vade away and â—hall soone decay as the pothearbes And to omitte the speaking any more of this matter least I shoulde seeme malitiousâ— what is more vaine than to adorne the table with fine and imbrodered clothes with Iuorie trenchers with long carpettes wyth flagons of siluer and golde and a number of pretious and gorgeous ornamentes or what â—uayleth iâ— a man to paynte his chamber to gilt the postes of his â—edde to prouide a faiâ—e or sumptâ—ous portall to enter thereinâ— to make the pauement shine to fyll hys bedde full of feathers to couer it wyth silke or else to decke it wyth curtaynes or canapye for it is written wheÌ„ he dyâ—th of al these things nothing shall â—e receyuâ— ne yet his glorye or pompe â—hal folowe him Of the vncleannâ—sse of mans hart Chap. 39. THere is no man that can boaste of the cleanenesse and puritie of his heart for as muche as euery one of vs hath offended God in many things And if wee shall saye wee haue no sinne wee deceiue oure selues and the trueth resteâ—h not in vs What manne is hee that can saye with the Apostle I do not knowe my selfe guiltie in any thing and yet for all that I am not iustifyed who is he that can say thus if there bee any suche wee may well prayse hym Beholde euen amongst the Saintes of God there haue bâ—ne â—ounde some chaungeable and the very heauens are not cleane in hys syghte no not his Angels for in them hee hathe founde wickednesse Howe muche more then is man abâ—ominable and vnprofitable in the sighte of God whyche hath drunke as it were the water of iniquitiâ— sinne Therefore dyd it repente GOD that hee hadde made man bycause hys malice and frowardnesse was greate vppon the earthe and his thoughts were alwayes enclined vnto euillâ— for thys cause beeyng inwardly moued with sorow hee destroyed man whome hee hadde made in the fyrst age But yet for all thys the iniquitie of manne dyd abounde and the charitie of many waâ—ed colde All men wente astraye and were become vnprofytable and there was not one that dyd goodâ— no not one For the whole lyfe almost of mortall men is full of sinne and iniquitie in so muche that scantely one can bee founde whiche doeth not declyne on â—he left hande whych doeth not returne to hys former wickednesse agaynâ— and pyne away in vncleane corruption but rather to increaâ—e their offâ—nces they doe bragge and boaste when tâ—ey haue done amisse and reioyce iâ— their wicked doings they are replenished with 〈◊〉 pride of abomination as with malyceâ—â—orâ—icationâ— couetousnesse and pryde â—â—ey â—e also fraught wyth eâ—â—y manslaughterâ— contention deâ—â—â—â—e â—â—ill will and â—atredâ— they may be whisperers â—ale bearers â— seditious pâ—rsons â—atefull to God contumeliousâ— proâ—deâ—â—igh mynded inâ—entors of mischiâ—â—â— probediâ—â—â— to tâ—â—ir parents wiâ—â—out diâ—cretionâ— without order without loueâ— without keeping of league or promise and with 〈◊〉 With 〈…〉 and with worâ—â— the 〈…〉 abounde as with men of sundry sectes with tyrants disloyall sâ—biectesâ— committers of Symonye 〈…〉 deceytfull menne wyth sowers of debate and subtyle persons with gluâ—tons and dronkardes with adulterersâ— and incestuous persons with effeminate and leude men wyth incâ—e as bee slowe and negligent to doe good wyth suche as bee vayne and prodigall fâ—râ—ous and angrye impatiente and vnconstante wyth sorâ—erers and southsayers wyth periuâ—ed â—nd cursed menne wyth presumptuous and arrogante with those that â—ee â—arde of beeliefe and desperate and to conclude with all kynde of ambitiâ—us menne But as the smoke vanysheth awaâ—e euen so shall they decaye and as the waâ—e doeth melt before the fyre euen so shall sinners before the face of God. Of the griâ—â—â—â— and â—orments which euil â—en doe suffâ—r at the houre of death Chap. 40. THe euill liâ—erâ— doe suffer 〈◊〉 paiâ—â—s at their death The â—â—rste is the anguyshe of the bodyeâ— whiche is so greate and so â—â—treame that the lyke nâ—â—â—r was nor is felte in tâ—is lyfe at any timeâ— before the dissolution of the soule from the body For it seemeth in some men through the greate payne they do sustain in their traunce without any motion that tâ—ey do make away them selues for the violeÌ„ce which they suffer is so strong incoÌ„parable bycause those naturall bonds knots betweene the body and the soule are broken in sunder Wherevppon the prophete lamenting saieth thus in hys Psalmes The torments of death haue beset me â—ounde about there is not so much as anâ— member no not one ioynte in the whole body which is not sâ—retched in that intollerable dolâ—r pang The second paine is when the body bring altogither wearied spoyled of â—is streÌ„gth y soul doth see in a momeÌ„t more freely with much more libertie all the good and euill deeds which the man hath done in all his life time which al are presented before the inwarde eyes of the souleâ— And this torment is so greate the calling of things past to reâ—eÌ„brance is so grâ—â—â—â—â— that the soule it sâ—lfe beeing thereby â—ery much 〈◊〉 is forced to declare reherse itâ—â—herupoâ— the Psalmist saith The â—lowing or running sâ—reâ—â—es of inquitie haue troubled â—e for as the ruÌ„ning streaâ—es come with great violence and force and seeme to ouerthrow and cast downe all things they fynde in the way euen so shall the naughtie man at his death sodainely beholde the workes which he hath don be they good or euill The thirde payne is when the soule beginneth to iudge iustly and doeth see all the tormentes of hel which bee dewe vnto him for his sinnes approch neere and as it were ready to â—all vppon him wherevppon the Psalmiâ—t sayeth The dolors of hel haue compassed me aboute The fourthe torment is when the soule yet remayning in the body doth beholde and see wicked spirits readye to receyue it at which instante the griefe and torment is suche and the feare so greate that the silly soule being in great anguish returneth and recoyleth backe agayn so long as it may into the body that thereby â—t may redeeme some parte of the tyme in the which it shall be in captiuitie Of the comming of Christ at the houre of euery mans death Chap. 41. BOth good and euil meÌ„ before the soule depart out of the bodye doe see Christ vppon the crosse The euill and wicked man doth see him to his conâ—usion that he may be ashamed and blush in that he is not saued by the bloud of Christ his offence so requyring and therfore in the Gospel it is â—ayde to wicked and euil men They shal behold and see him whom they haue persed and wounded whiche is vnderstoode at the comming of Christ to iudgemente and also at hys comming at the day of euery mans death But the good man doth beholde Christ vppon the crosse to his greate ioye as we gather by the wordes of his Apostle whiche sayeth vntill the day of
miserable thing for a maÌ„ to liue euill Whose answer we shall find most trueâ— when wee shall bee called to make an account of our bayliwikes For we haue heere no coÌ„tinuall mansion place beeing made or created of two natures wherof the one is mortall and ruleth heere for a time where fleshe and bloud bereth the sway The other is celestial which giueth feeling vnderstaÌ„ding iudgemeÌ„t vnto the erthly or mortall substaÌ„ce of the whiche if it be vndefiled in this life they both shal inhabite the place of perpetuall blisse they shal receyue heaueÌ„ly giftes and vertues they shal accoÌ„â—any wiâ—h Angels they shal in a momeÌ„t sâ—e froÌ„ one end of the worlde vnto the other they shal penetrat the heauens and behold the throne of gods maiesty wher shall be such ioy as no heart can think nor toÌ„g expresse And so câ—auing pardon for this my bolde atâ—empte I leaue you vnto the almightie who alwayes in honor preserue your estate ¶ A Table containing the effect of this presenr Treatise In the first Booke OF the miserie of mankynde Chap. 1. The vile and base matter wherof man is madâ— Chap. 2. The corruption of mans concâ—ption Chap. 3. Of the feeâ—lenesse and weaknesse of the â—ong infant Chap. 4. Of the payne of the childes birth and of his pitifull crying out Chap. 5. Of the nakednesse of man. Chap. 6. What fruiâ—e man bringeth forth Chap. 7. The incommodities of olde age and shortnesse of lâ—â—e Chap. 8. Of the labour of mortall men Chap. 9. Of the studies of wyse men Chap. 10. Of the diuerse studies of men Chap. 11. Of diuers gâ—iefs sorows of maÌ„kindâ— Cha. 12 The miserie of the poore â—ich Chap. 13. The miseries of seruants maisters Cha. 14â— The miserie of the maryed and vnmaryed man. Chap. 15. The miserie of good euil men Chap. 16. Of the enimyes of man. Chap. 17. The lamentation of the soule being in prison Chap. 18. Of the short ioy of man in this lyfe Chap. 19. Of sodayne sorowes vnloked for which happen vnto men Chap. 20. Of the neerenesse of death Chap. 21. Of the terror of dreames Chap. 2â— Of compassion Chap. 23. Of sundrye misfortunes that happen vnto men Chap. 24. Of the innumerable kynds of sickenesses that man is subiect vnto Chap. 25. Of diuers kyndes of torments that men sustayne Chap. 26. Of a certayne horrible facte committed by a woman compelled thereunto by extreame miserie Chap. 27. Of the punishing of the innocent and dismissing of the