conuenient you should haue it or no. and marke the ende After a good thing followeth a euill and after ioy sorrow and after pleasurs bitter lothsomnes It is a rule in the world to giue a dainty dinner and after-warde an homely supper Al men at the beginning set forth good wine and when men haue wel drunke theÌ„ that which is worse said the gouernour of the feast So is it the facion of the world to begin with mirth and to end with mourning But it is otherwise at the banqueit of Christ where the beginning is somwhat troublesome but the end is al ioyfull The beginnings conceale but the ends they reueale the wickednes of the world When they shall say Peace and safety then shall come vpon them suden destruction The end giueth being to al things As the end is such are the thinges wherein thou delightest The end of pleasure is paine the ende of much eating is sicknes the end of this life which thou so louest is wormes meat and ashes the end and conclusion of all sinne is extreame and euerlasting torment CHAP. VI. The end of worldly thinges is diligently to be considered MAN shall not continue in honour he is like the beastes that die saith the Psalmist When God had warned man to consider what should ensue and to marke the end of worldlie vanities he would not but considered onely the present honour not how bitter the ende thereof might be he dwelt vpon the pleasure before his eyes and regarded not the paine which was to follow yea he thought not thereof at all vntill hee felt the smart of the same The preacher saith I considered in mine hart the state of the children of men that God had purged them yet to see to they are in themselues as beastes After that Adam had sinned GOD made him coates of skinnes to shew that through sinne he was fallen into the misery of beastes When the sinner had once offended he crieth presently O that had not sinned But foolish man seeing miserable experience now telleth thee how nought the world is and that repentance commeth after vnlawful pleasure why diddest thou not foresee it before thou diddest offend But what the wise man dooth in the beginning the foole doth in the end It is the property of a prudent man to forethinke but of a foole to say I did thinke thereof Consider aforehand of the lamentable ende of these worldly things so afterward thou shalt not bee deceiued The Psalmist doth say I haue considered my waies and turned my feet into thy testimonies By considering the end of sinne men leaue the way of wickednes and treade the pathes of Gods commaundements If one should say vnto thee as thou art in thy iourney goe not that way for thou canst not escape the handes of theeues robbers wouldest thou persist in thy iourney and not leaue the same or at least take another way In the way of voluptuousnes wherin thou walkest there be theeues which murther steale thy grace spiritual good thinges if therfore thou art wise and wouldest escape the danger of eternal death thou wilt shun so dangerous a way And let no sooner a tentation come into thy minde but thinke whether the way of pleasure which thou art entering into leadeth leaue the same The Apostle saith The wages of sinne is death Iaacob Esau being in the same wombe striued who should first come into the world and in the birth Iaacob his hand held Esau by the heele The head is the hiest the heele is the lowest and extremest parte of man This is the difference betwene the euil the good good men take sinne by the heele euil men take it by the head the wicked embrace all kinde of honors and pleasures not respecting what is the ende of them but the good take the world by the feete considering the bitter endes of the same The pleasure prosperity of this world do shine like a candle that is set on fire whose flame is faire so long as substance is ministred but that being consumed all commeth in the ende to smoke and stinche So though now the pompe and vanitie do delight thee much yet in conclusion it will bring great affliction and remorse if in time thou take not heede It is written in a Psalme As the smoake vanisheth so shalt thou driue theÌ„ away and as the waxe melteth before the fire so shall the wicked perish at the presence of God If thou be wise thou wilt prouide for thy selfe against the time to come The Kingly prophet sayeth The meate was yet in their mouthes when the wrath of God came euen vpon them The men of this world do scarse begin to tast of vanity when the iustice of God commeth suddenly vpon theÌ„ for the punishment of their sinne To ende seeing affliction is such an inseparable companion of worldly thinges if at the beginning thou wouldest aduisedly perpend what shal be the end it would cause thee to reframe from al vanity thereof CHAP. 7 The iudgements and words of men are vaine CAst thy burden vppon the Lord and hee shall nourish thee saith the prophet Let all thy study be to â— please God neither be thou puffed vp when men do praise thee nor troubled in minde when they murmure against thee The cause why thou art ill spoken of is for that thou seekest to please them to the end they may praise thee But wouldest thou onely seeke to please God and to get his fauour then should not mans words be they neuer so bitter offend thee at all Therefore endeuour thou to please none but God onelie so shalt thou liue in quiet with a merry heart Let nothing so afflict thee as the wrath of God let nothing so delight thee as a good conscience It is a vaine thing to regard the wicked censures of men when thou art at peace with God Many haue beene commended of men which now are condemned in hell and many haue beene counted fooles which enioy the true happines of heauen with Christ. This being so thou shouldest neither reioyce when thou art commended nor lament when thou art ill thought of If thou art iustly praised for some good within thee bee not proude thereof But consider the secret imperfections wherewith thou doest abound which if men did know assure thy selfe they doe not so much coÌ„mend thee for that which is good as they would dispraise thee for thy faults if thou art praâ—sed for some vertue which thou hast not labour to attaine the same that the worlde bee not deceiued in thee if they haue cause to murmure labour to reforme thy selfe if vniustly thou art condemned confesse them to be meÌ„ who cannot hurt but profite thee if thou haue patience If God were to consult with men whether hee should receiue thee into his glorie or send thee vnto hell or do some other thing with thee
