regard furâ—â—â—he matter that is written in them â—e not thou like vnto a little child â—â—â—e thou arte now come to mans estate 〈◊〉 doe not rest thy selfe in the conâ—â—â—plation of the bewtie of that thinge which thou beholdest but let it serue thâ—â— as a booke to finde out the true causâ— the geuer thereof that thou mayst there be moued the more to loue hym and gyue him the greater glorye therefâ—â—â— Thou shalte finde written in euerie of 〈◊〉 creatures yf thou consider theÌ„ well thâ—â— is God which is the Creator of them aâ—â— The creatures be as it were spectacâ—â— which serue vs not to see our selues but to make vs to see other thinges 〈◊〉 better by them So must thou vse thâ— creatures not for to see theÌ„ nor thy 〈◊〉 in theÌ„ but to see beholde God in the If thou doest loue and esteeme thy seâ—â— because thou art bewtifull and fayre I 〈◊〉 then aske of thee doth not this beâ—â— proceedâ— from the soule Take from thy body thy soule 〈◊〉 then what thinge is vyler and more 〈◊〉 then thy bodie If thy bodie then serâ—â— vnto thee bewtifull how muche 〈◊〉 owghtest thou to thinke thy soule beâ—â—â—â—full and to loue that which is the cause thy bodies bewtie If the onelie preseâ—â— of thy soule be cause of the bewtie of 〈◊〉 bodie of what bewtie then mayest 〈◊〉 thinke thy soule to be of In the soule â—â—â—â—sisteth the trewe perfecte bewtie foâ— other bewty is but as a shadowe that 〈◊〉 passeth awaye and vanisheth Thou 〈◊〉 not consider the barke nor the outwaâ—â— apparence but rather cast thyne 〈◊〉 toward the roote loue and esteemeâ— â—â—â—ynninge of all that which appeareth so â—â—â—e on the outside vpon that as vpon a 〈◊〉 foundation grounde both thy loue 〈◊〉 affection And of bodelie bewtie make no acâ—â—â—te which is by a litle sickenes or other â—â—â—alties soone taken awaye Thy dayes 〈◊〉 awaye in hast Thy yowth is soone â—â—â—e And toward thine olde age and so â—â—â—sequentlye vnto death thou passest â—â—â—y as fast which when it cometh what 〈◊〉 then become of all thy bewtie and 〈◊〉 fayre lookes If eyther in thy selfe or â—â—â—y other bodie thou findest any bewâ—â—â—â—l countenance calle to thy rememâ—â—â—â—ce in how shorte space death will â—â—â—re that fayre white skynne and how â—â—â—w will those eyes be and feaâ—â—full to â—olde that were before so brighte and 〈◊〉 to looke vpon And how filthie and â—â—â—e will all that bodie be that seemeth 〈◊〉 so bewtifull to thyne eye â—his veritie is now for the tyme coueâ—â—â— with falsehood and this deceyuable â—â—warde shew hydeth the certaynetie of 〈◊〉 â—ruth This outwarde shew of vayne â—â—â—e doth nothing els but secretlie deâ—â—â—e our eyes It burneth worse then the 〈◊〉 of the fyre for no man is burned 〈◊〉 the fyre but he which toucheth it â—â—â—ewtie burneth a farre of Vnder this â—â—â—terfeyt signe is their muche matter â—â—â—e let the eyes of thyne vnderstaÌ„ding â—â—â—e out the secret misteries thereof I wolde not haue thee to abuse thâ— eyes with the verie fyrst shew or 〈◊〉 ouerthrowen at the first blow but as soâ—â— as thou seest any bewtifull sighte whicâ— like to enflame thy mynde with any vaâ—â—â— affection calle straight to thy mynde 〈◊〉 thinge man is And yf thou woldest exercise thy 〈◊〉 often tymes in the consideration theâ—â— Thou shouldest take such an habituall â—â—â—ceyte thereof that thou mightest euer 〈◊〉 serue God with a pure a cleane my 〈◊〉 and quite dischardge thine affection 〈◊〉 such fond vanities Labour to bewtifâ—â—â— to adorne well thy soule for al other 〈◊〉 is nowght els but vayne corruptible 〈◊〉 transitorie whiche tyme consumeth 〈◊〉 quickeâ—â—e bringeth to nothinge THE VVEARINGE OF Gâ—â—â—gious and braue apparell is not coâ—â—â—nient for a true proffessor of Chriâ—â— Religion cheefelye because thâ—â— tokens of a vaine glorious mynde CHAP. 16. NEVER boast thee of thy â—â—â—â—mentes sayth Ecclesiasâ—â—â—â—â— If the superfluitie of â—â—â—rell had not bene repâ—â—â—â—sible Christ wolde 〈◊〉 haue commended S. 