remeÌ„brance of wicked Amalek from vnder heauen The memorie of the iust shal remaine with their Lord for euer but the name of wordly men it shal perish and that long before the end of this It is a foule vanitie for the leauiug of a short memorie behinde thee in this world to offende thy God And forasmuch as the world is so forgetful of his friends repose thou al thy trust in God as in a most true and assured friende CHAP. 6 The righteous and not the wicked shall be had in remembrance YOur memories may bee compared vnto Ashes saith Iob of worldely men In this life the wind neuer ceaseth to blow and so disperse the ashes I meane the fame and memorie which the worldling so seeketh The Psalmist doth saie The wicked are as the chaffe which the wind driueth away Great is the vanitie of men which knowing that they shall be turned into ashes which the winde bloweth to and fro do yet for all that surmise how their memory shall endure And were it so that thy name should continue for euer among men in this world what the better were thou if thou shouldest by Gods displeasure be throwen hedlong into the pitâ—e of hel would thy great name either deliuer thee from thence or diminish thy paines Couet not therefore a remembrance of thy selfe in this worlde if thy conscience be spotted and polluted with sinne neither desire thou vainely to fly abroad in the mouthes of men for such desires are crossed and haue their end They which loue the world are loued of the world againe for a while which yet is but very short For soone I say very soone are they forgot 〈◊〉 â—hough they had neuer been The memoriall of the iust shall blessed but the name of the wicked shal rot saith the wise man Soone cometh to an ende the remembrance of this worlde Tell if you can I beseech you of the great dignities riches and beautie of so many men of this world before our daies Is not the very names of them euen buried with the bodies Thire proud palaces are ouerthrone thire vaine glorious tombes are destroied and of all their waies not one steppe is knowen The life of man it passeth away like a flowre and that the worldlings bâ—y they pay full dâ—â—re for the same The pleasures were but momentanie but the paine shall be not transitorie but eternall Their glorie was but in the instant but their labour and tormentes in the life to come are infinite These euils many doe not so much as thinke of til they fall into them They purchase with great labour and swet smal honor a litle pleasure which while they think to enioy they are depriued of before they are aware Many haue much laboured to attaine the â—ame and praise of 〈◊〉 yet al in vaine How many haue there beene whose learning was much commended while they were aliue who are not so much as spoken of they being now asleepe Together with their bodies their memories are extinguished Againe where be those great kings and princes with al their pompe riches and delightes Goâ— is their memory like a shadowe as if they had neuer beene Againe our pot and cup companions whose bodies we trample vpoÌ„ with our feete where be they nowe They shal not returne vnto vs but we shal goe after them O how do al thinges passe awaie How are the mightie ouerthrown Al things together with time do consume God â—e alone is euerlasting the pleasures of the world they continue not Al thinges doe faile and soone shal wee be separated one from another soone shal the wormes eate and deuoure the carcases of vs al shortlie wee shal returne into dust and ashes yea the houre it euen 〈…〉 when flesh and blood shal be meete 〈◊〉 and ashes Neuer let it come into our thoughts that wee shall speede better than such as liued afore vs haue done but as they are forgotten so shal we be To conclude al things make haste to their end all thinges are meerely vaine saue onely to loue God which shall last for euer and what glory soeuer the world hath it passeth and is gone in a moment CHAP. 7. Soonest are they forgotten which fauoured the world most of all AN vnwise man knoweth it not and a foole doth not vnderstand this saith the psalmist Much doe men of this world labour aud contend for promotion in the world whoÌ„ afterward the world wil neuer knowe nor acknowledge Great was the friendship Nabal found at the handes of Dauid noâ—withstanding when Dauid was in necessitie he could receiue no reliefe from Nabal for thus he answered the seruantes of Dauid Who is Dauid and who is the the sonne of â—shai There be many seruants now adies that breake away euery man froÌ„ his master Shal I theÌ„ take my bread my water and my flesh that I haue killed for my shearers and giue it vnto men whom I knowe not whence they be Nabal by interpretation is a foole a notable figure of the mutable world which leaueth such in aduersitie as haue serued the same greatly in the daies before This vngratfull world is like vnto an Inkeeper who wil take none acquaintance of his guest neither knowe him as one that can keepe no reckoning of so manie as vse his house notwithstanding the guest do tel how long while he lodged in his house and spent many a faire shilling there So the world it will take no knowledge when it should of such as haue vsed it most If thou desire to be had in remembrance of the world then handle it hardly and make not of the same This is the cause why the worlde forgetteth not good holie men which liued here in this worlde euen because they set nothing by it nor cared for the same So an hoste will sooner haue that ghest in remembrance of whome he receiued damage than him which hath not hurt but brought gaine to his purse O how many haue liued in this world in great authority dignitie and riches who now are no more thought vpon then if they had neuer beene If thou be wise therefore renounce the world and addict thy selfe vnto the seruing