what answere hee may make for himsâ—fe though hee be not made to answere for the soules of other men Iâ— then thou shalt bee so busied that hardly thou shalt vnwinde thy selfe from the sentence of coÌ„demnation in respect of the sins committed by thy selfe then much more hardly shalt thou escape the same hauing taken vpon thee to answere for the consciences of other men It must needes therefore bee a vaine thinge after this manner to bring thy saluation into so great a danger It is vanitie to couet supereminence ouer others in this place of banishment God for his parte wil more loue thee if thou bee a good man and good men for their parte will more esteeme thee being a godlie subiect than a proud prelate I graunt indeede thou shalt not bee feared being not preferd but thou shalt be loued which is the better of the twaine Doe away therefore thy inordinate affections and keeep thine hart from vanitie Loue humilitie as the seruant of Iesus Christ and cast from thy mind the desire of honor For at the houre of death it will not helpe a whit but rather hurt thee CHAP. 14. This world is not our natiue countrey but a place of banishement WHile wee are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord againe Here wee haue no continuing cittie but weÌ„ seek one to come saith the Apostle There is no iourney taken without labour There is no pleasure to bee sought for in this world wherin wee do but soiorne Couet not to build much or to abide in the world seeing thou hast a father in heauen so rich and mightie but hold on a right course towarde that land where all manner of felicitie doth abound S. Peter saith I beseech you as strangers Pilgrims abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule It is the manner of Pilgrims to leade an hard life They are alwaies like for rainers their true friends are in an other countrey Procure not that friendship which is hurtfuâ—l to thy soule neither take it greeuously though al thinges fal not out according to thy desire For thou art but a traueler in this present world which if thou wouldest beare in minde much dangers thou couldest not but auoide Make speed therefore away like a post neither purpose thou to staie in this miserable world He that betaketh himselfe to an Inne there to tarry onely for halfe an houre bedecketh not the house for so short a time for then would hee be counted an egregious foole Thou art a Pilgrim vpon earth yester-day thou camest and to morow thou shalt depart Care not therefore for these honors riches or vanities of this world but let thy whole minde be touching the lande of the liuing where the Sainctes with Christ doe euerlastingly triumph haue in minde the lande of the heauenly father but sette not thine heart vpon this place of banishment It is a wonder how thou canst promise to thy selfe in this worlde any stability at all seeing this life is so short and the houre of death so vncertaine that thou knowest not whether thou shalt liue till to morrow or not Thinke how the troubles of this world are of small continuance and very shortly thou must goe vnto heauen where thou shalt rest for euermore Wouldest thou beare in minde that the life which we do looke for shall continue yea is euerlastinge surely thou wouldest thinke this life though it were to last a thousande yeares in comparison of that to come scarce halfe an houre in length Yea al our life compared to that is but a moment This moued Th'apostle patientlie to beare the troubles of his pilgrimage as himselfe writing vnto the Corinthians doth say on this wise Our affliction which is but for a momeÌ„t causeth to vs a farre mooe excellent eternal waight of glory while we looke not on the thinges which are seene but on the thinges which are not seene for the things which are seen arteÌ„poral but the things which are not seene are eternal Thus did th'apostle meditate of heaueÌ„ waying with himselfe the shortnes of this liefe If thou be a stranger in this world maruel not though thou be vnknown to men if the labour of this life trouble thee be not disquieted in thy selfe for shortly thy iourney shall haue an ende The fathers in the olde Testament confessed they were strangers pilgrims on the earth and wandred in wildernesses and mountaines and dens and caues of the earth and neuer found rest Neuer be of mind that thou must inhabite this earth Kain was the first that we read of which built a city vpearth lost he not heauen Neither was Saint Peter rebuked without cause who being a stranger would yet haue an house builded vpon mouÌ„ Thaber as if he had been to inhabite therevpon They which trauel like pilgrimes vse not to buie fruite trees and such like thinges as are too heauie for them to beare but such thinges as are of light carring but yet of greate price as precious stones and other iewels In like sort forsake thou the honors and riches of this life and â—arrie about thee the precious iewels â—f an vnspoted conscience Why then heapest thou promotion â—pon promotioÌ„ so fast which of necesâ—â—tie thou must leaue behind thee Why wouldest thou be loaden with â—â—ches in the race of this life Rather â—eeke for the inestimable iewels of good workes that thou maiest liue in perpetuall riches and honor in the heauens CHAP. 15 Beautie is a vaine thing FAuour is deceitfull and beautie is vanitie saith Salomon If no vanitie is to be accounted of any thing at al and beautie is a vaine thing surely beauty is nothing to be accounted of Then most vaine are they which haue in great price the vaine beautie of the body Let not thy beautie puffe thee vp neither cast an eye vnto the shadowe of thy countenance least thou fall into destruction and loose thy life as Nareissus did who beholding his beuty lost his life Absolons goodly lockes of haire were the haltars to hang himselfe withall Beuty is giuen vnto maÌ„ to th' ende he should lift vp his mind vnto God the giuer of the same When thou findest a litle vaine of water thou followest the same till thou come vnto the spring from whence it flowed first Euen so when thou meetest with a beutifull body leaue not vntil thou come vnto the author of the same which is God himselfe the fountaine of al beuty Litle children thou knowest doe wonder at the gay letters pictures which are in bookes but the substaÌ„ce which is the learning comprised therein they regard no whit Shewe thy self not a childe but a man of wisedome gaze not so curiously vpon the external beuty of any creature but marke diligently what is written therein to the end thou maist loue the author and creator of such fairnesse Creatures be spectacles as it were which serue vs
