal by little and little Yea the lesser thou takest them to be the greater they are Listen to the Apostle Paul Bee yee not idolaters as were some of them as it is written The people sate downe to eat and drinke
himselfe a slaue vnto them The least thing that is sufficeth a poore man but nothing can satisfie the greedy minde of a couetous churle Other sinners though they haue no portion of ioy in the other world yet they enioy the present state but the couetous man hath no ioy in neither and therefore the most miserable Hee that putteth his confidence in riches is a foole The couetous man is neuer without some excuse when hee should giue to him that needeth It is greater honour than to win a kingdome to conquer a mans inordinate desires The Diuel being asked of God from whence hee came answered from compassing the earth to and fro and from walking in it So doe the couetous men they compasse the earth about as the Diuel did and doth but toward heauen they neuer looke The couetous rich man is a pray for his Prince a marke for theeues to shoote at and a cause of quarrell among his kinsfolke and friends The couetous man is vnworthy to haue a place either with the Angels aboue in heauen or with men below in earth and â—herefore he would be buried with â—udas the traitor that for the loue of mâ—nieâ—old his master euen the Sâ—uiour of the world The couetous man before he wiâ—neth any thing is first wonne hiâ—selfe and before hee taketh ought is taken himselfe â—ee burneth here in this worlde with the fire of inordinate desire and afterward shall burne in the fire of hell Diues beeing in hell desired that with the tâ—p of Lazarus finger his thirst might be quenched Woulde so little water thinkest thou aswage the heate of the fire of hell No doutlesse For if that had beenne granted he would haue desired more still without ceasing Such as the state of this man was in hell such is the state of all couetous persons in this worlde they desire a drop of riches when all the waters and seas of worldly substance will not quench their thirst Euery thing that is heauy doeth naturally incline towards his â—entre But nothing doth so peâ—se downe the heart of man as couetousnesse They sanke downe to the bottome as a stone saith the Scripture of Pharao and all his hoast Couetousnesse of all other sinnes reuiueth and waxeth young againe when a man is olde If thou dost lie vpon the earth with thy breast and drinke of the running waters of these worldly riches thou shalt bee discharged from the seruice of God as Gedeon discharged the like men that went out to fight against the Medianites Was not Achan stoned Gehazi plagued with a leprosie Iudas hanged Ananias and Sapphira punished with sudden death and all for couetousnesse Beware therefore of it Hee that ouercommeth this vice of auarice is a stronger man than he that vanquished his bodely enemie If thou heapest vp riches together thou makest a heape of wood wherwith thou shalt bee burned in hel as the Phenix is in this world As the Physicion forbiddeth a sick man that which hee knoweth to bee hurtfull for him to the end hee may recouer his health so God as a good physicion forbiddeth man couetousnesse as hurtfull to the soule whom if hee harken not vnto hee is like Adam who not obeying God which did prohibite him to eate of the tree in the middest of the garden fell into infinite troubles and afflictionâ— Obey therefore the commaundement of God whose will it is that thou shouldest flye from couetousnesse if thou wouldest haue any part in the kingdome of heauen CHAP. 37. God he blesseth the liberal man GIue and it shal bee giuen you saith the Lord Christ compareth riches vnto thornes which laide vppon a mans bare hande they will not hurt him but if hee close his hande together they wil draw blod and the faster the hande is shute so much the more is the harme that hee shall take thereby Riches doe not hurte the open but the hand that is shut Blessed is that man of whom it may bee said as it was of that good woman She stretcheth out her hand to the poore and putteth forth her hand to the needie If thou giue to a poore man thou shalt receiue good mony for Copder If thou impartest of thine aboundance thou shalt encrease in virtue like vnto the tree whose superfluous bowes be cropped of He shall neuer want any thing that for Christ his sake giueth his goods liberally no more than meale and oile was wanting in the widdowes house though shee were very poore which ministred sustenance to the Prophet Heliah Many doe say if I sawe such a poore man as Helyah was I would doe him good but they are deceiued for in not giuing to the Lord of Heliah how would they giue to Heliah himselfe He that giueth to the poore giueth to Christ. Inasmuch at ye haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethren yee haue don it vnto me saith Christ himselfe Therefore if you helpe not the Lord of Heliah how should you releue Heliah himselfe Blessed is he that iudgeth wisely of the poore the Lord shal deliuer him in the time of trouble In the day of iudgment thou shalt be examined touching the workes of mercy Many doe spend their goods and their wealth vppon their houses vppon tapestry horses thinking there by to get a name and fame among men When more commendation they should purchase if they bestowed their wealth vppon the poore that can giue them good words than vppon any other creatures which haue no reason at all Neither the beds nor the wals of thine house haue any â—ong at all to praise thee as the poore haue that will blaze abroade thy goodnesse Be thou liberall and so both God will like and man will loue thee The liberal man hath many frindes though many of them be very vngratful Neuer can he want friends which is liberal toward other men and neuer can he haue any friendes which is a couetous man The poore doe him curse and his kinred doe wish him dead If the couetous man doe fall thorough some vice which he hath euery one doth blowe abroad his defamation but if the liberall man doe sinne al doe excuse and purge him the best they can Many benefites doth he receiue which knoweth well how to giue and he may take himselfe for an happy man on the earth Better is it to giue than to take as better is it to loue than to hee loued For to loue is an action of the mind but to bee loued is not so many somtime are loued which deserue it not God for his part he giueth vnto all but receiueth of none the more therfore a man giueth the more he resembleth God his maker The Sunne excelleth the other planets because it ministreth light vnto the starres The more vile and odious that a couetous man is the more noble and renowned is the liberal man Riches to wise men are as fetters
thou curiously dispute and reason about that which is commaunded thee The beginng of al mans miserie and mischeefe it came from the womans curious disputing with the serpent about the commaundement giuen vnto our first parentes of God For when the Diuell reasoned thus with her Yea hath God indeede saide Yee shall not eate of the fruit of the trees of the garden If shee had done well shee would haue taken vppe her aduersarie short and saide I wot well what God hath commaunded me to doe euen that I forbeare from eating of the forbidden frute when hee hath doone so I may not enquire but seeing he hath commanded I must giue obedience thereunto because he is my God and creator but shee ouerthrew her selfe because she would enter disputation with Satan It is not the duetie of a subiect to argue but to obey Holde thy peace and obey neither make answere to thine aduersarie otherwise thou shalt bee ouercome Let thy will be all one with thy superiors will For though the man that commaundeth thee bee of an euill life yet if that which hee commaundeth thee bee good thou shalt by obeying both giue a good ensample vnto others and profite thy selfe The obedient subiect liueth at great case when the troblesome person is neuer without troubles Remoue away the burden of thin owne will which so doth tire weary thee and laie the same vppon the shoulders of thy gouernour so shalt thou liue in security and quietnesse For it is great quietnesse to liue with out care that so thou maiest the more freely addict thy selfe vnto the Spirite Onely the men of high authority in the world they may lament and mourne that they want this priuiledge But worldlings they comprehend not yet the sweetenesse of holy obedience Hence it is that many which would seeme religious hauing not thoroughly perceaued howe pleasant a thing it is to obey for Christs sake they both couet prelacy and shunne the quietnesse of the Spirite and while they thinke to finde ease they fall into troubles and are tyred continually with cares and molestations Onely therefore the good soules which bee religiously obedient they get the freedome of the Spirite and liue with ioy and comfort Many of their owne free will doe chuse out places of comfort for