of Christ who doth know his sheepe and will feede them for euer in the most goodly pastures of eternall glorie CHAP. 8. Many are the daungers which the men of this world are subiect vnto THey that sayle ouer the sea tel of the perils there of saith the wise maÌ„ wheÌ„ we heare it with our eares wee maruell thereat The nauigation which wee make through the troublesome waues of this world is by so much more dangerous than the other by how much it turneth vs more from the rest of the soule which we expect in the heauens The waters of the sea are bitter so are the pleasures of the world In the sea the great fishes doe eate vppe the small so in the worlde greate men doe euen deuoure and eate vppe the poore the waues of the sea bee neuer at rest but alwayes are mouing and working so the hearts of worldlinges they are neuer quiet but are continually beaten vp and down with the heauy thoghts cares of the world This made the Prophet Isaiah to say The wicked are like the raging sea that cannot rest whose waters cast vp mire and dirt Daniel hee saw the foure windes of the heauen striue vpon the sea The
reedes when they beginne to spring do delight the sight and the eyes are comforted with their goodlie hue and flowers which notwithstanding if you breake you shal find altogether emptie and destitute of substance within Let not the worlde deceaue thee neither suffer thy eyes to be taken with the vaine and apparant bewtie of the same for do thou cast thine eyes into the inward corners thereof thou shalt find there nothing but meere vanitie If the world were opened with the sharpe knife of truth it would by and by bee found both vaine and deceitfull For all in the world eyther it is already past or present or to come That which is past is not now that which is to come is vncertaine that which is present is vnstable and but for a moment It is vanity to trust but greater vanity greatly to esteeme the fauour of the world It is vanitie to desire the promotions but greater vanitie to loue the riches and pleasures of the same It is vanitie to couet the transitory goodes and surely vanity is it to make greate accompt of the corruptible substance of this worlde It is vanity to hunt after the winde of humane commendation vaine be the cares which are bestowed vpon the seruice of this vnhappie world To ende al is vanity sauing to loue and onely to serue God O happy is that man which is not mindeful of the world surely he shal liue at ease neither can any thing reclame him froÌ„ his spirituall exercises so long as he enioyeth the sweetnes and tranquillity of the spirit It is better to bee poore in spirit than rich in sinne it is better to bee little in our owne eyes then great it is better to be of smal learning with humility than to be profoundly learned with vaine and proud mind To abuse thy knowledge other graces vnto more licenciousnes which God hath giuen thee to binde thee thereby the more zealously to serue him it is also meere vanity arrogancy of minde Surely surely that last day at that straight and rigoreus iudgmeÌ„t where the bookes of al menâ— conciences shal be opened and red in the presence of the whole world shal euidently declare how much better it is to be of smal than of great reputation in this world It shal then appeare that better it had bin to haue loued God than to haue disputed about many curious and subtil questions a good conscience shal do more good then than many and hie orations vttered in the world it shal not there be demaunded what wee haue said but what we haue done neither wil it do vs good that we follow the deceipts and false promises but that we haue contemned the glory oâ— this world and better thou shalt finde it at that day for to haue repented thee of thy sinnes than for a time to serue thy fleshly appetites and afterward for euer to bee câ—st into the pit of hell Consider with thy selfe and count howe much thou hast bestowed vpon the world and howe little vpon God and that in this life which he hath lâ—nt thee to serue him in what is become of so many years without profite what fruite hast thou reaped from the tim thou first serued the world The time passed cannot be recouered The daies are passed thou wottest not howe and death shortly wil ouertake thee What hast thou of that which thou hast done Thou hast found in thy friendes no fidelity in them vpon whom thou hast bestowed benefites ingratitude in men generally much fraud and dissimulation See now al is lost whatsoeuer thou hast done That litle experience which thou hast of man and the things whereof thou so complainest they do al and that continually cry vnto thee that God aboue shoulde haue been loued that he alone should haue been serued All thy laboure is lost which is not bestowed vpon the onely seruice of Iesus Christ. That time onely is for thy good which thou emploiest vpon the seruice of God but al the rest tendeth vnto vanity and destruction If yet more exactly thou wilt consider the ingratitude of men and note how a good parte of thy time thou hast spent vpon their seruice it will make thee to lament the time so vnprofitablie consumed and hereafter to addresse thy selfe to serue thy creator And seeing the time passed cannot be recouered woulde to God at the least now thou wouldest beginne to serue him and leade such a life now before thou be very olde as thou thinkest to do when thine heares bee hoary and thou drawest to the graue Doubtlâ—s it is greate vanitie to spende the life in pleasing of men Resigne vp thine appetites doe away thine offâ—ctions and counte that as nothing which now appeareth something CHAP. V. The end of worldly thinges shew them to be but vaine MAnie walke of whome I haue told you often now tell you weeping that they are the enimies of the crosse of christ whose end is damnation