but coÌ„tentedly to haue receaued it The loue they bare vnto God his will in their lyfe kept theÌ„ from disorderid loue of the world and froÌ„ the coÌ„mon sinnes vices which men for worldly thinges coÌ„mit being not troubled with conscience remorce therof sawe no cause to shunne to feare death And as this loue of god his wil encreased in the new testament where the holy ghost the spirit of loue was is more pleÌ„tiously powred in to y harts of the right beleuiÌ„g So the loue of lyfe decresed the desire of death increased in y best professors therof the appostles martirs infinite not only coÌ„tented to leue this life but also desir eddeath who receuig the faith gospel beig taught therby to coÌ„fornie theÌ„ selues to y life image of Christ did with perfect faith pleÌ„tious charitie full hope coÌ„meÌ„d theÌ„ selues to the will of God the expectation of the life to come which they knew was prouided for them y loueth God neither is there any other cause why we dye not like theÌ„ but bicause we liue not like them we feare death bicause we liue not wel some more some lesse according as the order of our liues hath ben and who so saith that the maner of death is a touchstone to way the life is not much deceiued I wil not say but many men may dye wel that liueth ill for mercie is aboue iudgement but none coÌ„tent to dye but he that by death loketh to be with Christ which is he that by his life showeth that he knoweth loueth Christ without which loue y more faith at that time the lesse comfort For faith teacheth Gods mercy his iustice and if iustice be all against vs either faith ingendreth in vs sorow of such a life and so repentance which is good an entry toward life or if it ingender not an earnest repentance it bringeth nothing to comfort ease releue vs but all contrary And therfore he that wil liue in coÌ„tinual meditation of death which is y way to make him a familier so no dreadful gest nor stranger must liue in loue I meane y loue of vprightnes honestie cleanesse iustice integritie doing good where hée can hauing inteÌ„t to hurt none getting vprightly to suâ—…in himself his of that remayneth departing liberally to the poore as he séeth cause is able to such a man y remeÌ„brance of death caÌ„ not be vnpleasant for it shal neither take him vnprouided nether beriue him of any thing wherwith he is disorderly in loue Such a man liuing coÌ„teÌ„tedly in y place wherin he is called traueling carefully to fil satisfie the same wheÌ„ death approcheth doth méekly say to God with Christ I haue done the worke thou sentest me to doe And albeit there hath bene much weaknesse many infirmities in his trauel and accomplishing that worke he was sent to doe yet with a great indifferencie he shal be able to vse the words of the vertuous learned Bishop neither haue I liued so among you that I should be ashamed to liue neither doe I feare to die bicause we haue a good Lord master The man so liuyng and so thinking is onely happie neither troubled with inordinate desire of highe estate which he taketh but for a place to trauayle for many neither affrayde to be in meaner then he is knowing that where so euer God placeth him he hath his worke to doe wherwith he may please him euer quyet content to dye and not vnwilling to liue But here some man may say although he be not disordridly desirous of life yet can he well be coÌ„teÌ„t to liue though not for him self or for his owne sake yet for others therin wisheth nothing vngodly but deceÌ„tly to kéepe the place whervnto he is called which he can fill if not better yet as wel as an other maÌ„ to help such as néed him to bring vp his childreÌ„ to see theÌ„ disposed finally to bestow the benifits y God hath lent vnto him he y maketh this obiectioÌ„ lieth not on him self is not of y worst sort nor much to be misliked vnto whoÌ„ neuertheles it must be answered if his desire be to liue for others who by him may be y better he must coÌ„sider y wel doing is not all his own wherof though maÌ„ be y minister God is the giuer who will dispose him self to doe many good and none hurt so coÌ„tinue God knoweth man knoweth not but this maÌ„ knoweth y without gods giuing he doth it not wel knoweth he also y happie had bene SalomoÌ„ if he had ben taken in his youth wel doing the like may ye read of many say by experience of some whither he would be one of them by long life he knoweth not if ther were no dauÌ„ger it shuld not haue ben writteÌ„ he y staÌ„deth let him take héed y he fal not if he think there were no dauÌ„ger in him self theÌ„ is he proud and lyke to be one of them that would fall if he doubt then is it wisdome to put him self to him that knoweth And sith he knoweth and is sure that after death no sinne is done better is the choyse to go with safetie as Gods seruant wheÌ„ God willeth then in continuaunce to put that in a hazarde which if it goe amisse at the ende can not be recouered nor the losse redubled Déepe in payne lye many who by long lyfe fell into sinne and therby into their damnation who had then dyed in their youth had lyued with Christ and howe much they bewaile their long life the oceasâ—…oÌ„ of their paiâ—… no tonge can tell nor harte thinke But to returne to the matter if he say he would doe many good in long tyme and lyue accordyng to his place and callyng let him shewe that in the tyme he hath giuen him and if in so doing he be takeÌ„ sith he may say to God I haue done the worke thou sentest me to doe and when God calleth hym away hee knoweth there is no more appointed for hym to doe he knoweth also there is no more cause for him to lyue bicause desire of doing good was the only cause why he would lyue His childre are Gods more then his who leaueth not the seede of the iust who calleth him selfe the father of Orphans and iudge of Widdows whose blessyng if they haue they shal prosper though they lacke a mortall father And if they lacke that much sorow and small comforte should the father haue to see that he could not amend for eche good father neither maketh nor leaueth a good chyld And yet doeth not such a man lacke wyfe and friendes to whom he may commit the care of children and if his friendes will doe much for them at his request and recommendation why should he mistrust Gods proÌ„uydence helpe and dyrection if hée commend them vnto hym By whom
for rest in trouble for ioye in sorow for ease in payne for assuraunce where â—…thinge is but slyttinge for 〈◊〉 where nothinge please the longe But he that is a Citizen of Ierusalem a souldier vnder Christes banner armed with Fayth shylded with Hope strengthned with Charitie who knoweth in whome he hath put his truste and where he looketh for his méede Such 〈◊〉 one is content to vse this lyfe as his â—…lgrimage contented if it be short not offended if it be long desyringe neyther the one nor the other but still lookinge to his home â—…earing with the rest bicause he appoynteth his quiet ther. Unto him bicause Câ—…rist is lyfe death can not be but gayne bicause he â—…indeth that he séeketh and atteyneth that he loueth content to leaue the world which loued not him or which he louid not whose commodities if he sought he founde nothing but either occasion to enuie them he should loue or to stryue with them that would enioy them as well as him selfe 〈◊〉 be angry with them that kept him from the atteyning theâ—… whome being men he should embrace Yea though he hatâ—… nor misused no man which is harde in that cause to â—…oyd yet louing the world and the commodities thereof he found meanes whereby he was moued to forget his iourny and the ende thereof to make his Inne his home to syt downe before his wayes ende to turne his loue from the better to the worse from heauen to earthe from God to him selfe or rather from and agaynste him selfe to thinges vayne which first would make him worse then they sounde him and afterward leaue him whan he began to loue theÌ„ and leaue him in that euill estate they founde him not So if the world doe vndoubtedly hurt them that loue it and be but payâ—… and trauayle to them that loue it not bicause they hauâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor pleasure where they loue not then followeth it 〈◊〉 loue is onely to be bestowed on God and that â—…n must desyre to be wher his loue is for so natuâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loue be true And surely