is impossible with one eye to looke vp to heauen and with the other downewarde to the earth so against reason is it that so-long as thine affection is bent toward earthly thinges thou shouldest enioy the comforts of the spirite If therefore thou haue any desire at all after God of necessitie thou must depriue thy selfe of all humane ioy when it is an hinderance vnto heauenly consolation Flie with all thine heart from al comfort of the world and thou shalt be comforted of God Plucke away from thy soule the loue of the world that a place may bee lefte wherein the loue of God may be ingraffed and take root God would not suffer that one and the same Altar shoulde serue for himselfe and for Dagon too and though the Philistines with might and maine labored yet neuer coulde they bring the same to passe God will not that the idoll of sinne which thou wouldest adore shall haue anie roome there where his heauenlie maiestie hath an abiding place He cannot abide that himselfe and the world should be worshipped together If thou wilt loue God of force thou must hate the glory of Purge thine hart from al wickednes and thou shalt come vnto that peace Learne in euery thing to conqâ—er thy selfe so shalt thou haue the inward quietnes of the minde Breake thine vnbridled appetites remoue away the vaine desires of this present world abandon pleasures that thou maist liue at peace and tranquilitie that nothing may trouble nor molest thee that finally thou maist enioy the sweetnesse of the spitit and attaine a certaine Paradise in this world Nothing can happen vnto a righteous man vnto his perturbation Thine own affections are they which moue bates against thee and thine enemies being within howe canst thou complaine of them without He is a great Lord that can commaund himselfe And this in fine is the noble soueraigntie of our will that it hath more power than the Kinges and Emperours of the world who of enemies cannot make friends as can our will being disposed therevnto when she subdueth the disordered appetites Why are iniuries and afflictions whatsoeuer greeuous vnto thee but bâ—cause thou dost shun them Now if they would bee sweete rather and not irkesome wouldest thou once loue them S. Paul reioyced in the Crosse of Christ and those glorious Apostles went away reioycing that they were counted worthie to suffer rebuke for his name Why did â—hese so holy men reioyce in tribulations wherein thou hast no ioy Surely that pleased them which is vnpleasant to thee Once do thou loue that which holie men haue loued and thou shalt finde that comforte which they had in troubles If persecutions bring thee griefe complaine not on the persecutor but rather on thy selfe who flyest from that wherein thou shouldest reioyce Conforme thy selfe after the ensample of Iesus Christ be a friend of his crosse and suffering Resign thy selfe wholy into his hands and loue that which hee did loue so shalt surelie it were alone sufficient to confounde then which in title onely be Christians Let vs bee ashamed to passe the time in pleasures and delights when our Captaine liued in great reproach and perill â—â—ee is no good Souldier which beholding his captaine dying before his face wil not venture himself to the peril of death without thinking of his owne life and pleasure If thou seeke after honour seeing thy Captain dishonoured it is a great argument that thou art none of his band and counting thy self a Christian thou shouldest greatelie blush if thou finde in thy selfe any loue at al of vanitie which Infidels seeke after Many there bee which say they are christians but very few do imitate the life of Christ. They bee in name like it cannot be denied but altogether vnlike for manners If the life of many Christians were compared with the life of our redeemeâ— it would then euidently appeare how crooked their heartes bee and how much also they decâ—ine from that straitnes which God did set them in seeing they turne themselues vnto the loue of those things which his pleasure is should be despised I would gladly knowe who hath more knowledge God or the world If thou beleeuest that God knoweth more marke how he hath chosen pouertie and a base condicion and this onely may suffice to teach thee how wicked thy life is That so hard cratch wherein hee lay on the day of his birth condemneth the delicacie of this world that stable doeth demonstrate how vaine the honors and prosperitie of this life are those vile clothes wherin his deuine maiestie was wrapped doe sufficiently shewe of what account are the riches of this world Consider a litle the dicourse of his life and behold also his death so shalt thou find that the Sonne of God become man hath alwaies adhorted vs to contemne the world aswel by example of his life as by wordes doctrine The Lord preaching vpoÌ„ the moâ—Ì„t thus began his Sermon Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heauen The Lord came not to destroy thee but to direct thee into the way of heauen and to bring thee vnto euerlasting saluation If Christ haue not erred thou dost erre if he hath chosen the good thou chusest the ill if hee through infamie and suffering hath entered into the gates of glorie out of question thou takest the readie way vnto hell which so louest immoderately honor and vanitie In great perill thou liuest and thou dost hazard thy saluation if thou returne not from this way and detest that which thou so louest and earnestlie determine with thy selfe hereafter to follow his steppes which cannot erre O what an abuse is it that a most vile worme of the earth doth so desire to be great when the God of maiesty hath made himselfe so small Therefore Christian soule if thou see thy husband Isaacke going on foot thou must after th'nsample of Rebecca alight from thy Camel for thou shouldest blush to beholde Iesus in a base estate thy selfe aloft vpon a Camel of worldly vanities Come downe therefore come downe I say as shee did by contemning the promotions and vanitie of this present world and conforme thy selfe according to the life of thy redeemer that with him hereafter thou maiest enioy the true ioy and eternal glory CHAP. IV. All the thinges of this world are vaine VAnitie of vanities saith the Preacher vanity of vanities al is vanity I haue considered al the workes that are vnder the Sunne and behold all is vanity This world in the sacred Scripture is rightly called an Hypocrite who though to the outward apparance it seeme wonderfull goodlie yet within is full of vanity and corruption In those good thinges which are sensible it appeareth good wheras in truth it is full of falshood and deceit Fasten not the anchor of the shippe of thine hearte in the sea of worldlie loue The
the same So is the battel ordered somtime by the captaine and such newe stratagems he vseth that they seeme foolish altogether to the barbarous soldiers because they knowe neither the ground of his deuise not yet the ende whereunto it tendeth So doth foolish man iudge of the wisdome of God Which euen worldly folke as it is in the booke of Wisdome confessed whē they said The light of righteousnes hath not shined vnto vs and the sunne of vnderstanding rose not vpon vs. For the weake eies of our vnderstanding they are not able to comprehend the glorious light of heauenlie wisdome Moses so long as he was in Egypt he was taken to be a very wise man but whē once he was to speake before the Lord of heauen and earth he then confessed that slow he was of speech and slow of tongue For hee was onely wise with secular wisdome Salomon was a very wise man yet when he compared his wisdome with the wisdome of God he thought himselfe more foolishe than any man It is a point of great wisedome for Gods sake to contemne the worlde In the true knowledge of a mans owne selfe consistteh the high and heauenly wisedome of Iesus Christ. In comparison of this high wisdome all knowledge is but ignorance to the seruant of God If thou haue the perfect knowledg of all the liberal artes what wil it profit thee if thou know not thy selfe Thou wanderest about and thinkest that thou knowest much whē in deed thou knowest nothing as thou shouldest Happy is the soule which is replenished with heauenly wisedome and happy is the man whose care is to bee wise in the sight of God To haue one litle drope of heauen ly wisdome it is better than to haue euē a whole vaste sea of secular knowledge True wisedome is nothing els but a perfect mortificatiō of a mans owne selfe The more thou knowest the more ignorant shewe thy selfe and deade vnto the world Righteous men which see God as Iaacob did because they know God they are lame and vnapte as it were vnto earthly affaires and counted fooles of men because they are wise in Gods sight As that part of the moone which is toward the Sun is so glorious with light that the other part therof which hath respect vnto the earth giueth no light at all so when the chiefe and principall part of thy soule is fixed vpon the Sunne of righteousnesse it will be so possessed of the glorious beames thereof that it wil haue noe light to cast vpon the earth earthly thinges The foole saith Ecclesiasticu◠changeth as the moone for leauing the light of God he turneth himselfe vnto the inferior things of the earth The wisedome of this world it is confoūded of the heauenly wisdome For as the serpent of Moses deuoured the serpents of Pharoas magicioners so the wisedome of God deuoureth consumeth all the wisedome of man God in the old lawe hee promiseth riches vnto men and those thinges which the nature of man desireth yet notwitstanding fewe there were that turned vnto the Iewish religion which was the true worshipe of God But Christ our Sauiour when hee came and preached persecution and tribulation which men naturally do hate in all partes of the worlde many were conuerted vnto the faith The wisdome of God is of that force that by foolish thinges of the world the wise are confounded and by weake thinges of the worlde hee hath confounded the mighty whē they professed themselues wise they became fooles saith the Apostle And what maruel seeing all thinges are subiect to the wisdome of God This wisdome Sathan would plucke from thee as would Nahash the Ammonite the right eies of the Israelites which is the knowledge of celestiall thinges The eies of a wise man are in his head which is Christ Neither doth a wise man seeke nor looke vpon any thing but Iesus Christ accordine to that of the Apostle I esteemed not to know any thing among you saue Iesus Christ and him crucified Therefore let thine whole exercise be in the meditation of the passion of Christ to the intent that knowing him in part here on earth thou maiest afterward haue a full sight of him in heauen CHAP. 35 The life of man vpon earth is but both short and vaine MAN that is borne of a woman is of short continuance and full of trouble saith Iob Hee shooteth forth as a flouer and is cut downe he vanisheth also at a shadowe and continueth not Our life is euen a vapor that appeareth for a little time and afterwarde vanisheth awaie like a cloud in the aier which so soone as the Sunne shineth disperseth it selfe This life so much accounted of seemeth among men to bee very goodly insomuch that it rauisheth the mindes of many with the glory of the same But vaine are such persons for who so knoweth not that euē a little sicknesse and infirmitie resolueth euen the goodliest personage into dust and allies So that he becommeth very vile that was so glorious but a while before What is the whole time of our life but euen a very instant which runneth away more swiftly thā the wind They are more swift thā a poste they haue fled aud haue seene no good thinge Euen as lightening in the aire which in the twinckling of an eie is dissolued so passeth away both the life and the glorie of this world For all is vanitie Number al the daies hours monethes and yeares of thy life and terme wherebe they now They are all passed away like a shaddow and like a spiders webbe that is blowen away with the wind There is nothing stable vpon earth whereout Adam was formed and his children I here is nothing shorter thā life which carieth death alwaies with it It is both short and miserable good men beare it mith patience and euil men loue it with great delight We must needes die and we are as water spilt on the grounde which cannot be gathered vp againe saith the Scripture There is no streame that runneth so fast awaie as the life of man doth the water streames neuer turne backe againe and the daies that are passed cannot be called backe The time past is irrecouerable Thou maiest sit by the riuer as Tobie did at the floud Tybris and by tht swiftnesse of the same consider how swiftly thy life it passeth awaie That riuer Tybris had his name of his speedie runninge and yet is not the course thereof fo swift as is the course of thy yeares after which thou art drawen immediately vnto death In this consideration wash the feete of thy soules affections in this contemplation purge thy selfe from the filth of earthly loue which thou hast gotten by much busying thy selfe in the world The life of man is but a dreame and deceite The Psalmist saith I saide in my feare all men are lyers The
thou shalt neuer tast death If thou art in loue with this life open to so many troubles me thinkes thou shouldest much more desire that life where all manner of rest and felicitie is in most abundant wise In this world thou art a pilgrime therfore labour with might main to come vnto the possession of the celestiall countrie All thinges that are seene in this world they fade away like the shadow A foolish part then thou shalt play if rather thou haddest to perish with the transitorie worlde than to flourish for euermore with ioy in the world to come The paine which thou takest here to defer death and to prolong this life of thine thou mayest doe well to bestow though it were to the losse of this present life for the attainement of that happy life in the other world CHAP. 15 The disquietnes which the men of this worlde doe feele it is great and wonderfull BEcause your fathers haue forsaken mee sayeth the Lord c ye shall serue ether Gods day and night He that serueth the worlde he goeth continually with a troubled minde is like the wheele of a clocke which neuer standeth quiet being distracted with continuall cares and anguish of the heart The worlde will neuer suffer thee to be quiet a whit if thou followe thine appetite being depressed with the waight of worldly loue depending on thine owne will This it is which turneth those wheeles this is it which doth vexe thee inwardly so much this is it which taketh all sleepe from thine eyes and causeth thee to turne still in a perpetual motion For what is more troublesome than for a man to be subiect to his owne affections Who can promise himselfe any rest at all in the affaires of this world which are so sâ—biect â—o continual alteration Great stâ—â—â—e was there betweene the heardmen of Lot and the heardmen of Abraham which debate arose through the riches which they had it was so greate that they coulde not dwell together One of the great plagues wherewith Egypt was afflicted was the litle busie flies whose properties are and of God which willingly refused the land of promise for the liking they tooke of Gilead because it was an apt place for cattel Last of all nener thinke to finde quietnesse in that place where all thinges are full of confusion and alteration The worldly men themselues they rest all amazed and know not what they doe nor whether they intend to go no more then did the builders of the tower of Babell CHAP. 16. There is more sorrow than comfort in the pleasures of this world HE will not suffer mee to take my breath but filleth me with bitternes saieth Iob You cannot in the worlde haue any perfect ioy and comfort where all things be replenished with bitternes and sorrow Marke I pray you vnder the goodly showe of sweetenesse what gall of pleasure what paine doeth lurke Consider the paine and vexation that doth accompanie sinne Vices do adorne and set out themselues after the brauest manner being in deede most filthie but vertue though ragged and torne is maruelous louely Let not the pleasures of this world deceaue thee seeing within they are so full of gal and bitternesse In that great glorie of his transfiguration Christ he spake of his death and passion whereby thou maiest obserue that euen the chiefest comfort of this worlde hath some affliction If the world being al full of bitternesse be yet so loued and made of how woulde men esteeme of the same were it all sweete and voide â—f troubles But God he hath so tempered sorrowe with pleasure of the worlde to the end that man with all possible speed might aspire vnto the ioies of heauen Haman that so hunted after the glorie of this worlde he was ioyfull and had a merrie heart because hee was inuited vnto the banquet which Ester had prepared for the king MIne heart panteth my strength faileth me the light of mine eyes euen they are not mine owne saith the Prophet of himselfe Surely I may say thou art blinde if thou seest not the miseries that thou art in which seruest the worlde As the Hauke could neuer be kept quiet vpon the pearch except his eyes were couered with an hoode so thou couldest neuer endure the miserable bondage of the world except thine eyes were blinded that thou couldest not see How were it possible that thine heart should bee so fixed vpon earthly thinges but that thou seest not the vanity of them But for that thou art blinde thou art a bond man open thine eyes therefore I pray thee that thou maiest perceiue the miserable condition which thou doest endure The dung of the sparowes which fell vpon the eyes of Tobit as he was a sleep bereft him of his eye sight The Apostle doth iudge all things of the world to bee but dung and experience teacheth vs that they haue the quality to make men blind as had the dung of Tobits Sparrowes The property of the swallow is to sing sweetly in the beginning of sommer but suddenly afterwarde shee becommeth both blind mute The propertie of the worlde also is first with a short and sweet harmony to bring men a sleepe and after to make them blind that they may not see the vanities of the same Men of this world they lacke eyes to see the light of God and of those good thinges which they forgoe They are like vnto Eli the Priest whose eyes were so dimme that hee could not see the Lampe of God which hung continually burning in the Temple And though worldly men doe seeme wise and of sound iudgement yet is it not so in truth but towardes worldly matters otherwise as touching things of the spirite they haue no sight at all but are as blinde as Moles Fall not from sinne vnto sinne as a blinde man The Prophet Zephaniah speaking of worldly men doeth say They shall walke like blind men because they haue sinned against the Lord And our Sauiour Christ walk while ye haue light least the darkenesse come vpon you For when sinners doe walke in the darkenes of their ignorance what maruell though miserablie they stumble and take a fall The eyes of worldly men they are taken easily with certaine imaginarie profites and affections of their own toward the world and they are made blinde therewith euen as the Egyptians vpon whome God brought such a darkenes that no man saw another neither rose vp from the place where he was for three dayes together If thou couldest haue a sight of the miseries thou artin questionles thou couldest not stand still so securely after that Egyptian manner as thou doest But blindnesse hath ouertaken thee blinded thou art with the loue of this glittering vaineâ— glorious world like the Beare which becoÌ„meth blind if it behold the brightnes of a burning bason Had not the world beene blind S. Iohn had not said The world