the â—salmist All creatures when thou hast most neede will faile thee and therefore it is a vaine thing to repose any confidence in the things of this world If thou trust in men looke often to be deceaued for their wont is after a long and great seruice to make but a simple recompence Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and withdraweth his heart from the Lord Put not your trust in Princes nor in the sonne of man for there is none helpe in them saith the Psalmist Haman trusted much in the fauour of King Ahashuerosh of which he was soone depriued and brought to a most infamous and miserable end To be in fauour with great men of this world it doth vs little good and surely it vanisheth as nothing if not afore yet at the point of death What stabilitie canst thou promise thy selfe I pray you in a broken staffe of reede Euen such is man O Lord of hostes blessed is the man that trusteth in thee saith the Psalmist Happie is hee which loueth God with his whole heart and putteth his trust in him the Lord will deliuer that man from all trouble But forasmuch as true hope is founded vpon a good conscience the Psalmist doth say that is not enough in God to trust but besides a man must worke that which good is according to that Blessed is he that iudgeth wisely of the poore againe sayeth the wise man The hope of the wicked shall perish because it is not grounded 〈◊〉 on a good foundation To trust in the Lorde as some say they doe and yet dayly to sinne what is it but rash and vndiscreete presumption â—ut thy confidence in God for if thou for thy part doe that which thou oughtest doubt thou not but God of his infinite goodnesse will giue thee glorie for hee neuer for saketh them which trust in him It is a vaine thing liuing ill to presume vpon hoâ—e to repent thee heereafter whereas thou art ignorant whether thou shalt liue any longer than to day or no. Thou oughtest by and by to reforme thy life and to haue good hope that God will giue thee of his glorie since it is most sure that he neuer denied it to any which fulfill that which he commaundeth Hope still in thy God saith the Scripture so wiâ—l he deliuer thee from al thy troubles For hee is a shield to them which put their trust in him Dauid put his trust in the Lord and he was holpen Blessed is the man which feareth the Lord he will not be afraide of euil tydinges Happy is the man which falleth not from his hope happy is the man whose force and strength and refuge God is such an hope shall neuer be in vaine in the daies of trouble Consider the old generations of men ye children saith Ecclesiasticus and marke them well was there euer any confounded that put his trust in the Lord or who hath continued in his feare and was forsaken or whom did he euer despise that called vpon him Is it not good reason that the sicke man should put his trust in the Physition that healeth all diseases It is the Lord saith the Prophet which healeth all thine infirmities The Lorde is neere to all that call vpon him yea to al that cal vpon him in truth CHAP. 6. God is to bee loued aboue all THou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy minde saith the Lord. If so thou wouldest doe then is it not sufficient for thee to leaue the euill way vnlesse thou walke by the good way through the detestation of worldly vanities Loue God aboue all Thou canst not liue without loue seeing therefore of force thou must loue then louâ— that which of all is most sweete and pleasant Thou maiest not so loue the world that thou offend God For what proportion is there of God his excellencie vnto the profite of the world For as God infinitely surpasteth his creatures so the holy loue of God without all comparison is more excellent than all other loue Who should reape the fruite but he which planted the tree The Apostle saith Wâ—o planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit therof WhoÌ„ shouldest thou loue but him that hath giuen thee power to loue He onely is to be loued of whome thou receiuest abilitie to loue Flie therefore the corruption of the world and embrace the loue of GOD with al thine heart Runne vnto the loue of God as vnto a refuge and defence Nothing so soone will make thee to despise the vanitie of earthly things as the loue of God but because thine heart was neuer touched throughly with the fire of his loue thereof it groweth that thou art so in loue with the corruptible goods of this wretched world Hence is it that thou art so troubled with cares and griefe of minde and hence thou settest not thine hart vpon the loue of God O that thou hadst but some small taste of Gods spirit to begin withall It is the nature and propertie of loue to make his account of that which it loueth That is well verified here in this worldly loue where we see many times that for the attaining of that which they loue they make no reckoning either of goods honor or name they forget themselues through musing vpon the thing beloued After their example therefore thou which sayest thou louest God giue thy selfe wholy to loue him and casting aside all other matters of the world occupy thy selfe wholy and altogether in his seruice So did the holy Fathers in times passed showe themselues they were transformed into a heauenly nature they thought not of themselues nor of the world for which cause they were iudged of the world to be very fooles not to haue so much as common sense Let it be thy chiefest exercise that God and thy soule may agree well together as though there were nothing besides vnder heauen to bee done and as though thy selfe besides wert nothing so that thou mightest truely say as the Apostle did I liue yet not I now but Christ liâ—eth in me Be not so taken with the thinges of this worlde as to make them the end of thy loue since all that thou canst loue in this world is more perfectly a great deale in God than in the world If thou loue any thing because it is beautifull why louest thou not God the fountaine of all beautie If goodnesse bee the thing wherevpon thine heart is fixed what is better than God None is good saue one euen God God is purely good in his essence and substance The goodnesse of a creature is so farre good as it receiueth some little drop from that infinite sea I meane from the incomprehensible goodnesse of God the creator thereof If thou dost so much loue any creature for some showe of goodnesse that thou
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
are not their owne men but are bound vnto greater matters If now thou art more free than they are and yet doest not thy duty in a lower place how wilt thou discharge a greater Office hauing nothing so much libertie If thou canst not weeld well a small cariage howe wilt thou beare an heauie burden If a â—ew cares doe draw thee from praying vnto God and other spirituall exercises how canst thou serue God when thou art distracted with manifolde cares Hee that cannot carry small things will neuer goe through with a mightie burden He that is not a good subiect wil neuer bee a good Magistrate Loue thou God keepe a pure conscience and resigne thy selfe wholy to the pleasure of the almighties â—f it be ordained of God that thou shalt be great he wil promote thee without thy carefulnes For of thy diligence he hath no need at al. Be lowly in thine owne eies and make no great account of this worlds preferment The highest trees thou knowest are most subiect to thâ— winde The higher state the greateâ— danger In the fishers net the great fishes are deâ—ained when the smalleâ— sdoe escape The chiefest Princes of IerusaleÌ„ were caried of Nebuchadnezzar into Babel when the poore people were not soâ—l entreated Couet not to be a great man else easilie thou shalt fall into the snare of SathaÌ„ Desire not to aduance thy selfe lest thou fall into the confusion of Babel Cal into thy minde the end which great men often do come vnto and chuse to bee of a low degree Be content with that calling wherein God hath placed thee so after this life thou shalt inherit the throane of glorie CHAP. 13 Vaine men hunte after the preferment of this world YEe knowe not what yee aske said the Lord vnto the two disciples which would bee preferred aboue their fellowes Through the ignorance of themselues men desire to commaund