if ther be in vs the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ue of god we can not be asrayde of that â—…ich bringeth 〈◊〉 to him nor loathe to heare of that â—…ithout which we can not come to him And if thâ—… were no more benefit in Death but that he maketh an ende of sinne sithe sinne displeaseth God and â—…aritie willeth vs to loue that he loueth and 〈◊〉 that he hateth we can neither be afraydâ—… nor ill content with deathe which bringeth vs out of the occasion of sinnâ—… and daunger thereby to disâ—…lease God. And although this séeme vnto many hard and vnto some almost vnpossiible mâ—…suring all other by their owne footâ—… y any man who may enioy lyfe should be coÌ„tent or desirous â—…o lâ—…ue y same yet is it not only aprouâ—…â—…ost vndoubted true by y teching of scriptures which no man can deny but also by y exaÌ„ple of infinit martirs wherof each couÌ„try hath had great nuÌ„bers who hauing libertie to flye therby to liue inflamed only with the sire of charitie loue of god were not only coÌ„tâ—…t to be taken but offered theÌ„ selues for his sake whom they louid and that not onely men in whome naturally courage is but women and children whose weake sexe and tender age declared more playnely what true and hartie loue is able to worke which as it brought Christ downe from heauen into earth so being truely rooted in man it is able to draw him from earth into heauen without respect had to him selfe or any thing that is his And thus much spoken of the first parte doth now make the waye open to bring in the second for it may be sayde if there be any meanes to take away the feare of Death and diminish the desire of lyfe who should atteyne to the same so soone as christian men And sith we be all of that number howe commeth it then to passe that so fewe are contented to dye and many so affrayde thereof that neither them selues will thinke of it nor willingly heare other speake of it To the which question although I might in fewe woordes aunswere and say that there lacketh in vs that lyuely and perfect loue of God and the lyfe to come which should be in vs and was in them of whome I spake Yet to make this point more playne for it is lesse to saye all then to touche eache parte of all I finde thrée causes especiall that make men desirous to liue and lothe to dye 1 The one is our weakenesse which séemeth to haue some excuse bicause nature desireth the conceruacion of it selfe abhorreth dissolucion which both taketh away our being and also bringeth with it great gréefe and paynes which men séeing in other and flying in them selfe feare Deathe whose seruants and messengers they are 2 The second cause is either the lacke or the small quantitie of fayth in vs whereby we beleue not or fayntly beleue the meruailous promises of incomparable blysse promised by GOD vnto his faythfull after this transitory and present lyfe 3 But the greatest cause is the third which is a loue and swéetenesse conceaued of this lyfe the goods and commodyties of the same wherewith who so is possessed it can not be auoided but vnto him the very remeÌ„braÌ„ce of death which taketh froÌ„ him that he loueth must be sower bitter as the scripture saith To say somewhat to these thrée things which maketh lyfe swéet death sower is the third part of my matter which I promised to entreate of And for the first which is a naturall weaknes ingeÌ„dering of it selfe the feare of death we can not say it hath no power in vs mortal men sith Christ our patron being more thaÌ„ man confessed to haue some féeling of it in him selfe But if we coÌ„sider that he was weak to make vs strong who gaue the onset made the conquest of death weaknes that not for him selfe but for vs in our nature saying afterwarde to vs be bolde feare not I haue made a conquest of the world And y he hath by taking on him our nature meruelously ioyned incorporated vs vnto him so that by grace participacioÌ„ y is true in vs which by perfection of nature was true in him theÌ„ fynde we that this weaknes remayneth not as before in his force but is inforced couÌ„teruayled by a streÌ„gth geuen vs besides our selues which bicause we should firmely beleue not to be imagined or onely in words but true in déedes God hath shewed it by the example of thousandes of his martirs not flying as before is said but desiring death not fearing but conteÌ„ning it triumphing in tormeÌ„t coÌ„quering in weakenes not saying sad heauie is myne hart vntil death be past but I desire to be in the féeling to begin to lyue swéete is the torture colde is the fire dul is the axe for what is ther in death dreadful
vnto a faythfull christian man is it the dissolucion of the bodie that a christian man desireth who is able to say I long to be dissolued is it that death bringeth an ende of life being heare that is not much to him that knoweth he hath an other lyfe to come in comparison of which this is no lyfe but death no ioy but sorow no ease but trauayle no quiet but misery So that either there is in deade very smal weake faith in vs to beleue gods promises infallibly made to all his Or if we doo assuredly beleue theÌ„ the greatest feare in that behalfe is past for he that loseth his lyfe temporall fyndeth eternal goeth froÌ„ labour to rest from the sea into the hauen froÌ„ weaknes to strength from sicknes to health from death to lyfe from sinne to iustice from sorow heuines paine to the place where there is no gréefe nor sighinge those former parts are then past Let the heathen feare to dye who may truely say I know not whether I goe nor what is ordeyned for me to what ende the gods haue created me whether it be good or no who are borne in sin not new borne in holines who haue neither teaching or knowledge of life neither promis of the same But a christiaÌ„ man being taught y death is the entre to lyfe that he is ordeyned to lyue with Christ created to be partaker of his glory regenerat sanctified by him with promis of blisse inestimable if he after all this retorne to the same loue of lyfe feare of death y is in the gentil what doth he then else but practise to be come a gentil heathen again selling away his enheritaÌ„ce for lesse then a messe of potage and renouÌ„cing his priuiledge whervnto he is singularly and especially called But as we haue sayd before weaknes may be a great cause to make a man feare death lack of beléefe a greater but yet are they not the greatest for perfect loue ouercoÌ„meth weaknes increaseth reuiueth faith wher loue is whole sounde the rest is soone recouered if it be lost or increased if it be decated But if loue be either deuided betwene god this world lyfe present or wholly traÌ„slated froÌ„ god vnto things traÌ„sitory How should a man be content to parte froÌ„ y he loueth and séeke that he careth not for sithe it is so true saying that where the man loueth he lyueth and vnpossible is it that who so is delited here possessed with the loue of this lyfe should willingly heare of death which can onely be welcome to them that therby desire to be with Christ whom they loue better then theÌ„selues or this lyfe so can be coÌ„tent to leaue the good for the better their welbeloued for the best beloued or y they estéeme light they entirely and tenderly loue For if it be asked what is the thing of such force y is able to make a man content to forsake his goods his liuing him selfe and his life if we will answere truely and in fewe words we must say it is loue nothing else which wher so euer it be faâ—…ed ma keth al other things séeme nothing in coÌ„parison of that it lyketh And herein to vse some exaÌ„ples it was none other thing the made the Philosopher cast himselfe into the burning fire of Aetna nor the Romain getleman-on horse backe to leape in wher y earth gaped the young man after y reading of Platoes booke to break his neck So many captains souldiers wyllingly wittingly to goe to their death but loue They louid somthing better then lyfe the wysest their couÌ„try and frendes whome they would preserue thother fame and as they called it immortalitie the lightest vayne estimacion glory but euery one somwhat wherewith they were ledde Sith theÌ„ loue is of such force as y same is able to bereue a man not only of his goods treasure but also of his lyfe and that by his owne will and coÌ„sent the right waye to learne coÌ„tentidly to receaue death when god sendeth