〈◊〉 Baptist for his moderation and 〈◊〉 â—â—at behalfe Nor S. Luke the Euangeâ—â—â—â—n wryting of the rich man wolde neâ—â—â— haue touched him for that he vsed to â—â—â—re pretious and sumptuous apparell â—â—â—nd our Sauiour him selfe sayeth That 〈◊〉 which doe apparell them selues in 〈◊〉 and costly array doe dwell in kinges â—â—â—ses in the howses he sayeth of temâ—â—â—â—ll kinges not the howse of the eterâ—â—â—â— kinge of heauen Since the holy Ghost the author of â—â—â—â—pture condemneth the proude appaâ—â—â—â—ng of the rich man that was damned 〈◊〉 commendeth the holy precursor S. 〈◊〉 for the sharpenes and austeritie of 〈◊〉 cloathinge It is a greate argument to 〈◊〉 in how great daunger they doe lyue 〈◊〉 delyghte in rich aray and how vayne â—â—â—se persons be that doe spende their â—â—â—e and welth in such kinde of vanitie 〈◊〉 If thou doest not apparell thee gorgiâ—â—â—â—y to any ill ende yet at the leaste thou â—â—â—st lose much tyme therein which is 〈◊〉 most pretious thing that thou hast And although it be not alwayes diâ—â—â—â—lye a sinne to weare such curious and â—â—â—â—ycate apparell yet hath it alwayes some â—â—â—itie annexed vnto it for commonly 〈◊〉 which doe weare it doe loue the â—â—â—re to be seene and commeÌ„ded of men â—â—â—cy little doe profit in vertue and their â—â—rite doth wax colde in deuotion And 〈◊〉 when thou hast bestowed all thy laâ—â—â—r to make thy selfe syne and trymme yet shalt thou neuer be comparable 〈◊〉 the poore flower of the field For Saloâ—â— with all his glory was neuer lyke vnto 〈◊〉 of the fresh flowers of the field The Apostle sayeth That if we 〈◊〉 wherewith to cloth vs let vs be conâ—â—â—ted It sufficeth for the simple folower 〈◊〉 Christ to weare such comly apparell 〈◊〉 most conformable to his estate and â—â—â—ling Flye from all curiositie for it is a â—â—â—ken that who so setteth much by 〈◊〉 outwarde stuffe is little occupied aboâ—â— the adorning of the inward man King â—â—â—lomon by meanes of much adorning 〈◊〉 him selfe and his Courte fell to be fâ—â—â—getfull of his duetie towarde God 〈◊〉 tooke little care of his soule so as he 〈◊〉 at last to the adoring of Idolls Men 〈◊〉 vse to beholde the outside but God lâ—â—â—keth into the harte and they seeke 〈◊〉 how to content men that are so much â—â—â—cupied in these exterior thinges But harken what the Apostle S. Paâ—â— sayeth If I shold attend vnto the pleaâ—â—â—â— of men I sholde not then be the seruâ—â—â— of Iesus Christ. If thou wert mortificâ—â—â— thou oughtest to be thou woldest 〈◊〉 all these superfluous cares The outwâ—â—â— busines driueth away the good thoughâ—â— from the hart One man cannot sufficeâ—â— so many cares at once he must needes 〈◊〉 in the one of them and for the settiâ—â— out of his bodie confounde his soule 〈◊〉 Apostle saith that the holie fathers 〈◊〉 olde testament went appareled with 〈◊〉 made of camels goates heare 〈◊〉 were men as wee are but consideâ—â—â—â— with them selues that they
to satisfie thyne appetite with the wynde of this worldlie vanitie The Prophet saide vnto God of wâ—â—rldlie men their bellie is filled with â—hose thinges which thou keepest most secret Lordes and great men vse to set out the best thinges in their house to the most 〈…〉 of the eye They hange vp their hanginges of silke and Arras in their 〈◊〉 and cheefest chambers of resort 〈◊〉 the most base vyle thinges of their 〈…〉 they bestow in the corners and 〈…〉 of the house Euen so doth 〈…〉 the riches of his glory of his 〈…〉 the open market affordinge 〈…〉 pennyworth thereof to as many as 〈◊〉 buye of yt But the golde and siluer 〈…〉 worthie to be esteemed and 〈…〉 the verie sweeping and 〈…〉 house he hath hid vnder the 〈…〉 and set them out of sight Of 〈◊〉 secret thinges then which in gods 〈…〉 nought worth nor reputed for 〈…〉 Dauid sayth The bellie of these â—â—â—â—dlie men is full They fill them selues with aire gather together the most vyle thinges of gods house to make their â—â—â—â—sor of These worldlie thinges be like vnto a sharpe liquore which neuer satisfieth 〈◊〉 prouoketh the appetite to take more 〈◊〉 they shall suffer huÌ„ger like dogges and shall goe rounde aboute the citie sayth the Prophet Dauid They goe round about the earth to get honors and riches but for all that their hunger will not be satisfied The Prophet Aggeus sayth vnto worldlie men Thou hast eaten but thou hast not satisfied thy selfe thou hast put on thy clothes and art neuer the warmeâ— The