thy sinnes Thou shouldest rather feare and tremble in this vale of teares than be ioyfull vaine glorious for thou knowest neither how acceptable thy works are in Gods sight nor yet how long thou shalt continue in doing wel Let him that thinketh he standeth take heede lest he fail saieth the Apostle If thou do vainly boast of the glory giuen vnto thee of God thou shalt be depriued of the same So saith the writer of the â—salmes In my prosperitie I said I shall neuer be moued because he gloried in himselfe he had a shameful downefal as himselfe doth say Thou didest hide thy face and I was troubled If thou doest any good at al it is by the power of God why then braggest thou in those good thinges which are not thine They be the foolish virginâ— without oile in their lampes which seeke the vaine and outward glory of this world If thou dost glorifie thy selâ—e thy glory is not worth a strawe If the Angels of so great honor and excellenciâ— in heaueÌ„ do seeke onely the glory of God how much more ought vile mortal man to humble him by renouncing al vain glory Learne miserable man to be lowly in heart that thereby thou maiest get fauour before GOD which through pride and vanitie the wicked Angels haue forgon CHAP. XI Vaine glorie is to bee eschewed HE that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lord saith th' apostle Reioyce not of thy works for all the glory of the seruant of Christ should rest in God alone Despise the vaine glory of this world if thou desirest to haue more grace before the Lord. The more shouldest thou feare that thou proue not vaine glorious the more zealous thou art of the glory of God Vaine glory ariseth of some good thing but it goeth not away with that good but mightilie encreaseth For as God of his goodnes fetcheth good out of euill so the Diuel thorough his naughtines draweth euill out of good For out of a good work he draweth vain glorie that the worker may attaine no reward at Gods hande When thou thinkest thou doest much thou doest but a little in respect of other holy men The thing which semeth white compared with snowe wil straight appeare in a manner blacke If thou wouldest calle to remembrance how great thinges holy men of God haue suffered and with what austeritie of life they haue humbled their bodies thou wilt say thy selfe that little thou hast donne Acknowledg thine owne imbecilitie and how weake thou art neuer so vainely doe thou vaunt thy selfe Let not this vanitie moue thee vnto good workes neither looke for a rewarde from men The wind-mil wil not turne about nor grinde the corne vnlesse a gale of wind doe driue the same about so many wil not grinde the corne of good workes except they be moued there-unto by the winde of vanitie Thou leesest the price and praise of wel doing if onely vanitie moue thee to do wel And albeit thou do all which the lawe commaundeth yet â—hat hast thou whereof to boast â—hen yee haue don all those thinges â—hich are commaunded you say we are â—worâ— profitable seruants saith Christ 〈◊〉 thou shouldest al thy life long serue â—OD yet still thou shouldest thinke 〈◊〉 vnprofitable For wouldest thou more exactly â—eigh these thinges with thy selfe â—ou couldest not but see that very â—â—ten thou hast offended God And â—en and not afore hast thou donne 〈◊〉 when thou art of opinion that â—â—ou hast done nothing Destroy not the fruite of thy labours either consume thy sweate in vaine â—od he knoweth and that much betâ—â—r than thou whatsoeuer thou doest â—nd what thy workes deserue hee â—â—ill not leaue a cup of cold water â—iuen of thee to the least of Gods â—hildren vnrewarded Then why praisest thou thy selse 〈◊〉 thou ignorant that so doing thou â—halt haue no praise of God Take 〈◊〉 selfe but for one altogether vnâ—â—ofitable and so God hee will take â—ee for one of his profitable and â—erfect seruantes If thou praise thy selfe thou shalt be dispraised though afore thou seeâ—mest to be worthie all praise commendâ—tion If thou thinke thy selâ— vnprofitable thou shalt forth with beâ— profitable though afore thou weâ—â— worthy all blâ—me and reproch It is necessary to call thy wits toâ—gether To forget thy good deedes it is a good thing If thou haue thy sinnes in obliuion which thou ought est to haue in continuall memorie why hast thou not the good which thou hast done in obliuion alâ—o He lâ—ieth vp a good treasure which forgetteth his good deedes The Saintes in olde tâ—â—e did labor much to call backe their sinnes into remeÌ„braunce and therefore they were humble But the Pharisie through pride dâ—d cast away himselfe euen when he seemed to be most thankefull vnto God If thou praise thy selfe both God will abhor and men will hate thee If thou wouldest haue thy deedes to be great count them but small else can they not be great Therefore in all things be thou lowlie before God and so thou shalt receiue the greater grace at his haÌ„ds CHAP. 12 They which would bee great in this world are become vaine men BE not highe minded but feare If thou wouldest bee great in heauen be litle in earth Thou hast knowne many which haue been great and mighty in this worlde whose memory now is buried with their bodies How many great Prelates and men of power haue there been whose vanitie is vanished like the smoke of whom no man now hath any care at al Dead they are and others occupie their places which neuer thinke whether their soules be either in ioy or paine Why seekest thou rule and to be of power Why dâ—sirest thou to be great in this world â—aue not others been in thâ—t state which thou labourest for and hath not the world forgotten them Dost thou not consider the ende of them That which came vnto them happen wil vnto thee for the world will not leaue his old wont Thinke how they did rise and againe how they did fall and that their fal was the greater the higher they aspired Hee whom those great men contemned in their life doth either bury them with dust or tread vpoÌ„ them lying in the graue RemeÌ„ber how in that state which thou desirest others haue been whose names thou knowest not and the worlde hath so forgot as if they had neuer been and touching their bodies they be reduced into dust and ashes Respect not so much the time present as to come neither esteeme the honor which this world doth offer thee but marke what wil followe afterward Fasten thine eie vpon the thinges which will ensue after this short life and liue content in that state or condition whereunto God hath called thee Thinke not through the instinct either of Sathan or of the worlde how thou wilt serue God in an high calling better than in a low degree Honor blindeth the eyes of men-Greate men
himselfe a slaue vnto them The least thing that is sufficeth a poore man but nothing can satisfie the greedy minde of a couetous churle Other sinners though they haue no portion of ioy in the other world yet they enioy the present state but the couetous man hath no ioy in neither and therefore the most miserable Hee that putteth his confidence in riches is a foole The couetous man is neuer without some excuse when hee should giue to him that needeth It is greater honour than to win a kingdome to conquer a mans inordinate desires The Diuel being asked of God from whence hee came answered from compassing the earth to and fro and from walking in it So doe the couetous men they compasse the earth about as the Diuel did and doth but toward heauen they neuer looke The couetous rich man is a pray for his Prince a marke for theeues to shoote at and a cause of quarrell among his kinsfolke and friends The couetous man is vnworthy to haue a place either with the Angels aboue in heauen or with men below in earth and â—herefore he would be buried with â—udas the traitor that for the loue of mâ—nieâ—old his master euen the Sâ—uiour of the world The couetous man before he wiâ—neth any thing is first wonne hiâ—selfe and before hee taketh ought is taken himselfe â—ee burneth here in this worlde with the fire of inordinate desire and afterward shall burne in the fire of hell Diues beeing in hell desired that with the tâ—p of Lazarus finger his thirst might be quenched Woulde so little water thinkest thou aswage the heate of the fire of hell No doutlesse For if that had beenne granted he would haue desired more still without ceasing Such as the state of this man was in hell such is the state of all couetous persons in this worlde they desire a drop of riches when all the waters and seas of worldly substance will not quench their thirst Euery thing that is heauy doeth naturally incline towards his â—entre But nothing doth so peâ—se downe the heart of man as couetousnesse They sanke downe to the bottome as a stone saith the Scripture of Pharao and all his hoast Couetousnesse of all other sinnes reuiueth and waxeth young againe when a man is olde If thou dost lie vpon the earth with thy breast and drinke of the running waters of these worldly riches thou shalt bee discharged from the seruice of God as Gedeon discharged the like men that went out to fight against the Medianites Was not Achan stoned Gehazi plagued with a leprosie Iudas hanged Ananias and Sapphira punished with sudden death and all for couetousnesse Beware therefore of it Hee that ouercommeth this vice of auarice is a stronger man than he that vanquished his bodely enemie If thou heapest vp riches together thou makest a heape of wood wherwith thou shalt bee burned in hel as the Phenix is in this world As the Physicion forbiddeth a sick man that which hee knoweth to bee hurtfull for him to the end hee may recouer his health so God as a good physicion forbiddeth man couetousnesse as hurtfull to the soule whom if hee harken not vnto hee is like Adam who not obeying God which did prohibite him to eate of the tree in the middest of the garden fell into infinite troubles and afflictionâ— Obey therefore the commaundement of God whose will it is that thou shouldest flye from couetousnesse if thou wouldest haue any part in the kingdome of heauen CHAP. 37. God he blesseth the liberal man GIue and it shal bee giuen you saith the Lord Christ compareth riches vnto thornes which laide vppon a mans bare hande they will not hurt him but if hee close his hande together they wil draw blod and the faster the hande is shute so much the more is the harme that hee shall take thereby Riches doe not hurte the open but the hand that is shut Blessed is that man of whom it may bee said as it was of that good woman She stretcheth out her hand to the poore and putteth forth her hand to the needie If thou giue to a poore man thou shalt receiue good mony for Copder If thou impartest of thine aboundance thou shalt encrease in virtue like vnto the tree whose superfluous bowes be cropped of He shall neuer want any thing that for Christ his sake giueth his goods liberally no more than meale and oile was wanting in the widdowes house though shee were very poore which ministred sustenance to the Prophet Heliah Many doe say if I sawe such a poore man as Helyah was I would doe him good but they are deceiued for in not giuing to the Lord of Heliah how would they giue to Heliah himselfe He that giueth to the poore giueth to Christ. Inasmuch at ye haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethren yee haue don it vnto me saith Christ himselfe Therefore if you helpe not the Lord of Heliah how should you releue Heliah himselfe Blessed is he that iudgeth wisely of the poore the Lord shal deliuer him in the time of trouble In the day of iudgment thou shalt be examined touching the workes of mercy Many doe spend their goods and their wealth vppon their houses vppon tapestry horses thinking there by to get a name and fame among men When more commendation they should purchase if they bestowed their wealth vppon the poore that can giue them good words than vppon any other creatures which haue no reason at all Neither the beds nor the wals of thine house haue any â—ong at all to praise thee as the poore haue that will blaze abroade thy goodnesse Be thou liberall and so both God will like and man will loue thee The liberal man hath many frindes though many of them be very vngratful Neuer can he want friends which is liberal toward other men and neuer can he haue any friendes which is a couetous man The poore doe him curse and his kinred doe wish him dead If the couetous man doe fall thorough some vice which he hath euery one doth blowe abroad his defamation but if the liberall man doe sinne al doe excuse and purge him the best they can Many benefites doth he receiue which knoweth well how to giue and he may take himselfe for an happy man on the earth Better is it to giue than to take as better is it to loue than to hee loued For to loue is an action of the mind but to bee loued is not so many somtime are loued which deserue it not God for his part he giueth vnto all but receiueth of none the more therfore a man giueth the more he resembleth God his maker The Sunne excelleth the other planets because it ministreth light vnto the starres The more vile and odious that a couetous man is the more noble and renowned is the liberal man Riches to wise men are as fetters