it is to learne to employ wel fasten our loue wher it should be is due that is vppoÌ„ god and the lyfe to come louing that onely for it selfe and other things so much and so farre as we neither change nor remoue y out of his place which lesson if it be not onely beleued but practised maketh the lyfe godly and comfortable and the death easy And who so euer marieth him to the loue of the world following y desires thereof and making the desyres of it his delight that man may speake boldly of death vntil it come But when he shal stand vpon his gard to receue the assault he must will vndoubtedly shrink shew him selfe a weake souldier lacking the armour that should theÌ„ defend him for if faith his buckler byd him be strong thinck vpon the coÌ„quest that Christ his captaine hath made vpon that triumph y is prouided for him his owne hart coÌ„science which is néere him than his armour will saye all that is prouided for such as beare their loue true hart to their onely captaine whome they promised to serue for such as before in the time of theyr seruice dyd resist his enimie his atteÌ„ptes and not for such as yelded themselues prisoners vnto him content to be in his Campe and to fight vnder his banner His sword which is the worde of God being not well handeled of him before nor much occupied wyll then agrée ill with his hand he for lack of exercise not able to giue a strong blow therwith his curates of charitie so thin that eache dart arrow shal perce it his helm of hope vnlyned neither wel fitting to his head nor able to kéepe of the force of the byll Is it possible think ye y a souldier thus armed besides this not exercised in feates of warre shold withstaÌ„d a mightie stroÌ„g practised wel armed man no verely He wil either runne away if the grouÌ„d serue him or with shame be takeÌ„ prisoner and captine When I consider the maner of dying of such as were in gods fauour of whom we reade in the Scriptures old new coÌ„pare our selues with theÌ„ how willing ready glad they were to leaue this lyfe how loath backwarde sory we are for the greater part to doe the same I meruaile we should be called one mans children that are so vnlyke in condicion Moses being tolde he should no longer lyue therefore to prouide his successour dyd w his own hands ordre appoynt Iosua without coÌ„playnt sorow or token of gréefe prouiding for theÌ„ that shold lyue as it were nothing thinking on him selfe Isaac byd his sonne go hunt prouide gett him meat that he might blesse him before he dyed The lycke coÌ„tentacioÌ„ appeared in Iacob Tobias Dauid sundry other whome we finde not onely neuer to haue shunned death
doest thou blush hereat but furthermore doest euen as yet were bury thy selfe quicke in y earth Now put the case that thou shouldest certeynly méete with all the euil things vnder the soÌ„ne if all perills possible were imineÌ„t vnto thée if iniuries â—…launders quarels fyre sworde wyld beasts misfortunes hunger sicknesse yea all the euils that may be told or thought of should attones ouerwhelme thée should not al these thinges séeme vnto thée rydiculous and worthy to be contempned in respect of suche and so great a treasure and reward as thou thereby shouldest win wherfore let no maÌ„ be so abiect or vnhappy nor of so base and coward lyke a mynde y whiles he wysheth to atteyne heanue hée be carefull about the earthly rest and delightes of this worlde For it should be to him vndecent not onely to séeke after them but to estéeme or honor them when they be already obteyned Wherevpon Gregorius sayth No payne is great neither ought any tyme to séeme long wherby we may wynne the glory of the euerlasting kingedome Let vs labour therfore stoutly fight hardly agaynst vyces Yea let it be most pleasant vnto vs to be weryed in the seruice and warres of god Bicause we are assured that our labour shall not be in vayne But that God of his mercy wyll reward our fayth For such as are not set on worke here w men especyally in actuall repentaunce and are not â—…kurged or punyshed as men in this lyfe shal be skourged and formented with wicked spirites in the world to come by the opinyon of Hierome Furthermore for the more perspycuous reprehention of our slouth and for the better styrringe vp and warmynge of our cold mindes let vs consider how many and how greate paynes men doe suffer and eâ—…dure for earthly frayle and small coÌ„modyties That euen yet thereby we maye learne for the loue of GOD for the inherytaunce of his kingdome and for the euerlasting felycytie to walke waryly and worthyly in this narrowe path Let vs learne to despyse all worldly vanyties and make oblation of our selues to God altogither with an vnfayned harte and deuotion For as Augustin doth by y way rehearse vnto what storms and tempestes what dreadfull and hortyble roaring of the wyndes and waues doe merchauntes submitt themselues to get rytches which are fadyng and shal sone peryshe or be lost yea ritches which bringe greater stormes of care to kéepe them then they founde trouble or paynes in séeking them What rages what furyes what coldes what perylles by sea by lande in dennes in deserte doe huntesmen hazard for the poore praye of a selly beast Yea how longe can they hunger and thirst and how vyle meates can they be contented with all for the obteyning of the same men suffer theÌ„selues to be cut launced to be burnt seared that they may remoue no euerlasting payne but a payne of smal coÌ„tine wauÌ„ce with a payne of greater patieÌ„ce The Knight and souldiers vndertake most crewel warres for small tryflyng pleasures in this shorte and vncerteyne lyfe Yea they spende oftentimes more yeares in attayning theyr desires then they lyue afterwardes to enioye them But in all these examples such as loue not the things rehearsed doe thyncke them gréeuous And they which doe loue them suffer the same extremyties also but thinke them nothing gréeuous For loue maketh the hardest seuerest most gréeuous things to séeme easie gentle lyght and almost nothyng at all Let charytie then be able to worke much more effycacy yea let it make vs more patient more happy and more stowte theÌ„ greedy couetousnesse can make them for the obteynings of méere myseryes Synce we may be sure to obteyne the true and euerlasting treasure of felicity Let all tempor all aduersitie bée easely borne by vs when wée mayâ—… both auoyde and eskape thereby as by a fruite of our fayth euerlastinge payne and obteyne also an euerlastinge reygne For the passiones of this teÌ„porall world are not sufficyently worthy for the glory to come which shal be reuealed in vs as y Apostle saith Let vs not serue god w a sluggish minde luke-warme zeale but let vs ministre vnto hym with a feruente spirite least he turne the sentence of that Reuelation vpon vs I knowe thy déedes that thou art neither hot nor cold And bicause thou art leukewarme neyther hott nor cold therfore will I begin to vommyt thée out of my mouth The first coÌ„maundement is Thou shalt loue y Lorde thy god with al thy hart with all thy soule With all thy minde and with all thy power And this coÌ„maundement conteineth in it the ende the rule and the perfection of all the commaundementes To the full accomplyshement whereof as much as maye possibly by vs be performed not onely all the other commaundementes but all the dyscyplyne of Christ in his holy gospell doe also tende And this commaundement is not fully fulfilled and accomplyshed at any tyme in this world vntill we come to the euerlasting kyngdome prepared Yet such as with full deuoytion and syncerity of mynde doe renounce and forsake all worldly vanities which may hynder their loue towards the diuyne Maiestie and doe onely bend theyr eyes towards God accordinge to their dewty doe goe nearest to the accomplyshment and fulfillynge of this commaundement But when we haue done all that we can yet are we vnprofitable And yet euery wayfarynge man which iornyeth and trauayleth in this lyfe to attayne vnto the euerlastinge kyngdome must thus farreforth fulfill it that hée loue nothing more then GOD nor nothyng that is contrarye to his will. Yea and that hée reioyse finally in nothyng but in GOD onely Now then wée haue sayd much of this streyght and narrowe waye to saluation And thereby it falleth out that it is the obseruing and kéepyng of Gods commaundementes in holy scryptures conteyned and of the lessonnes taught vs by our sauiour Christ. Let vs then also consider which bée those streyght commaundementes and preceptes for the dificulty whereof Christ hymselfe dyd affyrme that the sayd waye was so streyght and the gate so narrowe And againe that the waye was so brode and spatyous which led vnto euerlastinge damnation Behold our sauiour sayth then You haue hard it sayd quod hée Thou shalt not kyll But I say vnto you that whosoeuer is angrye with his brother shal be gyltie in iudgement But hée which sayth vnto his brother Racha That is a worde of dysdayne or reproche he shal be gylty to be condempned by the whole councell And â—…e which sayth to his brother Foole he shal be gylty of hell fyre which is euerlasting coÌ„dempnation Is this now not a hard streight sentence but moreouer he sayth You haue hard that it was saied of olde Thou shalt not forsweare but I saye vnto you sweare not at all But let your communycatiooÌ„ be yea yea and nay nay Where vpon also the apostle James in his Epistle sayth My brethren aboue all
