the âsraelites cried vnto God and they were heard They had cryed lykewyse before his death aswell as they did after but he âarkened not vnto them The good and the bad doe all crye vnto God but God geueth not eare vnto the wordlie people for that they haue not killed the kinge of Egypte whiche is the loue of worldlie things But yf thow doest kil once the loue of the world by by god will heare thee This is the verie force and true effect of loue to haue the to be such as is the thinge that thou louest Thy soule is like vnto waxe which taketh the forme of that whiche is impressed therein That which the seale doth imprinte in it that shalt thou fynde therein If thou impresse therein the loue of worldlie thinges thou must be worldlie but yf thou place heauenlie thinges therein thou shalt be heauenlie thy selfe If thou puttest thy glasse towarde heauen thou shalt fynde heauen fygured thereiâ and yf thou turnest it toward the earth thou shalt finde the earth figured therein So shalt thou alwayes takâ that figure whiche thou wilt applie thy selfe vnto and accordinge to that thingâ which thou louest shall thy selfe be eitheâ good or euill Nabuchodonozer when he was in louâ with the world he went aboute the hilles and the wooddes feedinge on grasse like a beast But retorning agayne vnto God by penance he recouered his former image which he had lost before VVhen God created the sonne and the moone and all his other creatures God sayed that they were all good and approued them for such But when he created man he neyther saide that he was good or bad Yet are not those creatures better then man but lesse worthe theÌ man because that for his sake they were all created And why did God say of other creatures that they were all good and saide not so of man that was better then they all God paraysed not man neyther called he hym good or euill because he looked that he sholde so worke with his free will that according to that which he sholde chose hym selfe eyther good or euill he shold haue his denomination callinge If thou doest loue that which iâ good theÌ art thou good And yf thou doest loue that which is euill then arte thou euill So man only because he hath his freâ eleection to take eyther good or euill God wolde firste see both what he wolde ââoose and what he wolde loue before he ââolde gyue him any addition of dignitie ââd then after gyue him his title accorââng to his choyse and this power hath âot God gyuen to any other of his earthly ââeatures but only to man The Apostle S. Paule speaking of a âertayne sorte of men sayeth That they ââaunged the glorye of the incorruptible âod into the likenes of a corruptible man ãâã birdes fowrefooted beastes and of serâentes You may hereby beholde what ââpressioÌs be made in maÌs soule through ââe loue of these earthly thinges The proper habitacion of the soule ãâã heauen where they onelie that be perââcte must inhabite Our conuersation is ãâã heauen sayth the Apostle The waye to ââe riche is to despise worldlie riches It is âreate riches not to care for riches VVho ãâã he that hath much euen he that is conâânted with a little God commaunded the Israelites that ââere sholde no man take away or enioye âây part of the spoyles of Iherico VVheâein was signified vnto vs that wee shold âot couet after the mutable treasures of âis world which is implied in this word âherico which signifieth mutabilitie or âhange But as Iosue did burne and conâume with fier both the towne and all the âiches thereof so sholde wee that be âaythfull consume with the hot burnyng âoue of God all the riches and gooddes of this world which a true faythfull maââ should neuer esteeme or set by And whââ so doth otherwyse shal be put to death aâ Acham was and committed vnto euerlaâstinge damnation therefore EARTHLY RICHES OVGHT TO be despised together vvith the desire oâ them because they are heauie and doe hynder a man that is clyminge vpââ tovvard heauen CHAP. 22. HE that renounceth not all thaâ he possesseth in this worlde can not be my disciple sayetâ our Lord. If thou wilt thereâfore be the true disciple of Iesus Christ thou must with thyne harte despyse all the transitorie thinges of thiâ worlde They which folowed Christ dâââ forsake asmuch as they could desire which folowed hym not Our wil is so vnsatiablâ in desiringe that he whiche hath moââ thereof is least satisfied and he that caâ forsake his will forsaketh all thinges Anâ by that meanes did Saincte Peter forsaââ as much as Alexander could desire By thy contemnynge of these thinges thou findest thy selfe But in the louing oâ âhem thou loosest thy selfe Happie is that âoule that laboureth in the renouncinge âf all those thinges that the world so much âmbraceth Dispise thou corruptible thinâes to gayne vncorruptible Golde and siluer are not a loade for âan but a burthen for beastes There is no âeast that carieth a greater loade then he âay well beare but the louer of riches âarieth asmuch as may be layed by any âeane vpon him Lighten thy burthen âast of these false honours from thee and âhou shalt afterwarde goe with the more âase VVhy wilt thou goe so heauelie ladeÌâheÌ thou mayest haue helpe of the poore âan to carrie parte of thy burthen for âhee Thou mayest goe best when thou art ânladen And wrestle best when thou art âaked when thou doest wrestle with the âiuell naked thou wilt easelie ouercome âym but yf thou haue thy clothes vpon âhy backe for hym to take holde on thou âayest easelie be ouerthroweÌ Iesus Christ âought naked vpon the crosse for thee ând yf thou wilt folow hym thou must âidde from thine hart all loue of temporal âhinges Ioseph being tempted in Egipt fled âwaye and left his clothes in the handes âf his persecutor and after he had disâhardged hym selfe and cast his outward âooddes away he became a greate lorde ând ruler in Egipt They that contemne âiches shald receyue therefore agayne an hundreth tymes as much saith our Lorde There is nothing greate in this worlde but that harte which contemneth greatâ thinges VVho is poore he that appeareth riche and he that most hath enioyeth leasâ libertie and with lesse ease doth lifte vp his harte to God Crates the ThebaÌ Philosopher despised riches because it hindred his studyinge in Philosophie and doest not thou thinke that they will hynder thee more towarde the gettinge of heauen It is hard for thee to carrie a greate burthen on thy backe although thou walke on the eueÌ grounde How much more hard is it for thee then to clyme vp to heauen being laden VVhat busines so euer thou doest goe aboute in this worlde thou wilt as much as thou canst put from thee all such cares that shold hynder thee therein and yet in
world as though thââ sholdest alwayes enioye it There be maââ which build fayre howses and when thââ haue done other men doe make thââ dwelling in them Take not these slighââ thinges of the world to be any better thââ they are in deede And since thou art euââry howre and momente departing henââ by death esteeme no such vanities of thââ world in which there is no stedfastnes nâ assurance Euery man is well contented wiââ one euill nightes rest in his Inne when ãâã remembreth that the nexte day folowiââ he is to rest at home in his owne howseââ his ease This onely consideration mighââ suffice thee to suffer with patience all thâ troubles of this present lyfe remembriââ with thy selfe that they are not long to âââdure and continew here but that thou ãâã ready still euery day to take thy iornââ thine owne howse which is heauen ãâã thou mayest take thy rest for euer Haue alwayes in thy mind the ãâã of the holy prophete Dauid saying ãâã I am a stranger here before thee and ââlgrime as my parentes haue bene beââ me If thou doest consider how eternall ãâã durable that lyfe is which we looke ãâã hereafter that neuer is to haue ende ãâã compare it with this lyfe which we ãâã leade here now all were it a thouâââd of yeares yet in comparison of that ââer lyfe to come which is perpetuall ãâã wilt thinke this to be scarse halfe an âwer Make well thine accompte and thou âââte finde as the truth is in very deede ââat this presente lyfe is in comparison ãâã that other to come but euen a moment ãâã This moued the Apostle to suffer with ââience the great trauailles turmoyles ãâã his Pilgrimage here sayinge to the Coâââthians VVe doe take paynes here and doe âââuaile but yet wee be not forsaken wee ââfer persequutioÌ but yet wee shrinke not ât wee are throwen downe but yet wee âârish not we fainte not because our triââlation is here in this present tyme but âie and short wee lyue now beholdinge ãâã that which wee see with our bodelie âes but those thinges which wee see not ãâã visible thinges be but for a tyme but ãâã inuisible thinges be for euer VVith âs contemplation both of the breuitie ãâã this lyfe and of being but as a Pilgrime ãâã it did the holye Apostle disgest the heauie stormes which he suffered here ãâã his Pilgrimage toward heauen And whylest thou takest thy selfe ãâã be but a wayfaring man here thou nedâ not greatly to care for that thou arte ãâã better regarded of men here in this lyfâ If the trauaile of thy lyfe seeme ouââ burdenous vnto thee remember it is ãâã endure but for a short space Of the saiââ of the old Testament S. Paule sayeth Thââ they confessed them selues to be but piââgrims and strangers vpon the earth liuiââ in caues and vaultes vnder the earth ãâã that in this lyfe they neuer had reste ãâã continewed still in wandering on of theââ pilgrimage Lyue not here as though thou weââ an inhabiter in this world Cain began ãâã buylde cities here vpon the earth and aââter he lost the chefe citie of heauen Thâ first that sought to lyue on this earth lyââ an inhabiter thereof being in deede ãâã a pilgrime was Cain who was afterwarâ damned S. Peter was worthely reprehendââ by our M. Christ for as much as he beiââ but a pilgrime vpon the earth wolde ãâã needes haue had a howse builded on thââ mounte Thabor as though he had ãâã to haue made his mansion stil on the earââ and haue continued an inhabiter thereââ They which trauayle throughe stranââ countries towardes their owne dwellingâ doe neuer vse to buy any thinge by ãâã âay as they trauayle but that which they âay easalie carry with them they neither âây howses nor trees nor such vnportaââe ware but onlie things of easie cariage ãâã Pearles or Iewells whiche be of more ââice greater value then they be either ââmberous or heauie to carrie with them ââto their countrye Remember that thou ãâã a trauailer and a pilgrime and that of ââây worldlie substance thou canst not carââe ought hence with thee Here must thou ââedes leaue all thyne honours riches âehynde thee Thy good workes be onelie ââe thinges that thou must looke to carrie âith thee and therefore labour thou to âette good store of them All other things âolde anoy thee and comber thee These ââll comforte thee and releeue thee VVhat wisdome were it for thee to ââeke to be rich here from whence thou ãâã dayly passing in haste and after when ââou arte gone hence to lyue a beggerly âââd a bare lyfe at home in thyne owne âowse Seeke to carry with thee in thy ââlgrimage the pretious iewels of good merites that thou mayest come rich home and lyue in prosperitie and honorable welth for euer in heauen THAT THE BEVVTIE OF THâ soule is more to be set by theÌ the bevvââ of thy bodie vvhiche is but a verââ small thinge to be made accompte ãâã and therefore is thy mynde to be fixeâ vpon the contemplation of diuine anâ celestiall thinges vvhich ought onelie ãâã be loued and esteemed CHAP. 15. BEVVTIE is but a vaynâ thing sayeth the wyse maâ And if all vanitie be to ãâã esteemed as nothinge theâ with greate reason ought this bodily bewtye of ouâ be accomted as nothing Amongest all oâther vanities which worldly men doe deâlyght in all which thou that arte a gooâ seruante of Christ oughtest to despise there is none greater then that delyght which is taken in the bewtie of our body And truly they seeme to wante the vse ãâã reason and are to be esteemed litle betteâ then fooles that take felicitie in any sucâ vayne pleasure Let not thyne owne bewtie deceyââ thee nor be not delighted with the vayââ shadowe thereof lest it happen to thââ as it did to that fond felow Narcissus ãâã ââe delyghte that he tooke in his owne âââe fell into such a foolish fantasie ãâã often beholdinge the shadowe of ââce in the water that he after perished ãâã shamefullie thereby ââsolons goodlie faire lockes of heare ãâã but the instrumentes of his owne ãâã âhat bewtie which almightie God hath âââwed vpon his creatures is to the end ãâã the Creator might the more be gloââââ thereby and hym selfe the better âââveÌ by his creatures Doth it not often ââânce vnto thee as thou trauaylest by âââaye to espie a small streame of water ââââinge which when thou folowest thou âââst thereby the fountaine from wheÌce ãâã âââe So of euerie âââporall bewtie that ãâã beholdest thou ââst looke to finde ãâã by due examyning and diligent searââââge of one thinge by an other vntill ãâã thou doest fynde out the principall ãâã and fountaine thereof which is God âââselfe from whome all bewtie proceeâââ It is the propertie of litle children ãâã they looke in their bookes to marke ãâã be the goodliest gay letters in all ãâã bookes and nothing to
came ãâã out of their mothers bellies that ãâã sholde naked retorne to the earth ãâã from whence they first came They ãâã still appareled like poore pylgrims ãâã this world âefore the falle of man there was no âââitie of any apparell at all for then âââan cloathed with the grace of God ãâã sonne is appareled with lighte and âââeÌcie was then his vesture more pure âââhe whytest lylie but when he had âââoste that innocencye he wexed then âââed any loÌger to be naked And therâââid God apparell our fyrst progeniâââ garments made of beastes skynnes âââor that man was wounded by synne âââouered hym with cloathes to bynde ãâã to hyde his woundes with all He âoasteth hym of his apparell is like ââim that braggeth of his olde cloutes ãâã hath plastered his sores withall ãâã glorye may well be accompted for ãâã vnto him Greate follie were it for ââities to boast him of his woundes and ãâã ãâã was but in vyle apparell when he ãâã haue appareled my selfe with ãâã That noble king Dauid was both ãâã and verye sharpely appareled too when he sayed My garment was sackââ made of heare To them that doe gâ in such vayne apparell God sayeth bâ mouth of his prophete Esay VVoââ shall be thy coueringe Thou prouoââ God with such lyke vanities who ãâã prophete Dauid sayeth hath them ãâã abhomination Bring not into the worlde new iâââtions and strange deuises of apparell ãâã stand in feare lest thou be punished tââââfore at Godes hande whoe sayeth ãâã mouth of the prophete Sophonias ãâã bring my visitations vpon princes anâ children of kinges and all such as do ãâã in new and strange deuised apparell ãâã rich and curious apparell is onely ãâã for vayne glory and lightnes of mind Thou doest thereby manifest thy ãâã to the worlde and publish thine own âââfectes and make numbers of men âââcompte thee for lighte whereas haâââ thou waste before esteemed for a ãâã grauitie and good discretion Eccleâââcus sayeth that a mans appareling ãâã maner of going geue signes what thâââ is The outwarde superfluitie is a toâââ the inwarde vanitie and delicate appâââ declareth the tendernes and weaken the minde for he that esteemeth so ãâã the tricking vp of his body and hatâ care therefore hath not his minde âââpied in manlye exercises nor sette ãâã his vnderstandinge a worke as ãâã âââite for a good christian to doe Thou doest take that from the poore ââch thou bestowest on thy selfe in suâââfluous vanities VVeare not in anyâââe that which exceedeth thy calling ââree but such moderate and honest apââell as is conuenient for thy profession ãâã dignitie that thou doe geue no shewe ââny vayne glory or lightnes in thee Beholde thy Sauiour Iesus Christ hanâââg naked on the Crosse for thy loue and ãâã thinges thou goest aboute haue in ãâã minde Christ that was crucified for ãâã and thou shalt thereby cut of a numâââ of superfluous cares that often moââeth and troubleth thy minde ãâã AT TRVE NOBILITIE IS âot that vvhich the men of the vvorld âo much glorie in that is to saie The discending of noble hovvses and from âuch Auncestours as vvere of singuler ând rare vertues But that is true noâilitie vvhich euerie one getteth by this âvvne vertue CHAP. 17. HOLIE Iob in his bitter sorowe and lamentation cryed out saying Vnto curruption and rottennes haue I sayed thou arte my father and to the wormeâ sayed I lykewise ye are my mother ãâã sisters If thou vayne man wilte needes ãâã holde the originall of thy parentage ãâã but open the graue and loke into it ãâã great vanitie that a very worme the soâ of Adam shold esteeme so much of hiâ selfe for the nobilitie of his kinred A wyse man sayeth To what end sââ these greate tytles what good doe theââ royall armes and monumentes of noâââlitye Although all the corners and plaââ of thyne howse were filled with the mâânumentes of thyne auncestors yet is vâââtue still the true nobilitie It were beââ for thee to be Thersites sonne who ãâã a man of an obscure and base calling ãâã condicion to be Achilles then to beââ selfe lyke vnto Thersites and to haue ââchilles to thy father He lyke a maââ greate value and courage gaue the begââninge of nobilitie to his kinred and âââuaunced and set vp the house from whââ he descended So did thyne auncesâââ likewise at the first aduaunce thine hoââ but in beinge thy selfe vertuous ãâã mightest leaue nobilitie to thy childâââ and those that shold descende of thââ all were it so that there had none beneâââ vnto thee by those which were beââ thee and from whom thou descendeâ If thou be borne noble and afterââââ growe to be of a vile and a base ãâã and of lewde behauiour the nobilitââ thy blood wil take end in thee It is ãâã ãâã be the begynner of nobilitie then to ãâã the ender thereof To sett vp a state is ââre worth then to make an end of yt âârtue begynneth the house and vyce ââketh an end thereof Thyne owne euill ââedes ouerthroweth cleane thyne house âeeke not for the light of other meÌs eyes ãâã see with all yf thou hast none in thyne ââne For the light of other mens nobiliâââ will pleasure thee but little yf thou ãâã none within thy selfe It is better to be noble then to discend âhose which are noble It is better to be âââtuous then to discend of those that be âââtuous And it is a greate token that he ââânot vertuous that goeth to begg and âââowe his vertue from other men And âââause thou hast it not in thy selfe thou ââkest how to bewtifie thy selfe and sett ãâã selfe out with the gooddes of other ãâã It is an argument of greate pouertie ãâã thou art faine to enrich thy selfe with ãâã good deedes of thyne Anuncestors If thou be discended of those which âoble so much art thou bounde more be vertuous that thou mayest by thy ââdes declare to others that thou art of ãâã generation Out of one roote grow ãâã the pricles the rose And so of one âââther may there be borne a noble child ãâã an other very vyle So mayest thou ãâã out of a roote from whence there ãâã come some noble and valiant men ãâã thy selfe for all that be but a base bramble or thorne Cain Cham and Esââ had all noble men to their fathers ââble men to their brothers but them selâââ and their ofspringe were both vyle ãâã miserable and darkned much the ãâã stocke from whiche they were discendââ If thou doe not the actes of Nobiliâââ I cannot accompte thee for noble It is ãâã parte of a noble mynde to forgyue iâââries As it is likewise the propertie ãâã vyle mynde to be greedie of reuenge ãâã the parte of a noble minde to suffer all ãâã tribulations of this world with a coÌteâââ mynde to occupy thy mynde in fruâââfull cogitations and matters of grauâââ and not in these vyle and flight transiâââ