and â—eare rule ouer other men Honor is the reward of vertue If thou take thy selfe worthy of promotion and to be endued with vertue if there were nothing else it is cause sufficient why thou shouldest goe without all preferment It is enough that thou be counted good though thou thinke not thy selâ—e so and if thou art of opinion that thou deseruest promotion that selfe same thing shold make thee to suppose how thou deseruest none at al. Of ambition sping herisies It is a very hard thing to stande in hie place and to be void of lofty cogitatioÌ„s If thou couet preâ—acie and supremacie in the world assure thy selfe thy danger is at hand Neither would any man I thinke seâ—ke readily after preferment did he aduisedly consider the bandes of Prelates They which couet prelacie little note what it is to he preferd A prelate ought so farre to excel the common people as a shepheard doth in excellencie surpasse the flocke In schooles the degree of a Doctor is not bestowed vppon those men which newly giue themselues to learning but vpon them who a long time diligently haue applied their book Let not him be promoted who saith he now doth beginne to leade a vertuous life but which hath alreadie subdued the wicked affections of his minde He ought to be a very good man which is to gouerne others God gaue commaundement that at the first blast of the trumpet the Princes or heads of the people should goe into the field and after them the whole hoste should follow At euery first sâ—und from God the guides of the people must be ready and they are to shew themselues for most in the seruice of God Inferiours be not so bound as bee they in highest place for that such perfection is not required of these as of them The higher thou art for authoritie the better thou shouldest be for vertue Thou owest much because thou hast receiued much The greater thou art if thou sinnest the greater shall be thy punishment for by so much is the fall greater by how much thy state is higher It will keepe thee from an asspiring minde if thou consider that both thou art bound to better behauiour by thy promotion than other men and also if thou sin thy punishment shall be the more greiuâ—us The eyes of all are fixed vpon thee therefore if thou doe not thy dutie thou shalt offend many An euil prelate or gouernour is worthy of so much puÌ„ishment as he hath ministred occasion of sinning to the little ones by his ill example In the house of their eldest brother the children of Iob did end their liues So do the subiects perish many times through the il example of their gouernor who is their eldest brother as it were As the roddes were which Iaacob laide in the gutters before the sheep of that colour were the lambes which their sheep conceiued In like sort such as the examples are which the gouernors doe shewe such are the liues of subiectes good or bad The subiectes worke will haue a spot if he see a spotte in the rulers life Thy workes whether they be good or ill are the rods which thou laiest before the eyes of thy people the sheepe It cannot be but as thou liuest so wil they When the piller which lead Israel both by day aud night did goe the people also did goe but when it stoode stil the people moued not So a gouernâ—ur if he proceed in the way of godlines the subiectes also do the same but if he cease from doing wel the subiects likewise wil do no good Proceede in godlines therefore thou which art a ruler and a guide of other men and thy people doubt thou not wil follow thee apace Works do moue more then words The Physicion drinking a bitter potion doth more moue a sicke man to take the same than if onely he should say drinke Thou shalt sooner perswad inferior persons to runne if you say â—et vs goe dost goe thy selfe before them than if you bid them to goe stand stil your selfe Christ our Lord like a good Prelate began first to doe and afterward to teach as S. Luke noteth Trouble not your selfe and others with many words when your works be naught It is monstrous that the tongu should be larger thaÌ„ the hand so is it as offensiue to speake more than thou wilt performe If thy life bee despised thinke not that thy doctrine wil bee regarded Be thou formost in the seruice of God and thou shalt perceaue by good experieÌ„ce that so thou shalt profit more than by a prolixious tale and enticing wordes Great folly it is ambiciously to seeke preferment which who so hath must giue an account to GOD of mens soules O how wil it afflict thy mind when thou must answere not onely for thine own but also for the sinnes of them coâ—mitted to thy charge Hee is a foole which bindeth himselfe to pay for that which other men haue eaten At the houre of death it will be griefe sufficient for euerie man to study
is right when the middle annswereth proportionably both to the beginning and ende of the same Hee that straieth out of the way fetcheth a compasse many times that hee may so come into his way againe The holy scripture doth liken vs in many places vnto way faring men and strangers At our birth wee beginne the iorney and at our death wee finish the same Aske the wise man what our beginning is When I was borne saith he I receiued the common aer and fel vpoÌ„ the earth which is of like nature crying and weeping at the first at al the other do I was nourished in swadling clothes and with cares For there is no king that had any other beginning of birth Al meÌ„ haue one enterance vnto life and a like going out Thou wast borne with tears and thou shalt die with paine and wilt thou liue in ioy If thou art of that minde thou goest not the way of righteous men but fetchest a compasse with the vngodlie Let the middle of thy life be correspondent to the beginning and end of the same that is so liue both as thou wast borne and as thou shalt die Care not much for riches but say with Iob Naked came I out of my mothers wombe naked shall I return thither â—uild not large and sumptuous houses but remeÌ„ber that a poore little cradle did holde thee beeing newely come into the worlde and forethinke that being deade a small pit shall containe thy body Neuer couet in this world to bee greate seeing thou wert so little at thy birth and shalt bee so vile when thy breath 〈◊〉 gone Into the world thou camest not great and rich but little and poore Thou camest not like a Champion and thou shalt not goe to thy graue like a wâ—â—rier with a drawenâ— word in thine hande And therefore see that thou liue in peace and quietnes while thou art in the world Loue not riches hunt not after promotion consume not thy time idlely in delights bewaile thy sinnes Repent in this life that thou mayest be blessed in the life to come The Lord saith Your sorrow shal bee turned into ioy O happy sorrowe that shall be so rewarded Loue holy compunction of the heart sigh after the celestial cunâ—rey and make not this present banishement thy paradise of pleasure Thou art vtterly loste and wanderest out of the way if thou wouldest spend thy time altogether Pleasantly in this world Returne therefore and come into the right way againe embrace the light by thinking vppon the most bitter passion of thy Redeemer so shalt thou attaine vnto the desired ende euen vnto that happines whereunto at the first thou wast created CHAP. 17. The true ioy is in the Lord. REioyce in the Lord alway againe I say reioyce saith the Apostle The ioy of the seruant