written Thy name and thy memoriall O Lord are in the desires of my soule My soule hath desired thée by night yea thy spyrite is in the secretes of my harte and early in the gray mornyng will I wayte for thée Herein as goodnesse is the obiecte of our appetyte and desire so since god is the highest purest vnmeasurable perfectest goodnesse so is he insinitely to be desired to be loued In such sorte that we ought beyond all comparison to loue him aboue all things And so consequently it is méete and requisite to dispyse to refuse and to caste away whatsoeuer may let foreslow or turne vs from his loue and the feruentnesse therof But the world and that which 〈◊〉 thervnto doe withdrawe vs specially let and 〈◊〉 vs from the loue and goodnesse of God as Gregorie sayeth wée are euen so much disioyned and seperated from the loue of y high God as wée are wrapped in worldly thinges delighted in base things and occupyed in earthly things For vertue is both greater and of more force when it is vnited thē when it is dispersed therfore the more that the 〈◊〉 of our mynd are dispersed and deuyded into the inordinate loue of worldly creatures the weaker also colder blynder and more vnapte they be to loue God. Wherevpon Chrysostome sayeth looke howe muche thy mynd is set vpon any thing and euen so much the lesse it is set vpon god For what are these earthly carnall things but onely heauy wayghtes and burthens which draw down the affections of mans mynd from desire of heauenly things Let vs therefore extend our whole harte vnto god Let vs be borne vnto him with our whole mynde Let him be such a cause of loue vnto vs in al other things that we estéeme no worldly creature more thē for that it may as a meane serue vs towardes the attayning of his loue That is to say so far forth as it may bee vnto vs necessarie and profitable to further vs in our way towardes the heauenly kingdome But let vs become so feruent in the loue of God yea let vs so much estéeme his most swéete and delectable loue that we may dispise all and singular other vayne and transitorie things as vyle durte So that the omnipotent and eternall God may be more precious more to be desired more gloryous swéeter fayrer and in euerie kynde of comparison better of more perfection and worthinesse thē any other thing And let any liuyng worldly creature be lothsome vnto our soules being thus occupyed in contemplation of the diuyne maiestie Let vs sée and perceyue hereby that the whole 〈◊〉 world in respect or comparison of the vndiscrybable God is but as a small title of no reputation or louelynesse Yea in such sorte that we thinke these transistorie thinges vnworthie to be looked on But that we be wholly transformed 〈◊〉 established dissolued and swallowed vp in Christ Iesus So that we may say with his holy Prophet The God of my harte and God is my portion for euer And agayne I will loue thée O Lorde my strength And as the Apostle said I know that neither death nor life nor any creature can seperate me from Gods loue Let vs but marks and behold how vyle it were for the delightes of the mortal and miserable fleshe for the prayse and glorie of men and for temporall honour and preferment to be withdrawen or foreslowed from this highest supressentiall vnchangeable and incomprehensible goodnesse of god Let vs be made heauenly conformable vnto God and deyfyed yea familiar and entyrely beloued vnto the liuing god For what haue we to doe with these earthly things we being made and created to the shape and lykenesse of the most holy Trinitie béeyng redéemed and made frée by the bloud of Christ and called to the blessed fellowship of Angels Let vs therefore dispyse all these things and let our whole occupation conuersation entention and affection be fixed and altogither reposed in him onely which is onely necessarie to bee imbrased accordyng to the admonition of Augustine Let man sayth hée if he turne any way conuert him selfe vnto him which created him for by going backe from him he waxeth cold but by turning vnto him he shall waxe warme By going backe he shall waxe dimme and darke but by turning to him hée shall become bright and shyning For euen where he receyued his creation and being there must he also fetche his being good or godly For he the Lord our God is the verie swéetnesse swéete aboue all kynde of swéetenesse Brighter then any light déeper then any secret and higher then any honour or degrée Moreouer he is that purest kynde of lyfe to turne 〈◊〉 om him were a gréeuous fall but to returne vnto him is a highe rysing or clyming To abyde in him is a certaine dwelling and to dwell in him is happie lyfe And euen as corne in the wet furrow doeth rotte and 〈◊〉 but in the rydge or higher part of the land it is preserued florisheth so our hartes if they be raysed vp to God shalt neuer putrifie nor decay But if they be ouerthrowne or sunken in earthly things they rotte and consume immediately And myne earnest desire is my welbeloued that thou doe spurne from thée and dispise all transitorie things detest abhorre all the pompe of this world for the loue of the diuyne bountie and through the affection that thou haste to procéede in the imbrasing thereof Yea and that by the desire of so contemplatyue and holy meditations thou mayest with all thy hart and mynde be giuen ouer vnto him All which can not come to passe vnlesse thou dispise all corporal delightes all worldly vanities and all thine owne desires As Cassianus affyrmeth saying our affectiōs saith he are neuer perfectly kindled to the desire of eternal things neither is our vnderstandyng euer sharpened vnto the perfect contemplation of heauenly thinges vntill the cares and desires of the fleshe bee perfectly bridled in vs My welbeloued if thou wilt be rich and a possessor of infinite goods and treasures giue eare then vnto the counsell of Ambrose He that wil sayth he possesse God let him first renounce the world that God may be vnto him a blessed possession and heritage For looke how much thou dye vnto y world so much lyfe thou gaynest with god And the more that thou lyue as to this worlde so muche the more thou dyest vnto God. To conclude whosoeuer loueth the world doeth loue an enimie imbraseth a Traytor and dandleth in his lappe an vnspeakeable daunger Wherevpon Augustyne sayde if this world delight thée thou shalt alwayes be vncleane And if thou louingly kysse the worlde he will hungrily and gréedily swallowe and deuour thée And to make an end of thys deuision wee ought aboue all things to loue God. First for his vnmeasurable goodnesse Secondarily bicause he first loued vs. Thirdly bicause he powreth so many benifits vpon vs. Fourthly