as the Apostle saith The end of them which loue the world as witnesseth the Apostle is death and destruction Cleaue not to the thinges which the world doth offer thee for sodainlie thou shalt fal into the snares therof The pleasures therof be the forerunners of death flie the deceites vnlesse thou wouldest be caught consider not what is present but what is to come Be diligent in considering the end of sinne by waying aswell that not yet come as that which is present so shalt thou hate the pleasures and vanities which the world setteth before thine eies Our life is like a riuer running vnto the sea of death The water of the riuer is sweete indeed yet the end thereof is to enter into the bitter waters of the sea Life is sweet to them which loue it but it wil proue bitter to such as draw nigh death The end of the pleasant waters of the riuer proueth bitter so the end of mans life is bitternes it selfe might put her in remeÌ„brance of the ende of al things Againe why did our Lord weepe for the same Ierusalem but onely for that she had not in minde the euilles which were to fall vpon it It is a lamental le thing to haue an eye only to the ioy that is present and not vnto the paine which followeth after pleasure this made Christ to weepe that Ierusalem was so foolishly bewitched with present ioye that shee had not regard of the troubles that would follow Euen so doudtles it is much to bee lamented that thou walt suffer thy selfe so to bee deceaued that thou canst not see the cursed endes of all these worldly pleasures Measure not thy selfe by the things which appeare at the first but wisely consider what wil follow â—ee ruled rather by reason than by a vain appetite And when thou knowest how bitter the ends of these worldly thinges are make not accompt of the goods thereof Desire nothing before you throughly doe knowe whether it be
such like most noysome cogitations and errors Many are depriued of all heauenly ioÃe because they will not be depriued of some worldly authoritie This is a perilous condition for temporall to forgoe the glorie which is eternall O that men would prudently consider the daungers that they are in which be of hie degree suâ—ely I am of minde they would soone be wearie of their glorious estate Mâ—nie haue bin losse and spoiled themselues in their chiefest glorie Adam in that earthly paradise in great glorie he sinned Iob contrariwise encountring with manifold tribulations offended not Adam was in great dignitie obeyed of all and fell but Iob in great miserie despised of all and yet stood He that standeth in an hie tower or some slipperie place is in great danger of falling In more danger be they which stande on the top of loftie buildinges than they which are vpon the firme ground In a lowe degree thou needest not feare so much and more securely thou shalt liue Noble and men of glory in this world they raigne for the most parte in idlenes which is the mother of vices and the step dame of Christian vertues They spend the time idlely and consume it in pastimes and pleasure in vaine delightes and banqueting More doe these men offend than the poore laboring men which get their liuing with the sweat of their browes Woul dest thou attaine the life which is euerlasting Then set thy â—oue vppon those thÃnges which bee here of great account The merchaÌ„t â—uieth his ware good cheape where 〈◊〉 is plenty and selleth it againe in places where it is scant Thou desirest to goe to heauen and thetherwarde thou art bounding take not that with thee thether which is good cheape there There bee all manner of true honor riches and abundance Carrie with thee thether the ware which is not there to be gotten so shalt thou be sure to be well paide for the same Contempt persecutions teares fastinges repentance are not there to bee found if therefore thou prouide thy selfe good store of these wares when thou commest thether thou shalt be sure to bee well rewarded for the same infomuch that thou wilt say thou art rich indeede and of great honor but if thou heape to thy selfe honor vpon honor in this world be thou well assured thou shalt not finde them there Flie therefore from the glorie of this world so shalt thou be glorified in heauen CHAP. 28 The prosperity of this world it is vaine THE prosperity of fooles destroyeth them sayeth the wise man Much oughtest thou to feare the prosperitie of this present worlde if thou hast any desire to bee of a lowly minde and to serue thy Sauiour Christ. Saul than whome there was not a more holy and better man in his low estate being once aduanced ouer the people of Israel his heart withall became exceeding proud Dauid in his aduersity spared the life of his enemie Saul but in prosperity tooke away the life of his faithfull seruant Vriah â— He that in the time of persecution gaue life vnto them that had deserued death in prosperity brought vnto death such as deserued life It is a hard thing to be wise and prosperous too Looke how thou vse prosperitie well for such shal be thy punishment as thou hast been negligent in thy flourishing estate Dangerous is that life which seemeth to be the nourisher of great security and negligence Many of good men became proude and dissolute being once aduanced vnto high degrees of promotion After prosperitie foloweth the forgetfulnesse of God The request of Ioseph vnto the chiefe butler of Pharao was that he would haue him in remeÌ„brance when he was in goodcase yet the chief butler did not remember Ioseph but forgot him saieth the Scripture The king of Aegipt Pharao in his prosperitie saide who is the Lorde that I should heare his voice and let Israel goe I know not the Lorde neither will I let Israell goe but in his tribulation he began to know God and besought Moses and Aaron to praie vnto God for him S. Peter being aloft