guiltie Chap. 28. In the second Booke OF the culpable and sinfull beginning of mans conuersation Chap. 1. Of the feruent desire and thirst after riches Chap. 2. Oâ— vniust rewardes and bribes Chap. 3. Of the accepting of persons Chap. 4. Of selling of iustice Chap. 5. Of the vnsatiable desire of the couetous maÌ„ Chap. 6. Wherefore the couetous man can not bee satisfied Chap. 7. Of the false and deceitfull name of ryches Chap. 8. Examples against couetousnesse Chap. 9. Of the great carâ— that coueâ—ous men â—â—ue Chap. 10. Of the inordinaâ—e desire that the couetous man hath to keepe riches Chap. 11. Why the couetous man is called a worshipper of Idollesâ— Chp. 12. The prâ—perties of a couetous man. Chap. 13 Of y dangerous possessing of riches Cha. 14â— Of lawfâ—ll ryches Chap. 15. Of the vncertentie of riches Chap. 16. Of Gluttonâ— Chap. 17. Examplâ—s against Gluttony Chap. 18. Of Dronkennesse Chap. 19. Examples agaynst Dronkennesse Chap. 20. Of Lecherie Chap. 21. Of the generalitie of Lecherie Chap. 22. Of many which haue perished through lecherie Chap. 23. Of the Ambitious man. Chap. 24. Of y excessiue desiâ—e of ambitious meÌ„ Cha. 25 An example of an Ambitious man. Chap. 26. Of â—he short and miserable life of noble men Chaâ— 27. The properâ—ies of a â—râ—ude man. Chapâ— 28. Of the fal of Lucifer y father of pride Châ— 29. Of the arrogancie of men Chap. 30. Oâ— the abhomination of pryde Chap. 31. Against the arrogancie of proud meÌ„ Chap. 32. An example against the deceyt of ambitious men Chap. 33. Of the properties of arrogant men Chap. 34. Of superfluous appaâ—ell Chap. 35. Against vaine decking and trimming of the bodâ— Chap. 36. That more fauour is shewed vnto man for his apparels sakeâ— thaÌ„ for his vertue Cha 37 Of the paynting of the face to deceyue the eyes Chap. 38. Of the vnclâ—annesse of mans hart Chap. 39. Of the grieâ—es and tormentes which euell men doe suffer at the houre of death Chap. 40 Of the comming of Christ at the houre of euery mans death Chap. 41. In the third Booke OF the putrifaction of the body when the soule is departed Chap. 1. Of the heauy remembrance of the damned soules Châ—p 2â— Of the vnprofitable repentance of the damned Chap. 3. Of the manifolde and diuers pâ—ines of hell Chap. 4. Of the vnspeakeable anguishe and torment of the damned Chap. 5. Of hell fire Chap. 6. Of the darknesse of hell Chap. 7. Of the confusion of paines Chap. â— Of the continuaÌ„ce of the pains in hel Cha. 9. Of the euerlasting paynes of the damned soules Chap. 10. Testâ—monies of the eternal punishments and torments of hell Chap. 11. Of the day of iudgement Chap. 12. Of the tribulation that shall goe before the day of iudgement Chap. 13. Of the signes going before the later daye Chap. 14. Oâ— the power wisdom iustice of the iudge Chap. 15. Of Gods iudgement Chap. 16. That nothing shall profit the damned soules Chap. 17. Finis Tabulae ¶ THE MIRROR of mans lyfe The first Booke Of the Misery of mankynde Chapter fyrst IF the Prophet Ieremy whom God blessed or sanctifyed in his mothers wombe did crye out and pronounce of him selfe these words Why came I out of my mothers womb to behold with minâ—â—yâ—s the labour and sorow of the world and that my dayes should be consumed in confusion if I say that holye Prophet did speake thus of himselfe what then shall I say whom my mother hath brought forth in sinne Truely I may well crye out woe is mee and with moste lamentable voyce may say O mother why hast thou brought me forth the chylde of bitternesse and sorow why did I not ende my dayes in my mothers wombe wherefore did I not perishe as soone as I came into the worlde whye was I receyued in my mothers lappe fedde and nourished with hir pappesâ— being borne to destruction and to bee the foode of fyre would to God the place of my creation had bin my graue and the house of my euerlasting conception For theÌ„ I shuld haue bin as though I had not bin at all transferred from byrth to buriall Who wil therfore giue a fountain of teares vnto mine eyes that I may bewayle the miserable entrie or comming of man into thys world the faultie and guiltie proceeding of man in this his conuersation and the damnable or dangerous departure of the soule of man from the bodye I will therefore with
hir selfe â— Uice sayth the Apostle corrupteth nature Therfâ—re the wicked meÌ„ saith he vanished away in their owne imaginations and their foolishe myndes and heartes were blynded and darkened wherefore God did suffer them to folow the desyres of their owne heartes in all vncleanlinesse to the ende they should bee iniurious vnto themselues and afflict their owne bodyes And as they haue forsaken to knowe God euen so God hathe delyuered them into a reprobate and wicked meaning that they maye doe those thinges which bee not conuenient But they which doe liue godly in our sauiour Christ doe suffer persecution For the holy men such as â—e now saynts in heauen haue sustayned mockes stripes yea moreouer â—aue proued fetters and imprisonment of the which some were stoned â—o death some cut in peeces some tempted and proued what they would doe and at the laste were put to death with the sworde for our Lords sake They went about in the world in sheepes skinnes in Goates peltes needye and poore troubled in their myndes much afflicted whom the world was not worthy of They wandered in the desertes and wildernesse amongst the mountaynes and in dennes and caues vnder the earth They were in the daunger of fluddes and waters in ieopardye of theeues in greate perill through their owne stocke and parentage in feare of the Gentiles of infidels and of false bretherne They traueyled in payne and sorow in much watching in huÌ„ger and thirst in many vexations and perplexities in colde and nakednesse For the iuste man doth deny and forsake him selfe crucifying his members with the vices and imperfections thereof that the world may be crucifyed â—n him he in the world He knoweth that he hath no sure nor continuall abode in this lyfe but doth seeke to enioye the euerlasting Citie to come he sustayneth this worlde as a banishment and his soule is closed vp in his body as a prison I am saith he a straÌ„ge pilgrime vppon the earthe and as a forener euen as all my forefathers and elders haue bene Suffer mee that I may bee refreshed before I goe from hence and before I shall beecome nothyng Alas that my banishment and dwellyng â—eere in this worlde is prolonged I haue continued long with those that haue their mansions amongest the harde Cedar trees and my soule hathe bin a â—â—raunge inhabitant with them very long Who is sicke and feeble and I not sicke Who is weake and I not troubled For the very offeÌ„ces and sinnes of bretherne and neighbours be greeuous to those which be iust men Of the enimyes of man Chap. 17. THe life of maÌ„ is nothing else but warfare vppon the earth Is it not a warfare in deede whereas many kynde of enimyes lye in wayte on euery syde that they may take persecute and kill vs as the diuil the world mankynde it selfe and the fleshe The deuil with vyces and fleshly desires man togither witâ— beastes and other creaâ—urâ—s the world with the elements the flesh with sensualities For the fleshe lusâ—eth contrary to the spirite and the spirite contrarye to the fleshe Yea we haue not only a combat against flesh and bloud but also against the spirituall authors of wickednesse which be in the ayre and agaynst the Lordes and rulers of darkenesse For your aduersary the deuil sayth saynt Peter goeth about like a roring Lyon â—eeking whome hee may deuour The firy darts of our wicked enimies are alwayes kindled against vs Death entreth in by the windowes the eye doth rob and spoyle the soule the whole world doeth fight against vs vnwise men for one nation warreth against an other and great earthquakes are in diuers places pestilence and hungers terrors and tempestes commeth downe amongest vs from the heauens The earth bringeth forth thornes and thistles the water bringeth forth inundations and fluds the ayre sendeth vppon vs stormes thunders lightnings and terrible fierye sightes The earth sayeth God to Adam shall bee cursed in thy labour it shall yelde vnto thee thornes and tâ—istles and in the sweate of thy browes thou shalt eate thy bread vntil thou doest returne againe into the earth The wylde bore of the wooddâ—s doth lye in waite for to deuour vs and euery wylde beast seeketh our destruction The Woulf the Bear the Lybard the Lyon the Tygar and the wylde Asse the Crocodile the Grife the Serpent the Snake the Basiliske the venimous worme called Aspis the Dragon the Cereastes the Scorpion and the Uyper also Nittes Lyce Emattes Fleas Gnattes and Flyes Hornettes and Waspâ—s Fishes and Foules all these I say doe lye in waite to make a praye of our persons For wee which in the beginning were created to beare rule ouer the fishes of the Sea and foules of the ayre and ouer all liuing things whiche moue vppon the earth are nowe become a praye for them to feed vppon For it is written I will set the teeth of beasts vppon them The lamentation of the soule being in prison Chap. 18. O Unhappy and wretched creature that I am who will delyuer