bicause he hath promised to giue vs greater rewards in the heauenly kingdome And to this feruentnesse of charitie let vs alwayes enforce our selues For by Augustynes opinion it is neyther the great number of workes nor the long continuance of tyme but the greater heate of charitie and the better readinesse of our wil which maketh God for his Christ to accept our merites For whosoeuer doeth obserue charitie in all his actions he fulfilleth as wel that which is apparant as also that which is mysticall in Gods booke For charitie doth as it were open the mynde and maketh the louer to be loued O Lord my God thou arte charitie sayth the Apostle thou art loue which can not be extinguished Doe thou therfore lighten my hart and make it dronken in thée Wherfore am I tossed about wherfore run I from one place to another why doe I wander after many things Is ther not in thée only most holy honorable mighty glorious God y perfect possessioÌ„ y incomprehensible pleÌ„tie and y infinit aboundance of all things y are good pleasant or to be desired TheÌ„ what is more exceleÌ„t or more louely y I shuld therfore withdraw my hart from thée turn it vnto frail things coueting or desiring any maner of thing without thée or besides thée And where was I when I was not with thée Whither ranne myne affections astray when they did not desire thée onely O God of my lyfe howe vaynely is it consumed And how vnfruitfully are my dayes stolen away whilest I liued idelly vnprofitably before thée But from henseforwardes let my soule bee vnmoueably fixed in thée For euen as the harte desireth the freshe fountaynes when he is chased euen so my hart desireth to be with thée O God. Whosoeuer doth glorifie mée I wil also glorifie him saith the Lord God in the second Chapiter of the first booke of the Kings And they which coÌ„tempne me shal be dishonored For of the loue of God the zeale of y diuine honor doth ryse and procéed As also an excéeding affection to adore worship him in all things Which zeale y prophet Helie had wheÌ„ he said I am become zealous in zeale for the Lord god And y more feruently that we loue him the more entâ—…tiuely also we desire to worship him in all things yea and to enduce others with vs to the worshipping of his name For euen as God by reason of his vnmeasurable bountie his infinite amyablenesse is such that no man can loue him so much as he is worthie to be beloued but doth infinitely fayle thereof So by the reason of his maiestie dignitie and vnmeasured asured holinesse he is infinitely to be honoured So that euery man is much defectyue in doing of suche reuerence vnto him as he in him self doth deserue And here vpon the holy fathers profoundlye pondering these considerations did estéeme all their déedes conuersatioÌ„ how perfect so euer it were to be of none effect And therfore the doctors say A man shuld rather suffer death theÌ„ commit the least fault or offence wilfully For as muche as sinne in that it derogateth any thing from the excéeding great maiestie of God is a huge and vnreasonable enormitie Then if we do honor the excelent maiestie of God so much the more bicause by the beholding consideratioÌ„ of his worthinesse we are able to dispise hartily to reiect all frail vain transitorie things to the end that being vnburthened and clean dispatched of them we may attentiuely giue our selues to that pure frée entire worshipping of the same it must néedes follow that they whiâ—…h through zeale doe altogither dispyse and forsake the world shall immediately honor God with all integrytie of harte And therefore by his grace and mercies are made worthie to be glorified honored extolled with him And lykewise the lesse that a man doe occupie him selfe in many businesses so much the more perfectly he is bent vnto the onely god And so much y loftier more sincere his mynde is in the praysing of his name Yea hée may so much the more be wholly at leysure to exercise him selfe in his seruice and walke vprightly in all godlynesse Moreouer Salomon saith Honor God with all thy substance and the first fruites of thine increase If then it pertayne vnto the honor of God to offer him any parte of our outward substance it must by stronger reason appertaine more vnto his honour to refuse all worldly things fréely for the worshiping and glorifying of him and to preseÌ„t our selues vnto him with full deuotion And so do they which coÌ„tempne the world in such maner as is beforesayd And therfore to the end thou mayest vncessantly as much as in thée lyeth giue thy selfe vnto the praise worship and honour of the diuyne maiestie yea that thou mayest quyetly repose thy self in the swéet contemplation of his mercyes reioyse in his blessednesse lyke a naturall louing chylde and spend all the dayes of thy lyfe vertuously I exhorte thée my welbeloued altogither to disspyse the world and to passe ouer all the transitorie vanities thereof with a noble courage yea to goe hartily to worke in the onely honoring of god For is not the vylenesse lothsomenesse of this world infinite being compared to the highest and vnchangeable goodnesse yea doest thou not thinke it an vnworthie thing by occasion of earthly and worldly coÌ„uersation to be hyndred letted from the duetie which thou owest vnto the honour and maiestie of God â–ª and to be withdrawen from the holy exercyses of vertue and godlinesse for the moste vayne liberties of worldly conuersation and vnlawfull actions To conclude if thou doe in this maner glorifie God and dispise the world then God doubtlesse wil cause thée to be honoured excéedingly as Esay witnesseth saying if thou glorifie God following not thyne owne wayes nor yelding to thyne owne will the Lord will giue thée rest and wil fill thy soule with comely brightnesse Yea then shalt thou be much delighted in the Lord and he shall set thée vp aboue the height of the earth Wherevpon Hyllarie sayeth This doe I chieflye owe vnto God that all my power all my sences all my spirits may sounde his praise For to that end we receyued bodie and bodily members yea lyfe and soule of God that we might worship him generally with them all And therefore the Apostle sayeth As you haue giuen ouer your members to serue vncleannesse and iniquitie so now sayth hée giue ouer your members to doe rightâ—…esse and holinesse And this it is to honour God worthyly to doe for his honour whatsoeuer we may possybly doe to please him yea and yet neuerthelesse humbly to confesse that we doe nothing worthy of thankes or meryte Therofore it is written To gloryfie God as much as lyeth in vs shall preuayle with his mercy and is beyonde all prayse Deferre not then my welbeloued to geue
forsake al y is earthly For as Bernard coÌ„fesseth They which are delighted in things y are preseÌ„t subiect vnto frailtie can hardly or not at all behold coÌ„template things y are heueÌ„ly eternal But he which accompteth theÌ„ as dust or shadowes shal be the soner raised vp in spirit to the attaining of spiritual heaueÌ„ly things And herewithal since thou dost my welbeloued séem to be somwhat delighted in riches honor glory therfore I dare not fully say vnto thée y thou shuldest make no maner accouÌ„t therof But mine admonitioÌ„ is y thou shuldest not ernestly nor hartily desire y deceiuable riches the worldly honor nor the glorie of men but y with thy whole harte thou séeke searche narowly for the spirituall treasure of vertue the heauenly honor the eternall glory And so shalt thou become a right riche man aboue all them that loue this world For Hierome sayeth those onely are to be accompted true ryches which make vs aboundant in all vertues And therfore if thou desire to be riche then loue and imbrace the right riches of vertue If thou aspyre vnto the height of honor then make hast towardes the heauenly kingdom And if thou couet a crowne of glorie or dignitie theÌ„ trauaile to be appointed enthroned amoÌ„gst the Angels aboue And this ment Gregorie wheÌ„ he sayd dispise worldly riches and thou shalt haue aboundance Contempne worldly honor and thou shalt become glorious Set light by ease corporal quyet in this lyfe and thou shalte haue lyfe euerlastyng Whosoeuer can learne to contempne him selfe shall soone learne to dispise all things for God onely And he that doeth so may say with the holy Apostle I haue lost all things sayth he to the end I might gayne Christ Iesus The Prophet Esay in his seuenth Chapiter cryed out saying This natioÌ„ or people is without wisdoÌ„ or aduise would God they could tast or vnderstand would foresée the latter end As also the Philosophers rule is Discentem oportet credere A learner must beleue And the Prophet also witnesseth if we beleue not we shall not vnderstand And Salomon in the fyrst of his Prouerbes sayeth My sonne barken thou vnto the disciplyne of thy father And in another scripturâ—… we reade if thou sée a man of vnderstandyng straight way watche to drawe neare vnto him And agayne let not the wordes of the elders passe by thine eares vnmarked but stay thereat and from