a liuely hewe that life hath lent thee there thou shalt see the foundation of your stocke and the largenesse of thy dominion That which thou now art thine ancestors were and as they are such shalt thou bee If thou looke well into thy selfe thou shalt finde greate matter why to contemne thy selfe For what art thou as touching the bodie but a vessell of corruption And in respect of thy soule setting the grace of God apart what art thou but an enemie vnto righteousnesse the childe of wrath a friend of vanitie a worker of iniquitie a despiser of God euen a creature proane vnto all wickednesse vnapt to doe well What art thou but a miserable creature in thy counsailes blind in thy wayes ignorant in thy wordes vaine in thy deedes faulty in thy destres◠filthy to conclud in all thinges vile great onely art thou in thine owne opinion Therefore if thou seeke to knowe thy selfe it will cause thee neither to bee proude nor ambitious nor disdainefull it will make thee to beare iniuries with a quiet mind in asmuch as thou shalt finde thy selfe to bee a miserable sinner and worthy of all mē to be hated and contemned Know thy selfe as admonished from heauen What booteth it to know the seuen liberall sciences and to bee a great Doctor in al the arts if thou art yet ignorant of thy selfe It is better to know thy selfe than to haue all the Scripture at thy fingers ende Consider who thou art whence thou camest where thou art and whether thou art going Thou art a mortall man a little earth a vessell of corruption full of misery standing in neede of many thinges thou wert conceiued in sinne thou camest into the world with paine to thy mother and griefe to thy selfe enuironed thou remainest with al manner of dangers and thou art bounding towarde the graue of putrefaction Iob saith I am become like ashes and dust Let the light of God teach thee who thou art Thou sayest thou art rich and encreased with goods and hast neede of nothing and knowest not how thou art wretched and miserable poore and blind and naked CHAP. 14 Miserable is the condition of man in this world MAN that is borne of a woman is of short continuanc and full of troble saith Iob What thing is so miserable as man Must not the body which thou so makest of die at the length and rot in the graue And what is more horrible than a dead man How much so euer thou wert made of beeing aliue none no not thy verie friendes will abide thee after thou art dead Is not the state wherein thou liuest a certaine vnhappy bondage It is a miserable thing to be borne a slaue to liue a slaue and to die a slaue Behold I was borne in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceiued mee saith Dauid O miserable life inuironed about with so many dangers and periles For one pleasure wee receaue a thousand sorrowes so that this life may iustly bee tearmed a death and not a life There is no creature more needy than a man for hee is driuen to begg his meate and rayment of the beasts and earne his bread with the sweate of his brows al which for the most part the birdes and the brute beastes haue of themselues and haue no neede to begge or to aske of any other Some liuing creatures haue wings to fly withall others haue clawes and teeth both to defende themselues and to hurt others others are light of foote to runne from dangers Al which man hath not and those which hee hath bee not in such measure in him as in them so that hee is fain to borrow helpe from those base creatures Whereby hee may learne to bring downe himselfe in the eies of God by humility and to lay-away the pride of his mind Man hath no peace in this worlde for hee can neither rest himselfe alwaies nor alwaies watch When he seemeth best in health then hath hee sundry infirmities to disquiet him as hunger thirst wearisomnesse and diuers other necessities heate cold stormes tempests lightninges thunder plagues poyson periles by sea perils by land griefes and diuers infirmities and laste of all death it selfe Eli the priest of the Lord when little hee thought of death he suddenly fell from the seate backward and brake his neck This may teach thee that when thou sittest and thinkest thy selfe most sure thou maiest take a fall and die The sleepe which thou vsest for the great ease benefit of the body howe full is it of false and vaine imaginations It is meere blindnesse and folly to loue this world so replenished with miseries wherein if any good thinge bee founde that good is mixed with innumerable sorrows and molestations which are to those that set their delight in the world euen the beginninges of the perpetuall tormentes of the reprobate in hell It is easier many times to bee in tormentes and paine than to expect the same And because that euery day thou lookest for the sentence of death to bee pronounced against thee and knowest that the life which thou liuest is miserable and not to bee tearmed in deede a life as neither death may properly bee called death but a sleepe the Lord would haue this life to bee full of all manner miseries that disliking it thou maiest couet and long after the life in heauen Thinke how this life was giuen thee of God as a ship to carry thee like a traueler thorough the raging seas of this troublesome world wherin thou wert to endure manifolde dangers and perils and that to the intent thou shouldest the more earnestly desire the other life which is the sure harbarough and hauen of most blessed comfort If this life should haue bene all prosperous and pleasant it so would haue drawen a man to the likeing thereof that hee would quite haue for gotten the other life for the enioyning wherof hee was created The manifold euils and miseries which continually thou sufferest they inuite and call thee vnto the desire of the celestiall paradise The troubles of this life doe make thee to goe vnto God many times by harty prayer and beeing thus pressed with afflictions a wonder it is that yet thou art no more willing to leaue this miserable state wherein thou art Cast not thine heart vppon these transitory thinges Here thou art subiect to continuall debate and troubles in ouercomming whereof thou shalt get a Crowne of perpetuall glory God seeing that naturally thou art desirous of quietnesse hath thought good that this life should bee full of troubles to the end thou shouldest loue and long for that quietnesse which is eternall in the heauens CHAP. 15. It is expedient that we know so much of God as he hath reuealed of himselfe in his worde I haue heard of thee by the hearing of the eare but now mine eie seeth thee Therefore I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes saith
thou be exercised and hewen thou canst not serue for any vse in the spirituall building Persecutors bee the rough masons Hee therefore that flyeth persecution refuseth to be of Ierusalem that is abouâ— Better was Dauid than Salomon inasmuch that certaine it is the father was saued whereas the safetie of the sonne commeth into question The whole life of Dauid was full of tribulation and teares but Salomon contrariwise liued altogether in prosperity and peace by tribulation K. Dauid entered into heauen and by the prosperity of Salomon whether hee bee saued or no many are in doubt Much good commeth to the soule by aduersity Whereas prosperity quencheth the good spirit aduersity enlighteneth the vnderstanding of the minde While Ioseph shewed much honour to his brethren they knew him not but hauing once made them sad they knew him Therefore doth God send thee tribulation euen that thou shouldest know him for when he doth good to thee thou soone forgettest him Because thou sleepest securely as vnmindfull at all of God therefore his maiestie dooth depriue thee of thy delights wherein like a beast thou diddest tosse thy selfe and tumble to th' end thou mightest awake and confesse thy God Grieue not thy selfe when God doth bereaue thee of worldly comfort for he alwaies doeth it for thy profit So dealt Dauid with Saul wheÌ„ he tooke from him being a sleepe his speare and pot of water not for his hurt but for his good as it appeareth not onely by his owne wordes but also by Saul his humble confessing his offence By afflictions if thou be the child of God assure thy selfe that thou shalt recouer the inward sight of thy soule euen as Tobias did the outward sight of the body by the gale of the fish At the