thy iourney toward heauen thou seekest for all these worldly impedimeÌtes that might hynder thee thitherwarde VVhat good doth it a man for to gayne the whole world and to loose his owne soule God sayth hym selfe that euerie beast which creepeth vpon the earth with hiâ breast shal be abhominable And verie abhominable is it that man which is createâ for heauen shold trauayle take paynâ in the louing of the gooddes of the earth These are verie vnworthie of heaueâ these be they whome Gedeon the noblâ Capitaine dismissed out of his army anâ bid to retorne home agayne as men vnworthie to be partakers of any worthie entreprise who falle downe flat to the earth and lye on their breast to drinke the running waters of these transitorie worldlie gooddes Get thou as greate riches as thou canst yet must thou geue credite vnto Iob that hath told thee longe agoe That naked thou camest out of thy mothers wombe and naked thou must retourne to the earth thy mother agayne The mill wheele turneth al day aboute and neuer resteth nor standeth still But turne it neuer so much al day loÌge at night yet it standeth still resteth in the same place where it fyrst beganne to turne VVell mayest thou trauayle and wander aboute the worlde to be riche and honorable but when death cometh than thou must needes stay from going any further Then shalt thou be founde in the verie same state that thou wast in when thou first entredst into the worlde poore and naked thou camest into it so shalt thou enter into thy graue and in the state thou wert in at the begynninge thou shalt make thy latter endinge whence thou camest thou shalt returne and this must thou needes doe how much soeuer thou hast trauayled in the worlde before to make thy selfe riche and greate therein It is a vanitie therefore in this shorte lyfe to make thy foundation vpon the temporall riches of this worlde If thou contemne them with all thyne harte thou shalt lyue in welth for euer with Christ VVITH MANY GOODLIE REAsons and examples of gods frendes he proueth that in this vvorld mournyng is better theÌ laughinge And trauayle and payne more profitable then pleasure and solace CHAP. 23. VVOE be vnto you that laugh for you shall weepe saith Christ woe be vnto you that haue your ioyes in this world synce you shal be so voyde of all ioye in an other worlde VVoe be vnto all them that doe lyue in pleasure for much sorow and trauayle is prepared for them Happie is he that in this worlde being mortified for Christ doth carrie alwayes aboute with him the sorowe of his bitter passion before his eyes Happie is he that in this tyme of teares vale of miserie is daily fed with teares Happie is he who in this tyme of banishmente doth make teares his foode both day and night A man that hath in his remembrance the quiet peaceable countrye of heauenly Sion his owne proper habitation may well with reason lamente and be euen confounded to see hym selfe confined into this place of bannishemente amongest the bitter waters of the Babilonicall state of this worlde Happie be they that weepe for they shal be comforted sayth our Sauiour and God hym selfe shall wype of the teares from their eyes those must needes be comfortable teares which the blessed hand of our Maister doth wype awaye As the lande that is neuer watered bringeth nothing furth but braÌbles thistles ingeÌdreth serpentes so wil thy soule bring furth nothing but vanitie and vncleanes except thou doe water it with the water of thy teares And as necessarie are teares to the soule as water for the earth All flesh was corrupted and for the remedie thereof God sent the water of that greate flood vpon the earth to clense it agayne And if thou wilt let the flood of teares fall vpon thy soule and ouerflowe it It will kill all sensuall concupiscence in thee Happie is that flood which mortifieth the bodie quencheth all worldlie desires and maketh fruytefull the barreyne field of thy soule They are but vayne which in this lyfe doe seeke their pleasures and delightes It is a greate errour for thee to seeke after these temporall consolations At the houre of thy death it wil be found better for thee that thou haddest lamented and bewailed thy sinnes then in this miserable lyfe to haue spent thy dayes in deceyuable light vanities If thou wilt haue thy feast daye here then must thou keepe thy vigil and fast there If thou doe spend thy dayes in laughing here in this lyfe in hell shalt thou mourne with death for euer Holie Iob sayde I sighe and am sorie before I take my foode In the feastes of the Sainctes the vigil cometh euer before the feast day because they did allwayes in this worlde fast and take paines and therefore afterwarde they must eate and be merie for euer The worldlie maner is all contrarie they doe first eate and make merie and then after they doe pay their scot Death cometh and maketh the reckenyng for them and then shall worldlie folke paye deare for their good cheare that they haue made heare Then shall the laughing and mirth which thou vsedst here be too well payed for with perpetuall mournyng there Those be bitter comforts that must be boughte with euerlastinge tormentes Allthough thou doest here eate a pace take thy pleasure and takest thy selfe no care thereof yet is their one appointed by the gouernour of the howse to take the reckenynge and score vp all the shot so that at the last there shal be nothinge left vnpayed for If thou diddest but way well this with good consideration thy charge sholde not growe so great neither woldest thou with such full scope of libertie gyue thy selfe to the world But now because thou remembrest not that these thinges shall haue an end And that thou must gyue an accompte thereof and paye for all the reckenynge thou spendest here so freelie for the which thou shalt after neuer cease thy payement in hell And as Iob sayde of good men that they sighed and sorowed before they did eate so sayeth he of these worldly folke here They passe furth their dayes in ioye and mirth they reioyce and make merie when the musicke soundeth and in the twinkling of an eye they disceâd downe into hell To the riche glotton which S. Luke mentioneth Abraham sayd Thou must remember sayed he that in thy lyfe tyme thou receauedst ioy and contrarywise Lazarus receaued sorow and now is Lazarus comforted and thou tormented This is the ende of worldly comfort and this is the ende of the vayne glory of this world Thou shalt not finde in all the whole euangelistes that euer our sauiour Christ laughed at any tyme but of his weeping wee fynde ofte mention made He wept at the tyme of his owne natiuitie He wept at his raising vp of Lazarus to
not returne vnto vs agayne but wee shall rather goe vnto theÌ They were pilgrimes and straungers here on the earth as wee are now All that they had they haue left behynde them and so shall wee doe also They are gone and passed away like a shadow so shall we passe away also O how soone each thinge passeth away There is scarselie any memorie left of any of the great meÌ of the world euery thing is coÌsumed by tyme. God is he that onlie is stable permanent all other thinges as frendes companyons pleasures and pastimes haue soone an end All these doe soone fayle within a while shall one of vs be seperated from another And the tyme is not long to in which wee shall be eaten vp by wormes and turned into dust and ashes Each thinge passeth and consumeth away with tyme. It is vearie vanitie to esteeme of these soone slidinge thinges of the world as yf they shold haue any long continuance here Shall wee happelie be better remembred then those that are gone hence before vs Are wee better then they It were suerlie small wisdome for any of vs to thinke that there shold any better memory be made of vs then of those that are gone hence before vs. Open then thine eyes thou that puttest thy confidence in the world And behold both greater richer and more noble then thou arte of whome there is not now any memory left It is vanitie then to make any accompt of the memorie of this transitorie worlde Euerie thinge hath an end Euerie thinge passeth away with tyme euerie thinge hasteneth toward his end and tendeth toward his consummation euerie thing is full of vanitie and corruption The loue of God is that which onelie lasteth and endureth for euer for the glorie of this world endureth but for a blast HOVV GOOD AND DILIgeÌt seruice so euer a man doth vnto thâ vvorld yet doth the vvorld neuer remember it neither vvill it knovv hyâ that serued it But vvill calle vvell to mynde and haue in remembraÌce thâse that misused and euill intreated it CHAP. 7. THE foole knoweth nothing sayth the wyse man the wordlie men trauaile to get the honour of this world which wheÌ it hath forsaken them agayne it will scarseliâ knowe them A greate frend was Dauid to Naball and much had he done for hym in the tyme of his good estate But when Dauid was after fallen into necessitie he wolde not so much as know hym But aunswered Dauids seruantes when they came vnto hym who is Dauid Or who is Isais sonne Shall I bestow my sheepe and my goodes vpon one whome I knowe not Many a day had Dauid conuersed before with Naball whereof he was now so forgetfull that he asked who he was Naball signifieth as much as foole as the storie telleth and it is a very playne figure âf this vayne and foolish worlde which is âubiect to so much vanitie and mutability âor after much labor bestowed in the serâice of the worlde by the faythfull serâantes and folowers thereof when they âooke againe for any rewarde of their serâice it refuseth quite the knowledge of âhem and playnly sayeth that it knoweth âhem not They bestow greate trauaile in âhe seruice of it both day and night and âet must forgetfulnes be all their rewarde ât the last This vnthankefull world is lyke vnâo an inne keeper whom his geste goeth âbout to take acquaintance of telling him âhat he hath bene long his gest and hath âodged many a night in his howse but he âefuseth his acquaintance and telleth him âgayne that he knoweth him not neyther âan he keepe any reckening of so many as âoe passe by that way Men spende all their tyme in seruing âhe world and at the last they are demaunâed who they be as though they had neâer seene them before we doe all both good and bad passe through this worlde ââke pilgrimes and trauaylers and commonly most men doe vse to inuite straungers as they passe by the way And euen so doth the worlde play by them he gyueth âhem curteous wordes and good enterâeynment to make them delighte in his company and to serue him dilligently in âll kindes of vanity after that he laugheth them to scorne and shaketh them ãâã as though he had neuer bene acquayntââ with them before It were good for euery man to eââter into an accompte with him selfe aââ see whether he haue not bestowed moââ vpon the worlde then vpon Iesus Chriââ VVhat so euer thou haste bestowed vpoâ the world thou mayest well thinke it leââ for after a shorte space being past thoâ shalt finde how thou arte cleane forgotâââ and out of minde and if thou wilt needââ be remembred at his handes and haue iâ to know thee agayne thou were beste ãâã handle it hardly and set nothing by it ãâã thou beatest thyne hoast well fauoredââ as thou passest by the way he will not foââget thee agayne in twentie yeares after And that is all the cause why the world forgetteth not good and holie men whicâ liued here in the world because that thâ set nothinge by it nor cared not for iâ Those that make much of it It forgetteth and remembreth onelie those which conâtemned it Handle it hardlie and it wiââ neuer forget thee And the lesse that thoâ louest it the more shalt thou be beloueâ of it Of his frendes it is forgetfull and ãâã faythfull folowers will it not knowe at alâ O how many haue passed through thââ worlde with greate triumphe and honouâ the names of whome be scant knowen ãâã this day neyther is there any more menâtion made of them then yf they had neuââ ââne borne and no more are they knowen ãâã the world then yf they had neuer bene ãâã the worlde Let all thy care be to loue God onelie ââd to serue hym for he knoweth well all ââs owne sheepe whome he meaneth to âânducte to his pleasant pastures of Paââdis and euerlasting glorie THIS VVORLD IS LIKENED to a tempesteous Sea in the vvhich our Soules are tossed and turmoyled vvith infinite daungers from the vvhiche there is no vvay to scape but by retiring into the harborovvgh of peÌnance CHAP. 8. THOSE which sayle on the seas doe tell of many daungers that they haue passed sayeth the wise man The daungers of the seas be so greate and so many that no man is able to reporte them but he that hath proued them The nauigatioÌ which we make through the tempesteous waues of this worlde is so much more daungerous then the other as it gyueth greater impedimentes to the sure reste of our soule which it expecteth in heauen then the other doth or can doâ to the obteyning of a sureâporte in earth The waters of this world be bitter so are all worldly consolations In this sea doe the great men lyke vnto great fishes eate vp and deuowre the little the waueâ thereof be neuer at any rest but allwayes mouing and working vnto the which the
remoue it thence and carrie it vp to some higher roome But God him selfe telleth thee that thyne hart is corrupted and cast away here in these lowe base thinges of this world and therefore wold haue thee to lyft it vp toward heauen and yet arte thou vnwilling to doe it Flie from this vnholesome and contagious place that thou mayest lyue for euer in the lande of the liuinge IN NOTHINGE DOTH THE vvorld keepe any assured stay but coÌtynuallie in euerie thing maketh nevve alterations and chaunges therefore ought not any man to put any trust in it but onlie to place all his confidence in God CHAP. 25. THOV hast moued the earth and it was troubled close thou vp the ruptures thereof because it is so sore moued and shaken sayth the Prophet Dauid The mutation chaunge which the world maketh so often were sufficient to make it breake in peeces If a conyng carpenter or mason wolde tell thee that the house where thou dwellest were like to falle downe woldest not thou quickelie get thee out of it But God hym selfe who is the cheefe workeman of all doth tell thee that both heauen and earth shall passe away And S. Iohn sayth This world doeth passe away and the concupiscence thereof The three pillers vpon which the world is borne vp sayth S. Iohn are pride couetousnes concupiscence of the flesh Doest not thou see âowe these three pillers on whiche the âorlde standeth doe tremble and shake And yet wilt thou stand still and not flie âway Honors and vanities doe falle away ând are moued and remoued euerie day âarke how many chaunges and variations âhere haue happened in these honors of âhe world first the monarchie of the world âegan with the Assirians but it stayed not âhere longe but passed thence to the Perâians from them agayne it went to the Greekes and contynuinge still in chaunge ând alteration came at last vnto the Romaynes and at this present the Empire is âmongest the Almayns Now yf the whole Empire which standeth vpon the highest âoppe of worldlie honor hath gone so often aboute what thinge is there iâ this world that a man may accompte to be stable and firme Riches and all sensuall delightes be much more subiect to mutabilitie and doe sooner passe away Seeing then that the pillers of the worlde doe tremble and âhake and be so frayle and moueable it is â daungerous thing for to lyue in a world that is so mutable and so ready to moue continually thou must flie away excepte âhou be contented that it sholde fall vpon thee and kill thee If the worlde which is alwayes in readines of falling be so much beloued what sholde it then be if it were quiet and staâble How woldest thou forsake it if it weââ fayre and bewtifull if thou doest now ãâã much esteeme it being foule and filthieâ VVhat pleasure woldest thou take in it if it sholde bring thee fourth sweete flowers that takest such delite in these thornes and brambles Thou wilte not forsake the worlde but continually follow it and yet doth the worlde still forsake thee put not thy trust in these presente thinges which in truth can not well be called presente beinge in continuall motion and neuer standing still Doe not thou take that for good quyetnes wherein there is not any perfecââ rest at all if thou doest loue those thinges that be moueable thou must not looke ãâã be thy selfe immoueable The sayler whether he will or noâ must needes moue when the shippe moueth all thinges iâ this lyfe be moueable and not permaneââ to day they be to morow they be not so that thou canst not haue any perfecte and assured contentment in them The name that doth most aptely expresse almighty God is this worde Esse to be He that is sayed Moyses hath sent me vnto you speakinge of God who sent hym to kynge Pharo Of a mutable maâ the comon vse is to say that he hath not the being of a man and therefore men will auoyde to haue any dealinge with hym And euen so is the world It were good for ââee therefore not to haue any thinge to ââe therewith or to enter in to any frendââipp with it Loue those thinges that are âf continuance and beinge and not those ââinges which for their variatioÌ chaunâing haue no perfect being at all It is a daungerous thing for thee to âyue where contynuall earthquakes be âoe not build thy house where Cities doe ââse to falle and kill the inhabitantes âuyld vpon a sure grounde where thou âayest lyue quyetlie and in good safetie âet thy care be to buyld thy house in âeauen which thou mayest be sure is allwayes firme and quyet The wynde of flaâerie which is inclosed within the bowels of the earth which be the Pallaces of Princes and the houses of greate men when it seeketh to breake out to ascend âo honor and highe dignities is the cause of these greate earthquakes in the world Make not thou thyne habitatioÌ in so daungerous a place Seeke not to dwell in the Pallaces of kinges and Princes for ther are contynuall earthquakes by reason of the greate wyndes of ambition that are there kepte vnder and couered with hypocrisie which breaking out at the last doe cause great disorders and vnreasonable turmoyles Thou shalte dayly see in the worlde continuall alterations and almost euery houre new chaunges some thou shalte see riche to day that were poore yesterday and some as poore agayne that were bâfore very rich if thou doest laugh to day make no great reckening thereof for thââ mayest happely weepe to morrow so muâtable is the worlde that it will this day shewe thee a good countenance and ãâã morow agayne not once looke vpon thee The sunne shyneth brighte and cleare iâ the morning but strayghte way cometh there a clowde and turneth all the fayââ wether into a tempeste VVhat is all this but for our instruction to teach vs that iâ this worlde there is no stabilitie but greaâ chaunge alteration in all thinges of this world All hangeth in doubtefull ballance and such entermedling is there in it that pleasure is no sooner paste but strayghte way entreth sorow and displeasure The mutabilitie that is in the world is iâ nothing better expressed then in the vsage and handling of our blessed Sauiour whome the people receyued in the mornynge with greate feast and ioye and in the euenyng folowinge was forsaken of them all They went with greene bowes to receyue hym and to welcome hym in and within fower dayes after with dried bowes they knocked hym on the head They tooke of their garmeÌts and strawed his way with them as he sholde passe by and shortlie after they spoyled hym of his owne clothes both to beate hym and to crucifie hym They sayde first blessed be he that cometh in the name of our Lorde And sodeynlie after they chaunged their voyce and cryed out alowde to Pilate that he sholde
perteyneth the kingââdome of heauen And afterward blamyng and fynding fault with the pride of Caâpernahum as a thing that so much offeÌdeâ hym he gaue his curse vnto it sayingâ VVo be vnto thee O thou citie of Capeâânahum that doest exalt thy selfe vp vnââ the heauens thou shalt discend dowâ vnto the bottome of hell The glorie of the proude man doââ soone turne to confusion and as pride ãâã hatefull to God and man so is humiliâââ gratious vnto all folkes As ashes doâ keepe and preserue the fire so doth huâââââtie preserue the grace of the holie ââost Abraham saide vnto God shall I speake ââto my Lorde beinge but dust and ashes âhe deeper that the well is the sweeter is ââe water thereof and the more humble ââat thou art the more art thou beloued of âod Esteeme not of high estates and digââties in the worlde for all these shall ââortlie come vnto an end There be no âstates so greate amongest men but that ââen are able to ouerthrow them agayne ând all that man setteth vp and by labor âringeth to passe doth quickelie passe âway agayne and cometh to an end Conââder but the end that prowde men doe âome vnto and thou wilt haue a greate deââre to be humble VVhen corne is cut in the field all âyeth a lyke on the grounde together and âo maÌ can discerne which were the highest âares althoughe that in the growinge one ââare did much ouergrowe another so likewyse in the field of this world althoughe âhat some be higher then other and that ãâã few doe exceede the residue in learning âonors welth and worldlie dignities yet when death cometh with is hooke and cutteth vs all downe and bereueth vs of our lyues then shall wee be all equall and no difference made betweene one and another of vs. If thou openest their graues and lookest in them thou shalte not be able to discerne who was the rich man or who ãâã poore man who was in honor who waâ in none no difference shalt thou finde thââ betwixt a king and a sheepeheard neythââ shalte thou knowe who were honoraâââ and much esteemed and who were dishonorable and little regarded And then if all the greatnes and honors of this worlde doe come to nothing in the ende but that all estates and conditions of men doe conclude a lyke at the last it is meere vanitie to desire to be a lofte in this worlde haue an humble opinion of thy selfe and thou shalt finde fauor at Gods hande desire to be lowe and little in the world that thou mayest be exalted and made great in an other world THERE IS NOT AMONGEST all the synnes vvhich doe reigne in the vvorld a vyce more hurtfull to mankinde then couetousnes The couetous man being cruell to all sorts of persons and cheefelie to his ovvne bodie and his soule and is of all men hated and abhorred and doth neyther enioye this vvorld nor the vvorld to come CHAP. 36. THE couetous man shal haue no inheritance with Christ sayeth the Apostle This is the second battayle with which the worlde doth assaulte vs and set vpon vs âhich thou oughtest to encounter and to âesist with remembring thy selfe that thou ââmest into this worlde naked and that all ââese temporall riches be but the mucke âf the earth and that they must be all lefte âere in this world behind thee when thou ââest out of it Amongest all vyces there is none so ââll