mee from the torment of this earthly body Beholde the lamentation of the silly soule which would fayne bee discharged out of prison Whereof the Psalmist sayth thus O Lorde bring my soule out of captiuitie There is no rest nor quietnesse in anye place heere in this world No where is there founde any peace or securitie Feare and trembling is euerye where labour and griefe is in all places The fleshe is alwayes in labour griefe and sorow so long as it liueth and the soule doth mourne and lament hir greeuous estate and being Of the short ioye of man in this lyfeâ— Chap. 19 WHat man dyd euer passe ouer in thys lyfe one whole day in perfit mirth and ioye whome in some parte of that day either the remorse of conscience the vehement innaâ—ion of anger or the motion of fleshely luste hath not disturbed whome deuouryng malice the insatiable desire of auarice or else the secrete blastes of pryde haue not disquieted whom some losse of wealth offence committed or passion of the mind hath not distempered And to be short whom the â—ight of some thing loathsome or greeuous to behold or the â—earing of some thing sorowful or vndecent to be spoken or els some acte to be misliked hath not offended Truely if any such there beeâ— hee is as rare as a blacke swan Hearken what the wise man saith vppon this point From the morning vnto the euening the tyme shall bee chaunged vayne thoughts succeed one an other the mynd is seuered deuided into diuers motions men do delight to heare the pype the harpe or citherne and take great ioye to heare the Orgaynes or other musicall instrumentes and by all meanes they prouyde to passe their dayes in pleasure but alas in a momeÌ„t they fall downe into hell Of sodayne
hands of strangers for the Sepulchres of suche men shall be their house for euer Therefore the wise man sayth Whatsoeuer the couetous man wrongfully gathereth togither he heapeth it vp for others and in his goodes another shall riot and make hauoâ—ke It is lamentable to see how it is prouided by delieny that oftentimâ—s his greatest enimie becommeth his neerest heyre Of Glutoniâ— Chap. 16. IN the beginning of mans life bread water was his foode a simple garmeÌ„t with a poore cottage were thought suffiâ—iâ—nt to couer his deformities But now the frutes of the trees the sondry sorts of graynes the rootes of herbes the fishes of the sea the beastes of the land the foules of the ayre do not satisfie the greedâ—e appetite of glutons râ—â—enâ—ng men For nowe they seeke pleasant dishes with painted couloures they procure delicate hote spices choyce â—aâ—â—sâ— sugred morsels for their daintie mouthes Those things do they feed vpoÌ„ which be curiously wrogâ—t by the arte of Cookery â—unâ—ingly prepaâ—ed by the inâ—eÌ„tioÌ„s of their officers One by stamping strayning chaÌ„geth some thâ—ngs from their proper nature laboring by art to make that an accidente whiche of it selfe is a substance Another compoundeth things togither to make that delicate whiche of it selfe is vnpleasant and al this is to turne excesse to hunger to bring an apetite vnto the stomacke opprest with saturitiâ— and to fulfyll the gredy desire of gluttonie rather than to susteyne the weakenesse of nature But the place of glutonie as it hath scarce foure fingers in quantitie so hath hir pleasure hardly foure momentes in continuaunce The meane in meates is contemned superfluitie is affectâ—d and varietie is desired Desire of gredinesse knoweth no ende and varietie excedeth mesure The mind is ouercharged the stomacke is troubled and the sense thorough them both is opprest Glutony is an enimie to health a friend vnto sicknesse the mother of wanton lust and the instrument of death Be not greedy sayth the wise man at any banquet ne â—eede not on euery dishe for with diuersitie of dishes the health is endangered through the surfet of wine many haue perished Meate is ordained for the belie and the belie to receyue meate but God shall destroy the one and the other Exâ—mples against Glutonie Chap. 18. GLâ—tony requireth a costly and chargeable tribute but it yeldâ—th a verye base and most vile rent For howe muche more delicate the foode is so muche more odious are the fruites therof Glutony distempereth the bodye corâ—upteâ—h the stomake maketh all partes noysome Gluttony did shutte vp the gates of Paradyse agaynst mankynde Glutonye caused Esau to sell his inheritance Glutonye was the mayne pathe that ledde Pharao his baker to the gallowes Glutony was the instrumente that wrought Iohn Baptists death Nabuzardan the chief cooke of the King of Babilon burnâ—e the Temple and destroyed Ierusalem Balthasar the King of Babilon in his greate sumptuous banket saw a hand writing on the wall Mane Thetel Phares the same night he was killed by the Chaldeans The people of Israel sate downe to make good cheere and rose vp to playe but whilest the meat was yet in their mouthes the wrath of God sel vppon them and destroyed them They which fed voluptuously dyed in the highe wayes The riche man which did feast banket abounde in worldly pomp vanitie was buryâ—d in hâ—l Of Dronkennesse Chap. 11. WHat is more vyle and lothsome than is the dronkarde whose mouthe is the lodge of poysoned sauours whose bodye through excesse doeth tremble and shake whose promises are large whose tongue bewrayeth secretes whose minde is soone chaunged whose countenaunce is transformed For where dronkennesse is the mysteresse there secrecie beareth no maistrie For commonly when the heade is full of wyne the tongue is set at libertie Besides this wyne only doth not suffice a dronkard neyther is he content with many sorts of wine as Cysar Bastard Hypocras and such like but he drowneth his senses in al varietie of liquor making him selfe the monster of excesse This is the nurserie of al coÌ„tention and strife For as the wise man saith much drinking of wine kindleth the coales of wrath is the roote of all mischief ruine the sequele therof is fornication yea fornication wine dronkennesse â—ereaueth noble minds of all strength courage And therefore the Apostle writeth be not droÌ„k with wine wherein is waÌ„ton lust And the wise king sayth that wine is a lecherous thing that dronkennesse is ful of sâ—rife disseÌ„tioÌ„ The childreÌ„ of Rachab the son of Zacharie drank no wine nor Cisar ne other kinde of drink that might make theÌ„ droÌ„k Exemples agaâ—nst Drâ—nkeâ—â—â—sse Chap. 20. DRonkeÌ„nesse did discouer the priuie parts of Noe caused Loth to â—oÌ„mit incest Dronkennesse slewe Ammon king Dauids son murdered Holofernes chief captaine of the armie True then it is that Salomon sayth They which are giueÌ„ to drinke to speÌ„d riotously shall be speedily brought to bâ—ggery And the prophet Esay crieth out vppon suche men saying woe be vnto you which rise vp early in the morning to drinke your selues dronk to tâ—pple vntill night that you bâ—â—â—me hote boyling with wine hauing also in your bankets diuers suâ—dry iâ—strumentsâ— pleÌ„of wyne woe be vnto you which be mightie able to drinke stoutly in â—â—asâ—s are expert to set vp dronkeÌ„nesse beâ—olde your ioy felicitie is to kil calues and â—at weathers to â—ate of diuers sorts of flesh to drink wine let vs eat drink say you â—or we shal dye to morow And the voice of the lord saith hâ— is reueled in mine eares that this iniquitie sâ—all not be purged froÌ„ you vntill death wo be vnto the crown of pride eâ—eÌ„ to the droâ—â—eÌ„ pâ—â—ple of Ephraim The priest the prophet knowe not what they do for dronkeÌ„nes they are aâ— swalowed vp with wine they know not â—im that loketh on them they stumble and are become ignorant in their iudgements Of Leacherye Chap. 21. GLutonye the mother of vncleanenesse bringeth forth a more vncleane daughter For it is very agreeable to reason that he which is already vncleane should become as yet more disparged with vncleannesse For all those which commit fornication are lyke vnto the bakers ouen made hote with fyre The Princes and rulers began to rage through wyne for the belly which is daintily fed most willingly of it selfe imbraceth carnal pleasures O extreame rage of leâ—de lust which doâ—th not onelye effeminate the mynde but also weakeneth the body which doth not only endaunger the person in this lyfe but bringeth both body and soule in perill of damnation in the lyfe to come For all the sinne which man doeth commit is without the body but hee that offendeth in fornication procureth offence