others either more then we will offer or as much as we do vnto any of theÌ„ yet this very booke shal suffice for all which is so translated both by G. C. into English by Petrus Burgundus into Latine both following one and the same Italian translatioÌ„ for the Author himselfe was a Spaniard and wrote in the Spanish tonge that hee which hath but one eye sufficiently may perceiue that either the English is meruailously augmeÌ„ted which hath a great deale more than the Latine or the Latine hath left out very much for it is but an Epitome or an Abstract as it were in respect of the English Nowe if G. C. hath truely expressed the letter and deliuered the Authors minde faithfully which he trauailed to do both for his owne honestie and the Readers satisfaction surely Burgundus hath neither truely expressed the letre nor faithfully deliuered the authors minde and so neither dealt honestly with the Author nor satisfied the christian Reader for he wonderfully varieth froÌ„ the English not onely in respect of the letre but so in respect of the matter as if purposely it were done to shred off many things that were superfluous I say not onely in the English but also in the authenticall copy Again if Burgundus haue done well for he is but a translator nether and no paraphrase then doubtlesse G. C. is much to blame which inserted so much I say not simply matter but errors too as are not to be read in the Latine copie Now whether of them haue dealt the more sincerely I leaue it to their iùdgement which haue the Italian the Spanish copies the Authors owne wordes which I neither haue nor can get but their owne doings as they haue may I trust deliuer me from blame so they troubled me in such sort when I tooke this worke in hand that I was enforced to vse a Christian libertie in the doing hereof therby to cul from them both such things as were for the benefit of the Church and in them both to ouerpasse whatsoeuer was to much redounding in words or otherwise erronious for matter out of theÌ„ both to frame such a treatice varieing so little as might bee from the Authors purpose as shold be profitable â—or the Church of God and offensiue to none that haue any sparkles of true wisdome in their mindes And though the diuersitie of translations and in the traÌ„slations the great diuersitie had not moued yet the errors were so many and the scriptures in many places so vainely applied so vntâ—uly expounded so dangerously wrested and many things so falsesly collected from the word of God both in the English also in the Laten coppâ— as any may perceiu by those Tables aÌ„nexed to the end of this book that howsoeuer they might be tolerated if the book were of coÌ„trouersies in ReligioÌ„ yet being purposely penned to stir vp the affectioÌ„s of Christians to the loue of God and of heauenly thinges I cold not discharge the duty of a true seruant in the house of God if I did not both cut off many thinges which they had and vse an extraordinary liberty in citing expounding applying alleaging of Scripture and in the whole matter least vnder the preteÌ„ce of mouing the godly readers to loue the good thinges of the spirit they were allured withal to the likeing of most dangerous errors vntruthes which God abhorreth and so they should reape not so much benefite by that which is good as hurt which is the drift of Sathan to their soules by that which is wicked The dooing whereof if it please not mine aduersaries to make theÌ„ to like it I will spend noe more wordes at this time I trust none that be truely religious and godly wise whom I chiefly respect but will interpret my paines in the best parte and withall wish that what else any of the contrary side in respect of Religion shal publish to this ende effecte if it cannot for some causes vtterly bee expressed which is impossible yet it may carefully and wisely both be perused reformed that good none hurte may redounde vnto the people of God And this I haue thought good to dedicate vnto your worshippes as in that respect before cited so partly to signifie that the good will friendship which from the first time I was acquainted with you I haue found at your handes is not forgotten though little spoken of on my parte and prtely by some work of mine own hauing none other thing so good to requite in some sort the benefits receiued from you both and though I desire you not to take it in good parte because I need not not in respect of the worthinesse of the thing so much as of the goodnesse of both your natures yet most earnestly I beseech the almighty God namely for you that as by the greate wisedome wherewith yee be inspired froÌ„ aboue and by the experience yee haue gotten in the world yee knowe how vaine and deceitful the world and the things in the world are so more and more yee may grow both into a detestation of all the vanities of the same whatsoeuer and into the likeing and louing and longing for those thinges which are truely glorious and to be desired and for the which we are created in the heauens and that which I pray for you by name I desire also not onely for my selfe but besides for all the rest of our friendes wheresoeuer Your W. in the Lord Tho. Rogers THE First booke which displayeth the vanities of this worlde CHAP. I. We must contemne this vaine worlde if wee would enioy God CHRIST our redeemer doth say No man can serue two maisters Sweete is the coÌ„fort of God yet not to all men but to them onely who despise the vanity of the world For it cannot be that a man should enioy God and with all inordinately desire the things of this life All men indeed are desirous to enioy the sweet conuersation of the Lord but few are willing to forgoe their own priuat commodities * and from the hearte to contemne the goodes of the earth they desire I graunt the inward comfort of the soule but so that with it they may satisfie the appetites of their fleshlie minde But thou who art purposed to follow Christ thou must denie thy selfe that hauing forsaken the world Christ may bee thine Christ and the Deuill are enemies one to the other and hauing nothing in common betweene themselues they cannot inhabite together in one place Deliuer thy selfe from the loue of the world if thou wouldest that God shoulde haue accesse vnto thy soule For thou shalt neuer taste how sweete God is vntil the goodes and pleasures of this world are loathsome and vnpleasant vnto thee And perswade thy selfe that then and not afore thy soule shall be able to receaue the consolation of Christ Iesus when as bitter thou abhorrest the thinges of this world As it
is impossible with one eye to looke vp to heauen and with the other downewarde to the earth so against reason is it that so-long as thine affection is bent toward earthly thinges thou shouldest enioy the comforts of the spirite If therefore thou haue any desire at all after God of necessitie thou must depriue thy selfe of all humane ioy when it is an hinderance vnto heauenly consolation Flie with all thine heart from al comfort of the world and thou shalt be comforted of God Plucke away from thy soule the loue of the world that a place may bee lefte wherein the loue of God may be ingraffed and take root God would not suffer that one and the same Altar shoulde serue for himselfe and for Dagon too and though the Philistines with might and maine labored yet neuer coulde they bring the same to passe God will not that the idoll of sinne which thou wouldest adore shall haue anie roome there where his heauenlie maiestie hath an abiding place He cannot abide that himselfe and the world should be worshipped together If thou wilt loue God of force thou must hate the glory of Purge thine hart from al wickednes and thou shalt come vnto that peace Learne in euery thing to conqâ—er thy selfe so shalt thou haue the inward quietnes of the minde Breake thine vnbridled appetites remoue away the vaine desires of this present world abandon pleasures that thou maist liue at peace and tranquilitie that nothing may trouble nor molest thee that finally thou maist enioy the sweetnesse of the spitit and attaine a certaine Paradise in this world Nothing can happen vnto a righteous man vnto his perturbation Thine own affections are they which moue bates against thee and thine enemies being within howe canst thou complaine of them without He is a great Lord that can commaund himselfe And this in fine is the noble soueraigntie of our will that it hath more power than the Kinges and Emperours of the world who of enemies cannot make friends as can our will being disposed therevnto when she subdueth the disordered appetites Why are iniuries and afflictions whatsoeuer greeuous vnto thee but bâ—cause thou dost shun them Now if they would bee sweete rather and not irkesome wouldest thou once loue them S. Paul reioyced in the Crosse of Christ and those glorious Apostles went away reioycing that they were counted worthie to suffer rebuke for his name Why did â—hese so holy men reioyce in tribulations wherein thou hast no ioy Surely that pleased them which is vnpleasant to thee Once do thou loue that which holie men haue loued and thou shalt finde that comforte which they had in troubles If persecutions bring thee griefe complaine not on the persecutor but rather on thy selfe who flyest from that wherein thou shouldest reioyce Conforme thy selfe after the ensample of Iesus Christ be a friend of his crosse and suffering Resign thy selfe wholy into his hands and loue that which hee did loue so shalt surelie it were alone sufficient to confounde then which in title onely be Christians Let vs bee ashamed to passe the time in pleasures and delights when our Captaine liued in great reproach and perill â—â—ee is no good Souldier which beholding his captaine dying before his face wil not venture himself to the peril of death without thinking of his owne life and pleasure If thou seeke after honour seeing thy Captain dishonoured it is a great argument that thou art none of his band and counting thy self a Christian thou shouldest greatelie blush if thou finde in thy selfe any loue at al of vanitie which Infidels seeke after Many there bee which say they are christians but very few do imitate the life of Christ. They bee in name like it cannot be denied but altogether vnlike for manners If the life of many Christians were compared with the life of our redeemeâ— it would then euidently appeare how crooked their heartes bee and how much also they decâ—ine from that straitnes which God did set them in seeing they turne themselues vnto the loue of those things which his pleasure is should be despised I would gladly knowe who hath more knowledge God or the world If thou beleeuest that God knoweth more marke how he hath chosen pouertie and a base condicion and this onely may suffice to teach thee how wicked thy life is That so hard cratch wherein hee lay on the day of his birth condemneth the delicacie of this world that stable doeth demonstrate how vaine the honors and prosperitie of this life are those vile clothes wherin his deuine maiestie was wrapped doe sufficiently shewe of what account are the riches of this world Consider a litle the dicourse of his life and behold also his death so shalt thou find that the Sonne of God become man hath alwaies adhorted vs to contemne the world aswel by example of his life as by wordes doctrine The Lord preaching vpoÌ„ the moâ—Ì„t thus began his Sermon Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heauen The Lord came not to destroy thee but to direct thee into the way of heauen and to bring thee vnto euerlasting saluation If Christ haue not erred thou dost erre if he hath chosen the good thou chusest the ill if hee through infamie and suffering hath entered into the gates of glorie out of question thou takest the readie way vnto hell which so louest immoderately honor and vanitie In great perill thou liuest and thou dost hazard thy saluation if thou returne not from this way and detest that which thou so louest and earnestlie determine with thy selfe hereafter to follow his steppes which cannot erre O what an abuse is it that a most vile worme of the earth doth so desire to be great when the God of maiesty hath made himselfe so small Therefore Christian soule if thou see thy husband Isaacke going on foot thou must after th'nsample of Rebecca alight from thy Camel for thou shouldest blush to beholde Iesus in a base estate thy selfe aloft vpon a Camel of worldly vanities Come downe therefore come downe I say as shee did by contemning the promotions and vanitie of this present world and conforme thy selfe according to the life of thy redeemer that with him hereafter thou maiest enioy the true ioy and eternal glory CHAP. IV. All the thinges of this world are vaine VAnitie of vanities saith the Preacher vanity of vanities al is vanity I haue considered al the workes that are vnder the Sunne and behold all is vanity This world in the sacred Scripture is rightly called an Hypocrite who though to the outward apparance it seeme wonderfull goodlie yet within is full of vanity and corruption In those good thinges which are sensible it appeareth good wheras in truth it is full of falshood and deceit Fasten not the anchor of the shippe of thine hearte in the sea of worldlie loue The