themselues where beeing once come they finde themselues voide of all ioy and comfort But the Godly doe euen there finde most consolation where they thinke to haue no comfort at all To bee short look not to finde any true comfort but in God which dwelleth in the heart of the obedient person If thou bee truely obedient thou shalt finde comfort wheresoeuer thou shalt dwell because God is with thee but if thou bee led by thine owne affection what place or land soeuer thou chusest to dwell in euen there shalt thou finde an hell where thou thinkst to haue paradise For thether shalt thou carry thine own will which offereth bloudy battell vnto thy soule in all places thether shalt thou carry thy affections which night and day wil vexe and trouble thee But submitting thy selfe vnto the authority of others as thou shouldest thou shalt make thy selfe a Lord and ruler ouer all thinges CHAP. 31. Pouerty is great riches BLessed are the poore in spirite for theirs is the kingdome of heaueÌ„ saith our Lord For the obtaining the custody of some strong castle or place of defence a warrant signed with the hande and seale of the Lorde or Prince of the same shall doe thee more good than a great deale of mony for vppon the sight of the warrant the captaine of the castle will giue thee possession of the same which no mony could get at his handes Pouerty in spirite is the warrant or bill assigned by the great King of heauen whereby the poore in spirite shal enter into paradise seeing the Lord doth say Theirs is the kingdome of heauen This warrant is more worth for the getting of heauen than all the temporall riches of the worlde Well said our Sauiour Christ Blessed are the poore in spirite For if he is to bee counted blessed which coueteth nothing sure the greedy gatherer of worldly riches is not blessed for hee coueteth much The poore in spirite lacketh nothing saue that hee will not haue what hee wil hee hath and that will hee not haue which hee desireth not Theirs is the kingdome of heauen saith Christ. Pouerty is a treasure that is easely kept for no man wil or can bereaue vs of it It is a sure possession which none will chaleng or lay claime vnto Hee that is so poore that hee hath nothing needeth neuer to feare that dreadful sentence against the vnmercifull rich men I was a stranger yee lodged me not I was naked and yee clothed me not sicke and in prison and yee visited me not Hee that hath not to giue is not bound vnto these workes of mercy Had not the poore estate liked God the Angel had neuer in particulars tolde the shepheardes that they should finde the Sauiour of the world swadled and lying in a cratch The apostle saith of Christ that Hee being rich for your sakes became poore that ye through his pouerty might be made rich Christ was poore at his birth in his life poore and poore at his death If the onely begotten sonne of God for thy sake became poore why art thou ashamed to become poore for his sake A good pouerty is great riches to bee thoroughly mortified it is necessary that thou despise this salfe riches and to with-draw thine hearte from the inordinate desire of them They which stand vpon the ground are nearer vnto heauen then they which liue belowe in vauts vnder the ground So they be nearer vnto God that despise the riches of this earth than are the couetous which serue the world haue made themselues slaus vnto the same Reioyce therefore if thou mayest heere-in bee a companyon of Iesus Christ who hanged on the crosse poore and naked to make thee a partaker of those inestimable riches and glory in his celestiall kingdome CHAP. 32. We are to continue in doing good workes ANd yee brethren be not weary of well dooing saith the apostle A good work is neuer without a rewarde For if thou liue in the state of grace thou shaâ—t come vnto heauen but if thou art not in such a state yet shalt thou not loose the good which thou dost Hee that liueth euell and doeth no good deedes shal hardly after become a vertuous man get therfore the custome of doing well that by the vse the thing may bee made easie Let vs not therefore be weary of well dooing saith the apostle For in due season we shall reap if we faint not Christ seeing a figge tree in the way hee came vnto it and finding nothing there-on but leaues onely said to it Neuer fruit grow on thee hence-forward â—nd anon the figge tree withered Therefore is it good
king of glorie in his glorious kingdome If hee that found the treasure hid in the field for ioy thereof departed sold all that hee had to buie that field what shal be the ioy of our soule enioying the treasure of incomprehensible riches in heauen and that freely If when Salomon was proclaimed king the people so reioyced that the earth rang with the sound of them art thou able to imagine or al the men in the world the singing piping and triumphing that shal be when the King of all peace and tranquilitie shall bee placed in his royall throne and proclaimed the right inherit or of the celestiall kingdome to the euerlasting comforte and benefitte of all good soules If God would giue thee leaue to taste the sweetnesse of those heauenly ioyes though it were but halfe an houre thou shouldest for that fauor despise the whol world for the same yea if there were a thousande such worldes as this the rather a great deale thou art bound to contemne the pleasures or more truely vanities of this world whatsoeuer they be if that may further thee any whit to the attaining of those ioyes and felicitie which shall neuer haue an end And were this world to be loued as it is not and the thinges of the same highly to bee esteemed and if thou mightest liue therein a thousande yeeres togeather and that in such health honor pleasure and felicitie as thine heart coulde desire yet in comparison of that happines which God hath prepared for such as loue him the ioy would bee but sorrowe and the felicitie vanitie which thou shouldest despise howe much the rather then the world being as it is The soueraigne and true ioy it commeth from the creator not from any creature which if thou once doe taste no man can beteane the of in respect of this ioy all other ioy is but sorrow all pleasure is paine all sweetnesse is gall all beautie is filthinesse and molestation Place therefore before thine eies as the true seruant of Iesus Christ the land of the liuing toward which thou art bounding and contemne all worldly vanities that so thou mayest come vnto the heauenly felicitie and raigne with Christ world without end The ende of the third and last Booke FINIS Aschams school 1 booke pa. 26. b. b F. Dicgo de Stella of the order S. Ir. b 1. Ioh. 4. verse 1. c 1. Thes. 5. vers 21. d Acts. â—7 10. 11. e Lib. 2. de doctrina christiana f In Apobloget g R. P. Fr Didaci Stellae Hispani c. saith Burgundu h Recenter ex Hispani calingua in â—â—alicam traducti per Hieremiam For resti c thongh in the preface of G. C. it is said to be written in the Spanish or Italian language doubtfully i G. C in the preface to his translat k Ex Italica in LatinaÌ„ traÌ„slati a reuerendo petro Burgundo l Ephes. 1. verse 4 a Mat. 6. 24 a 6 21. 22 b Luk. 9. 23 c Mat. 8. 29 d Mat. 5. 4. e 1. Sam 5. 2. c. f â— Cor. 9. 14. c. b Mat 11. 29 c Iam. 4. 1 d Gal. 6 14 e Act. 5. 41 f Iam. 1 2. g 1. Pet. 2 21. c. b Math. 8. 20. c Luk. 2 7 d Luke 1. 37 Iohn 1. 14. e Mat. 5 3. f Luk. 24 26 g Phil. 2. 6. 7. c. h Gen. 24. 64 a Eccles. 1. 2. 14. b Reuel 20. 22. c Rom. 14. 10 2 Cor. 5. 10. d Mat. 25. 41. e Math. 4. 10. a phil 3. 18 19 f Luke 16. 41. 42. g Iohn 2. 10. h 1. Thes. 5 3. i Luke 16. 25. k Prou. 23 19. Prou. 25. 16. 2â— l Iob. 34 15. m Mat. â—5 41. a psal 46. 12 b Eccles. 3 18 c Gen. 3. 21 d psal 115 59. e Mat. 7. 13 f Kom 6. 23 g Gen 25. 24. 29 h Psal. 68 i Psal. 78. 30 3â— a psal 55. 2. b 2 Cor. 5. 10 a 1 Cor 4 3 4 5 b Rom. 14. 10 c 2 Tim. 4 8 d Luke 2â— 5 d Luke 2â— 5 e Ioh. 8 48 f Mat. â— 24. Mat. 2. 23 g Ioh 9. 1â— h 2 Cor 5. 21 i Luke 18 35 36 c k psal 12 4. a Math. 6. 1 b Math. 5. 16 c 2. K. 20. 12. c. d Mat. 6â—1 â— 5 c. e Dan. 3. 7 f Ex. 16 20 g Ex. 16. 24 h Ex. 20 20 a Ios. 7 19 b Iam. 1. 17 c Isa 42 8 d Esa. 10 15 e 1. Co t. 5 10 f Reuel 4. 10. g Psal. 1 14. 1. h Isay. 16. 12. i Iud. â—5 16. k Daniel 4 2â— l Iob. 21 1â— m Exod. 4. 6 n 1 Cor. 4. 7 o Hos. 13 9 p 1 Cor. 10. 12. q psa 30. 6 7 a 1. Cor. 1 31 2. Cor. 10. 17 c Luk 17. 10 d Mat 25. 4. e Luke 18 â—1 14 a Rom. 11. 20 b k. 25. 18 19 c k. 25 12 22 a Math. â—0 22 b Num. 10. 4 c c Wis. 6 6. d Iob 1 18 19 e Gen. 30. 37. 38 c. f Exod. 13 21 22 g 〈◊〉 1. 1 a 2. Cor. 5 6. Heb. 13 14 b 1 Pet. 2. 1â— c psal 143 5 d Reuel 21. 4 e 2 Cor. 417 18. f Heb. 11 13 38 g Gen. 4. 17 h Math. 17 4 c. a prou 31 30 b 2. Sam. 18 9. a Eccle. 11 4 b Luk. 7. 25 c Luk 19. 16 d Mat i1 8. e Math. 6 28. 29. f 1. Tim 6 8 g 1. K. 1. 45 h 1. Sam. 16 7 i Gal. 1. 10. k Heb. 11. 37 l Iob. 1. 21 m Gen. 3. 7 n Gen. 3. 21 o Iob. 16. 15 p Psa. 35. 13 q Isa. 14. 11 r Zeph. 1. 8. s Eccl 19. 28 a Iob. 17. 14 b 1 Sam. 91 c Mat. 4 â—3 d Iohn 10. a psal 6 2. 0 b Eccl. 31. 8 c Luk. 15. 13 17 c. d Luke 10. 41. 42 e Gen. 3. 6. 7 f 2 Cor. 12. 1 g Mat. 15. 2 h Eccle. 5 9 i Tim. 6 9 a Phil. 3 8 b Iob. 1 12 a Wis. 7 9 b Psal. 4 2 a 1 Ioh. 2. 15 b Math 2. 37 c Gen. 1. 27 d Gc. 31. 25. e Ex. 2. 23. 24. f Dau. 4. 29 31. g Gen. 1. 31 h Rom. 1. 23 i psal 11. 5. â— psal 136. 18 k Phi 3 20. k Ios. 6 8. l Ios. 7. 25. a Iuk 14. 33 g Iob. 1 21 a Luk. 6. 25. b Luk 91. 32 c Re. 7â— 17 f Iob 21. 13. g Luke 16. 25 h 〈◊〉 11 35 i 〈◊〉 19. â—1 42. k Math. â—7 49. Mar. 15. 37 l Mat. 8 3. n Eccles. 2. 2 o Heb. 11. 25. 24. p Ioh. 6. 20 q Psal. 64. 19 a Tob. 5 1â— b Wis. 9 1. c Pro. 15. 2 d Isa 24. 8. 4 e 1 Cor. 7. 30 f Wis. 〈◊〉 10 g Wis. 7. 3 4. 5. 6. h Iob. 1 21. i Ioh. 9 20 a Phil 41 b Luke â—o 17. 10 c 1 Cor. 1. 12 d psal 4.