in glorie vpon the mount Thabor wished for three Tabernacles there One for Christ another for Moses the third for Elias but he had neither himselfe nor his fellowe Disciples in remembrance And no maruell for in prosperitie man forgeteth commonly both himselfe and his friendes too It is more dangerous sailing vpon the sweete waters of the running riuers than vppon the salt waters of the wide sea In more daunger thou art in the ioyful time of prosperitie than in the troublesome stormes ofaduersitie The nigher thou art to prosperitie the nigher thou art to thy peril the vniting therof to the flesh is the killing of the soule Thinke of prosperitie as of a thing lent thee but for a shorte time and may easilie be taken away thinke againe of aduersitie that it is momentanie so the more patiently shalt thou endure the same Flie from prosperitie and the vain honors of this world if in the other you would liue for euer-more with Iesus Christ. It is better to bee troubled with Christ than to spend thy life in a flourishing state Despise therefore from thine heart the felicitie of this present world so shalt thou come vnto the glory of heauen which is eternall CHAP. 29. Great good commeth by persecution AL that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shal suffer persecution Euill trees which beare no fruit are not beaten but hewen downe by the rootes and cast into the fire as our Sauiour saieth of the withered figge tree but it is otherwise with good trees which are not hewen downe though they bee beaten The Lord compareth men vnto trees among whom the euil so wel as the good doe suffer persecution but when death once approcheth the wicked shal be cut vp by the roots and throwen headlong into the fire of hell If thou suffer persecution take it not greeuously but thanke GOD that hath admitted thee to bee one of that number which hee hath chosen for himselfe Christ himselfe hath suffered persecution and all that haue loued Christ at any time haue endured the same If thou thereforâ— art without persecution feare least all manner of euils fall vpon thee at the point of death that may foreuer roote and raze thee out of the ioyes of heauen Thinke not thy selfe the more acceptable in Gods sight because thou sufferest no persecution Christ wee reade gaue vnto Iudas a sop wheÌ„ it was dipped when the rest of the Disciples did eate drie bread yet was not Iudas any whit the holier and more perfect for al that Thinke not thy selfe the better if thou eate thy bread with varietie of pleasant sauses yea better it may bee are the poore feeding on the drie bread It is the wâ—nt of God to deale his earthly blessinges more liberally vpon sinners than vpon righteous men Did not the Lord betrust Iudas with the
mony bag But the rest of the Disciples haâ— the charge of preaching committed vnto them Iudas had the sweete morsel giuen him but the Apostles had the soure Yet I Say vnto thee it is better to bee poore with the Apostles thaÌ„ rich with Iudas and better it is to eate the drie bread of repentance in sadnesse and sorrow with Christ and his Disciples than to liue in deliciousnes with vngodly men In the time of persecution fainte not but bee of courage listen what the Lord doth say If they haue persecuted mee they will persecute you also His most holy mother by many tribulations came vnto the glorious condition of the heauenlie Saintes and thinkest thou to attaine thereunto by ease and pleasure It is great persecution not to suffer persecution The sick man of whose recouery there is no hope hath all thinges giuen him by the Phisition that his heart can desire If all thinges fall out as thou wouldest haue it thou hast iust cause to suspect that God is much displeased and hath giueâ— thee ouer An happy man is he that patiently receiueth tribulations from the hand of God Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake Thou canst patiently endure to haue thy veines opened and diuers other thinges for th'attainement of thy bodyly health why then for the welfare of thy soule doest thou not abide persecution Looke not vpon the paine present but vnto the health that will ensue regard not the present affliction but the blessed rewarde that in the ende thou shalt haue He that passeth ouer any arme of the Sea that he may not bee troubled with the giddines of the head will cast his eyes not vppon the waters but vpon the firme land So east thou the eyes of thy soule vppon the land of the liuing and not vpon the raging waues of persecution so many afflictions shalt thou easily auoid sayling vpon the tempestuous sea of this troblesom world S. Stephen when he was persecuted looked stedfastly into heauen from whence he expected a crown of glory We must through many afflictions enter into the kingdom of God Persecution is the money wherwith God rewardeth his seruants in this world Many are so childish that rather they had to abide sicke and diseased than to receiue any physicke that is better or to bee seared with yron if necessity do so require The glory of a Christian is in the patient suffering of a affliction for the name of Christ. S. Paul though taken vp into the thirde heauen and adorned with special graces of the holy Spirit yet of himselfe he would not reioyce except it were of his infirmites A valiant souldier wil more boast of his manhood shewen and of his wound-receaued in the warres than of the fauour of his Lord and Master So a Christian should more reioyce in tribulation than in al the graces and giftes receaued from God Let thy glorie bee in the crosse of the Lord thy God and in thy sufferring for his sake If we be dead with him we also shal liue with him If we suffer we also shal raigne with him CHAP. 30. To be in fauour with greate men of this world it is a vaine thing KIng Ahashuerosh did