people of whom more profite shall you receiue at the length than at the first you would imagine CHAP. 29. The world must be despised in no worldly respects WHosoeuer shall forsake houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my Names sake hee shall receiue an hundred folde more and shal inherite euerlasting life saith the Lord Many do forsake great possessions which yet receiue no reward because they forsake not these thinges for Christ his sake but seeke themselues loue their owne glorie and couet the praise of men The more thou louest God the more acceptable is that whatsoeuer thou doest Though I feede the poore with all my goods and though I giue my bodie that I be burned and haue not loue it profiteth me nothing saith the Apostle Study thou onely to please God and let his loue onely mooue thee to serue him contemne this world not hoping for any temporall commoditie God he praised Iob and the Diuel replied againe Doth Iob feare God for nought The Diuel he denied not the workes of Iob but he argued vp In euery worke therefore let God be the cause and ende of the same if thou haue no purpose to worke in vaine CHAP. 30. Death is to be had in continunual remembrance WHatsoeuer thou takest in hand remember the ende and thou shalt neuer doe amisse saieth a wise man The remembrance of death it auaileth much to make vs to contemne this world Hee will easily despise all which hath in minde that he shall die Vnto Adam and his wife did the Lord God make coates of skinnes and clothed them that thereby they might haue in remembrance the sentence of death whereinto they were fallen through sinne Seeing thou with all mortall creatures art condemned to die the death and art still going the right way vnto the graue thou oughtest to giue thy selfe vnto continuall mortifying of thy selfe It is a soueraigne medicine for to refraine thy sensual and wicked appetites to haue death in remembrance whereby the bodie shal be turned into duste and ashes and eaten vp of wormes The cogitation of death it throweth water as it were into the fornace of our burning desires to quench them Death is the clocke by which wee set our life in order and the memory thereof doth choake vp much of that loue that wee doe beare vnto the world As Daniel by strawing of ashes in the flore discouered by the print of the feete the deceipt of the false Priestes of Babylon so doe thou cast in thy memorie the ashes whereinto thou shalt one day bee conuerted and thou shalt perceiue the deceiptes of the worlde the subtilty of the Diuel and the secrete tentations whereby the wicked spirits doe impugne thy soule O that these thinges were in thy minde howe purely should the life beleeue the things which dayly thou seest to happen before thy face Thinke that euery moment thou hearest that terrible trumpet resounding in thine eares Arise ye dead and come vnto iudgement The memorie of death in a good man it clenseth and purifieth all that passeth through it as a strainer clenseth all that liquor that is powred into it Driue not from thy mind the remembrance of death for it will detaine thee greatly from reuenging iniuries and from following the vanities of this world which as yet abide in thy minde and study to get the Christian virtues which highly doe please God and are profitable to man CHAP. 31. The houre of death is vncertaine WAtch for yee knowe neither the day nor the houre when the sonne of man will come saith our Sauiour Seeing death is so certaine and the time thereof so vncertaine we are continually to watch and to thinke that euerie day shall bee the last Many doe builde houses yet wot they not whether they shall inhabite them or no Many doe make prouision against the yeere to come which it may bee they shall neuer see They giue themselues to this life which is vncertaine and ouerpasse the caâ—e of death which is most certaine Seeing then with such an earnest studie thou prouidest for vncertaine thinges why prouidest thou not against death which is of all most certaine It is not good to leaue the certaine for the vncertaine Man knâ—weth noâ— his time sayeth the preacher but as the fishes which are taken in an euill net and as the birdes that are caught in the snare so are the children of men snared in the euil time when it falleth vpon them suddenly Why tariest thou longer vpon present things If a King of speciall fauour should giue thee one of the cities of his stingdome and should assigne thee a certaine houre to confirme his graunt wouldest thou not with all studie and diligence endeauour that that houre should not bee ouerslipt But now a farre more excellent and glorious city than any is in this world euen the celestial Ierusalem is promised vnto thee by the vnspeakeable magnificence of the King of Kinges The time of this life is giuen thee to attaine therein this blessed citie Leese not thy time therefore omit not a good opportunitie least thou leese that happinesse which thou so longest for The night commeth when no man can worke No man hath an houre sure of his life Therefore the time being so short and the promises so ample what a woonder is it that many can so idlely passe the time away in vanities and pastimes as though they had yet an hundred yeeres moe assured them to liue and looked for none other world after this life If for the getting of some temporal good thing thou art willing to breake thy sleepe to refraine from meate to absent thy selfe from many meetinges of pleasure and that onely to finish which is in thine handes least the occasion doe slip and thou wottest not when to haue the like againe why doest thou not take the like occasion now giuen thee of God for the attaining of that life which shall endure for euer Those fiue foolish virgins that sufâ—ered the time praeâ—ent unprofitably to passe-away and presumed of the time to come were deceiued of their vaine expectation Disire not a long but a good life nor many but good yeares Endeuor rather to liue well than long and seeke not onely to haue a good-will but adde thereunto good workes Many contenting themselues with a good intentes haue descended into the tormentes of hell Vncertaine is the houre of death which is a thing that should stirre vs vp vnto more watchfulnesse in our calling It were extreme foolishnesse for thee to liue in that state in which thou wouldest not that death should finde thee And seeâ—ing this may fall out euery houre euen in reason it standeth thee vppon to liue well for little doe you knowe the houre when death wil summon you to answere for your life before the iudgement seate of God CHAP. 32. The houre of death is vnknow en because we
if nothing they further vnto vertue but hinder much why so impatiently dost thou couet them Art thou so blinde that thou seest not how embracing riches thou nourishest a serpent or scorpion in thy bosome For as the scorpion will kill them with poyson which cherished them with their heate so these riches which with the heate of in ordinate desire thou doest nourish and augment they will eate thy bowels gnaw thy conscience choke the good spirit hinder thee from saluation aud bring thee to destruction both of body and soule This is that thou louest O thou blind man this is that thou seekest this is that lastly that destroieth Call thy wits together a little and behold the falsehood of these riches so shalt thou lift vp thy mind not onely vnto the liking but also vnto the louing of thinges far much greater and euery way more true CHAP. 21. To loue riches and earthly thinges it is meere vanitie LOue not the world nor the thinges in the world saith S. Iohn By the light of nature wee are taught not to loue these natural thinges in regarde of themselues For loue is a thinge so pretious that it should bee bestowed onely vppon him who can with like affection of loue answere the good wil. But seeing no creature natural can with like measure recompenc thy loue therfore thou oughtest not to applie thine heart to the thinges of this world Doubtlesse couldest thou perceiâ— thus much in desiring to enioy the thinges which be ordained onely for thy vse thou doest peruert the order of God God alone thou must enioy by louing him as the soueraigne good thing from the bottome of thy heart but vse thou must the things of the world as seruants referring the loue of them vnto God and to the setting out of his glory God created man after his owne likenes to the end that as other liuing creatures do he should loue his like Seeing therfore thou hast no likenes with earthly thinges thou art bound of equity to loue not these earthly thinges but God after whose similitude thou art made All the while that Iacob had children by Leah and her handmaide he neuer thought of returning into his countrey but so soone as Rahel had borne him a sonne he had a longing forthwith to returne home againe So the men of this world while they are occupied about earthly thinges they are forgetfull of the Celestial countrey but when they once bring out the fruite of Godlines then begin they to loath their former state and greatly to desire the happinesse of heauen When the king of the Egyptians was dead the children of Israel sighed for their bondage and cried God heard their mone but afore his death though they cried bitterly yet were they not heard Both good and badde al crie vnto God but none be heard saue they which haue killed the kinge of Egipt that is the loue of this world which worldlinges haue not Let the loue therefore of the worlde once be dead and God wil heare thy praier out of hand It is the lawe of vnfained loue that you doe shewe your selfe to bee such as that is which you loue Our soule is like vnto waxe which taketh the forme of that which is imprinted thereupon As that is which you loue such is thy soule earthly or heauenly If thou puttest a glasse toward heauen thou shalt see the figure of heauen there-vpon if thou turne it to the earth warde there shalt thou beholde the figure of earth So thy soule is like vnto that whereunto thou appliest the same insomuch that whatsoeuer goodnes or badnes is in thee thou maiest ascribe the same to that thing which thou so leuest Nebuchad-nezzer louing the world became a beast and did eate grasse like an oxe but lifting vp his eies vnto heauen by true repentance hee came againe vnto his former shape When God had made the Sunne the Moone and all other creatures hee saide of them all that they were very good for such did approue them but man being created he was neither said to be good nor ill not thereby preferring other creatures aboue man for whose sake they were all created Why then said God of all other creatures how they were good and said not so of man who was better then they The reason is because God he looked that man according to his freewil should worke and as he made his choise so should his titles be good or euil When hee loued the good he was good but when he loued the euill he was ill For man onely of all creatures had free libertie to chuse either good or ill The holy Apostle speakinge of certaine wicked men saide They turned the glory of th'incorruptible God to the similitude of the image of a corruptible man and of birdes foure footed beastes and of creeping thinges As they made God such were they themselues the images â—â—ey made of God were not so vnlike him as they resembled their images which they made The proper seate of the soule is in heauen where they onely do inhabite which be perfect men as the apostle doth say Our conuersation is in heauen Loue not riches and thou shalt be rich It is great riches not to couet riches Who possesseth much Euen hee that desireth little God gaue in commaundement that no man to his proper vse should take any parte of the rich spoiles of Iericho which in respecte of the mutabilitie thereof representeth the worlde the treasures whereof should not bee desired of Christians least they com vnto that destruction which Adam did CHAP. 13. The rices of this worlde are to be contemned WHosoeuer renounceth not all that he hath he cannot be my Disciple saith our Sauiour Christ Despise from thy hart these transitory things They which followed Christ frosooke so much riches as they could desire which followed him not And so infinite is our will in coueting that he shall neuer be satisfied which foloweth the same and he which renounceth it renounceth al thinges Insomuch that poore S. Peter left as much indeede as ambitious Alexander could in heart desire These thinges if thou contemne thou shalt find thy selfe but if thou doe them loue thou dost for-doe thy selfe Happy is that soule which earnestly despiseth these transitory thinges which the couetous minde so greedily desireth For by contemning thinges corruptible the riches which are eternal be attained Golde and siluer are to loade a beast not a man Yet no beast is so voide of vnderstanding that willâ—ngly will take more than it can beare Onely the couetous man as more voide of reason than a beast will offer himselfe to beare it lay on him what or how long soeuer yee will But if thou be wise thou wilt vnburden thy selfe by renouÌ„cing the vaine riches of this world so assure thy selfe thou shalt goe the lighter A fond man thou art that may haue poore men in ough to beare
when it is discommended of ill men and they are to bee praysed which vile persons dispraise It is no reproch at al vnto the light that the Battes and Owles cannot away therewith Yee are the children of the light sayeth the Apostle to all good christians What communion hath light with darkenes knowledge is contemned of the ignorant and fooles despise wisedome and instruction Therefore let not the childreÌ„ of the light be grieued though they be hated and persecuted of the sons of darkenes If blind men iudge amisse of colours the blame is not to bee laid vpon the colours which may be good and beautifull but vpon the censurer which lacketh iudgement To bee praysed of the vngodly is to bee dispraised and to bee dispraised of them it is hie commendation So then to despise iniuries and reproaches it is a signe of a minde that is rightlie noble He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty man and he that ruleth his owne mind is better than him that winneth a citie saith SalomeÌ„ Vertue it withereth without an aduersary True loue it is fixed in the bottom of vertue and is tried by affliction The patient man is the Lord of himselfe He that knewe of what loue to vsâ—ward God sendeth tribulation doutlesse he would receaue it with a gratefull heart AduersitÃe it is the good gifte of God sent of his maiestie to such as he liketh and loueth wel for the setting out of their soule A sicke man impatient causeth a Physition to be rigorous If thou chafe at the bitternesse of the medicine thou doest but augment thy paine but that which is taken with a willing minsd it hurteth not The chiefest part of wisedome is patience And yet maruell it is that rather thou haddest to abide without God than to suffer somewhat If thou desirest health neuer wrest the rasor out of the Chyrurgions hand Flie not the troubles which make for the welfare of thy soule abide aduersity if thou desirest health The Apostle saith Blesse them which persecute you Blesse â—say and curse not And again Wee are euill spoken of and we pray we are persecuted and we suffer it Saile thou with a contrary wind as Christ sayled vpon the crosse wheÌ„ hee praied for his enemies did good to his very persecutors As for the wicked they suffer also much persecution and troubles because the pleasure of God is that of the torments of hell they shoulde haue some taste in this present worlde If thou see a man to bee grieuously offended for the affliction that is laide vpon him assure thy selâ—e it is a signe of his farther troubles in the time to come But if he thank God for the same then know againe that his defects shall bee put away and his rewarde shall be very great The chosen and elect people of God they are patient in troubles A most acceptable sacrifice vnto God is patience in aduersity tribulation Be therefore of a patient minde if thou be sad to day thou shalt be glad to morrow if troubled to day thou shalt bee comforted the next day Bridle thine anger and lay a bitte vpon thy tongue for breaking oâ—â— into intemperate speech Take not aduersity too greeuously and drowne not thy selfe in a litle water When thou hast humbled thy bodie with fasting releiued the poors by thy liberalitie and showen other fruites of a penitent soule little shall all this profite thee afore God 〈◊〉 thou be carried away with the vaine prayses of men Patience is like a treasure hid in the field where patience is there is silence but the impatient man troubleth many with his wordes He that can bridle his tongue is a prudent man and worthy all prayse and the more thou dost sacrifice thine heart vnto God the more acceptable shalt thou be in his sight Haue thou patience therefore assure thy selfe that all things shal bee remedied in time To conclude Be thou faithful vnto the death and I will giue thee the crown of life sayeth the Lord CHAP. 24. The world is not to be accounted of FLie out of the middest of Babel saith God The worlde is â—ul of confusion there little order is but exceeding horror there golde is more esteemed than vertue and transitorie things preferred afore spirituall riches So full of confusion is the worlde that it exalteth the wicked and casteth downe the good The world promoteth Iudas but keepeth backe the vertuous from preferment He that well considereth the confusion and disorder of the world will neuer set his heart thereupon The pleasures and comfortes of the worlde they bee more noysome than the waters of Ierico more changeable than the moone Hardly shalt thou go forward in the way of godlines liuing in the same Abraham looking toward Sodom and Gomorah and toward all the lande of the plaine sawe the smoke of the lande mounting vpp as the smoke of a furnace And hee that looketh into the world aduisedly shal finde from thence the smoke of pride and vanitie and the flame of disordinate concupiscence to arise Holy and good men the nearer that they drawe vnto death the more earnest they bee about al good workes They which were to eat the Passeouer did first circumcise themselues according to the commaundement of the Lord If thou circumcise not thine heart from the inordinate loue of this world and the delightes of the same looke not to haue anie taste of the spirituall comforts of the soule If thou haddest come lying vpon a low and moist flower and one should tell thee if thou remoue it not it will â—ot and putrifie wouldest thou not for the preseruation of the same remoue it into some higher roome But God himselfe in his worde hath warned thee not to laye â—hine heart vpon the lowe and base thinges of this earth but to place the same vpon hie and heauenly matters and yet wilt thou not harken vnto his wholesome counsaile CHAP. 25. The world neuer keepeth at a stay THou hast made the lande to tremble and hast made it to gape heale the breaches thereof for it is shaken sayeth the Prophet The very change of the worlde were there nothing besides weâ—e sufficient to cause the same to break into splintes and peeces God himselfe the master workeman of al doth tell thee how heauen and erth shall passe away And S. Iohn saith The world passeth away the last thereof â—onors vanities do fal and alter euery moment Consider how great the chaunge is The monarchy of the worlde began â—irst with the Assyrians from thence it came vnto the Persians from the Persians vnto the Grecians and from the Grecians vnto the Romaues and from the Romanes it is nowe come vnto the Almans Now if the Empire which is the chiefest place of honor hath so often been changed from one people to another nation where can you finde in this worlde any thing
and so be fitte as a chaste spouse to welcome the bridgrome Christ. CHAP. 40. Vnspeakable is the happines which the men of this world shall forgoe THey contemned that pleasant lande said the Prophet of worldly men It is a wonderfull thing that with all diligence and studie wee seeke not for glorie which of all things exceedingly is to be desired There is nothing which naturally wee so desire nor sooner may loose nor for which men will spende so much as for the glorie of this world whereby many are depriued in this life of spirituall consolation and in the other world of eternall life Many good thinges doe they want and great ioyes doe they goe without which giue themselues to serue the world And because they set their mindes vppon corruptible things they are depriued of that heauenly society of Iesus Christ and the diuine contemplation of spirituall things It is much to bee lamented that men can finde sweetnesse in the vnsauorie and sowre things of this world and yet haue no taste at all of the matters of God the pleasure whereof is soueraigne The taste of the diuine loue is so delicate that worldly pleasures giue no relish at all where that hath a place Happie is that man which is onely refreshed with the loue of God and rauished with the pleasures of holy vertues Flye from henceforth from the vanitie of this worlde for the more thou estrangest thy selfe from the same the greater comfort shalt thou perceiue in thy soule and the lesse dealing thou hast in the worlde the more fauour shalt thou haue with God Why therefore doest thou not approch neere vnto the Lord why lingerest thou It is a lamentable thing that the loue of such vile trash should keepe thee backe Shall the shadow of good things in this world so preuaile with thee that thou wilt forgoe those all sweete and delectable ioyes in the life to come For whatsoeuer in this worlde thou louest it is nothing in comparÃson of the treasure of delights in the kingdome of heauen Giue thy selfe wholy therefore to loue God and the vnuisible good things buy for smal great for transitorie eternal for vile precious for base glorious for miserable comfortable for sowre sweet and to speake in a worde for nothing all things Let not the apparance of these corruptible thinges deceiue thee neither suffer the vanitie and pleasure of this present life to darken thy knowledge vnderstanding of heaueÌ„ly matters If thou contemne the vanitie of this world thou shalt enioy the loue of God Consider how little it is that God would haue thee to do how much hee promiseth Renounce therefore the vile thinges of this worlde that thou mayest attaine that precious pearle of inestimable price Seeing in comparison of the life to come which is perpetuall this present life is but a moment as it were delight not in this short and corruptible to the end thou mayest haue ioy in the euerlasting life A foole were he that hauing many faire Lordships and pallaces of his owne would yet for all that continue in a stable euen such a base thing is this miserable world in respect of the glorious and celestiall citie Ierusalem which is aboue Seeing therefore God himselfe of his most holy loue doth inuite thee and open the gates of paradise against thou come bee not so carried away with the loue of the shadow of good thinges that for them thou canst be content to goe without those true and most sweete goods of the other life for the enioying whereof thou wert created Liue so in this world as in the way as in the world to come thou mayest raigne for euer as in thy proper countrey The end of the second Booke THE Thirde Booke declaring howe the vanitie of this world being renounced wee should giue our selues to the seruice of Iesus Christ. CHAP. 1. The whole world cannot satisfie the desire of mortall man THE Lions do lacke and suffer hunger but they which seek the Lord shal want nothing that is good saith the Psalmist He that hath God hath all that good is but hee that hath him not is very poore Without God all pleasure is paine all ioy is sorowe all abundance is penurie and scarsitie God alone the creator of our soulâ— doeth satisfie the desire they are aâ— vaine that seeke consolation in thâ— things of this world There is nothing in this life which is not full of bitternesse nothing so precious so good and delectable besides God himselfe that it can either deliuer from all euill or bring vnto felicitie The Lord is my shepheard I shall not want saith the prophet The Princes of the world themselues the more mightie they seeme the more they doe neede nowe and then for thâ—â— maintenance of their honour and his estate Onely the seruant of God can say I shall not want Hee whome God ruleth liueth quiet and merâ—ie life The beastes of the worlde are fed with dry hearbes among thornes and briers the waters thereof are poysoned and the hearbes haue a secreâ— poyson in them The diuell to our first parents reached out pleasant meate and they had no sooner tasted of the same but they were poysoned The childe of â—his worlde eateth the hearbe of pleaâ—â—re but the eating thereof is vnto his â—estruction hee is allured wiith the â—aite of honour and riches and â—raight-way is taken in the snare â—e he be aware It is written by the Psalmist God the strength of mine heart and my â—rtion for euer He is happie whom â—od feedeth and putteth no trust in â—an Happy is hee which seeketh â—OD with his whole heart and from â—m seeketh consolation Taste thou neuer so much of the â—ters of these worldly honours and â—nities yet thy thirst shall neuer bee â—enched but thou shalt still bee like â—e that hath a dropsie who the more â—e drinketh the more hee thirstâ—â— The eyes of al wait vpon thee thou â—est them meate in due season The prodigall childe had no sooâ—â— separated himselfe from God but â—ight hee confessed that hee was â—â—d well neere for hunger Vice 〈◊〉 wickednesse doe alwaies bring afâ—tion to the will whereas vertue on 〈◊〉 other side bringeth ioy and conâ—tion Eate thou not the breade of him that hath an euil eye neither desire his dainty meates For as though he thought it in his heart so will he say vnto thee Eate and drinke but his hart is not with thee saith the wise man He that sayeth that in vice there iâ— nourishment and satietie beleeuâ— him not for thou shalt find it cleaâ— contrarie The Nigromancers and inchaunters will make a shew to thine eies of pleasant gardens and fruitfull trees but if thou once gather and taste of them thou shalt perceiue them to bâ— nothing such as they seeme to be 〈◊〉 the world it laboreth to perswad woâ—ly men that the things it propoundeâ— are such as they seeme to the viewâ— but in