others either more then we will offer or as much as we do vnto any of theÌ„ yet this very booke shal suffice for all which is so translated both by G. C. into English by Petrus Burgundus into Latine both following one and the same Italian translatioÌ„ for the Author himselfe was a Spaniard and wrote in the Spanish tonge that hee which hath but one eye sufficiently may perceiue that either the English is meruailously augmeÌ„ted which hath a great deale more than the Latine or the Latine hath left out very much for it is but an Epitome or an Abstract as it were in respect of the English Nowe if G. C. hath truely expressed the letter and deliuered the Authors minde faithfully which he trauailed to do both for his owne honestie and the Readers satisfaction surely Burgundus hath neither truely expressed the letre nor faithfully deliuered the authors minde and so neither dealt honestly with the Author nor satisfied the christian Reader for he wonderfully varieth froÌ„ the English not onely in respect of the letre but so in respect of the matter as if purposely it were done to shred off many things that were superfluous I say not onely in the English but also in the authenticall copy Again if Burgundus haue done well for he is but a translator nether and no paraphrase then doubtlesse G. C. is much to blame which inserted so much I say not simply matter but errors too as are not to be read in the Latine copie Now whether of them haue dealt the more sincerely I leaue it to their iùdgement which haue the Italian the Spanish copies the Authors owne wordes which I neither haue nor can get but their owne doings as they haue may I trust deliuer me from blame so they troubled me in such sort when I tooke this worke in hand that I was enforced to vse a Christian libertie in the doing hereof therby to cul from them both such things as were for the benefit of the Church and in them both to ouerpasse whatsoeuer was to much redounding in words or otherwise erronious for matter out of theÌ„ both to frame such a treatice varieing so little as might bee from the Authors purpose as shold be profitable â—or the Church of God and offensiue to none that haue any sparkles of true wisdome in their mindes And though the diuersitie of translations and in the traÌ„slations the great diuersitie had not moued yet the errors were so many and the scriptures in many places so vainely applied so vntâ—uly expounded so dangerously wrested and many things so falsesly collected from the word of God both in the English also in the Laten coppâ— as any may perceiu by those Tables aÌ„nexed to the end of this book that howsoeuer they might be tolerated if the book were of coÌ„trouersies in ReligioÌ„ yet being purposely penned to stir vp the affectioÌ„s of Christians to the loue of God and of heauenly thinges I cold not discharge the duty of a true seruant in the house of God if I did not both cut off many thinges which they had and vse an extraordinary liberty in citing expounding applying alleaging of Scripture and in the whole matter least vnder the preteÌ„ce of mouing the godly readers to loue the good thinges of the spirit they were allured withal to the likeing of most dangerous errors vntruthes which God abhorreth and so they should reape not so much benefite by that which is good as hurt which is the drift of Sathan to their soules by that which is wicked The dooing whereof if it please not mine aduersaries to make theÌ„ to like it I will spend noe more wordes at this time I trust none that be truely religious and godly wise whom I chiefly respect but will interpret my paines in the best parte and withall wish that what else any of the contrary side in respect of Religion shal publish to this ende effecte if it cannot for some causes vtterly bee expressed which is impossible yet it may carefully and wisely both be perused reformed that good none hurte may redounde vnto the people of God And this I haue thought good to dedicate vnto your worshippes as in that respect before cited so partly to signifie that the good will friendship which from the first time I was acquainted with you I haue found at your handes is not forgotten though little spoken of on my parte and prtely by some work of mine own hauing none other thing so good to requite in some sort the benefits receiued from you both and though I desire you not to take it in good parte because I need not not in respect of the worthinesse of the thing so much as of the goodnesse of both your natures yet most earnestly I beseech the almighty God namely for you that as by the greate wisedome wherewith yee be inspired froÌ„ aboue and by the experience yee haue gotten in the world yee knowe how vaine and deceitful the world and the things in the world are so more and more yee may grow both into a detestation of all the vanities of the same whatsoeuer and into the likeing and louing and longing for those thinges which are truely glorious and to be desired and for the which we are created in the heauens and that which I pray for you by name I desire also not onely for my selfe but besides for all the rest of our friendes wheresoeuer Your W. in the Lord Tho. Rogers THE First booke which displayeth the vanities of this worlde CHAP. I. We must contemne this vaine worlde if wee would enioy God CHRIST our redeemer doth say No man can serue two maisters Sweete is the coÌ„fort of God yet not to all men but to them onely who despise the vanity of the world For it cannot be that a man should enioy God and with all inordinately desire the things of this life All men indeed are desirous to enioy the sweet conuersation of the Lord but few are willing to forgoe their own priuat commodities * and from the hearte to contemne the goodes of the earth they desire I graunt the inward comfort of the soule but so that with it they may satisfie the appetites of their fleshlie minde But thou who art purposed to follow Christ thou must denie thy selfe that hauing forsaken the world Christ may bee thine Christ and the Deuill are enemies one to the other and hauing nothing in common betweene themselues they cannot inhabite together in one place Deliuer thy selfe from the loue of the world if thou wouldest that God shoulde haue accesse vnto thy soule For thou shalt neuer taste how sweete God is vntil the goodes and pleasures of this world are loathsome and vnpleasant vnto thee And perswade thy selfe that then and not afore thy soule shall be able to receaue the consolation of Christ Iesus when as bitter thou abhorrest the thinges of this world As it
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
doe iniurie to the heauenly father which more than liberalie prouideth for his children those thinges which he knoweth are most necessary and meete for euery one of them The birde of the aier wil no longer staie vpon the earth than meere necessitie driues her so to doe but spendeth the greater parte of her life aboue in the aier where she is best in secutitie If thou haue a desire to escape the perill of this life shunne so much as in thee is all vnnecessarie busines of this world It is thy part either to flie with the birde or to swimme with the fish not to grouell on the grounde if thou wouldest liue in safety At such time as God created the foules and the fishes he gaue them his blessing but the beastes and other liuing creatures that crept on the ground he blessed not at al He therfore which desireth the blessing that God imparteth on the good let him flie or let him swimme that he maie escape all danger and not like the brute beastes abide and rest vpon these earthly thinges for such he will not blesse but curse saying vnto them Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Deuil his Angels Liue therfore like the flying soule aloft in heauenly meditations and praier and cast al your care vpoÌ„ God as the Apostle commaundeth saying Cast al your care vpon him for he careth for you And saie with the Psal. mist Though I bee poore and needy yet the Lord careth for me Now if the Lord haue care of thee why serueth thy carefulnesse but euen to extinguish in thine heart the word of God The desire