death when Christ vpon the crosse shall appeare vnto the good and euill And Christ himselfe sayth of saint Iohn the Euangelist I will that he remayne so vntill I come that is to witte I will that hee remayne in his virginitie vntill I come to hys death Wee reade of foure commings of Christ two of them be visible and two inuisibleâ— He came visibly in â—umilitie to redeeme the world and hee shall come visibly in his maiestie to iudge the world Of hys iâ—uisible commings the firste is when â—ee commeth into the minde of man by grace according to the saying of our Lord in saint Iohns Gospell wee shall come vnto hym and dwell with hym The seconde is at the death of euery man And therefore â—aith Saint Iohn in his Apocalipse come vnto mee Lorde Iesus At whose comming that we may bee founde watchful and diligent seruantes let vs endeuor our selues to serue and feare him in holinesse and purenesse of life to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour maiestie glory power and dominion for euer and euer ¶ The thirde Booke of the Mirror of manâ— lyfe Of the putrifycation of the body when the soule is departed Chap. 1. THe soule of man sayeth the Prophet shâ—ll deparâ—e from himâ— and hee shall returne againâ— into earth â—â—oÌ„ whence â—e â—aâ—e In that day al hys thoughts worldly inuentions shal perish O how many how woÌ„derful greate are the Imaginations of mortal men aboute worldely prouision but when death shall preuent them al theyr deuises and inuentions shal soone vanish away and they shall quite decay euen as the shadowe when it declyneth or as the Grashoppers whyche soone are shaken from the graine Furthermore when the body and soule are separate asunderâ— theÌ„ shal they forsake with great griefe sorow such things as they loued in this life most derely For there is a terme appointed theÌ„ which can not be escaped at what time earth â—hal returne into earth as it is writen Thou arte earthe and shalt reâ—urn into â—arâ—â— agayne Bycause it is agreable to the course of nature that euery mortall thing shoulde be resolued againe into the selfe same substance whereof it was earst made Therfore sayth Dauid the spirites of men shall bee taken away from them and they shall returne inâ—o dust But when man shall dye his inheritaunce shall bee with brute beâ—stes and serpents for all men shall sleepe in the dust and the wormes shall eate their fleshe euen as the moâ—h the garment as hee doeth deuoure the woolle I shall be consumed sayth Iob as corruption and as the garment which is eaten of the moâ—he I sayde vnto rottennesse thou art my father and I called the wormes my mother sister Man is but a masse of putrifaction and the sonne of man is but corruption O what a lothsome parentage is that where rottennesse is the father and what an vncleane stocke is that whiche is vnited with worms For man is conceiued in corruption and in the burning heate of foule luste vppon whose dead carkasse the wormes doe waite as mourners In his lifâ— time he bringeth forth troublesome and tedious vâ—rmynâ— after death his fleshe engendreth wormes whilest hee liueth his body yeldeth noysome odious things and when hee dyeth hee becommeth a lumpe of foule and vncleane corruption During this lyfe his only care is to nourish and maintaine one but when he is dead he shall feede sustayne a number of wormes For what is more vgly and filthy to behold than is the vyle corpse of a dead man And what is more horrible vnto the sight than is the body wheÌ„ the soule is parted Hee whose embracings to vs were plesaunte whilest lyfe endured the verye sight of hym after death shall bee moste noysome What profitte then may wee reape of our ryches what good shall wee fynde of our delycate bankettes or what then shall auayle vs our dayntie dyet They shall not delyuer vs from the daunger of death they shâ—l not defende vs from the hungry wormes they shall not preserue vs from loaâ—hsome sauours Wee haue seene hym despysed and cast into graue whiche of late sate most gloriouslye in his princely throne The courteer that walked in sumptuous attyre lyeth nowe in the earth vnseemely to beholde and hee that was fedde with delicate fare is nowe to bee deuoured of wormes in the grounde Of the heauy remembrance of the damned soules Chap. 2. THe torments of wicked men shall bee the worme and fire And both of these haue sundry operations For the one worketh inwardly the other tormeÌ„teth outwardly The worme which worketh inwardly doth alwayes eat deuour the hart the fyre whicâ— tormenteth outwardly doth alwayes burnâ— consumeth the body The worme of theÌ„ saitâ— the Prophet shall neuer dye and theyr fyrâ—â— shal not be quenched Our Lord wyll sendâ— fyre and wormes for theyr fleshe that theâ— may burne and feele the smarte for euerâ— The worme of conscience shall vexe them repentaunce shall trouble them and perâ—plexitie of minde shall torment them Fâ—â— they beeing fearefull and tymorous shaâ—â— call to remembraunce theyr sinnes aâ—â— theyr owne wickednesse shall bewrâ—y then and thus they shall saye within theâ— selues What goodnesse haue wee prâ—â—cured by our pryde or what profite hâ—â— wee obtayned by worldly pompe and â—â—niâ—ie and what can our riches nowe auaile vs All these things are gone paste euen as the shadowe or as the shippe which passeth ouer the raging waues whose track is neuer seene agayne So wee mortall men whiche are borne into this world doe quickely perishe and decay and swiftly approche vnto our ende Of â—ertue wee are scarcely able to shewe any signe at all but wee are consumed in our owne malyce and wickednesse Therefore with greate vexation of mynde shall the damned soules often remeÌ„ber those things whych with great mirth and ioylitie they did commit in thys liâ—e that the remembrance at all maâ— augment thâ—yr payne whome the styng of sinne prouoked to wickednesse Of the vnâ—roâ—itable repentance of the damned Câ—ap 3 THey shal say vnto them selues repeÌ„ting we haue gone astray from the waye of truth and the lighte of righteousnesse hathe not shynâ—d vppon vs. Tâ—en shall they crye vnto the mountayns and say O you mountaynes fall vppon vs and you hilles couâ—r vs They shall repent to their pâ—in but theiâ— coÌ„uersion shall not obtaiâ— pardon For it is according vnto iustice that those which would not repent when they might shal not when they desire obtaine mercie God gaue them oportunitie and space to repent and they abused his time of long sufferance And therfore sayde the riche man which was tormented in hell O father Abraham I beseeche thee that thou wouldest sende Lazarus vnto my fathers house that he may signifie vnto them what is become of mee leaste thaâ— they also fall
teares consider and declare whereof man is made what his doings are and what perhappes shall become of him after this lyfe Truelye man is made of earthe conceyued in sinne and borne to payne Hee doeth commit in this lyfe wicked and shrewde turnes which bee not lawfull foule and vncleane actes which bee not decent and vayne things which are not expedient Through his wickednesse hee shall become food to the fire meat for worms and a lumpe of putrifaction lothsome to behold I will expound it more plainly Man is made of dust of clay of ashes he is coÌ„ceiued in the wanton desire of fleshly luste in the heate of carnall appetyte in the foule delight of leacherye and which is worse in the spotte of sinne Hee is borne a serâ—ant to labour feare and sorowe and which is more myserable a subiecte to deathe His doyngs are â—or the most part daungerous whereby bee eyther offendeth God hurteth his neighbours or impayreth him selfe Hee practiseth vnseemely and vnhonest things whereby hee procureth infamye defileth his conscience and dishonesteth him selfe Hee occupyeth him selfe in vayne thynges whereby hee doth neglecte matters of importaunce hee doeth despyse things which bee for his profitte and nothyng regardeth things which beâ— necessarye Hee shall become chaffe to the fyre which alwayes doeth burne vnquenchably Hee shall bee meate for the worme which alwayes doeth gnawe and deuour and in fyne he shall be an immortall masse of putrifaction heaped full of horror and lothsomenesse Of the vile and base matter whereof man is made Chap. 2. GOD hath made man of the slyme of the earth which is more base than bee the other Elements as it doth appeare by the second Chapter of Genesis For he made the Planettes and starres of the fiâ—e the blastes and wyndes he creâ—ted of the ayrâ— the fishes and birdes of the water but man and beasts he did forme of the earth Therefore if man doe consider those thinges which bee made of water hee shall finde his substance vyle and base if hee haue respecte to those liuing thinges which are created of the ayre hee shall acknowledge him selfe to be much inferior and if hee looke vppon those creatures which bee made of fyre hee shall iusâ—ly take him selfe moste abiecte of all Hee shall not compare him selfe with heauenly things neyther shall â—e presume to preferre him selfe before earthly creatures for that hee findeth his owne substance not farre differing from the sauage or brute beastes shall acknowledge him selfe lyke vnto them For wee euidently see the death of men and beastes is all one the condition of them both is equal and man can doe no more than the beaste in this respecte they be made of earth and they doe both returne agayne into earth These be the wordes of the wyse King Salomon Wherefore to conclude what other thing is man but clay and ashes Hereâ—ppon doth man saye vnto God Remember I beseech thee O Lord that thou hast made mee lyke claye and wilt reduce mee into dust And heereuppon doth God say again vnto man thou arte dust and shalt returne again into dust I am compared saieth holy Iob to clay and likened to embers and ashes Clay is made of water and dust both of them remayning but ashes are made of wood and fyre both of them consuming