the bottome of thy harte ioyne thée vnto the sayings of the wyse men Then if héereby we bée taught to giue eare vnto wyse men to beléeue their words and to followe their counsell and aduice is it not without all comparyson more expedyent that we giue eare beleue and obeye the onâ—…ly wise God which is in him self the oryginal seperate and eternall wysedome Synce then the very true God him selfe the onely begotten sonne of the father for his aboundant charitie and loue wherewith hee loued vs came down into the world taking vpon him our nature â—…nd shape appearing visibly vnto men being 〈◊〉 eatyng drynkyng and talkyng wiâ—… them of all other it were mâ—…st méete that wee should harken 〈◊〉 â—…nto his counsell and aduyse And perâ—…orme it throughly as much as in vs may be done But Christ dyd by many meanes and wayes as appeareth by his sayinges manifoldly aduyse vs to contempne the world by promiâ—…ng râ—…wardes by prefering helpe and by making him 〈◊〉 â—…r exâ—… The which also the holy Euangelistes aâ—…d Apâ—…les â—…d most euidently sette foorth Therefore obey â—…d â—…low hâ—…s counsell especialâ—…y since he is the way and the truth Which hest knoweth the perilles of ouâ—… passages and what is most expedyent for vs For since he so entirely loâ—…d vs thâ—…t for our redemption he vouchsafed to dye we â—…ay bâ—… most assured that the counsell hée giueth vs is moste loâ—…nde and sure to leane vnto Wherefore become thou his disciple my welbeloued and follow in all thinges his mâ—…st wholesome and sounde doctryne that thou mayest so much the more blâ—…ssedly and with more delight behold him in the heauenly kingdome as thou now doest beleue and harken vnto hym more attentyuely in this lyfe To conclude if an Angell should come downe from heauen appearyng visibly vnto thée and saying Beholde the will or counsell of God is that thou dispyse the worlde wouldest thoâ—… not by and by obâ—…y and beleue it But now not an Angell not a messenger but enen the God of Gods the creator of Angelles and the Lord of all things is come in proper person Yea and hath with his owne mouth giuen thée counsel to contempne the world and to make thyne estate perfect For where as he counselled the rich yong man which from his tender yeares had obserued all the precepts in the golden Tables saying Thou lackest yet one thing If thou wilt be perfect goe and sell all that thou hâ—…ste and giue it to the poore and come and follow mée and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen he lefte the same counsel or aduyse foâ—…â—…ée also who peraduenture yet hast not obserued the holy precepts in all poyntes from thy youth bywardes But thou wilt say Can all men leade a perfecte lyfe or forsake the world altogither Oh this is a foolish obiecttion and méete for fonde worldly and wicked men Of whom Salomon sayeth the number of fooles is infinyte And the holy fathers haue answeared thys kynde of obiection at large For there is great difference in iudgement betwéene that which is requyred to the conseruation and mayntenance of the first vndeuidable substance and that which is requisite to the conseruation and mayntenance of the forme or lykenesse But to remayne in the worlde to doe and performe the acte of generation and to till and manure the earthe is not requysite for the mayntenance of the fyrst vndiuydable substaâ—…ce but for the mayntenance of our owne shadowe shape or lykenesse And therefore let no man which findeth in him selfe any promptnesse or readinesse refuse that grace of God working in him and say The worlde must not be altogither vnprouided or vnfurnyshed For I pray thée tell mée if thou shouldest altogither giue ouer the world and giue thy selfe to a holy and solitarie life should the world therfore fayle Thinkest thou that for thée onely the earth shall be abandoned or the rockes tranferred and moued out of their places No no but doe thou gyue eare and follow the counsell of the most graue wise counsaylor which is the Angell or messenger of the great counsell on highe So that thou mayest safely defende thy selfe from infinyte perylles and walke in a safer shorter quyetter and more acceptable pathe vntyll thou bée receyued into the resting place of the Lord thy God. Christ spake as his Euangelist John rehearseth in the eight Chapiter saying I am the light of the worlde He that followeth me walketh not in darkenesse But shall haue the lyght of lyfe Where vpoâ—…
Sea which is tossed with tempestes And is passed with great daungers and many difficultyes Agayne behold the Lorde GOD with whome all thinges doe consist in an vnchangeable eternytie as the highest thinge to be séene or beheld vpwardes And the world it selfe as the lowest thynge downewardes Then consider saye they lykewyse the mynde of man placed as it were in the myddest béetwene them both The which by the crcellence of manes condition doth floate aboue the chaungeablenesse of this world and yet hath not attayned the vnchaungeablenesse of the diuyne nature Then if mans minde should chaunce through loue gréedy desire of these thinges which passe downwards to drown it selfe therin immediately it wil be ouerthrowen with sundry waues and beinge as it were deuided from it selfe wil quickly be dyssipate and destroyed But so much the easier it wil be to gather it altogether on a heape to preserue it if it rayse vp it selfe with an earnest thought and desire forsaking those base and earthly places vntill at last it become altogither vnchaungeable by atteyning vnto that highest most excelent immutabylity Againe when a mans minde doth declyne downewardes by the loue which it hath to earthly thinges it suffereth shipwracke in the floodes of this world And being myxed or myngled amongest the changeable thinges doth flowe away with the streame Yea it is by a kynde of twofould daunger tossed retossed For both it is in perill to be drowned by the déepe affection it beareth to the lower parts and againe by contyne wall working of the waue in multytude of affections it is meruelously dyssypate and dysseuered But if it rayse it selfe vpwardes from the loue of this present lyfe by the desire that it hath vnto eternytie and doe gather together all his thoughtes and cogitations then doth it as it were swym alofte in the floode and doth spurn and kycke awaye all traunsitory thinges as fylth or wéedes swymming lose in the water Therefore let the mynde of man as it were so repose it selfe in safety by raysing it selfe aboue and on it selfe towardes God and by retorning to it selfe in it selfe that by the considerations aforesayd it béeing raysed aboue the world maye behold the perylles a farre of and reioyse that it hath by any meanes eskaped them And this it is to go into the Arke of the hart and the spyrituall Shippe By helpe whereof we maye happyly eskape the waues of this worlde wherewith we are tossed alwayes Then spurne from thée and despyse these transitorye and frayle thinges and behold thou arte swoome and eskaped out of this great dyluge of roaring waters Consider déepely and medytate the heauenly Sacraments of thy redemption together with the benefytes of the diuine goodnesse bestowed vpon thée and thou art alredy entred into the Arke of thy hart and the Shippe aforesayde Againe this world is most conueniently compared vnto a large féelde full of crewell théeues and robbers In the which many are kylled and murdered and very few eskape at any tyme vnwounded or not sore hurt Yea that which is worst they which walke commonly in this field doe betray eche other into the hands of those théeues That is whilest one of them doth leade another into the fall of finne whereby he falleth into the diuells handes And thou my welbeloued if thou wouldest be afeard to walk in such a féelde replenished with théeues who might endaunger thée with temporall death how darest thou then walke through this wycked worlde wherein so many enemies are suborned by wycked spyryts and so many stumbling blockes are layed to make thée fall into euerlasting fyre Agayne this world is compared to a wood set on fyre wherof in maner all the trées are burnt and destroyed For we maye dayly behold howe the loue and charytie of God is waxed colde in mens hartes how the loue of the world hath preuayled howe the fyre of concupyscence the feruentnesse of pryde and the flame of couetousnes are kyndled