of riches in whomsoeuer it be choaketh the good seede of the worde of God that it can take noe roote and fructifie The GentÃles and heathen inasmuch as they are of opinioÌ„ how these things are giuen vs of fortune it is no maruel though they be so careful But thou which dost admitt and beleeue the Doctrine concerning Gods prouidence thou maiest not be so careful seeing well thou knowest that doing thy dutie according to thy calling God he will prouid that which is sufficient for thee If God preserue the Birdes which he created for man will he not much more haue a care for the substance of man which hee made for him selfe Remoue from thee al vnnecessarie businesse that thine heart may bee lifted vp vnto God Our nature and sensuall part being very strong they seeke themselues in the vanities and pleasures of the world but in the meane while the vnderstanding is darkened the spirite becommeth insensible and all spirituall exercise is vnsauorie Vnnecessary busines it hindereth the inward prayer of the heart it distracteth the mind it blindeth the vnderstanding and finally driueth away from vs the true light of the spirit Therefore if thou haue any desire to serue God aband from thy mind all carefulnesse and suffer not thy selfe to be distracted with the affaires of this world CHAP. 33. The wisedome of this world is vaine and foolish THe foolishnes of God is wiser than man saith the Apostle The worlde esteemeth him for a wise man which can cloke his owne vices in the sight of men and cunningly can attaine vnto honour and preferment in the worlde on the other side it holdeth all those for fooles which despise suche vanities The wise man in the person of worldly men saith We thought his life madnes and his end without honor the cause was for that he gaue not his minde to the gathering together of riches The men of this worlde take the seruantes of God for verie fooles without all forecast but they are like burning lampes and the worlde is onely the winde which bloweth and would put them out which the godly obseruing they do hide themselues that they maie be secure neither studie they to shewe theire holinesse in the sight of men but to God onely which regardeth not the outward partes but the heart within The wisdome of God is quite contrarie to the wisdome of man Good men are of none accounte amonge worldlie men but they are greatlie esteemed of the Lorde The iudgemetes of God differ much from the iudgements of men For the worlde looking vnto those thing which appeare to the outward senses taketh him for happie which is of power and rich When Samuel went to annoint one of the sonnes of â—shai for King of Israell passing by him whome the father made great account of he annointed Dauid which no man would haue thought So whome the worlde accounteth wise men GOD numbreth among fooles He whome the world reiected as an abiect was elected afore all to be a king He which hath a matter to be pleaded before a iudge of learning and integritie taketh it not too heauily though afore hee be condemned by an vnskilfull Iudge inasmuch as hee reposeth confidence in the sentence of that Iudge which is well seene in the lawes The men of this worlde like partiall and vnskilfull Iudges they iudged the pouertie of Th'apostles and the beggerly condition of the Martyrs but very foolishnes bnt the iudgement of God touching this matter is quite contrarie When it was said to S. Paul that much learning had made him mad he answered that he was not mad but spake the wordes of truth and sobernesse Hereby we may see that it is no newe thing for the worlde blindlie to iudge that which it knoweth not neither vnderstandeth meere foolishnesse But death will one day come when the seruantes of Christ will appeale vnto God the chiefe and vpright iudge who soundely and substantially will consider the cause and then will hee condemne the iudgement of the world as altoghether vniust hy his righteous and irreuocable sentence whereby he will reproue all that which was approued in the worlde If therefore thou bee reputed for a foole in the world bee not dismaid for so was Christ esteemed of Herod neither waigh the vaine iudgementes of men which shall euery of them shortly bee repealed and then true vertue and they which be truelie veruous shall shine most gloriously in the celestiall paradise CHAP. 34. The true wisedome is the wisedome of Christ. IF any man among you seeme to bee wise in this world let him bee a foole that he may be wise saith the Apostle It is true wisdome to become and to bee counted a foole for Christ his sake The wisdome of God which consisteth in true mortifying denying of a mans selfe is takeÌ„ but for foolishnes among men The wise man saith I am more foolish than any man haue not the vnderstanding of a man in me The children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light therefore the wise man said that hee had not the vnderstanding of a man yet had he the wisdome of God which is reputed foolishnesse of the world forasmuch as the wit of man cannot reach vnto
life of man is a lie it is an image an image is but a figure of the tâ—ueth And this life is not the true life but a figure of life and the shadowe of death It is not that which it seemeth to be but a shadow of truth it is an apparance of life which runneth in such hast that it is vnpossible to be restrained or reteined backe Besides as the life runneth towarde the ende so together with life both the riches honors and pleasures of this worlde doe passe awaie The sinfull pleasure which was taken in them then taketh an end but the torments which they haue purchased doe then begin but they shall neuer end The pleasure was but short but the paines will be euerlasting I would faine vnderstande what thinge is of continuance in this worlde It may bee some will saie riches and some the glorie of the world but how soone are they gone but Iob he saith My daies haue bin more swift than aposte they haue fled haue seen no good thing They are passed as with the most swift shippe and as the Eagle that flyeth to the praie In a word our life passeth awaie euen in the twincklinge of an eie so doth our youth passe awaie and with that our bewtie the floure of this life it passeth away and all thinges most speedily come to an end CHAP. 36. God hath made this life so short to the end his seruantes may the sooner come to those ioyes which they so desire MAN is borne vnto trauaile saith Iob Wee come into the world with teares wee liue in the world with labour we go out of the world with paine In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate thy bread said God vnto Adam Now forasmuch as the life of man is a continuall trauaile vpon earth of his infinite goodnesse God woulde needes shorten our life to the ende that the more cherefully wee might beare the paine God of meere pittie will not that thou shouldest labor any long time neither dooth hee consent that our trauaile in this world should last for euer Hee hath determined our banishment to be but short And seeing he hath created vs to be glorified with him and our glory is in heauen his care is speedily to take vs to himselfe because hee loueth vs. It is for our great good that our life is so short euen that contemning this present life wee should learne to loue that life which is both eternall blessed Iob he said vnto God Spare mee for my dayes are vanity Now because Iob did see that his daies were short he determined to aske mercy of God and to repent Howbeit many so liue as though they should neuer die occupying themselues in the vanities of this life whereas life is giuen them to the end they should endeuour to attaine that glorious and blessed life in the heauens But hee is worthy of sharpe correction which regardeth any thing more than that eternall and aye continuing life in the celestiall paradise Doe thou well consider the shortnesse of this life and withall beholde that durable and eternall state and it cannot bee but thou wilt loue that which is to come and easily contemn the life which is present At such time as he saw the wickednes of men exceedingly to encrease God purposed to cut the same short because they should not grow bold in sinning vpon hope of their long life So the same God that we may not still mispeÌ„d the time giuen vnto vs to amend our wicked manners he hath shortened the same that wee may not adde sinne still vnto sinne When that men liued more innocently in the beginning of the world God gaue them long liues but as he saw sinne to encrease and time to be abused so hee made the life of man shorter and shorter The Psalmist saith Thou hast set our iniquities before thee our secret sinnes in the light of thy countenance For alour dais are past in thine anger wee haue spent our yeeres as a thought The time of our life is threescore yeeres ten if they be of strength fourescore yeers The prophet here implieth that for our sins our life is shortened As the