or decaying The mystery is manifest but to be declared more playner in another place Wâ—erefore then doest thou wexe proude or insolent O thou claye or why doest thou extoll magnifie thy selfe O thou dust and whervppon mayest thou boast beyng nothing but ashes The corruption of mans Conception Chap. 3. THou mayest perhappes refute these former reasons after this superficiall sort saying that Adam was made of the slime of the eaâ—th and that thy being is from the seede of man True it is thou sayest but yet was Adam made of a pure and maydenlye earth and thou art created of an vncleane and corrtupte seede And who can make him cleane which is conceyued of an adâ—ltred and defiled seede or what is man that hee should seeme pure and vndefiled and that beyng borne of a woman he shuld appeare iuste For beholde sayeth the Prophet Dauid I am conceyued in wickednesse and my mother hath brought me forth in sinne Not in one sinne onely nor in one kynde of offence but in a multitude of iniquities That is to saye in the iniquityes and sinnes of others For Conception is of two sortes The one is of â—eedes and the other of natures The former conception is to bee vnderstanded in offences personally committed the seconde is in offences contracted or taken by others The parentes doe commit offence in the former conception and the children doe incurre offence in the seconde For who knoweth not y carnal knowledge although it be in mariage caÌ„ not he had with out the motion of the flesh without the heat of carnall desire and without the foule delight of wanton lust Whereby the seedes conceiued are adulterate defiled corrupte Of the which the soule or lyfe at the length poured into the body doth gather the spot of sin the blemish of offenceâ— and the corruption of iniquitie lyke as an euill seasoned vessell poysoneth good liquor or as that which is vncleane defileth the contrary For the soule of man hath three naturall operations or vertues The first is the vse of reason to the ende it may disceyrne good from euill The seconde is an aptenesse or inclynation to diâ—lyke that thereby it may shunne or declyne from that which is euill The thyrde is a disposition or pronenesse to affecte that thereby it may desire and lyke that which is good These three effectes or vertues are in man from his byrthe greatly altered and obscured by three contrary vices For the vse of reasoÌ„ is miscaried by ignoraÌ„ce that it caÌ„not discerne the good from the euill The inclination to dislike or to be offended with that which is euil is headlong hurled downe by the fury of anger which causeth the refusalâ— oftentymes of that which is good And the affection to couet or desire that which is good is wholy ouerthrowne through the desire of euil The first of these vertues or operations bringeth foorth offence which consisteth in omittyng in Latyne is called Delictum The last bringeth foorth sinne or trespasse which doth consist in committing and in Latine is called PeccatuÌ„ The third meane betwixte them both bringeth forth bothe Delictum and Peccatum For this worde Delictum signifieth nothing els but to omit that which ought to be done and this word Peccatum doeth importe the doing of that which ought not to be done These three vices doe spring through the corruption of our fleshe For in the carnall acquaintance betwixt man and woman the deepe consideration and force of reason is couered and â—upprest and in steed therof ignorance taketh place the flame of fleshly delight is kindled whereby
hir furie more increaseth the great desire of pleasure is satiate by the which concupiscence is ingendered This is the Tyran of the fleshe the lawe of the members the nourishment and inflamation of sinne the languishing and feblenesse of nature and the foode of deathe No man is borne without it which if at any tyme wee happilye passe ouer not yelding thereunto yet doeth hir force alwayes remayne actually graffed in our flesh for if we shall say we haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and the trueth is not in vs O greeuous necessitie and vnfortunate estate of man before we can sinne we are fastened and straight linked to sinne And before wee can offend wee are bounde with offence By one man sinne entered into the world saith saint Paul and through sinne death hâ—th gone ouer all men Dyd not our fathers eate the bitter grape saye the Prophets and are not the teeth of their children set on edge therewith Of the feeblenesse and weaknesse of the yong infant Chap. 4. WHy then is lighte giuen to this poore wretche and lyfe to them which lyue in bitternesse of the soule happye are they which dyed before they were borne feelyng death before they knewe what lyfe is For some come into this world so deformed and monstrous that they seeme rather to be abominations than men for whom peraduenture it had bin better prouyded if they had neuer come in sight bicause they are set forth to be beholden as monsters For manye of them are borne dismembred and corrupt in their senses to the heauinesse and sorowe of their frendes to the ignominie of their parentes and to the rebuke of their kinsfolks To what end should I speake this particularly of some seeing that generally wee bee all borne impotent without knowledge without speech and without strength Wee come into this worlde lamenting feebly faint differing very little from brute beasts yea in worse case than they bee in many respectes For they as soone as they come forth doe by and by march and go forwardes and we can not only go vpright vpon our feete but being croked are not able to creepe with our handes Of the payne of the childes byrth and of his pitifull crying out Chap. 5. WEe be all borne yelling and crying to the end we may expresse our miserie For the man childe newly borne cryeth A the female E so that all crye A or E which commeth from Eua. And what is Eua but as much to say as Heu Ha which importeth alas or fye vppon me For these wordes beâ— both Interiections of him that soroweth or lamenteth expressing the greatnesse of his grief Hereuppon our first mother before hir sin committed in Paradise was called Virago but after she had sinned she well deserued to bee named Eua at the which tyme shee hearde God say vnto hir Thou shalte bring forth thy chylde in payne and sorow For there is no payne lyke to the grief of a woman labouring with childe Wherefore Rachel through the exceeding great payne of trauail with hir childe departing out of this life on hir death bed named hir son Benoni which is as much to say as the child of sorow and pain The wife of Phinees through sodayn pangs coÌ„ming vppon hir was deliuered of a childe both of theÌ„ died as it were at an instant yet in the very point of hir death she called hir chyld Icabod â— which is to say the child of no glory But as he which escaped after shipwrack is glad so the womaÌ„ when she is in trauel is sad but after shee is deliuered remeÌ„breth no more hir painâ— for ioy that there is brought forth a râ—â—sonable creature into the world Then to conclude she conceiueth hir childe in vncleannesse shee bringeth it fâ—orth with heauinesse and sorrowe she nourisheth it with anguishe and payne shee keepeth it with continuall care and feare Of the nakednesse of man Chap. 6. NAked commeth hee out of his mothers wombe into this worlde and naked shall he returne againe from hence he commeth poore and shall returne agayne poore For I came naked out of my mothers wombe sayth Iob and out of this world I shall returne naked agayne we brought nothing doubtlesse inâ—o this worlde bycause wee can take nothing with vs out of it If anye man goe out of the worlde clothed let him consider what kynde of appaâ—ell hee brought into it which willingly I will passe ouer as a thing vndecent to bee spoken and vnseemely to bee heard What â—ruiâ—e man bringeth forth Chap. 7. O Most vile vnworthye and miserable condition of man O vnseemelye and wretched estate Search out diligently and make sâ—rious inquisition of the hearbes and trees they doe of themselues bring forth â—lowersâ— boughes and fruites and thâ—n miserable wretche bringest forth nittes lyse and wormes They doe of their owne nature yelde oyle wyne and balme but thou vtterest things displeasant and odious they doe send forth from them sweete and pleasant odours thou lothsome and vnsauery smels such as the tree is such is the fruite for an euill tree can not bring forth good fruit And what is man according to his forme but a certayne tree turned vâ—side downe whose rootes be the heares whose trunke is the head with the necke whose sâ—ock is the brest with the belly the braunches bee the armes with the legges the leaues be the fingers with the ioyntes This is the leafe which is â—oste with euery wynde this is the tree that is ouerthrowne with euery blast and this is the stubble which is dryed vp with the sunne Of the incommodities of â—lde age and shortnesse of lyfe Chap. 8. IN the first beginning of mans estate we reade that men liued nine hundreth yeares and more but the lyfe of man declining by little and little God sayde vnto Noe my spirit or breath shal not remain alwayes in man for y he is fleshe his dayes shal be an hundreth twentie yeares which may bee vnderstoode as well of the terme of mans life as of the space of his repeÌ„tance For since that time forwards we seldom reade that man liued longer but when mans life was cut shorter the Psalmist sayd The dayes and tyme of our lyfe yeeres doe consist in the very number of seueÌ„tie years but if through the powers and forces of nature they be coÌ„tinued to the number of foure score yeres yet that tyme is but of more labour and sorow Shal not the smal number of my dayes saith Iob be ended in a short time our dayes passe ouer more swift than the webbe which is cut off by the weauer A man borne of a woman liueth but a shorte tyme and is replenished with many myseries which florisheth for a tyme and vanisheth away agayne euen as a flower hee also flyeth away lyke a shadowe and doeth neuer continew in one estate Fewe men now