In such sorte that almost euerye man séeketh to shyfte for himselfe And neuer séeketh Christe Jesus nor those thinges which pertayne vnto his glorye Men are carefull for worldly sustenaunce and not for the purenesse of the soule nor the cleanennesse of the hart Yea they doo rather séeke to avoyde the dyscoÌ„modities of this present lyfe then to eskape the bytter and eternall tormentes of hell fyre And howe then darest thou chuse but be carefull how to eskape out of this woode yea and that with spéede least thou be burned and consumed with the fyre of vyce lewdenesse Lastly it is compared vnto an olde Citie which for the morâ—… part is become ruinous battred destroyed In such sort that the enemyes may aproch and assault it on euery syde So that it is now no safe dwelling therein But we must flye vnto some stronger place of defence For if we doo rightly consider our owne frayltie how prone we are to euyll and how slow to goodnesse we shall fynde it requisite to séeke some safer resting place for our soules wherein we may the better eschew and auoyde all occasions of sinnes The princely Prophet in his foure and fortyth Psalme hath these wordes My daughter behold and geue eare and bend thyne eare to me and forget thy people and the house of thy father and the king will earnestly desyre thy coomlynesse Although these wordes be lytterally to be expounded by the Church which is the vniuersall Spouse of Christ yet may they also be vnderstoode by euery faythfull soule and mynde which is also the perticuler Spouse of christ For as Sainct Augustine sayth euery soule is eyther the spouse of Christ or the diuells concubyne And therefore the holy Prophet saying Forget thy people and thy fathers house meaneth despise these earthly thinges in respect of God and for his sake Set asyde kynsmen brethren neyghbors and all â—…arnall affections To th ende that all thyne affection may be towardes god Yea make thy selfe ryche of spirituall ryches and adorne and decke thy selfe with all grace and vertue For the more perfectly that thou contempne worldly thinges so much the more thou shalt be replenyshed with heauenly treasure As Gregory sayth He doth very well withdraw his loue from the creatures which doth onely with the eyes of his hart and vnderstanding beholde the excedinge bright bewtie and louelynesse of the Creatour So that my deare and chrystian brother if thou doo so the kyng of kynges the lorde of lordes the onely begotten sonne of GOD wyll earnestly desyre thy coomelynesse That is thyne inward coomelynesse thyne inward reformation the bryghtnesse of thy wysedome and the feruentnesse of thy loue And that shal be sayed vnto thée which is wrytten in the Cantycles O my beloued how fayre and amyable thou art yea he wyll louâ—… thée being so fayre and louely He will blesse thée with heauenly light and the true fruites of the holy Ghost He will assocyate thée vnto him for euer So that thou
floorysh in iniquitie which hath alredy withdrawen the footesteppâ—…s of his affâ—…ction from the loue of this world For if we would thinke vpon the eternall rewardes wee should soone espâ—…e that the present glorie is nothing at all But he which fyxeth his harte in things present neuer weying nor consideryng the punyshmentes to come for the wicked but is puffed vp with false ryches and reioyseth when he hath more cause to be lamented he is subiecte vnto many mischiefes Synce there can be no truer nor ryghter myserie then false and vayne tryumphyng Yea and euerye man doeth so much the more outwardly reioyce as hée doth inwardly the lesse remember him selfe These sentences before alleaged I haue gathered out of Gregorie wherby thou mayest playnely perceyue how perillous a thyng it is especially for suche as professe reformation to apply our affections vnto these earthly things But peraduenture thou doest purpose to vse ryches without abuse and to bee conuersaunt amongest worldlyngs but not worldly and wantonly and to eate and drynke amongest them without ryotte or banquettyng And fynally to vse the fauour and honour of men without tryumphyng or glorying therein Surely if thou couldest performe this it were a great perfection But hardly can the best and most perfect continue therein And howe seldome it is séene marke thy selfe by these wordes of Gregorius It is commonly séeâ—…e sayth he and doeth seldome fayle that voluptuousnesse and sensuall appetytes doe followe banqueting For the bodie of the riche glutton is melted and dissolued into delightes and hys hearte is opened vnto vayne ioye The ryche man is ouercome with excesse of delight and becommeth vnbrydeled in boastyng wordes Hée runneth where hee lusteth and falleth into all vnlawfull things Yea those thinges which were the occasions and allurementes of hys vyces doe become the instruments of hys payne and punyshment But examyne thy selfe whither thou doe onely féede and sustayne thy bodye accordyng to thy necessitie and vtillity or if thou doe not delicately and tenderly pamper and cherishe thy volâ—…ptuousnesse Or els harken agaâ—…e vnto tâ—… wordes of Gregorie As it is vnpossible sayth he that fyre should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in water so is it vnpossible that a compâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contryte mynde should lyue in 〈◊〉 For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 méere contraryes and eche of them distroyâ—… and 〈◊〉 the other Furthermore weigh and consider the excelâ—…cie of tyâ—… and bee abashed to spende it in vanities 〈◊〉 pâ—…sse it oâ—…r vâ—…fruitefully and to leade thy lyfe therein wickâ—…dly Yâ—… harken vnto the doctryne of the auntient fathâ—…rs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of vs â—…et lyght by tyme which is consumed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The worde flyeth from vs irrâ—…uocably The tyâ—…e â—…th from vs vnredéemably and the foole knoweth not nor marketh not what he looseth Let vs talke and common togâ—…ther say some vâ—…till an â—…oure be paste 〈◊〉 thou doâ—… let passe an houre the which the merâ—…y of thy Creator hath 〈◊〉 thée to repent to obtayne gracâ—… and to winne and attayne vnto euerlasâ—…yng â—…lorie Untill the tyme doe passe ouer wherein thou oughtest 〈◊〉 make intercession vnto the diâ—…yne maiâ—…stie approâ—… and make haste vnto the companye of the Angelles sighe and lamente for the losse of thy 〈◊〉 herytage aspyre vnto the felicitie proâ—…ysed and prâ—…pared styrre vp thy â—…acke and â—…uggish will and bewaile 〈◊〉 the iniquityes which thou hast committed For thoâ—…gh wee set so lyght by tyme yet by Bernardes opynion nothing is more precious The dayes of health and saluacion passe ouer our heades and no man marketh them Wherefore my best beloued on earth euery eueninge or tyme that thou goest about to take rest or quiet reuolue and cast in thy mynde how thou hast spent the daye What euill thou hast commytted and what good thinges thou hast omytted How many good thinges thou mightest haue done and dyddest neclâ—…ct them How thou hast dishonored God and pleased the diuill by sinning and doing amisse How thou hast wounded and hurt thy soule and displeased God. Fynally howe neare thou haste approched vnto hell This beyng done yelde thankes and glorie vnto God for all that thou hast well done and for all that thouhast done amisse be sorie from the bottome of thy harte Determyne an amendment and accomplysh it in déed Consider herewith that sinners which doe now spende theyr tyme in worldly vanitye doe at the houre of theyr death séeke one houre or the least momente of tyme to repent The which they had then rather obtayne then a massye heape of Golde as greate as the whole worlde Remember that at the daye of iudgement all tyme that was lent thée shall bée requyred at thy handâ—…s howe thou haste spent it Yea euerye leaste moment or twynckling of an eye Therefore let thy hearte be replenyshed with good thoughts thy mouth with holy words and readyng of scriptures and thy handes with doyng of vertuous déedes That as often as the enimy doe come he may fynde thée armed For suche as hee doeth fynde idle hee ceaseth not to tempte them Then if it bee so euill to bee idle howe muche worse is it to bée euyll occupyed Wée fynde written The prayse of the wycked is shorte and the ioye of the Hypocryte lyke vnto a moment If hys