fine and delicate web which the spider cunningly hath woauen is with a small blast of wind broken and dissolued so the life of man which so much labour sustaineth euen by a little blaste of sicknesse or aduersity it is consumed and taken from vs. Therefore loue it not being so short and vncertaine This is not the heauenly but the terrestriall life the place where wee liue it is not our natiue Country but the place of banishment this life it hath an ende but that country where God inhabiteth together with his elect it shall haue none end He that taketh paine and laboureth hard here in this present life is very foolish if hee desire not to be at quiet rest for euer with Christ in that most happy place of heauen What bondman but desireth his natiue country What prisoner endungened but would see the light Surely this world is not our owne country but a Babylonish prison If thou desire a long life thou desirest a long imprisonment if thou desirest an olde age thou desirest a long sicknesse Where there is now hope of life desire death Death serueth for comfort vnto vs to asswage the pains arising from our labours which be neuer finished but after death He which is to goe a iourney were better goe betime then too late Happy is he that liueth with patience and desireth death Happy is that soule which God speedily will bring vnto euerlasting rest in the heauens God which in al his works is good to deserue well at thine hands would therefore haue thy life to bee short euen that thou shouldest loue him and so attaine vnto that life which is euerlasting CHAP. 37 Many are the daungers which the life of man is subiect vnto THE dayes of man are as grasse as a flower of the field so flourisheth he saieth the prophet speaking of mans life To many dangers is the flower of the field open The sunne burneth the winde drieth man treadeth the beast eateth the water drowneth the water consumeth the same In like sort who is able with tongues to vtter the daungers which the life of man is subiect vnto Sorrow will kill ficknesse will consume the sea will drowne him and many other wayes his life may be taken from him when little he thinks of death Iob saith My dayes are passed at the most swift shippes againe They haue beene more swift then a Post. He saide truely that they passed away more swiftly than a Poste For the Poste though he runne much yet sometime hee must rest to refresh his body But the dayes of man they are alwaies going and without intermission they runne towardes death Whether thou sleepe or whether thou wake all thy life long euery houre yea euery moment thou runnest with all
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
Little knowe the men of this world what they say when they iudge the yoake of Christ sharpe and soure and their wordes are so much to be waide as the wordes either of a blind man that will iudge of colours or of him that will condemne a way aâ—â—l which he neuer went not yet knoweth But seeing all the Saintes of God haue carried vppon their shoulders the yoake of Christ and haue by experience found the same to bee light more credit is vnto them to bee giuen than to those men whosoeuer they are which neuer did vndergoe the same No man euer hath taken vpon him this yoake of Christ but he hath confessed that the same was light againe no man will say it is bitter and intolerable but hee that knoweth not what it meaneth This wil they testisie to bee true who laying aside the burden of sinne by humble confessing them vnto the Lord haue fouÌ„d theÌ„selues so lightened as they seemed foorthwith to be rapt vp into the heauens If such comfort cometh vnto vs by forsaking of sinne howe much greater will the consolation be in proceeding forwarde in the holy exercises oâ— most Christian vertues For of one good deede thou shalt not be called good but of many actions The habite of vertue it commeth after thou hast first seuered thy selfe from euill and exercised thy selfe in godly vertues And by proofe thou shalt sinâ—e that wel it will goe with thee when thou feelest the true comfort of the soule by going forwarde in the way of the spirit The natural man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God of many good things is he depriued O that but euen a little thou hadest tasted the ioy of the holiâ— Ghost thou wouldest soone take the things which seeme so sweete here in the world for very soure and bitter Seeing the yoake of Christ is so sweete and the yoake of the worlde so burdensome take vpon thee and that cheerefully the yoake of the Lord so at the length thou wilt say that both nowe it doth and hereafter it will go wel with thee CHAP. 13 In all our troubles we must make recourse vnto the Lord COme vnto me al ye that are wearie laden I will ease you saith the Lord If thou forsake God and runnest backe vnto the worlde looke not for any comfort in thy troubles So long as thou obeiest the desires of thy minde and the world so long assure thy selfe no consolatioÌ„ wil come vnto thee That good woman Mary Magdalene when shee was comfortâ—â—sse she came vnto our Sauiour Christ into the Pharisies house and had her sinnes forgiuen her but desperat Iudas flying vnto men hanged himselfe afterward in desperatioÌ„ Here you may see that wiser waâ— that woman than Iudas the Traitor they had both offended and both confessed their sinnes but better did she for her selfe in flying vnto the fountaine of comfort than the foolish Disciple which leauing his life sought his own death If a picture that sometime was faire and perfect afterward becommeth soule and spotted who better canne restore the same to the former integritie than the painter which first made the same So if thy soule be defiled with the spottes of sinne who better can reforme it than God himselfe which created the same after his owne likenesse Be take not therefore the reformation of thy soule to the worlde for it cannot mende but empaire yea vtterly destroy the same Beleeue not lies but turne thee vnto God the fountaine of all mercy Hee that wil aske an almes of a poore man when a rich man that is both able and willing also to giue is present is a verie foole No creature is so rich that it can comfort thee but God onely heerein is most liberall Turne therfore thy praiers vnto him and cast thy heart vpon his kindnesse who is the true quietnes consolation Seeke vnto thy Sauiour Christ as the doue sought vnto the Arke of Noah But hang not vppon this worlde as the rauen hanged vppon carion The doue founde no rest vntill she returned vnto the Arke againe If thou wouldest inwardly be comforted in thy soule fly the outwarde consolation of the body If thou hungrest after Christ hee will fil thee with the bread of heauen Happy is he that setteh not his heart vpon any creature but dedicateth himselfe and al his works vnto the Lord. One thing is needful vnto thee Is it not better to ioine thy selfe to one than to many Let others seeke if they wil varietie of things external seeke thou that one thinge which is spiritual and with that be content Of one al thinges proceede and not that one thing of many By seeking these visible thinges while thou thinkest to finde rest in them thou forgoest the things which are truely good if thou turne thy selfe vnto transitory goods thou shalt leese trust vnto it the good thinges in deede and finde thy selfe incombred in many troubles but if vnto God the soueraigne good thou turne thy selfe then shalt thou in him finde quietnesse â—nd a plentifull heape of all good thinges Seeke the water of life to refresh thy soule whithall at the fountaine which by no possibe meanes can bee dried vp For better is one dropp of heauenly consolation than all the floudes and streames of worldly pleasures The men of this world they seeke for quietnesse in thinges that bee out of quiet and for continuance in things transitory Let them therefore take to themselues the dignities of the world but let it be as a shielde vnto thee to make recourse vnto God and in him to repose al thy trust and confidence CHAP. 34. The comfort of this world as they are not true so neither be they of continuance I Haue seene the wicked strong spreading him selfe like a green bay tree Yet he passeth away and loe hee was gone and I sought him but he could not be founde saith Dauid The righteous haue been counted for dead in this worlde like the treeâ— in winter whose vertue remaineth hidden in the rootes Therefore in the sight of the world they seemed fruitelesse and good for nothing but the sommer being come their vertue flourisheth and then will they shewe themselues in their glorious array The floures appeare in the earth so shall the iust say when gloriously shining as the Sunne they shal bee presented before the God of heauen Trust not the greene and goodly hew of this worldly vanity which soone vanisheth away loue not the world which thou seest to passe away so swiftly Salomon saith As the whirl wind passeth so is the wicked no more As a thunderclap which maketh a great noyse in the ayre and as a sudden shower of raine which soone passeth away and by and by the day is cleare again such is all the pomp and show of this world it no sooner commeth but it is gone again Loue the life which is eternall which enioying