sorowes vnloked for which happen vnto men Chap. 20. SOdayne heauinesse doeth alwayes accompany worldly myrth and that which beginneth with ioye doeth alwayes â—nd with some sorowe for worldly pleasure is mixte with manye bitter corsies This knewe he right well which sayd Laughter is mixt with griefe and the end of mirth is finished with wayling The children of Iob did proue this true by experience the whiche whiles that they were making mery in their eldest brothers house a sodayne myghtie wynde riâ—ing out of the deserte ouerthrewe the house destroyed them all And therefore their father might wel sayâ— My â—arp is changed into mourning my citherne is turned into the vâ—yce of those that weepe It is better saith the wise man to go into the house of moâ—rning than of banketting Harken therfore vnto his good counsayle In the day of thy mirth prosperitie forget not sorow and aduersitie and remember thy laste and ending day and thou shalt not sin damnably Of â—he neâ—renesse of death Chap. 21. THe last day of our lyfe is vnto vs alwayes the first day to lyfe and yet wee doe neuer accompt the first day to be the last Wherâ—as in deede we should still so line as though we shuld alwaies die For it is writen Remember that death doeth not â—arry long and is not slow in comming Tyme passeth away and death approcheth nighe A thousand yeeres are before the eyes of hym that dyeth as it were but yesterday which is already past For the things which God will haue come to passe are alwayes springing and things present doe dayly decaye and perish and those things which are past are cleane dead and consumed We then are dying whiles we liue and then doe we cease from dying when we cease to liue Therefore it is better to dyeâ— alwayes to liue than to liue to dye euer For the mortall lyfe of man is but a liuing death Whereuppon sayth Salomon I commend more the estate of those that be dead than of those that liue and I iudge him that is not yet borne happier than them both The lyfe of man passeth swiftly away and can not be stayed and death commeth vppon him instantlye and can not bee hindered Man therefore is that wonderfull thing which doth decrease and encrease and al in a moment For howe much the more mans life encreaseth so much the neerer he approcheth to his ende Of the terror of dreames Chap. 22. THe verye tyme whyche is graunted man in this lyfe for his rest is not permitted to be quiet vnto hym for in dreames dreadfull things often times appeare which cause a manne to feare and visions in hys sleepes doe molest him And although in very deede those things which men dreame of be not sorowfull terrible or payneful yet for certaynetie those whyche are molested with such dreames are caused to be pensiue sorowfull and fearefull In so muche that sometymes in their sleepes they feruently weepe and when they are waked out thereof are often troubled in their minds Marke well what Elephas Thematices sayeth of this matter In the terror of a vision sayeth hee in the night time when men are wonte to sleepe a greate feare and trembling came vppon mee and all my bones did shake for feare and when the spirit passed in my presence the heare of my head stood vp Consider the saying of Iob also in these wordes If I say vnto my selfe my bedde shall comfort me and I shall bee eased talking with my selfe vpon my couch thou wilte terrifie me with dreames and wilte make me shake for feare through visyons Nabuchodonozer sawe in a dreame that thing whiche made him throughly afrayde and the vision being firmely imprest in his mynde dyd much vexe trouble him Many thoughtes and cares do folowe dreames and where there is many dreames there is exceedyng many vaniâ—ies Dreames haue caused many to erre and do amisse and the hope that men haue had in them hathe byn made frustrate In sleepes also happen often tymes vncleane imaginations whereby not onely the flesh is polluted by illusions in the night but the soule is also defyled wheâ—â—vpon the Lord in the Leuiticall lawe sayeth thus if there bee any man amongst you which by illusion is abused in his sleepe by night let him goe out of the tents and let him not returne before that in the euening he bee washed cleane with water and after the going downe of the Sunne let him come agayne into the tentes Of Compassion Chap. 23. O With what griefe be wee vexed with what trembling feare bee wee shaken when wee vnderstande the losses or hinderaunce of our friendes and howe muche doe wee stand in feare of the dangers and losse of our parents yea sometymes he that is whole add sounde of bodye is more troubled and vexed in his feare than the sick and feeble is in his sicknesse For the voluntary sicke man is more afflicted with the affection of his griefe than the sicke patient man languishing in his feebleâ—esse Herevpon breaketh out the Poet in these wordes Loue is a lothsome thing God wote and passing full of griefe Whose breast is so hardened whose harte is so stonye that hee can not bee sorye and lament that he can not weepe and wayle when â—e doeth beholde the sickenesse or death of his friend or neighbour that hee can not suffer with him that suffereth and sorow with him that mourneth Our sauiour Christ him selfe when hee sawe Marye Magdalen the Iewes which came with hir to Lazarus monument all weeping hee was afflicted in spirit and troubled in him selfe and wepte Not peraduenture bicause Lazarus the brother of Mary was deade but rather for that he should rayse him vp or cal him being now deade vnto the myseries of this lyfe againe For let him perswade him selfe to be guiltie of great hardnesse of hart and to bee accompted as one faulte worthy who soroweth more at the corporall departure of his friend than the spirituall death of his soule Of sundry misfortunes that happen vnto men Chap. 24. SUch is our casual coÌ„dition that when we seeme to staÌ„d in great securitie we dwell in deepeste daunger and when wee least feare we sonest fall Calamitie falleth vppon vs not loked for sickenesse sodaynlye inuadeth vs and death without ransome requireth his duetie Doe not therefore boaste vppon the nexte day being ignorant what the day folowing will bring forth Man knoweth not his end but as the fishes be taken with the booke and the byrdes bee sodaynly entrapped with the snare so men bee preuented in their dayes and sometymes taken in an euill houre when death shall speedily arrest them Of the innumerable kindes of sicknesses that man is subiect vnto Chap. 25. THe knowledge that man hath hadde to searche oute the causes and natures of things these many hundreth yeeres could as yet neuer finde out so many
it agayne Your cheftes are full of riches your conscience fraâ—ght with sinfulnesse your chiâ—fâ—st care is for worldly coÌ„modities making youre â—oules capâ—iuâ—s to sin iniquitie But what doth it profit or aâ—aile man to gaine al the world sustaine that losse of his soule or what thing may man change for the safetie of his soule The brother shal not redeeme the death of â—is brother And man shal not paâ—ifie the wrath of God nor is able to giue a sufficieÌ„t price for the redeÌ„ption of his soule He shal alwayes liue in labour vntil his end HearkeÌ„ you rich meÌ„ what the apostle saith Go ye now â—aith he you rich men weepe lamâ—â— the miseries which shall come vpoÌ„ you your riches are corrupt your garmentes are motheaten your golde siluer is cancred and the rust of theÌ„ shall be a witnesse against you shal eate your fleshe as it were fire you haue gathered for â—oure treasure wrath in the last dayes Behold the â—ireof the labourers which haue reapt down your fields and is kept backe from them by fraude cryeth out agaynste you the criâ— of theÌ„ is entred into the eares of the Lorde of Sabaoth And therfore truth it selfe coÌ„mandeth you saying Hoord not vp for your selfâ— treasures vpon earth where the moth rust doth corrupt theâ—â—es brâ—ake in steale â—t Of the vnsatiable desire of the couetous man Chap. 6. O Fire vnquenchable O desire insatiable What conetous man was euer satisfyed with the performance of that whiche he first desired to obtayne for such is his insatiable appetite that after he hath obtayned that which he wished for he bendeth his mind to procure greater things and the end of hys desire is alwayes in