conclude seeing the worldly ioy is vaine and false in God onely we are to reioyce CHAP. 23. The honor of this world sis vaine THy friendes be very honorable O God their dominion is full of comfort saith the prophet If thou desire honor loue thou God for he whom God liketh he only shal be aduanced It is follie to seeke after the honor of this present world for with much labor it is attained and maintained with great charges and when all is done easilie forgone The true honour belongeth properly to the seruantes of God But they al were not the friendes of God whom the world doth honor The honor which the Saintes both in heauen and in earth also be adorned withall they got the same not by seeking but by shunning promotion Wouldest thou bee had in honor and reputation Then humble thy selfe be low in thine owne eies Wouldest thou be knowen of al men Labour to be vnknowen The shaddowe flieth from him that followeth it but tarrieth with him that boweth himselfe to the ground Promotion it is got by humilitie but either commeth not vnto or tarrieth not with the ambitious man If thou couet the eternall fly temporal honor Consider the end whervnto all these honors do come so easily thou wilt condemne them al. In processions the manner is to carry about and that with greate pâ—mpe and pride some wodden image costly bedecked with other mens iewels which foolish people gaze vpon and haue in admiration but when thâ— procession is done the gaie thinges are taken awaye and it remaineth as it was a verie block Euen so fareth it with thee which art aduanced the image is wood thou art earth and a great sinner be thou neuer so hie the gaie ornamentes which it had were other mens thine honor and riches it is but borrowed for a time it was gazed vpon of all men so shalt thou be being aloft but when the procession is ended and thou hast played thy pageant that restored againe wherewith thou wast adorned and thou art laid naked vpon the floure to be carried vnto the graue then who honored thee in thy prosperitie they will set light by thee in thy most base estate Great kings and mightie men wee haue knowen which beeing decked with rich apparell and excelling for honor were had in great admiration like that wodden image and yet being now buried in the earth how are they trampled vppon with the feete of men And so yesterday aduanced to day throwen downe yesterday commended of all to day remembred of none The winde of that vanitie is passed away the feast is past their honor is euen withered And would to God that these honors of the world and of preferment were not to expect another punishment after death but onely should be forgotten of men and that might not befall vpon them which often commeth vnto the image which being broken into peeces is cast into the fiâ—e so they also for their reward bee cast â—eadâ—long into the fire of hel Se you not the goodly end of this vaine honour The seruant of Iesus Christ he hunteth not after the honour of this time which hee knoweth is but vaine and transitoriâ— The seruant of Christ more loueth the honor of his Lord than his owne Happy is hee which in al thinges that he doth seeketh onely the honor of his God Happy is he which in all humility followeth Iesus Christ and from his heart despiseth the vaine glory of this world to the end hee may raigne for euer with Christ. Couet not the honor of this world and thou shalt attaine the true honor of heauen beware thou forgoe not the truth for the shadowe The Apostle saith be not children in vnderstanding The childe maketh more account of a reeden horse and of a puppet of clouâ—es than of true horses and very gentle-women in deede Take heede thou set not more by a shaddow of truth than by the truth it selfe The riches honors of this worlde are but shadowes as it were of true riches and glory of heauen Cast not thy minde vpon these toâ—es and vanities seeing thou art a reasonable man endued with iudgement and discretion CHAP. 27 The men of honor authoritie in this worlde be in dangerous state ASke not of the Lord preeminence neither of the King the seat of honor They which clime vp to the tops of high and steepe buildinges are in great danger and therefore they had need to haue a good braine least they breake their neckes If thou haue an aspiring minde after preferment get thee a good braine and cal for the assistance of God otherwise thou canst not but fall into the pittâ—â—f hell Prosperitie is more daungerous than adueâ—sitie a thousand shall fall at thy side ten thousaÌ„d at try right hand saith the Psalmist Moâ—â— perish on the right hand of worldlie honor than on the left hande of a lowe degree The felicitie of worldlie men is an euill that standeth in neede of all maner of correct on Mount not vp to the place of honor lest thou be made to goe downe againe with shame enough The phrenticke man suffereth manie imaginations which if he driue not aware from his minde they will hasard his estate Banish these cares of honor from thine heart which if thou doe not thy soule must needes be in daunger and if thou wouldest attaine saluation remoue from thee all roude cogitations which wil neuer permit thee to haue a quiet and contented minde Dangerous greatly is the honor of this world and in the same many haue perished and bee cast away Many for the maintenance of their credite among men they blush not to offende God and to defame their neighbour many had rather go hedlong into hell then to fore-goe their countenance in the worlde by paying their debtes Euen among the chiefe rulers many beleeued in him saith S. Iohn but because of the Pharisies they did not confesse him lest they should be cast out of the sinagogue For they loued the praise of men more theÌ„ the praise of God This is that dangerous condition wherein the louers of temporall glorie doe liue they had rather loose their soule than their worldlie reputation Pilate though he knew the innocencie of Christ that for enuie the Iewes had deliuered him yea though he had a desire to set him at libertie yet hearing his accusers to say If thou deliuer him thou art not Caesarsfriend and fearing least by contrarying their affection he shold be depriued of the honor which immoderately he desired he pronounced the sentence of death vpon our Sauiour yea he renounced al iustice equitie reason yea and God too rather than he would fal into the displeasure of Caesar and leese any whit of his reputation in the worlde If thou therefore make more of worldlie honor than of the fauour of God it cannot be but thou must al into an infinite number of these and
mony bag But the rest of the Disciples haâ— the charge of preaching committed vnto them Iudas had the sweete morsel giuen him but the Apostles had the soure Yet I Say vnto thee it is better to bee poore with the Apostles thaÌ„ rich with Iudas and better it is to eate the drie bread of repentance in sadnesse and sorrow with Christ and his Disciples than to liue in deliciousnes with vngodly men In the time of persecution fainte not but bee of courage listen what the Lord doth say If they haue persecuted mee they will persecute you also His most holy mother by many tribulations came vnto the glorious condition of the heauenlie Saintes and thinkest thou to attaine thereunto by ease and pleasure It is great persecution not to suffer persecution The sick man of whose recouery there is no hope hath all thinges giuen him by the Phisition that his heart can desire If all thinges fall out as thou wouldest haue it thou hast iust cause to suspect that God is much displeased and hath giueâ— thee ouer An happy man is he that patiently receiueth tribulations from the hand of God Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake Thou canst patiently endure to haue thy veines opened and diuers other thinges for th'attainement of thy bodyly health why then for the welfare of thy soule doest thou not abide persecution Looke not vpon the paine present but vnto the health that will ensue regard not the present affliction but the blessed rewarde that in the ende thou shalt haue He that passeth ouer any arme of the Sea that he may not bee troubled with the giddines of the head will cast his eyes not vppon the waters but vpon the firme land So east thou the eyes of thy soule vppon the land of the liuing and not vpon the raging waues of persecution so many afflictions shalt thou easily auoid sayling vpon the tempestuous sea of this troblesom world S. Stephen when he was persecuted looked stedfastly into heauen from whence he expected a crown of glory We must through many afflictions enter into the kingdom of God Persecution is the money wherwith God rewardeth his seruants in this world Many are so childish that rather they had to abide sicke and diseased than to receiue any physicke that is better or to bee seared with yron if necessity do so require The glory of a Christian is in the patient suffering of a affliction for the name of Christ. S. Paul though taken vp into the thirde heauen and adorned with special graces of the holy Spirit yet of himselfe he would not reioyce except it were of his infirmites A valiant souldier wil more boast of his manhood shewen and of his wound-receaued in the warres than of the fauour of his Lord and Master So a Christian should more reioyce in tribulation than in al the graces and giftes receaued from God Let thy glorie bee in the crosse of the Lord thy God and in thy sufferring for his sake If we be dead with him we also shal liue with him If we suffer we also shal raigne with him CHAP. 30. To be in fauour with greate men of this world it is a vaine thing KIng Ahashuerosh did promote HamaÌ„ exalted him set his seate aboue al the Princes that were with him But what good had he by the fauour of king Ahasuerosh Surely it made to his greater shame and destruction Though promotion come from the Lord yet by reason of thy wicked inclination it doth more hurte than profite thee many times Christ commended Peter saying he was blessed because flesh and bloud had not reuealed the confession whâ—ch he had made of Christ but the heauenly Father But so was he blinded with that fauour that so much as in him laie he would haue hindered the passion of our Sauiour Christ for which hee had a sharpe rebuke and that deseruedly If therefore wee abuse the fauoure of God himselfe to our hurt the fauoure of man will doe little good thorough our owne default The grace and fauoure which his mistresse in AEgipt shewed him tended but vnto the meere destruction of Ioseph As pure wine doth disquiet the head so the fauour of this world worketh our annoie therefore it is good to mingle the same with the water of detraction that wee growe not proude through our gracious beeing in the eyes of the great When the worde of adulation doth puffe vs vp then is the tongue of the murmurer necessary to bring vs downe The rebukes and hatred of other men they bring vs directly to the knowledge of our selues He that liueth in disgrace knoweth himselfe though no man else doe know him It is much better to know our selues than to be known of other men and more hurt doth fauour and friendship than displeasure and hatred many times Displeasure profiteth because it humbleth bringeth a man to the knowledge of himselfe whereas fauour doth vs blinde that we cannot see our selues Liuing in disgrace thou art driuen to seeke and so shalt finde God but beeing in the fauour of men thou maiest easily loose him Take not thy selfe for the better man though thou haue a good countenance of men of power but beare in mind that saying in the Gospel Remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures likewise Lazarus paines therfore is he comforted and thou art tormented Thou shal hardly be of honor in this life and in the other too They which enioy this worlde and are exalted heere being not the seruantes of God shall in the end bee excluded from the inheritance of the heauenly kingdome which is reserued onely for the good They which despise worldly fauour shall haue heauenly felicitie If wicked men doe prosper grieue not thy selfe for they cannot looke for any part or portion of celestiall ioyes Therefore as the seruant of Iesus Christ contemn thou the fauour of worldly men and with patience expect that glorious day at which thou shalt enioy the euerlasting fauour of God CHAP. 31 Afflictions are profitable WE must through manie afflictions enter into the kingdom of God saieth the Scripture and the Psalmist in the person of God doeth saie I wil be with him in trouble Affliction is a faithful messinger he that doth iniurie to the messinger of a king doth offer iniurie to the king himselfe So he offendeth God likewise which is grieued at the afflictioÌ„ which God doth send let him looke to bee punished as Hanun was of Dauid for abusing the messeÌ„gers which he sent vnto him That which the fanne is to the corne the file to the iron the fire to the gold that is tribulation to a righteous man Be fauourable vnto Zion for thy good pleasure builde the walles of Ierusalem said the Prophet Saint Peter calleth vs liuely stones Thou canst not make an high building without a low foundation and vnlesse