of inhumanitie and crueltie as coueââusnes is The couetous man hath no chaââtie in him he neyther knoweth father âor mother nor brother nor sister and his nearest kinne be all as they were strauÌgeââ to him Ecclesiasticus sayeth He that ãâã euill to him selfe vnto whom will he ãâã good No good can be looked for at the cââuetous mans hande because he is crâââ vnto him selfe he is good to none ãâã worste to him selfe he neuer doth gâââ vntill he dyeth He that ãâã couetous ãâã sparing of his goodes is of his honor ãâã credite ouer lauish and prodigall and ãâã that maketh the straytest accompte of ãâã money of truth yet maketh he a right ââââder reckening No sinne ought so much ãâã be hated as that cursed vyce of couetousnes which causeth that he which is creââted for to loue and honor God maketh ãâã selfe seruante and bondslaue to the ãâã riches and mucke of the earth Ecclesiasticus sayeth There is not ãâã worse thing then the couetous man is ââââther in the earth in heauen nor in ãâã Other sinnes although that they be theââselues vearie nought yet they be in soââ sorte and degree profitable vnto other But the couetous man is hurtefull and vââprofitable to the common welthe for ãâã hourding and keeping vp still all that ãâã getteth he causeth a dearth and scarsâââ of thinges None is so poore as he which is cââuetous he is cause of his owne miserie ãâã greater pouertie or miserie there canâââ be then to haue nothing Vnto the coâââââus man all thinges be wanting he wanâeth as well that whiche he hath as that âhich he hath not He can not possesse âhat which he hath not and of that which âe hath he is not maister but seruante ânto pouerty a few things doe suffice but âouetousnes can not with any thing be saâisfied The greedines of riches is a dishoâorable honor Other worldlye men âlthoughe they enioy not the nexte world âet doe they enioye this world which is âresent But the couetous man neyther enâoyeth this world nor the next So as amoÌgest all worldlie folke he is the most miseâable and vnhappie He that putteth his ârust in his money hath his mynde voyde of all wisdome It is a greater honor theÌ to wynne a kingdome to conquer a mans owne vnordynate desires The couetous man hath a greate coÌquest to make in subduing his vnsatiable loue of money The Deuill when God asked of hym whence he came made aunswere that he had gone rounde aboute the earth So doe all couetous meÌ they wander aboute the earth as the Deuill did but toward heauen they neuer looke they seeke not to walke that way The riche man is a pray for his prince a marke for theeues to shoote at a cause of quarrell amongest his kynnesfolke and frendes His owne children doe desire his death because they may haue the spoyle of hym after his death He is not worthie of the company of the Angells in heauen nor meete for the conuersation amongest men here on the earth he best deserueth therefore to haue his habitation in the ayre amongest the damned spirites like an other Iudas that for couetousnes of money solde our lord and hong hym selfe vp in the ayre when he had done The couetous man before that he doe wynne any thing here he is wonne hym selfe And before he can take any thing of any other man he is first taken hym selfe by his owne vnordynate desires and his vnbrideled appetites He burneth here in the flame of
holie birth condemneth the âelicatenes of this life of ours That stawle ââeweth how vaine the honours and proââerities of this world are And those simâle cloathes wherein his diuine maiestie âas wrapped gyue-vs well to vnderstande âhat the riches of this worlde is Proceede thorowghe the whole course âf his lyfe and consider also of his death ââou shalt fynde that the soonne of God âââer that he became maÌ did allwayes teach ãâã to despise the world aswell by the exaÌââe of his lyfe as by the whole course of ââs doctrine and teachinge VVhen he made that greate sermon of âis on the hill he beganne sayinge Blessed âe the poore in spirite for theirs is the âingdome of heauen Our Lorde came not into this worlde âo vndoe thee or to ouerthrowe the but âo teache thee the waye to heauen and to âssure thee of thy saluation If Christ erred âot then errest thou If he chose well then âhoosest thou ill And yf he with dishoâour and by sufferring opened vnto thee the gates of glory without all doubte thou beinge such a frend to honour and vanitie doest take the straight waye to hell In great daunger doest thou lyue and muche perill doth thy soule run into yâ thou turnest not back againe from the way that thou art now entred into by hating oâ that which thou doest now so muche loue And by determyning to folowe the footesteppes of hym that coulde neuer erre Oâ what an abuse is this that a poore simplâ woorme made of earth will nedes be greaâ when the God of all Maiestie was contenâ hym selfe to be so liâtle Oh then thou Christian soule yf thoâ espie thy spowse Isaack walkinge on thâ ground thâu oughtest to putt on thy cloke couer thee with the veale of shamefastnes as Rebecca did blusshing for vearâ shame to see thy Lorde and Maister Iesuâ Christ to walke on the earth in the coÌteÌpââ of the world And thy selfe to sitt mownteâ alofte vpon thy cammells backe in highâ honour and power of the worlde Thou muste come downe as shee diâ despisinge the honour and vanitie of thiâ present worlde by conforminge thy selfâ to the lyfe of thy redeemer so as thoâ mayest after enioye with hym the trewe riches and honour which induer for euer THE THINGES OF THIS vvorlde allthoughe in apparence they seeme good and delightfull yet are they in deede full of falsehood and vanitie and that for their instabilitie vvee ought not to putt any trust in them lest that in the generall daye of iudgemeÌt vve doe in vaine repent vs that vvee haue loued more those vanities then God our Creatour CHAP. 4. ALL is vanitie in this world nothinge but vanitye is in it sayth the wyse man I haue behoulden sayth he all that is vnder the soonne nothinge doe I fynde but vanitie This worlde is worthelie called in holie scripture an Ipocrite because it hath an exterior apparance of goodnes and within it is full of corruption and vanitie In deede there appeareth some shew of goodnes in these sensible thinges but yet are they but coÌuterfeyte false Neuer seeke to fasten the anker of the shipp of thyne harte in the large Seas of worldlie loue The Reedes when they shoote out first ân the springe of the yeare doe with their fresh greene colour delight the eyes for a while but yf thou doe breake them and looke within them thou shalt find nothing there but emptines and holownes Lett not the worlde deceyue thee nor thyne eyes beguyle thee by the meanes of this vayne and counterfett bewtie For trulie yf thou consider it well and looke narowlie what is within it thou shalt finde there nothinge but vanitie If the worlde were to be layed open to the eye And euerie particuler parte thereof vewed and searched out as the Anotomistes vse to doe the bodies of men yt woulde soone make an open shew of all his vanitie For what soeuer is in the worlde eyther it is past or present or els to come That which is past is noâve no longer in beinge That whiche is to come dependeth all vppon vncertenties And that which is present is but vnstable and to indure but for a moment It were greate vanitie to trust in it and a much more vanitie to make accoÌpte of the fauours and loue thereof It is a vanitie to desire or wishe for the honours thereof And a greater vanitie to esteeme the riches and pleasures thereof It is a vanitie to loue such transitorie thinges And trulie great vanitie to delighte in the corruptible substance of this worlde It is vanitie to seeke after the wynde of humaine prayses vaine be those cares whiche cause the to serue so vnhappie a maister as the worlde is Finallie all is but vanitie sauing to loue and serue God onlie Happie is he which hath forgotten the worlde suche an one maye lyue in vearie good comforte when no care maye take âway froÌ him his good spirituall exercises âut maye still enioye the sweetenes and âeace of the spirite It is better to be poore then rich And âetter to be little then greate And better ãâã is to be ignorant with humilitie then to âe learned whith pride and vanitie That ânowledge and those Good gyftes which âod bestoweth on thee to make thee the âore boundeÌ to serue him withall feruour âf hart humilitie Thow takest occasion ây to be more licentious then other men ââe and more vayne and prowde How much better it is to be little theÌââeate the latter day of all shall declare in ââat rigorous and exact iudgement when ââe bookes of our consciences shal be ââyed all open to the shew of all the world âee woulde then wishe that wee had ââued god more and lesse to haue disputed âf subtile and curious questions A pure âonscience shall then preuayle thee more ââen thy profounde and most learned serâons that thow hast preached It shall not ââen be asked of vs what wee haue saide âut what wee haue done It wil be more worth at that tyme to haue âespised the vanitie of the world then to âaue folowed the deceytfull delightes âalse promyses thereof Better it would be ât that daye that thow haddest done pennance for thy synnes then by fullfilling thyne appetites here for this shorte spacâ of tyme be after throwen downe to ãâã for euer Make well thy reckeninge hereof bâ tyme Enter whithin thy selfe and coÌsideâ how much of thy lyfe thou hast bestoweâ vpon the world And how little thereoâ agayne thou hast geueÌ to God which gauâ it thee to serue hym wthall VVhat is beâcome of so many yeares which are passeâ wthout any proffit at all what commoditâ hast thou taken of all the tyme whereiâ thou hast serued the worlde The tymâ passed can not now be called backe againe The dayes of thy lyfe doe passe away ãâã thow thinkest not thereon and death stilâ wayteth on thee VVhat hast thou of alâ that thow hast done In thy frendes
thou desiâest to haue them maintayne a good opiâion of the. Oh that thou wouldest desire âought els but to please God and to fulfill ââs holie will and then should all thinges âoe well with the Oh how litle accompte âouldest thou then make of these wordes âhiche doe now so much woorke with in âee Labour to content none but hym alone and then shalt thou lyue quiet and contented Nothinge shall then offend the but that whiche shall offend hym nor any thinge delighte the but that whiche delighteth hym And so shalt thou be coÌforted contynuallie in puritie of conscience It is meere vanitie for the to make accompte of the fonde rashe iudgementes of men yf it stande well betweene God and the. There haue bene many whiche the worlde hath made vearie muche of who now doe lye full lowe in hell And diuers other there are whiche haue bene taken for fooles that doe enioye the euerlasting glorie of heaueÌ And since it is thus neuer take thou any glorie in the prayse of men allthoughe they commende the neuer so muche neither doe thou dispayre or mistrust thy selfe for any euill opinion the world hath of thee If they commend thee worthelie for that good whiche is in thee be not thou prowde therof for if they saw such secret defectes in thee as thou findest in thy selfe they would coÌmend theâ nothing at all And yf they doe prayse theâ for these vertues whiche thou haste not procure to haue theÌ that the world be noâ deceyued in the. And yf they haue causâ in truth to murmure against thee seekâ thou to ameÌde thy selfe And if they iudgâ amisse of the thou must remember thââ they are but men and that muche harmâ they caÌnot doe the but rather some gooâ if thou haue patieÌce withall If Allmightie God would aske the opinion of men and haue a consultacion with them before he eyther call thee to heauen or condemne the to hell It were good pollicie then for thee to currie fauour with them and seke to be esteemed for a vearie Saint amongest them But synce he will haue âhe alone face to face before him And thy soule and he shall enter into accompte together of all matters it is but vearie vaniâie to make accompte of the iudgementes âf men to desire to haue their prayses âor God meaneth not to take their opiâioÌ in the matter neither shall any questioÌâe asked them of the for they haue no âoyce therein at all And allthoughe they âake their pleasures in talkinge of the yet âs not God directed by their sayinges but ây that vhich he shall fynd in thyne owne âonscience VVhat woulde it auayle thee âefore God yf all the worlde shoulde saye âhou wert a Saincte and deseruedest gloâie And God hym selfe that is onelie to âudge thee doth fynde the with a spotted âoÌscience And lykewyse yf all the world âhould coÌdemne the yf thou be founde to âe gods frende what can their reprobaââoÌ doe the harme Not he whome they reâroue is reproued before God nor all that ââey doe allow is accepted before God Their iudgementes be vaine they know âot the hartes nor the deserts of meÌ They âân not enter into the soule of man and therefore they are most coÌmenlie deceyued They them selues gyue not grace and therefore they can gyue no glorie neither resteth it in their power eyther to condemne the or to saue the. And yf all the men in the worlde were thy frendes they shall neuer be able to prolonge thy lyfe for one hower no more shall they be able to delyuer thee from the rigorous iudgemeÌts of God Oh how much better will it be for the in the hower of thy death to haue God for thy frende then to spend thy whole lyfe in seekinge to please the kinges and Princes of the earth who thoughe they doe loue the neuer so muche shall not aâ that tyme be able to doe any thinge for the. This councell will I here gyue the. Doe not take any greefe yf in doeing thy duetie the worlde doth murmure against the neither take thou any payne to please the worlde to wynne thereby their prayse agayne for all this is but vanitie and losse of tyme. But rather lifte vp thyne harte to God and with all thy force procure to please and to content hym alone and shuâ vp all thy senses from hearing and harkeninge after the vayne blastes of this vnhappie worlde SINCE EVERIE ONE OF VS must be iudged by God hym selfe vvho is the onlie searcher of harts vve ought not to make any reckenynge of mens vvordes but labour to haue a cleare conscience before hym CHAP. 8. I MAKE but small accompte to be iudged of you sayth Saincte Paule for he that must iudge me is God hym selfe Iudge not before the tyme vntill our Lorde doe come who wil lighteÌ the secrettes that are hidden in darkenes will make manifest âhe inward parte of our harts then shall euerie one receiue his praise at gods haÌde This sayde Sainte Paule in the contemnynge of the sayinges and opinioÌs of men God knoweth the hartes and seeth what euerie one is At the hower of death it will appeare who is good and who is euill we neede not care for the iudgementes of men Let vs seeke how to please God oneây Those which doe runne at Tilte to breake their staues doe make no accoÌpte of the prayse or disprayse of the ignorante peoples iudgementes which doe looke on They respect onely the iudgement of those which are to geue the pryces to the beste runner Euen so oughtest thou to neclecte the prayse or disprayse of men and onely seeke to haue all thy care in pleasinge of God that must iudge thee If thou doe trauayle and take payne here iâ is he which seeth all and of his owne hande shalte thou receaue thy rewarde Loue thou the veritie and not the sayings of men who are for the most part moued eyther with loue or with hatred not coÌsidering what is in maÌ worthie eyther to be loued or mislyked Be not thou trowbled nor take any greefe thereof at all that some folke haue of thee an euill opinion Arte thou better then Iesus Christ Reade in the Ghospell and thou shalt find that some called him a deceauer of the people some a Samaritane and one that was possessed with the deuill Some sayde that he was not a man of God since that he kept not the feast dayes Other answered agayne how coulde he doe so many miracles being a sinner In so much that S. Iohn sayth There was there-vppon a great scisme and diuision amongest them Now yf of our Sauiour him selfe who was all holines and goodnes there were so many opinions of men why art thou so prowde that heing so full of so many and sundrie kyndes of imperfectioÌs wouldest yet that euerie one shoulde allowe of thy doinges coÌmend thee If of our most innoceÌt Lord there were so many thoughtes ãâã men why wouldest thou
adueââsarie the deuill is so great that of good ãâã gathereth euill Out of good woorkes ãâã gathereth vaynglorie to the end that ãâã may destroye the merite of our goââ woorke This vanitie is the arrowe thâ flyeth by daye which proceedeth from ãâã light of our good workes from the whiââ the Prophet desired to be delyuered ãâã heede thou be not hit with this arrow which carieth poyson with it to slaye thââ with all VVhen thou thinkest that thou haââ done enowghe and well acquited thy selââ in thy woorkinge it is because thou ãâã not coÌpared thy woorkes with the workââ of holie men It thou compare thyne owââ woorkes with theirs thyne owne will aâpeare to be but of litle value A thinâ which seemeth to be white when it is câââpared with snowe seemeth in maner ãâã blacke If thou call to thy remembranââ how much the holy Martirs suffered ãâã the greate pennance they tooke I know not what worke of thine that were therâ ãâã compared would seeme any other ãâã very vayne and vnprofitable Knowe ââne owne weakenes and how litle thou âââe be not proude of nothing let not ââitie moue thee to doe any worke neyââer the hoping for any reward of man The wyndemill goeth not aboute nor âândeth meale but if it haue wynde to ãâã withall so be their many men that neâââ grynd any meale of good workes but âhe wynde of vanitie doe blowe them ââwarde to yt But the merite of thy ââd woorke is lost yf thou be moued âââreunto by vanitie VVhat yf thou fulfill ãâã that the lawe coÌmaundeth thee whereââââ hast thou yet to glorie our Lord saying âââo thee when ye haue done all that is âââmaunded you yet say that you be still ââprofitable seruantes All though that thou haddest allwayes ââued God yet owghtest thou to accompt ãâã selfe but vnprofitable still How much ââre then oughtest thou so to doe yf thou ââest cawle well to thy remembrance all ââât thou hast done before and how many âââes thou hast fallen into synne The way ãâã thee to doe all thinges in deede is to ââke accompte with thy selfe that thou ââât yet done nothinge Destroye not the fruyte of thyne owne ââuailles neither let al thy labours be lost ãâã nothing God knoweth better then thy âââe what thou doest what thy merites ãâã he will not leaue vnrewarded one cuppe of coulde water whiche thou hââ gyuen in his name VVhat neede is it for thee theâ prayse thy selfe Doest not thou knoâ that if thou prayse thy selfe thou shalt ãâã be praysed of God Esteeme thy selfe ãâã vnprofitable and God will accompt thâ amongest those that he alloweth for goââ and profitable If thou were neuer ãâã much worthy of prayse before yet asââ thou hast entred into the praysing of ãâã selfe thou hast loste all that thou diddâââ deserue before And if thou were befoââ vnprofitable yet in so humbling of ãâã selfe and acknowledging thy selfe for ââprofitable thou shalte be accompted ãâã profitable It is necessarie for thee to ââther thy thoughtes together It is conâânient foââhee to forget thyne owne veâtuous deedes since thou hast forgoâ thy sinnes whiche much better deseruâ remembrance at thy handes It is ãâã most necessary thinge for thee to ãâã thy good workes The good holy ãâ¦ã old time laboured much to bring to ãâã memorie their offences past and for ãâã purpose they humbled them selues verâ much The Pharisee throwghe vayne gloââ was ouer throwen allthowgh it seemââ thaâ he gaue God thankes If thou ãâã praise thy selfe thou art abhominable ââfore god and hatefull in the sighte of mââ If thou wilt haue thy deedes to be greââ âââeede yet take not thou them for such ãâã selfe for otherwise will they neuer be ââân for such as thou wouldest haue theÌâââe Be thou in all thinges little before ãâã face of God and thou shalt receiue the âââter grace at his handes ââVV LITLE A MAN OVVGHT âo esteeme hym selfe for greate in this vvorld asvvell because that beinge in âhat state he is in more daunger of favvlinge into synne As also for that âhe most parte of men throvvghe the âpinioÌ of their ovvne greatenes forsake cleane the seruinge of God CHAP. 12. SEKE not to clyme to highe sayth the Apostle but feare least by going to high thou fawle downe agayne If thou wilt greate in heauen thou must be but litle âe vpon the earth Thou hast knowen many both greate ãâã mighty of whome there is now no meârie leste at all How many haue attayâââ vnto greate dignities and statelie proâââtions which when they haue enioyed ââm a whyle with greate pompe and gloââ all that glorye turned quickely to a smoke and within a shorte space after ãâã mention at all was made of them nor ãâã taken for them They are gone and oâââ succede in their roomes who litle esteââ of those that went before them VVhy doest thou labour to coÌmauââ to be great VVhy wilt thou be a migââ man in this world In the state which ãâã desirest to be in haue their not bene ãâã other before thee Hath not the woââ cleane forgotten them and doe not ãâã see also what is become of them And ãâã lyke that is to them befallen must thoâ so looke to befall vnto thy selfe since ãâã worlde kepeth still his olde custome ãâã houlde how they ascended vp and hoâ they fell downe agayne and thou shâ finde that the more glorious their ascâââdinge was the more shamefull was ãâã fall Those persons whom some of thâ greate men in former tymes disdayâ doe now walke ouer them and tread thâ vnder their feete Thou mayest thinke that in the sââ state in which thou wishedst to be oââ were before whose names thou knoâ not and the worlde hath now forgoâ that euer there were any such they bââ turned into dust and ashes Thinke noâ much of that which is present but loââ to that which is to come Make noâ much accompte of that honour which ãâã world doth offer vnto thee here but loââ âhat is to folowe after If thou wilte but âânsider and set before thyne eyes that ââich shall folowe after this shorte lyfe is ââste thou wilte be right well contented ââth the state in which God hath nowe ââaced thee here Let not the world beguyle thee neither ãâã the deuill make thee to beleue that ââou woldest haue serued God better ãâã some higher roome then in that meane ââlling wherein he hath now placed thee Many a symple sowle doth our enemy ââe deuill deceyue with making them ãâã beleeue such lyke lies vanities vnder ââe colour of vertue They desire aduaunââmentes greate prefermeÌtes supposing ââen that they wolde gyue large almes and ââe many other good deedes But all this ãâã false full of disceyte for honours and ââomotions doe blinde vs worldlie folke ââe greatest men be lest lordes of them âââues and in the greater dignitie that men ââue the more are they chardged with ââre bothe of them selues