very deede they are nothiâ—â— so Our soule is no Chamelion thâ— it should liue onely with winde Tâ—â— worlde it openeth his desire it â—â—cheth out and vnfouldeth his will 〈◊〉 laboureth to nourish such as loue 〈◊〉 worlde with the meere winde of vâ—nitie Ephraim is fedd with the wind saiâ— Hosea Vaine we tearm that whicâ— filleth not the place where it is The things of this world they fill not but onely puffe vp our soul make it for to swell Wouldest thou not take him for a very foole that being an hungred should open his mouth and onely take in the aier to appease his hunger withall Surely thou art no wiser than hee which thinkest to satisfie thy minde with the winde of wordly vanitie Of the men of this worlde did the kingly Prophet say Whose bellies thou fillest with thine hidde treasures Lords and great men they vse to lay â—broad the most pretious thinges of â—heir house adorning their haules and great chambers with silke and arras but the things of lesse price account â—hey fling into corners Euen so God â—ath publiquely set abroad the riâ—hes of this glory and holy loue but â—he duste of gold and siluer as vile â—hinges hee hideth vnder the earth â—et a woonderfull thinge it is to obâ—erue how the men of this world coâ—et to satisfie their bellies with the â—asest things The thinges of this world are like vnto sharpe liquor which doth not satisfie but prouoke the appetite to couet after meate They shall goe to and fro and barke like dogs and goe about the citie They shall run here and there for meate and shall not bee satisfied though they tarrie all night saith the Psalmist They shall goe too and fro and compasse about to get honors and riches and yet for al that shall not they be satisfied Thus saith the Lord by the prophet Haggai vnto such fellowes Yet haue sowen much and bring in little yee eate but ye haue not inough ye drinke bul ye are not filled yee cloth ye but ye be not warme The more thou drinkest of these worldly thinges the dryer thou shalt bee and thou shalt shewe thy selfe like vnto that man who to quench his thirst will eat salt and to quench the fire will powre oyle vpon the same The desire of worldly things is infinite and will not bee satisfied CHAP. 2 God alone is to be desired and sought after OPen thy mouth wide and I willfill it saith the Lord When God had commended the obseruation of his commaundementes vnto his people hee then said Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it He speaketh not of the opening the corporall mouth but of the desire which is the mouth of the soule It is not the world that can fulfil the desire of the soule but God alone our creator which saith Enlarge thy desire because I onely and none other can satisfie the same The reasonable soule which is created aâ—ter the image and likenesse of God may well bee occupied about many thinges but it shall neuer bee satisfied nor replenished but with God himselfe In him it resteth securely and reioyceth Happy is that soule to which God is all thinges and to whom besiâ—e God nothing is sweet and precious but all is bitter and vnsauory If our soules seeke comfort in these earthly thinges let it neuer looke for rest and quietnesse The vessell so long as it abideth in the water it seemeth not heauy but as soone as it is taken out of the water the heauinesse and waight of the same appeareth The reason is for that being altogether earth or consisting of that thing which commeth neerest vnto earth it hath most agreement and conuenience with the element of water so long as it swimmeth vppon the water and of earth beeing vppon the earth So when thou art with God in heart by vnfained loue thou art in the element as it were that that is most proper and proportionate vnto thee and there continuing with him thou goest away merrely and with a contented minde but going to the loue of the world thou leauest thy proper element and therefore euery thing seemeth painful and heauy vnto thee The wicked men doe find euen in their greatest dignities much trouble the godly on the other side in reproches quietnesse This sheweth that in God onely there is ioy of heart but without God there is no comforte at all As thy body can take no rest so long as it lieth vpon a narrow peece of wood not answering to the proportion of thy body so shall thy soule neuer find any rest and security in the base thinges of this worlde If thou wouldest enioy life turne thee vnto God It is God that satisfieth thy mouth with good thinges as the prophet sayeth Our appetite will neuer rest vntill it come vnto the end it seeketh Our soule is of that noble nature that nothing can satisfie it but the soueraigne good of all which is God himselfe This moued Dauid to cry As the heart brayeth for the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing Gods when shall I come and appeare before the presence of God My teares haue bene my meat day night while they dayly say vnto me where is thy God While the holy prophet was without God hee thirsted greatly and longed that hee might perfectly be satisfied of him according to that of our Sauiour Christ If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke Giue not thy minde to the vanities of this world vnlesse you had rather to liue in continuall affliction of the soule than at quietnesse Couet not temporal that thou may est haue eternal glory If thou wouldest attaine thine heartes desire follow the counsaile of the Prophet Delight thy selfe in the Lord and hee shall giue thee thine hearts desire Loue God aboue all and thou shalt liue a merry life not onely in this world but also in the other to come CHAP. 3. It is vnpossible that any thing besides God alone should satisfie the soule of man WHen I awake I shal be satisfied with thine image saide the Prophet to God Whatsoeuer is in the world it is very little in respect of our soule The vessell which is made to receiue God himselfe can neuer be filled with any thing vntil God doe fill it And the cause why they cannot so doe is because they are vaine The thinges of this world doe so occupy the place wherein they be that for all their beeing there the place yet remaineth empty still and gold doth no more satisfie the soule than the wind doth suffice the body So smally can these earthly thinges satiâ—fie the minde the desire thereof beeing infinite Wouldest thou not iudge him a very foole that would presume to flye vp into the skies without winges As impossible is it for thy soule to be satiate with these eathly thinges Temporall goodes they are but
soule Giue to thine enemies being hungry foode being naked and needy clothes and almes and so shalt thou make of this poyson compounded with these good receiptes a wholesome medicine against many noysome diseases CHAP. 9. Selfe-loue is the bane of many Christian vertues GEt thee out of thy countrie and from thy kinred and from thy fathers house saith the Lorde vnto the Patriarch Abraham All earthly affections must bee renounced least thou beginne to like more thine owne than the thinges of Iesus Christ. For the desire of thinges inuisible and heauenly renounce the loue of visible thinges Plucke ill weedees by the rootes that they spring not againe self-Selfe-loue it peruerteth iudgement dimeth the light of reason darkneth the vnderstanding corrupteth the wil and shutteh the doore of saluation against vs it knoweth not God and forgetteth the neighbour it banisheth vertues affecteth honour and loueth the world He that so loueth his life shall loose it The roote of all iniquity is selfe-loue Esau Saul â—ntiochus they found no place to vnfained repentance though they sought the fauor of God with teares the reason is because they more esteemed their owne losse than the offending of God Seeke therefore GOD in all thy workes and put thy trust in God onely Selfe-loue is as the heart in the body which ruleth and guideth the flesh the fynewes and the vaines of man Why giuest thou thy selfe so to the immoderate desiring of honour riches and delights but because thou laborest of selfe-loue To contemne a mans owne selfe is a gratefull thing both to God and man He that loueth himselfe more than God his maker or Christ his Sauiour is like a traitor that deserueth to loose both life and goods If selfe loue haue the dominion ouer thy soule thou doest what thou wilt but not what thou shouldest and is for thy behoofe thou art blind and vnworthy to haue any credite giuen vnto thy wordes Renounce thine owne will If that would beequiet and keepe her place thou shouldest bee quiet and not be so torment in minde Follow not thine owne will and there will be nothing to torment thee but vntill thy will bee vtterly consumed looke to bee tormented by the fire of Gods wrath Why halt ye between two opinions you cannot loue God vnlesse you forsake your selfe There be certaine precious stones which if they touch some kind of metall doe loose their vertue and by some other againe they encrease the same Loue is such a precious iewell for beeing fastened vppon thy selfe it looseth his vertue but fixed vpon God it is most glorious and of infinite vertue Because thou shewest thy selfe so familiar to thy selfe thou louest thy selfe so much but wouldest thou be more familiar with God by faithfull praier and meditation thou wouldest loue God more and thy selfe lesse than thou dost a great deale A man bread and brought vp altogether in a simple cottage is so blinded in iudgement that hee will praeferre his rude home before the most princely pallace in the world so for that thou acquaintest not thy selfe as thou shouldest with the house of God thou more esteemest a present trifle than the infinite treasures laide vp in heauen for such as loue God If the Apostle did so loue Christ that hee could say that nothing should seperate him from the Loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord maruel not that the same Apostle did say Our conuersation is in heauen Greatly familiar was the Apostle with God and little with himselfe therefore hee loued God much and himselfe but little Let thy mind runne still vpon God euermore thinke vpon him by some deuoute prayer or meditation this if thou doe vse from time to time it is vnpossible but thou shouldest loue God seeing thou art come vnto the knowledge of him Two loues doe build two Citties the one is the loue of God which bringeth the contempt of thy selfe the other is the loue of thy selfe which causeth the contempt of God Betweene both these that is betwixt God and thy selfe standeth thy will whereby the nearer thou art vnto thy selfe the farther thou art from God the nearer vnto God the farther thou art from thy selfe Had not these two pronownes Meum Tuum Mine and Thine so much bene vsed in our mouthes so much discorde as there is had neuer bene in the world But because the most part doe more loue their owne than the publique commoditie there be so manie defectes in euerie common-weale The Apostle saith In the last daies shal come perilous times For men shal be louers of their owne selues couetous boasters proude cursed speakers disobedient to parentes vnthankefull vnholy c. And of all these euiles here mentioned selfe loue is set in the fore-front as the cause and originall of them all Nothing so hurteth a man as the hauing of his owne will Take away this foundation and the walles of worldly vanities whereunto thou art giuen will fal downe flat vnto the ground CHAP. 10 It is the part of the seruantes of God to denie themselues Iâ— any man will come after me let him deny him selfe take vp his crosse dately and follow mee saith the Lord The way to come vnto Christ is to conquer thine owne will to suffer tribulation with patience and not to seeke thine owne profite and commodity The true seruant of God hunâ—eth not after his owne commodity but for the glory and honour of God him selfe In all thy workes studie to please God and from his hande thou shalt receiue the greater blessing Let him be the beginning and ende of all thine actions least thou loose the fruit of thy labours Selfe loue is a most deadly plague Hee that seeketh himselfe spoyleth himselfe Good workes done in the Lorde they reioyce the conscience enlighten the vnderstanding and be recompensed with new blessings from God aboue Many doe despise outward things which they possesse and yet for all that attaine not vnto that perfection which the Gospel requireth which consisteth in the denial of a mans own selfe and of his will The seruant of Iesus Christ ought not onely to make light account of temporal goods but also to contemne himselfe least he bee hindered in the way that he walketh Let him learne by the grace of the holy spirite to ouercome himselfe that hath learned before to despise the things of the world This is the perfect denial euen for a man to denie himselfe from the bottom of his heart and not to seeke consolation in any creature If thou seekest any priuate or temporall commoditie surely thou art not throughly motified neither shalt receiue any spirituall comfort from the Lord. Many that haue had some zeale and ioy of the spirit at the first haue continued in that good course but a litle while they haue begunne with heate but they haue gone forwarde but coldly They sought in their prayers their owne consolation
knowledge both of God and himselfe and that beeing attained hee falleth out of loue with this world and thereby God blesseth him with newe strength to serue him withall CHAP. 17. He that will liue with Christ must first die to the world FOr thy sake are we slaine continually saith the Psalmist Happie is that soule to which Christ both in life and in death is aduantage So long as thou liuest in thy flesh thou must die to the world that after thy death thou mayest liue for euer with Christ. Thou shalt bee quiet within if thou vse not to gad much abroad but to keepe thy selfe at home He that feruently seeketh after outward things must needs waxe cold in the matters of God If thy disordinate appetites and desires of the world be not dead in thee looke neuer to obtaine the true comfort of the spirit Christ he died for all that they which liue should not hence forth liue vnto themselues but vnto him which died for them and rose againe I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in me saith the Apostle That Christ may come into thy soule it is needefull that first thou die vnto sinne and that the inwarde man may liue the outwarde man must be mortified Yee are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God saith the Apostle Thou diest when thou ceasest to be such as thou wert before in wickednesse If we liue in the spirite saith the Apostle let vs walke in the Spirite For if ye true after the flesh ye shall die but if ye mortifie the deedes of the body by the Spirite ye shall liue Saul he spared Agag and put him into prison being commanded from God himselfe to destroy all the Amalikites and to haue no compassion vpon anie of them So many doe enclose and shut vp their wicked passions for a while but they kill them not presently as God would haue them to doe For it is not enough for thee to imprison thine affections that they burst not forth but thou must besides kill them so that all inordinate concupiscence and desire of the worlde haue no life at all in thee There bee diuers and sundrie persons which like the trees in winter seeme as it were dead vnto the world but they are no sooner ill entreated but they cannot onely murmur but raile too For the rootes beeing left aliue they beginne to spring againe assoone as the tentation of sommer commeth vpon them Because thou hast let goe out of thine handes a man whom I appointed to die thy life shall goe for his life saith the Prophet vnto Ahab The life which thou giuest vnto thy fleshly parte which God will haue killed it shal be recompensed by the death of thy soule Consider aduisedly who it is that liueth within thee If the flesh doe liue than is the spirite dead Thou shalt neuer giue thy selfe vnto deuoute prayer and meditation vnlesse first thou bee mortified in minde yea it is necessarie that all thy spirituall exercises beginne at mortification Manie will flie without winges They profite smallie which are not mortified Of this be thou sure thou shall neuer see God vnlesse thine affections are so rauished with the loue of God that thou art throughlie minded in regard thereof to despise thy selfe The pure loue of God maketh thy minde simple and so free from all worldly desires that it doth without all paine and labour mount vp vnto the Lord. If thou wert dead vnto the world the world also would bee dead vnto thee againe as it was to the glorious Apostle S. Paul Euen as the sea retaineth in it those men that bee liuing and casteth out to the shore such as are dead so the world it maketh greatly of those which liue to the world and suffereth them to haue no rest therein which are as dead thereunto for Christ his sake CHAP. 18. By abstinence the flesh mâ— be brought in subiection to the spirit IF yee liue after the flesh ye shall die but if ye mortifie the deedes of the bodie by the Spirite ye shall liue saith the Apostle Thou shalt neuer please the Spirit except thou subdue thy bodie by abstinence and true repentance for thy sinnes If thou burden thy bodie with much meate thou shalt depresse thy soule through the waight of sinne The diuell by offering the forbidden fruite to our first parentes ouercame them and brought them and vs by them into the displeasure of God The first tentaion wherewith Iob was tried arose from the rioâ—ing and bellie-cheere of his sonnes and daughters S. Paul notwithstanding hee knew himselfe to bee an elect vessel of the Lord yet hee beare downe his bodie and we on the other side knowing our selues most hainous sinners in respect of him wee liue and fare deliciouslie without scruple of conscience Take heede to your selues least at any time your hearts bee oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of tâ—tâ— life saith our Sauiour Daniel to bee the better prepared to receaue the heauenly consolations hee was in heauinesse for three weekes of daies and ate no pleasant bread neither came there any flesh or wine into his mouth till three weekes of daies were fulfilled and immediately thereupon he saw most heauenlie visions and reuelations from God If thou wilt ouercome thine enemy bereaue him of his weapons The armor that Satan taketh to foile thee with all is thine owne flesh He that giueth himselfe to bodily plesures shall fall into the snares of the diuell Labour to destroy the idol of the flesh by abstinence watching and praier so shalt thou carrie away from Satan a most glorious victorie Nothing maketh the Diuell more bolde to inuade as thy delicious pampering of thy flesh Hee that thinketh hee can liue chast faring daintelie and deliciouslie deceaueth himselfe and is a foole Take away delicate fare as wood and thou shalt quench the fire of sensuall desire After that Lot had out of measure quaffed vp wine and was drunke hee committed incest with his owne daughters Though a man ascende vnto the mount of meditation and professe religion yet will he fall with Lot vnlesse he keepe a sober diet abstaine It is dangerous riding of a colt which neither is tamed nor hath a bridle Holde in the colt the flesh with the bridle of abstinence least he throw thee downe to thine hurt bind his mouth with bit and bridle as the Prophet saith Rush not violently into the waters of worldly delightes vnlesse thou wilt be drowned as Pharao with all his host were They sunke like stones into the bottome as thou shalt likewise both in bodie and soule vnlesse thou tame and restraine thy flesh with the bridle of abstinence By abstinence much sinne is auoyded vnlawfull pleasure banished our saluation furthered grace confirmed and chastitie is retained It is a shamefull thing for the maister to bee ouercome of the seruant As great shame