more worldlie thinges that thou hast the more shalt thou desire of them the vehemencie of thy thirst shal be the greater Thou art like one that eateth salâ—â— And as he that throweth oyle into the 〈◊〉 to quench it Labor not to seeke 〈◊〉 the vanities of this world for thou shalt neuer quench therewith the thyrst of thâ—â— soule although thou gettest that whiâ—â—â— thou doest desire THE SOVLE BEINGE indued vvith reason and created after the image of God ought to delighte and reioyce onlie in hym and of hym receyue perfect comforte CHAP. 2. OPEN thy mouth and I will fill it sayth God After that our Lorde had recommended vnto his people the obseruing of his commaundemeÌ„tes In reward thereof he tolde them that yf they wold opeÌ„ their mouthes he wold fill them Thou must not vnderstand this by our bodely mouth which being of so small a quaÌ„titie is soone filled but of the mouth of the soule which as our desire and our longinge The whole world is not able to satisfie the greate desire of our soule but onlie God whiche created our soule after his owne Image and likenes who is he that saide Put forth thy petition and extend thy desire for I am he that must satisfie fulfill it and none other besyde me The reasonable soule which is created after the image and likenes of God may well be occupied aboute many thinges but it shall neuer be satisfied nor filled but with God hym selfe In hym it is at rest quyetnes and by hym it receyueth perfect ioye and felicitie Happie is that soule vnto the which God is all thinges and nothing is pleasant vnto yt but God alone besyde hym all thinges are bitter greeuous Our soule shall neuer fynde rest yf it seeke for comforte in earthlie thinges The vessell whilest it is in the water seemeth not heauie but as soone as it cometh out of the water the heauines and waight thereof appeareth The reason is because the substance thereof being earth or that which is nearest vnto earth it hath most agreement and coÌ„uenience with the element of water when it is vpon the water So when thou art with God in hart by faythfull loue thou art in the element that is most proper and proportionate vnto thee and remaynynge there with hym thou goest away merely with good contentment But when thou doest loue the world thou goest cleane out of thyne owne proper element which is God and therefore euerie thinge then seemeth paynefull and heauie vnto thee The wicked men fynde much trouble busines euen in the middest of their honors and good men finde comfort and quyetnes in all reproches that can be gyuen theÌ„ Only in God is true ioye of hart And out of God is there neyther peace nor pleasure As thy bodie can neuer take rest being layed vpon a narrowe peece of wood so shall thy soule neuer fynde any rest in thinges of this world All that whiche is not God hym selfe doth no more good vnto the soule then it doth ease to the bodie to sleepe vpon a boorde that is not three fingers brode Thou oughtest to consider that thou canst gâ—t no rest by louing the thinges of the earth and for that cause thou oughtest to turne thee vnto God alone yf thou wilt get a quyet lyfe VVhen God created man the scripture sayth that he rested hym which he saide not when he had created other thinges for man can only rest in God God is saide to rest in man onlie when man receyueth his only rest in God him selfe God filleth thy desire with good thinges sayth the prophet Our appetite will neuer rest vntill it come vnto the end it seeketh Our soule is of that noble nature that nothing can satisfie it but the cheefe good of all which is god VVhiche appeared by the earnest crying out of Dauid sayinge As the hart desireth the fountayne of water so longeth my soule after thee O my God my soule hath thirsted after thee the fouÌ„tayne of lyuelie water when shall I come and appeare before thy presence My teares were my foode both day night when they asked of me where is now thy God VVhen he was froÌ„ god he wept to see him selfe in that thirst and in that necessitie And therefore he desired god to gyue hym his full and perfect contentation The world cannot quench the thirst of thy desire therefore oughtest thou to goe vnto Christ who sayeth whosoeuer