suffocate and choke vp the spirite of God Despise thou therefore the vanitye of these corruptible thinges that thou mayest freely yelde thy selfe vnto God and vnto God thou canst not flye except thou doe breake the bonds wherewith the world holdeth thee bound Let not the sweetenes of this worlde seperate thee from the loue of God Poyson is alwayes geuen in some sauory and well releshed meate and when it is well tempered therewithall it is easely taken but he that receaueth it is soone after caried to his graue Euen so be riches verye pleasante vnto them that doe loue them but death doth alwayes accompany them and doth bring them to euerlasting death which are made proud and vicious by them Ecclesiasticus sayeth He that loueth riches shall get no profit by them what profit cometh by them S. Paule telleth They that will be riche doe fall into the snares and grinnes of the deuill All creatures be such vnto man as man is vnto him selfe The good soule can take no offence of the thinges that are without no more can the euill soule take any benifite by them for what profiteth the multitude of riches to this flesh of ours the which must shortly perish they can not defende it from the corruption which doeth belonge vnto it and in which it must needes rest at the last That is a good soule which is not subiecte vnto riches The men of riches haue slepte their sleepe sayeth the prophete He sayed not the riches of men but the men of riches because they were seruantes vnto their riches and not lordes ouer them That gayne which is gotten by the losse of a good name may well be accompted for losse and no gayne He is to be feared that doth feare pouertie Seruantes doe serue to ease their maisters of their cares for one hauing care of one thing and an other of another thing they deuide so the care amonge them that the maister is by that meanes at reste and ease but it falleth out cleane contrary by our money and temporall riches for they doe not take away their maisters cares but doe rather double their cares and their troubles also Thou art very vayne thy selfe if thou doe put any truste in the vanities of this worlde It is an extreeme vanitie to subdue thy minde to the vanitie of this miserable world Despise with all thyne harte the riches of the earth and thyne harte shall be replenished with the true riches of heauen THE RICHES OF THE VVORLD are declared to be but of vile substaÌce And therefore vnvvorthye eyther to be loued or esteemed of a man vvho is adorned vvith so manye good gyftes by God to the end he sholde not abase hym selfe in the louing of so vile thinges but sholde vvholie direct his loue tovvard his deuine maiestie to be after partaker in heaueÌ vvith hym for euer CHAP. 19. I HAVE not esteemed the thinges of this world sayeth S. Paul any better then dong He could inuente nothing to compare riches vnto that he could esteeme for lesse or accompte more vyle theÌ donge But if these temporall thinges were in deede of very good price value yet in respect of heaueÌly things they ought not to be accoÌpted of any value at all much lesse ought they then to be esteemed beinge of so vyle and base substance as in deede they be Thou thinkest thou doest much in the despisinge of the goodes of this worlde doe but consider a litle the vilenes of the matter that all these riches and iewels of the worlde be made and formed of and according to the matter thou findest them of so doe thou esteeme them VVhat is golde but the verie dregges of the earth VVhat other thinge is siluer and pretious stones but the superfluitie of the earth which droppeth downe into some holow place of the earth and there is gathered together norished increased VVhat be all these Sattins damaskes all kinde of silkes but the superfluitie of vile woormes And what is your finest cloath but of the wulle of a sillie beaste VVhat be your fine delicate furres as sables marterns and other like but onlie the skynnes of dead beastes VVhat be all your costlie buyldinges your paynted Pallaces highe towers and other costlie edifices your mightie and large Cities are they of any other substaÌce then earth And what other thinge is honour but wynde And what is there any thinge in this world that is not of earth So that in louing or esteemynge any thing that is in this world which is of worldlie folke so much made of what other thinge doe you esteeme but a little earth Knowe and acknowledge that which the world doth offer vnto thee and beware that thou put not thine harte in subiectioÌ to such base and vyle stuffe Thou mayest with good reason be ashamed of thy selfe that being a creature of that excellencie borne to loue and to serue God arte yet of so base a mynde and corage that forsakinge thy creator thou hast bestowed thy loue vpon such vile abiecte thinges Let there be yet at the lest wise so much noble nature founde in thee as to acknowledge thy selfe for such as in deed thou arte and for that excellencie of thy nature which thou hast receyued of God to gyue hym thankes and neuer subiecte thy selfe to any thinge meaner then thy selfe Loue those thinges whiche are the most noble of all which are thinges spirituall and most agreeable to that noble nature whiche God indued thee with all when he created thee to his owne similitude and likenes For as loue doth transforme the louer into the thinge that is beloued so as that louer is brought thereby into the possessioÌ of an other thing and is not maister of hym selfe Euen so thou thy selfe being so worthy a creature louing these earthlie thinges so dearelie as thou doest beinge such and so vyle as they be thou doest gyue that which is of good value in deede for that which is but vile nothing worth Thou exchauÌgest most pretious things for thinges most beggerlie and the thinge that of his owne nature is most excellent whiche is thy soule thou gyuest for the vyle muck of the earth which is a thinge verie vnworthie and vnfyt for thine estate and degree whereby it not onelie appeareth that thou knowest not thy selfe but also that thou vnthankefullie renouncest those singuler priueleges which God hath gyuen the. VVhy doth God commaunde thee to loue him not for that his diuine Maiestie hath any neede of thy loue but for thyne owne good and singuler benifite He will that thou shalte loue him because he wold haue thee to be honored thereby and by transforming thy seffe into him by thy entier louing of him thou mayest receaue aduauntage by the exchange when thou gyuest things that be good for things that be better and thinges that be pretious for thinges that be inestimable without value Thou mayest see by this howe little God esteemeth
these earthlie thinges VVhen he depriued his greate frend Iob one whome be loued so well of them at the request of his greate enemy the deuill Open thine eyes and consider how much thou doest abase thy selfe in the vnordinate louing of riches how much thou doest exalt thy selfe agayne by the contemninge of them Take awaye therefore thy loue from these vanities bestowe it onlie vpon Iesus Christ. NO MAN OVGHTE TO BE proude nor to glorie of his earthly possessions vvhich doe further nothinge tovvard the attaynynge of vertue but rather as hurtfull thinges they ovghte to be reiected and abhorred of vs. CHAP. 20. COMPARE not the wisdome of God vnto a pretious stone for all the golde in the world being compared vnto that is but as the small sande And siluer in respect of that shal be accompted but as a peece of clay saith the wise man That is great pouertie whiche the wordl calleth riches Put not thy mynde vpon such vanities but lifte it vp to God alone Abase not thy selfe in subiecting thy will to such vvâe thinges God hath created thee to goe vpright and straight because thou shouldest looke vpwarde to heauen and loue heaueÌlie thinges And set nought by these thinges of the earth And because God looketh and hath respect to helpe thee to doe thee good therefore hath hâ placed all thinges that thou haste needâ ãâã vpon the vppermost face of the earth as bread wine meate and all other thinges necessarie for thee because thou mightest finde them redily and easely at what tyme thou haddest neede of theÌ But the superfluous things as golde and siluer he hath hiddeÌ vnder the earth because thou shouldest not wish for them nor desire them Seeke not therefore after such false ware The prophete sayeth Ye children of men why doe ye loue vanitie and seeke after lying Thou being the sonne of a reasonable man which haste also the vse of reason doe not thou lyue so without all reason as to make these earthlie gooddes the vttermost end of thy trauailles synce thou wast created for to enioye the heauenlie gooddes All that thou louest is vanitie sayth the Prophet and whatsoeuer the world promiseth thee is but lies This golde is but earth and this silke which thou esteemest for so delicate a thinge cometh from the selie woormes and what thinges be more vile then those These be those pretious thinges whiche adorneth thee with this dayntie stuffe thou settest thy selfe out to shew when all this was vpon thy backe wast thou cloathed with any thinge but with pouertie and with vanitie Be not thou proude of any such like cloathinge neyther doe thou vaunt thy selfe of thy riche hangings or other costlie stuffe that thou doest adorne thy house with all for thoughe to thy blynde eyes they seeme to be great riches yet in truth they be none nor for such are they esteemed of men that be wise and of vnderstaÌding These thinges be not they whiche shall make a man riche If thou wilte be riche thou must loue that which is verye true riches in deede These riches can not make a man wyse humble patiente chaste or mercifull they conuerte not anger into meekenes nor make a cruell man piteous nor the enuious man charitable Now if towarde the vertue of the minde they doe further nothing at all but rather as by experience we daylye see doe make men worse in maynteyning vyce and dryuing away vertue what reason is it why thou sholdest so fondly esteeme them for euen as when thou doest norish in thy bosome serpents and scorpions who when they haue well warmed them there will stinge thee and poyson thee for thy labor and do as much as is in them to kil thee So with the heate of thy disordinate desires thou doest norish and augment these riches and delicacie wherein thou lyuest which being fostered with in thy bowels doe after gnaw thy conscience and extinguysh the good spirite with in thee and so put thy saluation in great daunger· This is that which thou hast loued so well O thou blinde man This is that after which thou seekest so fast And this is that which thou consumest thy selfe for Praye vnto God to gyue thee thy right vnderstaÌding to the intent that thou mayest knowe the deceytfulnes of these gooddes which thou louest so well and that thou mayest lyfte vp thy harte to the loue of those thinges in whiche true riches are to be founde MAN BEINGE CREATED TO the image and similitude of God ought onlie to loue hym and not these earthlie riches vvith vvhich in deede he hath no maner of resemblance CHAP. 21. DOE not thou loue the world nor the thinges which be in it sayth Sainte Iohn By the light of naturall reason it is manifest that thou oughtest not to loue any of these earthelie thinges âor loue is a thinge of that nature price âhat it cannot be due vnto any thinge but âhat which is able to render loue backe âgayne and requite loue for loue which âs the iust recompence and price thereof ând because no vnreasonable creature can âhus doe therefore must not thou set âayne harte and affection vpon any of theÌ It is a greate peruerting of order to vsâ thinges to other endes then they are appoynted and created for Only god is to be loued for hym selfe as that which is the cheefe good of all and as it were the verie centre of thyne harte And his creatures must thow vse in their kyndes to serue hym with all as he hath ordeyned but for that good which thou doest thy selfe take by theÌ thou must thaÌke God threreof And vpon hym must thou bestowe all the loue therefore that thou canst vnto whom it only belongeth froÌ whome thou onlie receyuedst the fruyte and benefite of those his creatures But yf thou doest loue the creatures them selues not referring the loue thereof vnto God Thou pâruertest the order of nature and art worthelie to be punisshed therefore God created man to his owne image and likenes to the ende that as all other lyuinge creatures of their owne natures doe loue their lyke so he sholde gyue all his loue and affection to God alone and not set his lykinge in these earthlye and transitorie thinges But with riches whââ resemblance or likenes hast thou VVhââ hath thy soule to doe with golde Thoâ hast to loue God onlie after whose imagâ thou arte made And not these earthââ creatures All that longe tyme that Iacob haâ children by Lya and her handmayde ãâã neuer remembred his returnynge to ãâã owne countrie agayne for the louers of âhese temporall gooddes being occupyed âboute externall thinges doe forget heaueÌ which is their true countrie in deede But âs soone as he had children by Rachell he âesired to retorne to his natiue countrey âgayne And so doe all those whiche doe good woorkes desire to comme to glorie ând rest in heauen VVhen the king of Egipt was dead
lyfe He wept vpon the Citie of Hierusalem and vpon the crosse And to be shorte all his whole lyfe was but a longe mournyng and a contynualle penitence Our Lord sayth that vnlesse you be as little children you shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Ye knowe that children haue no other weapon to defend theÌselues with all but teares And with those must thou likwyse defend thy selfe from the deuill Pharao was drowned in the water of the sea and the deuill is destroyed in the water of teares It is a madnes to take pleasure in this lyfe when thou must lyue in the middest of so many greate daungers The wyse man sayeth I haue taken ioy for my sorow and vnto pleasure haue I saied why doeââ thou so vaynely deceaue me Moyses had rather suffer affliction with the people of God then to be made partaker of the earthly pleasures of the Egiptians and therefore denied he himselfe to be the sonne of Pharaos daughter The teares of the iuste shall be turned into ioy sayeth the prophete And according to the multitude of my sorowes shall thy coÌsolatioÌs coÌfort my soule It is better to be troubled with the iuste then to eate the breade of gladnes vppon the table of sinners It is better to weepe in wildernes than to laugh in the pallace of princes Despise thou this soone passing pleasure that thou mayest after receaue the vnspeakeable pleasures in glorie perpetuall GREAT VANITIE IT IS FOR A maÌ to gyue hym selfe vnto the pleasures delightes of this vvorld the vvhich doe runne so fast avvay and vvhiche doe cause hym at last to loose the eternall ioyes of heauen CHAP. 24. VVHAT pleasure can I haue to sit here in the darkenes sayed Tobias to the Angell It is vanitie liuing here in the darkenes of this miserable world to seeke after theâe vayne pleasures fond delightes of the world VVee wander in such darkenes here that âvee can not know those that wee daylie keepe company with all yea of them that wee haue coÌtinually before our eyes wee can not tell which be good nor which be bad the darkenes is so great that many tymes a man can not see hym selfe The wyseman sayth That a man knoweth not whether he be worthie of loue or of hatred That man that trauayleth by the way and knoweth not whether he be out of his way or no can take no greate comforte of his iourney It is vanitie to take pleasure in the way of this peregrination not knowing whether it be acceptable to God or no And greate vanitie is it for a man to take pleasure in that state in the whiche he knoweth not whether he shal be condemned to hell And because this may happen in this lyfe at any tyme thou must allwayes lyue in doubte in feare VVhen thou trauaylest by nighte and art doubtefull of thy way it were greate marueyle to see thee ioconde and merie He that seeth his neighbors howse on a fyer will haue little lust to be merie And verie vanitie is it for the to spend thy tyme in pleasure that is geuen thee to doe pennance in especiallie seeing thy frendes thy neighbours daylie dying before thy face Of death thou art full sure but of the state whââein thou shalt dye that knowest thou little of theÌ is it an extreeme vanitie for thee to forget the feare of God to gyue thi selfe to laughiÌg making merie That father doth much more sorow then he doeth reioyce that burieth his childe the same day that he is borne The pleasure of this world in which thou so much reioycest doth passe away in post slydeth away more swifte then the wynde The wyseman sayth that the foole taketh pleasure at his owne follie And follie it is to make accompte of that pleasure which tarieth no longer with vs. It is a vayne thing to gyue thine harte a tast of that pleasure which thou no sooner tastest of but it is gone agayne The Prophet Esay sayth they gaue greate sighes and did bitterlie bewayle that reioyced with their hartes before for their ioye ceased euen sodenlie It is a vaine pleasure that the birdes doe take when they tast of the corne and are straight taken in the grynne and like vnto that is the pleasure of the fishes which delighte in the bayte vpoÌ the hook whiche they no sooner take into their mouthes but death apprehendeth them Thou art as vaine and simple as these vnreasonable creatures if thou doest reioyce amiddest all those vayne prosperities of the worlde hauinge death so neare vnto thee and readie to take thee Remember that the tyme is short and let them that take pleasure be as thoughe they tooke it not God broughâ the iust man by the right waye The waye is right when the myddest doth answere and is conformable to the begynninge and the ending The man that is strayed out of his waye goeth seeking aboute to see yf he can fynde it agayne to the ende he may get to the place that he intended his iourney to in the begynning The scripture in many places doth liken vs vnto wayfaring folke and wanderers by the way VVee begynne to enter into our pilgrimage when wee be first borne and it neuer endeth agayne vntill death doe end it You may aske of SalomoÌ what our begynninge and our ending is The first voyce sayeth Salomon that I vttered comming out of my mothers bely was crying and lamenting nether had euer king of this world any other beginning and like vnto this shall be also thy later ending Thou wast borne in weeping and thou shalte dye lamenting and wilte thou yet lyue laughing This is not the right way by the which the iust must walke Goe thou the strayght way be none of those that walke aboute quyte out of the way which is as Dauid sayeth the right course of the wicked Let the middest be agreeable to the beginning and the ending thou begannest in weeping and after the same sorte maiest thou well beleeue that thou shalte make thyne ending also Takâ thou no great paynes to be rich seeing that Iob sayeth Naked I came out of my mothers wombe and naked must I retorne to my mother the earth agayne Neuer care thou to make proude pallaces since a poore litle cradle did holde thee when thou camest firste into the worlde and when thou dyest a small pit in the earth must receaue thee agayne Neuer seeke to be greate in this world since thou wast so little wheÌ thou camest first into it and at thy death when thou departest from it againe thou shalt be as lowe as thou wast before litle Thou wast both litle poore when thou camest into the world and not greate and riche Thou camest not first into the worlde ââke a coÌquerour or a reuenger of quarâels with thy sworde in thy hande neither âust thou be such a one when thou entrest ââto thy