others either more then we will offer or as much as we do vnto any of theÌ„ yet this very booke shal suffice for all which is so translated both by G. C. into English by Petrus Burgundus into Latine both following one and the same Italian translatioÌ„ for the Author himselfe was a Spaniard and wrote in the Spanish tonge that hee which hath but one eye sufficiently may perceiue that either the English is meruailously augmeÌ„ted which hath a great deale more than the Latine or the Latine hath left out very much for it is but an Epitome or an Abstract as it were in respect of the English Nowe if G. C. hath truely expressed the letter and deliuered the Authors minde faithfully which he trauailed to do both for his owne honestie and the Readers satisfaction surely Burgundus hath neither truely expressed the letre nor faithfully deliuered the authors minde and so neither dealt honestly with the Author nor satisfied the christian Reader for he wonderfully varieth froÌ„ the English not onely in respect of the letre but so in respect of the matter as if purposely it were done to shred off many things that were superfluous I say not onely in the English but also in the authenticall copy Again if Burgundus haue done well for he is but a translator nether and no paraphrase then doubtlesse G. C. is much to blame which inserted so much I say not simply matter but errors too as are not to be read in the Latine copie Now whether of them haue dealt the more sincerely I leaue it to their iùdgement which haue the Italian the Spanish copies the Authors owne wordes which I neither haue nor can get but their owne doings as they haue may I trust deliuer me from blame so they troubled me in such sort when I tooke this worke in hand that I was enforced to vse a Christian libertie in the doing hereof therby to cul from them both such things as were for the benefit of the Church and in them both to ouerpasse whatsoeuer was to much redounding in words or otherwise erronious for matter out of theÌ„ both to frame such a treatice varieing so little as might bee from the Authors purpose as shold be profitable â—or the Church of God and offensiue to none that haue any sparkles of true wisdome in their mindes And though the diuersitie of translations and in the traÌ„slations the great diuersitie had not moued yet the errors were so many and the scriptures in many places so vainely applied so vntâ—uly expounded so dangerously wrested and many things so falsesly collected from the word of God both in the English also in the Laten coppâ— as any may perceiu by those Tables aÌ„nexed to the end of this book that howsoeuer they might be tolerated if the book were of coÌ„trouersies in ReligioÌ„ yet being purposely penned to stir vp the affectioÌ„s of Christians to the loue of God and of heauenly thinges I cold not discharge the duty of a true seruant in the house of God if I did not both cut off many thinges which they had and vse an extraordinary liberty in citing expounding applying alleaging of Scripture and in the whole matter least vnder the preteÌ„ce of mouing the godly readers to loue the good thinges of the spirit they were allured withal to the likeing of most dangerous errors vntruthes which God abhorreth and so they should reape not so much benefite by that which is good as hurt which is the drift of Sathan to their soules by that which is wicked The dooing whereof if it please not mine aduersaries to make theÌ„ to like it I will spend noe more wordes at this time I trust none that be truely religious and godly wise whom I chiefly respect but will interpret my paines in the best parte and withall wish that what else any of the contrary side in respect of Religion shal publish to this ende effecte if it cannot for some causes vtterly bee expressed which is impossible yet it may carefully and wisely both be perused reformed that good none hurte may redounde vnto the people of God And this I haue thought good to dedicate vnto your worshippes as in that respect before cited so partly to signifie that the good will friendship which from the first time I was acquainted with you I haue found at your handes is not forgotten though little spoken of on my parte and prtely by some work of mine own hauing none other thing so good to requite in some sort the benefits receiued from you both and though I desire you not to take it in good parte because I need not not in respect of the worthinesse of the thing so much as of the goodnesse of both your natures yet most earnestly I beseech the almighty God namely for you that as by the greate wisedome wherewith yee be inspired froÌ„ aboue and by the experience yee haue gotten in the world yee knowe how vaine and deceitful the world and the things in the world are so more and more yee may grow both into a detestation of all the vanities of the same whatsoeuer and into the likeing and louing and longing for those thinges which are truely glorious and to be desired and for the which we are created in the heauens and that which I pray for you by name I desire also not onely for my selfe but besides for all the rest of our friendes wheresoeuer Your W. in the Lord Tho. Rogers THE First booke which displayeth the vanities of this worlde CHAP. I. We must contemne this vaine worlde if wee would enioy God CHRIST our redeemer doth say No man can serue two maisters Sweete is the coÌ„fort of God yet not to all men but to them onely who despise the vanity of the world For it cannot be that a man should enioy God and with all inordinately desire the things of this life All men indeed are desirous to enioy the sweet conuersation of the Lord but few are willing to forgoe their own priuat commodities * and from the hearte to contemne the goodes of the earth they desire I graunt the inward comfort of the soule but so that with it they may satisfie the appetites of their fleshlie minde But thou who art purposed to follow Christ thou must denie thy selfe that hauing forsaken the world Christ may bee thine Christ and the Deuill are enemies one to the other and hauing nothing in common betweene themselues they cannot inhabite together in one place Deliuer thy selfe from the loue of the world if thou wouldest that God shoulde haue accesse vnto thy soule For thou shalt neuer taste how sweete God is vntil the goodes and pleasures of this world are loathsome and vnpleasant vnto thee And perswade thy selfe that then and not afore thy soule shall be able to receaue the consolation of Christ Iesus when as bitter thou abhorrest the thinges of this world As it
reedes when they beginne to spring do delight the sight and the eyes are comforted with their goodlie hue and flowers which notwithstanding if you breake you shal find altogether emptie and destitute of substance within Let not the worlde deceaue thee neither suffer thy eyes to be taken with the vaine and apparant bewtie of the same for do thou cast thine eyes into the inward corners thereof thou shalt find there nothing but meere vanitie If the world were opened with the sharpe knife of truth it would by and by bee found both vaine and deceitfull For all in the world eyther it is already past or present or to come That which is past is not now that which is to come is vncertaine that which is present is vnstable and but for a moment It is vanity to trust but greater vanity greatly to esteeme the fauour of the world It is vanitie to desire the promotions but greater vanitie to loue the riches and pleasures of the same It is vanitie to couet the transitory goodes and surely vanity is it to make greate accompt of the corruptible substance of this worlde It is vanity to hunt after the winde of humane commendation vaine be the cares which are bestowed vpon the seruice of this vnhappie world To ende al is vanity sauing to loue and onely to serue God O happy is that man which is not mindeful of the world surely he shal liue at ease neither can any thing reclame him froÌ„ his spirituall exercises so long as he enioyeth the sweetnes and tranquillity of the spirit It is better to bee poore in spirit than rich in sinne it is better to bee little in our owne eyes then great it is better to be of smal learning with humility than to be profoundly learned with vaine and proud mind To abuse thy knowledge other graces vnto more licenciousnes which God hath giuen thee to binde thee thereby the more zealously to serue him it is also meere vanity arrogancy of minde Surely surely that last day at that straight and rigoreus iudgmeÌ„t where the bookes of al menâ— conciences shal be opened and red in the presence of the whole world shal euidently declare how much better it is to be of smal than of great reputation in this world It shal then appeare that better it had bin to haue loued God than to haue disputed about many curious and subtil questions a good conscience shal do more good then than many and hie orations vttered in the world it shal not there be demaunded what wee haue said but what we haue done neither wil it do vs good that we follow the deceipts and false promises but that we haue contemned the glory oâ— this world and better thou shalt finde it at that day for to haue repented thee of thy sinnes than for a time to serue thy fleshly appetites and afterward for euer to bee câ—st into the pit of hell Consider with thy selfe and count howe much thou hast bestowed vpon the world and howe little vpon God and that in this life which he hath lâ—nt thee to serue him in what is become of so many years without profite what fruite hast thou reaped from the tim thou first serued the world The time passed cannot be recouered The daies are passed thou wottest not howe and death shortly wil ouertake thee What hast thou of that which thou hast done Thou hast found in thy friendes no fidelity in them vpon whom thou hast bestowed benefites ingratitude in men generally much fraud and dissimulation See now al is lost whatsoeuer thou hast done That litle experience which thou hast of man and the things whereof thou so complainest they do al and that continually cry vnto thee that God aboue shoulde haue been loued that he alone should haue been serued All thy laboure is lost which is not bestowed vpon the onely seruice of Iesus Christ. That time onely is for thy good which thou emploiest vpon the seruice of God but al the rest tendeth vnto vanity and destruction If yet more exactly thou wilt consider the ingratitude of men and note how a good parte of thy time thou hast spent vpon their seruice it will make thee to lament the time so vnprofitablie consumed and hereafter to addresse thy selfe to serue thy creator And seeing the time passed cannot be recouered woulde to God at the least now thou wouldest beginne to serue him and leade such a life now before thou be very olde as thou thinkest to do when thine heares bee hoary and thou drawest to the graue Doubtlâ—s it is greate vanitie to spende the life in pleasing of men Resigne vp thine appetites doe away thine offâ—ctions and counte that as nothing which now appeareth something CHAP. V. The end of worldly thinges shew them to be but vaine MAnie walke of whome I haue told you often now tell you weeping that they are the enimies of the crosse of christ whose end is damnation as the Apostle saith The end of them which loue the world as witnesseth the Apostle is death and destruction Cleaue not to the thinges which the world doth offer thee for sodainlie thou shalt fal into the snares therof The pleasures therof be the forerunners of death flie the deceites vnlesse thou wouldest be caught consider not what is present but what is to come Be diligent in considering the end of sinne by waying aswell that not yet come as that which is present so shalt thou hate the pleasures and vanities which the world setteth before thine eies Our life is like a riuer running vnto the sea of death The water of the riuer is sweete indeed yet the end thereof is to enter into the bitter waters of the sea Life is sweet to them which loue it but it wil proue bitter to such as draw nigh death The end of the pleasant waters of the riuer proueth bitter so the end of mans life is bitternes it selfe might put her in remeÌ„brance of the ende of al things Againe why did our Lord weepe for the same Ierusalem but onely for that she had not in minde the euilles which were to fall vpon it It is a lamental le thing to haue an eye only to the ioy that is present and not vnto the paine which followeth after pleasure this made Christ to weepe that Ierusalem was so foolishly bewitched with present ioye that shee had not regard of the troubles that would follow Euen so doudtles it is much to bee lamented that thou walt suffer thy selfe so to bee deceaued that thou canst not see the cursed endes of all these worldly pleasures Measure not thy selfe by the things which appeare at the first but wisely consider what wil follow â—ee ruled rather by reason than by a vain appetite And when thou knowest how bitter the ends of these worldly thinges are make not accompt of the goods thereof Desire nothing before you throughly doe knowe whether it be
what answere hee may make for himsâ—fe though hee be not made to answere for the soules of other men Iâ— then thou shalt bee so busied that hardly thou shalt vnwinde thy selfe from the sentence of coÌ„demnation in respect of the sins committed by thy selfe then much more hardly shalt thou escape the same hauing taken vpon thee to answere for the consciences of other men It must needes therefore bee a vaine thinge after this manner to bring thy saluation into so great a danger It is vanitie to couet supereminence ouer others in this place of banishment God for his parte wil more loue thee if thou bee a good man and good men for their parte will more esteeme thee being a godlie subiect than a proud prelate I graunt indeede thou shalt not bee feared being not preferd but thou shalt be loued which is the better of the twaine Doe away therefore thy inordinate affections and keeep thine hart from vanitie Loue humilitie as the seruant of Iesus Christ and cast from thy mind the desire of honor For at the houre of death it will not helpe a whit but rather hurt thee CHAP. 14. This world is not our natiue countrey but a place of banishement WHile wee are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord againe Here wee haue no continuing cittie but weÌ„ seek one to come saith the Apostle There is no iourney taken without labour There is no pleasure to bee sought for in this world wherin wee do but soiorne Couet not to build much or to abide in the world seeing thou hast a father in heauen so rich and mightie but hold on a right course towarde that land where all manner of felicitie doth abound S. Peter saith I beseech you as strangers Pilgrims abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule It is the manner of Pilgrims to leade an hard life They are alwaies like for rainers their true friends are in an other countrey Procure not that friendship which is hurtfuâ—l to thy soule neither take it greeuously though al thinges fal not out according to thy desire For thou art but a traueler in this present world which if thou wouldest beare in minde much dangers thou couldest not but auoide Make speed therefore away like a post neither purpose thou to staie in this miserable world He that betaketh himselfe to an Inne there to tarry onely for halfe an houre bedecketh not the house for so short a time for then would hee be counted an egregious foole Thou art a Pilgrim vpon earth yester-day thou camest and to morow thou shalt depart Care not therefore for these honors riches or vanities of this world but let thy whole minde be touching the lande of the liuing where the Sainctes with Christ doe euerlastingly triumph haue in minde the lande of the heauenly father but sette not thine heart vpon this place of banishment It is a wonder how thou canst promise to thy selfe in this worlde any stability at all seeing this life is so short and the houre of death so vncertaine that thou knowest not whether thou shalt liue till to morrow or not Thinke how the troubles of this world are of small continuance and very shortly thou must goe vnto heauen where thou shalt rest for euermore Wouldest thou beare in minde that the life which we do looke for shall continue yea is euerlastinge surely thou wouldest thinke this life though it were to last a thousande yeares in comparison of that to come scarce halfe an houre in length Yea al our life compared to that is but a moment This moued Th'apostle patientlie to beare the troubles of his pilgrimage as himselfe writing vnto the Corinthians doth say on this wise Our affliction which is but for a momeÌ„t causeth to vs a farre mooe excellent eternal waight of glory while we looke not on the thinges which are seene but on the thinges which are not seene for the things which are seen arteÌ„poral but the things which are not seene are eternal Thus did th'apostle meditate of heaueÌ„ waying with himselfe the shortnes of this liefe If thou be a stranger in this world maruel not though thou be vnknown to men if the labour of this life trouble thee be not disquieted in thy selfe for shortly thy iourney shall haue an ende The fathers in the olde Testament confessed they were strangers pilgrims on the earth and wandred in wildernesses and mountaines and dens and caues of the earth and neuer found rest Neuer be of mind that thou must inhabite this earth Kain was the first that we read of which built a city vpearth lost he not heauen Neither was Saint Peter rebuked without cause who being a stranger would yet haue an house builded vpon mouÌ„ Thaber as if he had been to inhabite therevpon They which trauel like pilgrimes vse not to buie fruite trees and such like thinges as are too heauie for them to beare but such thinges as are of light carring but yet of greate price as precious stones and other iewels In like sort forsake thou the honors and riches of this life and â—arrie about thee the precious iewels â—f an vnspoted conscience Why then heapest thou promotion â—pon promotioÌ„ so fast which of necesâ—â—tie thou must leaue behind thee Why wouldest thou be loaden with â—â—ches in the race of this life Rather â—eeke for the inestimable iewels of good workes that thou maiest liue in perpetuall riches and honor in the heauens CHAP. 15 Beautie is a vaine thing FAuour is deceitfull and beautie is vanitie saith Salomon If no vanitie is to be accounted of any thing at al and beautie is a vaine thing surely beauty is nothing to be accounted of Then most vaine are they which haue in great price the vaine beautie of the body Let not thy beautie puffe thee vp neither cast an eye vnto the shadowe of thy countenance least thou fall into destruction and loose thy life as Nareissus did who beholding his beuty lost his life Absolons goodly lockes of haire were the haltars to hang himselfe withall Beuty is giuen vnto maÌ„ to th' ende he should lift vp his mind vnto God the giuer of the same When thou findest a litle vaine of water thou followest the same till thou come vnto the spring from whence it flowed first Euen so when thou meetest with a beutifull body leaue not vntil thou come vnto the author of the same which is God himselfe the fountaine of al beuty Litle children thou knowest doe wonder at the gay letters pictures which are in bookes but the substaÌ„ce which is the learning comprised therein they regard no whit Shewe thy self not a childe but a man of wisedome gaze not so curiously vpon the external beuty of any creature but marke diligently what is written therein to the end thou maist loue the author and creator of such fairnesse Creatures be spectacles as it were which serue vs
bee the sonne of poore Thirsites hauing the browes of Achilles than to bee the sonne of noble Achilles being thy selfe contemptible Thirsits Be thou of good behauiour and thou shalt bring nobility to thy posterity albeit thy predecessors were but obscure But be thou of an il coÌ„uersation and thou shalt obscure the glory of thy bloud It is better to bee the founder than the ouerthrower and of more fame it is to be the first than the last of a noble house An argument of vertue is it to begin but to destroy an house of renowne it is a token of a leude behauiour For euill manners ouerthroweth a house were it neuer so hie in the estimation of man If thou hast none eies of thine owne to see withal be not so mad as to borrow the eies of other men To speake plainely what I meane hereby nothing wil the nobility of other men helpe thee if thou art thy selfe of a base mind It is better to be noble indeed than to be the child of noble parents And better is it a great deale to be thy selfe vertuous then to beg thy vertue of other folkes If thou hast any true nobilitie of thine owne thou wilt neuer seeke for credite else where nor sette thy selfe out with the feather of an other bird Surely thou art very poore if thou desirest to be enriched by the noble actes of thy renowned ancestors Art thou descended of a noble house Surely the more thou art boâ—d to be noble thy selfe that the world may say thou art of the ofspring of such noble persons From one and the same roote proceed both the thornes and the rose and of one mother both a noble child may be borne and an abiect Therefore seeing others may be roses take heed thou proue not a thorne Kain Cham and Esau had both noble parentes and noble brethren yet they and their progenie were base minded and blemished the nobilitie of their ancestors Thou art not truely noble vnles thou doe those thinges which beseeme a noble person It is for a noble man to forgiue iniuries but a base minded man wil seeke reuengement A noble heart will endure afflictions with a couragious stomack and occupy the minde with heauenly cogitations but a vile person thinketh continually of the transitorie things of this world The true noble man is furnished with Christian vertues but the vile person is of leude conditions It is not the glory of a stocke but the nobilitie of vertues that maketh a man acceptable in the sight of God Vertue is the true nobilitie the which as no man can giue so none can take it from vs. Why doest thou arrogate any thing to thy selfe by that which other men haue atchiued Why boastest thou of that which thy parentes haue left thee Nobilitie of bloode commeth by generation but nobilitie of the mind is thine owne by the grace of God From a roote that is bitter may come fruite that is sweete and of a base house maie come a noble man Manie that come of noble parenâ— take boldnes thereby vnto them of sinning most licentiously The thinges which binde them vnto the better behauiour they take for the committing of greater wickednesse But truly to saie the noble by birth are bound as it were by oath to continue and vphold the vertues of their founders And they which are not neither study to be such whatsoeuer they deeme of themselues they are taken for monsters among men beecause they resemble not their vertuous parentes Neuer boast of thy parentes nobilitie vnlesse thou wouldest of wise men be reputed for a foole God to shewe that hee passed but little for the antiquitie of a stocke he elected Saul for kinge being of the meanest tribe of all the Israelites Christ also chose for his Apostles not persons of nobilitie but for the most part men of smal account Againe to what doth he compare himselfe but to a silly shepherd Remember how thou art but ashes and dust euen as thy parents be The wormes will not thee spare as they haue not spared thy parents The nobilitie receiued from thy parentes is mortalitie and corruption These be the armes to be in grauen vpon thy shield not to hang behind the doores of thine house but before the sight of thine eyes Let these and the like thinges bee daily in thy mind the better to expell both vaine and idle cogitations CHAP. 18. The riches of this world are but vaine thinges IF riches encrease set not your heart thereon saith the Psalmist In great detestation shoulde the seruant of God haue those thinges which may cause a separation betweene God and him The riches of this world are vaine because their end is vaine The great rich men of this world haue slept their sleepe and when they did awake they found nothing in their handes That must needes be vaine which separateth man from so excellent an ende as God himselfe is Blessed is the rich which is found with out blemish and hath not gone after gold nor hoped in money treasures Name vs that rich man we wil praise him A rich man is commonly taken to be either an vniust man himselfe or the heire of an vniust man The falcon when hee is full doeth not know his master The Prodigall sonne seeing himselfe rich forsooke his fathers house but being pinched with pouertie he made returne againe vnto his father His abundance of wealth did turne his heart from God but nipping pouertie brought him home againe If thou haue a desire ernestly to serue God then ridde thy selfe of all vnnecessarie businesse at the least from the loue of this world Why art thou troubled about many thinges One thing is necessarie saieth Iesus Christ if thou seekest this one thing thou shalt deliuer thy selfe froÌ„ al vnnecessary cogitations of worldly thinges When our first parentes liued in the estate of innocency al occupied about the spiritual meditatioÌ„ of God they had so litle mind of their bodies that they knewe not themselues to be naked at al but no sooner had they committed sinne giueÌ„ their minds vnto earthly thinges but straightway they perceiued themselues to be naked S. Paul the Apostle was taken vp into the third heauen but whether in the body he could not tell or out of the body he could not tell Men whose mindes are taken vp with celestiall cogitations they giue no regarde to these bodily thinges This ignorance is commendable yea it is soueraigne wisdome The Disciples of Christ being addicted to the Doctrine of their master had no great minde of exterior thinges insomuch that they sate downe at the table sometime without washing their handes but the Pharisies did cleane otherwise This teacheth vs how the cogitations of Gods seruantes doe greatlie differ from the cogitations of worldly men who while they busie themselues about thinges of smal moment neglect greater matters and while ouer earnestly they giue themselues to thinges