getting that which he hath not and is neuer coÌ„tent with that which he hath already gotten The eye of the couetous man is neuer satisfyed and will not bee filled for a portion of iniquitie The couetous manne hathe neuer his fill of money and hee that loueth Riches taketh little frute thereof Euen as Hell and perdition are neuer filled so likewise the vnsatiable eyes of couetous men are neuer satisfyed These are the two bloudsuckers which alwayes say bring vnto vs for The loue of money doeth as muche encrease as money it selfe Wherefore the couetous man can not be satisfyed Chap. 7. WIlt thou know O couetous man why â—hy mind is neuer satisfied and thy desire is neuer filled Marke what I shall say Thy measure from wheÌ„ce thy couetous desire doth sâ—ring is neuer so full but it is able to comprehend more For the mind of man whiche is the measure whereby â—ee measureth all worldly desires is able also to receyue God bycause he whiche cleaueth vnto God is one spirit with God. Therfore how much soeuer the minde doth contayne it is neuer satisfied vntill it dothe comprehende God of whome it is alwayes capable If thou wilt then be filled and contented leaue off thy couetous appetite for so long as thou shalt haue that greedy desire thou shalte neuer be satiate for there is no accord betwene light and darkenesse nor no agreement betwixte Christe and Belial bycause no man can serue God and Mammonâ— Of the falsâ— and deceytfull name of Riches Chap. 8. O Thou false and deceytfull felicitie that man hath in riches which in very deede makest the riche man an vnfortunate and miserable childe For what maketh a man more vnhappie or wretched than wealth or worldly substance which are called riches A man to be needy and to be riche are two contrarees and yet the riches of the worldly do not take away pouertie but causeth pouertieâ— For as the wise man saith A little doth better coÌ„tent and satisfie the poore maÌ„ than abundance doth suffice or please the rich man For where there is great Riches there bâ— many to consume it for we see great nobiliâ—ie ouercharged with greater necessitie Therefore wealth and abundance doth not enrich a man but maketh him poore needy Exâ—mplse against Couetousnesse Chap. 19. HOw many hathe couetousnesse seduced and decayed how many more hath 〈◊〉 loue of money vtterly destroyed The Asse rebuked Balaam for that he beeing seduced with the desire of those things whicâ—e were promised him determined to curse Israel The people did stone Achas to deathe bycause he tooke away golde and siluer which were cursed and fâ—rbidden Naboth was slayne that Achab mighte possesse his vineyarde Giezi was striken with a Leprosie bycause he demaunded and receyued golde siluer and garments vnder the name of Heliseus Iudas hanged him selfe bycause he had solde and betrayed Christ. Suddayne death made anâ—â—nde of Anania and Saphyra hys wife bycause they defraâ—ded and deceyued the Apostles of the prâ—ce of their grounde Tyrus built vp a strong forâ—resse and heaped vp siluer as â—arthe and golde as the clay of the streâ—tes but behold sayth the Prophâ—t the Lorde sâ—all spoylâ— hir of it he shall smite downe hir powâ—r in the sea and she shall be consumed with fire Of the great â—are that couetous men haue Chap. 10. WHy doth man so earnâ—stly set his mind and so straightly presse himselfe to gather goodes seeing that he cannot always continue and enioy them for euer for man coÌ„meth forth like a â—â—oure doth wast and vanish away againe like as the shadowe and neuer coÌ„tinueth in one estate Why doth he theÌ„ desire to be mastâ—r of many things wheÌ„ fewer things would serue him For hauing sustenance clothing saith the Apostle leâ— vs be coÌ„tent therwithâ— Why doth he seeke after things necessary with much care A anguish of mind seing that they offer theÌ„selues vnto vs without great diffâ—cultie Hâ—arkâ—n what y truth itselfe saythâ— Be not carefull saying vnto your selues what shal we eate or what shaâ—l wee drinke or wherewith shall wee be clothed for your heauenly father knoweth right well that you haue neede of all these things Seeke first therefore the kingdome of heauen and all these things shall be cast into your hands And herevpon sayth Dauid I did neuer see the iust man forsaken of God nor yet his seede begging bread Of the inordinate desire that the couetous man hath to keepe Riches Chap. 11. TAntalus as the Poet sayeth thirsteth amiddes the waters euen so the couetous man standeth at neede amiddesâ— hys greatest wealth To whome that which hee hath doth as much good as that whiche hee hath not For bycause hee neuer vseth those things whiche hee hath already in possession but alwayes seeketh after things not as yet obtayned Hee is sayth the wyse man as though he were rich when he hath nothyng and is as though he were poore when he â—loweth in wealth The couetous man and the pitte of hell doe both of them deâ—oure but they doe not digest they receyue bothe but they do not render agayne The niggarde doth neyther pitie
into this place of tormentes vnto whom after it was aunsweared that they had the lawe and the Prophets let them heare them hee did immediatly replye saying No father Abraham they wyl not giâ—e â—are vnto them but if anye of those that bee dead shall goe vnto them they wyll repent The riche man then being in hell did repent him But bycause he knewe that his repentaunce did nothing a auyle â—ym hee desired it might bee declared vnto his bretherne that they might doe fruitfull repentaunce in thys world For that it doeth then profite a man of sinne to repent him whilest as yet he may commit any sinne Of the manifolde and diuâ—rs paynes of Hel. Chap 4. THe paynes of Hel are many and of diuers sortes The firste payne is the payne of fyre The seconde is the payne of colde Of theâ—e two our Lorde speaketh in the gospell where he â—ayeth there shal be weping wailing with gnashing of teeth which is by reason of the colde The thirde paine of hell is the foule sauour and of these three paines the Psalmist maketh mention wheÌ„â—ee saith fire brimstonâ— and the spirite of great tempests The fourth paine shall be worms which shal neuer cease Whereof the prophet saith thus Their worme shall not dye and their fire shall not goe out for it shall neuer be extinguished The fifth payne shall be the sharpe whips of the tormâ—nters wherevpon the wise man saith thus Iudgementes arâ— prepared for blasphemers and beating hammers are made readye fâ—r the bodyes of the foolish The sixt payne shal be sensible darknesse both inward and outward which â—ob meaneth when he sayth The land of misery and darknesse where is the shadowe of dâ—ath Of the damned soule speketh also the prophet Dauid in this sorte And hee shall neuer see light And in anothâ—r place it is written thus of the damâ—ed The wycked maâ— shall keepe silâ—â—ce in darkenâ—sse The seuenth payne shall bee the confusion of â—inners for then as it is written in Daniel The bookes of mans conscience shall bee opened and all hys doyngs shall bee made maniâ—â—st The eight payne shall bee the horâ—â—ble sight of diuels which shall bee seene through the sparkes rising out of the vnqueÌ„chaâ—le fire The ninth shal bee the fiery chaynes wherewithall the partes of the vngodly shal be linked Theâ—e hellishe paynes are ordeyned for the wicâ—â—d and sinful persons wâ—erwith shal be tormented those that folowe lewde desirâ—s and flâ—shly lustes those that are extortioners and spoylers of their neygâ—bours thoâ—e that arâ— puft vp with enâ—ie and malice â—â—ose that haue prouoked Gods vengeaunce through tâ—â— multitude of their sinnes those that are despisers and neglecters of the truth those thaâ— are impenitent and wilful offenders and those that are commiâ—ters of mischiefe and foule acts folowing the wanton 〈…〉 affecâ—ions of the fleshe Of the vnspeakable anguish and tormenâ— of the damned Chap. 5. THe reprobate whilest they beholde the blessed soules shall be tormented with horrible feare weeping lamenting for vâ—ry griefe of minde and thus shall they say vnto themselues These be those whom somtimes wee made our laughing stocks and alwayes hadde them in derision wee beeing without sense did accompte their life madnesse theyr ende to become obscure and withâ—â—t honour beholde nowe they are numbred amongst the children of God and their portion is amongst the saints It shall be a great punishment vnto the wicked to behold the glory of the blessed And it may be that the blessed soules after the ende of iudgement shall see the reprobate in their torments according to the place of scripture which sayeth The iust man shall reioyce when hee shall see â—he tormente of sinners But the reprobate shal not see the blessed in theyr glorye as the prophet witnesseth saying The wicked shall not see the glory of god And such shâ—ll be the talke of sinners in Hell for â—hat the hope of the vngodlye is lyke vnto sawe duste whiche is quyte caryed away wyth the wynde or lyke vnto the froath of the earth which is dispersed â—cattered abroad by the tempest and as the smoke which is spred abroad with the winde and as the remembraunce of a guest of one day Of Hel fyre Chap. 