the Prophet he called vpoâ God The more that the waters of thâ flood did increase so much more was thâ Arke of Noe lifted vp and the more thââ the children of Israell were afflicted ãâã Egypt so much more did they increase ãâã multiplie So the waters of tribulation doâ lifte vs vpward toward God and by theâ is our merite increased and grace augâmented Take therefore a delight in tribulaâtions for it is a vearie readie way for theâ vnto heauen The first thing that God wrought in the conuersion of S. Paule was to make hym blynd and throw hym downe to the grounde to geue vs thereby to vnderstand that the first begynnyng of ãâã true seruyng of God cometh by triââââtion The corne and the chaffe reââne both in the floore together Euen ãâã this worlde are good men and euill ââed together in company But when ââynde of tribulation bloweth vp the ââked are blowen away and scattered ââugh anger and impatience and the âââd are thereby vnited and ioyned toââer That which doth hurt vnto euill ãâã doth good vnto the iust By much beating at last the blacke âhe is turned to be whyte If good men ââgather anye spotte of sinne through to âââh fauor and prosperitie of the world ââân aduersity cometh it taketh it cleane ââây from them The chastisemente of ãâã in this lyfe is like vnto the correctiâââ of a pitifull father who euer iâ his âââishmente remembreth mercie withall ãâã the punishment of the nexte worlde is âââhout all participation of mercie acâââding to that which the Prophet sayde âo God Thou shalt rule them with thy ãâã of yron and thou shalt breake them in ââces like vnto the vessels of clay y Choose then rather to be afflicted and persecuted in this worlde seeinge thou mayest by so shorte a suffering gayne thy selfe thereby perpetuall rest in heauen OVR BEINGE OVER CAREFVââ for matters of this vvorld beside it shevveth diffideÌce in gods promâââ made vnto vs it letteth and hyndââ vs froÌ our spirituall exercyses vviââ vvee ought most to attend vnto CHAP. 33. BE not ye carefull for which yow shall eate drinke nor take yow thought for that wââââ yow shall were on ãâã backs sayth our redeeââ Much vayne carefulnes aboute tempâââ thinges doth ouerchardge our spiritâ winges by the which our soule ãâã flie vp to the contemplation of thiâ eternall God made man such as he shold be ãâã to vnderstande and knowe his chiââ good and finall felicitie that by the âââderstandinge thereof he might loue and by louing of it at the last enioye which he loued froÌ the enioying wâââ of wee be kept by the ouermuch ãâã and loue of these worldlie thinges If childreÌ of Israell had bene carefull aboââ that which they shold haue eaten droââ or worne when they shold haue ãâã ââo the desert they wold neuer haue gone âât of Egipt nor neuer haue entred into ââe lande of promyse If thou wilt enter ââto the lande of promise thou must cut ãâã the superfluous cares of these transitoââe thinges And the greatest parte of those Heââewes which were by gods mercie deliââred from the bondage of Egipt because ââey were to carefull after they were ãâã men into the desert for their foode and ââe prouision for their bellie longing still ââter flesh meate and their olde good fare ãâã Egipt they died in the wildernes and âeuer obteyned their desire in the entring ââto the riche frutefull lande which was âromysed them Labor thou not for temporall thinges ând thou shalt wynne erernal thinges And âoe not seeke too greedelie after these ââsible thinges lest that thou doe loose the ââinges inuisible Vnto certeyn men that had so much ââre of their owne matters that they forâât gods causes God hym selfe saide âecause ye haue attended with to much ââre to your owne howses and haue let âây howse stand desert forsaken thereâore shall not the heauens yeld you any âater nor the earth any fruyte It is but ââeete iust they should want all thinges âhich forsake the maker of them for their âwne worldlie busines God compareth the lyfe of the iust vnto the birdes of the ayre aswell for thâ little rest they haue and the small suertââ they finde in the earth As also becausâ their ordinarie abiding is alofte in high places Hereof it is that Christ repreheââdinge the carefull lyfe of worldlie foâââ reproueth them by the example of thâ birde sayinge Beholde the birdes of thâ ayer they neyther sowe nor reape noâ gather into their barne and yet our Lordâ feedeth them A fowle shame it were ãâã thee to consume thy selfe with the care ãâã trauayling after this fowle earthly mucââ when thou mayest with the same care gââ the sweete flowers of Paradis VVhââ wronge doest thou vnto thy selfe to weaââ out to tier thy selfe in seeking after thiâ world when thou mightest with as little trauayle finde out heauen it selfe Euen foâ the verie honour of thine heaueÌlie father thou owghtest not so to doe For this ouââ greate diligence and carefulnes of thâ sonne doth as it were priuilie repreheââ the necgligeÌce carelesnes of the father aboute the prouision of thinges necessariâ for his child For wheÌ the child doth taââ so much care yt argueth little care in thâ father Thou canst not therefore without soââ reproofe to thy heauenlie father set thy care thy mynd altogether about theââ temporall thinges as thoughe he had ãâã care at all to prouyde necessaries for hiâ children The birdes of the ayre tarrie nâ âânger vpon the earth theÌ their necessitie ââforceth them the most of their lyfe they ââe spend ordinarelie in the ayre aboue ând yf thou wilt escape the daungers of âis lyfe thou must flie from the earth as âârre as thou canst Thou must seeke by ââtemplation to get vp to heauen yf thou âilt keepe thee safe from taking harme on ââe earth VVhen God created the birdes and ââe fishes he gaue vnto them his benediââion but vnto the brute beastes of the âârth he gaue not his blessing at all and he ââat will get that blessing which god doth ââue vnto good men must doe his best to ââe from all those daungers whiche he ââethe others to perish in For vnto those âhich lyue disordynatlie on the earth deââghting in all earthlie pleasures like vnto ââute beastes God will not gyue his blesâââg at all but rather his maledictioÌ sayââge Goe ye cursed of my father into ââerlasting fier which is prepared for ââe diuell and his aungells Seeke to lyue like a birde on highe prayer and contemplation putting all âây care vpon God according to the sayââg of the Apostle saint Peter Put all your âââe vpon God for he it is that taketh care ãâã yow all So sayde the prophet I am poââe and needie but our lord hath care of ãâã And yf our lord haue care of thee âake ãâã thou too much thought carefulnes for these temporall
OF GOD exceedeth all the depth of mans vvisdome the vvisdome of the vvorld being foolishenes before God and by the contemnynge of the vvorld is that other vvisdome gotten CHAP. 34. IF any be wyse amongest you let him be as a foole to the intente he may be wyse this sayeth the Apostle There is not a higher poynte of wisdome then to become a foole for Christ. The wisdome of God which consisteth in true mortification and denying of our selues the worlde taketh for foolishnes The wyse man sayeth I am the most foole of all and the wisdome of men is not with me The children of this worlde be wyser then the children of light And therefore sayed the wyse man that the wisdome of men was not with him but the wisdome of Christ which the worlde esteemeth follie The wisdome of Christ exceedeth all our vnderstandinge and therefore the worlde calleth it follie as we call commonly all that follie which exceedeth our capacitie The Captayne in the fielde sometyme so oâdreth his armye and setteth so his battayle in array contrary to the common custome that the souldiers vnderstanding nothing thereof doe take the enterprise for vayne and the Captayne for a foole And because the wisdome of God exceedeth all our capacities it is called follie As the wyse man saide in the person of worldlie folke The sonne of Iustice hath not shined vpon vs. He speaketh not here of this materiall sonne whiche shineth both alike aswell vpon the iustice vniust But they were not lightened from aboue with the light of his highe celestiall wisdome because the weake eyes of mans vnderstandinge can not endure to beholde the great light of gods wisdome All the while that Moyses was in Egypte he was both wyse and eloquent with all but when he was to speake vnto God him selfe he confessed his insufficiencie of speach for before God the wisedome of man becometh starke dumme Salomon was a vearie wise man but comparinge his wisdome with the wisedome of God he called him selfe the most foole of all others This is greate wisdome in vs to despise the world for god He knoweth much that knoweth how to saue his owne soule and he his onlie wise for all other are but foolish and ignorant In the true despising of our selues consisteth the altitude of Christian wisedome And before this high wisedome is euerie great knowledge verie perfect ignorance All though thou wert neuer so perfect in al the liberall sciences what profiteth it thee yf thou be ignorant in thyne owne estate That exterior knowledge is to be accompted no knowledge in deede Happie is that soule that is replenished with the wisedome of God and perfect happie is he that seeketh to be wise before God and maketh no accompte of the wisdome of this world One droppe of this wisdome of God is more worth then all the huge Seas of worldlie wisdome In this schoole must thou studie day and night seeking for true mortification The more that thou hast of true perfect knowledge the more ignorant thou shalt be towardâ the world and as it were one deade in it Iacob after he had wrestled with the Aungell remayned lame of one of his legges and was after called Israell whiche is as much to saye as man that seeth God and so he that seeth knoweth God must be lame outwarde to the world If thou doe see therefore worldlie meÌ goinge carefullie and diligentlie to get honour and worldlie riches doe not thou marueyle thereat yf they goe not lamelie nor haltinglie aboute that busynes for they haue but a small knowledge of God The iust men that doe see God as Iacob did throughe the knowledge that they haue of our Lorde are as it were lame in the knowledge of earthelie thinges And those doth the worlde thinke fooles because they be wyse before God VVhen the superiour and cheefe parte of thy soule is ful of the wisdome of God by thy firme fixing of thy mynde therevpoÌ it fareth by it as by the moone which in the coniunction thereof with the sonne is so fullie possessed with the beames and light thereof that it casteth no parte of her owne lighte towarde the earth No more the soule of man being fixed vpon the loue of God and fast ioyned therevnto can haue any light lefte in it to cast or to bestowe vpoÌ the earth or earthly thinges but hath that parte cleane emptie that sholde looke that waye The foole sayth Ecclesiasticus chaungeth like the moone for leuing the diuine light and the cleare shynynge of the sonne of iustice doth wholly conuerte hym selfe to the inferior thinges of the earth This worldlie wisdome is comfounded by the wisdome of Christ. The serpent of Moyses deuowred all the serpentes of Pharaos magitioners So doth the wisdome of God swallow vp and consume all the wisdome of the world In the olde law God promysed riches and such thinges as men naturallie doe desire in the world but there were at that tyme very fewe that wolde turne to the Iewysh religion the verie true worship of god But when our sauiour of the world came promysed vnto men persecuâioÌ afflictioÌ which men doe naturallie hate all the world was conuerted vnto God The wisdome of God is of that force that it tooke the vearie weakelinges of the worlde to conuince the stronge and the ignorant to confute the greatest learned vnto the wisdome of God all thinges are subiect And they that called them selues wyse were the most fooles of all sayth the Apostle This wisdome wold the diuell take from thyne vnderstanding as Amon wold pulck out the right eyes of the Israelites which is the knowledge of heaueÌlie thinges The eyes of a wyseman be in his head which is Christ hym selfe for the wysemaÌ seeketh to knowe God and in that knowledge doth exercyse hym selfe and take delight according to the sayinge of Sainct Paule I confesse that I knowe nothing but Iesus Christ and hym crucified Behold and reade in that booke and let all thy exercise be in the reading of the Passion of Iesus Christ to the intent that by thy knowing of hym here in earth thou maiest afterward perfectlie knowe hym in heaueÌ OVR LYFE IS SHORTE AND passeth avvay like a vvynde And it is lesse also then yt seemeth to be for yt is no perfect lyfe but a shadovv of the lyfe to come CHAP. 35. THE dayes of our lyfe be shorte sayth Iob they passe away like flowers and our yeares consume away like dewe vpon the face of the earth And S. Iames sayth That our lyfe is but a vapor which soone appeareth and in a moment is gone agayne And like a clowde in the ayer which as soone as the sunne shyneth is dispersed This life so much esteemed amongest men seemeth for a tyme to make a statelie shew and to carrie greate countenance in the world abroade but what it is in truth may easlie appeare by the
but that his last hower may be before to morow come And synce thou knowest not whether thou shalt lyue vntill to morowe or no thyne hower beinge âo vncerteyne turne thee betyme to amendment of thy lyfe lest by deferring of yt vntill the end thou mayest be sodeinlie taken with death wheÌ thou woldest seeke for tyme place to doe thy penance in and canst after fynde none A DISCOVRSE HOVV NO maÌ ought in this lyfe to put trust in any vvorldlie thinge shevvinge that there is no assurance or stabilitie in any vvorldlie thinge but all thinges in this vvorld are vnstable and full of vanitie CHAP. 40. PVT not thy trust in Princes nor in the sonnes of men for there is no safetie to be founde in them sayth the prophet In no lyuelie creature nor noble parentage or other dignitie owghtest thou to put any trust vnlesse thou wilt be deceyued troubled and disquieted for all is full of vanitie VVherein trustest thou o thou worldlie maÌ Trust not in thy greate force synce there haue bene so many valiaÌt captaynes in the world of whome wee haue now scarse any memory left to vs. The scripture sayth That the mightie men shall suffer mightie punishement Vaunte not thy selfe in the vanitie of thy greate actes and worthie deedes done by thee It is a vearie follie thy lyfe being so short as it is to make statelie palaces when as our forefathers liued many yeares in simple and meane cotages Iheremy sayth woe be vnto hym that buildeth his howse vpon vnrighteousnes Esteeme not of thy horses well set out and furnished nor the vayne pompes of this world since God sayth woe be vnto you that be riche in Syon and doe put your trust vpon the hill of Samariâ and doe enter so gloriouslie into the howse of Israell Set not your hartes vpon banqueting and feastinge as many vayne folke doe which doe spend their dayes therein and haue no regarde to the sentence that God pronounced vpon Balthasar kyng of Babilon nor remembreth not his wordes sayinge woe be vnto you that rise vp earlie to eate and drinke and to haue pleasant musicke in your howses and haue no regard vnto the workes of our Lorde Trust not vpon the nobilitie of thy kindered nor in the vanitie of thy bodelie bewtie since it is written All outward grace vanitie and bewtie are deceytefull Doe not put any confidence in the nimblenes and agilitie of thy bodie nor in any other externall thinge for in these thinges the vearie brute beastes doe goe beyonde thee and exceede thee Asael which ranne like vnto a wilde deare of the wood was slayne in the folowing of Abner And these outward graces and qualities of the bodie haue bene to many men cause of their distruction and death Make not any greate accompte of thy learnynge and knowledge for since no man lyuing is comparable therein with the vearie deuills them selues who for all that their knowledg cannot delyuer them selues from the paines of hell In nothing of this miserable world doe thou put any trust for all is vanitie and vearie mere follie It is a greate want of wisdome to gyue iudgement before thou doest heare both parties And yf thou doe recken all these wordlie thinges for good why thinkest not thou the thinges pertenynge to God to be as good VVorldlie men doe gyue their sentence in fauour of the worlde approuinge and esteemynge much of the mucke of this earth because they neuer harde that parte which longeth to the spirite once speake on gods behalfe They thinke the world to be good neither hearing nor seeinge any thinge for gods parte Sainte Paule saide If thou diddest tast the sweetenes of the spirite thou woldest abhorre all fleshlie tast And yf thou diddest but tast likewyse of God thou wouldest coÌdemne and vtterlie defie all the sinne and the vanitie in the which thou hast bene content to leade thy lyfe hitherto And because thou knowest not the tast of gods dayntie meates nor of his fauorie foode thou takest liking in the bitter and harsh tast of this miserable world Dispise these vanities and put thou no trust in the lyeng nor in the deceipte of this present world that thou mayest get the eternall and true ioyes of heauen The end of the first parte OF THE CONTEMnynge of the vanities of the vvorlde The second parte VVherein is conteyned hovv peruerse the vvorldlie customes are He shevveth first the vvorld to be full of deceipte false shevves and lyeng and hovv it is enemy to all that loue it lading all those that doe esteeme it vvith infinite miseries and calamitieâ CHAP. 1. DOE not loue the world neither the thinges that be of the world sayth Saincte Iohn He that knoweth not the malice of any thing lyueth in so much more securitie as he feareth lesse the harmes that thereby may come vnto hym Therfore it is meete that thou sholdest know the conditions of the world to the end that when thou knowest it thou mayest the better beware of it The deceytes thereof be vearie manifest and the euill qualities that it hath cry out to all the world How little ought that to be esteemed which gyueth poysoÌ to all those that enter into amitie with it And all those that doe ioyne them selues vnto yt it infecteth with contagious pestilence How many doth it deceyue how many infinite people doth it make quite blinde VVhen it flyeth away it is nothing when it is seene it is but a shadow and when it ascendeth vpward it is but a smoke Vnto fooles it is sweete and to them that be wyse and discreete it is vearie bitter They that doe loue it knowe not what it is And they that doe hate it doe see throughlie into it To knowe it well as it ought to be knoweÌ one must stand farre of from it for they that drawe to neare vnto it neither doe know it nor theÌ selues It bringeth furth much mischiefe and is cause of infinite miseries It blindeth those that drawe neare vnto it and vnto hym that is not well ware of yt it mynystreth matter of much heauie care It hateth those that doe loue it It deceyueth those that doe trust it It persecuteth those that doe serue yt It afflicteth those that be freÌds vnto it It doth shame to those that doe honour it And it forgetteth those that be myndefull of yt More cause haue wee to hate it when it most loueth vs then when it openlie persecuteth vs. The more familier that it is the more daungerous And much worse is it when it fawneth vpoÌ vs then when yt flieth away from vs. Eyther must wee laughe at the world or the world laughe at vs And they that contemne not the world shal be contemned of the world VVoe be vnto them that do trust it happie be they that doe despise iâ It is both to be feared to be fled from The lyfe thereof is deceytfull the trauayll vnprofitable the feare continuall