some of thy carriage and yet wilt go for al that with an heauy loade He goeth best that is vnburdened and doth wrastle best which is naked If thou striue with Sathan naked thou shalt easily ouercome him but if thou be clad with vaine attire he wil quickly subdue thee Christ vp naked came I out of my mothers wombe naked shal I return thither againg The wheele though it turne al the day long about and stay not yet at night it is to be found where it was in the morning it changeth not his place So howsoeuer thou runne a-about the world for wealth yet at thy death thou shalt be found as poore as thou wert at the comming into this worlde Naked thou wast receiued out of thy mothers wombe and naked shalt thou be deliuered vnto the graâ— So in that state which thou begannest in the verie same thou must ende thy daies Euen as thou camest so shalt depart Labour what thou canst to becom a great rich man thy carke and care wil be to no purpose It is a vaine thing thou seest in this short life to heape riches vpon riches despise them therefore and so with Christ thou shalt triumph worldes without end CHAP. 23. The ioy of this world is but a vaine thing WOe be to you that now laugh for ye shall waile and weepe saith the Lord Woe be to you that haue your comfort in this world for in the life to come yee shall bee tormented Woe to theÌ„ which liue in delighte for they shall suffer paine and tribulatioâ—s But blessed is he that in this world being mortified for Christ doeth allwaies beare in mind the grieuous pain of his holy passion Blessed is he which feedeth himselfe with the breade of teares in this vale of mourning Much ought man surely to weepe while he thinketh vpon heauenly Zion his quiet and true countrey while he seeth himselfe banished amids the confused and bitter streames of this Babylonish worlde Blessed are ye that weepe now for yee shal laugh saith the Lord God shal wipe away all teares from their eies Blessed are those teares which the godly hande of thy creator shall wipe away selfe but he is in good earnest with thee O that thou wouldest let this sinke into thy minde surely surely thou couldest not chose but leade a more sparing life and shunne vaine pleasure more than thou doest if stil in fresh remembrance were the paines of hell where if thou repent not in this life thou shalt be made `wil thou nil thou to paie full dearely for all thy cosâ—ly cates And as Iob in the person of good men saide My sighing commeth before I eate which is the manner of the Saintes of God So of worldly men writeth the same Iob They spende theire daies in wealth and sodenly they goe downe to the graue Euen as Abraham said to the rich glutt on Son remember that thou in thy life time receiuest thy pleasures likewise Lazarus paines now therefore is he comforted and thou art tormented This is that which worldly delightes do bring vnto and this is the ende of the glory of this world We neuer read that Christ laughed at any time but that he wept we often reade For at his natiuitie hee wept at the raising of Lazarus from death he wept ouer Ierusalem he wept on the 〈◊〉 rosâ—e hanging hee wept what doe â— mention particulars his whole life was a daily lamentation and continual sorrow for the sinnes of man Verily I say vnto you saith the Lord except ye be conuerted become as little children ye shal not enter into the kingdome of heauen A little child wee see hath none other weapons for his defence but teares doe thou likewise defende thy selfe against the rage of Sathan by those weapons It is a vaine thing to giue thy selfe to pleasure in this world with so great dangers The wise man saith I said of laughter Thou art mad and of ioy what is that thou doest Moses he chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God than to enioy the pleasure of sinne for a season would not be called the sonne of Pharaos daughter The teares of the righteous shal be turned into ioy so saith our Sauiour Christ your sorrow shal be turned into ioy And the Psalmist In the multitude of the thoughts of mine hart thy comfortes haue reioyced my soule It is better to be troubled with the righteous then to eate the bread of pleasure at the table of sinners it is better to lameÌ„t solitarie then to laugh in the pleasant pallaces of vngodlie Princes Despise therefore the ioy of this worlde which is but moment any that afterward thou maiest tâ—ste the ioies of heauen which are euerlasting CHAP. 24. The pleasures of this world are meerely vaine WHat ioy can I haue that fit here in darkenes said â—obit vnto the Angell As if he should say It is a vaine thing to affect pleasure amids the darkenes of this worlde For we walke in the dâ—rke and see not what is expedient for vs and what is not insomuch that we know not one the other The wise man saith No man knoweth ether loue or hatred Little pleasure can hee take in his iourney which doubteth of the waie whâ—ther it bee good or ill And when thou walkest in the night and doubtest of the way it is a maâ—uel how thou canst be merrie at the heart Little ioy can hee haue that seeth his neighboures house on fire And sure a vaine man thou art if in pleasure thou passe thy time especially beholding thy friendes euen euery houre to leaue this world before thy face That die thou shalt thou art sure but howe thou must leaue this world thou wottest not therefore vaine thou art if casting the face of God from thy minde thou giuest thy selfe to immoderate pastimes and delightes More sorrowe then ioy hath that paâ—ent which in one and the same day seeth his sonne both to be borne and to leaue this world Short and of small continuance is the loue of this world Salomon saith Foolishnes is ioy to him that is destitute of vnderstanding It is a vaine thing to bewitch the heart with delightes who take an end oftentimes before they are well begun The prophet Isaie hath these words Al that were merry of heart doe morun The mirth of taâ—ret resteth the noise of them that reioyce endeth the ioy of the hart ceaseth Small is the pleasure which either birdes in the snares of the foulers or fishes haue by the deadly baite of the fishers Euen as vaine and surely like the vnreasonable creatures art thou if thou ioy and glorie in the prosperitie of the worlde seeing death continually is at thine elbowe The time that remaineth is but verie short therefore let them that reioyce bee as though they reioyced not Wisdome leadeth righteous men the right way The way
is right when the middle annswereth proportionably both to the beginning and ende of the same Hee that straieth out of the way fetcheth a compasse many times that hee may so come into his way againe The holy scripture doth liken vs in many places vnto way faring men and strangers At our birth wee beginne the iorney and at our death wee finish the same Aske the wise man what our beginning is When I was borne saith he I receiued the common aer and fel vpoÌ„ the earth which is of like nature crying and weeping at the first at al the other do I was nourished in swadling clothes and with cares For there is no king that had any other beginning of birth Al meÌ„ haue one enterance vnto life and a like going out Thou wast borne with tears and thou shalt die with paine and wilt thou liue in ioy If thou art of that minde thou goest not the way of righteous men but fetchest a compasse with the vngodlie Let the middle of thy life be correspondent to the beginning and end of the same that is so liue both as thou wast borne and as thou shalt die Care not much for riches but say with Iob Naked came I out of my mothers wombe naked shall I return thither â—uild not large and sumptuous houses but remeÌ„ber that a poore little cradle did holde thee beeing newely come into the worlde and forethinke that being deade a small pit shall containe thy body Neuer couet in this world to bee greate seeing thou wert so little at thy birth and shalt bee so vile when thy breath 〈◊〉 gone Into the world thou camest not great and rich but little and poore Thou camest not like a Champion and thou shalt not goe to thy graue like a wâ—â—rier with a drawenâ— word in thine hande And therefore see that thou liue in peace and quietnes while thou art in the world Loue not riches hunt not after promotion consume not thy time idlely in delights bewaile thy sinnes Repent in this life that thou mayest be blessed in the life to come The Lord saith Your sorrow shal bee turned into ioy O happy sorrowe that shall be so rewarded Loue holy compunction of the heart sigh after the celestial cunâ—rey and make not this present banishement thy paradise of pleasure Thou art vtterly loste and wanderest out of the way if thou wouldest spend thy time altogether Pleasantly in this world Returne therefore and come into the right way againe embrace the light by thinking vppon the most bitter passion of thy Redeemer so shalt thou attaine vnto the desired ende euen vnto that happines whereunto at the first thou wast created CHAP. 17. The true ioy is in the Lord. REioyce in the Lord alway againe I say reioyce saith the Apostle The ioy of the seruant of GOD ought onely to be in his Lord God A vaine man is he which reioyceth in any other theÌ„ in God alone It is not the will of God that thou shouldest liue in sorrow but in ioy and mirth onely he requireth thee to change the cause of thy ioy and in steede of that false ioy of the worlde to embrace the true comfort of the soule The Apostles reioyced when they tolde our Lorde how the diuels were subdued to theÌ„ through his name But it was answered them foorthwith In this reioyce not that the spirites are subdued vnto you but rather reioyce because your names be written in heauen So he forbideth not al but the false ioy All ioy without God is vaine and without a foundation in God onely you should reioyce nor in any other thing vnder heauen Say with the Apostle Our reioycing is this the testimonie of a tru conscience 〈◊〉 good conscience is a pleadge of the true ioy which thou shalt taste in heauen Dauid he was without God as hee thought therefore breaketh he forth into teares day and night wanting the presence of his God Signifiing that where God is not there can bee no true ioy The worldly ioy is not the true ioy because it is not founded vpon a good conscience S. Iohn the Baptist he sprang for ioy in the belly of his mother this was a true ioy All other ioy is vaine which hath not grace for the foundation thereof Get therefore Grace before God and thou shalt gette the true goodnesse of the heart Desirest thou riches Riches and treasurs be in his house desirest thou beutie The Lord saieth to the spouse Thou art faire my loue Desirest thou life I am the life saiteh the Lord Desirest thou saluation Hee shal saue his people from their sinnes Desirest thou peace The Lord is our peace as witnesseth Th'apostle Desfirest thou honor Heare the Psalmist Thy friendes bee veri honorable and their praeeminence is verie comfortable If thou hast God with thee thou hast the true ioy What more desirest thou Well may hee reioyce which hath wiâ—h him the fountaine of grace Renounce therefore al temporal ioy and more esteeme thou the smalest quantitie of spirituall consolation than all manner of worldly ioy whatsoeuer There is no true taste where God is not nor true ioy but in God for sonne vanished the comfort of this worlde Soone was the water spent which Abraham gaue Hagar and Ismael his sonne after the flesh but Isaac his soone after the spirit he wanteth noe water I he comfortes of the world doe soone leaue the vngodly but the consolation of the righteous are as wels of liuing water which may be drawen but neuer dried vp This ioie is certaine and euerlasting which no man shall take from you saith the Lorde Of worldlie folkes manie glorie in their braue apparell but this glorie is their apparels not their owne others glorie in their riches and this glorie also is not theirs but their riches For take them awaie and the glory is gone Bnt the ioy which is in the Lord proceeding from a good conscience no man can take from vs except we wil our selues Which ioy is rightly numbred among the other fruites of the holy spirit In creatures there can bee no full ioy but the ioy in the Lord is ful because it is infinite answereth to his infinite goodnes Ioy doth answere vnto desier as rest doth vnto motion For then is our rest quiet and consummate when there is not any thinge more to bee moued Euen so our ioy shal be full when their is nothing besides to bee desired Nowe because in worldly thinges the desire is neuer perfect rest it followeth that among the creatures there câ—n no true rest bee founde But because God 〈◊〉 he satisfieth our desire he is alone to be loued that our ioy be full The Kingly prophet he saith that God he satisfieth our mouth with good thinges and Anna the mother of Samuel she saith Mine heart reioyceth in the Lord mine horne is exalted in the Lorde To
conclude seeing the worldly ioy is vaine and false in God onely we are to reioyce CHAP. 23. The honor of this world sis vaine THy friendes be very honorable O God their dominion is full of comfort saith the prophet If thou desire honor loue thou God for he whom God liketh he only shal be aduanced It is follie to seeke after the honor of this present world for with much labor it is attained and maintained with great charges and when all is done easilie forgone The true honour belongeth properly to the seruantes of God But they al were not the friendes of God whom the world doth honor The honor which the Saintes both in heauen and in earth also be adorned withall they got the same not by seeking but by shunning promotion Wouldest thou bee had in honor and reputation Then humble thy selfe be low in thine owne eies Wouldest thou be knowen of al men Labour to be vnknowen The shaddowe flieth from him that followeth it but tarrieth with him that boweth himselfe to the ground Promotion it is got by humilitie but either commeth not vnto or tarrieth not with the ambitious man If thou couet the eternall fly temporal honor Consider the end whervnto all these honors do come so easily thou wilt condemne them al. In processions the manner is to carry about and that with greate pâ—mpe and pride some wodden image costly bedecked with other mens iewels which foolish people gaze vpon and haue in admiration but when thâ— procession is done the gaie thinges are taken awaye and it remaineth as it was a verie block Euen so fareth it with thee which art aduanced the image is wood thou art earth and a great sinner be thou neuer so hie the gaie ornamentes which it had were other mens thine honor and riches it is but borrowed for a time it was gazed vpon of all men so shalt thou be being aloft but when the procession is ended and thou hast played thy pageant that restored againe wherewith thou wast adorned and thou art laid naked vpon the floure to be carried vnto the graue then who honored thee in thy prosperitie they will set light by thee in thy most base estate Great kings and mightie men wee haue knowen which beeing decked with rich apparell and excelling for honor were had in great admiration like that wodden image and yet being now buried in the earth how are they trampled vppon with the feete of men And so yesterday aduanced to day throwen downe yesterday commended of all to day remembred of none The winde of that vanitie is passed away the feast is past their honor is euen withered And would to God that these honors of the world and of preferment were not to expect another punishment after death but onely should be forgotten of men and that might not befall vpon them which often commeth vnto the image which being broken into peeces is cast into the fiâ—e so they also for their reward bee cast â—eadâ—long into the fire of hel Se you not the goodly end of this vaine honour The seruant of Iesus Christ he hunteth not after the honour of this time which hee knoweth is but vaine and transitoriâ— The seruant of Christ more loueth the honor of his Lord than his owne Happy is hee which in al thinges that he doth seeketh onely the honor of his God Happy is he which in all humility followeth Iesus Christ and from his heart despiseth the vaine glory of this world to the end hee may raigne for euer with Christ. Couet not the honor of this world and thou shalt attaine the true honor of heauen beware thou forgoe not the truth for the shadowe The Apostle saith be not children in vnderstanding The childe maketh more account of a reeden horse and of a puppet of clouâ—es than of true horses and very gentle-women in deede Take heede thou set not more by a shaddow of truth than by the truth it selfe The riches honors of this worlde are but shadowes as it were of true riches and glory of heauen Cast not thy minde vpon these toâ—es and vanities seeing thou art a reasonable man endued with iudgement and discretion CHAP. 27 The men of honor authoritie in this worlde be in dangerous state ASke not of the Lord preeminence neither of the King the seat of honor They which clime vp to the tops of high and steepe buildinges are in great danger and therefore they had need to haue a good braine least they breake their neckes If thou haue an aspiring minde after preferment get thee a good braine and cal for the assistance of God otherwise thou canst not but fall into the pittâ—â—f hell Prosperitie is more daungerous than adueâ—sitie a thousand shall fall at thy side ten thousaÌ„d at try right hand saith the Psalmist Moâ—â— perish on the right hand of worldlie honor than on the left hande of a lowe degree The felicitie of worldlie men is an euill that standeth in neede of all maner of correct on Mount not vp to the place of honor lest thou be made to goe downe againe with shame enough The phrenticke man suffereth manie imaginations which if he driue not aware from his minde they will hasard his estate Banish these cares of honor from thine heart which if thou doe not thy soule must needes be in daunger and if thou wouldest attaine saluation remoue from thee all roude cogitations which wil neuer permit thee to haue a quiet and contented minde Dangerous greatly is the honor of this world and in the same many haue perished and bee cast away Many for the maintenance of their credite among men they blush not to offende God and to defame their neighbour many had rather go hedlong into hell then to fore-goe their countenance in the worlde by paying their debtes Euen among the chiefe rulers many beleeued in him saith S. Iohn but because of the Pharisies they did not confesse him lest they should be cast out of the sinagogue For they loued the praise of men more theÌ„ the praise of God This is that dangerous condition wherein the louers of temporall glorie doe liue they had rather loose their soule than their worldlie reputation Pilate though he knew the innocencie of Christ that for enuie the Iewes had deliuered him yea though he had a desire to set him at libertie yet hearing his accusers to say If thou deliuer him thou art not Caesarsfriend and fearing least by contrarying their affection he shold be depriued of the honor which immoderately he desired he pronounced the sentence of death vpon our Sauiour yea he renounced al iustice equitie reason yea and God too rather than he would fal into the displeasure of Caesar and leese any whit of his reputation in the worlde If thou therefore make more of worldlie honor than of the fauour of God it cannot be but thou must al into an infinite number of these and
