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kingdom_n	hand_n	heaven_n	lord_n	3,518	5	3.6493	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A00414	A methode vnto mortification: called heretofore, the contempt of the world, and the vanitie thereof Written at the first in the Spanish, afterward translated into the Italian, English, and Latine tongues: now last of all perused at the request of some of his godly friends, and as may bee most for the benefite of this Church, reformed and published by Thomas Rogers. Allowed by authoritie.; Vanidad del mundo. English	Estella, Diego de, 1524-1578.; Rogers, Thomas, d. 1616.	1608 (1608)	STC 10543; ESTC S114515	174,792	500

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 ●herefore he would be buried with ●udas the traitor that for the loue of m●nie●old his master euen the S●uiour of the world The couetous man before he wi●neth any thing is first wonne hi●selfe and before hee taketh ought is taken himselfe ●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 t●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 ●entre But nothing doth so pe●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 affliction● 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 ●ong at all to praise thee as the poore haue that will blaze abroade thy goodnesse Be thou liberall and so both God will like and man will loue thee The liberal man hath many frindes though many of them be very vngratful Neuer can he want friends which is liberal toward other men and neuer can he haue any friendes which is a couetous man The poore doe him curse and his kinred doe wish him dead If the couetous man doe fall thorough some vice which he hath euery one doth blowe abroad his defamation but if the liberall man doe sinne al doe excuse and purge him the best they can Many benefites doth he receiue which knoweth well how to giue and he may take himselfe for an happy man on the earth Better is it to giue than to take as better is it to loue than to hee loued For to loue is an action of the mind but to bee loued is not so many somtime are loued which deserue it not God for his part he giueth vnto all but receiueth of none the more therfore a man giueth the more he resembleth God his maker The Sunne excelleth the other planets because it ministreth light vnto the starres The more vile and odious that a couetous man is the more noble and renowned is the liberal man Riches to wise men are as fetters

thou curiously dispute and reason about that which is commaunded thee The beginng of al mans miserie and mischeefe it came from the womans curious disputing with the serpent about the commaundement giuen vnto our first parentes of God For when the Diuell reasoned thus with her Yea hath God indeede saide Yee shall not eate of the fruit of the trees of the garden If shee had done well shee would haue taken vppe her aduersarie short and saide I wot well what God hath commaunded me to doe euen that I forbeare from eating of the forbidden frute when hee hath doone so I may not enquire but seeing he hath commanded I must giue obedience thereunto because he is my God and creator but shee ouerthrew her selfe because she would enter disputation with Satan It is not the duetie of a subiect to argue but to obey Holde thy peace and obey neither make answere to thine aduersarie otherwise thou shalt bee ouercome Let thy will be all one with thy superiors will For though the man that commaundeth thee bee of an euill life yet if that which hee commaundeth thee bee good thou shalt by obeying both giue a good ensample vnto others and profite thy selfe The obedient subiect liueth at great case when the troblesome person is neuer without troubles Remoue away the burden of thin owne will which so doth tire weary thee and laie the same vppon the shoulders of thy gouernour so shalt thou liue in security and quietnesse For it is great quietnesse to liue with out care that so thou maiest the more freely addict thy selfe vnto the Spirite Onely the men of high authority in the world they may lament and mourne that they want this priuiledge But worldlings they comprehend not yet the sweetenesse of holy obedience Hence it is that many which would seeme religious hauing not thoroughly perceaued howe pleasant a thing it is to obey for Christs sake they both couet prelacy and shunne the quietnesse of the Spirite and while they thinke to finde ease they fall into troubles and are tyred continually with cares and molestations Onely therefore the good soules which bee religiously obedient they get the freedome of the Spirite and liue with ioy and comfort Many of their owne free will doe chuse out places of comfort for themselues where beeing once come they finde themselues voide of all ioy and comfort But the Godly doe euen there finde most consolation where they thinke to haue no comfort at all To bee short look not to finde any true comfort but in God which dwelleth in the heart of the obedient person If thou bee truely obedient thou shalt finde comfort wheresoeuer thou shalt dwell because God is with thee but if thou bee led by thine owne affection what place or land soeuer thou chusest to dwell in euen there shalt thou finde an hell where thou thinkst to haue paradise For thether shalt thou carry thine own will which offereth bloudy battell vnto thy soule in all places thether shalt thou carry thy affections which night and day wil vexe and trouble thee But submitting thy selfe vnto the authority of others as thou shouldest thou shalt make thy selfe a Lord and ruler ouer all thinges CHAP. 31. Pouerty is great riches BLessed are the poore in spirite for theirs is the kingdome of heauē 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 sha●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 ●nd anon the figge tree withered Therefore is it good

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 conq●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 b●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 ●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 ●●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 redeeme● it would then euidently appeare how crooked their heartes bee and how much also they dec●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 vpō the mo●̄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

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 purpose● 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

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 abou● 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 whē 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 ●loude did encrease the more was the Ar●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 becōmeth 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 shoul● 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 fa●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 ●ee not therefore so carefull to get temporall good vnles thou wouldest