throughout all the worlde by God his owne holy appoyntment There had neuer such memory bene made in the world of S. Marie the EgyptiaÌ yf shee had remayned still in the world and neuer had gone into the wildernes at all If shee had serued the world shee had bene forgotten longe agoe but flyeng from the world God had care of her to make her glory knowen and published ouer all the worlde the honour of her who liued allwayes hidden in a hole She gayned more by flyeng froÌ it theÌ euer she could haue done by being her selfe present in it O how much are wee deceyued who by our seekinge of honour doe loose it by desyring to haue our name kept in perpetuall memorie wee are quickelie forgotten And hauing a will to be greate we are brought to be lowe and of little accoÌpte And the thinges which wee doe take to preserue vs be made the meanes to vndoe vs and to ouerthrowe vs And euer wee loose where wee doe thinke to gayn O what follie is this of ours and what terrible blindenes to desire still such greatnes in this world seeing before our eyes those onlie to be great in the world which desired to be little and of no accompte VVee wold that men shold remember vs and wee are straighte wayes forgotten there is none so much honored in deede as he that flieth from honour No man is more riche then he that is contented with a little No man so greate as he that seeketh to be little And none so soone forgotten as he that desireth to be had in remembrance of the worlde And all those of whome the world maketh so much feast and so much ioyfull memorie I see finde that they were all enemyes vnto the world Mathathias sayed vnto his sonnes gyue your liues for the testament of your fathers remember the workes that they wrought in their generations and you shall get great glorie and a name for euer The prouidence of God hath so ordeyned that there shold be a perpetuall memorie made of the enemyes of the world and that the frendes thereof shold be forgotten The Ghospell in rehearsing of the genealogie of Christ leaueth out the memorie of Iesabell vnto the fourth generation Allthoughe it had fitlie serued the turne to haue brought it in The memorie of Amaleck God cleane tooke away froÌ the earth but the memorie of the iuste shall remayne with our Lord for euer And the memoââe of worldly men shall perish with the world It is a fowle vanitie to offend God for the leauinge of a memorie behynde thee in this miserable world If thou doest desire a memorie to be had of thee thou shalt be sure to loose it And because the world is so forgetfull of his frends put all thy trust in God who is a most faythfull and âuer frend THE VVORLD EXALTETH his frendes vvhyle they doe lyue but vvhen their lyfe is ended tyme taketh avvay all the memorie of them as though there had bene none such CHAP. 6. IOB sayth of worldlie folke that the memorie of them shold be likened vnto ashes The wynde neuer ceaseth to blow in this lyfe which doth scatter the ashes that is the fame and the memorie that worldlie men doe seeke in this worlde The Prophet sayth They are like vnto duste which the wynde bloweth vp from the earth The vanitie of men is great who knowing that they shal be conuerted into ashes which the wynde of this world doth soone blow away doe yet thinke that their memorie may continue longe in the world And although it were so that the memory of thee shold neuer perish here what wert thou the better yf thou sholdest remayne coÌtinually in hell wold that delyuer the theÌce or deminish thy payne there It is a greate vanitie for thee to desire to be had in memorie of the worlde if thou haste a spotted conscience and a very vayne desire it is of any man to flye abrode in the mouthes of men How much so euer thou art desirous to be praysed of men and to haue thy memory preserued yet must not thou looke to be better remembred then those that are passed out of this world before thee The world is contented for the tyme present here to gyue some shew and signification of his fauour but as soone as one is gone hence he is forgotten as though he had neuer bene The memorie of the iust man shal be with prayse sayth the wyse man but the wicked mans memorie shall soone perish And of the good men shall there be a sweete mention made according as Ecclesiasticus sayed of kinge Iosias The memorie of Iosias shal be sweete in euerie manâ mouth The memorie of all worldly folke cometh soone to an ende and vanisheth away VVhat is now become of all the honors riches and possessions of worldly men where is all the bewtie of this world the men be gone and all that longed to them and time hath cleane consumed the memorie of them all their goodly great pallaces are made euen with the grounde their costly toumbes wherein their bodies lay be all defaced and no monument lefte behinde so much as of the place where they were Our lyfe passeth away lyke a flower and the delightes thereof be shorte and that which the worlde yeldeth vs here is dearely payed for agayne the pleasures thereof be but for a shorte tyme but the sorowes be perpetuall The glorie and delight of this world is but a pufte but the tormentes that folowe thereof be without end many doe neuer thinke of them vntill they falle vpon their backes and with a vearie little pleasure they buy a greate deale of payne and trauayle And for the mainteyninge of a little honour here what infinite tormentes are susteyned which for all that whithin a little while after vanisheth away like a smoke and they are forgotten as though that they had neuer bene To this point cometh at the last all that peuish prayse which is so greedelie sought for by men in this world How many notable learned men hath there bene in this world whose learnynge was folowed with greate affection of men and were therefore called into greate dignitie and honour here of whome yet at this day there is no memorie lefte no not so much as their names knowen Their lyfe was but short with death it had end and straight wayes they were forgotten for euer VVhat is become of so many Princes kinges and greate estates and all their greate port and Princelie Maiestie their frendship riches and Iolitie VVhat is become of all this geare now There is now no memorie lefte thereof It is passed like a shadow and as though it had neuer bene How many haue wee knowen and bene famylier withall and in whose companie wee haue bene full merie together that now doe lye full lowe vnder our feete and are almost forgotten as thoughe they had neuer bene They are all deade they shall
seruantes of the world be alwayes subiect hauing their hartes beaten and al to tossed with the heauie thoughtes cares of this worlde The sentence of our sauiour is most true that sayde That in the worlde we shold haue oppressions the which by afflictinge of our hartes shold verefie that which the Prophet Esay saith the wicked mans harte is like vnto the sea whiche worketh and will neuer be at rest Daniell saw in his vision how the hartes of men be tormented with so manye sundrie passions as it were with the contrarie force and vehemencie of so many wyndes Cares and riches goe still cowpled togyther and amongest the honours and prosperities of this tempesteous worldâ doth pride and arrogancie of hart beare a vearie greate sway and dominion In the which they are first ingendred and from which they doe procede and vearie few are their of them which lyuinge in continuall rest and prosperitie doe not fall into sinne and hardlie are any of them to be founde which in high degree and loftie estate doe keepe and preserue true humiââtie of harte It is is halfe a miracle to see a man lyue ãâã the pleasures of this lyfe and to be free ââom sinne And how can a man put all his ââre vpon God that is so compassed about âith the cares and vnquietnes which doe âârowe of these temporall pleasures in âhich wee lyue Happie is he that doth voluÌtarilie forââke the pleasures of the earth where all ãâã full of daungers and snares and happie ãâã he that in this world seeketh to auoyde âll occasions which may draw hym into âânne He that flieth as Elias did into the âesert of pennance is most likelie to flie ârom all those daungers that doe leade a âan vnwares into hell Learne thou to knowe the daungers âf this world for by the knowing of them groweth the skill to auoyde them and to vanquish them He that doth not feare âhem but boldelie incountreth them is âot to be accoÌpted valiant but rash There âaue heretofore bene some perfect men that haue lyued in the honour and welth of this world and yet haue lyued with all in the feare of God and serued hym trulie But there is respect to be had vnto the tymes of the former age and this that is now present and therefore thou must now âake an other trade of lyfe in hande VVhen there cometh a greate calme in the sea the saylers be in good safetie but when the storme doth come then they vse for their remedie to disburthen the shippe and to caste their goodes into thâ sea for sauing of them selues The sea of this worlde was well in quyetnes in those dayes VVhen Abraham who was a very riche and welthie man wolde with his owne handes washe the feete of those straungers which came vnto him Sara his wyfe did the workes of like humilitie Our forefathers then were serued but with a fewe dishes at their tables they wente appareled very meanely they ryd but vpon simple beastes and all their riches they vsed as seruants to serue them But now that the sea is so swollen that malice and sinne be so increased honor and riches serue now for no other purpose but to gyue a color vnto vicious liuing All the remedie thou haste now is to despise them since that they doe so manifestly preiudice thy soule There is no man but will be coÌtente for the sauing of his bodely lyfe to forgoe all his teÌporall goodes but there be but a few that for the sauing of their soules will despise these false counterfeit goodes of the earth The high estates and dignities of this worlde be no lesse daungerous to the lyfe of the soule in the tyme of perilous tempestes then the goodes and marchandize of the shippe be daungerous for the lyues of them that be in the shippe and is it not reason theÌ that those same goods which thou canst be contented to throwe away from thee for the sauing of thy bodely lyfe that thou sholdest likewise be as well contented to throw away for the sauing of the lyfe of thy soule Doe neuer preferre temporal and transitorie goodes before trew and eternall gooddes But because it is naturall for euerie man to flie daungers it is conuenyent that thou sholdest flie out of the world that is so daungerous In this Sea then where daunger is so certayn and saluation so doubtefull take this good counsell with thee lest thou be drowned in the Sea as king Pharao was Place thyne hart in the lande of promyse toward which thou art sayling and flie from so many daungers by despising of this world that so thou mayest merite to come vnto thy desired port of saluation where thou shalt be certayne to fynde sure rest and perfect securitie THE FAVORS OF THIS vvorld be but as a shadovv that sooââ passeth avvay And therefore they that doe trust in theÌ vvithout thinking of their soules saluation at the last are likelie to rest in the fier of hell CHAP. 9. ELIAS lay sleeping vnder the shadowe of a Geneper tree hauinge many mightie enemies sayth the scripture Trauayling men doe vse to rest them to sleepe vnder the shadow of a tree as they iourney by the way And when the shadow is passed away and gone and they begynne to wake agayne they fynde them selues all sweating in the open sonne shyne VVhat be all the thinges of this world but a shadow sayth Iob vnder the which the seruantes of this world lye sleepinge forgetting their owne good neclecting their saluation and put their trust in the fauors and vayne honours of this world If thou doe put thy confidence in princes and greate men thou sleepest vnder â shadowe that soone passeth away Thou mayest fall into disgrace of thy prince as many haue done which were at the firste in greate fauor with them which after fell out of their fauor agayne and if that happen not yet may he dye and then he in whom rested all thy hope is gone and therewith also is thy hope gone and thou cleane forsaken and left alone Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man sayeth the scripture And cursed is he that putteth his confidence in princes whose prosperities doe passe away whose fauors are soone finished whose good willes be mutable and are wonte often to hate those whom they haue moste loued See what a follie it is to sleepe so necgligently vnder a shadow Sleepe not vnder the shield of thy frends and of thy riches for this vanitie soone passeth away againe Trust not in thy bewtie for by euery light occasion it vanisheth soone away In any thinge of this presente worlde put thou no trust at all for the glorie and pleasures thereof passe away like a wynde And straighte way shalt thou be assaulted by death And such hath bene the end of all the honours that haue passed here before vs they were but vanities And so haue they passed away
could neuer keepe thee in the subiectioÌ of his miserable bondage except it first depriued thee of thy sighte Thou woldest not be so tied vnto these earthlie thinges which thou louest so much yf thou diddest but knowe their vanitie and their fowle corruption But because thou arte blinde and knowest not the filthines of sinne in which thou liuest therefore arte thou made a slaue and a bond man vnto sinne and to thyne owne sensuall appetites OpeÌ thine eyes looke into the vnhappie state into which thou art fallen The dong of the swallow which ãâã vpon Tobies eyes being a sleepe maââ him to loose his sight And the Aopstle saieth that the goodes of this earth be but dong which we finde also by experience to haue that quality of making men blind as had the dong of Tobies swallow The propertie of the swallow is to sing at the beginning of the sommer but sodenly afterwarde she stayeth her singing agayne That condition hath the world also first with a little delicate harmonie to lull his louers asleepe and after to make them blynde with the vayne delighte of this earthly mucke and worldly honors These worldly men haue not eyes to see the lighte of God nor the good which they doe loose by hauing their eyes closed vp with the pleasures of those vanities which they so earnestly doe loue They be lyke vnto Ely the priest which had his eye sighte so weake that he colde not see the lampe of God which hange coÌtinually light in the temple Although they seeme wyse and of good vnderstanding yet are they not such in deede sauinge onely in worldly matters they be like moles whiche liue vnder the earth which when they come abrode into the lighte to deale in matters touching the soule they shewe them selues to be both blinde and ignorant Open the eyes of thy soule that thou maiest espie the vanities of these corruptible goods behold that diuine light with which our Lord doth lighten his seruaÌtes Goe not thou lyke a blinde man falling from one sinne vnto a nother accordinge to that which the prophet Sophonias spake of worldlie men They went aboute like blinde men for they synned against God VValke in the day sayth our lord that thou be not ouertaken with darkenes If synners doe walke by nighte and in the darkenes of their owne ignorance it is no marueyle thoughe they doe falle and hurte them selues The eyes which are accustomed to behold these worldlie vanities when they be once withdrawen from the loue pleasure of the world they be waxen blinde to beholde the true lighte and are fallen into that blindenes whiche God strake the Egiptians withall whiche was such as the scripture sayth That one man saw not an other in three dayes together nor was once able to moue out of his place where the darkenes tooke hym If thou haddest eyes to behold the miserie in which thou liuest thou woldest not stand still as they of Egipte did without mouing thy foote or forsaking thy vyces But thy blindnes doth holde thee fast The loue of the glistering shewes of worldlie vanities doth take away thy sighte as the sighte of a beare is taken away with the beholding of the glistering beames of an hoat burnyng basen shynyng vpon hym If worldlie men had not bene blinde Saincte Iohn wolde neuer haue sayde that the worlde knew not Iesus Christ. It was no greate marueyle that they were blynde and knew hym not hauing vpon their eyes so much earth as they had They went out of their way like blinde men sayth the prophet Iheremy and so blinde that they wolde not take any for their guyde but such other as were blinde also VVhich is the verie trade of synners Blinde folkes doe yet knowe that they be blinde but worldlie meÌ be blinde and yet they lawghe and iest at all those which are not blinde according to the saying of the wyse man The wicked men flie froÌ al those that ruÌne by the right way Our lord saide vnto certein synners why say you that you doe see beinge blinde your sinne is therefore the greater And because that they doe not see them selues they thinke that other men doe not see them and therefore they doe presume to offend God like vnto the seuentie olde men of Israell which God shewed vnto the prophet Ezechiell Beware of this blindnes except you be willing to falle into the worst and most daungerous errours of all THE DEPARTINGE FROM this present lyfe is a most terrible and sharpe thinge to the louers of this vvorld asvvell for their riches honors vvhich they leaue behinde them as for the paynes vvhich they knovve that they shall susteyne vvhen they be gone hence CHAP. 18. THE trauayle of fooles will greeuouslye afflicte them sayth the wyse man VVheÌ death cometh the departing of this lyfe will be very paynefull vnto worldly meÌ for that caÌ not be departed froÌ without sorow which was loued without measure Death vnto a poore man will be lesse trouble that hath not any thing to leaue behinde him then to the welthie man which hath great riches to forgoe then to the louer of these corruptible worldly goodes The troubles of them which despise the worlde shall take ende by death and then shall the tormentes of worldly men beginne a new agayne A terrible tyme shall that be when the bodie of the worldlie man which hath bene brought vp in delicacie and tendernes shal be separated from the sowle to be consumed shortlie after with wormes It wil be a greuous departing that the riche man shall make from his riches which he hath allwayes disordinatelie loued and a âearie hard thinge it wil be vnto the louer of worldlie honor to see hym selfe so sodeynlie spoyled of them The horses of great men goe couered âll daye with costlie furniture and with many men attending vpon them but when they come into the stable at nighte they haue all their fresh furniture taken of âheir backes and then remayneth nothing âpon them but the blowes which their maisters haue bestowed on them with the sweat and wearines of their trauayle The riche and the mightie man likewyse that maketh his iourney through this world is of all men coÌmended honored serued âut wheÌ the hower of death doth come al âis honors and riches be taken away and âothing remaineth behynd but the blowes which he receyued by his sinnes vices which maistered hym and kept him vnder ârinces and kinges shall not carrie their gold and siluer with them when they deâarte this worlde but onely their necgligences and errors committed in their gouernement and charge Consider how greeuous it will be for thee to departe from those vanities which thou hast so much esteemed And learne tâ leaue the world before it leaue thee Takâ thou some good sure handefast betyme that thou falle not into all those miserieâ which then doe accompany death Allthough that the world doth much tormeÌt
Christ âhou shalte finde in all thy labors inwarde comforte and sweete consolations and if happely thou sholdest fayle of those inward comfortes here yet since death maketh an ende of all thy paynes thou oughtest to take comforte of that and of thy comfortes to come after death It is not to be accompted trauayle which lasteth so litle a while The lyfe of man is but shorte and the paynes of the sayntes and holy men be paste and all forgotten but the sorowes of worldly men shall endure for euer It were better for thee to obeye God although he sholdâ commaunde thee to burne in the fier foâ the tyme thou liuest here then to enioy the pleasures of this world and burne afterwarde in the fier of hell euerlastingly Feare not the trauayles that are to take an end with this lyfe but feare those that when death cometh beginne a new agayne and neuer take ende after thy friendes shall not saue thee from those paynes neither thy riches honor or worldly fauor no there shal not any thing at all redeeme thee from them the world shall haue an ende but God endureth for euer Gyue not eare vnto the false lying deceytes of the worlde for it playeth the hangman with thee which first conducteth thee by a fayre greene path which be the counterfeit comfortes and pleasures of this lyfe and straight wayes after dispatcheth thee towarde the place of thy punnishment which is the euerlasting tormentes of hell but an euill rewarde for so good seruice THE VVORLD HATH NO sooner aduanced those vvhich doe serue it vnto preferment but that it doeth straight vvayes agayne forsake them and so much as it exalteth them higher so much the sorer falle doth it gyue them and maketh them in a moment to vannish avvay vvith all the riches honors that they haue gotten CHAP. 20. I SAVV the wicked man exalted aboue the high trees of Libanus and within a while I passed that way agayne and beholde he was not to be founde sayth the prophet The world doth highlie aduaunce those which doe serue it but when they haue well tasted of his pleasures it forsaketh them and forgetteth them The prophet Baruck was well ware hereof when he cried out alowde saying where be the Princes of the people and those which haue subdued the mightiest beastes of the earth and haue spent their dayes in hawkinge after the birdes of the ayre And those which doe hoord vp golde and siluer and those thinges in whiche men doe commytt trust and yet neuer doe attayne to the end nor doe satisfie their desires They were deuoured by the earth and are discended downe into hell The glorie of this world soone passed away from them and all their comforts ended in a moment The pleasures of the vngodlie doe soone come to noughte It is a vanitie to truste in the honors of this world seeing they neuer remayne with them longe that doe possesse them The wicked man enioyeth that which the world doth gyue hym but for a short tyme and yet many a mocke hath he therewithall The world hath played with Princes greate men for a little while And after that they had well tasted of his pleasures for a space he suffered them to perish and to be lost for euer VVhat were their honors and their high estates vnto them but onely ministers of matter which caused their more dolorous death and more infamous fall To what ende serued all that vayne ware but to gyue them the more payne in the parting from it agayne If thou be exalted on high