promote HamaÌ„ exalted him set his seate aboue al the Princes that were with him But what good had he by the fauour of king Ahasuerosh Surely it made to his greater shame and destruction Though promotion come from the Lord yet by reason of thy wicked inclination it doth more hurte than profite thee many times Christ commended Peter saying he was blessed because flesh and bloud had not reuealed the confession whâ—ch he had made of Christ but the heauenly Father But so was he blinded with that fauour that so much as in him laie he would haue hindered the passion of our Sauiour Christ for which hee had a sharpe rebuke and that deseruedly If therefore wee abuse the fauoure of God himselfe to our hurt the fauoure of man will doe little good thorough our owne default The grace and fauoure which his mistresse in AEgipt shewed him tended but vnto the meere destruction of Ioseph As pure wine doth disquiet the head so the fauour of this world worketh our annoie therefore it is good to mingle the same with the water of detraction that wee growe not proude through our gracious beeing in the eyes of the great When the worde of adulation doth puffe vs vp then is the tongue of the murmurer necessary to bring vs downe The rebukes and hatred of other men they bring vs directly to the knowledge of our selues He that liueth in disgrace knoweth himselfe though no man else doe know him It is much better to know our selues than to be known of other men and more hurt doth fauour and friendship than displeasure and hatred many times Displeasure profiteth because it humbleth bringeth a man to the knowledge of himselfe whereas fauour doth vs blinde that we cannot see our selues Liuing in disgrace thou art driuen to seeke and so shalt finde God but beeing in the fauour of men thou maiest easily loose him Take not thy selfe for the better man though thou haue a good countenance of men of power but beare in mind that saying in the Gospel Remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures likewise Lazarus paines therfore is he comforted and thou art tormented Thou shal hardly be of honor in this life and in the other too They which enioy this worlde and are exalted heere being not the seruantes of God shall in the end bee excluded from the inheritance of the heauenly kingdome which is reserued onely for the good They which despise worldly fauour shall haue heauenly felicitie If wicked men doe prosper grieue not thy selfe for they cannot looke for any part or portion of celestiall ioyes Therefore as the seruant of Iesus Christ contemn thou the fauour of worldly men and with patience expect that glorious day at which thou shalt enioy the euerlasting fauour of God CHAP. 31 Afflictions are profitable WE must through manie afflictions enter into the kingdom of God saieth the Scripture and the Psalmist in the person of God doeth saie I wil be with him in trouble Affliction is a faithful messinger he that doth iniurie to the messinger of a king doth offer iniurie to the king himselfe So he offendeth God likewise which is grieued at the afflictioÌ„ which God doth send let him looke to bee punished as Hanun was of Dauid for abusing the messeÌ„gers which he sent vnto him That which the fanne is to the corne the file to the iron the fire to the gold that is tribulation to a righteous man Be fauourable vnto Zion for thy good pleasure builde the walles of Ierusalem said the Prophet Saint Peter calleth vs liuely stones Thou canst not make an high building without a low foundation and vnlesse
life of man is a lie it is an image an image is but a figure of the tâ—ueth And this life is not the true life but a figure of life and the shadowe of death It is not that which it seemeth to be but a shadow of truth it is an apparance of life which runneth in such hast that it is vnpossible to be restrained or reteined backe Besides as the life runneth towarde the ende so together with life both the riches honors and pleasures of this worlde doe passe awaie The sinfull pleasure which was taken in them then taketh an end but the torments which they haue purchased doe then begin but they shall neuer end The pleasure was but short but the paines will be euerlasting I would faine vnderstande what thinge is of continuance in this worlde It may bee some will saie riches and some the glorie of the world but how soone are they gone but Iob he saith My daies haue bin more swift than aposte they haue fled haue seen no good thing They are passed as with the most swift shippe and as the Eagle that flyeth to the praie In a word our life passeth awaie euen in the twincklinge of an eie so doth our youth passe awaie and with that our bewtie the floure of this life it passeth away and all thinges most speedily come to an end CHAP. 36. God hath made this life so short to the end his seruantes may the sooner come to those ioyes which they so desire MAN is borne vnto trauaile saith Iob Wee come into the world with teares wee liue in the world with labour we go out of the world with paine In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate thy bread said God vnto Adam Now forasmuch as the life of man is a continuall trauaile vpon earth of his infinite goodnesse God woulde needes shorten our life to the ende that the more cherefully wee might beare the paine God of meere pittie will not that thou shouldest labor any long time neither dooth hee consent that our trauaile in this world should last for euer Hee hath determined our banishment to be but short And seeing he hath created vs to be glorified with him and our glory is in heauen his care is speedily to take vs to himselfe because hee loueth vs. It is for our great good that our life is so short euen that contemning this present life wee should learne to loue that life which is both