thirsteth leâ— hym come vnto mee Set not thyne harte vpon the vanities of this present world vnlesse thou doest meane to be vexed with vnquyetnes and affliction Doe not thou loue this temporall glorie and thou shalt haue the eternall glorie If thou doest looke to obtayne whatsoeuer thou desirest take the couÌ„cell of that holie Prophet Dauid that sayth Delight in our Lorde and he will gyue thee the petitions of thyne hart Hym onlie oughtest thou to loue and so in this lyfe thou shalt be glad and reioyce and in the other lyue in blysse euerlastinge GOD IS ONLIE THE FOODE of our soule for he hath made vs onlie for hym selfe and our soule beinge a spirite it is vnpossible to satiate it vvith corporall thinges because there is no conformitie betvvixt them and it CHAP. 3. I SHALL then be satisfied when I shall see thy glorie sayth the Prophet vnto God doe not thou seeke for
but that his last hower may be before to morow come And synce thou knowest not whether thou shalt lyue vntill to morowe or no thyne hower beinge â—o vncerteyne turne thee betyme to amendment of thy lyfe lest by deferring of yt vntill the end thou mayest be sodeinlie taken with death wheÌ„ thou woldest seeke for tyme place to doe thy penance in and canst after fynde none A DISCOVRSE HOVV NO maÌ„ ought in this lyfe to put trust in any vvorldlie thinge shevvinge that there is no assurance or stabilitie in any vvorldlie thinge but all thinges in this vvorld are vnstable and full of vanitie CHAP. 40. PVT not thy trust in Princes nor in the sonnes of men for there is no safetie to be founde in them sayth the prophet In no lyuelie creature nor noble parentage or other dignitie owghtest thou to put any trust vnlesse thou wilt be deceyued troubled and disquieted for all is full of vanitie VVherein trustest thou o thou worldlie maÌ„ Trust not in thy greate force synce there haue bene so many valiaÌ„t captaynes in the world of whome wee haue now scarse any memory left to vs. The scripture sayth That the mightie men shall suffer mightie punishement Vaunte not thy selfe in the vanitie of thy greate actes and worthie deedes done by thee It is a vearie follie thy lyfe being so short as it is to make statelie palaces when as our forefathers liued many yeares in simple and meane cotages Iheremy sayth woe be vnto hym that buildeth his howse vpon vnrighteousnes Esteeme not of thy horses well set out and furnished nor the vayne pompes of this world since God sayth woe be vnto you that be riche in Syon and doe put your trust vpon the hill of Samariâ— and doe enter so gloriouslie into the howse of Israell Set not your hartes vpon banqueting and feastinge as many vayne folke doe which doe spend their dayes therein and haue no regarde to the sentence that God pronounced vpon Balthasar kyng of Babilon nor remembreth not his wordes sayinge woe be vnto you that rise vp earlie to eate and drinke and to haue pleasant musicke in your howses and haue no regard vnto the workes of our Lorde Trust not vpon the nobilitie of thy kindered nor in the vanitie of thy bodelie bewtie since it is written All outward grace vanitie and bewtie are deceytefull Doe not put any confidence in the nimblenes and agilitie of thy bodie nor in any other externall thinge for in these thinges the vearie brute beastes doe goe beyonde thee and exceede thee Asael which ranne like vnto a wilde deare of the wood was slayne in the folowing of Abner And these outward graces and qualities of the bodie haue bene to many men cause of their distruction and death Make not any greate accompte of thy learnynge and knowledge for since no man lyuing is comparable therein with the vearie deuills them selues who for all that their knowledg cannot delyuer them selues from the paines of hell In nothing of this miserable world doe thou put any trust for all is vanitie and vearie mere follie It is a greate want of wisdome to gyue iudgement before thou doest heare both parties And yf thou doe recken all these wordlie thinges for good why thinkest not thou the thinges pertenynge to God to be as good VVorldlie men doe gyue their sentence in fauour of the worlde approuinge and esteemynge much of the mucke of this earth