baiting of a Bull if a man perceaue that hee may fall into any danger thereby he wil carefully giue place that the hornes of the Bull goare him not at all In like sort therfore doth God suffer thee to be in peril somtime to the end thou shouldest see vnto thy selfe by flying vnto the Lord for refuge with vnfeined repentance Euen as prosperitie turneth the minde of man from God so aduersitie draweth man vnto God In my trouble did I call vpon the Lord saith Dauid The more the waters of the â—loude did encrease the more was the Arâ—ke of Noah lifted vp the more the people of Israel were vexed in AEgypt the more they multiplyed and grew the more we are afflicted the more both we for our partes doe thinke vpon God and God for his part doth encrease his blessinges vpon vs. Like well therefore of tribulation for it openeth a way for thee vnto heauen The first thing that God wrought in the conuersion of S. Paul was that he flang him vpon the ground leting vs thereby to know that the first entrance into the seruice of God is tribulation As in the barne the chaffe and the corne are mingled together so in this world the bad the good they liue one with another but when the winde of tribulation beginneth once to blow the wicked are throwne downe to the grounde for very anguish of heart but the vertuous they are more strongly vnited both to Christ and themselus That which is il to the wicked is good for the godly The blacke pitch becoÌ„meth white through beating and if the good men haue gotten any spots of sinne by prosperitie affliction doth wash and wipe it cleane away Gods chastisement in this life is a fatherly correction for God hee punisheth alwaies with great fauour but the chastisement in the life to come it shal bee with indignation and furie without al pitie and mercy according to the saying of the Prophet Thou shalt crush them with a septer of yron and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell Choose therefore rather in this worlde to be troubled that so by afflictions which are but smal and momentanie in respect thou maiest attaine the kingdome of God which is eternall CHAP. 32 It is a vaine thing to be careful for the thinges of this worlde BE not careful for your safe what ye shal eate or what ye shall drinke nor yet for your body what ye shall put on saith the Lord For the care of these thinges wil suffer thee to haue small care of thinges eternall God he made man to the end hee should know and by knowing shold loue and by louing shoulâ— enioy the soueraigne felicitie from the enioying whereof the immoderate care of thinges temperall doeth detaine vs backe Had the people of Israel been carefull about meate drinke and apparel in the wildernesse they had neuer doubtlesse set foote in the lande of promise Circumcise therefore from thine heart all superfluous cares of transitory thinges if thou minde to haue enterance into the lande of promise And of those Hebrewes which left Egypt many died in the wildernesse and could not bee suffered to goe into that fruitfull lande so often promised and that because they fell a lusting after the fleshe pots of Egypt Set not thine heart vpon the good thinges of this life hut let thy desire be vpon heauenly matters couet not immoderately these visible thinges vnlesse thou passe not for loosing the good thinges which are inuisible To manie too too carefull about their owne but carelesse altogether about the matters of God the Lord himselfe doth saie Because of mine house that is waste and ye runne euery man vnto his owne house Therefore the heauen ouer you stated it self from dew and the earth staieth her fruit It is meete that they feele the smart of povertie which prefer the matters of this worlde before the maker of all thinges The Lorde compareth the life of the righteous vnto birds not onely in respect of the little rest and stare which they haue vpon the earth but also for that commonly they abide in the higher places whence it was as not vnprobably wee maye gather that Christ when hee found faâ—lt with immoderate carefulnesse he said Behold the soules of the heauen for they sow not nether reape nor carie into the barnes yet your heauenly Father seedeth them Blush therfore and be thou ashamed that so thou abusest thy desires by cleauing vnto the filthie dung of the world when thou maiest be refreshed with the odoriferous flowers of the celestiall paradise O prodigeous cruelty to consume thy selfe in trauelling about to gette and gaine in this worlde when with as little yea lesse paine thou mayest come vnto the riches of heauen And this thou shouldest doe at the least for thy fathers sake which is in heauen For the diligence and carefulnes of the child is a blaming though secretly the Father of negligence For if the childe bee not sufficientlie prouided for of necessary thinges it followeth that the Father hath not performed the duety which a father is bound vnto â—ee not therefore so carefull to get temporall good vnles thou wouldest
the same So is the battel ordered somtime by the captaine and such newe stratagems he vseth that they seeme foolish altogether to the barbarous soldiers because they knowe neither the ground of his deuise not yet the ende whereunto it tendeth So doth foolish man iudge of the wisdome of God Which euen worldly folke as it is in the booke of Wisdome confessed whē they said The light of righteousnes hath not shined vnto vs and the sunne of vnderstanding rose not vpon vs. For the weake eies of our vnderstanding they are not able to comprehend the glorious light of heauenlie wisdome Moses so long as he was in Egypt he was taken to be a very wise man but whē once he was to speake before the Lord of heauen and earth he then confessed that slow he was of speech and slow of tongue For hee was onely wise with secular wisdome Salomon was a very wise man yet when he compared his wisdome with the wisdome of God he thought himselfe more foolishe than any man It is a point of great wisedome for Gods sake to contemne the worlde In the true knowledge of a mans owne selfe consistteh the high and heauenly wisedome of Iesus Christ. In comparison of this high wisdome all knowledge is but ignorance to the seruant of God If thou haue the perfect knowledg of all the liberal artes what wil it profit thee if thou know not thy selfe Thou wanderest about and thinkest that thou knowest much whē in deed thou knowest nothing as thou shouldest Happy is the soule which is replenished with heauenly wisedome and happy is the man whose care is to bee wise in the sight of God To haue one litle drope of heauen ly wisdome it is better than to haue euē a whole vaste sea of secular knowledge True wisedome is nothing els but a perfect mortificatiō of a mans owne selfe The more thou knowest the more ignorant shewe thy selfe and deade vnto the world Righteous men which see God as Iaacob did because they know God they are lame and vnapte as it were vnto earthly affaires and counted fooles of men because they are wise in Gods sight As that part of the moone which is toward the Sun is so glorious with light that the other part therof which hath respect vnto the earth giueth no light at all so when the chiefe and principall part of thy soule is fixed vpon the Sunne of righteousnesse it will be so possessed of the glorious beames thereof that it wil haue noe light to cast vpon the earth earthly thinges The foole saith Ecclesiasticu◠changeth as the moone for leauing the light of God he turneth himselfe