eternall blessed Iob he said vnto God Spare mee for my dayes are vanity Now because Iob did see that his daies were short he determined to aske mercy of God and to repent Howbeit many so liue as though they should neuer die occupying themselues in the vanities of this life whereas life is giuen them to the end they should endeuour to attaine that glorious and blessed life in the heauens But hee is worthy of sharpe correction which regardeth any thing more than that eternall and aye continuing life in the celestiall paradise Doe thou well consider the shortnesse of this life and withall beholde that durable and eternall state and it cannot bee but thou wilt loue that which is to come and easily contemn the life which is present At such time as he saw the wickednes of men exceedingly to encrease God purposed to cut the same short because they should not grow bold in sinning vpon hope of their long life So the same God that we may not still mispeÌ„d the time giuen vnto vs to amend our wicked manners he hath shortened the same that wee may not adde sinne still vnto sinne When that men liued more innocently in the beginning of the world God gaue them long liues but as he saw sinne to encrease and time to be abused so hee made the life of man shorter and shorter The Psalmist saith Thou hast set our iniquities before thee our secret sinnes in the light of thy countenance For alour dais are past in thine anger wee haue spent our yeeres as a thought The time of our life is threescore yeeres ten if they be of strength fourescore yeers The prophet here implieth that for our sins our life is shortened As the fine and delicate web which the spider cunningly hath woauen is with a small blast of wind broken and dissolued so the life of man which so much labour sustaineth euen by a little blaste of sicknesse or aduersity it is consumed and taken from vs. Therefore loue it not being so short and vncertaine This is not the heauenly but the terrestriall life the place where wee liue it is not our natiue Country but the place of banishment this life it hath an ende but that country where God inhabiteth together with his elect it shall haue none end He that taketh paine and laboureth hard here in this present life is very foolish if hee desire not to be at quiet rest for euer with Christ in that most happy place of heauen What bondman but desireth his natiue country What prisoner endungened but would see the light Surely this world is not our owne country but a Babylonish prison If thou desire a long life thou desirest a long imprisonment if thou desirest an olde age thou desirest a long sicknesse Where there is now hope of life desire death Death serueth for comfort vnto vs to asswage the pains arising from our labours which be neuer finished but after death He which is to goe a iourney were better goe betime then too late Happy is he that liueth with patience and desireth death Happy is that soule which God speedily will bring vnto euerlasting rest in the heauens God which in al his works is good to deserue well at thine hands would therefore haue thy life to bee short euen that thou shouldest loue him and so attaine vnto that life which is euerlasting CHAP. 37 Many are the daungers which the life of man is subiect vnto THE dayes of man are as grasse as a flower of the field so flourisheth he saieth the prophet speaking of mans life To many dangers is the flower of the field open The sunne burneth the winde drieth man treadeth the beast eateth the water drowneth the water consumeth the same In like sort who is able with tongues to vtter the daungers which the life of man is subiect vnto Sorrow will kill ficknesse will consume the sea will drowne him and many other wayes his life may be taken from him when little he thinks of death Iob saith My dayes are passed at the most swift shippes againe They haue beene more swift then a Post. He saide truely that they passed away more swiftly than a Poste For the Poste though he runne much yet sometime hee must rest to refresh his body But the dayes of man they are alwaies going and without intermission they runne towardes death Whether thou sleepe or whether thou wake all thy life long euery houre yea euery moment thou runnest with all
himselfe a slaue vnto them The least thing that is sufficeth a poore man but nothing can satisfie the greedy minde of a couetous churle Other sinners though they haue no portion of ioy in the other world yet they enioy the present state but the couetous man hath no ioy in neither and therefore the most miserable Hee that putteth his confidence in riches is a foole The couetous man is neuer without some excuse when hee should giue to him that needeth It is greater honour than to win a kingdome to conquer a mans inordinate desires The Diuel being asked of God from whence hee came answered from compassing the earth to and fro and from walking in it So doe the couetous men they compasse the earth about as the Diuel did and doth but toward heauen they neuer looke The couetous rich man is a pray for his Prince a marke for theeues to shoote at and a cause of quarrell among his kinsfolke and friends The couetous man is vnworthy to haue a place either with the Angels aboue in heauen or with men below in earth and â—herefore he would be buried with â—udas the traitor that for the loue of mâ—nieâ—old his master euen the Sâ—uiour of the world The couetous man before he wiâ—neth any thing is first wonne hiâ—selfe and before hee taketh ought is taken himselfe â—ee burneth here in this worlde with the fire of inordinate desire and afterward shall burne in the fire of hell Diues beeing in hell desired that with the tâ—p of Lazarus finger his thirst might be quenched Woulde so little water thinkest thou aswage the heate of the fire of hell No