because they neuer harde that parte which longeth to the spirite once speake on gods behalfe They thinke the world to be good neither hearing nor seeinge any thinge for gods parte Sainte Paule saide If thou diddest tast the sweetenes of the spirite thou woldest abhorre all fleshlie tast And yf thou diddest but tast likewyse of God thou wouldest coÌ„demne and vtterlie defie all the sinne and the vanitie in the which thou hast bene content to leade thy lyfe hitherto And because thou knowest not the tast of gods dayntie meates nor of his fauorie foode thou takest liking in the bitter and harsh tast of this miserable world Dispise these vanities and put thou no trust in the lyeng nor in the deceipte of this present world that thou mayest get the eternall and true ioyes of heauen The end of the first parte OF THE CONTEMnynge of the vanities of the vvorlde The second parte VVherein is conteyned hovv peruerse the vvorldlie customes are He shevveth first the vvorld to be full of deceipte false shevves and lyeng and hovv it is enemy to all that loue it lading all those that doe esteeme it vvith infinite miseries and calamitieâ— CHAP. 1. DOE not loue the world neither the thinges that be of the world sayth Saincte Iohn He that knoweth not the malice of any thing lyueth in so much more securitie as he feareth lesse the harmes that thereby may come vnto hym Therfore it is meete that thou sholdest know the conditions of the world to the end that when thou knowest it thou mayest the better beware of it The deceytes thereof be vearie manifest and the euill qualities that it hath cry out to all the world How little ought that to be esteemed which gyueth poysoÌ„ to all those that enter into amitie with it And all those that doe ioyne them selues vnto yt it infecteth with contagious pestilence How many doth it deceyue how many infinite people doth it make quite blinde VVhen it flyeth away it is nothing when it is seene it is but a shadow and when it ascendeth vpward it is but a smoke Vnto fooles it is sweete and to them that be wyse and discreete it is vearie bitter They that doe loue it knowe not what it is And they that doe hate it doe see throughlie into it To knowe it well as it ought to be knoweÌ„ one must stand farre of from it for they that drawe to neare vnto it neither doe know it nor theÌ„ selues It bringeth furth much mischiefe and is cause of infinite miseries It blindeth those that drawe neare vnto it and vnto hym that is not well ware of yt it mynystreth matter of much heauie care It hateth those that doe loue it It deceyueth those that doe trust it It persecuteth those that doe serue yt It afflicteth those that be freÌ„ds vnto it It doth shame to those that doe honour it And it forgetteth those that be myndefull of yt More cause haue wee to hate it when it most loueth vs then when it openlie persecuteth vs. The more familier that it is the more daungerous And much worse is it when it fawneth vpoÌ„ vs then when yt flieth away from vs. Eyther must wee laughe at the world or the world laughe at vs And they that contemne not the world shal be contemned of the world VVoe be vnto them that do trust it happie be they that doe despise iâ— It is both to be feared to be fled from The lyfe thereof is deceytfull the trauayll vnprofitable the feare continuall
stone doth loose his vertue being put vpon thy selfe but if that thou puttest it vpon God it groweth and increaseth Of thy great conuersing with thy selfe groweth thy much louing of thy selfe and so if thou woldest conuerse with God thy loue to him wolde increase A man that is all his lyfe longe broughte vp in a feelie sheepe cote waxeth so blinde in the lyking thereof that he thinketh that place to be better then all other places in the world besides In lyke maner by thy much conuersing with thy selfe thou growest in loue and lyking with thy selfe Thou neuer intreatest of any thing but that which toucheth thy profit thou medlest not with any matter but that which concerneth thy commoditie And thus beinge alwayes busied aboute thy selfe thyne owne matters thou growest into an ouer greate likinge and loue with thy selfe If the Apostle did so much loue God that he