vnto the inferior things of the earth The wisedome of this world it is confoūded of the heauenly wisdome For as the serpent of Moses deuoured the serpents of Pharoas magicioners so the wisedome of God deuoureth consumeth all the wisedome of man God in the old lawe hee promiseth riches vnto men and those thinges which the nature of man desireth yet notwitstanding fewe there were that turned vnto the Iewish religion which was the true worshipe of God But Christ our Sauiour when hee came and preached persecution and tribulation which men naturally do hate in all partes of the worlde many were conuerted vnto the faith The wisdome of God is of that force that by foolish thinges of the world the wise are confounded and by weake thinges of the worlde hee hath confounded the mighty whē they professed themselues wise they became fooles saith the Apostle And what maruel seeing all thinges are subiect to the wisdome of God This wisdome Sathan would plucke from thee as would Nahash the Ammonite the right eies of the Israelites which is the knowledge of celestiall thinges The eies of a wise man are in his head which is Christ Neither doth a wise man seeke nor looke vpon any thing but Iesus Christ accordine to that of the Apostle I esteemed not to know any thing among you saue Iesus Christ and him crucified Therefore let thine whole exercise be in the meditation of the passion of Christ to the intent that knowing him in part here on earth thou maiest afterward haue a full sight of him in heauen CHAP. 35 The life of man vpon earth is but both short and vaine MAN that is borne of a woman is of short continuance and full of trouble saith Iob Hee shooteth forth as a flouer and is cut downe he vanisheth also at a shadowe and continueth not Our life is euen a vapor that appeareth for a little time and afterwarde vanisheth awaie like a cloud in the aier which so soone as the Sunne shineth disperseth it selfe This life so much accounted of seemeth among men to bee very goodly insomuch that it rauisheth the mindes of many with the glory of the same But vaine are such persons for who so knoweth not that euē a little sicknesse and infirmitie resolueth euen the goodliest personage into dust and allies So that he becommeth very vile that was so glorious but a while before What is the whole time of our life but euen a very instant which runneth away more swiftly thā the wind They are more swift thā a poste they haue fled aud haue seene no good thinge Euen as lightening in the aire which in the twinckling of an eie is dissolued so passeth away both the life and the glorie of this world For all is vanitie Number al the daies hours monethes and yeares of thy life and terme wherebe they now They are all passed away like a shaddow and like a spiders webbe that is blowen away with the wind There is nothing stable vpon earth whereout Adam was formed and his children I here is nothing shorter thā life which carieth death alwaies with it It is both short and miserable good men beare it mith patience and euil men loue it with great delight We must needes die and we are as water spilt on the grounde which cannot be gathered vp againe saith the Scripture There is no streame that runneth so fast awaie as the life of man doth the water streames neuer turne backe againe and the daies that are passed cannot be called backe The time past is irrecouerable Thou maiest sit by the riuer as Tobie did at the floud Tybris and by tht swiftnesse of the same consider how swiftly thy life it passeth awaie That riuer Tybris had his name of his speedie runninge and yet is not the course thereof fo swift as is the course of thy yeares after which thou art drawen immediately vnto death In this consideration wash the feete of thy soules affections in this contemplation purge thy selfe from the filth of earthly loue which thou hast gotten by much busying thy selfe in the world The life of man is but a dreame and deceite The Psalmist saith I saide in my feare all men are lyers The
life of man is a lie it is an image an image is but a figure of the tâ—ueth And this life is not the true life but a figure of life and the shadowe of death It is not that which it seemeth to be but a shadow of truth it is an apparance of life which runneth in such hast that it is vnpossible to be restrained or reteined backe Besides as the life runneth towarde the ende so together with life both the riches honors and pleasures of this worlde doe passe awaie The sinfull pleasure which was taken in them then taketh an end but the torments which they haue purchased doe then begin but they shall neuer end The pleasure was but short but the paines will be euerlasting I would faine vnderstande what thinge is of continuance in this worlde It may bee some will saie riches and some the glorie of the world but how soone are they gone but Iob he saith My daies haue bin more swift than aposte they haue fled haue seen no good thing They are passed as with the most swift shippe and as the Eagle that flyeth to the praie In a word our life passeth awaie euen in the twincklinge of an eie so doth our youth passe awaie and with that our bewtie the floure of this life it passeth away and all thinges most speedily come to an end CHAP. 36. God hath made this life so short to the end his seruantes may the sooner come to those ioyes which they so desire MAN is borne vnto trauaile saith Iob Wee come into the world with teares wee liue in the world with labour we go out of the world with paine In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate thy bread said God vnto Adam Now forasmuch as the life of man is a continuall trauaile vpon earth of his infinite goodnesse God woulde needes shorten our life to the ende that the more cherefully wee might beare the paine God of meere pittie will not that thou shouldest labor any long time neither dooth hee consent that our trauaile in this world should last for euer Hee hath determined our banishment to be but short And seeing he hath created vs to be glorified with him and our glory is in heauen his care is speedily to take vs to himselfe because hee loueth vs. It is for our great good that our life is so short euen that contemning this present life wee should learne to loue that life which is both eternall blessed Iob he said vnto God Spare mee for my dayes are vanity Now because Iob did see that his daies were short he determined to aske mercy of God and to repent Howbeit many so liue as though they should neuer die occupying themselues in the vanities of this life whereas life is giuen them to the end they should endeuour to attaine that glorious and blessed life in the heauens But hee is worthy of sharpe correction which regardeth any thing more than that eternall and aye continuing life in the celestiall paradise Doe thou well consider the shortnesse of this life and withall beholde that durable and eternall state and it cannot bee but thou wilt loue that which is to come and easily contemn the life which is present At such time as he saw the wickednes of men exceedingly to encrease God purposed to cut the same short because they should not grow bold in sinning vpon hope of their long life So the same God that we may not still mispeÌ„d the time giuen vnto vs to amend our wicked manners he hath shortened the same that wee may not adde sinne still vnto sinne When that men liued more innocently in the beginning of the world God gaue them long liues but as he saw sinne to encrease and