doutlesse For if that had beenne granted he would haue desired more still without ceasing Such as the state of this man was in hell such is the state of all couetous persons in this worlde they desire a drop of riches when all the waters and seas of worldly substance will not quench their thirst Euery thing that is heauy doeth naturally incline towards his â—entre But nothing doth so peâ—se downe the heart of man as couetousnesse They sanke downe to the bottome as a stone saith the Scripture of Pharao and all his hoast Couetousnesse of all other sinnes reuiueth and waxeth young againe when a man is olde If thou dost lie vpon the earth with thy breast and drinke of the running waters of these worldly riches thou shalt bee discharged from the seruice of God as Gedeon discharged the like men that went out to fight against the Medianites Was not Achan stoned Gehazi plagued with a leprosie Iudas hanged Ananias and Sapphira punished with sudden death and all for couetousnesse Beware therefore of it Hee that ouercommeth this vice of auarice is a stronger man than he that vanquished his bodely enemie If thou heapest vp riches together thou makest a heape of wood wherwith thou shalt bee burned in hel as the Phenix is in this world As the Physicion forbiddeth a sick man that which hee knoweth to bee hurtfull for him to the end hee may recouer his health so God as a good physicion forbiddeth man couetousnesse as hurtfull to the soule whom if hee harken not vnto hee is like Adam who not obeying God which did prohibite him to eate of the tree in the middest of the garden fell into infinite troubles and afflictionâ— Obey therefore the commaundement of God whose will it is that thou shouldest flye from couetousnesse if thou wouldest haue any part in the kingdome of heauen CHAP. 37. God he blesseth the liberal man GIue and it shal bee giuen you saith the Lord Christ compareth riches vnto thornes which laide vppon a mans bare hande they will not hurt him but if hee close his hande together they wil draw blod and the faster the hande is shute so much the more is the harme that hee shall take thereby Riches doe not hurte the open but the hand that is shut Blessed is that man of whom it may bee said as it was of that good woman She stretcheth out her hand to the poore and putteth forth her hand to the needie If thou giue to a poore man thou shalt receiue good mony for Copder If thou impartest of thine aboundance thou shalt encrease in virtue like vnto the tree whose superfluous bowes be cropped of He shall neuer want any thing that for Christ his sake giueth his goods liberally no more than meale and oile was wanting in the widdowes house though shee were very poore which ministred sustenance to the Prophet Heliah Many doe say if I sawe such a poore man as Helyah was I would doe him good but they are deceiued for in not giuing to the Lord of Heliah how would they giue to Heliah himselfe He that giueth to the poore giueth to Christ. Inasmuch at ye haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethren yee haue don it vnto me saith Christ himselfe Therefore if you helpe not the Lord of Heliah how should you releue Heliah himselfe Blessed is he that iudgeth wisely of the poore the Lord shal deliuer him in the time of trouble In the day of iudgment thou shalt be examined touching the workes of mercy Many doe spend their goods and their wealth vppon their houses vppon tapestry horses thinking there by to get a name and fame among men When more commendation they should purchase if they bestowed their wealth vppon the poore that can giue them good words than vppon any other creatures which haue no reason at all Neither the beds nor the wals of thine house haue any â—ong at all to praise thee as the poore haue that will blaze abroade thy goodnesse Be thou liberall and so both God will like and man will loue thee The liberal man hath many frindes though many of them be very vngratful Neuer can he want friends which is liberal toward other men and neuer can he haue any friendes which is a couetous man The poore doe him curse and his kinred doe wish him dead If the couetous man doe fall thorough some vice which he hath euery one doth blowe abroad his defamation but if the liberall man doe sinne al doe excuse and purge him the best they can Many benefites doth he receiue which knoweth well how to giue and he may take himselfe for an happy man on the earth Better is it to giue than to take as better is it to loue than to hee loued For to loue is an action of the mind but to bee loued is not so many somtime are loued which deserue it not God for his part he giueth vnto all but receiueth of none the more therfore a man giueth the more he resembleth God his maker The Sunne excelleth the other planets because it ministreth light vnto the starres The more vile and odious that a couetous man is the more noble and renowned is the liberal man Riches to wise men are as fetters