good because they neuer tasted the thinges of God But such as feele the sweetnes of the spirit they vtterly abhorre the pleasures of the flesh Diddest thou once but taste what God is thou wouldest forthwith abhoâ—re all the pleasures and vanities of the world but because thou relisheâ— not the thinges of the Spirit thou likest better of worldly biâ—ternes Therefore that thou maiest enioy those eternall and true riches of heauen repel farre from thine heart the desire of all worldly vanities and deceipt The end of the first Booke The seconde Booke which setteth downe the peruerse and erooked customes of the world CHAP. 1. The conditions of the world are naught and dangerous LOVE not the worlde neither the thinges that are in the world saith S. Iohn Hee that knoweth not the malice of anything liueth by so much the more securely by how much hee feareth not the hurt which may proceede from the same Therefore it is expedient that thou know the conditions of the world that to the better thou maiest take heed of them The deceipts thereof be manifest and the euill customes of the same shew how small accompt we should make thereof It is the propertie of the world to poison all those which come neere vnto it It deceiueth many and maketh many blinde When it flyeth it is nothing when it is seene it is but a shadow when it is aduanced it is fire and burneth It is to fooles sweet but vnto wise men sowre and vnsauorie They know not what the worlde is which loue it but they onelie which hate the same If thou wouldest know the world thou must behold it a farre off for they which come nigh it they neyther know the worlde nor themselues It bringeth forth much euill and is the occasion of infinite miseries Those which loue it it hateth those which trust it it deceiueth and those which obey it it beateth such as fauour it it afflicteth such as honour it it dishonoureth such as are mindfull thereof it forgetteth Wee haue more cause to flie the world when it helpeth than when it openly persecuteth vs The more familiar the more dangerous is the worlde and worser is it when it fawneth vppon vs than when it frowneth He that seeth not the world shal be seene of the world Woe to them which repose confidence therein but happy are they which despise the same The world is both to bee feared and fled from The life thereof is deceitfull the labour fruitlesse the feare continuall the honour dangerous the beginning without wisedome the end without repentance liberall is it in promising sparing in performing It is impossible thou shouldest liue in the world securely without feare merily without griefe easily without labour happily without great danger It intrappeth men with snares neuer ceaseth till they are brought vnto their graues To loue the worlde and not to run headlong into manie miâ—eries it is impossible Thinkest thou euer to see the world cleane and pure in euery respect Why man it changeth euerie moment and by the often turning thereof about it tendeth vtterly vnto corruption It promiseth ample commodities which notwithstanding it neuer performeth it reacheth goodly fruite in shew to the friendes thereof but with in it is full of wormes and intollerable stinch The glory of the same is so fickle that it both forsaketh many while they be aliue and will not follow any after they be dead Of the worlde in the promises there is falshood in the mirth griefe in the pleasures paine in the comforts vexation in the prosperity continuall doubting that the state will change There is nothing stable nothing of continuance in the world onely it hath a shew of good things whereby it deceiueth simple folkes that cannot discerne the same who beeing once entered into the gulfe of those bitter thinges which erst they thought full sweete they are plunged and drowned in the bottomlesse gulfe of euerlasting perdition through the mighty stormes which it hath raysed It is like a crafty marchant which will shew a cloth which is faire and fine at the first vnfolding and sell that for good which after it be laide abroad to the eye is but very course and not worth any thing Such slippery parts doth the world play vnder the shew of pleasure it thrusteth vpon vs euerlasting paines But stoppe thine eares when it beginneth to speake vnto thee thinke that her voice is like the Mermaides musicke which with her sweetsonges doth allure vnto her selfe that in the ende she may drowne thee for euer in the bottomlesse pit of hell CHAP. 2. The snares and deceipts of the world are to bee taken head of BEware least there bee any man that spoilâ— you through Philosophie vaine deceipt saith the Apostle The world it blindeth many by the outwarde shewe thereof concealing the inward euils which it doth coÌ„prehend Hee that liueth in the world so deceitful he had need to be wary lest he be deceiued It presenteth pleasure to voluptuous persons but vnder that vanitie there lurketh filthines and sorrowe It offereth the glorious golde to the couetous eye but not the cares troubles which riches do bring It entiseth vnto honour and preferment but it telleth not the weightie burdens annexed vnto prelacy The Deuill hee led our Sauiour not vnto the sanctuary or inner part but vnto the pinacle of the temple which serued more for an ornament than for necessity So the deuill and the world they allure not a man vnto the fight and searching of the inward conscience of their sinnes but vnto bewtifull showes of vaine terrour and superfluous things God he gaue in commaundement that the beastes which should bee sacrificed vnto him shold first be flead and haue their skinnes taken from them but contrariwise the world will that all the seruice which thou offerest vnto it should bee couered with the skinne of pleasure honour and commoditie to the entent that the entrals of wickednes may not be seene at all Therefore thou shalt do wel as God commandeth to take off the outwarde skinne of voluptuousnesse and so shalt thou perceiue the deceites the scruples and the filthines which lieth hid and couered vnder those exterior thinges Thou must take away the barke of wickednesse flea and deuide the entrals of sinnes which are full of deceipt so shalt thou behold and that sensiblie the vaniry and naughtines of that which thou hast loued Behold the fraud of the worlde Great thingâ— they seeme to thee small things and vile God himselfe which is incomprehensiblie greate hee seemeth but small in thine eyes because thou art farre estranged from him and the small thinges of this world they appeare great vnto thee for thou louest them which the Apostle iudged no better then dung The friendes of God replenished with the light of heauen they haue knowne and made knowne the deceiptfulnes of the world Wouldest thou somwhat consider both of what small continuance the thinges are of
remeÌ„brance of wicked Amalek from vnder heauen The memorie of the iust shal remaine with their Lord for euer but the name of wordly men it shal perish and that long before the end of this It is a foule vanitie for the leauiug of a short memorie behinde thee in this world to offende thy God And forasmuch as the world is so forgetful of his friends repose thou al thy trust in God as in a most true and assured friende CHAP. 6 The righteous and not the wicked shall be had in remembrance YOur memories may bee compared vnto Ashes saith Iob of worldely men In this life the wind neuer ceaseth to blow and so disperse the ashes I meane the fame and memorie which the worldling so seeketh The Psalmist doth saie The wicked are as the chaffe which the wind driueth away Great is the vanitie of men which knowing that they shall be turned into ashes which the winde bloweth to and fro do yet for all that surmise how their memory shall endure And were it so that thy name should continue for euer among men in this world what the better were thou if thou shouldest by Gods displeasure be throwen hedlong into the pitâ—e of hel would thy great name either deliuer thee from thence or diminish thy paines Couet not therefore a remembrance of thy selfe in this worlde if thy conscience be spotted and polluted with sinne neither desire thou vainely to fly abroad in the mouthes of men for such desires are crossed and haue their end They which loue the world are loued of the world againe for a while which yet is but very short For soone I say very soone are they forgot 〈◊〉 â—hough they had neuer been The memoriall of the iust shall blessed but the name of the wicked shal rot saith the wise man Soone cometh to an ende the remembrance of this worlde Tell if you can I beseech you of the great dignities riches and beautie of so many men of this world before our daies Is not the very names of them euen buried with the bodies Thire proud palaces are ouerthrone thire vaine glorious tombes are destroied and of all their waies not one steppe is knowen The life of man it passeth away like a flowre and that the worldlings bâ—y they pay full dâ—â—re for the same The pleasures were but momentanie but the paine shall be not transitorie but eternall Their glorie was but in the instant but their labour and tormentes in the life to come are infinite These euils many doe not so much as thinke of til they fall into them They purchase with great labour and swet smal honor a litle pleasure which while they think to enioy they are depriued of before they are aware Many haue much laboured to attaine the â—ame and praise of 〈◊〉 yet al in vaine How many haue there beene whose learning was much commended while they were aliue who are not so much as spoken of they being now asleepe Together with their bodies their memories are extinguished Againe where be those great kings and princes with al their pompe riches and delightes Goâ— is their memory like a shadowe as if they had neuer beene Againe our pot and cup companions whose bodies we trample vpoÌ„ with our feete where be they nowe They shal not returne vnto vs but we shal goe after them O how do al thinges passe awaie How are the mightie ouerthrown Al things together with time do consume God â—e alone is euerlasting the pleasures of the world they continue not Al thinges doe faile and soone shal wee be separated one from another soone shal the wormes eate and deuoure the carcases of vs al shortlie wee shal returne into dust and ashes yea the houre it euen 〈…〉 when flesh and blood shal be meete 〈◊〉 and ashes Neuer let it come into our thoughts that wee shall speede better than such as liued afore vs haue done but as they are forgotten so shal we be To conclude al things make haste to their end all thinges are meerely vaine saue onely to loue God which shall last for euer and what glory soeuer the world hath it passeth and is gone in a moment CHAP. 7. Soonest are they forgotten which fauoured the world most of all AN vnwise man knoweth it not and a foole doth not vnderstand this saith the psalmist Much doe men of this world labour aud contend for promotion in the world whoÌ„ afterward the world wil neuer knowe nor acknowledge Great was the friendship Nabal found at the handes of Dauid noâ—withstanding when Dauid was in necessitie he could receiue no reliefe from Nabal for thus he answered the seruantes of Dauid Who is Dauid and who is the the sonne of â—shai There be many seruants now adies that breake away euery man froÌ„ his master Shal I theÌ„ take my bread my water and my flesh that I haue killed for my shearers and giue it vnto men whom I knowe not whence they be Nabal by interpretation is a foole a notable figure of the mutable world which leaueth such in aduersitie as haue serued the same greatly in the daies before This vngratfull world is like vnto an Inkeeper who wil take none acquaintance of his guest neither knowe him as one that can keepe no reckoning of so manie as vse his house notwithstanding the guest do tel how long while he lodged in his house and spent many a faire shilling there So the world it will take no knowledge when it should of such as haue vsed it most If thou desire to be had in remembrance of the world then handle it hardly and make not of the same This is the cause why the worlde forgetteth not good holie men which liued here in this worlde euen because they set nothing by it nor cared for the same So an hoste will sooner haue that ghest in remembrance of whome he receiued damage than him which hath not hurt but brought gaine to his purse O how many haue liued in this world in great authority dignitie and riches who now are no more thought vpon then if they had neuer beene If thou be wise therefore renounce the world and addict thy selfe vnto the seruing of Christ who doth know his sheepe and will feede them for euer in the most goodly pastures of eternall glorie CHAP. 8. Many are the daungers which the men of this world are subiect vnto THey that sayle ouer the sea tel of the perils there of saith the wise maÌ„ wheÌ„ we heare it with our eares wee maruell thereat The nauigation which wee make through the troublesome waues of this world is by so much more dangerous than the other by how much it turneth vs more from the rest of the soule which we expect in the heauens The waters of the sea are bitter so are the pleasures of the world In the sea the great fishes doe eate vppe the small so in the worlde greate men doe
euen deuoure and eate vppe the poore the waues of the sea bee neuer at rest but alwayes are mouing and working so the hearts of worldlinges they are neuer quiet but are continually beaten vp and down with the heauy thoghts cares of the world This made the Prophet Isaiah to say The wicked are like the raging sea that cannot rest whose waters cast vp mire and dirt Daniel hee saw the foure windes of the heauen striue vpon the sea The companion of honor is care and with riches go carefulnesse â—nd among the dignities and â—anitieâ— of the worlde is mixed pride and arrogancy for the most part You shall see few rich men but they haue store of sinnes few men of greate calling but they are proud few that followe the trades in the worlde that loue God from their heart yea a wonder were it that a man wrapped among the busines of this world should put his confidenc in the inuisible God Happie is that man which setteth not his heart vpon the vaine thinges of this world which are so full of daungers and trappes and drawe hedlong vnto hell If thou wouldest bee deliuered fâ—om them flie with Eliah into the wildernesse of true repentance Much trouble in the world thou mightest auoide if diligently thou didest thinke thereof but he that doth not somuch as feare them falleth into them ere hee be aware When there is a calme in the sea the Sailers be in good safetie but when such a storme doth arise that doth hazarde the ship and all therein then is it their manner for the sauing of their liues to throwe their goodes ouer boorde If then for the safetie of the bodie men will euen throwe awaie their temporall riches how much the rather should wee doe the same if they bee an impediment to the spirituall proceeding Preferre not therefore I pray you these momentaâ—y and transitory things to those true riches and eternall And seeing the world is like in many respectes to a tempestuous sea where daunger is present looke well to thy self that with Pharao the King of Egypt thou bee not drowned therein CHAP. 9 Men are not to bee without care of their saluation liuing in this dangerous world ELiah lay and slept vnder the iuniper tree saith the Scripture Way fairing men doe vse to rest them and to sleepe vnder the shadow of a tree as they iourney by the way and when the shadow is gone and they beginne to awake they finde themselues all in a sweat by reason of the parching heate of the Sunne Are not all the things of this world as a shadow in which the seruantes of this world doe lie and rest themselues while being forgetful of their owne saluation they repose confidence in the vaine honours of this worlde If thou trust in the fauour of princes thou sleepest vnder a shadowe which soone is gone for their fauor continueth not and quickly mayest thou come into disgrace with them if they do liue but if they die being honoured before of some thou shalt then be forsaken of all Cursed bee the man that trusteth in man saith the scripture Put not your trust in princes nor in the sonne of man for there is none helpe in him You can promise to your self nothing certaine from these men for if they fauour you to day they may abhorre you to morrow Sleepe not vnder the buckler of strange friendshippe or of riches for these last not Trust not in bewtie for as a vapor it vanisheth soone away Put no confidence in the glory of this world For as the winde it is quickly gone As for honours alas they passe away euen as a smoake and as a shadow Whatsoeuer things are in this world they slide away and are transitorie euen thy selfe man shortly shalt be carried to the graue Saul he put his trust in the strength of his men and weapons which hee had about him and therefore betooke himselfe to sleepe to the â—azarding of his person Euen so many men reposing trust in the strength of their bodies and youth put off the amendment of their liues securely from time to time whereby they fall into the danger of leesing the life of their soules for euer and euer The Sonne of Saul Ishbosheth hee slept at noone day on his bed in a troublesome time where hee was smote slaine and beheaded Take heede that the like come not vnto thee as it can hardly bee auoided if thou sleepe securely in the vanities of this world Death it will come at the length and being awaked out of thy slumber of sinne thou shalt find thy selfe â—ast headlong into that vnquenchable fire of hell At the point of death how wilte thou be troubled in minde when all the thinges wherein thou trâ—stedst thou shalt see coÌ„uerted into a smoke and shadow Sleepe not therefore in the shadowe of worldly vanitie least in death thou finde thy selfe enuironed with sundrie afflictions and torments CHAP. 10. It is a miserable slauerie to serue the world BEcause your fathers haue forsaken me saieth the Lord c. yee shall serue other Gods day and night They which giue themselues to the satisfying of their owne desires they shall suffer such torments as be intollerable The fained loue of Delilah it was the cause why Sampson did leese both his eyes and his liberty beeing made a slaue to grinde in the prison house Thou art like vnto blinde Sampson whosoeuer thou art which sub duing the vnrulie passions of his heart through the discipline of the worde Doth it not argue great folly in that man which beeing free to the preiudice of his owne libertie will enter into matrimonie with a womaÌ„ that is bond And is it not as greate foolishnes despising the feare of God for the will to submit it selfe to the seruitude of creatures and the bondage of the world Did not Sampson declare a great ouersight in that knowing himselfe often to be deceaued by Delilah and that she ment nothing more then to deliuer him into the handes of the Philistines his enemies yet had rather with the danger of bondage to serue and obey her as it fell out to his vtter ouerthrow than to crosse her desire or to bridle his owne affections Into the same reproach thinke not but thou shalt fall if thou beleeue the enticements and falsehood of this flattering worlde Take heede least the world do make a sale of thee as Delilah did of Sampson If it doe with Sampsons thine eyes shal bee plucked out so that thou shalt not beholde the deceipts the cares and troubles of the world nor taste any whit how sweet the yoake of thy Sauiour Christ is Oh how much better is it to serue God and so to raigne than by seruing the world to feele that intollerable hunger and thirst in the pit of hell Being warned therefore by the danger of other men casting off that most grieuous yoake of the worlde put thou vpon
Little knowe the men of this world what they say when they iudge the yoake of Christ sharpe and soure and their wordes are so much to be waide as the wordes either of a blind man that will iudge of colours or of him that will condemne a way aâ—â—l which he neuer went not yet knoweth But seeing all the Saintes of God haue carried vppon their shoulders the yoake of Christ and haue by experience found the same to bee light more credit is vnto them to bee giuen than to those men whosoeuer they are which neuer did vndergoe the same No man euer hath taken vpon him this yoake of Christ but he hath confessed that the same was light againe no man will say it is bitter and intolerable but hee that knoweth not what it meaneth This wil they testisie to bee true who laying aside the burden of sinne by humble confessing them vnto the Lord haue fouÌ„d theÌ„selues so lightened as they seemed foorthwith to be rapt vp into the heauens If such comfort cometh vnto vs by forsaking of sinne howe much greater will the consolation be in proceeding forwarde in the holy exercises oâ— most Christian vertues For of one good deede thou shalt not be called good but of many actions The habite of vertue it commeth after thou hast first seuered thy selfe from euill and exercised thy selfe in godly vertues And by proofe thou shalt sinâ—e that wel it will goe with thee when thou feelest the true comfort of the soule by going forwarde in the way of the spirit The natural man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God of many good things is he depriued O that but euen a little thou hadest tasted the ioy of the holiâ— Ghost thou wouldest soone take the things which seeme so sweete here in the world for very soure and bitter Seeing the yoake of Christ is so sweete and the yoake of the worlde so burdensome take vpon thee and that cheerefully the yoake of the Lord so at the length thou wilt say that both nowe it doth and hereafter it will go wel with thee CHAP. 13 In all our troubles we must make recourse vnto the Lord COme vnto me al ye that are wearie laden I will ease you saith the Lord If thou forsake God and runnest backe vnto the worlde looke not for any comfort in thy troubles So long as thou obeiest the desires of thy minde and the world so long assure thy selfe no consolatioÌ„ wil come vnto thee That good woman Mary Magdalene when shee was comfortâ—â—sse she came vnto our Sauiour Christ into the Pharisies house and had her sinnes forgiuen her but desperat Iudas flying vnto men hanged himselfe afterward in desperatioÌ„ Here you may see that wiser waâ— that woman than Iudas the Traitor they had both offended and both confessed their sinnes but better did she for her selfe in flying vnto the fountaine of comfort than the foolish Disciple which leauing his life sought his own death If a picture that sometime was faire and perfect afterward becommeth soule and spotted who better canne restore the same to the former integritie than the painter which first made the same So if thy soule be defiled with the spottes of sinne who better can reforme it than God himselfe which created the same after his owne likenesse Be take not therefore the reformation of thy soule to the worlde for it cannot mende but empaire yea vtterly destroy the same Beleeue not lies but turne thee vnto God the fountaine of all mercy Hee that wil aske an almes of a poore man when a rich man that is both able and willing also to giue is present is a verie foole No creature is so rich that it can comfort thee but God onely heerein is most liberall Turne therfore thy praiers vnto him and cast thy heart vpon his kindnesse who is the true quietnes consolation Seeke vnto thy Sauiour Christ as the doue sought vnto the Arke of Noah But hang not vppon this worlde as the rauen hanged vppon carion The doue founde no rest vntill she returned vnto the Arke againe If thou wouldest inwardly be comforted in thy soule fly the outwarde consolation of the body If thou hungrest after Christ hee will fil thee with the bread of heauen Happy is he that setteh not his heart vpon any creature but dedicateth himselfe and al his works vnto the Lord. One thing is needful vnto thee Is it not better to ioine thy selfe to one than to many Let others seeke if they wil varietie of things external seeke thou that one thinge which is spiritual and with that be content Of one al thinges proceede and not that one thing of many By seeking these visible thinges while thou thinkest to finde rest in them thou forgoest the things which are truely good if thou turne thy selfe vnto transitory goods thou shalt leese trust vnto it the good thinges in deede and finde thy selfe incombred in many troubles but if vnto God the soueraigne good thou turne thy selfe then shalt thou in him finde quietnesse â—nd a plentifull heape of all good thinges Seeke the water of life to refresh thy soule whithall at the fountaine which by no possibe meanes can bee dried vp For better is one dropp of heauenly consolation than all the floudes and streames of worldly pleasures The men of this world they seeke for quietnesse in thinges that bee out of quiet and for continuance in things transitory Let them therefore take to themselues the dignities of the world but let it be as a shielde vnto thee to make recourse vnto God and in him to repose al thy trust and confidence CHAP. 34. The comfort of this world as they are not true so neither be they of continuance I Haue seene the wicked strong spreading him selfe like a green bay tree Yet he passeth away and loe hee was gone and I sought him but he could not be founde saith Dauid The righteous haue been counted for dead in this worlde like the treeâ— in winter whose vertue remaineth hidden in the rootes Therefore in the sight of the world they seemed fruitelesse and good for nothing but the sommer being come their vertue flourisheth and then will they shewe themselues in their glorious array The floures appeare in the earth so shall the iust say when gloriously shining as the Sunne they shal bee presented before the God of heauen Trust not the greene and goodly hew of this worldly vanity which soone vanisheth away loue not the world which thou seest to passe away so swiftly Salomon saith As the whirl wind passeth so is the wicked no more As a thunderclap which maketh a great noyse in the ayre and as a sudden shower of raine which soone passeth away and by and by the day is cleare again such is all the pomp and show of this world it no sooner commeth but it is gone again Loue the life which is eternall which enioying