very deede they are nothiâ—â— so Our soule is no Chamelion thâ— it should liue onely with winde Tâ—â— worlde it openeth his desire it â—â—cheth out and vnfouldeth his will 〈◊〉 laboureth to nourish such as loue 〈◊〉 worlde with the meere winde of vâ—nitie Ephraim is fedd with the wind saiâ— Hosea Vaine we tearm that whicâ— filleth not the place where it is The things of this world they fill not but onely puffe vp our soul make it for to swell Wouldest thou not take him for a very foole that being an hungred should open his mouth and onely take in the aier to appease his hunger withall Surely thou art no wiser than hee which thinkest to satisfie thy minde with the winde of wordly vanitie Of the men of this worlde did the kingly Prophet say Whose bellies thou fillest with thine hidde treasures Lords and great men they vse to lay â—broad the most pretious thinges of â—heir house adorning their haules and great chambers with silke and arras but the things of lesse price account â—hey fling into corners Euen so God â—ath publiquely set abroad the riâ—hes of this glory and holy loue but â—he duste of gold and siluer as vile â—hinges hee hideth vnder the earth â—et a woonderfull thinge it is to obâ—erue how the men of this world coâ—et to satisfie their bellies with the â—asest things The thinges of this world are like vnto sharpe liquor which doth not satisfie but prouoke the appetite to couet after meate They shall goe to and fro and barke like dogs and goe about the citie They shall run here and there for meate and shall not bee satisfied though they tarrie all night saith the Psalmist They shall goe too and fro and compasse about to get honors and riches and yet for al that shall not they be satisfied Thus saith the Lord by the prophet Haggai vnto such fellowes Yet haue sowen much and bring in little yee eate but ye haue not inough ye drinke bul ye are not filled yee cloth ye but ye be not warme The more thou drinkest of these worldly thinges the dryer thou shalt bee and thou shalt shewe thy selfe like vnto that man who to quench his thirst will eat salt and to quench the fire will powre oyle vpon the same The desire of worldly things is infinite and will not bee satisfied CHAP. 2 God alone is to be desired and sought after OPen thy mouth wide and I willfill it saith the Lord When God had commended the obseruation of his commaundementes vnto his people hee then said Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it He speaketh not of the opening the corporall mouth but of the desire which is the mouth of the soule It is not the world that can fulfil the desire of the soule but God alone our creator which saith Enlarge thy desire because I onely and none other can satisfie the same The reasonable soule which is created aâ—ter the image and likenesse of God may well bee occupied about many thinges but it shall neuer bee satisfied nor replenished but with God himselfe In him it resteth securely and reioyceth Happy is that soule to which God is all thinges and to whom besiâ—e God nothing is sweet and precious but all is bitter and vnsauory If our soules seeke comfort in these earthly thinges let it neuer looke for rest and quietnesse The vessell so long as it abideth in the water it seemeth not heauy but as soone as it is taken out of the water the heauinesse and waight of the same appeareth The reason is for that being altogether earth or consisting of that thing which commeth neerest vnto earth it hath most agreement and conuenience with the element of water so long as it swimmeth vppon the water and of earth beeing vppon the earth So when thou art with God in heart by vnfained loue thou art in the element as it were that that is most proper and proportionate vnto thee and there continuing with him thou goest away merrely and with a contented minde but going to the loue of the world thou leauest thy proper element and therefore euery thing seemeth painful and heauy vnto thee The wicked men doe find euen in their greatest dignities much trouble the godly on the other side in reproches quietnesse This sheweth that in God onely there is ioy of heart but without God there is no comforte at all As thy body can take no rest so long as it lieth vpon a narrow peece of wood not answering to the proportion of thy body so shall thy soule neuer find any rest and security in the base thinges of this worlde If thou wouldest enioy life turne thee vnto God It is God that satisfieth thy mouth with good thinges as the prophet sayeth Our appetite will neuer rest vntill it come vnto the end it seeketh Our soule is of that noble nature that nothing can satisfie it but the soueraigne good of all which is God himselfe This moued Dauid to cry As the heart brayeth for the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing Gods when shall I come and appeare before the presence of God My teares haue bene my meat day night while they dayly say vnto me where is thy God While the holy prophet was without God hee thirsted greatly and longed that hee might perfectly be satisfied of him according to that of our Sauiour Christ If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke Giue not thy minde to the vanities of this world vnlesse you had rather to liue in continuall affliction of the soule than at quietnesse Couet not temporal that thou may est haue eternal glory If thou wouldest attaine thine heartes desire follow the counsaile of the Prophet Delight thy selfe in the Lord and hee shall giue thee thine hearts desire Loue God aboue all and thou shalt liue a merry life not onely in this world but also in the other to come CHAP. 3. It is vnpossible that any thing besides God alone should satisfie the soule of man WHen I awake I shal be satisfied with thine image saide the Prophet to God Whatsoeuer is in the world it is very little in respect of our soule The vessell which is made to receiue God himselfe can neuer be filled with any thing vntil God doe fill it And the cause why they cannot so doe is because they are vaine The thinges of this world doe so occupy the place wherein they be that for all their beeing there the place yet remaineth empty still and gold doth no more satisfie the soule than the wind doth suffice the body So smally can these earthly thinges satiâ—fie the minde the desire thereof beeing infinite Wouldest thou not iudge him a very foole that would presume to flye vp into the skies without winges As impossible is it for thy soule to be satiate with these eathly thinges Temporall goodes they are but
which when they sawe they were depriued of they gaue their minde vnto the worlde againe which they renounced before and the cause was they subdued not their owne affections as they should neither were truely mortified because they forsooke not themselues Be it alwayes in thy mind to serue God and then though thou finde no comfort in thy selfe yet thinke that thou art occupied in his seruice and that it is his will that thou shouldest haue no further comfort thereby than hee should thinke it conuenient If thou wilt profite in the seruice of God learne to denie thy selfe euen in euery thing Many denie themselues in some but not in all thinges They are obedient in all thinges which doe like them but in the thinges which are contrarie to their humors they finde themselues But thou must in all thinges bee readie to yeelde vnto Gods will and vtterly forsake thy selfe for his sake The carefull Merchant sold all that he had to buy the pearle Ananias and his wife Sapphira were killed with present death for that they gaue parte of their money vnto God and reserued part for themselues If thou wilt serue God thou must as occasion is offered forgoe all and reserue nothing for thy selfe Through renouncing of thine owne will the will of God getteth the dominion ouer vs and so mans will is transformed into the will of God when man for Christes sake is readie to endure all manner of aduersitie Hadst thou once gotten a full victorie ouer thy selfe in a small time thou shouldest greatly profit in the schoole of Christ. Our Sauiour Christ he sought not his own glory but thine the Lord of heauen descended not into the earth for his owne profite but for thy coÌ„modity Why then seeking thy selfe dost thou forget him which for thy sake so forgat himselfe that hee gaue himselfe vnto the death to saue thee A good wife and an honest is she that wil please none but her husband and happy is that soule which onely seeketh to please delight her spouse Iesus Christ. Blessed is that soule whose onely desire is to haue the fauour of God and vtterly contemneth all other loue Christ is a good husband