pryde goe vp into heauen and hys heade touch the cloudes yet in the ende hee shall bee as a dunghyll Hee shall bee lyke vnto a dreame flyinge awaye which is not seene when wee awake and hee shall passe ouer as a nightly vysion If wee doâ—… well and throughly consider the eternytie of the felycitie and lyfe to come yea the soundenesse trueth and vncorruptiblenesse thereof I doe verily beleue that this world present life togither with all temporal glory shal euen from the harte séeme vile vnto vs Neither shall we disperse our affections in worldely thynges but rather we shal most gredily séeke out y euerlasting ioyes vnchaÌ„geable good things prepared for vs in the heaueÌ„ly kingdom For in asmuch as our soule is immortal for the brightnes of vnderstaÌ„ding much hygher and worthier then any materiall substance or nature it ought not to take ioye or felicitie in corruptible material or tranâ—…torie things but it ought to goe forwards with a pure harte towardes the immortall vnuariable and â—…st perfecte god So that we ought not to loue this present lyfe but the lyfe to come principallye and aboue all things Yea we ought to dispise and contempne all transitorie delectation all temporall honor and all prayse of men for the hartie loue of the diuyne and celestiall beatitude For looke howe much we cease from the affection of worldly vanitie and temporall glorie so much the more doe we please God and so muche the néerer we approche vnto the blessednesse which is to come For vnto God onely all honour aâ—…d glorie are due From whom all good thinges doe procéede But to vs be confusion shame which doe so often offend dishonour and neclecte god Wherfore it shall not be
leade a voluptuous conuersation accordyng to his appetite let vs neither estéeme nor magnifie him Let vs not affect such kynde of lyfe nor greatly set by but rather dispyse suche a man I meane not that wée shoulde hate hym in nature nor dispyse his person absolutely but hys vyces and him selfe in so much that by them he is eloygned and estranged from God. Wherevpon the Psalmist sayeth of the iust man The wicked was brought to naught in his sight But suche as feare God hee glorifieth Aristotle in hys Ethyckes hath this sentence Magnanimytie is full of contempt for it setteth light by those which lyue vylely All this notwithstanding we ought to bestow the affects of charitie and godly compassion vpon those which are wycked and vniust accordyng to their necessitie Yea and muche the more bycause we sée them to be wrapped and enfolded yea blynded and muffled to reioyce florish and exalte themselues in this worlde And therevpon Hierome sayeth wée more weigh marke sinners to be most wretched when we perceyue their faultes to be lefte vnpunished Yea both hée and Ambrâ—…se say There is no certayner token or signe of a reprobate sence and damnation to ensue theÌ„ to prosper and to be without any crosse or punishment in this lyfe Especially since the Lord sayth I chaâ—…tise and rebuke those whom I loue Now therefore let vs well consider how it comes to passe that the contempt and hatred of this world is of necessitie to saluation For vnlesse it had bene by some maner of meanes necessarie to saluation the Apostle Iohn had not sayde if any man loue the world the charitie loue of God the father is not in him It is therefore to be sayd that there are two kyndes of hating and 〈◊〉 the world speaking generally thereof The first whereof is that the world and such things as are therein should be contempned and hated for as much as they doe directly hynder and withhold vs from god That is to say least they be loued more then God or contrarie to his will and commaundements And least any man should take felicitie in them and cleaue wholly vnto them contrarie to the lawes of God in holy scriptures contayned Least he preferre earthly goods before heauenly goods and least hée set the temporall prayses and honours of this lyfe before the celestial ioyes prepared And finally least he loue and estéeme this present lyfe more then the lyfe to come And for these reasons the hating and dispising of the world are necessarie vnto saluation So that euerie man is bound in that sort to hate dispise the world as wel single men as maryed folke The which lesson I iudge to be verie difficult vnto suche as dwel and remayne in this world Now the second kynde or maner of dispising and hating the world is executed by the ful and absolute abandâ—…ning denying of all worldly things As if any man dispising and throwing from him the ryches and delightes of this lyfe should choose to serue God in obscure and more priuate lyfe So that in this sence to hate and dispise the world is vtterly to refuse cast of all temporall things seculer pomps yea worldly maners and dignities and so to dispise all the vanities of this lyfe that we may walke in the righte way by the assistance of Gods grace and holy spirit And whosoeuer doeth thus he is sure to displease and offend worldly men For euen as lykenesse of things is a cause of loue and well pleasing so vnlikenesse is the originall cause and mother of hatred and withdrawing of myndes and affections Herevpon the Apostle asked this question Doe I sayth he séeke to please men If I should yet please men I should not be the seruant of christ And lykewyse the Psalmist sayeth God hath brokeÌ„ in sunder the bones of such as séeke to please men They were consumed bicause god dispised theÌ„ Is not this a most horrible and dreadfull worde For what can bée more fearefull then to bée dispised of God since Salomon sayeth Consider the workes of God since no man can ameÌ„d him which God dispiseth And in this sort to dispise y world is not onely to hate and dispise all frayle worldly vayne things in that they doe dyrectly but in that they doe also chanceably let or hinder Gods creatures from attaining vnto him As the wise man testifieth saying They are as temptation to a mans soule and as a Trappe or snare for the féete of the foolish â–ª And therefore we hate them not onely for that they withhold vs directly since Salomon sayeth God made his workes to be feared But also bicause euen chanceably they doe vaynely delight the reprobate with the comelinesse of his creatures and with the perticular profit which they séeme to carry with them So that they there doe stay and stand still â—…ternally and neuer attribute the honour and glorie vnto the creator who is in déede the onely end and scope wherevnto wée should tende and frame our doings Héerevpon Isodorus sayeth it is better to haue the hatred of the euill then theyr company For euen as the conuersation and lyfe of those which are godly doe render many commodities so the company of the wicked doeth bryng with it many euilles Now in this treatyse I intend to speake chiefly of the contempt of this worlde as it is set downe in the seconde note euen that which concerneth the state of perfection and the obseruing of Gods words And yet I shall sometymes bring in somewhat of the former kynde of contempt in as muche as it of necessitie towardes saluation and the fulfillyng of Gods commaundements My parte sayeth the Lorde is my soule And therefore I wil expect and looke for the Lorde For the Lorde is good to them which trust in him and to the soule that séeketh hym And as the scripture sayth A thréefolde corde is hardly broken Let vs therefore by a thréefold perswasion and by a tripartyte kynde of demonstration set downe howe holy howe diuyne and how acceptable how holesome howe noble and how expedient it is altogither to contempne the worlde and those things which are therein Now some perswading reasons or demonstrations of this blessed contempte are to bee â–ª vnderstoode on the behalfe of god Some other on our owne behalfe and some on the behalfe of the world it self Whervpon orderly decently to procéed on y behalfe of God these things ought to induce beget in vs a contempt of the world First the loue and goodnesse of the glorious blessed god Secondarily The zeale that we haue to honour him perfectly as much as in vs lyeth Thirdly the great benifits which we receiue at gods hands Fourthly the consideration of his promises Fiftly bicause god him self in proper persoÌ„ did so couÌ„sel vs. And lastly bicause he did so him selfe Of the rest I will treate hereafter Now touching the loue and goodnesse of God it is