of GOD ought onely to be in his Lord God A vaine man is he which reioyceth in any other theÌ„ in God alone It is not the will of God that thou shouldest liue in sorrow but in ioy and mirth onely he requireth thee to change the cause of thy ioy and in steede of that false ioy of the worlde to embrace the true comfort of the soule The Apostles reioyced when they tolde our Lorde how the diuels were subdued to theÌ„ through his name But it was answered them foorthwith In this reioyce not that the spirites are subdued vnto you but rather reioyce because your names be written in heauen So he forbideth not al but the false ioy All ioy without God is vaine and without a foundation in God onely you should reioyce nor in any other thing vnder heauen Say with the Apostle Our reioycing is this the testimonie of a tru conscience 〈◊〉 good conscience is a pleadge of the true ioy which thou shalt taste in heauen Dauid he was without God as hee thought therefore breaketh he forth into teares day and night wanting the presence of his God Signifiing that where God is not there can bee no true ioy The worldly ioy is not the true ioy because it is not founded vpon a good conscience S. Iohn the Baptist he sprang for ioy in the belly of his mother this was a true ioy All other ioy is vaine which hath not grace for the foundation thereof Get therefore Grace before God and thou shalt gette the true goodnesse of the heart Desirest thou riches Riches and treasurs be in his house desirest thou beutie The Lord saieth to the spouse Thou art faire my loue Desirest thou life I am the life saiteh the Lord Desirest thou saluation Hee shal saue his people from their sinnes Desirest thou peace The Lord is our peace as witnesseth Th'apostle Desfirest thou honor Heare the Psalmist Thy friendes bee veri honorable and their praeeminence is verie comfortable If thou hast God with thee thou hast the true ioy What more desirest thou Well may hee reioyce which hath wiâ—h him the fountaine of grace Renounce therefore al temporal ioy and more esteeme thou the smalest quantitie of spirituall consolation than all manner of worldly ioy whatsoeuer There is no true taste where God is not nor true ioy but in God for sonne vanished the comfort of this worlde Soone was the water spent which Abraham gaue Hagar and Ismael his sonne after the flesh but Isaac his soone after the spirit he wanteth noe water I he comfortes of the world doe soone leaue the vngodly but the consolation of the righteous are as wels of liuing water which may be drawen but neuer dried vp This ioie is certaine and euerlasting which no man shall take from you saith the Lorde Of worldlie folkes manie glorie in their braue apparell but this glorie is their apparels not their owne others glorie in their riches and this glorie also is not theirs but their riches For take them awaie and the glory is gone Bnt the ioy which is in the Lord proceeding from a good conscience no man can take from vs except we wil our selues Which ioy is rightly numbred among the other fruites of the holy spirit In creatures there can bee no full ioy but the ioy in the Lord is ful because it is infinite answereth to his infinite goodnes Ioy doth answere vnto desier as rest doth vnto motion For then is our rest quiet and consummate when there is not any thinge more to bee moued Euen so our ioy shal be full when their is nothing besides to bee desired Nowe because in worldly thinges the desire is neuer perfect rest it followeth that among the creatures there câ—n no true rest bee founde But because God 〈◊〉 he satisfieth our desire he is alone to be loued that our ioy be full The Kingly prophet he saith that God he satisfieth our mouth with good thinges and Anna the mother of Samuel she saith Mine heart reioyceth in the Lord mine horne is exalted in the Lorde To
to fooles as papers of infamy Though prodigality bee a vice yet couetousnesse is worse because a prodigal man doth good to many but the couetous person doeth profite none CHAP. 38. Vnlawfull lust is lothsome in God his sight KNowe ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you If any man destroy the Temple of God him shall God destroy â—saith the Apostle Now commeth the thirde band of enemies to bee spoken of comprised in the lust of the flesh Other vices doe defile but on part of man onely namely the soule but this vice polluteth the whole man Looke not to escape the terible iudgement of God if thou handle the Temple of the holy spirit dishonestly For vnlawfull lust the Lord destroyed the old world with water Sodom Gomora with the fiue citties next adioyning Hamor and the Sichimites Onan and the whole tribe of Beniamin in a maner with the sword For this vice was Amon murthered Salomon bereaued of the Spirit of God Samson blinded Dauid manie waies afflicted the two Elders that accused Susanna vnrustly stoned three and twenty thousand in one day put vnto the sword and most greeuous plagues for this vice hath the Lord sent among his people Fly from this infection and God his spirit will comfort thee haue death in minde and lust will soone bee quenched Auoid idlenesse and repell the tentation of the flesh from thee Remember the fire of hel where fleshly men shal burne for euer and the lust of the flesh will not so inflame thee It seemeth to thee harde to resist tentations but much harder will it bee to suffer the paines of hell Hee that is not deliuered from the first shall not escape the second fire One heate euercommeth another The remembrance of the infernall fire will extinguish the flame of the internall fiâ—e If thou art held with the loue of God al other vanities wil vanish from thine heart Hee is the seruant of Satan which serueth the lust and wicked affections of the mind Of this sinne did the Apostle speake when he said They that doe such things shalt not inherite the kingdome God The sinne of the flesh is a fire of hell and the maintainer thereof is riotousnesse and gluttonie The flame thereof is filthinesse the ashes vncleannesse the smoake infamie the ende vexation of the minde destruction of the bodie shipwrack of a good conscience and an horrible contempt of the holy commaundements of God Many of them bee vtterly cast away through the wrath of GOD which giue themselues to this vice If thou wouldest ouercome thou must flye from this sinne according to the commandement of the Apostle from God himselfe This victorie is gotten by flying and not by violence Daintie fare prouoketh lust but a sober diet with godly exercise keepeth chaste A wonder it is that euer thou canst auoide this persecution of the flesh faring deliciously and liuing in idlenesse The water of teares quencheth the flame of concupiscence and vnlesse thou auoid occasions hereunto it is almost impossible but at one time or other thou wilt yeeld vnto his sinne Few there be but either in youth or in age do humble themselues before this idole and giue themselues to the flesh Many there bee which commende the unspotted life but few retaine the chastitie of the body much lesse of the mind they would seeme honest and praise honesty but yet they auoide not as they ought the occasions which cause them either to bee or to be thought dishonest Their meaning is good but their knowledge is but smal and not sufficient Happy is that soule which in a pure body serueth her spouse Iesus Christ and happy is that man