and worthy solely and sincerely to bee loued Therefore thou shouldest forsake all and deny thy selfe to the end thou mayest enioy the sweete friendship of Iesus Christ. CHAP. 11. A good Christian will take it patiently when he is despised LET vs cast away euery thing that pressed down and the sinne that hangeth so fast on let vs run with patience the race that is set before vs looking vnto Iesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame is set at the right hand of the throne of God saith the Apostle It is thy dutie to bee dead and estranged from all the inordinate affection of humaine praises honors and fauor and to desire of all men to bee contemned and put to shame Alas fewe there bee which seeke to be adorned with such vertues If any be founde which hunt not after dignities yet are there almost none that loue to be contemned and put to rebuke It thou desire these thinges with all thine heart God will graunt them vnto thee If God doe not send thee aduersitie it is not because it is not good for thee but because thou art so weake that thou art not fit for the same beeing yet smally mortified For God is vnto nothing more ready than to laye afflictions and tribulations vppon him which is truely mortified in some good measure knowing that they that ouercome shal be crowned with glory wherof he would haue his friendes to bee partakers All things which either thou wouldest or canst desire of God which belong not vnto the due mortification and despifing of thy selfe for Gods sake haue some-what within them sauouring of thy corrupt nature and selfe loue and although in part thou hast put away from thee the loue of thy selfe yet secretlie returneth it vnto thee againe by seeking somewhat of thy selfe and thine owne commoditie which thou wert not aware of and so many times when we thinke that wee are farre from our selues we are not so Hence it is that thou which before thou haddest it desiredst some great aduersitie but once falling into a little trouble thou diddest â—ainte foorth with because thoroughly thou haddest not contemned thy selfe for selfe loue did still lurke in thy minde and it was no sooner touched but it rose againe Though thou sleepe now and then yet art thou not altogether dead Happie is that man which is so dead to himselfe that hee desireth to be contemned of all men Our Lorde gaue vs a most perfect example of mortification when vpon the crosse he saide My God my God why hast thou forsaken me So the seruant of God ought so to content himselfe when hee is forsaken that yet hee faint not therein albeit he be depriued of all sensible perceauing the comfort of the spirite for a time as our Sauiour was vppon the crosse It is not againe the propertie of Gods children to place the last ende of their prayers in the sensible vttering of them by the mouth to be heard of men But seeing that an eye is alwaies to be cast vnto that which God would haue vs to doe ascende once vnto this perfection which consisteth in the essentiall loue of God so that in all things thou maiest do his wil through contempt and mortification of thy selfe and that onely for Gods sake not for thine owne either glorie or commoditie Happie is hee which is so mortified that hee is readie to endure euen extreame 〈…〉 for the loue of God and 〈…〉 stil his fauor Happy is that man which inflamed with the loue of God is content with all his heart to be destitue of all sensible so he may enioy the essential loue of the holy Spirite Happy is hee which coueteth to imitate Christ Iesus in the crosse abandoning all consolation of earthly and corporall things Happie is that soule that is so dead to it selfe that it liueth without these strange affections such a soule is pure without sinne quiet without disturbance free without molestation depriued of worldly honour but adorned with vertues clarified in vnderstanding lifted vp in spirite vnited vnto God and blessed for euermore CHAP. 12. That bodie shall bee blessed which is subdued of the soule PVt on the whole armour of God that yee may bee able to stand against the assaults of the diuel saith S. P. u. Thou canst not liue without warfare for wheresoeuer thou art thou shalt haue a battell because in thy bosome thou bearest him that euermore will gaine say thee In one and the same man the Apostle setteth downe vnto vs two men so ioyned together and so compact that the one cannot bee without the other and yet are they so diuided that the life of the one is
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
Iob vnto God Seeing thou wast made to knowe God open thine eies to the end thou maiest know him Of the knowledge of God commeth the knowledge of thy selfe and by the knowledge of thy selfe groweth the knowledge of GOD. Therefore saide Iob Mine eie seeth thee There fore I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes By thy knowing of God thou art moued to reuerence him But if thou knowe him not thou art like vnto him which passing nigh a King because hee knoweth him not is so farre from giuing him due honour belonging vnto his Maiesty that hee iustleth and pusheth him So dealeth the poore swaine of the country with his Lord now and then Maruel not that the holy men of God so humbled themselues when they came before the presence of God for they knew him to bee the King of heauen and therefore they fel flat prostrate on the ground before his glorious Maiesty Pray earnestly vnto God from the bottom of thine heart that thou maiest thoroughly know thy selfe Doe not deceiue thy selfe by thinking thou dost fully know God when thou dost but know onely that there is a God and beleeuest that which the holy Church beleeueth A rude fellowe that keepeth sheepe may haue a certaine confuse knoweledge of a king But if it be told him that hee is a great Lord and for power able both to rewarde abundantly such as desâ—rue well at his handes and to punish the wicked hee then will haue him in more reuerence than afore So if onely thou beleeue there is a God and art not instructed how seuere hee is in punishing malefactors thou wilt not feare him and againe if thou bee ignorant of his mercie thou wilt not trust in him Learne what great riches hee hath laide vppe in store for such as loue him Consider further his exceeding goodnesse who without any merite or desert of thine hauing no neede at all of thee came of his owne free will to seeke thee and with his infinite griefe and paines to redeeme thee that thou shouldest loue him for so doing Beholde his power his wisedome and his infinite greatnesse and yeelde that reuerence and honour which is due to his glorious maiestie If thou beleeuest that God is good seeke with all diligence for some portion of that perfection which thou knowest to be in him God would not haue any other beastes offered vnto him in sacrifice than such as did chewe the cudde Whereby was meant as I thinke such men as did meditate in their mindes and diligently call into their remembrance the wonderfull workes of God that thereby they might come vnto some knowledge of the Creator which is inuisible Labor euen to the vttermost of thy power to know thy maker preseruer and redeemer Wilt thou know who God is Behold who thou art to him and what he is to thee If thou wouldest know him then must thou take away the earth which the loue of this world hath set before the eies of thine vnderstanding whereby the sight is dimmed Before God would manifest himselfe vnto Moses hee gaue him commandement first to put of his shoos Surely God will neuer make himselfe manifest vnto thee vnlesse first thou throw away all naughtie desires of the world If thou wilt ascend into the profound knowledge and contemplation of Gods matters then must thou abandon all worldly affections or cares of this world from thine heart CHAP. 16 It is the dutie of a Christian to meditate vpon his God WHile I was musing the fire kindled saieth the roiall Prophet For to kindle the fire of Gods loue in thy will meditation and contemplation are necessarie betweene which twaine there is little difference but that meditation agrâ—eth to those which with difficultie and paine doe thinke vpon heauenly matters and contemplation to them which bee exercised in the matters of the Spirit But neither in the one nor in the other consisteth our perfection but in the loue of God onely Contemplation is the worke of the vnderstanding and the way or meane vnto perfection But perfection is in lifting vp the will vnto God through that heauenly vnion and soueraigne loue which is the chiefest There is small pleasure in contemplating but in louing there is a great ioy The vnderstanding doth not giue sustenance vnto our soules but onely prepareth the meate that our soule is fed withall There is no plesant taste in preparing that which must bee eaten but in eating that which is prepared And for so much as the obiect of our will or that thing which our will tendeth vnto is either good or