tasted the pleasures of the same but it leaueth them comfortlesse This knewe the Prophet Baruch right wel when crying out he said Where are the Princes of the heatheÌ„ such at ruled the beasts vpon the earth They that had their pastime with the fouls of the heauen that hoarded vp siluer gold wherin men trust make none end of their gathering For they that coyned siluer and were so careful of their work whose inuentioÌ„ had none ende are come to naught and gon down to hâ—l other men are come vp in their steades Soone passed the glory of this worlde from them euen as in a moment What brought their great promotion in the world vnto them but a miserable death and infamous ruine The glory of the worlde it passeth soone away the goodes thereof are like floures that soone doe vade to which small trust is to be giuen for they will sooner be gone than you would thinke If thou be exalted one high take heede thou be not throwen downe againe as the hangmaÌ„ vseth to deale with condemned persons Know you not how the worlde dealeth so with such as it doeth aduance That great whore af Babylon spoken of in the Reuelation of S. Iohn vaunted her selfe exceedingly of her soueraigne prosperitie in the worlde but when shee thought her selfe most sane she tooke a shamefnll faâ— That couetous rich man also as we read in the Gospel after S Luke he gloried immoderatly in his riches but straight away God said vnto him O foole this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee then whose shal those things be which thou hast prouided The children of Israel were scattered abroad throughout al the lande of Egypt for to gather stubble in the steeâ—e of strawe Al men do seek for riches al men are obedient to mony and in this respect no friende is known and after they had sought about they were well dribasted for their labour so done they might bee throwne out of that ioyfull paradise euen as the prophet Ieremy doeth say Mine enemies chased me sore like a bird without cause Worldly pleasures great promotions what are they but a baite many times laied by the Deuill or his instrumentes to bring vs into his snares When the world doth make much of thee then doth it hunt after thy soule vnlesse thou take the better heed thou wilt soone be taken with the deceipts of the same Contrarily God when he inuiteth vs he seeketh our welfare And although his call is very sweet kind yet heard is it not many times because the loue of the word shutteth the gates against him And seeing that great is the sture and noyse in the soule of a sinner maruell it is not if the knocke of the Lord bee not heard within The spiritual crying is the earnest desire of the soule and the godly praâ—â—r vttered with zeale strength of the mind Moses prayed and though his lips went not at all yet the Lorde saide vnto him Wherfore criest thou vnto me Hannah the mother of Samuel she praied vnto the Lord yet did her lippes onely moue her voice was not heard Lord thou hast heard the desire of the poore thou preparest their heart thou benâ—est tâ—ine eare to them saith Dauid Great is the noyse and cry among them that giue themselues to the matters of this world the desires of promotion they alwaies make a foule sturre and therefore no maruell if the noyse of God bee not hearde in an house so ful and so oppresâ—ed with disordered appetites which can neuer be satisfied according to that of Horace The more they drinke the drier they are For the thirst of couetousnes is neuer quenched Content thy selfe with that thou hast considering both the shortnesse of this present life the poor estate of Iesus Christ this will cause thee to keep all the vnquiet appetites of thy mind in peace and tranquility Driue from thine heart the loue of this world so with Iâ—b thou maist say Thou shalt call me and I will aunswere thee CHAP. 22. The wicked are made of but the godly are persecuted in the world IF ye were of the worlde the world would loue his own but because yee are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you saith the Lord It is no new thing that the wicked do persecute the good and worldly men the seruantes of Christ. For so persecuted was Abel of Caine Isaac of Ismael Iakob of Esau Ioseph of his brethren Anna of Peninnah Dauid of Saul Helias of Iezabel The vertuous life of the children of God being a secrete reprehension of the wicked behauior of vngodlie persons what maruaile if the wicked through â—atted doe pursue the good The saintes in this worlde may not vnfithe be compared vnto babes dead borne who bee readie to be borne away and buried so soone as they are borne but the vngodly are like those children which come into the world aliue and therefore it is a place for them to liue and deale in The theeues which breake by night into a house to robbe they will first afore other things put out the light that they bee not discried so deale wicked men with the godly who are the light of the world For euâ—ry man that euill doeth hateth the light Dauid through spirituall ioy leaped and danced before the Arke of God and Michal Saules daughter despised him in her heart for so doing It is the custome of naughty persons to scorne at the actions of well disposed men So wickedly were the people inhabiting within the land of Iudah giuen that they were so farre from building the temple of the Lorde according to the expresse commaundement of King Darius that they hindered that good worke and discouraged such as set their handes therunto Euen so doe the men of the worlde at this day they will neither doe that which good is themselues nor further them that would but so much as in them lieth hinder all good actions and enterprises But the true and godly Israelites were not discouraged for all this but went forward in the businesse of the Lord They did the worke with one hand and with the other helde the sword This example may teach thee not to giue ouer a good worke for the malice of il men but to prâ—ceede in the race of true religion and in the exercise of vertue defend thy selfe in patience against thine aduersaries whosoeuer they be It is an argument that thou art not good if thou canst not quietly put vp il patience my friend it will doe thee no hurt but it maketh greatlie for thy commendatiâ—n For as it redounâ—eth to thy discredite when thou art extolled of the wicked so it is to thy great prayse when the vngodly and none else cannot abide thee Then is our life commendable
that is of durance and Perpetuetie As for riches sensualitie and such like they are much more subiect to mutabilitie and alteration Seeing therefore that the verie pillars of the worlde be so fraile and totter is it not a verie daungerous thing to liue in the worlde subiect to such alteration and mutabilitie If the worlde which in this sorte doth threaten a destruction be so loued howe would it be liked were it stable and of continuance Howe were it possible for thee to flie therefrom if it were louely when thou doest embrace the same beeing so lothsome How couldest thou but gather the flowers seeing with thy fingers thou dost handle the thornes of the same Thou wilt still loue the worlde which wil and doth leaue thee whether thou forsake it or no. Looke for no quietnesse heere where euerie moment there is alteration neither loue a thing moueable seeing thy selfe desirest to continue and not change at all The sailer whether hee will or no must needes moue when the shippe moueth al thinges in this world be moueable and change to daie they be to morowe they be not and as they change so dost thou with them What comfort therefore canst thou haue in such vnstable thinges The name whereby most fitlie almightie God is expressed is I am Moses speaking of God saith I am hath sent me vnto you God contiunally Is but man altogether is changeable and hath no certaine being And so are you to thinke of the world of which you make so great an account Loue those thinges that bee and continue and not the thinges which by reason of their often change doe come vnto nothing It is an il dwelling in the countrey which is subiect to often earth quakes bestowe not cost vpon that grounde which is not firme but vppon that foundation which will continue Let all thy care bee to haue a mansion place in heauen which is a place of safetie and blessed quietnesse The winde of flattery which is included within the bowels of the earth which bee the pallaces of princes and houses of great men when it seeketh to breake out and to ascend to honour and hye promotion it is the cause of great earthquakes in the world Seeke not to dwell in so daungerous a place neither make friendes to serue in the pallaces of great men where continuall earthquakes bee by reason of the great windes of ambition that bee there kept vnder and hid with the cloake of hypocrysie which breaking out at the last doe cause great disorders and troubles in a land and country Daily if thou marke thou shalt heare of innouations in the world Daily some of rich become poore and of poore bee made rich If fortune to day doe smile shee will frowne to morrowe In the morning the sunne shineth most comfortably and within an houre or two commeth a storme and tempest This sheweth that in the world nothing is of long continuance Pleasure is no sooner come but straight-way entreth sorrow and disquietnesse The mutabilitie that is in the world is by nothing better expressed than by the vsage and handling of our Sauiour Christ who was honored with all ioy of the Iewes at one time at another forsaken of theÌ„ at one time was welcommed in the waie with greeâ—e bowes at another was scourged with drie rodes at one time they strewed their garmentes before him in the way at another by and by they spoiled him of his raiment whipped and crucified him at one time they cried Blessed is hee that commeth in the name of the Lord at another they called vppon pâ—late to hang him at one time hee entered into Ierusalem with great glory at another hee came out of the same Ierusalem with great shame Perceiue you not hereby the suddaine change whereto the honours of the world are subiect If now you laugh looke by and by to weep Put therefore thy trust and confidence in God alone which is thy true friend and will not faile thee CHAP. 26 The smallest sinnes must be auoided FLie from sinne as from a serpent saith Ecclesiasticus The friendshippe of the worlde dooth so wound the conscience that not in a small thing are you to conform your selfe after the same Whatsoeuer is in the world it is full of wickednes and sinne which though it be but small yet is it to be shunned Ecclesiasticus hee likeneth sinne vnto a serpent which though it bee but a little one yet wil not man abid it The Prophet Isaiah doth say Out of the Serpents roote doeth come a cockatrise That fearefull cockatrise doth proceed from the small serpent which is alwaies verified when the great sinne doth arise out of a little offence Assuredly if thou take not heede of smal thou wilt fall into great and greeuous sinnes Vnlesse thou fly the serpent thou shalt light vpon the Cockatrise If thou stop not a small cliffe in a ship where throug the water coÌ„meth so much by little and litle wil enter as in the end wil ouerwhelme drowne both the ship and thee So small incoÌ„ueniences are to be fled least greate perils doe ensue Seuer thy selfe from all vnnecessary busines of the worlde from toying and idlenesse least thou leese thy zeale and fall into greater discommodities which though they seeme but small yet being multiplied may ouerthrowe thee Kil thine enemy sinne I meane when hee is yet but little for when hee is growen vp to his full biggenesse for sparing him he wil murther thee It is the part of a wise man to feare his enimie bee hee neuer so weake Take example here of from Kaine who because he shunned not the griefe of minde conceiued from the good of his brother hee ioyned afterwarde to his enuy malice whereby hee committed murther after that fel into heresie supposing that God saw not what hee had done and after that vtterly despaired of all mercy from Gods hand One deep calleth another deepe one sinne draweth easely another sinn that is greater Bee not therefore negligent in looking well to auoide euen the smalest offence Thou hast neede to bee very circumspect and vigilant liuing in such a daungerous world Men vnprouided bee easily ouercome Thou must flye from euery euill custome as from the pestilence for death is at the doors and will enter straight if thou let open to his messenger One of the plagues of Egypt was of small yee which suck the bloud and after them followed great swarmes of flies which cruelly vexed both Pharao and all his people After the lesse plague came still the greater and after a smal a greater teÌ„tation followeth Ecclesiasticus doth say Hee that coÌ„temneth smal thinges shal fal by little and little Yea the lesser thou takest them to be the greater they are Listen to the Apostle Paul Bee yee not idolaters as were some of them as it is written The people sate downe to eat and drinke
Christ our blessed redeemer did manifest his glorious transfiguration but onely vnto three oâ— his Disciples but the shame of his reprochâ—ull death he made open to all the worlde dying vpon a crosse publiquely in the great citie of Ierusalem and that in the time of the solemne â—east of Easter â—ut the guise of man is not so which desireth that his vertues and fame but not his imperfections and shame should bee knowen of any Oâ—ten did our Sauiour preach of humilitie because hee would haue that lessoâ— to be wel remembred And greatly was he touched with compassion toward the humble After the Centurion had said I am not worthy that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe he was preferd afore all Israel S. Paul that saide He was not meete to bee called an Apostle was the chiefe preacher of all the Aposâ—les and laboured more aboundanâ—ly than theâ— all S. Peter that fell downe at Iesus knees saying Lord goe from mee for I am a sinfull man h was straightway made a fisher of men S Iohn Baptist that humble man that said he was not worthy to beare the shâ—â—s of our Sauiour Christ was not withstanding the chosen friend of the bridegrome and baptised Christ. God alwaies from the beginning hath chosen for himfelfe the least and the simplest things in showe Of the first two brethren that were borne in the worlde Kaine and Habel hee choase Habel that was the yonger Of the sonnes of Abraham Ismael and Isaak hee choase Isaak that was the yonger Of the sonnes of Isaak Esau and Iaakob hee choase Iaakob which was the yonger Of the 12. sonnes of Iaakob hee choase Ioseph one of the yongest and made him ruler ouer the lande of Egypt Of the sonnes of Ishai he choase the least and yongest Dauid that kept his fathers sheepe He made Saul King of Israel being of the least tribe the meanest familâ—e of all the Iewes Againe when Christ himselfe came into the worlde to shewe that he â—â—ned humilitie hee choase not the great and mightie men to bee his disciples but poore men that vsed the trade of fishing Amongest all his vnreasonable creatures he hath planted in the very meanest and in the least in a manner of them all as the Pismire the coâ—ies the grashoppers the spiders such a wisedome at the wisest men in the worlde cannot but wonder at the same In the creation of the world hath not God of materia prima as the Philosophers doe terme it the vilest matter made all things yea of nothing as the Scripture teacheth Furthermore the sonne of God Christ made himselfe of no reputation and took on him the forme of a seruant and was made like vnto man and was found in shape as a man Hee humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the crosse To commend humilitie vnto man Suffer litle children and forbid them not to come vnto me for of such is the kingdome of heauen saith Christ At an other time to make pride odious vnto vs he brake out into these words against Capernaum And thou Capernaum which are lifted vp vnto heauen shalt be brought downe to hell The glorie of a proude man shall soone turne into confusion and as pride is hatefull to God men so coÌ„trariwise humilitie purchaseth fauor As ashes doe keepe and preserue the fire so doth humilitie preserue the grace of the holy Ghost Abraham said vnto God I haue begunne 〈◊〉 speake vnto my Lord being but dust and ashes The deeper the well is the sweeter is the water thereof and the more lowly thou art the more louely art thou in the sight of God Seeke not ambitiously after promotion and dignity in the world for all these things full speedily shall come vnto an end If thou knewest to what a miserable end the proude shall come thou couldest not chuse I thinke but contemne pride When corne is cut in the field all lyeth alike on the ground together and no man can discerne which were the hiest eares although that in the growing one eare did much ouergrowe another so likewise in the fielde of this worlde although that some be higher than others and that a fewe doe exceede the residue in learning honor wealth and dignities of the worlde yet when death commeth with his hooke and cutteth vs all downe and bereaueth vs of our liues then shall we be all equal and no difference made between one and another of vs. If thou openest the graues thou canst not tel which was the rich man and which was the poore which was the King and which was the subiect which was the noble and which was an abiect in the world So then if all men of power and honour in the world shall be brought to one and the same miserie with the poore men and of no reputation â—urely it is vanitie to desire to mount aloft in this present world â—hinke therefore humbly of thy selfe so shalt thou finde grace with God couet to be lowe and little so God will promote and exalt thee CHAP. 36. The couetous man is good for none no not to himselfe NO couetous person which is an â—â—olater hath any inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of God saith S. Paul Vnder couetousnesse are comprised another troup of enemies which doe set vpon man for his destruction Easilie in this battel mayest thou ouercome if thou wouldest beare in minde wherefore thou camest into the worlde and that all the riches of the same are to bee accounted but as dung must be left by death There is no man more barbarous and cruell than the couetous man The couetous man is voide of loue hee knoweth neither mother noâ— brother neither his owne nor strangers Ecclesiasticus doth say He that is wicked to himselfe to whom will he be good What good can a man looke for at a couetous mans hand seeing hee is cruell against himselfe Hee doth no good but when he dieth He that is couetous and sparing of his goods is of his honour and credite ouer lauish and prodigall It is a wonderfull thing that man created for to loue God should so be addicted to the inordinate loue of the vile things of this life There is nothing worse than a couetous man saith Ecclesiasticus Other sinners though they hurte themselues yet they doe good to other men in some sort but the couetous man hurteth all men as well priuately as publiquely for while hee hideth the good thinges of the earth he causeth a greeuous and miserable dearth to arise in the lande A couetous man is a poore man yea so poore as none is poorer Hee is the cause of his owne miserie There can be no greater pouerty than to haue nothing A couetous man lacketh as well that which hee possesseth as that which he hath not The things which hee hath hee vseth not yea hee maketh
himselfe a slaue vnto them The least thing that is sufficeth a poore man but nothing can satisfie the greedy minde of a couetous churle Other sinners though they haue no portion of ioy in the other world yet they enioy the present state but the couetous man hath no ioy in neither and therefore the most miserable Hee that putteth his confidence in riches is a foole The couetous man is neuer without some excuse when hee should giue to him that needeth It is greater honour than to win a kingdome to conquer a mans inordinate desires The Diuel being asked of God from whence hee came answered from compassing the earth to and fro and from walking in it So doe the couetous men they compasse the earth about as the Diuel did and doth but toward heauen they neuer looke The couetous rich man is a pray for his Prince a marke for theeues to shoote at and a cause of quarrell among his kinsfolke and friends The couetous man is vnworthy to haue a place either with the Angels aboue in heauen or with men below in earth and â—herefore he would be buried with â—udas the traitor that for the loue of mâ—nieâ—old his master euen the Sâ—uiour of the world The couetous man before he wiâ—neth any thing is first wonne hiâ—selfe and before hee taketh ought is taken himselfe â—ee burneth here in this worlde with the fire of inordinate desire and afterward shall burne in the fire of hell Diues beeing in hell desired that with the tâ—p of Lazarus finger his thirst might be quenched Woulde so little water thinkest thou aswage the heate of the fire of hell No doutlesse For if that had beenne granted he would haue desired more still without ceasing Such as the state of this man was in hell such is the state of all couetous persons in this worlde they desire a drop of riches when all the waters and seas of worldly substance will not quench their thirst Euery thing that is heauy doeth naturally incline towards his â—entre But nothing doth so peâ—se downe the heart of man as couetousnesse They sanke downe to the bottome as a stone saith the Scripture of Pharao and all his hoast Couetousnesse of all other sinnes reuiueth and waxeth young againe when a man is olde If thou dost lie vpon the earth with thy breast and drinke of the running waters of these worldly riches thou shalt bee discharged from the seruice of God as Gedeon discharged the like men that went out to fight against the Medianites Was not Achan stoned Gehazi plagued with a leprosie Iudas hanged Ananias and Sapphira punished with sudden death and all for couetousnesse Beware therefore of it Hee that ouercommeth this vice of auarice is a stronger man than he that vanquished his bodely enemie If thou heapest vp riches together thou makest a heape of wood wherwith thou shalt bee burned in hel as the Phenix is in this world As the Physicion forbiddeth a sick man that which hee knoweth to bee hurtfull for him to the end hee may recouer his health so God as a good physicion forbiddeth man couetousnesse as hurtfull to the soule whom if hee harken not vnto hee is like Adam who not obeying God which did prohibite him to eate of the tree in the middest of the garden fell into infinite troubles and afflictionâ— Obey therefore the commaundement of God whose will it is that thou shouldest flye from couetousnesse if thou wouldest haue any part in the kingdome of heauen CHAP. 37. God he blesseth the liberal man GIue and it shal bee giuen you saith the Lord Christ compareth riches vnto thornes which laide vppon a mans bare hande they will not hurt him but if hee close his hande together they wil draw blod and the faster the hande is shute so much the more is the harme that hee shall take thereby Riches doe not hurte the open but the hand that is shut Blessed is that man of whom it may bee said as it was of that good woman She stretcheth out her hand to the poore and putteth forth her hand to the needie If thou giue to a poore man thou shalt receiue good mony for Copder If thou impartest of thine aboundance thou shalt encrease in virtue like vnto the tree whose superfluous bowes be cropped of He shall neuer want any thing that for Christ his sake giueth his goods liberally no more than meale and oile was wanting in the widdowes house though shee were very poore which ministred sustenance to the Prophet Heliah Many doe say if I sawe such a poore man as Helyah was I would doe him good but they are deceiued for in not giuing to the Lord of Heliah how would they giue to Heliah himselfe He that giueth to the poore giueth to Christ. Inasmuch at ye haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethren yee haue don it vnto me saith Christ himselfe Therefore if you helpe not the Lord of Heliah how should you releue Heliah himselfe Blessed is he that iudgeth wisely of the poore the Lord shal deliuer him in the time of trouble In the day of iudgment thou shalt be examined touching the workes of mercy Many doe spend their goods and their wealth vppon their houses vppon tapestry horses thinking there by to get a name and fame among men When more commendation they should purchase if they bestowed their wealth vppon the poore that can giue them good words than vppon any other creatures which haue no reason at all Neither the beds nor the wals of thine house haue any â—ong at all to praise thee as the poore haue that will blaze abroade thy goodnesse Be thou liberall and so both God will like and man will loue thee The liberal man hath many frindes though many of them be very vngratful Neuer can he want friends which is liberal toward other men and neuer can he haue any friendes which is a couetous man The poore doe him curse and his kinred doe wish him dead If the couetous man doe fall thorough some vice which he hath euery one doth blowe abroad his defamation but if the liberall man doe sinne al doe excuse and purge him the best they can Many benefites doth he receiue which knoweth well how to giue and he may take himselfe for an happy man on the earth Better is it to giue than to take as better is it to loue than to hee loued For to loue is an action of the mind but to bee loued is not so many somtime are loued which deserue it not God for his part he giueth vnto all but receiueth of none the more therfore a man giueth the more he resembleth God his maker The Sunne excelleth the other planets because it ministreth light vnto the starres The more vile and odious that a couetous man is the more noble and renowned is the liberal man Riches to wise men are as fetters