6. THe fire of Hell is neither nourished with wood nor yet kindled by the helpe of any But it is created of God and is made vnquencheable from the beginning of the worlde For it is written Hee shall bee deuoured with fire whiche is not kyndled This hellishe fyre is supposed to bee vnder the earth according to the place of Esay where he sayth the Hell whiche is vnder the earth is vexed and disquieted agaynsâ—e thy comming but euery place is pâ—nall to the reâ—robate whichâ— alwayes in all places carye their paine and torment againste themselues I will bring forth from the middest of thee saith God by the mouth of hys prophet fire whiche shall deuoure thee The fire of Hell shall alwayes burne and shall neuer giue light it shall alwayes yeelde thee an extreame heate and yet shall it neuer consâ—me that which it burneth it shal always afflict and neuer fayle In Hell the darkenesse is exceeding greate the bytternesse of paynes passeth all measure and the continuance in miserie is without endeâ— Caste â—ym bounde hand and foote sayeth our Sauioure speaking of the sinnerâ— into vtter darkenenesse where there shall bâ—e weeping wayling and gnashing of teeth Euery parte of the body shall sustaine â—or his synnes a propre torment that the wicked may bee punished in that wherein hee hath offended For it is written Man shall bee tormented in those things by the whiche he hath transgrâ—ssed Wherefore he that dyd synne with his tong was punished in hys tong And therefore did the proude riche man cry saying father Abraham haue pitie vppon me and sâ—nd Lazarus vnto mee that he maye dyppe the toppe of his finger in water and coole my tong wherein I am tormented in thys burning flame Of the darknesse of Hell. Chap. 7. THe reprobate and damned soules shall not onâ—ly bee couered with outwarde darknesse but they shâ—ll bee also enwrapped in inward darknesse for so muche as they shall be depriued both of the spirituall corporall light For it is written Let the wicked man be â—aken away that hee do not see the glory of God who only shall then be for an euerlasting light Thâ— reprobate truly shal suffer such griefe and sorow of mind in their paynes that their thoughts shal be fixt on no other thing but only vpon the vehement anguish greefe of torment which they shall feele It is reported that a certaine Scholer after hys death did appeare vnto his maister and declared vnto him tâ—at he was a damned soule foorthwith his master demaunded of him whether there were any questâ—ons or controuersies moued amongst the damned soules in Hel vnto whom he
you haue recourse Euery man shall beare his owne burthen The soule that â—inneth shall dye O straight iudgemente wherein men muste make an accompte not of theyr deedes only but of euery idle worde whichâ— they haue spoken This must they doe in the day of iudgement on the which day the debt with the interest shall bee demaunded of them euen vnto the last farthing Who can therefore flye away from the wrath of hym which shall come The sonne of man shall sende his Angels and they shall weed from his kingdome all scandalles and offences and those also which haue committed wickednesse and they shall also bynde bundels or faggots to burne and shall putte them into the chimney of the hote burning firâ— where there shall be weeping and wayling with gnashing of teeth mourning and crying with terrible payne noyse and clamor feare and trembling griefe and sorowe darkenesse and anguish bitternesse and misery penurye and torment with griefe of mynde sadnesse and forgetfulnesse confusion wrestings pinchings â—harpenesse and terror hunger thirst colde and heat brimstone and burning fyre which shall endure for euer and euer FINIS Speculum humanum Made by Stephen Gosson O What is man or whereof might he vaunt From earth and ayre and ashes first he came His tickle state his courage ought to daunt His life shâ—l â—lit when most â—e trustes thesame Then keepe in minde thy mould and fickle frame Thy selfe a naked Adam shalt thou fynde A babe by byrth both borne and brought forth blynde A drie and withered reed that wanteth sap Whose rotten roote is reâ—t euen at a clap A signe a sheweâ— of greene and pleasant grasse Whose gliding glorie sodenly doth pasâ—e A lame and lothsome lymping legged wight That dayly doth Gods froune and furie feelâ—â— A crooked cripple voyde of all delight That haleth after him an haulting heele And from Hierusalem on stilts doth reele A wrâ—tch of wrath a sop in sorow sowst A bruised barke with billoes all bedowst A filthie cloth a stinking clod of clay A sacke of sinne that shall be swallowde aye Of thousand hels except the Lord doe lende His helping hand and lowring browes vnbende The prime of youth whose greene vnmellowde yeares With hoysed head doth checke the loftie skies And settes vp sayle and sternelesse ship ysteares With winde and waue at pleasure sure it flies On euery syde then glaunce his rolling eyes Yet hoarie hâ—ares doe cause him downe to drowpe And stealing steppes of age shall make him stowpe Our health that doth the web of woe begin And pricketh forth our pampred flesh to sin By sicknesse soakt in many maladies Shall turne our mirth to mone and howling cries The wreathed haire of perfect golden wire The cristal eyes the shining Angels face That kindles coales to set the heart on fire When we doe thinke to runne a royal race Shal sodeynly be gauled with disgrace Our goodes our beautie and our braue araye That seeme to set our heartes on â—oygh for aâ—e Much like the tender floure in fragraunt feeldes Whose sugred sap sweete smelling sauours yeeldes Though we therein do dayly lay our lust By dint of death shall vanish vnto dust Why seeke we then this lingring life to saue A hugie heape of bale and miserie Why loue we longâ—r dayes on earth to craue Where cark and care and all calamitie Where nought we finde but bitter ioylitie The longer that we liue the more we fall The more we fall the greater is our thrall The shorter life doth make the lesse account To lesse account the reckning soone doth mounte And then the reckning brought to quiet ende A ioyful state of better life doth lende Thou God therfore that rules the rolling skie Thou Lorde that lendes the props wheron we stay And turnes the spheares and tempers all on hie Come come in haste to take vs hence away Thy goodnesse shal we then engraue for aye And sing a song of endlesse thankes to thee That deignest so from death to set vs free Redeeming vs from depth of darke decay With foure and twentie elders shal we say To him be glorie powerâ— and praise alone That with the Lambe doth sit in loftie throne FINIS The Ladie Compton Hiere 20. Iob. 3. The doinges of man. What shal become of man. Gen. 2. Eccle. 3. The booke of the preacher Man is claye and ashes Iob. 10. Gene. 3. Iob. 3. Man is made of vncleane seede Iob. 14. Psal. 50. Cenception of two sortes The vertues of the soule Delictum Peccatum The nourishment of sinne 1. Ioh. 1. Rom 5. Hiâ—re 31. Ezechi 18. MoÌ„strous children The imbecillitie of all infantes and â—ong â—hildren What this word Eua doth signifye Gen 3. Gen. 35. 1. Reg. 4. Iohn 16. The misâ—ry of tâ—e womâ—n thâ—t bringâ—th forth chyldâ— Preâ—her 5. Iob. 1. 2. Tim. 6. The fruits of hâ—rbes and trees Mat 3. Mark. 8. A man is a tree turned vpside downe Iob. 13. Gen. 6. Psal. 89. Iob. 10. Ibiâ—em 9. â—â— Esa. 38. Ibidem 14. The infirmities of the olde â—an Iob. 5. Eccle. 1. The booke of the precher Eccle. 4. The booke of Iesus sonne of Siracke Ecclesiast 1. Booke of thâ— Preachâ—r Nothing â—o man is perâ—â—â—â—y â—nowâ—e Sapient 9. Eccle. 1. Booke of the Preaâ—her Preacher 8. Psal. 63. Prou. 25. Precher 7â— What paiÌ„nes dangâ—rs men sustaine to becomme riche Pâ—â—cher 2. Iob. â—0 Booke of Iesus 4. Ouyd The misery of the riche man. Preacher 5. Math. 6. The miserie of seruantes Horace Booke of Iesus 13. Men of war. The misery of the master The concâ—piscence of the flesh that troubleth vnmaried men Math. 19. Exod. 21. 1. Corin. 7. The suggestion of the Diuell â— Reg. 11. 1. Corin. The miseri of the maried men Proue 2â— Mat. 5. 1. Coriâ— Prou. 18. Math. 19. Esay 48. 57. â—he misery 〈◊〉 euil men Rom. 1. Ibidem Ibidem 2. Tim. 3. The miserie of good men Hebr. 11. 2 Cor. 11. Ibidem Luke 9. Gal. 6. Hier. 13. Psal. 118. Psal. 119. Ibidem 2. Cor 11. Iob. 1. Four enimies oâ— man the deuiâ— the world the 〈◊〉 and mâ—â—kinde it 〈◊〉 Gal. 5. Ephes. 6. 1. Pet. 5. â— Gen. 5. Psal. 79. Hier. 5. Hurtfull beastes enimies to mankinde Gen. 3. Deut. 22. bidem 30 Rom. 7. Psal. 141. Man hath not one whole day of ioy and pleasure in this life Booke of Iesus 18â— Chap. Iob. 21. Sorow iâ— the compâ—nioÌ„ of maÌ„â— mirth Prou. 14. Iob. 1. Iob. 30. Booke of the Preacher 7. The preacâ—eâ—â— 11â— Booke of Iesus 7. The mortall man is but a liuing death Booke of Iesus 14. Booke of Iesus 11. Psal. 89. Boke of the preacher 4. Iob. 4. Iob. 7. Daniel 2. Preacher 5. IllusioÌ„s in the night timeâ— Leuit. 15 The grieâ—e and sorow man hath for his frionâ—eâ— The paÌ„gs of loue Ouyd Iohâ— 11. The death of tâ—e soule is more to be lamented than the death of the bodi Prou. 27. Booke of the Preâ—cher Ioseph de bello Iuda 10