seemeth to be good so that nothing can be loued but that which is good or else taken for good vnder the coulor of some thing that is good the vnderstanding conceaueth a bottomlesse depth of goodnesse in the Lord very colde should the will be if like another Phenix it consumed not it selfe euen with the fire of that heauenlie loue beholding by contemplation the glorious beames of the Sunne of righteousnesse Shake thy winges like the Phenix and lift vp thine heart in meditation and surely thou shalt perceiue thy selfe to bee conuerted into dust and ashes as it were while thou confessest thy loathsome basenesse before the infinite aud incomprehensible goodnesse of the Lord. If thou wilt enioy the sweetnesse of godly prayer be refeshed therin by heauenly contemplation thou must lift vp the force of thy will vnto God Some are exercised onely in the intellectuall part and not in the affectuall part of the will whose ende is not to bee enflamed with the loue of God but onely to attaine some curious speculation in hie matters hence are they still musing how our Sauiour Christ was borne how he liued how he suffered and rose againe from the dead But these bee farre from true contemplation in deede if they fixe their felicitie in the knowledge and pure speculation of such misteries of God for they are to ascende vnto the firie sea of Gods loue to manwarde to whom by a reciprocall loue of their owne they should be vnited and incorporate so as all the imperfection of thine owne mortification may be made perfect pure through him and his loue If thou hast gotten any knowledge of God thou must not staie there but thou art withall to proceede vnto the loue of God They which truely thinke of these things they may well bee called and counted the friendes of God such were the blessed Apostles vnto whom the Lord saith Hence foorth call I you not seruants for the seruant knoweth not what his master doth but I haue called you friendes for all things that I haue heard of my Father haue I made known vnto you But they which neither thinke hereof nor giue themselues vnto the workes of pietie may well bee called not the seruantes of God but the bondslaues of Satan True contemplation is the beginning of glorie Through it a man commeth to the
haue two qualities the one to bee quicke and light the other to be diligent and earnest in that which he goeth about lest through the messengers negligence the mischeefe and damage may come while the message is vndon or but a doing Thy prayer cannot pierce the heauens if thy mind bee oppressed with the cares and businesse of this transitory world they are the enemies and hinderers of godly prayers Therefore vnburden thy selfe of all vnnecessary cares for the maintenance of this life if thou wouldest pray with profite Againe forsomuch as a good mesenger is to bee earnest and diligent in his sute that although hee bee not suffered at the first to come in yet he giue the attempt againe and againe vntill he be heard and sent backe againe prayer it must not bee neither hoate nor colde but feruent and firy And as they which woulde bee heard of a Prince doe first make meanes to them which may doe most with his Maiestie to haue their cause heard and their sute granted so if thou wouldest that God should heare thy prayer and yeeld vnto thy request vse the helpe of his Sonne our onely mediator and aduocate Iesus Christ And that wee should not giue ouer but continue in supplication and prayer though wee bee not heard to our desire at the first our Sauiour teacheth in that parable where hee saith that three loaues were giuen to a man and that at midnight though not because hee was his friende yet because of his importunitiâ— God hee deferreth to shew fauour that by thy constant prayer thou mayest more earnestly desire that which thou prayest for and esteeme it more highly when thou hast the same or if hee graunâ— not thy request yet bee sure hee will giue that which is a greater benefite and better for thee Though he know right well before we aske what we stande in neede of yet will God haue vs to vse prayer as a speciall meane to obtaine deliuerance out of trouble It is necessarie that thou pray not to the end thou shouldest make God priuie of thine estate which afore he knew much better than thy selfe neither yet that hee should alter and change his determination but onely that by prayer thou shouldest vse those meanes whereby God purposed to giue that vnto thee which thou dost desire Prayer it presenteth vnto God thy miserable estate humbleth thine heart deliuereth from euils bringeth into the fauour of God and maketh his maiestie at peace with thy soule Prayer it preualeth ouer all things It ouercommeth men as appeareth by the example of Dauid of Iudith of Iudas Macchabeus all which to omit an infinite number more by humble prayer vnto the Lorde ouercame their enemies It ouercame the fire so that it could not burne the three children cast into the hot fiery ouen It ouercame the sea which by Moses prayer vnto GOD diuided it selfe and gaue passage to the Israelites it ouercame time when Eliiah thereby did make it to raine and to leaue raining as hee thought it most conuenient and thereby continued 40. daies and 40. nightes without meate and drinke it ouercame death as it is manifest in Hezekiah who beeing adiudged to die by the sentence of God by prayer prolonged his life fifteene yeeres it ouercame the cloudes for by the same Heliah brought the cloudes of the sea vpon the lande it ouercame the heauens for at the prayer of Ioshua the Sunne stood still and the heauens mooued not yea which more is it ouercame God himselfe after a sort for thus saide God vnto Moses Let me alone that my wrath may waxe hote againsh them for I will consume them Low how the Lord is held backe as it were when he wileth Moses to let him lone Briefly the Lord saith Whatsoeuer yee desire when yee pray beleeue that yee shal haue it and it shal be done vnto you Seeing then praier is of such efficacy in al thy troubles afflictions and tentations take vnto thee prayer as a buâ—kler for therby out of doubt thou shalt get the victory CHAP. 37. Man beeing created for God should onely seeke God and his glory in al his actions I Am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the begining the ending saith the Lord The riuers doe all come-forth of the sea and thether doe they returne againe al thinges naturally desire their proper end and are by nature holpen towardes the same As God is our sea from which wee came and the center where-unto we tendeâ— so our soules by nature must seeke and labour to come vnto him as to the very end for which they were created Our soule can finde no resting place here in this present life For God himselfe must be the end therof as the vttermost ende of all that it seeketh after and the very cause of the creation thereof God hath made vs for himselfe and therefore can our heartes neuer be at quiet vntill they enioy him It is a thing much to be maruailed at that al creatures dooing the duty for which they were created man only should bee rebellious and haue no care of attaining vnto his chiefest ende God created thee not for the earth but for heauen hee created thee not that thou shouldest seeke after worldly thinges as the finall end of thy creation but that thou shouldest onely seeke after him The beasts of the field which God created for the earth they looke downe-warde and goe with all foureâ— but man created for heauen should looke not downe-warde as though his minde were fixed vppon earthly thinges but vp to heauen-ward Why then art thou so affected to those corruptible thinges Cast thine hearte vpon things aboue where thou shalt enioy those riches that neuer shal corrupt b Depende not vppon these visible things but tend vpwards vnto thinges inuisible Loiter not idlely by the way but proceede thou directly toward the end for which thou wert created Why did God create thee but to enioy him Let him bee the final ende of all thy thoughtes and actions Who shall assend into the mountaine of the Lord saith the Prophet And who shall stand in his holy place Hee maketh answere among other things Hee which hath not lift vp his mind vnto vanity He hath receiued a thing in vaine which vseth not the same to the ende where-unto at the first it was ordained In vaine hast thou bought a garment if thou weare it not in vaine hast thou receiued thy soule except thou doe those thinges by the soule for which the soule was created God created thy memory that thou shouldest remember him thine vnderstanding that thou shouldest know him thy will that thou shouldest loue and desire him Seeing therefore God hath made thee and that to loue and serue him good reason is it that the little time which thou hast to spend in this life thou shouldest bestowe to the attaining of that most ecxellent and noble ende for which thou wert
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