which prepareth in his heart an habitation for the holy spirite Remember still the death the corruption and the filthynesse whereinto our bodies shall bee resolued and doing so much wilt thou bee moued to serue God in all holinesse of conuersasion whereby thou shalt enioy him blessedly in the heauens being deliuered from the fire of hell where they continue boyling in torments which like beastes in this worlde did giue themselues to al inordinate desires of the flesh CHAP. 39. The chaste Christian God delighteth in WIsedome cannot enter into a wicked heart nor dwel in the bodie that is subiect vnto sinne saith the wise man Gather thy senses together and refreine thine appetites Death is come vp into our windowes and is entered into our palaces sayeth Ieremie Vnlesse thou settest a watch ouer thy senses thy soule is in danger to die of an euill death Because Ishbosheth looked not well vnto his doores hee lost his life euen in his owne house lying vpon his bed Consider in thy minde what mischiefe came into the worlde through Euahs casting her eie vpon the forbidden fruite It is not lawfull for thee inordinately to beholde that which is not lawfull for thee in heart to desire Had not Dauid cast an vnchaste eie vpon â—athsheba he had neither lost so many good things neither fallen into so many euils as he did Looke warely vnto thy senses the want hereof brought destruction vnto Olofernes No vice so troubleth th'understanding nor ouerthroweth the reason of man as doeth the sinne of the flesh God who is all simple and pure He fedeth among the lillies as the Spouse doth say signifying thereby how hee is delighted altogether in cleannesse and chastitie The puritie of the creature is most gratefull before God and therein doth he most gladly rest himselfe It is written that There shal not enter into it the heauenly citie any vncleane thing The principall bewtie of the soule is principally ascribed vnto chastitie through bringing the flesh in subiection to the spirite The memorie of the chast persons is afore God immortall and renowmed of men Chastitie is compared vnto the roase not onely for the beautie and sweetnesse thereof but also for that it springeth encreaseth and continueth as the rose doth among thornes For chastitie neuer groweth nor continueth but where there is sharpenesse and austeritie of life and mortification of the flesh it is alwaies in danger where pleasure is Chastitie cannot liue where no fasting is vsed nor temperance appeareth And a wonder it were that such as are not sober should be chaste If thou wilt continue chaste bee still doing of some good worke or other flye the companie of dissolute persons and prepare a place in a pure bodie for the holy Ghost The Doue which Noah sent out of the Arke could haue no footing at all but vpon carion which she liked not and therefore returned vnto the Arke againe The holy Ghost which sometime was resembled to a Doue it cannot abide in bodies that bee vncleane but in the pure and holy Flye the vices of the flesh as thou wouldest the plague or pestilence that thy soule may remaine pure
perceiuest therein although it haue besides many imperfections why louest thou not God who is essentially good of himselfe and the perfection of all goodnesse The lesse materiall substance there is in a bodie the lighter it is and so much the more apt to ascende vpwarde so againe the more thou art loden with the loue of earthly things the more hardly shalt thou ascend in heart vnto God The fewer thine inordinate passions be the greater is thy loue And if thou loue God perfectly thou wilt make none account of earthly things CHAP. 7. We are necessarily to loue our neighbour THou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe sayeth God The honest loue of thy neighbour is so linked to the loue of God that as thou art commaunded to loue so art thou enioined also to loue thy neighbour They both proceede out of one and the same roote and bee vnseparable The Apostle saith Hee that loueth another hath fulfilled the lawe Thou canst not separate thy selfe from thy neighbour vnlesse thou separate thy selfe from God All the lines that bee made from the vttermost part of a circle vnto the Centre which is the middle point doe all meete together in the Centre and the further any of those lines is drawen from the Centre the further is it diuided from the other lines and the further one line is drawen from an other the further doth it goe from the Centre it selfe Thou canst not by any meanes diuide thy selfe from thy neighbour but withall thou doest diuide thy selfe from God thou art so made that of necessitie thou must mourne when thy neighbour mourneth and take a part of his troubles vpon thy selfe by a Christian compassion Iob he neither tare his clothes nor complained grieuously for the losse of his goods but for the death of his childreÌ„ But for the most part many they are more grieued at the losse of temporal riches than at the hurt of their neighbours Let it not greeue thee to forgoe these corruptible thinges which God doth suffer to be taken from thee for the good of thy soule but let thy neighbours harmes pearce thine heart and let his hurt bee thine owne After God had created al things I meane the trees plants beastes and such like which were to multiply and encrease euery one after his kinde he created man male and female of whom all men that were to liue in the world should descende that they seeing themselues to proceede from one roote should by so much loue one another the more Thinke it not an hard commandement to loue thy neighbour though he haue offended thee but acknowledge that much harder it had been if God had commanded thee to hate thine enemy For to loue it agreeth with the nature of vs all but to hate it is contrarie to mans natures nowe God hath willed those things wherevnto naturally wee are enclined and as much against the nature of man it is to hate as it is against the nature of water to ascend vpward If it seeme an hard thing for thee to loue thy neighbour it will be much more hard in hell fire to burne Chuse therefore one of the twaine I say not if thou hate but if thou loue not thy neighbour looke out of question to burne in hell And worthy is hee the curse of God which had rather to burne in the bottomelesse pit than to loue his neighbour and so haue the fauour of the Lord. Loue thy neighbour yea though he be thine enemie so shalt thou be the childe of God if the child than also the heire eâ—en the heire of God and an heire annexed with Christ of that celestiall kingdome whih hath none ende CHAP. 8. We must loue our enemies LOue your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray from them which hurt you and persecute you that yee may be the children of your father that is in heauen saith the Lord A Kings sonne wil abide his schoolmaster both to teach and reprehend him There is no better schoolemaster than an enemie who hath a singular â—are of thy life and can no sooner â—ee thee to slip and take a fall but foorthwith hee rebuketh thee for â—he same If thou wouldest bee warie in leaâ—ing of thy selfe than pray God to â—end thee an enemie whome if thou â—â—nce haue thou needest none other â—aister whose paines thou maiest â—argely recompence Before thine enemy thou ponâ—erest aduisedly what thou art to â—peake for thou knowest howe thou shalt no sooner trâ—p