vnto any greate glory beware that thou sleepe not there the whyle for the worlde watcheth alwayes occasion to plucke thee downe and to gyue thee a fall The glory of this worlde soone vanisheth away and all the pleasures therof be false and deceytefull they be flowers which soone doe fade away and litle trust to be had in them for when worldly men doe thinke them selues most sure of them then doe they soonest forsake them· The hangman bringeth the guiltie person to the toppe of the ladder and âhen throweth he him most cruely downe ând with much shame doth make an ende of hym So doeth the world exalt his seruants intangling them in all kynd of vices to gyue them after the more shamefull falle That greate Babilon mentioned in the Apocalips vaunted of the greate prosperitie which shee had here in the world but the more sure that shee thought her selfe to stande the greater falle shee after receyued in the ende That couetous riche man of whome S. Luke maketh mention bosted of his great riches and power but it was straight wayes told hym thou foole this night shall âhy soule be taken from thee and then the riches that thou haste gathered together whose shall they be The Children of Israell were scattered abrode to seeke straw and stubble There is no scatteringe abrode to seeke thinges that are precious but men must scatter abrode to seeke straw and such like light stuffe All men doe seeke after riches for all thinges are obedient vnto money And they that be seekers thereof doe goe all scatteringe one from another because couetousnes knoweth no frend neyther remembreth any kynred The little value of honors riches is noted in this saying that they sought all abrode for strawe but the worst of all is this that after they had sought it and founde it to yet were they wel beaten for all that VVhich doth signifie vnto vs that the vanities which wee doe seeke with so much trouble and busines doth gyue vs much sorow both in the getting and the keeping And often tymes it happeneth that the thinges which are earnestlie soughte doe serue also for straw to make a fire in hell for the busie seekers thereof Those poore afflicted Israelites trauayled aboute all the lande of Egypte to seeke out strawe and at the end of all their trauayll they were all beaten for their labor And so falleth it out by those which when they offend God by their busie payne taking here in this lyfe shall after for their labor be punyshed for euer in the next Malice noughtines is a punishement of it selfe For allthough that aâ euill conscience be some tymes at rest yet is it neuer in perfect suertie And therefore seeing the world so soone forsaketâ them that loue it and leaueth them destitute of all such pleasures as it was wont ãâã yeld them be thou no longer in daungeâ vnto it but preuent it first and forsake it before it forsake thee And so shalt thou gayne honor and credite by it THE HARTES OF VVORLDlie men be so vexed vvith the insatiable desire of the riches honors and solace of this vvorld that eyther they perceyue not or vvill not perceyue the holie inspirations of God by vvhiche he calleth on them to seeke theyr ovvne saluation CHAP. 21. I STAND knockinge at the dore sayth God yf any will heare my voyce and let
Blesse ye all those that doe persecute you blesse but curse not at all And in an other place he sayeth Let vs blesse when we be cursed if persecutions doe fall to vs let vs beare them He sayleth with a contrarie winde as Christ sailed on the shippe of the crosse that prayeth for his enemies and doth good to them that doe persecute him The wicked doe also many tymes suffer persecutions and sickenes as well as the good for that God will that they shall in this lyfe beginne to feele of the tormentes which they must suffer after in hell But by the aduersities them selues it is easelie knowen which be they that be gyuen for to gayne by them lyfe euerlasting And which be they which are gyueÌ to begynne euerlasting death by If thou shalt see any man which in his sickenes shall blaspheme or greeuouslie offend God thou mayest perceyue how that tribulation is gyuen hym for his punnyshment and for to begynne to feele his hell here But yf he haue patience and doe gyue God thankes in his punnyshement then mayest thou be sure that God hath sent that infirmitie vnto hym for his good and benefite to clense hym from his former faultes and to augment his glorie in heauen Thou must haue patience in aduersitie yf thou lookest to be of the number of the elect Patience in aduersitie and tribulation is to God a most acceptable sacrifice In patience there be many good thinges Doe but hold thy peace and thou shalt ouercome And yf thou be sorie to day thou shalt be glad to morowe If thou be to day discontented thou shalt to morow be comforted For so small a tyme then temper thy sodayne motions and refrayne thy tongue Doe not afflict thy selfe neyther doe thou drowne thy selfe in a small water In good workes as fasting almes and penitence thou arte so pursued with humayne prayses that thou doest often loose a greate parte of thy merite but patience is a secret treasure For men can not see what thou sufferest neyther can they perceyue the iniuries done vnto thee because they touch not them If thou haue patieÌce and doest holde thy peace thou arte not praysed because in suffering silence beareth the sway and hath the domination but yf thou be impatient then doe many wordes beare all the rule If thou be impatient then doe all men finde fault with thee but yf thou haue patience then will no man saye ought of thee for men doe heare well thine impatient wordes but of thy patieÌce being done sayeng nothing they haue no consideration at all The more that thyne harte is sacrifised vnto God the more is all the worke that thou workest acceptable vnto him and so much as thy workes be lesse noted and commended of men so much be they the more perfect and better accepted of God Suffer then and haue patience a whyle for tyme cureth all thinges if thou be faythfull vnto death thou shalte receyue the crowne of lyfe BECAVSE THE VVORLD IS fâll of confusion disorder and miserie it oughte to be fled from of hym that is desirous to fynde the treasor of heaueÌlie riches CHAP. 24. FLYE from the middest of Babilon sayeth God The world is full of confusion where no order is but euerlasting horror Golde is more esteemed then vertue transitorie goodes be preferred before spirituall and true goods the worlde is so full of confusion that he which hath a soule hath not a true lyfe it exalteth them that be euill and it subdueth those that be good Our Sauiour brought three of the perfectest disciples which he had vnto the toppe of an hill for to transfigure himselfe before them The worlde exalteth Iudas vnto honors and high estats leauing those that be good vnder the foote it is good for thee not to inhabite where so litle order and so great confusion is Esai speaking of the great mischeee that reigned in Babilon sayed that the Arabians wolde not pitch their tentes in that place And he that considereth the confusion and disorder of the world will neuer sett his affection therevpon VVhen a sicke man findeth not health in one place he chaungeth his dwelling and goeth to another This world is full of sickenes vearie daungerous for thee to recouer thy health in Thou wilt neuer get thy perfect health whilest thou doest abide with it Chaunge it and thou shalte finde healthe forsake it and thou shalte finde lyfe flie from it betyme yf thou wilt escape death Seperate thy selfe from the noyse of this world yf thou doest meane to lyue in rest and quyetnes The pleasures and the consolations thereof be more bitter then the waters of Iherico and they be as mutable as the moone Thou canst not find so euill waters agayne vpon the whole earth Little shalt thou profit in vertue in so barrayne and hungrie a soyle Abraham looked toward Sodome and he beheld all the land smokinge and flamynge as it had bene a fierie fornace And he that will consider this world well shall finde in it nothing but the smoke of pride and vanitie and the flame of disordinate desires He doth well that forsaketh all worldlie thinges flieng from the wayes of sinners and hydeth hym selfe farre of from all the busines and daungers of this world That seruante is wyse which knowinge that his maister whome he serueth intendeth to put hym awaye doth determyne to forsake hym first and take his leaue of hym And since the world is such as doth forsake his frendes in their chiefe tyme oâ neede the best is for thee to forsake it before it doe forsake thee VVhen Isaacke was borne Abraham made no feaste at all but when he tooke him from nourrisse and wayned him then he made a great feaste VVhen man is first borne ther is no cause of feaste because a man knoweth not what will become of him but when he is seperated from this worlde and wayned from all his pleasures and delightes then oughte we to make a feast for him Flie from the worlde and thou shalte finde the treasor hidden in the fielde He which diggeth after any treasor the nearer that he cometh vnto it so much the more withdraweth he him selfe from the conuersation and companie of men and the nearer that he approcheth it so much more haste doth he make in his worke So doe the holy and good men the nearer that they draw vnto death the more earnest they be aboute all good workes as though they began but euen then to labor He that did eate of the Pascall lambe was firste circumcised And if thou doest not first circumcise thy selfe by dryuing from thee the loue of this worlde and spoyling thyne harte of all sensuall desires thou shalte neuer taste of the spirituall foode of the soule If thou haddest a greate deale of good grayne in a lowe bottome and one sholde tell thee that it marreth and corrupteth in that place thou woldest strayght waye
good so much did he gett and recouer agayne by vniting hym selfe vnto them It is a daungerous thinge to forsake the coÌpany of them that doe feare God And it is a thinge of wonderfull profit to be conuersant amongest spirituall men The holye Ghoste descended vpon VVhitsonday where the disciples were gathered together And if thou wilte contynew amongest good men thou shalte receyue the holy Ghoste as they did thou shalte delyuer thy selfe from the daunger of euill company if thou wilte ioyne thy selfe to those which be good with their wholsome admonitions they doe keepe thee from many euill attemptes and with their vertuous examples doe they excyte thee to doe good workes Choose those for thy companions to walke withall to talke vnto and to imitate by whose sweete conuersation and fruytfull communication thou mayest be brought vnto the loue of God For euill speeches doe corrupt good manners As necessarie and as profitable as it is for the health of thy bodie to haue a good ayre and an holesome situation so necessarie is it for the health of thy soule to haue conference and conuersation with the seruantes of God And since thou fliest from vnsounde and vnholesome places for the coÌseruatioÌ of thy corporall health why doest not thou likewyse for the mayâenance of thy soules health Flye from all worldlie company and seeke out for the frendship and conuersation of those which are good and iust Flie worldlie company as thou woldest flie hell fire and conuerse with the frendes of God for at the ende of thy iourney thou shalte get more by it then thou canst now well imagine ONLY FOR THE LOVE OF God and for the desire of obeying his holie vvill ought man to despise the vvorlde and the vanities therefore yf he vvill that the despising of them shall serue hym for the gettinge of heauenlie glorie CHAP. 29. HE that leaueth his house his father mother and his brothers for my sake shal receyue a hundred tymes as much agayne sayeth our Lorde Many haue forsaken their possessions and neuer receyued rewarde therefore because they despised not the worlde for Christes sake They seeke them selues they loue their owne glory and desire to be talked of in other mens mouthes So much shall thy worke be meritorious as it shall be founde to beare iuste weighte with it iâ the ballance of God his loue The Apostle sayeth If I shall gyue all that I haue to the poore haue no charitie it profiteth me nothing Let all thy desire pleasure be to contente to please God and let his loue onely moue thee to the seruice of hym despisinge wholie this world and pretending to thy selfe no profit or commoditie thereby God praysed Iob and the deuill replied agayne saying Happelie doth Iob serue thee for nothinge This deuill pleaded his cause subtillie with allmightie God for he denyed not the workes of Iob to be good but he argued vpon his intent sayinge that happelie he did them for his owne commoditie and not freelie of good will For yf Iob had bene moued to doe those workes which he did for his owne interest and profit and not for the loue and glorie of God he had proued by good reasoÌ to God allmightie that Iob had bene neyther a iust man nor a good man The seruante of God oughte in all that he doth to haue no other respect principallie but vnto the seruice and honor of God yf he will that his worke shal be meritorious vnto hym for the wicked men doe many good morall workes but the difference is that good men doe their workes in the fayth of God for his loue It is against all reason that the goodes of the earth sholde be preferred before God Art thou better then he that thou doest esteeme thy selfe more then his deuyne Maiestie If thou doest forsake synne eyther onely or principally because God sholde gyue thee glorie therefore thou shalt neuer enter into that glorie Or yf thou despisest the world and leauest synne onlie or cheefelie because thou woldest not come in hell thou hast takeÌ euen thereby a redie way thether For yf thou coÌsiderest all this well thou shalte fynde that it proceedeth from the loue of thy selfe and if thou doest examine well thyne owne intention and meaning herein thou shalte see how the loue that thou haste to thy selfe doth inuyte thee and moue thee thereunto and then arte not thou full lord of thy selfe neyther arte thou throughly mortified neyther canst thou yet tell what thing it is to serue God Doe not thou thinke that all they whiche haue forsaken their temporall goods haue therewith also forsaken them selues nor that all they be the frendes of God that doe despise the world But who is the frend of God in deede Euen he that doth forsake the world for God And who is the seruant of Iesus Christ. Euen he that hath no will in this world but to fulfill the will of Christ. The Prophet Dauid saide I haue inclyned my hart to doe thy commaundementes for a reward The reward that moued that holie man Dauid was God hym selfe According vnto that which God him selfe had told the Patriarke Abraham long before saying I am thy greate and thyne aboundant rewarde God ought onelie to moue thee principally thy will ought to be chieflie to haue hym for the reward of all that thou shalt doe Let al thine intentioÌ be onelie to please God and thou shalt merite much euen by the smalest workes that thou doest which ought not yet to be called small when they doe proceede out of that roote Seeke onelie the glorie of God and folow the counsayle of the Apostle which sayeth Doe all that thou doest for the glorie of God The perfect true louer seeketh God in all that he doeth and despiseth hym selfe for charitie is a bonde of loue by the whiche wee be vnited vnto God renouncing our selues Althoughe that naturall loue and diuine loue be like in their outward workinge yet be they farre differinge in the ântention for charitie doth not in any âhing loue it selfe and naturall loue doth ân all thinges seeke his owne good onelie for it selfe He may well and ought to be esteemed an euill man that is good onelie for his owne pleasure and delighte Let Christ be the cause and the end of all thyne actions yf thou wilt not loose thy tyme in the poing of them THE CONTINVAL REMEMbrance of death and that our bodies must be turned into Ashes is the perfectest and the best remedie against the temptation of sinne CHAP. 30. REMEMBER the last thinges and thou shalt not synne for euer The memory of death helpeth much to make vs lightlie to esteeme the vanitie of this world He will easelie despise all thinges that remembreth he must die God appareled our father Adam with the skynnes of dead beastes because he shold haue euer in his memory the senteÌce of death which he fell into by his
contentement in thinges that be created for in them shalt thou neuer finde it All that is in the whole worlde is but little for our reasonable soule That vessell which is able to conteyne God hym selfe can neuer be full vntill that God hym selfe doe fill it The cause whereof is the vanitie of these worldlie thinges The thinges that be of their owne nature vayne as all these worldlie thinges be doe so occupy the place wherein they be that for all their being there the place remayneth emptie still and golde doth no more satisfie the soule then wynde doth satisfie the bodie The desires of our soule can be but little satisfied with all that is on the earth to be desired because the desires thereof be infinite and without the compas of any measure or boundes Therefore in this lyfe wee haue no other remedie but to take away the desire of the thinges of this worlde If a man were so madde that he wold needes flie vp into heauen it were but an euill remedie to deuise for hym all such thinges as were necessarie to further his enterprice forwarde It were much better to consider the meanes how to make hym leaue it of and to put that imagination out of his heade since it is a thinge impossible to be broughte to passe After this manner must thou applie the remedie to all thy greedie desires and thirsting after honors and riches alwayes perswading thy selfe that it is vnpossible for thy soule to be satiate with any thinge that is conteyned vnder thee cope of heauen This is all the remedie that thou hast to take away these vaine desires of thyne for it is more easie for a man to haue wynges and to flie aboue the cloudes then to haue thy desires fullie satisfied with the pleasures of this lyfe These temporall goodes be but as an ãâã matter to set our desires on a fire As it were a madnes to adde more wood to the ââre for to put it out withall so is it as greate madnes for vs to thinke that wee can put out the fire of our desires with the drie wood of these worldlie delytes The principall cause and reason thereof is because that none of the goodes of this lyfe can haue any conformitie or agreement with the nature of our soule God hath made vs for hym selfe and our harte is neuer setled in full quyetnes vntill that it rest whollie in hym God hath gyuen vnto all thinges certaine prescribed rules answerable vnto their owne natures It were against all rule of reason to feede an horse with flesh and a lyon with grasse because it is not agreable with their natures And our soule beinge a spirite how shall it be satisfied with corporall thinges Golde and our spirite be nothing like together neyther any thinge that the worlde bringeth forth or gyueth hath conformitie with the nature of the soule Vnto some creatures as vnto the Camelions it geueth ayre to mainteyne them withall wherewith the proude men doe seeme to be maynteined also but yet the soule is no Camelion Vnto some other it geueth Iron to lyue withall as the Oysteriges vnto which it seemeth that couetous men haue some conformitie Some be fed with filthines as the fleshlie and carnall folke and to some it gyueth poyson for their foode as vnto the enuious persons But because all these thinges be earthlie and haue no agreement with our soule it can not bââ susteyned with earthlie thinges onlie gâace and the gyftes of the holie Ghost as thinges spirituall can gyue sustenance strength to our soule And although that pride and enuy and all other vyces be thinges in their kynde spirituall yet foloweth it not thereon that they be the foode of our spirite for their be many corporall thinges which be not the sustenance or foode of our bodies The reason is for that God is onlie the foode of our soule and not any other thinge in the world beside He hauing so ordeined it in our creation that our soule sholde not be satisfied with any thing but hym selfe If thou shouldest curiously aske whye bread doth nourish our bodies not poyson there is no other reason to be gyuen thee therefore but that bread is agreeable to the nature of the body and not poyson And euen so is it by our soule for as much as God is the naturall foode thereof if it be fedd or nourished with any other thing but God it is enough to make it to starue for hunger This spirituall foode hath also this aduauntage which our bodely nourishment hath not for that our bodely sustenance engendreth still a satietie and loathing in them that doe take of it but the soule enioying once heauen and hauing the fruition of God may both haue satietie without lothsomnes and yet haue withall an hunger vnto God so as the satietie or fullnes quencheth not the desire neither letteth the soule from desiring still Make not much a doe in afflicting of thy selfe to winne authoritie or credite in the world for all is but affliction and torment of the spirite seeke not after the riches and honors of this miserable world for in them shalte thou finde nothing but charge and care but turne thy selfe wholy vnto God for he is thy true foode and sustenance of thy soule that maynteyneth it and enricheth it VVHOSOEVER DESIRETH to finde rest let hym not seeke it in thinges of this vvorlde for they be all full of trouble and turmoyle but let hym turne hym vnto God and he shall enioy quyetnes and most happie tranquillitie CHAP. 4. RETVRNE O my soule vnto thy rest saieth the prophet The sicke man although he doe chaunge his beddes neuer so often yet shall he neuer finde ease vntil his paine be taken away that caused his vnquietnes Thou doest carry about with thee the infirmâtie of worldly loue but vntill thou cast it cleane away from thee thou shalte neuer finde any ease in all the delicate beddes of honors riches or delightes In God onely thou shalte finde rest loue God and thou shalte finde quietnes turne thee vnto him and thou shalt enioy a most perfect contentment Ionas the prophete after he was gone away from God neuer found rest he was disquieted vpon euery place on the land he fled after to the sea and being in a ship the tempest ouertooke him and disquyeted him but where God is there is no tempest he called vnto God in the whales bellie and made his prayers vnto him and so when he turned vnto him he was discharged of all his former troubles Seeke not for any rest in thinges of this lyfe thinke not to finde any perfecte ioy in this worlde for where so euer thou becomest thou shalt be beaten with many afflictions thou cariest thy infirmitie with thee thou shalte not finde quyetnes in any thing that thou louest here chaunge not thy place but chaunge thyne affection turne vnto God and thou shalte be in reste and quyetnes this is the readiest