saide nothing could seperate hym from Christ doe not thou marueill thereat when hym selfe saide also our coÌ„uersation is in heauen The holie Apostle conuersed much with God and little with hym selfe and therefore he loued God much and hym selfe but a little Let thy mynde runne still vpon God be thou alwayes occupied in thinking of him by some deuowâ—e prayer or holie meditation and by the meanes of such good exercises it is impossible but that thou shalt loue God being such as he is when thou diddest by much exercises bestowed aboute thy selfe and conuersing with thy selfe falle in loue with thy selfe being such as thou art By these two loues there are two cities buylded The loue of God with the despisinge of thy selfe is the one and the loue of thy selfe with despisinge of God is the other And betwene both these that is betwixt God and thy selfe standeth thy will which the nearer that it draweth vnto thee so much goeth it further from God And so much as it draweth nearer vnto God so much goeth it further from thee by the despisinge of thy selfe And contrariewise it may growe so neare vnto thee by the greate loue that thou bearest vnto thy selfe that it may growe vnto the despisinge of God Had not these two pronownes so much rayned meum tuum myne and thine there had not bene so great discorde and disagreement in the world as there is Selfe loue is cause of all debate and discorde in Cities and ciuill places And because many loue their owne proper commoditie more then thee common profit of others therefore be there so many defectes and so greate decay in the common welth The Apostle sayth that in the latter dayes there shall come men which shal be greate louers of them selues couetous proude blasphemous persons and full of â—ice And of all this mischeefe whereof the Apostle speaketh selfe loue is the â—earie cause cheefe grounde and therefore he set it in the first place as the vearie foundatioÌ„ whereupoÌ„ all the rest did stand Nothing doth a man so much harme â—s to haue his owne will That is the foundation whereon resteth the whole disorder of synne and whereupon the â—oue of the world doth settle and stay Take away that foundation of selfe loue â—nd downe will all the walles of Ierico falle which be the vanities of this world and the follies which thou hast so much esteemed THE TRVE PERFECTION of a Christian consisteth not onlie in despisinge of temporall thinges but he must also despise hym selfe and vvholie deny his ovvne proper vvill CHAP. 10. HE that will folow me sayeth Christ let hym denye hym selfe The vearie way to come vnto Christ is to conquere thyne owne will To suffer necessitie with patience and not to seeke thine owne proper commoditie The very true seruante of God seeketh not his owne interest but the glory and honor of God In all thy good deedes thou must seeke to please God and thou shalte receyue therefore greater benifites at his hande let him be the beginning and ende of all thy workes to the ende thou mayest not loose the fruyte of all thy trauailes It is a daungerous disease to haue to greate a loue to thy selfe he that seeketh him selfe is sure to finde him selfe good workes which be done for godes sake doe glade the conscieÌ„ce illuminate the vnderstanding and deserue increase of grace Many doe despise the exterior thinges which they haue but for all that they come not vnto the perfection which the gospell requireth which is the denying of them selues whereby it appeareth that â—hey haue not yet caste away their owne will because they doe keepe still with them some of that selfe loue which made the snare wherewith they were first taken The true seruante of Iesus Christ must not onely make small accompte of â—is temporall goodes but he must also set â—ittle by him selfe that he be not hyndered â—hereby in his way toward heauen Let hym learne now by the grace of â—he holie Ghost to ouercome hym selfe â—hat hath learned before to despise all worldlie thinges This is the perfect reâ—ouncinge of a mans will when he is with â—art contented to despise hym selfe and â—ot seeke for any comforte in any thinge â—f this worlde If thou doest seeke thyne â—wne profit or temporall commoditie