thou be exercised and hewen thou canst not serue for any vse in the spirituall building Persecutors bee the rough masons Hee therefore that flyeth persecution refuseth to be of Ierusalem that is abouâ— Better was Dauid than Salomon inasmuch that certaine it is the father was saued whereas the safetie of the sonne commeth into question The whole life of Dauid was full of tribulation and teares but Salomon contrariwise liued altogether in prosperity and peace by tribulation K. Dauid entered into heauen and by the prosperity of Salomon whether hee bee saued or no many are in doubt Much good commeth to the soule by aduersity Whereas prosperity quencheth the good spirit aduersity enlighteneth the vnderstanding of the minde While Ioseph shewed much honour to his brethren they knew him not but hauing once made them sad they knew him Therefore doth God send thee tribulation euen that thou shouldest know him for when he doth good to thee thou soone forgettest him Because thou sleepest securely as vnmindfull at all of God therefore his maiestie dooth depriue thee of thy delights wherein like a beast thou diddest tosse thy selfe and tumble to th' end thou mightest awake and confesse thy God Grieue not thy selfe when God doth bereaue thee of worldly comfort for he alwaies doeth it for thy profit So dealt Dauid with Saul wheÌ„ he tooke from him being a sleepe his speare and pot of water not for his hurt but for his good as it appeareth not onely by his owne wordes but also by Saul his humble confessing his offence By afflictions if thou be the child of God assure thy selfe that thou shalt recouer the inward sight of thy soule euen as Tobias did the outward sight of the body by the gale of the fish At the baiting of a Bull if a man perceaue that hee may fall into any danger thereby he wil carefully giue place that the hornes of the Bull goare him not at all In like sort therfore doth God suffer thee to be in peril somtime to the end thou shouldest see vnto thy selfe by flying vnto the Lord for refuge with vnfeined repentance Euen as prosperitie turneth the minde of man from God so aduersitie draweth man vnto God In my trouble did I call vpon the Lord saith Dauid The more the waters of the â—loude did encrease the more was the Arâ—ke of Noah lifted vp the more the people of Israel were vexed in AEgypt the more they multiplyed and grew the more we are afflicted the more both we for our partes doe thinke vpon God and God for his part doth encrease his blessinges vpon vs. Like well therefore of tribulation for it openeth a way for thee vnto heauen The first thing that God wrought in the conuersion of S. Paul was that he flang him vpon the ground leting vs thereby to know that the first entrance into the seruice of God is tribulation As in the barne the chaffe and the corne are mingled together so in this world the bad the good they liue one with another but when the winde of tribulation beginneth once to blow the wicked are throwne downe to the grounde for very anguish of heart but the vertuous they are more strongly vnited both to Christ and themselus That which is il to the wicked is good for the godly The blacke pitch becoÌ„meth white through beating and if the good men haue gotten any spots of sinne by prosperitie affliction doth wash and wipe it cleane away Gods chastisement in this life is a fatherly correction for God hee punisheth alwaies with great fauour but the chastisement in the life to come it shal bee with indignation and furie without al pitie and mercy according to the saying of the Prophet Thou shalt crush them with a septer of yron and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell Choose therefore rather in this worlde to be troubled that so by afflictions which are but smal and momentanie in respect thou maiest attaine the kingdome of God which is eternall CHAP. 32 It is a vaine thing to be careful for the thinges of this worlde BE not careful for your safe what ye shal eate or what ye shall drinke nor yet for your body what ye shall put on saith the Lord For the care of these thinges wil suffer thee to haue small care of thinges eternall God he made man to the end hee should know and by knowing shold loue and by louing shoulâ— enioy the soueraigne felicitie from the enioying whereof the immoderate care of thinges temperall doeth detaine vs backe Had the people of Israel been carefull about meate drinke and apparel in the wildernesse they had neuer doubtlesse set foote in the lande of promise Circumcise therefore from thine heart all superfluous cares of transitory thinges if thou minde to haue enterance into the lande of promise And of those Hebrewes which left Egypt many died in the wildernesse and could not bee suffered to goe into that fruitfull lande so often promised and that because they fell a lusting after the fleshe pots of Egypt Set not thine heart vpon the good thinges of this life hut let thy desire be vpon heauenly matters couet not immoderately these visible thinges vnlesse thou passe not for loosing the good thinges which are inuisible To manie too too carefull about their owne but carelesse altogether about the matters of God the Lord himselfe doth saie Because of mine house that is waste and ye runne euery man vnto his owne house Therefore the heauen ouer you stated it self from dew and the earth staieth her fruit It is meete that they feele the smart of povertie which prefer the matters of this worlde before the maker of all thinges The Lorde compareth the life of the righteous vnto birds not onely in respect of the little rest and stare which they haue vpon the earth but also for that commonly they abide in the higher places whence it was as not vnprobably wee maye gather that Christ when hee found faâ—lt with immoderate carefulnesse he said Behold the soules of the heauen for they sow not nether reape nor carie into the barnes yet your heauenly Father seedeth them Blush therfore and be thou ashamed that so thou abusest thy desires by cleauing vnto the filthie dung of the world when thou maiest be refreshed with the odoriferous flowers of the celestiall paradise O prodigeous cruelty to consume thy selfe in trauelling about to gette and gaine in this worlde when with as little yea lesse paine thou mayest come vnto the riches of heauen And this thou shouldest doe at the least for thy fathers sake which is in heauen For the diligence and carefulnes of the child is a blaming though secretly the Father of negligence For if the childe bee not sufficientlie prouided for of necessary thinges it followeth that the Father hath not performed the duety which a father is bound vnto â—ee not therefore so carefull to get temporall good vnles thou wouldest
remeÌ„brance of wicked Amalek from vnder heauen The memorie of the iust shal remaine with their Lord for euer but the name of wordly men it shal perish and that long before the end of this It is a foule vanitie for the leauiug of a short memorie behinde thee in this world to offende thy God And forasmuch as the world is so forgetful of his friends repose thou al thy trust in God as in a most true and assured friende CHAP. 6 The righteous and not the wicked shall be had in remembrance YOur memories may bee compared vnto Ashes saith Iob of worldely men In this life the wind neuer ceaseth to blow and so disperse the ashes I meane the fame and memorie which the worldling so seeketh The Psalmist doth saie The wicked are as the chaffe which the wind driueth away Great is the vanitie of men which knowing that they shall be turned into ashes which the winde bloweth to and fro do yet for all that surmise how their memory shall endure And were it so that thy name should continue for euer among men in this world what the better were thou if thou shouldest by Gods displeasure be throwen hedlong into the pitâ—e of hel would thy great name either deliuer thee from thence or diminish thy paines Couet not therefore a remembrance of thy selfe in this worlde if thy conscience be spotted and polluted with sinne neither desire thou vainely to fly abroad in the mouthes of men for such desires are crossed and haue their end They which loue the world are loued of the world againe for a while which yet is but very short For soone I say very soone are they forgot 〈◊〉 â—hough they had neuer been The memoriall of the iust shall blessed but the name of the wicked shal rot saith the wise man Soone cometh to an ende the remembrance of this worlde Tell if you can I beseech you of the great dignities riches and beautie of so many men of this world before our daies Is not the very names of them euen buried with the bodies Thire proud palaces are ouerthrone thire vaine glorious tombes are destroied and of all their waies not one steppe is knowen The life of man it passeth away like a flowre and that the worldlings bâ—y they pay full dâ—â—re for the same The pleasures were but momentanie but the paine shall be not transitorie but eternall Their glorie was but in the instant but their labour and tormentes in the life to come are infinite These euils many doe not so much as thinke of til they fall into them They purchase with great labour and swet smal honor a litle pleasure which while they think to enioy they are depriued of before they are aware Many haue much laboured to attaine the â—ame and praise of 〈◊〉 yet al in vaine How many haue there beene whose learning was much commended while they were aliue who are not so much as spoken of they being now asleepe Together with their bodies their memories are extinguished Againe where be those great kings and princes with al their pompe riches and delightes Goâ— is their memory like a shadowe as if they had neuer beene Againe our pot and cup companions whose bodies we trample vpoÌ„ with our feete where be they nowe They shal not returne vnto vs but we shal goe after them O how do al thinges passe awaie How are the mightie ouerthrown Al things together with time do consume God â—e alone is euerlasting the pleasures of the world they continue not Al thinges doe faile and soone shal wee be separated one from another soone shal the wormes eate and deuoure the carcases of vs al shortlie wee shal returne into dust and ashes yea the houre it euen 〈…〉 when flesh and blood shal be meete 〈◊〉 and ashes Neuer let it come into our thoughts that wee shall speede better than such as liued afore vs haue done but as they are forgotten so shal we be To conclude al things make haste to their end all thinges are meerely vaine saue onely to loue God which shall last for euer and what glory soeuer the world hath it passeth and is gone in a moment CHAP. 7. Soonest are they forgotten which fauoured the world most of all AN vnwise man knoweth it not and a foole doth not vnderstand this saith the psalmist Much doe men of this world labour aud contend for promotion in the world whoÌ„ afterward the world wil neuer knowe nor acknowledge Great was the friendship Nabal found at the handes of Dauid noâ—withstanding when Dauid was in necessitie he could receiue no reliefe from Nabal for thus he answered the seruantes of Dauid Who is Dauid and who is the the sonne of â—shai There be many seruants now adies that breake away euery man froÌ„ his master Shal I theÌ„ take my bread my water and my flesh that I haue killed for my shearers and giue it vnto men whom I knowe not whence they be Nabal by interpretation is a foole a notable figure of the mutable world which leaueth such in aduersitie as haue serued the same greatly in the daies before This vngratfull world is like vnto an Inkeeper who wil take none acquaintance of his guest neither knowe him as one that can keepe no reckoning of so manie as vse his house notwithstanding the guest do tel how long while he lodged in his house and spent many a faire shilling there So the world it will take no knowledge when it should of such as haue vsed it most If thou desire to be had in remembrance of the world then handle it hardly and make not of the same This is the cause why the worlde forgetteth not good holie men which liued here in this worlde euen because they set nothing by it nor cared for the same So an hoste will sooner haue that ghest in remembrance of whome he receiued damage than him which hath not hurt but brought gaine to his purse O how many haue liued in this world in great authority dignitie and riches who now are no more thought vpon then if they had neuer beene If thou be wise therefore renounce the world and addict thy selfe vnto the seruing of Christ who doth know his sheepe and will feede them for euer in the most goodly pastures of eternall glorie CHAP. 8. Many are the daungers which the men of this world are subiect vnto THey that sayle ouer the sea tel of the perils there of saith the wise maÌ„ wheÌ„ we heare it with our eares wee maruell thereat The nauigation which wee make through the troublesome waues of this world is by so much more dangerous than the other by how much it turneth vs more from the rest of the soule which we expect in the heauens The waters of the sea are bitter so are the pleasures of the world In the sea the great fishes doe eate vppe the small so in the worlde greate men doe