is good and will yeelde fruit but if it be drie it affordeth none at all If the though bee good it ministreth good matter vnto the will to take holde of which beeing maintained and holpen forwarde with vnderstanding doth bring forth good desires from which good workes doth proceede Thou must not continue in euell thoughts which the Lord cannot abide as appeareth by the prophet Ieremiah How long shall thy wicked thoughtes remaine within thee So long as the Gentiles were mixed and remained with the people of Israell so long was God absent from them and would not speake vnto them at all So God hee will forsake thee if thou allow any place for euill cogitations in thine heart When a litle sparke of an euill thought doth catch hold in thy mind thou must not blow on it to kindle it thereby least afterward it grow into a fire vnquenchable to consume thee withall The silke wormes bee at the first but little graines like vnto Mustarde-seede but by the carrying of them about in womens bosomes they doe gather an heate whereby they come vnto life and so proue wormes Pewaâ—e that thou sow not the seedes of sensuality in thy corrupted imagination least by the heate of naturall concupiscence they proue wormes to gnaw thy conscience into peeces Nourish not thine euill thoughtes with the heate of worldly loue neither let thy consent yeeld vnto them least thou be deceiued and perish with au euil death CHAP. 26. Idlenesse is the enimie vnto godlinesse IDlenesse bringeth much euell saith the wise man Aboue all thinges shunne thou idlenesse as the mother of vices the stepdame of vertue Idlenesse it is nought else but the death and graue of a liuing man If God would not that man at the first beeing created in originall righteousnesse and endued with so many excellent graces should lead his life in idlenesse thinkest thou that thou art Idlely to passe-away thy time beeing enuironed with so many enemies The Lord tooke Adam and put him into the Garden of Eden that hee might dresse it and keepe it But Adam euen in that estate of his was foyled through the malice and subtiltie of Satan and thinkest thou a weake and wicked man liuing idlely in pleasures to be safe Man is borne vnto trauell as the sparkes fly vpward as Iob saith c As God hath giuen the birde two winges to flie with-all so hath â—â—e giuen thee two handes to worke withall The birder will not shoot at a bird while shee flieth but when she siâ—tâ—th still The Diuell then seeketh to oppugne and ouerthrow thee not when thou art occupied but when thou art idle Bee alwaies there fore doing of some good least when thou art idle thou bee ouertaken The vessell that is employed to some vse and full already it can receiue no more into it and the minde that is full fraught already with good thinges hath no roome in the same for idle wicked cogitations Vnlesse it be empty either wholy or in part the enimie of mankind Satan can put nothing thereunto The running water it bringeth forth the best fishes but the standing water as marrishes lakes and such like they engeder froggs and serpentes and the fish that is within them is vnsauory and daungerous to bee eaten So long as thou art idles what bringest thou forth but idle or dishonest and euil cogitations Shunne thou idlenesse as thou wouldest the plague vnlesse thou wouldest be taken prisoner by a number of sinnes So long as Dauid was kept occupied by the persecutions of Saule hee committed none adultery but when hee sate quâ—etly and idlely in his pallace he then defiled himselfe with the wife of another man Solomon also so long as hee emploied his time in building of the temple hee abstained from many thinges but beeing idle from great affaires hee fell and was foiled with outragious wickednesse The Children of Dan they destroyed the citie Laish with fire and smote the people with the edge of the sworde while they sate quietly gaue themseleus vnto idlenesse Idlenesse it is the nourisher of carnall vices Shunne thou idlenesse and thou shalt easely destroy many a dishonest motion in the minde in cutting of all entrance of idle thoughts by godly businesse When the righteous Iaakob fled because of his brothers wrath wisedome she led him the right waie shewed him the kingdome of God gaue him knowlede of holy thinges made him rich in his labors and made her pains profitable saide the wise man The way vnto heauen is ful of trauaile and continuall occupations of holinesse and vertuous exercises If thou hadest in remembrance that one day thou shalt giue a straight account of all the time thou now mis-spendest thou wouldest endeuour with might and maine to loose no time at all The spirit of God sheweth it selfe to all men where that is there if none idlenesse Solomon praiseth a good 〈◊〉 wife among other thinges because she eateth not the bread of idlenesse By idlenesse time is lost which is a most precious thing Gather the Manna in the week daies that thou maiest rest when the Sabaoth day doth come take paines and trauaile while thou art in this life that thou maiest rest and take thine ease while the great day of of that eternall Saboath shall appeare The slothfull will not plowe because of winter wherefore shall he begge in sâ—mmer but haue nothing If thou passe thy time heere in idlenesse looke to famin for foode and be the meate of Satan in the infernall pit Idle persons that stood still and did not worke bee reproued in the Gospell The land that lieth idle and is not tilled husbanded it bringeth forth thistles and thornes as by experience wee doe see Beware of idlenesse if thou doe not thou wilt bring forth no goodnesse but much euell to tâ—â— dishonour of God and hurt of 〈◊〉 I wil thou shouldest affirme that they which haue beleeued in God might bee careful to shew forth good workes saith the Apostle And I must worke the workes of him that sent me while it is day saith our Sauiour Christ Employ therefore the ground oâ— thine heart vnto holy and good exercises that in the ende thou mayest reape the worthy fruite of thy labours CHAP. 27. Good words are not onely to be done but they must also zealouslie be done BE not slouthfull to doe seruice be feruent in Spirite seruing the Lorde saith the Apostle God requireth feruencie in good workes More account doth God make of one houre spent in godly zeale than of a thousand coldly consumed in his seruice For GOD regardeth more the zeale than the time in working whereby thou maiest perceaue that in a little time thou maiest gaine much The theefe which did hang on the crosse by our Sauiour Christ if you consider time serued God but a moment as it were and yet in that short time he came into the euerlasting fauor of