â—hou arte not yet perfectlie mortified vnâ—â—ll the seruante of Iesus Christe doth â—hroughlie deny hym selfe he deserueth â—ot to receyue the heauenlie comforte Many that haue had at the first some â—euotion and spirituall consolation haue â—herein contynued for a shorte tyme but â—fter when they perceyued their deuotioÌ„â—n prayer to haue fayled them and therewithall their spirituall consolation which â—hey soughte after to haue decayed in them as men not contented therewith haue gyueÌ„ theÌ„ selues to the world agayne which they had before cast of And thâ—â— they tooke no profit by all that they did because they had not gotten the perfectâ— victorie of them selues nor throughliâ— mortified them selues they wolde not bâ— contented wholie to forsake them selueâ— Set onlie before thyne eyes the seâ—â—uice of god And then thoughe thou doeâ—â— not sensiblie perceyue any present coÌ„foâ—â— in that which thou doest yet ought it 〈◊〉 be a sufficieÌ„t comfort vnto thee to know and to remember that thou art occupieâ— in his seruice and that it is his will thaâ— thou sholdest haue no further comforâ— thereby then he shold thinke expedieâ—â— for thee Thou must vtterlie denye thâ—â— selfe in all thinges that thou goest abouâ—â— yf thou wilt throughlie profite in the serâ—uice of God Many wil be well contenteâ— to deny them selues in certayne thingeâ— but not in all They wil be obedient in aâ—â— thinges that shall like them but in thosâ— thinges which stand not with their likinâ— there they will stagger at it and will noâ— cast of them selues nor deny them selueâ— as they ought to doe But thou must in aâ—â— thinges be readie to yeld vnto gods wiâ—â— and vtterlie forsake thy selfe and thyâ—â— owne will That carefull marchante which thâ— gospell speaketh of was well contenteâ— to
this world stoode vpon the lefte hande of aduersities and contrarywyse will lay the lefte hande of his euerlasting punnishment on those that haue here rested them on the right hande of these worldly felicities The goodnes of God is great that gyueth vnto good men so greate honors and rewardes for so small labors and trauaylls bestowed when thou beholdest the presence of God thou shalte haue still before thyne eyes all that thyne harte can desire and so many felicities that as the Apostle sayeth The eyes haue not seene nor the eares haue not heard neyther hath it descended into the harte of man what things God hath prepared for them that doe loue him It is more easie to tell what is wantinge then what is abounding in the eternall felicities of heauen He will wype away the teares from the eyes of his Saintes and they shall neyther weepe nor lamente any more for there shall be perfecte ioye And there shall all the causes of our ioy be ioyned together in one The brethren of Ioseph reioyced and Pharao also with all his whole householde But howe much more must thy ioy be then theirs was that reioysest with God and all his Sayntes If the poore birdes doe ioye at the rysinge of the soonne howe much more oughte our soules to reioyce when they shall see the sonne of Iustice so gloriously shyning If the three wyse men that came to seeke Christ receyued so greate ioye by the seeinge of the starre how much more ioye shall they receyue that doe beholde the glorie of the sainctes in heauen If Saint Iohn Baptist were so full of ioye that he leaped in his mothers bellie at the onely hearinge of Christs presence without any seeinge of hym with his corporall eyes howe much more shall wee reioyce beholding hym face to face in his glorie If the Bethsamites reioyced so much at the seeing of the Arke of our Lorde returne home agayne and Zacheus receyued Christ into his house with so much ioye with how much more reason may wee reioyce by enioyinge his glorious presence in his owne eternall tabernacle of heauen If he that founde out the hidden treasor with so greate ioye did sell all that he had for to haue it how much more shall our soule reioyce in finding and possessing the diuine treasor of his glorie If the people did so much reioyce when Salomon was annoynted king that the veary earth shooke with the crye that they made for the ioye thereof how much more shall thy