Little knowe the men of this world what they say when they iudge the yoake of Christ sharpe and soure and their wordes are so much to be waide as the wordes either of a blind man that will iudge of colours or of him that will condemne a way aâ—â—l which he neuer went not yet knoweth But seeing all the Saintes of God haue carried vppon their shoulders the yoake of Christ and haue by experience found the same to bee light more credit is vnto them to bee giuen than to those men whosoeuer they are which neuer did vndergoe the same No man euer hath taken vpon him this yoake of Christ but he hath confessed that the same was light againe no man will say it is bitter and intolerable but hee that knoweth not what it meaneth This wil they testisie to bee true who laying aside the burden of sinne by humble confessing them vnto the Lord haue fouÌ„d theÌ„selues so lightened as they seemed foorthwith to be rapt vp into the heauens If such comfort cometh vnto vs by forsaking of sinne howe much greater will the consolation be in proceeding forwarde in the holy exercises oâ— most Christian vertues For of one good deede thou shalt not be called good but of many actions The habite of vertue it commeth after thou hast first seuered thy selfe from euill and exercised thy selfe in godly vertues And by proofe thou shalt sinâ—e that wel it will goe with thee when thou feelest the true comfort of the soule by going forwarde in the way of the spirit The natural man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God of many good things is he depriued O that but euen a little thou hadest tasted the ioy of the holiâ— Ghost thou wouldest soone take the things which seeme so sweete here in the world for very soure and bitter Seeing the yoake of Christ is so sweete and the yoake of the worlde so burdensome take vpon thee and that cheerefully the yoake of the Lord so at the length thou wilt say that both nowe it doth and hereafter it will go wel with thee CHAP. 13 In all our troubles we must make recourse vnto the Lord COme vnto me al ye that are wearie laden I will ease you saith the Lord If thou forsake God and runnest backe vnto the worlde looke not for any comfort in thy troubles So long as thou obeiest the desires of thy minde and the world so long assure thy selfe no consolatioÌ„ wil come vnto thee That good woman Mary Magdalene when shee was comfortâ—â—sse she came vnto our Sauiour Christ into the Pharisies house and had her sinnes forgiuen her but desperat Iudas flying vnto men hanged himselfe afterward in desperatioÌ„ Here you may see that wiser waâ— that woman than Iudas the Traitor they had both offended and both confessed their sinnes but better did she for her selfe in flying vnto the fountaine of comfort than the foolish Disciple which leauing his life sought his own death If a picture that sometime was faire and perfect afterward becommeth soule and spotted who better canne restore the same to the former integritie than the painter which first made the same So if thy soule be defiled with the spottes of sinne who better can reforme it than God himselfe which created the same after his owne likenesse Be take not therefore the reformation of thy soule to the worlde for it cannot mende but empaire yea vtterly destroy the same Beleeue not lies but turne thee vnto God the fountaine of all mercy Hee that wil aske an almes of a poore man when a rich man that is both able and willing also to giue is present is a verie foole No creature is so rich that it can comfort thee but God onely heerein is most liberall Turne therfore thy praiers vnto him and cast thy heart vpon his kindnesse who is the true quietnes consolation Seeke vnto thy Sauiour Christ as the doue sought vnto the Arke of Noah But hang not vppon this worlde as the rauen hanged vppon carion The doue founde no rest vntill she returned vnto the Arke againe If thou wouldest inwardly be comforted in thy soule fly the outwarde consolation of the body If thou hungrest after Christ hee will fil thee with the bread of heauen Happy is he that setteh not his heart vpon any creature but dedicateth himselfe and al his works vnto the Lord. One thing is needful vnto thee Is it not better to ioine thy selfe to one than to many Let others seeke if they wil varietie of things external seeke thou that one thinge which is spiritual and with that be content Of one al thinges proceede and not that one thing of many By seeking these visible thinges while thou thinkest to finde rest in them thou forgoest the things which are truely good if thou turne thy selfe vnto transitory goods thou shalt leese trust vnto it the good thinges in deede and finde thy selfe incombred in many troubles but if vnto God the soueraigne good thou turne thy selfe then shalt thou in him finde quietnesse â—nd a plentifull heape of all good thinges Seeke the water of life to refresh thy soule whithall at the fountaine which by no possibe meanes can bee dried vp For better is one dropp of heauenly consolation than all the floudes and streames of worldly pleasures The men of this world they seeke for quietnesse in thinges that bee out of quiet and for continuance in things transitory Let them therefore take to themselues the dignities of the world but let it be as a shielde vnto thee to make recourse vnto God and in him to repose al thy trust and confidence CHAP. 34. The comfort of this world as they are not true so neither be they of continuance I Haue seene the wicked strong spreading him selfe like a green bay tree Yet he passeth away and loe hee was gone and I sought him but he could not be founde saith Dauid The righteous haue been counted for dead in this worlde like the treeâ— in winter whose vertue remaineth hidden in the rootes Therefore in the sight of the world they seemed fruitelesse and good for nothing but the sommer being come their vertue flourisheth and then will they shewe themselues in their glorious array The floures appeare in the earth so shall the iust say when gloriously shining as the Sunne they shal bee presented before the God of heauen Trust not the greene and goodly hew of this worldly vanity which soone vanisheth away loue not the world which thou seest to passe away so swiftly Salomon saith As the whirl wind passeth so is the wicked no more As a thunderclap which maketh a great noyse in the ayre and as a sudden shower of raine which soone passeth away and by and by the day is cleare again such is all the pomp and show of this world it no sooner commeth but it is gone again Loue the life which is eternall which enioying
perceiuest therein although it haue besides many imperfections why louest thou not God who is essentially good of himselfe and the perfection of all goodnesse The lesse materiall substance there is in a bodie the lighter it is and so much the more apt to ascende vpwarde so againe the more thou art loden with the loue of earthly things the more hardly shalt thou ascend in heart vnto God The fewer thine inordinate passions be the greater is thy loue And if thou loue God perfectly thou wilt make none account of earthly things CHAP. 7. We are necessarily to loue our neighbour THou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe sayeth God The honest loue of thy neighbour is so linked to the loue of God that as thou art commaunded to loue so art thou enioined also to loue thy neighbour They both proceede out of one and the same roote and bee vnseparable The Apostle saith Hee that loueth another hath fulfilled the lawe Thou canst not separate thy selfe from thy neighbour vnlesse thou separate thy selfe from God All the lines that bee made from the vttermost part of a circle vnto the Centre which is the middle point doe all meete together in the Centre and the further any of those lines is drawen from the Centre the further is it diuided from the other lines and the further one line is drawen from an other the further doth it goe from the Centre it selfe Thou canst not by any meanes diuide thy selfe from thy neighbour but withall thou doest diuide thy selfe from God thou art so made that of necessitie thou must mourne when thy neighbour mourneth and take a part of his troubles vpon thy selfe by a Christian compassion Iob he neither tare his clothes nor complained grieuously for the losse of his goods but for the death of his childreÌ„ But for the most part many they are more grieued at the losse of temporal riches than at the hurt of their neighbours Let it not greeue thee to forgoe these corruptible thinges which God doth suffer to be taken from thee for the good of thy soule but let thy neighbours harmes pearce thine heart and let his hurt bee thine owne After God had created al things I meane the trees plants beastes and such like which were to multiply and encrease euery one after his kinde he created man male and female of whom all men that were to liue in the world should descende that they seeing themselues to proceede from one roote should by so much loue one another the more Thinke it not an hard commandement to loue thy neighbour though he haue offended thee but acknowledge that much harder it had been if God had commanded thee to hate thine enemy For to loue it agreeth with the nature of vs all but to hate it is contrarie to mans natures nowe God hath willed those things wherevnto naturally wee are enclined and as much against the nature of man it is to hate as it is against the nature of water to ascend vpward If it seeme an hard thing for thee to loue thy neighbour it will be much more hard in hell fire to burne Chuse therefore one of the twaine I say not if thou hate but if thou loue not thy neighbour looke out of question to burne in hell And worthy is hee the curse of God which had rather to burne in the bottomelesse pit than to loue his neighbour and so haue the fauour of the Lord. Loue thy neighbour yea though he be thine enemie so shalt thou be the childe of God if the child than also the heire eâ—en the heire of God and an heire annexed with Christ of that celestiall kingdome whih hath none ende CHAP. 8. We must loue our enemies LOue your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray from them which hurt you and persecute you that yee may be the children of your father that is in heauen saith the Lord A Kings sonne wil abide his schoolmaster both to teach and reprehend him There is no better schoolemaster than an enemie who hath a singular â—are of thy life and can no sooner â—ee thee to slip and take a fall but foorthwith hee rebuketh thee for â—he same If thou wouldest bee warie in leaâ—ing of thy selfe than pray God to â—end thee an enemie whome if thou â—â—nce haue thou needest none other â—aister whose paines thou maiest â—argely recompence Before thine enemy thou ponâ—erest aduisedly what thou art to â—peake for thou knowest howe thou shalt no sooner trâ—p in thy speech but thou shalt be taken but if thou haue none enâ—my thou carest almost neither what thou sayest nor what thou doest An enemie is a bridle as it were to keepe thee from sinne but a friend couereth and concealeth thine offences By thy friend thou offendest God and through thy foe thou doest thy duty Thine enemie is to thee a clocke whereby thou mayest order thy steps aright More good a great deale thou reapest from thy â—oe than from thy friend and therefore good cause hast thou to honor him by whose meanes thou prouest more circumspect wise and good than otherwise thou wouldest be If thou doest set by and esteeme a a little staffe or wande for that it seâ—ueth thee to beate off the dust from garments why wilt thou not esteeme of thine enemies and set much by them that driue away the dust of thy defects by sharpe reprehending of thee O Ashur the rod of my wrath and the staffe in their hands is mine indignatiâ—â— saith the Lord by his Prophet Isaiah Cast not such a rodde into the fire neither make more account of riches than of thy soule When our friendes doe extoll and magnifie vs our enemies doe humble and bring vs downe that wee waxe not proude If prosperity doe blinde vs our enemies by persecution will cause vs to see now seeing the enemie doth make vs better let vs esteeme of him greatly as reason doeth require Friendes many times will not say the truth when enemies wil tel all that they know As much good as thine enimie doth vnto thee so much harme doth he vnto himselfe for hee killeth his owne soule and woundeth his conscience therefore seeing him in so euill a plight that did thee so much good thou oughtest greatly to pittie his estate The Psalmist doth say They persecute him whom thou hast smitten and they add vnto the sorrow of them whom thou hast wounded He addeth sorrowe vnto sorrow which doth recompence one hurt with another and hee taketh life from the man that is dying which hateth his enemie If yee loue them which loue you what rewarde shal yee haue Doe not the Publicans euen the same To loue an enemie is the very property of a true Christian and Gospeller The malice of thine enemie is verie poyson but yet of poyson is the wholesome triacle made so mayest thou make of the malice of thine enemie a good medicine for thy