time to be abused so hee made the life of man shorter and shorter The Psalmist saith Thou hast set our iniquities before thee our secret sinnes in the light of thy countenance For alour dais are past in thine anger wee haue spent our yeeres as a thought The time of our life is threescore yeeres ten if they be of strength fourescore yeers The prophet here implieth that for our sins our life is shortened As the fine and delicate web which the spider cunningly hath woauen is with a small blast of wind broken and dissolued so the life of man which so much labour sustaineth euen by a little blaste of sicknesse or aduersity it is consumed and taken from vs. Therefore loue it not being so short and vncertaine This is not the heauenly but the terrestriall life the place where wee liue it is not our natiue Country but the place of banishment this life it hath an ende but that country where God inhabiteth together with his elect it shall haue none end He that taketh paine and laboureth hard here in this present life is very foolish if hee desire not to be at quiet rest for euer with Christ in that most happy place of heauen What bondman but desireth his natiue country What prisoner endungened but would see the light Surely this world is not our owne country but a Babylonish prison If thou desire a long life thou desirest a long imprisonment if thou desirest an olde age thou desirest a long sicknesse Where there is now hope of life desire death Death serueth for comfort vnto vs to asswage the pains arising from our labours which be neuer finished but after death He which is to goe a iourney were better goe betime then too late Happy is he that liueth with patience and desireth death Happy is that soule which God speedily will bring vnto euerlasting rest in the heauens God which in al his works is good to deserue well at thine hands would therefore haue thy life to bee short euen that thou shouldest loue him and so attaine vnto that life which is euerlasting CHAP. 37 Many are the daungers which the life of man is subiect vnto THE dayes of man are as grasse as a flower of the field so flourisheth he saieth the prophet speaking of mans life To many dangers is the flower of the field open The sunne burneth the winde drieth man treadeth the beast eateth the water drowneth the water consumeth the same In like sort who is able with tongues to vtter the daungers which the life of man is subiect vnto Sorrow will kill ficknesse will consume the sea will drowne him and many other wayes his life may be taken from him when little he thinks of death Iob saith My dayes are passed at the most swift shippes againe They haue beene more swift then a Post. He saide truely that they passed away more swiftly than a Poste For the Poste though he runne much yet sometime hee must rest to refresh his body But the dayes of man they are alwaies going and without intermission they runne towardes death Whether thou sleepe or whether thou wake all thy life long euery houre yea euery moment thou runnest with all
good because they neuer tasted the thinges of God But such as feele the sweetnes of the spirit they vtterly abhorre the pleasures of the flesh Diddest thou once but taste what God is thou wouldest forthwith abhoâ—re all the pleasures and vanities of the world but because thou relisheâ— not the thinges of the Spirit thou likest better of worldly biâ—ternes Therefore that thou maiest enioy those eternall and true riches of heauen repel farre from thine heart the desire of all worldly vanities and deceipt The end of the first Booke The seconde Booke which setteth downe the peruerse and erooked customes of the world CHAP. 1. The conditions of the world are naught and dangerous LOVE not the worlde neither the thinges that are in the world saith S. Iohn Hee that knoweth not the malice of anything liueth by so much the more securely by how much hee feareth not the hurt which may proceede from the same Therefore it is expedient that thou know the conditions of the world that to the better thou maiest take heed of them The deceipts thereof be manifest and the euill customes of the same shew how small accompt we should make thereof It is the propertie of the world to poison all those which come neere vnto it It deceiueth many and maketh many blinde When it flyeth it is nothing when it is seene it is but a shadow when it is aduanced it is fire and burneth It is to fooles sweet but vnto wise men sowre and vnsauorie They know not what the worlde is which loue it but they onelie which hate the same If thou wouldest know the world thou must behold it a farre off for they which come nigh it they neyther know the worlde nor themselues It bringeth forth much euill and is the occasion of infinite miseries Those which loue it it hateth those which trust it it deceiueth and those which obey it it beateth such as fauour it it afflicteth such as honour it it dishonoureth such as are mindfull thereof it forgetteth Wee haue more cause to flie the world when it helpeth than when it openly persecuteth vs The more familiar the more dangerous is the worlde and worser is it when it fawneth vppon vs than when it frowneth He that seeth not the world shal be seene of the world Woe to them which repose confidence therein but happy are they which despise the same The world is both to bee feared and fled from The life thereof is deceitfull the labour fruitlesse the feare continuall the honour dangerous the beginning without wisedome the end without repentance liberall is it in promising sparing in performing It is impossible thou shouldest liue in the world securely without feare merily without griefe easily without labour happily without great danger It intrappeth men with snares neuer ceaseth till they are brought vnto their graues To loue the worlde and not to run headlong into manie miâ—eries it is impossible Thinkest thou euer to see the world cleane and pure in euery respect Why man it changeth euerie moment and by the often turning thereof about it tendeth vtterly vnto corruption It promiseth ample commodities which notwithstanding it neuer performeth it reacheth goodly fruite in shew to the friendes thereof but with in it is full of wormes and intollerable stinch The glory of the same is so fickle that it both forsaketh many while they be aliue and will not follow any after they be dead Of the worlde in the promises there is falshood in the mirth griefe in the pleasures paine in the comforts vexation in the prosperity continuall doubting that the state will change There is nothing stable nothing of continuance in the world onely it hath a shew of good things whereby it deceiueth simple folkes that cannot discerne the same who beeing once entered into the gulfe of those bitter thinges which erst they thought full sweete they are plunged and drowned in the bottomlesse gulfe of euerlasting perdition through the mighty stormes which it hath raysed It is like a crafty marchant which will shew a cloth which is faire and fine at the first vnfolding and sell that for good which after it be laide abroad to the eye is but very course and not worth any thing Such slippery parts doth the world play vnder the shew of pleasure it thrusteth vpon vs euerlasting paines But stoppe thine eares when it beginneth to speake vnto thee thinke that her voice is like the Mermaides musicke which with her sweetsonges doth allure vnto her selfe that in the ende she may drowne thee for euer in the bottomlesse pit of