ioye be to see the kinge of glorie sit in the high throne of his Maiestie And if God wold bestow vpon thee but one halfe houres ioye of that infinite felicitie thou oughtest for it to despise a thousand such worldes as this is howe much more then oughtest thou with thine harte to despise these base vyle pleasures of this shorte lyfe to gayne thereby the infinite eternall ioye of heauen All were it so that this worlde were good and all that is in it were greatlie to be esteemed and that thou sholdest lyue in it a thousand yeares enioye thy perfect health all that whyle with as much honor as thou coldest wish to haue what were all this no better then chaffe in comparison of the most happie state that thou shalte haue in heauen by enioyinge the blessed presence of God but what is then this base beggerly pleasure of this shorte lyfe being such as it is to be accompted of in respect of the ioyes of heauen That is the very true and perfecte ioye in deede which is receyued of the creator hym selfe and not that which cometh from the creature which when thou haste gotten no man can take from thee agayne in comparison whereof all ioye is but sorow all pleasure payne all sweetenes bitternes all bewtie fowlenes and lothsumnes The vearie true substanciall ioyes that thou oughtest to delight in and take as thy finall felicitie be these heauenlie and euerlasting ioyes which thou must loue and which thou wert created for Set therefore before thyne eyes as the vearie true seruante of Iesus Christ the land of the liuinge towardes which thou arte going and despise the vanitie of this world that so thou mayest merite and get the heauenlie glorie and eternall felicitie where thou mayest lyue with Christ and reigne with hym for euer The end of the third and last parte HERE FOLOVVETH A table of the chapters conteyned in this booke Of the vanitie of the vvorld the first parte HOw to enioye God it behoueth to contemne the vanitie of the worlde cap. 1. Of the quietnes and peace of hart cap. 2. How the vanitie of the worlde is knowen by the lyfe of Christ. cap. 3. Of the vanitie of worldly thinges cap. 4 Of the vaine end of worldly things cap. 5. Of the consideration of the vayne end of wordlie thinges cap. 6. Of the vanities of the iudgementes and sayinges of men cap. 7. Of the contempte of the sayinges of men cap. 8. Of the vanitie of prayses of men cap. 9. Of vayne glorie cap 10. Of the contempt of vayne glorie cap 11. Of the vanitie of them that desire to be greate in this world cap. 12. Of the vanitie of such as couet Ecclesiasticall dignities cap. 13. Of the pilgrimage of this world cap. 14 Of the vanitie of corporal bewtie cap. 15. Of the vanitie of costlie garmeÌ„ts cap. 16. Of the vanitie of noble parentage cap. 17 Of the vanitie of temporall riches cap. 18. VVhat small value temporall riches are of cap. 19. Of the basenes and pouertie of earthelie riches cap. 20. Of the loue of earthly riches cap. 21. Of the contempt of earthly riches cap. 22. Of the vanity of worldly laughter cap. 23. Of the vanitie of worldly pleasure cap. 24. VVherein a man ought to reioyce cap. 25. Of the vanitie of worldly honor cap. 26. Of the perill of worldly honor cap. 27. Of the vanitie of worldly prosperitye cap. 28. Of the profit of persecution cap. 29. Of the vanitie of worldly fauor cap. 30. Of the profit of tribulations cap. 31. Of the vayne care of worldlinges cap. 32. Of the vayne and folishe wisdome of the worlde cap. 33. Of the souereignetie of Christs wisdome cap. 34. Of the vanitie and shortenes of mans lyfe cap. 35. VVhy God made our lyfe shorte cap. 36. Of the daungers of mans lyfe cap. 37. Of the vanitie of such as prolonge their pennance cap. 38. â—ow repentance in the houre of death is â—ost commonly vnprofitable cap. 39. â—f the vayne confidence of worldly men cap. 40. The end of the first parte OF THE VANITIE OF THE world The second parte VVherein is conteyned hovv vvicked the conditions of the vvorld are OF the conditions of the worlde cap. 1. Of the deceytes and snares of the worlde cap. 2. Of the falsehood that is in the worlde cap. 3. Of the false promyses of the world cap. 4. How the worlde forgetteth her dealinge cap. 5.