in thy speech but thou shalt be taken but if thou haue none enâ—my thou carest almost neither what thou sayest nor what thou doest An enemie is a bridle as it were to keepe thee from sinne but a friend couereth and concealeth thine offences By thy friend thou offendest God and through thy foe thou doest thy duty Thine enemie is to thee a clocke whereby thou mayest order thy steps aright More good a great deale thou reapest from thy â—oe than from thy friend and therefore good cause hast thou to honor him by whose meanes thou prouest more circumspect wise and good than otherwise thou wouldest be If thou doest set by and esteeme a a little staffe or wande for that it seâ—ueth thee to beate off the dust from garments why wilt thou not esteeme of thine enemies and set much by them that driue away the dust of thy defects by sharpe reprehending of thee O Ashur the rod of my wrath and the staffe in their hands is mine indignatiâ—â— saith the Lord by his Prophet Isaiah Cast not such a rodde into the fire neither make more account of riches than of thy soule When our friendes doe extoll and magnifie vs our enemies doe humble and bring vs downe that wee waxe not proude If prosperity doe blinde vs our enemies by persecution will cause vs to see now seeing the enemie doth make vs better let vs esteeme of him greatly as reason doeth require Friendes many times will not say the truth when enemies wil tel all that they know As much good as thine enimie doth vnto thee so much harme doth he vnto himselfe for hee killeth his owne soule and woundeth his conscience therefore seeing him in so euill a plight that did thee so much good thou oughtest greatly to pittie his estate The Psalmist doth say They persecute him whom thou hast smitten and they add vnto the sorrow of them whom thou hast wounded He addeth sorrowe vnto sorrow which doth recompence one hurt with another and hee taketh life from the man that is dying which hateth his enemie If yee loue them which loue you what rewarde shal yee haue Doe not the Publicans euen the same To loue an enemie is the very property of a true Christian and Gospeller The malice of thine enemie is verie poyson but yet of poyson is the wholesome triacle made so mayest thou make of the malice of thine enemie a good medicine for thy
soule Giue to thine enemies being hungry foode being naked and needy clothes and almes and so shalt thou make of this poyson compounded with these good receiptes a wholesome medicine against many noysome diseases CHAP. 9. Selfe-loue is the bane of many Christian vertues GEt thee out of thy countrie and from thy kinred and from thy fathers house saith the Lorde vnto the Patriarch Abraham All earthly affections must bee renounced least thou beginne to like more thine owne than the thinges of Iesus Christ. For the desire of thinges inuisible and heauenly renounce the loue of visible thinges Plucke ill weedees by the rootes that they spring not againe Selfe-loue it peruerteth iudgement dimeth the light of reason darkneth the vnderstanding corrupteth the wil and shutteh the doore of saluation against vs it knoweth not God and forgetteth the neighbour it banisheth vertues affecteth honour and loueth the world He that so loueth his life shall loose it The roote of all iniquity is selfe-loue Esau Saul â—ntiochus they found no place to vnfained repentance though they sought the fauor of God with teares the reason is because they more esteemed their owne losse than the offending of God Seeke therefore GOD in all thy workes and put thy trust in God onely Selfe-loue is as the heart in the body which ruleth and guideth the flesh the fynewes and the vaines of man Why giuest thou thy selfe so to the immoderate desiring of honour riches and delights but because thou laborest of selfe-loue To contemne a mans owne selfe is a gratefull thing both to God and man He that loueth himselfe more than God his maker or Christ his Sauiour is like a traitor that deserueth to loose both life and goods If selfe loue haue the dominion ouer thy soule thou doest what thou wilt but not what thou shouldest and is for thy behoofe thou art blind and vnworthy to haue any credite giuen vnto thy wordes Renounce thine owne will If that would beequiet and keepe her place thou shouldest bee quiet and not be so torment in minde Follow not thine owne will and there will be nothing to torment thee but vntill thy will bee vtterly consumed looke to bee tormented by the fire of Gods wrath Why halt ye between two opinions you cannot loue God vnlesse you forsake your selfe There be certaine precious stones which if they touch some kind of metall doe loose their vertue and by some other againe they encrease the same Loue is such a precious iewell for beeing fastened vppon thy selfe it looseth his vertue but fixed vpon God it is most glorious and of infinite vertue Because thou shewest thy selfe so familiar to thy selfe thou louest thy selfe so much but wouldest thou be more familiar with God by faithfull praier and meditation thou wouldest loue God more and thy selfe lesse than thou dost a great deale A man bread and brought vp altogether in a simple cottage is so blinded in iudgement that hee will praeferre his rude home before the most princely pallace in the world so for that thou acquaintest not thy selfe as thou shouldest with the house of God thou more esteemest a present trifle than the infinite treasures laide vp in heauen for such as loue God If the Apostle did so loue Christ that hee could say that nothing should seperate him from the Loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord maruel not that the same Apostle did say Our conuersation is in heauen Greatly familiar was the Apostle with God and little with himselfe therefore hee loued God much and himselfe but little Let thy mind runne still vpon God euermore thinke vpon him by some deuoute prayer or meditation this if thou doe vse from time to time it is vnpossible but thou shouldest loue God seeing thou art come vnto the knowledge of him Two loues doe build two Citties the one is the loue of God which bringeth the contempt of thy selfe the other is the loue of thy selfe which causeth the contempt of God Betweene both these that is betwixt God and thy selfe standeth thy will whereby the nearer thou art vnto thy selfe the farther thou art from God the nearer vnto God the farther thou art from thy selfe Had not these two pronownes Meum Tuum Mine and Thine so much bene vsed in our mouthes so much discorde as there is had neuer bene in the world But because the most part doe more loue their owne than the publique commoditie there be so manie defectes in euerie common-weale The Apostle saith In the last daies shal come perilous times For men shal be louers of their owne selues couetous boasters proude cursed speakers disobedient to parentes vnthankefull vnholy c. And of all these euiles here mentioned selfe loue is set in the fore-front as the cause and originall of them all Nothing so hurteth a man as the hauing of his owne will Take away this foundation and the walles of worldly vanities whereunto thou art giuen will fal downe flat vnto the ground CHAP. 10 It is the part of the seruantes of God to denie themselues Iâ— any man will come after me let him deny him selfe take vp his crosse dately and follow mee saith the Lord The way to come vnto Christ is to conquer