hell CHAP. 2. The snares and deceipts of the world are to bee taken head of BEware least there bee any man that spoilâ— you through Philosophie vaine deceipt saith the Apostle The world it blindeth many by the outwarde shewe thereof concealing the inward euils which it doth coÌ„prehend Hee that liueth in the world so deceitful he had need to be wary lest he be deceiued It presenteth pleasure to voluptuous persons but vnder that vanitie there lurketh filthines and sorrowe It offereth the glorious golde to the couetous eye but not the cares troubles which riches do bring It entiseth vnto honour and preferment but it telleth not the weightie burdens annexed vnto prelacy The Deuill hee led our Sauiour not vnto the sanctuary or inner part but vnto the pinacle of the temple which serued more for an ornament than for necessity So the deuill and the world they allure not a man vnto the fight and searching of the inward conscience of their sinnes but vnto bewtifull showes of vaine terrour and superfluous things God he gaue in commaundement that the beastes which should bee sacrificed vnto him shold first be flead and haue their skinnes taken from them but contrariwise the world will that all the seruice which thou offerest vnto it should bee couered with the skinne of pleasure honour and commoditie to the entent that the entrals of wickednes may not be seene at all Therefore thou shalt do wel as God commandeth to take off the outwarde skinne of voluptuousnesse and so shalt thou perceiue the deceites the scruples and the filthines which lieth hid and couered vnder those exterior thinges Thou must take away the barke of wickednesse flea and deuide the entrals of sinnes which are full of deceipt so shalt thou behold and that sensiblie the vaniry and naughtines of that which thou hast loued Behold the fraud of the worlde Great thingâ— they seeme to thee small things and vile God himselfe which is incomprehensiblie greate hee seemeth but small in thine eyes because thou art farre estranged from him and the small thinges of this world they appeare great vnto thee for thou louest them which the Apostle iudged no better then dung The friendes of God replenished with the light of heauen they haue knowne and made knowne the deceiptfulnes of the world Wouldest thou somwhat consider both of what small continuance the thinges are of
should continually prepare our selues to dye MAN that is borne of a woman is but of shorte continuance and full of trouble Are not his dates determined The number of his monethes are with thee O Lord thou hast appointed his boundes which hee cannot ouerpasse saith Iob The houre of death is vncertaine neither know you what houre your master will call you vnto account Because the houre of death is vncertaine wee should presume that our life may soone bee ended and that the last houre is still at hande And herein as in al other thinges the Lord God hath dealt most mercifully with vs in keeping from our knowledge the houre of death to the ende wee should liue with more purity of heart and soule As wee are sound at the houre of death so shall wee be iudged and for somuch as euery moment wee may dye let vs liue in all innocencie that when wee are to giue vp our account we may bee found good seruantes The more zealous should you bee in doing well the more vncertaine you are when you shall forsake this world whereunto continually you ought to be prepared If many now offend God hauing the houre of death hidden from their eies what wicked â—â—reches woulde they proue if they knew of a certaine that their daies were many The vncertainety of the houre of death it bridleth many from committing sinne who if they knew that they should liue many yeares would wrap and defile themselues with most lothsome wickednesse Againe though the vncertainty of death reclame not all men from their sinnes yet maketh it many not to continue still and perseuere in vngodlynesse If a man might knowe assuredly the houre of his death yet is it plaine that hee could not know it but vnder one of these two conditions to wit either that hee should dye suddenly or else haue some certaine time after appointed and praefixed him to die in Now if hee knew that his death were sudden and so defer his repentance vntill then it were a daungerous thing For hardly can hee truely repent which repenteth suddenly Againe if hee knew his time of life to bee long then it may bee thought he would take more liberty to sinne putting-off the reformation of his wicked life vnto the last day Both which are very daungerous and inconuenient for the saluation of man Therefore to deliuer thee from both these daungers the all wise God hath so ordained that the houre of death should bee alwaies kept from thy knowledg that suspecting death alwaies to bee nigh at hande thou wouldest alwaies liue in the feare of God and bee thankefull to his Maiesty for this so singuler benefite of concealing the houre of death whereby as with a spurte he pricketh thee on to follow practise the works of godlinesse Besides God would not haue thee to know the houre of death because thou shouldest learne to liue for the benefite of others and not to thy selfe For a publique benefite is alwaies to bee prefered afore a priuate Diddest thou knowe that quickly thou shouldest die many good workes thou wouldest leaue vndone which might bee profitable to the common-weale and thy study would bee of thine owne saluation neglecting without the more grace of God the profite of thy neighbour Aud what more If many did knowe beeing sicke that their sicknesse were not vnto death surely neither would they hartely turne vnto the Lord by repentance nor doe those workes which Christians are to doe But now many lying greeuously in paine vpon their bed they turne vnto the Lord God knowing themselues neere vnto death which questionlesse they woulde not doe if they knewe they should liue still and not die Last of all euen for the preseruation of Christian peace and concorde among men God would not haue vs aforehande to knowe the time of our departure out of this world For did wee know that yet many yeeres wee should continue heare there would follow or bee nourished stil in vs hatred desire of reuenge and such like sinnes againe did we know that very speedely wee should die we should be euermore sad and full of melancholy passions and so be vncomfortable to our selues and to all such as are about vs. All which doe violate the common peace and fellowshippe of man Seeing therefore by this vncertainty of our life God hath prouided so well for the benefite both of our selues and of others there is great cause why for the same wee should thanke him loue him worshipe adore him that onely euermore CHAP. 33. The remembrance of death is a goodly medicine against the feare of death THough a man liue many yeares and in them all he reioyee yet he shal remember tbe dayes of darknesse saieth the Preacher Death would be vanquished as he doth approch if it were well thought vppon afore neither is there any thing that from death better may defend thee than after God the continuall memory of the same A wise mans life is the meditation of death and vnworthy is hee all comfort at the houre of death which hath beene forgetfull of death in the daies of his life Death though it seeme contrary to life yet hath God appointed the same to bee a meane whereby to attaine vnto life And Christ hath made death so sweet for vs that laying aside the name of death it is