soule Giue to thine enemies being hungry foode being naked and needy clothes and almes and so shalt thou make of this poyson compounded with these good receiptes a wholesome medicine against many noysome diseases CHAP. 9. Selfe-loue is the bane of many Christian vertues GEt thee out of thy countrie and from thy kinred and from thy fathers house saith the Lorde vnto the Patriarch Abraham All earthly affections must bee renounced least thou beginne to like more thine owne than the thinges of Iesus Christ. For the desire of thinges inuisible and heauenly renounce the loue of visible thinges Plucke ill weedees by the rootes that they spring not againe Selfe-loue it peruerteth iudgement dimeth the light of reason darkneth the vnderstanding corrupteth the wil and shutteh the doore of saluation against vs it knoweth not God and forgetteth the neighbour it banisheth vertues affecteth honour and loueth the world He that so loueth his life shall loose it The roote of all iniquity is selfe-loue Esau Saul â—ntiochus they found no place to vnfained repentance though they sought the fauor of God with teares the reason is because they more esteemed their owne losse than the offending of God Seeke therefore GOD in all thy workes and put thy trust in God onely Selfe-loue is as the heart in the body which ruleth and guideth the flesh the fynewes and the vaines of man Why giuest thou thy selfe so to the immoderate desiring of honour riches and delights but because thou laborest of selfe-loue To contemne a mans owne selfe is a gratefull thing both to God and man He that loueth himselfe more than God his maker or Christ his Sauiour is like a traitor that deserueth to loose both life and goods If selfe loue haue the dominion ouer thy soule thou doest what thou wilt but not what thou shouldest and is for thy behoofe thou art blind and vnworthy to haue any credite giuen vnto thy wordes Renounce thine owne will If that would beequiet and keepe her place thou shouldest bee quiet and not be so torment in minde Follow not thine owne will and there will be nothing to torment thee but vntill thy will bee vtterly consumed looke to bee tormented by the fire of Gods wrath Why halt ye between two opinions you cannot loue God vnlesse you forsake your selfe There be certaine precious stones which if they touch some kind of metall doe loose their vertue and by some other againe they encrease the same Loue is such a precious iewell for beeing fastened vppon thy selfe it looseth his vertue but fixed vpon God it is most glorious and of infinite vertue Because thou shewest thy selfe so familiar to thy selfe thou louest thy selfe so much but wouldest thou be more familiar with God by faithfull praier and meditation thou wouldest loue God more and thy selfe lesse than thou dost a great deale A man bread and brought vp altogether in a simple cottage is so blinded in iudgement that hee will praeferre his rude home before the most princely pallace in the world so for that thou acquaintest not thy selfe as thou shouldest with the house of God thou more esteemest a present trifle than the infinite treasures laide vp in heauen for such as loue God If the Apostle did so loue Christ that hee could say that nothing should seperate him from the Loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord maruel not that the same Apostle did say Our conuersation is in heauen Greatly familiar was the Apostle with God and little with himselfe therefore hee loued God much and himselfe but little Let thy mind runne still vpon God euermore thinke vpon him by some deuoute prayer or meditation this if thou doe vse from time to time it is vnpossible but thou shouldest loue God seeing thou art come vnto the knowledge of him Two loues doe build two Citties the one is the loue of God which bringeth the contempt of thy selfe the other is the loue of thy selfe which causeth the contempt of God Betweene both these that is betwixt God and thy selfe standeth thy will whereby the nearer thou art vnto thy selfe the farther thou art from God the nearer vnto God the farther thou art from thy selfe Had not these two pronownes Meum Tuum Mine and Thine so much bene vsed in our mouthes so much discorde as there is had neuer bene in the world But because the most part doe more loue their owne than the publique commoditie there be so manie defectes in euerie common-weale The Apostle saith In the last daies shal come perilous times For men shal be louers of their owne selues couetous boasters proude cursed speakers disobedient to parentes vnthankefull vnholy c. And of all these euiles here mentioned selfe loue is set in the fore-front as the cause and originall of them all Nothing so hurteth a man as the hauing of his owne will Take away this foundation and the walles of worldly vanities whereunto thou art giuen will fal downe flat vnto the ground CHAP. 10 It is the part of the seruantes of God to denie themselues Iâ— any man will come after me let him deny him selfe take vp his crosse dately and follow mee saith the Lord The way to come vnto Christ is to conquer thine owne will to suffer tribulation with patience and not to seeke thine owne profite and commodity The true seruant of God hunâ—eth not after his owne commodity but for the glory and honour of God him selfe In all thy workes studie to please God and from his hande thou shalt receiue the greater blessing Let him be the beginning and ende of all thine actions least thou loose the fruit of thy labours Selfe loue is a most deadly plague Hee that seeketh himselfe spoyleth himselfe Good workes done in the Lorde they reioyce the conscience enlighten the vnderstanding and be recompensed with new blessings from God aboue Many doe despise outward things which they possesse and yet for all that attaine not vnto that perfection which the Gospel requireth which consisteth in the denial of a mans own selfe and of his will The seruant of Iesus Christ ought not onely to make light account of temporal goods but also to contemne himselfe least he bee hindered in the way that he walketh Let him learne by the grace of the holy spirite to ouercome himselfe that hath learned before to despise the things of the world This is the perfect denial euen for a man to denie himselfe from the bottom of his heart and not to seeke consolation in any creature If thou seekest any priuate or temporall commoditie surely thou art not throughly motified neither shalt receiue any spirituall comfort from the Lord. Many that haue had some zeale and ioy of the spirit at the first haue continued in that good course but a litle while they haue begunne with heate but they haue gone forwarde but coldly They sought in their prayers their owne consolation
thou curiously dispute and reason about that which is commaunded thee The beginng of al mans miserie and mischeefe it came from the womans curious disputing with the serpent about the commaundement giuen vnto our first parentes of God For when the Diuell reasoned thus with her Yea hath God indeede saide Yee shall not eate of the fruit of the trees of the garden If shee had done well shee would haue taken vppe her aduersarie short and saide I wot well what God hath commaunded me to doe euen that I forbeare from eating of the forbidden frute when hee hath doone so I may not enquire but seeing he hath commanded I must giue obedience thereunto because he is my God and creator but shee ouerthrew her selfe because she would enter disputation with Satan It is not the duetie of a subiect to argue but to obey Holde thy peace and obey neither make answere to thine aduersarie otherwise thou shalt bee ouercome Let thy will be all one with thy superiors will For though the man that commaundeth thee bee of an euill life yet if that which hee commaundeth thee bee good thou shalt by obeying both giue a good ensample vnto others and profite thy selfe The obedient subiect liueth at great case when the troblesome person is neuer without troubles Remoue away the burden of thin owne will which so doth tire weary thee and laie the same vppon the shoulders of thy gouernour so shalt thou liue in security and quietnesse For it is great quietnesse to liue with out care that so thou maiest the more freely addict thy selfe vnto the Spirite Onely the men of high authority in the world they may lament and mourne that they want this priuiledge But worldlings they comprehend not yet the sweetenesse of holy obedience Hence it is that many which would seeme religious hauing not thoroughly perceaued howe pleasant a thing it is to obey for Christs sake they both couet prelacy and shunne the quietnesse of the Spirite and while they thinke to finde ease they fall into troubles and are tyred continually with cares and molestations Onely therefore the good soules which bee religiously obedient they get the freedome of the Spirite and liue with ioy and comfort Many of their owne free will doe chuse out places of comfort for themselues where beeing once come they finde themselues voide of all ioy and comfort But the Godly doe euen there finde most consolation where they thinke to haue no comfort at all To bee short look not to finde any true comfort but in God which dwelleth in the heart of the obedient person If thou bee truely obedient thou shalt finde comfort wheresoeuer thou shalt dwell because God is with thee but if thou bee led by thine owne affection what place or land soeuer thou chusest to dwell in euen there shalt thou finde an hell where thou thinkst to haue paradise For thether shalt thou carry thine own will which offereth bloudy battell vnto thy soule in all places thether shalt thou carry thy affections which night and day wil vexe and trouble thee But submitting thy selfe vnto the authority of others as thou shouldest thou shalt make thy selfe a Lord and ruler ouer all thinges CHAP. 31. Pouerty is great riches BLessed are the poore in spirite for theirs is the kingdome of heaueÌ„ saith our Lord For the obtaining the custody of some strong castle or place of defence a warrant signed with the hande and seale of the Lorde or Prince of the same shall doe thee more good than a great deale of mony for vppon the sight of the warrant the captaine of the castle will giue thee possession of the same which no mony could get at his handes Pouerty in spirite is the warrant or bill assigned by the great King of heauen whereby the poore in spirite shal enter into paradise seeing the Lord doth say Theirs is the kingdome of heauen This warrant is more worth for the getting of heauen than all the temporall riches of the worlde Well said our Sauiour Christ Blessed are the poore in spirite For if he is to bee counted blessed which coueteth nothing sure the greedy gatherer of worldly riches is not blessed for hee coueteth much The poore in spirite lacketh nothing saue that hee will not haue what hee wil hee hath and that will hee not haue which hee desireth not Theirs is the kingdome of heauen saith Christ. Pouerty is a treasure that is easely kept for no man wil or can bereaue vs of it It is a sure possession which none will chaleng or lay claime vnto Hee that is so poore that hee hath nothing needeth neuer to feare that dreadful sentence against the vnmercifull rich men I was a stranger yee lodged me not I was naked and yee clothed me not sicke and in prison and yee visited me not Hee that hath not to giue is not bound vnto these workes of mercy Had not the poore estate liked God the Angel had neuer in particulars tolde the shepheardes that they should finde the Sauiour of the world swadled and lying in a cratch The apostle saith of Christ that Hee being rich for your sakes became poore that ye through his pouerty might be made rich Christ was poore at his birth in his life poore and poore at his death If the onely begotten sonne of God for thy sake became poore why art thou ashamed to become poore for his sake A good pouerty is great riches to bee thoroughly mortified it is necessary that thou despise this salfe riches and to with-draw thine hearte from the inordinate desire of them They which stand vpon the ground are nearer vnto heauen then they which liue belowe in vauts vnder the ground So they be nearer vnto God that despise the riches of this earth than are the couetous which serue the world haue made themselues slaus vnto the same Reioyce therefore if thou mayest heere-in bee a companyon of Iesus Christ who hanged on the crosse poore and naked to make thee a partaker of those inestimable riches and glory in his celestiall kingdome CHAP. 32. We are to continue in doing good workes ANd yee brethren be not weary of well dooing saith the apostle A good work is neuer without a rewarde For if thou liue in the state of grace thou shaâ—t come vnto heauen but if thou art not in such a state yet shalt thou not loose the good which thou dost Hee that liueth euell and doeth no good deedes shal hardly after become a vertuous man get therfore the custome of doing well that by the vse the thing may bee made easie Let vs not therefore be weary of well dooing saith the apostle For in due season we shall reap if we faint not Christ seeing a figge tree in the way hee came vnto it and finding nothing there-on but leaues onely said to it Neuer fruit grow on thee hence-forward â—nd anon the figge tree withered Therefore is it good