thine owne will to suffer tribulation with patience and not to seeke thine owne profite and commodity The true seruant of God hunâ—eth not after his owne commodity but for the glory and honour of God him selfe In all thy workes studie to please God and from his hande thou shalt receiue the greater blessing Let him be the beginning and ende of all thine actions least thou loose the fruit of thy labours Selfe loue is a most deadly plague Hee that seeketh himselfe spoyleth himselfe Good workes done in the Lorde they reioyce the conscience enlighten the vnderstanding and be recompensed with new blessings from God aboue Many doe despise outward things which they possesse and yet for all that attaine not vnto that perfection which the Gospel requireth which consisteth in the denial of a mans own selfe and of his will The seruant of Iesus Christ ought not onely to make light account of temporal goods but also to contemne himselfe least he bee hindered in the way that he walketh Let him learne by the grace of the holy spirite to ouercome himselfe that hath learned before to despise the things of the world This is the perfect denial euen for a man to denie himselfe from the bottom of his heart and not to seeke consolation in any creature If thou seekest any priuate or temporall commoditie surely thou art not throughly motified neither shalt receiue any spirituall comfort from the Lord. Many that haue had some zeale and ioy of the spirit at the first haue continued in that good course but a litle while they haue begunne with heate but they haue gone forwarde but coldly They sought in their prayers their owne consolation
Satan doe by thee as often as hee seeketh to make the breake thy silence that so hee maye robbe thee and make spoyle of the temple of thy conscience and bring thy soule prisoner into the Babylon of hell it selfe Set therefore a good watch about these least thou bee robed and spoyled of thine enemies HHAP 21 The seruant of God must auoid not onely ill but also idle talke BVt I say vnto you saith our Sauiour Christ that of euery idle worde that men shall speake they shall giue account thereof at the day of iudgement Our heart is like vnto waxe that with cold groweth to bee harde and by heat waxeth softe and tender againe and being once soft it receiueth the print euen of a King or any other great man Thou must stoppe thine eares from vaine and idle talke for they coole and harden thine heart If thou keepe not thy selfe from either vsing or hearing the same little shalt thou profite in the seruice of God Holy and spirituall comunication it doeth inflaÌ„e the hart with heauenly good motions On the day of our Sauiors resurrection the two disciples that went traueling by the way towardes Emmaus talking with our Sauiour Christ had their hearts inflamed within them as they did after say betweene themselues Did not our hearts burne within vs while hee talkedwith vs by thy way and when hee opened to vs the Scripturs Thine heart wil bee well disposed to receiue the impression of the eternall King if thou warme and mollifie the same with the heat of Gods worde With great diligence and care should the seruante of God avoide idle wordes and to reprehend others that vse them If thou bridle not thy tongue in vaine dost thou labour take paines to profite in the seruice of God The Apostle saith the seruant of God must not striue nor bee troblesome one to another by contentions and clamorous speech Lasâ—iuious and wanton wordes are many times odious and oftensiue euen to those which make no profession of religion how much then should they bee abhorred of Christians indeede Be circumspect therfore in thy words and let thy speech bee such as well may beseeme the seruant of Iesus Christ. Of euill wordes much euill doth arise The Apostle saith Euil speakinges corrupt good manners For â—ll wordes wee goe vnto ill deeds As the ship saileth according as the winde doth blows so our soule sailing forward with the prosperous winde of good speech it shall ioyfully attaine vnto the hauen of rest As on the other side if dissolute and wicked wordes bee once blowen into the sailes of thine eares they will carrie thy soule with a contrary wind into the large sea of infinite confusion The wise man doth say Let thy talke hee with the wise and all thy communication in the law of the most high Good wordes doe inflame the hart kindle thy will edifie thy neighbour and encrease the loue of God in thee Idle and vaine wordes on the other side thee distract the spirite quench the zeale diminish deuotion and offend the hearers Mettall is knowne by his sound If golde haue not the sound it shoulde it is reputed for brasse Wordes bee as it were the sounde of the soule If the wordes be clamarous vaine and idle they are but copper and not gold but if they bee graue and good then doe they shew the soule to bee as perfect gold An empty vessell maketh a loude sounde so hee that is most voide of goodnesse is vainest in his speech Bet if thou bee graue and sober in thy wordes euery man will take thee for a staid and stable man It is written of Iudas Maccabeus that hee armed the Iewes not with the assurance of shieldes speares but with wholesome wordes and exhortations Godly wordes and wise are a notable armor but idle speech is very hurthurtfull If the clocke haue his wheele distempered within the bell without will sound false but if they goe true within then will the bell without strike truely and tell the right houre of the day by thy disordinate words thy disordered conscience doth appeare As Peter was warming himselfe in the hall of the hie Priest they that stood by said againe to Peter Surely thou art one of them for thou art of Galile and thy speech is like And else-where in the Gospel it is sayd Of thine owne mouth will I iudge thee O euill seruant By his speech wee know of what countrie a stranger is With what conscience wouldest thou be counted an honest man when thy speech is vaine and altogether dissolute By the breaking out and parting of the flesh in the mouth and tongue the ague is discerned so thine infirmitie is knowen by the words which breake out at thy lips and mouth Before thou vtter any word vse premeditation because men regard not the heart but the speech For by thy wordes thou shalt be iustified and by thy wordes thou shalt be condemned A word once vttered can neuer be reuoked againe And therefore before thou speake ought aduise thy selfe that alterward thou say not I had not thought for so to say is not the part of a wise man But afore all thinges haue alwaies in remembrance that in the day of iudgement thy Lord God will take a straight accompt of all thy wordes and sayinges CHAP. 22 The seruants of God must beware of murmuring backbiting slandering NEither murmur yee as some of them also murmured and were destoied of the destroyer saith the Apostle The tongue of the murmurer is worse than hell for hell is hurtfull onlie to the wicked but the tongue of the murmurer it afflicteth as well the good as the bad yea commonly it is incensed more against the vertuous than against the wicked Hee that snuffeth the candle with his bare fingers though hee defile his fingers yet hee causeth the candle to burne the brighter thereby so hee that defameth and speaketh il of good men defileth his owne soule and conscience but maketh such as are defamed a great deale the more glorious So the Pharisie that murmured about that which the good woman did vnto our Sauiour Christ hee was rebuked but the woman wâ—s most highly magnified and commended The murmurers doe more hurte themselues than other men themselues they kill but other men they profit Miriam and Aaron they murred against Moses and was not Miriam therefore punished with a lothsom leprosse and both Miriam and Aaron rebuked of the Lord of hoste and Moses glorie the greater by the same A good name is to be chosen aboue great riches and a louing fauor is about siluer and aboue gold Lesse doth he offend that taketh away our goods than he which taketh away our good name By the hand the bodie is strucken but by the tongue the soule is wounded the handes can hurt but such as are nigh but the tongue spareth no man be he nigh or far off All other