become the iustrument of life inaâ—â— much as thereby wee attaine vnto the true life in heauen in such wise as that which before his glorious resurrect on was very death is nowe life life I say to the good but a gate of eternall death vnto the wicked Death it is the ende when the valieant soulders receiue their pay and the cowards are dimissed with shame According to the diuerse liues of men a diuerse rewarde is giuen to men by death If thou forget death then will death forget thee It is the chiefest point of Philosophy to bee still occupied in the meditation of death The Niniuites hearing the sentence of death pronounced against them by Ionas the prophet straight did humble themselues before the Lord with harty repentance Seeing therfore the consideration of death did so change the mindes of those sinners thou mayest percease the great profite that commeth to man by the same If thou thinke of death as thou shouldest tentatation cannot ouercome thee Beware thou loue not life so immoderately that in the meane while thou put death out of thy minde For then looke especially for to die when thou desirest chiefely for to liue The remembrance of death maketh a man not to waxe proud in prosperitie It is good to be ready to die before death come and to expect with patience the time that insueth after death When thou seest other men to die before thy face thinke thy selfe also to hasten toward the graue though thou maiest seeme to haue sure footing on the earth When two shippes meete vpon the sea together they that bee in the one shippe
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
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
were Gods friendes they suffered many a cruell torment aud dost thou giue thy selfe vnto voluptuousnesse and thinke for all that to haue ease and comfort in the other world Behold saith the Lord they whose iudgement was not to drinke of the cup haue assuredly drunken art thou he that shall escape free Thou shalt not go free but thou shalt surely drinke of it Thinke not that pouertie miserie and affliction were appointed for good meÌ„ for although God suffereth them to taste of them for a time yet are they not purposely prouided for them For God hath ordained them for his owne glorie But these afflictions properly belong vnto thee if thou art vngodly although they seeme nothing at all to appertaine vnto thee and therefore dost shunne them as thou dost If all the tormentes which the Martyrs haue endured were ioyned together they should bee nothing in comparison of the torments which the reprobate shall and must sustaine in the pit of hell If thou bee affraide in the darke night to bee among the ougly carcases of dead men howe wilt thou abide to be in the loathsome darkenesse among the dead in hell where thou shalt be forced to continue and neuer see the Sunne Moone nor stars A miserable land is that where night is continually and no day at all If now thou canst not endure the sight of one Diuell how wilt thou abide the horrible shapes monstrous and terrible sightes of many ougly and cursed feends If now thou art not able to abide to hould euen thy smalest finger and that a little while in the fire how wilt thou continue burning body and soule in that lake of fire and brimstone in comparison whereof the hottest fire in this world is but as fire painted on a wall If some little greefe seeme so painfull vnto thee now how wilt thou abide all manner of infirmities that may bee vpon thy body at once and together The damned person in hell shall bee made to beare in his body all infirmities whatsoeuer the body of man is subiect vnto yea euery part of him shall haue more paine than the wit of man is able to reach vnto or comprehend If thou shunne so a filthy sauor nowe howe wilt thou abide the most lothsome sente of that hellish pit If thou shouldest bee laid on a most softe and delicate bedde and haue all things ministred vnto thee there that might mooue thee to take pleasure therein yet if thou shouldest haue all this vnder condition neuer to come off from it in fortie yeeres space but be bound to bee there such a long time thou wouldst take it for an intollerable paine torment Then how wilt thou suffer thy selfe and that perforce to be bound with firie chaines in some narrow holâ— of hell where thou shalt not stir at all and from which thou shalt neuer escape To liue continually without all hope and to bee well assured that no remedie shall come what can bee more miserable Thou therefore which without all measure louest the vanities of this world more than God thy creator turne vnto thy selfe and thinke vppon thâ—se so bitter and so wofull tormentes that mooued with godly repentance contemning these vanities thou maiest by the most holy and mightie God bee deliuered from these perpetuall tormentes and punishmentes in the pit of hell CHAP. 40. The glorious conditions of the Saincts of God cannot so much as be conceaued in the heart much lesse vttered by the mouth or described by the pen of man AND these to witte which haue loued the world shall goe into euerlasting paine and the righteous into life eternall saith Christ Euen as the iust iudge will lay euerlasting tormentes vpon such as leauing the seruice of God haue preferred the goods of this transitorie world before the God of heauen so to him that will contemne the base things of this world our Sauiour will say It is well done good seruant faithfull thou hast beene faithfull in little I wil make thee ruler ouer much enter into thy maisters ioy â—oseph bringing his two sonnes to be blessed of his father Iaakob placed Ephraim on Israeles left hand and Manasseh on his right after the manner of the worlde which giueth honour to the eldest and despiseth the youngest and poorest But Israell stretched cut his right hande contrary to Iosephs minde and laid it on Ephraims head which was the younger and his left hande vppon Manassehs head directing his handes of purpose for Manasseh was thâ— elder So will God doe when hee commeth to iudgement hee will put the right hande of his glory vpon them which in this world were at the left hand of aduersitie and his left hand of displeasure vpon them which liued in their life time on the right hande of ease and prosperitie and so condemne them vnto the euerlasting hell fire Great is the goodnes of God that giueth vnto men so great honour for so little labour or rather none at all At the sight of God his glorious maiestie whatsoeuer the heart of a godly man can desire the eye shal see yea The things which eye hath not seene neither eare hath heard neither came into mans heart are which God hath prepared for theÌ„ that loue him It is much easier to tell what life eternall is not than to vtter what the happinesse thereof shall bee God shall wipe away all teares from their eies there shall be no more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall there be any more paine for there shal be perfect ioy and all things that may prouoke vnto ioy and gladnesse shall concur together in that place When Ioseph had made himselfe knowen vnto his brethren the ioy was so great that it pleased euen Pharao wel and al his house-hold How great thinkest thou shall be the ioy when all the Sainctes that euer haue bin are or shall be shall meete together in the court of the celestiall king If the ioy of the wise men at the sight of a starre was exceeding great what shall our ioy bee when wee shall see the glorie of all Gods childdren in the heauens If the birdes doe ioy at the rising of the corporall Sunne how shall our soules reioyce to see the Sunne of righteousnesse most comfortably to shew himselfe in his glorious brightnes and incomprehensible glory If â—Iohn Baptist not seeing Christ with corporall eies in his mortall estate did euen spring in his mothers belly for ioy how shall wee leape and triumph for ioy beholding Iesus face to face and that in his glorie If they of Beth-shemesh lifting vp their eies and spying the Arke reioyced when they saw it and if Zacheus ioyfully receiued Christ into his house what heart is able to comprehend the ioy that then we shall haue when we shall not receiue but be receaued into the euerlasting Tabernacles of heauen nor entertaine Christ but bee entertained of Iesus himselfe the
