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
A METHODE vnto Mortification Called heretofore The contempt of the world and the vanitie thereof Written at the first in the Spanish afterward translated into the Italian English and Latine tongues now last of all perused at the request of some of his godly friends and as may bee most for the benefite of this Church reformed and published by Thomas Rogers Allowed by authoritie 1. Iohn 2. 15. If any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him Imprinted at London by Iohn Windet 1608. To the worshipfull his good friendes M. H. Blagge and T. Pooley Esquires Iustices for the maintenance of the peace within the countie of Suff. S. IT is no newe thinge in these latter daies of the world now first put in vre but for long continuance among all sortes of the learned a most ancient custome to dedicate their labours vnto some one or moe who in respect of their virtue zeale wisedome athority or one consideration or other them inciting are deemed worthy the patronage of the same In the doing whereof as in all other things if a good fore-sight be not vsed by obseruation I doe find that the recompense is either priuie scoffes or open either scornes of the wicked or blame and reprehension of the godly the former they come by which without all regard of their patrons disposition hand ouer head doe dedicate good bookes vnto ill men the latter that blush not to offer ill bookes vnto good men the former he gat to leaue examples of this time which vnto Antigonus being then in Armes presented a booke of Iustice as though warriers were not to thinke of Iustice in time of warre the latter they purchase who dedicate ouerboldly the carnall books of Italie and other vaine inuentions vnto vertuous and honorable personages The greater the danger is by misse-dedicating the greater should bee mens care both of the matter which they publish and of the persons who are to patronize their doings least for want of good patrons they bee discouraged by ill wordes or thorough diuulgating ill matter especially vnder the names of good men they heare ill and deseruedly I am bold worshipfull to gratulate your good and safe returne from those daungerous places and persons with this treatise ensuing and as I know it is not in your natures who are no Antigonists to reiect it as comming out of season so I haue good hope that the godly wise as many of them alreadie haue will approue the same by their good acceptation the matter being sounde and most necessary to bee reade and regarded of all sortes of men in these loose daies of the world Yet because the disposition of many is so peruerse and crooked that oftentimes euen good thinges are contemned because the doers of them are not liked and they whose hands haue beene in this worke are diuerse especially for religion the author being of one and my selfe of another I thinke it very necessarie something to say in this place that neither the good Christians may shunne this as a Serpent because of the author a Papist nor the papistes condemne it as hereticall in respect of my selfe a Protestant For seeing the ground subiect and substance of the booke is such as both of vs yea all the wisest of both sidesâ—doe agree in namely that the world and the vanities thereof are to bee contemned methinkes the circumstance of persons is not so to bee regarded as that any sound perswasions vnto godlinesse and vnto the crucifying of our selues to the world whosoeuer doe moue them should bee despised especially when such care hath beene had as neither any thing is added which might either grieue or nusle the Papist in superstition nor any thing left out but what would offend the godly Christian if it were still in nor any thing published but may like them whosoeuer they bee as haue growne and would more and more into a detestation of this world and the vanities of the same If any aduersaries doe say that much I haue ommitted and therefore take offence I answere the thing is more open than that I can deny it and my grounds so good that I neither am neither neede to be ashamed for so doing For hath nature taught the Bee out of all flowers to chuse those as are meetest to minister the sweete hony and waxe and to leaue the rest and shall not grace mooue Christians to make choise of that which may bee to the comfort and profit of the Church of God Haue Carpenters such wisedome as they will not build with euery tree but chuse one and leaue another as may bee most for the profite of the builder the safetie of the inhabiters and their owne credite and shall not the spirituall builders haue the same for the edifying of the house of God Shall the holy Spirite command vs to Trie the Spirits to Trie al and keep that which is good and are such commended that would receiue no more no not of the Apostles wordes than could be iustified by the Scriptures of Godâ— and shall they bee blamed which obey so holy a commander and imitate such diuine examples But Authors must haue their wordes and Readers are to vse their iudgement in refusing or taking as shall bee most for their behoofe The Philosophers many of them wrote much yet is it lawfull for Christians in the iudgment of S. Austine to take from them as from vniust detainers the riches of true wisdome which they enioy and translate the same into the tresurie of the Church of God For whatsoeuer the Philosophers and Poets did writ that was vnsound it came of themselues but saith Tertulian whatsoeuer they published that was good they either drew it immediatly from the holy Scriptures or they learned the same of them which had reade the word of God That which the Fathers haue thought of the Philosophers and Poets we may iudge of all other aliens from the Church and heretikes and therefore we doe them no wrong when we take but the trueth which is our owne and leaue them the errors wherein wee haue none interest Againe whaâ—soeuer is saide of our aduersaries sure I am the time was and still is that they themselues do so much as we doe to others so that with what wordes they doe either commend their own or dislike our doings with the very same they coÌ„mend vs condemne themselues For in proofe hereof though I might aleadge the â—oet Martial purged by Edmondus Augerius a Iesuit of our owne writers among others the tables of Spangenberge not reformed but deformed in many things by Villamicentius a Frier of there own sid Ludouicus Viues whose goldeÌ„ locks are shaken off as were Samsons by dalila euen by the deuines of Louaine sufficient profes that if they haue done well therein we do not ill that do the very same which they doe or if wee doe ill they cannot be iustified which doe to
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
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
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
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