to continue in doing well least the curse of God come vppon vs as it did vppon the vnfruitfull figge tree CHAP. 33. Perseuerance in godlinesse is necessary HE that endureth to the end hee shal be saued saith Iesus Christ Many doe begine wel but few hold out it booteth not to hau begun except thou perseuere Take away perseuerance and neither vertue shal haue her rewarde nor a good worke a recompence The friendes of Iob they begann wel in that they not onely agreede together to come to lament with him and to comfort him but also in that seeing him they wept rent their garments sprinkled dust vppon their heades towarde heauen and sate by him vpon the ground seuen daies and seuen nightes mourning without speaking any worde because his grife was very great but they perseuered not in doing the duty of friendes and therefore they were rebuked and that deseruedly of the Lord The beginings of Saule were good but perseuering not in goodnesse he died an euill death If thou despise the vanity of the world thou shalt bepursued of worldly men Many haue renounced the worlde and because they looked back as did Lot his wife vnto Sodome they both in this life were and in the life to come shall euerlastingly bee tormented Endeuour thou to proceede in that good waye where-into thou art entered Be thou faithfull vnto death and I will giue thee a crowne of life saith God Vppon the skirtes of the cheefe Priests vesture there were made Pomgranets of blew silke and purple and Scarlet round about the skirtes thereof and bells of golde betweene them rounde about Of all fruites that growe onely the Pomgranet hath a crowne on the toppe the which being the rewarde of vertue is placed amonge good woorkes which are signified by the little belles of golde they are not set in the highest parte nor in the middest of the garment because they are not giuen vnto those either that beginne well or be in the midst of well dooing but they are set in the end or lowest part of the vesture because they onely shall receiue the crowne which perseuere in dooing their duties vnto the end The tree that is often remooued dooth seldome beare fruite or not so much as that which continueth in a good soyle and being well bent if thou change thy minde from one thing vnto another thou shalt neuer bring foorth the wholesome frute of Christianitie or not so much as the constant man By exercising of good workes and adding vertue vnto vertue the very habite of godlinesse is attained There is nothing better than God and therefore the seruice of God is not to be omitted for any thing in the world The talking of him that feareth God all wisedome as for a foole he changeth as the moone saith the wise man Be not moued with euery wind The foules they fell on the carkases which Abraham was to offer vnto the Lord and troubled the good man very much yet could they not make him to giue ouer his good worke but he droue them away If busie and importunate cares doe trouble thee being about to offer the sacrifice of praier and thankesgiuing vnto the Lorde yet let them not altogether discourage thee but driue them away as Abraham did the foules but let them neuer driue thee from that which is good What booteth it to take great things in hande vnlesse thou bring them vnto a good ende Consume not thy time in beginning to doe well for feare least death doe come vpon thee and finde thee idle and out of the right way A painted image of a man that is made sitting in a chaire giueth a show to the eie as though it would rise and stand vppe but it neuer standeth it seemeth as though it would goe but it neuer mooueth And so playeth many a man that is often determining to draw toward God but yet hee goeth not vnto him at all he maketh many profers of going and yet standeth stocke still Our Lord himselfe saith No man that putteth his hande to the plough and looketh backe is apt to the kingdome of God The foure beasts mentioned in the Reuelation they neuer ceased day nor night praising and magnifying him that sate vpon the thron no more shouldest thou doe The kine that were yoaked together and brought the Arke of the Lorde from the Philistines although they had young calues yet did they goe the straight way to Beth-shemesh and keept one path and lowed as they went and turned neither to the right hand nor to the left And since thou hast taken vpon thee to carry the yoake of our Lord and to beare on thy backe the burden of his most holy commaundementes thou must not goe out of thy way neither to the right hande nor to the left though thy sensuall appetites like young children doe drawe and call thee backe againe from the seruice of God Let the loue of God vanquish naturall affection and whatsoeuer the children of the worlde doe crie and say yet passe thou forwarde as one that hath neither eares nor mouth vntill thou come vnto Beth shemish the house of the Sonne euen vnto that light eternall and incomprehensible glorie where thou shalt see God euen as thou art now seeene CHAP. 34. Tentations cannot be auoided MY sonne if thou wilt come into the seruice of God stand fast in righteousnes feare preyare thy soule to tentation saith the wise man When thou art tempted feare not for being in the seruice of God thou hast weapons appointed to defend thy selfe with all Pharao the King of Egypt did more persecute the Israelites after they made sute to goe into the wildernesse to doe sacrifice vnto GOD than euer hee did afore So dealeth our aduersarie the Diuell with vs. He plagueth him with greater stormes of tentation that is about to forsake him and to giue his minde to serue God than him whom alreadie hee keepeth in his owne possession God hee suffereth thee to fall into tentation to the end he may see whether thou wilt perseuer in that which good is or no. But beware thou consent not vnto a wicked tentation Though that fire bee striken out of a flint by force of the steele yet if there bee no apt matter vnder it for the fire to take hold on it serueth to no purpose So though the Diuell with the steele of his tentation doe strike vpon the stone of thy sensualitie yet shall hee neuer strike any fire out of it that shall doe thee harme except thou ioyne the consent of thy will thereunto Vnlesse thou bee very circumspect thou shalt soone bee deceiued For some do come to you in sheeps clothing which inwardly be rauening wolues dissembling their naughtie purposeâ— of all tentations that is the soarest because vnder the showe of vertues they faine good will being vtter enimies The rouers on the sea doe carry in their shippe with
haue two qualities the one to bee quicke and light the other to be diligent and earnest in that which he goeth about lest through the messengers negligence the mischeefe and damage may come while the message is vndon or but a doing Thy prayer cannot pierce the heauens if thy mind bee oppressed with the cares and businesse of this transitory world they are the enemies and hinderers of godly prayers Therefore vnburden thy selfe of all vnnecessary cares for the maintenance of this life if thou wouldest pray with profite Againe forsomuch as a good mesenger is to bee earnest and diligent in his sute that although hee bee not suffered at the first to come in yet he giue the attempt againe and againe vntill he be heard and sent backe againe prayer it must not bee neither hoate nor colde but feruent and firy And as they which woulde bee heard of a Prince doe first make meanes to them which may doe most with his Maiestie to haue their cause heard and their sute granted so if thou wouldest that God should heare thy prayer and yeeld vnto thy request vse the helpe of his Sonne our onely mediator and aduocate Iesus Christ And that wee should not giue ouer but continue in supplication and prayer though wee bee not heard to our desire at the first our Sauiour teacheth in that parable where hee saith that three loaues were giuen to a man and that at midnight though not because hee was his friende yet because of his importunitiâ— God hee deferreth to shew fauour that by thy constant prayer thou mayest more earnestly desire that which thou prayest for and esteeme it more highly when thou hast the same or if hee graunâ— not thy request yet bee sure hee will giue that which is a greater benefite and better for thee Though he know right well before we aske what we stande in neede of yet will God haue vs to vse prayer as a speciall meane to obtaine deliuerance out of trouble It is necessarie that thou pray not to the end thou shouldest make God priuie of thine estate which afore he knew much better than thy selfe neither yet that hee should alter and change his determination but onely that by prayer thou shouldest vse those meanes whereby God purposed to giue that vnto thee which thou dost desire Prayer it presenteth vnto God thy miserable estate humbleth thine heart deliuereth from euils bringeth into the fauour of God and maketh his maiestie at peace with thy soule Prayer it preualeth ouer all things It ouercommeth men as appeareth by the example of Dauid of Iudith of Iudas Macchabeus all which to omit an infinite number more by humble prayer vnto the Lorde ouercame their enemies It ouercame the fire so that it could not burne the three children cast into the hot fiery ouen It ouercame the sea which by Moses prayer vnto GOD diuided it selfe and gaue passage to the Israelites it ouercame time when Eliiah thereby did make it to raine and to leaue raining as hee thought it most conuenient and thereby continued 40. daies and 40. nightes without meate and drinke it ouercame death as it is manifest in Hezekiah who beeing adiudged to die by the sentence of God by prayer prolonged his life fifteene yeeres it ouercame the cloudes for by the same Heliah brought the cloudes of the sea vpon the lande it ouercame the heauens for at the prayer of Ioshua the Sunne stood still and the heauens mooued not yea which more is it ouercame God himselfe after a sort for thus saide God vnto Moses Let me alone that my wrath may waxe hote againsh them for I will consume them Low how the Lord is held backe as it were when he wileth Moses to let him lone Briefly the Lord saith Whatsoeuer yee desire when yee pray beleeue that yee shal haue it and it shal be done vnto you Seeing then praier is of such efficacy in al thy troubles afflictions and tentations take vnto thee prayer as a buâ—kler for therby out of doubt thou shalt get the victory CHAP. 37. Man beeing created for God should onely seeke God and his glory in al his actions I Am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the begining the ending saith the Lord The riuers doe all come-forth of the sea and thether doe they returne againe al thinges naturally desire their proper end and are by nature holpen towardes the same As God is our sea from which wee came and the center where-unto we tendeâ— so our soules by nature must seeke and labour to come vnto him as to the very end for which they were created Our soule can finde no resting place here in this present life For God himselfe must be the end therof as the vttermost ende of all that it seeketh after and the very cause of the creation thereof God hath made vs for himselfe and therefore can our heartes neuer be at quiet vntill they enioy him It is a thing much to be maruailed at that al creatures dooing the duty for which they were created man only should bee rebellious and haue no care of attaining vnto his chiefest ende God created thee not for the earth but for heauen hee created thee not that thou shouldest seeke after worldly thinges as the finall end of thy creation but that thou shouldest onely seeke after him The beasts of the field which God created for the earth they looke downe-warde and goe with all foureâ— but man created for heauen should looke not downe-warde as though his minde were fixed vppon earthly thinges but vp to heauen-ward Why then art thou so affected to those corruptible thinges Cast thine hearte vpon things aboue where thou shalt enioy those riches that neuer shal corrupt b Depende not vppon these visible things but tend vpwards vnto thinges inuisible Loiter not idlely by the way but proceede thou directly toward the end for which thou wert created Why did God create thee but to enioy him Let him bee the final ende of all thy thoughtes and actions Who shall assend into the mountaine of the Lord saith the Prophet And who shall stand in his holy place Hee maketh answere among other things Hee which hath not lift vp his mind vnto vanity He hath receiued a thing in vaine which vseth not the same to the ende where-unto at the first it was ordained In vaine hast thou bought a garment if thou weare it not in vaine hast thou receiued thy soule except thou doe those thinges by the soule for which the soule was created God created thy memory that thou shouldest remember him thine vnderstanding that thou shouldest know him thy will that thou shouldest loue and desire him Seeing therefore God hath made thee and that to loue and serue him good reason is it that the little time which thou hast to spend in this life thou shouldest bestowe to the attaining of that most ecxellent and noble ende for which thou wert