in it the glasse that a man may best beholde him selfe in is an other man and if the other man that thou beholdest be but earth wormes and ashes thou mayest well accompte thy selfe for such a one also be thyne estate riches or dignitie neuer so greate whereunto thou arte exalted in this world and yet because thou mayest not be deceyued by the glasse see that thou takest not a glasse that is holowe within for that sheweth the thing that is represented therein contrarie to that which it is in deede but thou must looke in a playne glasse which sheweth thee the very truth what man is If thou beholdest thy selfe in the inside of a siluer spoone that is cleane and cleare thou shalt see thy face with the wronge ende turned vpward thy bearde to stand vpwarde and âây forehead downeward So there are in ââan two glasses which be the two states ãâã which thou mayest beholde thy selfe âââe is lyfe the other is death Lyfe is the holowe glasse which shewââth thy face cleane contrary to that it is in ââeede it sheweth thee to be sound strong ând lustie and that thou shalte lyue many ââeares and all is but vanitie and lyes If âhou espiest therein fresh lustie youth doe âot thou truste therein for it is very deâeytfull Bewtie is also very deceytfull âhou seemest stronge when thou arte but weake this false lyfe seemeth vnto man to âe some greate thinge but it is in deede contrary to that which it semeth and reâresenteth But the state of death is the very playne and true glasse which sheweth âhinges truly as they are in deede without âny deceyte at all If thou wilte therefore O man know âruly who thou arte behold an other man not a quicke liuing man but one that is deade and there shalte thou see how that thou arte earth and ashes a very caue of filth and vncleanes a litle set out and bewtified on the out side by the lyuely hew that lyfe hath lent thee there shalte thou see the foundation of thy parentage there shalt thou knowe how large thy dominon is that which thou art they were and that which they are thou shalte be If thou wilt well beholde thy selfe thou shalte finde small cause why thou sholdest make any greate accompte of thy selfe what is man in respecte of his body but a vessell fraughte full of corruption And what is he in respecte of his soule setting a side the grace of God but an enemye vnto iustice an heyre of hell a frende of vanitie a worker of iniquitie a despiser of God a creature most apte to all euill and moste vnable to doe good VVhat arte thou but a moste miserable creature in all things that doe apperteyne vnto thee In thy counsayles thou arte blinde in thy waies ignorant in thy wordâ vayne in thy workes faultie in thyne appetites filthie and finally in all thy doingâ vyle and onely greate in thyne owne estimation it is a noble exercyse to learne well to know thy selfe Seeke to knowe thy selfe and thou shalte cut of much mischeefe thou shalte not be proude nor ambitious thou shalte not be a despiser of others thou shalte suffer all iniuries with patience knowing thy selfe to be a miserable sinner and well worthie of all creatures to be despised This singuler saying know thy selfe is a worde descended from heauen aboue for what good doth it thee to knowe all the seuen liberall sciences and to be a Doctor in all faculties and not to knowâ thy selfe at all The humble knowing ãâã thy selfe is more worth then to knowe aââ much as is written in the world know first who thou arte whence thou camest wher ãâã thou arte and whether thou arte goinge thou arte a mortall man a litle earth a vessell of corruption and full of much miseâie and necessitie thou camest cryinge from thy mothers bellie thou art conceyâed in sinne inuironed aboute with all âaungers and going toward thy graue Iob sayeth I am likened vnto myre ând to the snuffe of a candle Let the light âf Gods grace shyne vpon thee and then âhalt thou knowe who thou art thou sayest âhou arte rich and hast neede of nothing but in truth thou arte poore and beggerly âlthough thou knowest it not THERE IS NOT ANY CREAture in this vvorld more poore and miserable then man vvho can not get his liuinge nor any thing perteynynge tovvard it vvithout payne and trauaile and that vvhereon he liueth must be had of creatures much inferior to hym selfe CHAP. 14. A MAN that is borne of a woman liueth but a short tyme and is full of many miseries sayth holie Iob VVhat thing is so miserable as man This bodie which thou so âuch esteemest in the graue must lie a rotting And what thinge is more horrible then a dead man He may not remayne amonge his frendes one day aboue the grounde after he is deade How much so euer they loued hym when he was a lyue yet when he is deade they may not abidâ hym The state wherein thou liuest is an vnhappie seruitude It is a miserable lyfe to be borne a slaue to liue one and to die one Dauid sayth In iniquitie was I coÌceyued A lyfe that is so compassed aboute with trauayle payne and sorowe as ours is whiche for one pleasure receyueth ãâã thousand sorowes may well be accoÌpted rather a death then a lyfe There is no creature more pooreâ then a man he is so needie of all thinges that he is fayne to borowe his verie garmentes that he is cloathed withall eueÌ froÌ the sely beastes backes And that which he liueth on his vearie meate must he beggeââ of the birdes of the ayre and beasts of the field And the breade that is his cheefe foode he must get with the sweate of his browes All which for the most parte the birdes brute beastes haue of theÌ selues and haue no neede to begge or to aske of any other Some liuing creatures haue winges to flie withall others haue nayles and ââeth both to defend them selues and to offend and hurt others And others haue lightnes and swiftenes to flie escape those daungers which they be subiect too Of all which thinges the poore miserable man is voyde for of hym selfe he hath nothinge and that which he hath he hath taken it from some other creatures that be inferior and of lesse force then hym selfe By this âe may learne to humble hym selfe and to abate the pride and the arrogancie which he is holden withall He can not haue any continuall peace âor quietnes for he can not continuallie âtand still nor alwayes walke nor alwayes âleepe or watch wheÌ a maÌ is best in health âe hath a thousand infirmities which be âunger thurst sleepe wearines and other âecessities wherewith he aboundeth as âolde heate tempestes lightnynges thunâers pestilences poyson serpentes daungers by sea daungers by lande sorowes âickenes and death VVho cold be in more safetie then ââly the Priest of God was and
from thee the vayne cares of this worlde The second thinge that apperteyneth vnto a good messenger is to be diligent in the cause he goeth aboute and to vse a good dexteritie in delyueringe of hiâ message and soliciting the same and not to faynte in his sute vntill he haue brought that to passe that he cometh for And so must thy prayer be not slow but dilligent not warme but feruent and fierie And although thou be not heard at the very first yet thou must be importunate persââer still callinge as the holie disciples did that continuallie perseuered in prayer Make meanes vnto those that be in fauor with the greate kinge that they may speake vnto hym for thee and be thy daylie intercessors as they vsuallie doe that haue any sute vnto any temporall prince Call earnestlie on our blessed ladie the mother of God for to helpe thee and all the holie Saintes of heauen Our Sauiour teacheth vs howe we ought to behaue our selues towarde him in the parable of him that asketh three loaues of breade of his frende where he sayeth vnto him that if he wolde not gyâe him that which he asked of him because he was a frend yet at the leastewyse that he sholde gyue it him because of his importunitie Our Lorde wolde haue thee to be importunate and doth sâay his hand from gyuing thee that which thou demaundest to make thee to perseuer in good and that thy merite may thereby be increased that so thou mayest be made worthy to receyue that which he meaneth to gyue thee which is more then thou doest aske of him and although that God doeth knowe in all thinges our necessitie yet wolde he haue vs to sende our messenger of prayer vnto him because his will is that we shold be delyuered from our temptations by âhat meanes It is necessarie for thee to praye not because thou sholdest make God to know âhat which he knewe not before nor for âhat he sholde chaunge his determination ây thy prayer but onely that by thy prayâr thou sholdest vse those meanes by which God determined to gyue thee that âhing which thou desirest of him Thy prayer presenteth vnto God thy âecessities it humbleth thyne harte it deâyuereth thee from euill it moueth God âo shewe thee fauor and reconcyleth thy âoule vnto him Prayer ouercometh and conquererh âll thinges It ouercometh men as it appeaâeth by Dauid Iudith and Iudas Machaâeus who all ouercame their enemies by ârayer It ouercame the fire when it burâed not the three children that were put ânto the fierie fornace at Babilon It ouerâame the water when Moyses by prayer âade the redde sea to open and deuyde âât ouercame tyme when Elias did thereây make it to rayne or to leaue rayning as it pleased him It ouercame the body when Moyses continued fortie dayes and fortie nights without eating or drincking onely susteyned by the helpe of prayer It ouercame death as is manifeste in Ezechias who beinge adiudged by God his sentence to dye did get by prayer dyuers yeares of lyfe It ouercame the cloudes in as much as Elias by prayer caried the cloudes from the sea vnto the lande It ouercometh the heauens as appeareth by Iosua that by prayer made the soonne and heauens to stande still and moue not and aboue all this prayer is of that force and of that effecte that it ouercame God him selfe Moyses prayed vnto God and he straight wayes made answere vnto him saying Let me alone that I may reuenge me on them God doth here confesse that he was holden backe by the prayer of Moyses since he willed him to let him be reuenged of his people Our Lorde sayeth All that you doe aske in prayer you shall obtayne Seeing then that prayer can so much preuayle in all troubles afflictions temptations and tribulations take it for thy sure shilde for without it shaâte thou neuer get perfect victorie EVERIE THINGE DOTH naturallie tend vnto his proper ende and the ende for vvhich man vvas created beinge God hym selfe he ought to despise all vvorldlie thinges that mighte dravv him from the right vvay vnto hym and onely applie hym to the exercise of such thinges as may further hym to that ende vvhich he seeketh after CHAP. 37. I AM both beginning and ende sayeth God The riuers doe all come forth of the sea and doe thether returne agayne and all thinges doe naturally craue their proper ende and ââre by nature holpen towarde it And as âod is our sea from which we came and âhe very center whereunto we tende our âoules by nature must seeke vnto him and ââbor to come vnto him as to the very end âor which they were created Our soule can finde no resting place âere in this present lyfe for God him selfe âust be the rest thereof as the vttermost âânde of all that it seeketh after and the very cause of the creation thereof God hath made vs for the loue of him selfe and therefore our harte must needes be vnquyet vntill it may attayne and come vnto him All thinges hath God created for man and man hath he onely made for him selfe It is a thinge much to be marueyled at that all the creatures that God hath made doe those thinges that they are created for and onely man is a rebell vnto God and endeuoreth not to come vnto the ende that he is ordeyned for God created not thee for the earth but for heauen he made thee not to the ende that thou sholdest seeke after worldlye thinges as the finall ende of thy creation but that thou sholdest onely seeke after him The beastes of the fielde which ãâã hath ordeyned for the earth doe carrie their heades downe looking alwayes towarde the ground but man whom he hath created for heauen he hath made to goâ strayght vpright that he may beholde heauen vnto the which he belongeth and towarde which he dayly sholde drawe Be not thou to much occupied in the wayâ thether neyther be thou disquieted in tââ iourney hence let not thy reason be confounded with to much busiyng thy selfâ aboute these corruptible worldly thinges but set thyne harte vpon the lande of tââ liuing the very proper country in deeââ where thou mayest enioye thinges ãâã ââbiect to any corruption make no accoÌpt ãâã these thinges visible but lift vp thyne âârt vnto things inuisible Labor earnestlie ãâã come vnto the ende that thou arte orââyned for VVhie did God create thee âât onely because thou sholdest enioye ââm Let it be therefore thine whole studie ââd labor to attayne to hym as to thy most ââppie end The Prophet Dauid made his deââunde who shall ascend vp into the hill âour Lord Or who shall rest in his holie ââce He answered hym selfe agayne ââight wayes saying He that hath not reâââued his soule in vayne And that thinge ââwayes receyued in vaine which is not âârcysed to the end that it is ordeyned ãâã thou sholdest in vayne buy a garment âhou woldest
neuer weare it and in ââne sholdest thou haue a soule if thou ââte not therewithall doe those thinges ãâã exercyse those functions that thy ââe is created for God hath created for thee a memorie ãâã thou sholdest remember hym with ãâã vnderstandinge that thou sholdest ââw him with a will that thou sholdest ãâã hym by It is but meete that synce ãâã hath made thee to the end that thou âââdest loue hym and serue hym thou âââdest spend these short dayes of thyne âââe exercyse of such thinges as might âââge thee vnto that glorious end that ãâã wast created for He that hauinge a soule doth lyue ãâã though he had none and he that occupyeth his vnderstanding in the applying ãâã it to get worldly honors and riches and bestoweth his will in the louinge of the thinges of this worlde such a one receyueth his soule in vayne because God created it not for that purpose Felicitie is the last ende of man and ãâã the which all other thinges are ordayneâ in their due course Let not the finall ãâã of thy trauayles be intended vnto any thing besides God nor doe not thou reââ vpon any earthly thing for neyther ãâã nor riches nor knowledge nor any thing here on the earth can throughly quââ thee and contente thee Take away thââ harte from the loue of all worldly thiââ and loue God onely for whom and ãâã whom thou wast created Despise this present worlde and thââ shalt come vnto thy desired ende and âââly this may suffice to perswade thee forââ despise the vanitie of the worlde to ãâã that thou waste created for heauen Alâ not thy selfe so much as to delight theâ these contemptible worldly thinges and thou shalte be quyet here in this worlde for the tyme and glorious and happie foreuer after in heauen âORRIBLE AND FEAREfull shall the day of Iudgement be in the vvhich thou must render accompte of thy thoughtes vvordes and vvorkes and shalt be iudged for them accordinge to the rigour of iustice CHAP. 38. ENTER not into iudgement with thy seruante sayde Dauid that holie man of God Dauid was the seruante of God and yet he desireth hym not to exactâ straight accompte of hym The Iudgeâent of God shall come with that rigour ââat holie Dauid beinge such is he was ââold neuerthelesse gladlie haue escaped ãâã And if then he which serued God did ââare his iudgemeÌt how much more ought âââe to feare it that serueth still the world ãâã sayth enter not O Lorde into iudgeâent with thy seruante what reckenynge ââall then the seruaÌtes of the world make ãâã the seruaÌte of God be so much affrayed ând if the iust man shall scarse be saued âhat shall then the poore sinner doe It is a thinge to be much lamented to âe any man lyue here all his time shyning in honor and in vanities and yet be ãâã neare fallinge into so darke and daungerous a place as that all the corners of ãâã conscience and secretes of his hart shalâ diligentlie searched and tried out by the lighte of gods Maiestie shynynge moââ brighte therein then any torch or candle lighte Balthasar kinge of Babilon lyuing in all maner of vice and satisfying his lustââ in all kynde of sinne had sodeynlie vpon him the haÌd of gods Iustice that wrote the sentence of death against him signifyinge vnto hym that God wold take an accomââ of him and put his sinnes in a balance anâ deuide his kingdome The tyme draweth veary neare ãâã thou must also gyue a strayte accompte ãâã all thy workes wordes and thoughtes ãâã the secretes of thyne harte shall be layââ open and all thy priuie thoughtes shaââ come forth in open shew for which thââ arte to receyue thy punnishment with aââ rigor of iustice thou shalte not be able ãâã deny any thinge for thy sinnes shall lye ââpen agaynst thee and thyne owne conscââence shall be thyne accuser there will ãâã no pleadinge alowed thee before thâ mightie King of glory all thy sinnes shalâ be put into the ballance and all the câââcumstances thereof shall be wayed and ãâã the benefites which thou haste receyââ of Gods hande and then shall thy kingâdome be deuided when thy body shall ãâã âut into the graue to be eaten by wormes ând thy soule shall be sente to hell there âo remayne for euer Then shall no prayer ââe heard for thee the Saintes that thou âast wonte to call vpon to be intercessors âor thee will then be so deafe that they âill not heare thee nor any answere shalte âhou haue of them All that then thou shalt âee shall be nothing els but thyne angrie âudge ouer thyne heade and hell open ânder thy feete on thy righte hande shall âe thy sinnes that accuse thee on thy lefte âande the deuils that shall tormente thee âithin thee shall thy conscience be gnawââg on thee and without thee all the world ân a burning fire If Adam for a litle meate which he ââoke contrary to Gods will did so much âeeke to flie his presence what wilte thou âoe or where wilte thou hyde thee when âod shall come to take an accompte of âee and shall finde thee so full of vyces ând sinnes Euen as wax melteth before ââe fire so shall sinners perishe before the âresence of God It is written Let the âhole earth tremble before hym and let âll the inhabitaÌtes of the world be moued ãâã his presence It wil be a greater punnishement for âee to be seperated from the presence of âod then âo feele the sensible torment of âell The Prophet Esay sayeth let the wicâed man be seperated to the intent that âe may not see the glorie of God The louers of this world doe neuer knowe tââ vanitie in which they doe lyue vntill tââ payne hath lightened their vnderstandâââ and made them bewayle their greate ãâã felicitie Despise thou vnfaynedly the vaniâââ and false shewes of this transitorie worââ and so shalt thou best escape the paine anâ tormente of hell hereafter THE PERPETVALL PAINE of hell vvhich are prepared for ãâã louers of these vvorldlie vanities ãâã greate so horrible and so fearefull ãâã the onely consideration thereof vvââ sufficient occasion to hold a man baââ from sinne if there vvere none other CHAP. 39. SO much as he did gloryâââ his pleasures so much toâââ and sorowe doe thou gâââ vnto him sayeth God Tâââ vanities of this world ougââtest thou for many causes despise and for to doe it the better it âââfiseth thee to knowe the greate tormeââ wherewith they shall be punnished It is written That accordinge to the measure of thy sinne shall the measure of âhy strypes be If thou woldest but consider wherein these pleasures and vaniâies in which thou lyuest haue to take ânde thou woldest lyue in some sorow and âitternes of mynde and of such thinges âs thou nowe delightest in thou woldest âake small comforte Iob sayed in the person of worldly ââen That which my soule abhorred