vnto him from heauen and willed him to spare the child In all the seruice that pertaineth vnto GOD hee looketh for a discreete and a wise handling of the same And as meate though it bee otherwise neuer so good yet vnlesse it bee well seasoned it is neuer gratefull vnto the tast so thy seruice it pleaseth not God vnlesse it bee well seasoned with the salt of a good conscience and of discretion CHAP. 29. Hee that feareth God neede feare nothing SErue the Lorde in feare and reioyce in trembling saith the Prophet He that feareth God feareth nothing besides and he that feareth not God is afraid of all things When Kaine had lost the seare of GOD hee was so faint-hearted and weake that hee said Whosoeuer findeth me shall slaie me Maruel not heereat at all because hee that hath lost the feare of God which gaue him strength must needes become weake hearted and feare euerie thing but he that feareth God is valiant and besides God feareth nothing at all This feare of God emboldened Moses and Aaron to goe vnto King Pharaoh and boldly to say vnto him as from the Lord Let my people goe that they may celebrate a feast vnto me in the wildernesse Eliah feared the Lord and therefore he said vnto King Ahab I haue not troubled Israel but thou and thy fathers house in that yee haue forsaken the commaundements of the Lord and thou hast followed Baalim Elisha with great seueritie tooke vp Iehoram the King of Israel and with greater aucthority did S. Peter in the behalfe of himselfe and of his fellow Disciples make aunswere to the Rulers and Elders and Scribes that were gathered together in counsell at Ierusalem and stoutly did the Apostles and Marters speake vnto the great men of the world If thou fearest God care not for man Greater is hee that is on thy side than hee that is against you But because thou fearest not God thou art afraide of man and euerie small infirmity maketh thee to tremble The King that is garded with men of armes standeth in no feare but sleepeth securely and other men also of meaner calling bee without feare when they goe strongly armed in the company of valiant men Then how should they be affraide that haue God for their salfe-gard The Lord is with mee therefore I will not feare what man can doe vnto mee The Lord is with mee among them that helpe me therefore shall I see my desire vpon mine enimies saith the Psalmist The Lord is my light and my saluation whom shall I feare The Lorde is the strength of my life of whom shall I be affraide The wise man saith The wicked flee when none purâ—â—â—th but the righteous are bolde as a Lyon â—s the worldly men that doe euill doe liue full of feare and suspicion so good men which put their trust in God they are stoute like the Lyons so that they feare not men He that feareth God is not afraid of man and if thou feare God many good thinges shalt thou bee sure to haue But if thou arme not thy selfe with his holy feare thine house it cannot long continue By the feare of God we contemne the goods of this world The Marchauâ—nt through the feare which he hath of loosing his life is content to throwe his riches into the sea If thou dread God thou wilt cheerefully for the sauing of eternall for goe thy temporall goods It is great follie to passe the time without the feare of God especially liuing among so many perils as the Scripture speaketh of CHAP. 30. God is to be obeyed and those whom hee doth send for Gods sake WHAT man is this that both the windes and the sea obey him said they of our Sauiour Christ See that thou obey him whom the verie insensible creatures doe obey It is a wonder that man will not obey him whom the windes and seas obey The greatest signe of a mortified man is obedience there-in standeth the contempt of a mans owne selfe when a man for Christ his sake denieth his owne will Thinke it not much to be in subiection vnto him that is thy gouernour seeing it is written of our Lord that he was subiect vnto his mother and Ioseph If thou doe consider how much more mightie Christ was than they whom hee obeyed thou wilt not thinke it a grieuous burden to obey them that be meaner than thy selfe Why shouldest thou complaine of thy subiection vnto man though some waies thine inferiour for the Lordes sake seeing Christ God and man for thy sake obeyed simple and sinnefull man Though it bee greeuous to obey thy superiors yet the loue of God will conuert all that sharpenesse into sweeetenesse If thou doest but annoynt the lock of thy doore with oyle when it openeth not kindly it will open and shutte to no paine of the opener so if to thy murmuring thou adde the oyle of the loue of God thou shalt proceede in peace and in the quietnesse of the Spirite shalt doe those thinges which thou art enioyned Christ saieth vnto his Disciples Hee that heareth you heareth mee and he that despiseth you despiseth me and hee that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me The preacher of the worde is in the place of God and that which hee commaundeth God himselfe doth commaunde when hee commandeth nothing which is not contrarie to the lawes of God When thou doest reuerence him thou doest in him honor God and although in respect of his person hee bee not alwaies good yet in respect of his office hee is holy Dauid obeied Saul as his king and gouernor though a wicked man and reiected of God and because hee touched the lap of his garment and that but once his heart was touched for so doing of the Lord. How thinke we shall they escape the chastisement of the Lord that doe rent all the garments of their princes and gouernors by murmuing and sedition being sinners as Saul was Recommend thy Magistrats vnto God and obay them cheerefully in all things that are lawfull Much is the obedience of Abraham commended in the Scripture For when God had promised him that in Izshak should his seede be called and yet for all that commanded him to offer vp in sacrifice the same Izhak Abraham vsed no contradiction but held his peace and obeyed committing the whole matter vnto the prouidence of God For hee that is vnreinedly obedient although that which his superiours command him doe seeme vnto his carnall capacitie a fonde and absurde thing yet if it implie no sinne in it hee will yeeld obedience thereunto subduing his owne wit and making it agreeable vnto the commandement of such as be set ouer him Thou must not be the iudge of the gouernour nor take on thee to know the cause of that which is commanded thee for God will haue inferiors not to bee busie inquirers but humblie obedient Doe not