God Doe you not remember how vpon the sudden the father receaued his prodigall son into fauor againe vpon his returne made a great feast for him and receaued him with all tokens of ioy insomuch that the elder sonne was angrie and said that although many yeeres hee had serued him yet did he neuer receiue so much as a kid from him to make merry with his friends Which his anger and indignation was altogether vndiscreet because the prodigall sonne after his fall returned most zealously vnto his father requiring pardon for his offences whereas the elder son was luke-warme not so zelously affectioned to his Fatherward There bee some young men more zelously giuen in the seruice of God than many old men And therefore the multitude of yeeres is not so to bee regarded as the zeale of the spirite Hee that is neither hote nor colde in Gods matters may easily bee seduced to offend the Lord. God saith I would thou werest colde or hote Therfore because thou art luke warme and neither colde nor hote it will come to passe that I shall spewe thee out of my mouth Of warmnesse there be two kinds one which goeth from heate vnto colde which is nought another which forsaketh the colde and draweth towardes the heate and this is good Hee that hath beene naught and beginneth now to drawe neere vnto God is not to bee rebuked but encouraged and inflamed but hee that was feruent and is now neither hote nor colde deserueth reprehension because hee declineth from the heate of the spirite vnto the colde of wickednesse This is that luke-warmnesse which the Lord so findeth fault with and vpon iust cause For it is vnmeete that hee should so coldly bee serued who with such a feruencie of loue hath giuen himselfe to serue thee Our Lorde and Sauiour Christ at his last supper saide vnto Iudas the traitor That thou doest doe quickly he burned so with desire to die for vs miserable sinners The glorious virgine Mary shee went into the hil country with hast to visite her cousen Elizabeth in which acte of hers thou maiest perceiue the great zeale of her affection Doe we not read in like sort that the Passeouer was commaunded to bee eaten In haste And did not the Patriarch Abraham runne to meete strangers that he might entertaine and receiue them into his inhabitation If thou wert to receaue a peece of mony about the euening the day beeing alreadie well spente and thou hauing some good way to goe wouldest thou not set the best legge formost and make speede that you bee not disappointed Remember my good friend what a pretious treasure thou art to receiue how far it is to the place where thou must take it vp and how short the time is limited for the attaining the same make haste therefore and loose no time least thou loose all to thine vtter vndoing O that thou couldest with the Prophet say I will runne the way of thy commaundements Thou oughtest to bee as swift and ready in the seruice of God euen as though within one houre thou shouldest leaue this world A certaine wise man thus spake his mind of Phisicke The life is short the art is long and practise may deceaue this said hee not to terrifie his Disciples from giuing their minds vnto the studie of Physicke but that with more diligence they should studie the same inasmuch as our life is short and the science very hard Be thou therefore earnest in the seruice of God because thy life is short and many things there be in the same which thou hast to doe CHAP. 28. We must not rashly resolue our selues in any thing BEleeue not euery spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God saith S. Iohn Before thou set vpon a worke consider first the qualitie thereof and thine owne strength least like a blind man thou rush vpon a thing and take a fall Many beginne the worke euen of God with great zeale but with little discretion and so in the end loose all their labour for when they should should bring it vnto perfection they faint and so repente them of their paines taken God will not that wee should bee rash in determining any matter but to doe thinges with wisedome and discretion and that before we enterprise any worke that we aduisedly premeditate The virgine mother of our Sauiour being saluted of the Angel before shee made any answere vnto the Angel Gabriel she thought what manner of salutation that should be If thou dost not consider with prudence afore hand thou must runne blindly in the darke and so the more forciblie thou fallest the greater shall be thy bruise Thinke that by howe much thy zeale is greater by so much should thy wisedome bee greater than other mens It is written to the reproach of the Iewes that they are a nation voide of counsell neither is there any vnderstanding in them Dauid in giuing too light credite vnto the false reports of Zâ—ba gaue an vniust sentence against Mephibosheth which faults diuers Princes and Prelates doe fall into by beleeuing hand ouer head that which is told them whereby manie a good man is vndone before his cause bee heard and many a poore man suffereth great wrong before hee euer know who were causers of the same The Prophet Nathan did not well in aduising Dauid to build an house for the Lorde before hee had asked counsel touching the same of God Our Sauiour Christ being chosen to be a iudge in the cause of the adultresse suspended his iudgement for a while writing first with his finger on the ground Giue not credite rashly to euery man for Hee that is hastie to giue credite is light minded and he that quickly beleeueth shal repeÌ„t at leisure Bee not moued with euerie winde neither walke thou by euery way The Apostle saith Take heede therefore that yee walke circumspectly not as fooles but as wise that yee fall not into daunger Christ saith vnto his Disciples I haue giuen you an example that yee should doe euen as I haue done vnto you Againe he saith Learne of me that I am meeke and lowly in heart Christ would that we should follow him not onely in doing well but also in the manner of well dooing for otherwise a worke morally good may bee vnprofitable for want of wisedome Greatly is Abraham commended in the Scripture for dooing with wisedome that which was enioyned him of the Lord. God commanded him to offer his onely sonne Izaacke whom hee loued for a burnt offering and he for the better performing of that which was commaunded him tooke his sonne early in the morning least his wise should haue hindered his purpose and left his seruants a farre off with the asse that they might bee no let vnto him at all insomuch that hee had put that in execution in deede had not an Angell of the Lorde called
vnto him from heauen and willed him to spare the child In all the seruice that pertaineth vnto GOD hee looketh for a discreete and a wise handling of the same And as meate though it bee otherwise neuer so good yet vnlesse it bee well seasoned it is neuer gratefull vnto the tast so thy seruice it pleaseth not God vnlesse it bee well seasoned with the salt of a good conscience and of discretion CHAP. 29. Hee that feareth God neede feare nothing SErue the Lorde in feare and reioyce in trembling saith the Prophet He that feareth God feareth nothing besides and he that feareth not God is afraid of all things When Kaine had lost the seare of GOD hee was so faint-hearted and weake that hee said Whosoeuer findeth me shall slaie me Maruel not heereat at all because hee that hath lost the feare of God which gaue him strength must needes become weake hearted and feare euerie thing but he that feareth God is valiant and besides God feareth nothing at all This feare of God emboldened Moses and Aaron to goe vnto King Pharaoh and boldly to say vnto him as from the Lord Let my people goe that they may celebrate a feast vnto me in the wildernesse Eliah feared the Lord and therefore he said vnto King Ahab I haue not troubled Israel but thou and thy fathers house in that yee haue forsaken the commaundements of the Lord and thou hast followed Baalim Elisha with great seueritie tooke vp Iehoram the King of Israel and with greater aucthority did S. Peter in the behalfe of himselfe and of his fellow Disciples make aunswere to the Rulers and Elders and Scribes that were gathered together in counsell at Ierusalem and stoutly did the Apostles and Marters speake vnto the great men of the world If thou fearest God care not for man Greater is hee that is on thy side than hee that is against you But because thou fearest not God thou art afraide of man and euerie small infirmity maketh thee to tremble The King that is garded with men of armes standeth in no feare but sleepeth securely and other men also of meaner calling bee without feare when they goe strongly armed in the company of valiant men Then how should they be affraide that haue God for their salfe-gard The Lord is with mee therefore I will not feare what man can doe vnto mee The Lord is with mee among them that helpe me therefore shall I see my desire vpon mine enimies saith the Psalmist The Lord is my light and my saluation whom shall I feare The Lorde is the strength of my life of whom shall I be affraide The wise man saith The wicked flee when none purâ—â—â—th but the righteous are bolde as a Lyon â—s the worldly men that doe euill doe liue full of feare and suspicion so good men which put their trust in God they are stoute like the Lyons so that they feare not men He that feareth God is not afraid of man and if thou feare God many good thinges shalt thou bee sure to haue But if thou arme not thy selfe with his holy feare thine house it cannot long continue By the feare of God we contemne the goods of this world The Marchauâ—nt through the feare which he hath of loosing his life is content to throwe his riches into the sea If thou dread God thou wilt cheerefully for the sauing of eternall for goe thy temporall goods It is great follie to passe the time without the feare of God especially liuing among so many perils as the Scripture speaketh of CHAP. 30. God is to be obeyed and those whom hee doth send for Gods sake WHAT man is this that both the windes and the sea obey him said they of our Sauiour Christ See that thou obey him whom the verie insensible creatures doe obey It is a wonder that man will not obey him whom the windes and seas obey The greatest signe of a mortified man is obedience there-in standeth the contempt of a mans owne selfe when a man for Christ his sake denieth his owne will Thinke it not much to be in subiection vnto him that is thy gouernour seeing it is written of our Lord that he was subiect vnto his mother and Ioseph If thou doe consider how much more mightie Christ was than they whom hee obeyed thou wilt not thinke it a grieuous burden to obey them that be meaner than thy selfe Why shouldest thou complaine of thy subiection vnto man though some waies thine inferiour for the Lordes sake seeing Christ God and man for thy sake obeyed simple and sinnefull man Though it bee greeuous to obey thy superiors yet the loue of God will conuert all that sharpenesse into sweeetenesse If thou doest but annoynt the lock of thy doore with oyle when it openeth not kindly it will open and shutte to no paine of the opener so if to thy murmuring thou adde the oyle of the loue of God thou shalt proceede in peace and in the quietnesse of the Spirite shalt doe those thinges which thou art enioyned Christ saieth vnto his Disciples Hee that heareth you heareth mee and he that despiseth you despiseth me and hee that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me The preacher of the worde is in the place of God and that which hee commaundeth God himselfe doth commaunde when hee commandeth nothing which is not contrarie to the lawes of God When thou doest reuerence him thou doest in him honor God and although in respect of his person hee bee not alwaies good yet in respect of his office hee is holy Dauid obeied Saul as his king and gouernor though a wicked man and reiected of God and because hee touched the lap of his garment and that but once his heart was touched for so doing of the Lord. How thinke we shall they escape the chastisement of the Lord that doe rent all the garments of their princes and gouernors by murmuing and sedition being sinners as Saul was Recommend thy Magistrats vnto God and obay them cheerefully in all things that are lawfull Much is the obedience of Abraham commended in the Scripture For when God had promised him that in Izshak should his seede be called and yet for all that commanded him to offer vp in sacrifice the same Izhak Abraham vsed no contradiction but held his peace and obeyed committing the whole matter vnto the prouidence of God For hee that is vnreinedly obedient although that which his superiours command him doe seeme vnto his carnall capacitie a fonde and absurde thing yet if it implie no sinne in it hee will yeeld obedience thereunto subduing his owne wit and making it agreeable vnto the commandement of such as be set ouer him Thou must not be the iudge of the gouernour nor take on thee to know the cause of that which is commanded thee for God will haue inferiors not to bee busie inquirers but humblie obedient Doe not