the â—salmist All creatures when thou hast most neede will faile thee and therefore it is a vaine thing to repose any confidence in the things of this world If thou trust in men looke often to be deceaued for their wont is after a long and great seruice to make but a simple recompence Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and withdraweth his heart from the Lord Put not your trust in Princes nor in the sonne of man for there is none helpe in them saith the Psalmist Haman trusted much in the fauour of King Ahashuerosh of which he was soone depriued and brought to a most infamous and miserable end To be in fauour with great men of this world it doth vs little good and surely it vanisheth as nothing if not afore yet at the point of death What stabilitie canst thou promise thy selfe I pray you in a broken staffe of reede Euen such is man O Lord of hostes blessed is the man that trusteth in thee saith the Psalmist Happie is hee which loueth God with his whole heart and putteth his trust in him the Lord will deliuer that man from all trouble But forasmuch as true hope is founded vpon a good conscience the Psalmist doth say that is not enough in God to trust but besides a man must worke that which good is according to that Blessed is he that iudgeth wisely of the poore againe sayeth the wise man The hope of the wicked shall perish because it is not grounded 〈◊〉 on a good foundation To trust in the Lorde as some say they doe and yet dayly to sinne what is it but rash and vndiscreete presumption â—ut thy confidence in God for if thou for thy part doe that which thou oughtest doubt thou not but God of his infinite goodnesse will giue thee glorie for hee neuer for saketh them which trust in him It is a vaine thing liuing ill to presume vpon hoâ—e to repent thee heereafter whereas thou art ignorant whether thou shalt liue any longer than to day or no. Thou oughtest by and by to reforme thy life and to haue good hope that God will giue thee of his glorie since it is most sure that he neuer denied it to any which fulfill that which he commaundeth Hope still in thy God saith the Scripture so wiâ—l he deliuer thee from al thy troubles For hee is a shield to them which put their trust in him Dauid put his trust in the Lord and he was holpen Blessed is the man which feareth the Lord he will not be afraide of euil tydinges Happy is the man which falleth not from his hope happy is the man whose force and strength and refuge God is such an hope shall neuer be in vaine in the daies of trouble Consider the old generations of men ye children saith Ecclesiasticus and marke them well was there euer any confounded that put his trust in the Lord or who hath continued in his feare and was forsaken or whom did he euer despise that called vpon him Is it not good reason that the sicke man should put his trust in the Physition that healeth all diseases It is the Lord saith the Prophet which healeth all thine infirmities The Lorde is neere to all that call vpon him yea to al that cal vpon him in truth CHAP. 6. God is to bee loued aboue all THou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy minde saith the Lord. If so thou wouldest doe then is it not sufficient for thee to leaue the euill way vnlesse thou walke by the good way through the detestation of worldly vanities Loue God aboue all Thou canst not liue without loue seeing therefore of force thou must loue then louâ— that which of all is most sweete and pleasant Thou maiest not so loue the world that thou offend God For what proportion is there of God his excellencie vnto the profite of the world For as God infinitely surpasteth his creatures so the holy loue of God without all comparison is more excellent than all other loue Who should reape the fruite but he which planted the tree The Apostle saith Wâ—o planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit therof WhoÌ„ shouldest thou loue but him that hath giuen thee power to loue He onely is to be loued of whome thou receiuest abilitie to loue Flie therefore the corruption of the world and embrace the loue of GOD with al thine heart Runne vnto the loue of God as vnto a refuge and defence Nothing so soone will make thee to despise the vanitie of earthly things as the loue of God but because thine heart was neuer touched throughly with the fire of his loue thereof it groweth that thou art so in loue with the corruptible goods of this wretched world Hence is it that thou art so troubled with cares and griefe of minde and hence thou settest not thine hart vpon the loue of God O that thou hadst but some small taste of Gods spirit to begin withall It is the nature and propertie of loue to make his account of that which it loueth That is well verified here in this worldly loue where we see many times that for the attaining of that which they loue they make no reckoning either of goods honor or name they forget themselues through musing vpon the thing beloued After their example therefore thou which sayest thou louest God giue thy selfe wholy to loue him and casting aside all other matters of the world occupy thy selfe wholy and altogether in his seruice So did the holy Fathers in times passed showe themselues they were transformed into a heauenly nature they thought not of themselues nor of the world for which cause they were iudged of the world to be very fooles not to haue so much as common sense Let it be thy chiefest exercise that God and thy soule may agree well together as though there were nothing besides vnder heauen to bee done and as though thy selfe besides wert nothing so that thou mightest truely say as the Apostle did I liue yet not I now but Christ liâ—eth in me Be not so taken with the thinges of this worlde as to make them the end of thy loue since all that thou canst loue in this world is more perfectly a great deale in God than in the world If thou loue any thing because it is beautifull why louest thou not God the fountaine of all beautie If goodnesse bee the thing wherevpon thine heart is fixed what is better than God None is good saue one euen God God is purely good in his essence and substance The goodnesse of a creature is so farre good as it receiueth some little drop from that infinite sea I meane from the incomprehensible goodnesse of God the creator thereof If thou dost so much loue any creature for some showe of goodnesse that thou
Iob vnto God Seeing thou wast made to knowe God open thine eies to the end thou maiest know him Of the knowledge of God commeth the knowledge of thy selfe and by the knowledge of thy selfe groweth the knowledge of GOD. Therefore saide Iob Mine eie seeth thee There fore I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes By thy knowing of God thou art moued to reuerence him But if thou knowe him not thou art like vnto him which passing nigh a King because hee knoweth him not is so farre from giuing him due honour belonging vnto his Maiesty that hee iustleth and pusheth him So dealeth the poore swaine of the country with his Lord now and then Maruel not that the holy men of God so humbled themselues when they came before the presence of God for they knew him to bee the King of heauen and therefore they fel flat prostrate on the ground before his glorious Maiesty Pray earnestly vnto God from the bottom of thine heart that thou maiest thoroughly know thy selfe Doe not deceiue thy selfe by thinking thou dost fully know God when thou dost but know onely that there is a God and beleeuest that which the holy Church beleeueth A rude fellowe that keepeth sheepe may haue a certaine confuse knoweledge of a king But if it be told him that hee is a great Lord and for power able both to rewarde abundantly such as desâ—rue well at his handes and to punish the wicked hee then will haue him in more reuerence than afore So if onely thou beleeue there is a God and art not instructed how seuere hee is in punishing malefactors thou wilt not feare him and againe if thou bee ignorant of his mercie thou wilt not trust in him Learne what great riches hee hath laide vppe in store for such as loue him Consider further his exceeding goodnesse who without any merite or desert of thine hauing no neede at all of thee came of his owne free will to seeke thee and with his infinite griefe and paines to redeeme thee that thou shouldest loue him for so doing Beholde his power his wisedome and his infinite greatnesse and yeelde that reuerence and honour which is due to his glorious maiestie If thou beleeuest that God is good seeke with all diligence for some portion of that perfection which thou knowest to be in him God would not haue any other beastes offered vnto him in sacrifice than such as did chewe the cudde Whereby was meant as I thinke such men as did meditate in their mindes and diligently call into their remembrance the wonderfull workes of God that thereby they might come vnto some knowledge of the Creator which is inuisible Labor euen to the vttermost of thy power to know thy maker preseruer and redeemer Wilt thou know who God is Behold who thou art to him and what he is to thee If thou wouldest know him then must thou take away the earth which the loue of this world hath set before the eies of thine vnderstanding whereby the sight is dimmed Before God would manifest himselfe vnto Moses hee gaue him commandement first to put of his shoos Surely God will neuer make himselfe manifest vnto thee vnlesse first thou throw away all naughtie desires of the world If thou wilt ascend into the profound knowledge and contemplation of Gods matters then must thou abandon all worldly affections or cares of this world from thine heart CHAP. 16 It is the dutie of a Christian to meditate vpon his God WHile I was musing the fire kindled saieth the roiall Prophet For to kindle the fire of Gods loue in thy will meditation and contemplation are necessarie betweene which twaine there is little difference but that meditation agrâ—eth to those which with difficultie and paine doe thinke vpon heauenly matters and contemplation to them which bee exercised in the matters of the Spirit But neither in the one nor in the other consisteth our perfection but in the loue of God onely Contemplation is the worke of the vnderstanding and the way or meane vnto perfection But perfection is in lifting vp the will vnto God through that heauenly vnion and soueraigne loue which is the chiefest There is small pleasure in contemplating but in louing there is a great ioy The vnderstanding doth not giue sustenance vnto our soules but onely prepareth the meate that our soule is fed withall There is no plesant taste in preparing that which must bee eaten but in eating that which is prepared And for so much as the obiect of our will or that thing which our will tendeth vnto is either good or seemeth to be good so that nothing can be loued but that which is good or else taken for good vnder the coulor of some thing that is good the vnderstanding conceaueth a bottomlesse depth of goodnesse in the Lord very colde should the will be if like another Phenix it consumed not it selfe euen with the fire of that heauenlie loue beholding by contemplation the glorious beames of the Sunne of righteousnesse Shake thy winges like the Phenix and lift vp thine heart in meditation and surely thou shalt perceiue thy selfe to bee conuerted into dust and ashes as it were while thou confessest thy loathsome basenesse before the infinite aud incomprehensible goodnesse of the Lord. If thou wilt enioy the sweetnesse of godly prayer be refeshed therin by heauenly contemplation thou must lift vp the force of thy will vnto God Some are exercised onely in the intellectuall part and not in the affectuall part of the will whose ende is not to bee enflamed with the loue of God but onely to attaine some curious speculation in hie matters hence are they still musing how our Sauiour Christ was borne how he liued how he suffered and rose againe from the dead But these bee farre from true contemplation in deede if they fixe their felicitie in the knowledge and pure speculation of such misteries of God for they are to ascende vnto the firie sea of Gods loue to manwarde to whom by a reciprocall loue of their owne they should be vnited and incorporate so as all the imperfection of thine owne mortification may be made perfect pure through him and his loue If thou hast gotten any knowledge of God thou must not staie there but thou art withall to proceede vnto the loue of God They which truely thinke of these things they may well bee called and counted the friendes of God such were the blessed Apostles vnto whom the Lord saith Hence foorth call I you not seruants for the seruant knoweth not what his master doth but I haue called you friendes for all things that I haue heard of my Father haue I made known vnto you But they which neither thinke hereof nor giue themselues vnto the workes of pietie may well bee called not the seruantes of God but the bondslaues of Satan True contemplation is the beginning of glorie Through it a man commeth to 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 purposeâ— of all tentations that is the soarest because vnder the showe of vertues they faine good will being vtter enimies The rouers on the sea doe carry in their shippe with
created Hee that hauing a soule liueth as though hee had none and hee that giueth his vnderstanding and mind to the getting of worldly riches and honour doth greatly hurt and endamag his soule for vnto these endes he was not created Happinesse is the finall end of man whereunto all thinges bee ordained Place not thy felicity in earthly thinges for rest shalt thou finde neither in honour neither in riches not in learning nor in any other thing that is created Call home thine heart from all earthly thinges loue God onely of whome and for whom thou art created Despise this present worlde and so shalt thou come vnto thy desired ende This very reason were there no more besides were sufficient to perswade thee to contemne the vanity of the world if thou didest beare in mind that created thou wert for heauen and not for this world Abase not thy selfe so much as to delight in these base and contemptible thinges of this worlde and thou shalt bee quiet heere in this world for the time and happy and gloryous for euer afterwarde in the heauens CHAP. 38. Terrible and horrible shal bee the day of iudgemente vnto the wicked ENter not into iudgement with thy seruant saide the kingly prophet Dauid was the seruant of God and yet loe he had in remembrance the day of iudgement So rigorus shal the iudgement of death bee that euen the holy propheâ— so beloued of God doth quake againe at the consideration of the same Seeing therefore hee that faithfully did serue God so feared Gods iudgement howe much should hee stande in dread of the same which serueth not God but the world Enter not saith hee in iudgemente with thy seruant If the righteous scarsly be saued where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare It is a thing much to bee lamented that any man should bee addicted to these vanities which wee haue so spoken-of especially beeing so neere vnto the ende wherein God will lighten thinges that are hid in darknesse and make the counselles of the heartes manifest Belshazzar king of Babylon liuing in all manner of voluptuousnesse and satisfying his lustes in all kinde of sinne had suddenly the sentence of Gods displeasure pronounced against him heards Mene God hath numbred thy kingdome and hath finished it Tekel Thou art waied in the balance art found to light Peres Thy kingdome is deuided and giuen to the Medes and Persians The houre is very â—igh at hande when a straight reckoning shal be taken of all thy deedes wordes and thoughtes Al the secretes of thine heart shal be disclosed and with al rigor of iustice punished Thou shalt not haue the face to deny any thing for thine owne conscience shall be thine accuser neither shalt thou haue power and courage to reason the matter before the glorious maiesty of Iesus Christ the King of Kinges Thy sinnes shal be put into the balance and all the circumstances of them shal be waied and all the benefites which God bestowed vpon thee thou most cursedly didest contâ—ne shal be rehearsed Then shal thy kingdome be diuided when thy body shal be committed to the earth to bee deuoured-vp of wormes and thy soule shal bee sent vnto hell there to bee tormented in hel fire To cal then vppon God for helpe and mercy it will not auaile thee Then shalt thou see about thee a seuere iâ—dge with a most angry countenance vnder thee hell wide open gaping to deuour thee on thy right hande thy manifold and outragious sinnes accusing thee on thy lefte a most horrible spectacle of infernall and damned spirites ready to torment thee within thy conscience without the worlde all on a hot fire If our first parentes for eating but a litle of the forbidden fruite contrary to the commandement of God did hide themselues from the presence of the Lord God where wilt thou hide thy selfe when God shall appeare with thousands of his holy Angells to call thee to an account and finde thee euen fully fraughted with sinnes and wickednesse As waxe melteth before the fire so shal the wicked perish at the presence of God It is written Let al the earth feare the Lord let al them that dwel in the world feare him At that day it shal be as great a paine to stand before the glorious maiesty of the Lord of hostes as afterwarde to lie boyling in the pitte of hell for hee shall not appeare vnto them to their ioy but to their shame and confusion The friends of this world they will not be brought to the knowledge of the vanitie wherein they liue till by the punishment in that burning lake their vnderstanding bee inlightened and they bee enforced to bewaile their extreame wretched and cursed estate Despise therefore from thine heart the vanitie and false goods of of this present world least afterward thou repent when it will bee too late CHAP. 39. The remembrance of the paines of hell should reclame vs from sinne IN asmuch as shee glorified her selfe and liued in pleasure so much giue yee to her torment and sorrow saith the Lord If thou didest consider how these pleasures and vanities in which thou liuest shall take an ende thou wouldest liue in sorrow and bitternesse of soule and of such thinges as thou now delightest in thou wouldest take small ioy Iob hee said Such things as my soule refused to touch as were sorowes are my meate In this life men cannot away with any thing that may annoy them and in the next all things will they nill they shal vexe and torment them Gather hence that the more pleasantly men passe their daies heere the more wretchedly in tormentes shall they consume the time in the other world For looke by how much any thing doth resist his contrary so much is the working of that thing perceaued to bee more forceable which ouercommeth and mastereth that which resisted it Fire doth more resist iron than woode but when the fire ouercommeth them both the heate is greater in the iron than in the woode So they which in this life doe feele no sorrow shall be the more tormented in the worlde to come as on the otherside the righteous which in this life haue had no rest shall finde the greater comforte and ioy hereafter The mightie shal mightely be tormented In those daies shall men seeke death and shall not find it and shall desire to die and death shall flie from them Like sheepe they lie in graâ—e death deuoureth them The grasse feedeth the beastes of the fielde and afterwarde it groweth againe so the damned soules in dying they shall neuer die aud though their members bee quarâ—eâ—ed into peeces yet shall they not perish Note by the hard handling of his friendes in this world how greeuosly God will afflict his foes in the life to come The Apostle saith If I should yet please men I were not the seruant of Christ. The holy Martyrs which