this life and with what toile they be gotten and with what care preserued it cannot be but thou wouldest take another trade of life than thou doest Looke not so earnestly vpon these worldlie pleasures and vanities least thou be taken by the snares of them and least theire goodlie she wes so dazell thine eies that thou rush headlong into the pit of hell There is nothing in the vnderstanding but first it was in the senses After that the vnderstanding hath once drunke out of the chanels of the senses the world playing Iacobs part sticketh there downe white rods of greene poplar and hasell and of the chesnut of faire delightes to beguile thee withall and to infect by thy senses thy vnderstanding The honors and pleasures of the worlde they are but as flowres that soone fall and fade awaie The world offereth to thy senses floures and vanities and albeit thine vnderstanding be pure yet the senses labor by these outwarde thinges to dull and darken the same And as a menstruous woman dooth pollute the glasse which she looketh in so a naughty imagination infecteth the vnderstanding with error And when the vnderstanding hath once tasted the water which sensuall imaginations haue offered thereunto it conceaueth like Iakobs sheepe lambes of party color and with small great spots euen worldly desires and bringeth forth afterward sin and ill works Fixe not therefore thine eyes vpon the greene roddes which the worlde presenteth to thy consideration for it is but a bare shewe without substance It deceiueth worldly men as the burning candle doth children Children many times when they see the candle they cannot bee content but they must needes touch it with their finger also and they haue no sooner so done but they plucke it backe againe and crie So the children of this world euen like infants without discretion deceiued with the apparent shewe of worldly bewty they cast themselues into the flames of wickednes but after they finde that both their handes be emptie without substance and their conscience feared by the fire of sinne CHAP. 3 The world is false and seeketh to deceiue THere be some that being about wicked purposes d◠bowe downe themselues are sad whose inward partes burne altogether with deceipt sayth the wise man Giue no credite to the worlde neither enter into any league of friendship with the same for if thou doe it will play with thee as Ioab did with Amasa who took Amasa by the hearde with the right hand to kisse him and with the left stabde him with a sword Whatsoeuer it saith and counsaileth it is but falsehood and flattery whatsoeuer thine appetite shall entice thee vnto it is but deceit to abuse thee withall for though it promise life yet leadeth it vnto death so that if thou beleeue the same thou shalt perish with Ahab which beleeued the foure hundred false Prophetes that flattered and promised him both life and victorie But Michaiah euen the remorse of conscience it is which telleth truth and discouereth the manifolde deceites of thy flattering affections Yet for al this thou pursuest it with hatred as Ahab did Michaiah for telling him the truth thy conscience it seeketh thy profit yet thou canst not abide the counsell of the same but choosest rather to goe out of the waie with lying spirites to the losse of thy life than to doe well with the Prophet of God and so liue without daunger The worldlie man following his affections doth euen hasten vnto the battell of death where hee doth loose his life These be like the false witnesses of lezebel which being once heard do euen quench the spirite and kill the soule Giue none heed vnto their lying wordes vnlesse thou wouldest be taken captiue by the nets of their false deceiptes All the louing countenance of the world it is but fained to entrap thee before thou art aware Therefore CHAP. 4. The promises of the worlde are false and deceitfull RAsh promises saieth Ecclesiasticus in effect hath destroyed many a man Who in this worlde hath found either ioy without sorrow or peace without troubles or health without weakenes or mirth without griefe The world it promiseth all good thinges but it giueth nothing but euill it promiseth ioy it bringeth paine it promiseth to continue but it stayeth not it promiseth rest and bringeth troubles it promiseth estimation but it causeth shame it promiseth long life but by experience wee find that our life is both shore and subiect to manifold perils and miseries And the life which it sheweth it may not be called the true life The life of some it prolongeth to deceaue of some it shorteneth that they may haue no space to repent of some it prolongeth to make them proude of some it shorteneth that they maie doe no good at all but liue as them list All these it deceiueth depriuing them of the true knowledge both of God of the worlde and of themselues Seauen yeeres did Iacob serue Laban for his daughter Rahel wherby hee deserued to haue her for his wife but his father in lawe gaue him Leah in stead of Rahel by deceite Such partes playeth the world it promiseth one thinge and intendeth another The men of the world they perceaue not the◠anitie of the world vntil the daie appeare and the darkenesse of this present life bee departed awaie by death when the eies of their vnderstanding be opened then like Iaacob they perceaue the subteltie of craftie Laban the world Manie although they see welenough the deceitfulnesse of the worlde yet are they content to be deceaued thereby and to fall at noone daie when their eies be open The three friends of Iob agreed together to come to lament with him and to comfort him but afterward the worlde as they did And experience doth did nothing else teach vs that by desiring to get we loose honour and while wee couet to be great wee become smal that which we thinke shal be the meanes to vpholde vs shal throwe vs downe and then wee loose when wee thinke to gaine O foolish wee and blinde in deede that would be deemed great when God wil haue none to be great but such as first were smal we hunt after fame and yet shal neuer be remembred No man is more honorable than he which shunneth honor None richer than he which is content with a little none shal sooner be forgotten than he which most ambitiously hunteth after glory Mattathias vnto his sonnes saide on this wise Now therefore my sons be ye zealous of the law giue your liues for the couenāt of our fathers Cal to remembrance what acts our fathers did in their time so shal ye receau great honor and an euerlasting name The prouidēce of God hath so appointed that there should be a perpetual memory of the enemies of the world and that the friendes of the same should quickely be forgotten God vtterly put out the