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
should continually prepare our selues to dye MAN that is borne of a woman is but of shorte continuance and full of trouble Are not his dates determined The number of his monethes are with thee O Lord thou hast appointed his boundes which hee cannot ouerpasse saith Iob The houre of death is vncertaine neither know you what houre your master will call you vnto account Because the houre of death is vncertaine wee should presume that our life may soone bee ended and that the last houre is still at hande And herein as in al other thinges the Lord God hath dealt most mercifully with vs in keeping from our knowledge the houre of death to the ende wee should liue with more purity of heart and soule As wee are sound at the houre of death so shall wee be iudged and for somuch as euery moment wee may dye let vs liue in all innocencie that when wee are to giue vp our account we may bee found good seruantes The more zealous should you bee in doing well the more vncertaine you are when you shall forsake this world whereunto continually you ought to be prepared If many now offend God hauing the houre of death hidden from their eies what wicked â—â—reches woulde they proue if they knew of a certaine that their daies were many The vncertainety of the houre of death it bridleth many from committing sinne who if they knew that they should liue many yeares would wrap and defile themselues with most lothsome wickednesse Againe though the vncertainty of death reclame not all men from their sinnes yet maketh it many not to continue still and perseuere in vngodlynesse If a man might knowe assuredly the houre of his death yet is it plaine that hee could not know it but vnder one of these two conditions to wit either that hee should dye suddenly or else haue some certaine time after appointed and praefixed him to die in Now if hee knew that his death were sudden and so defer his repentance vntill then it were a daungerous thing For hardly can hee truely repent which repenteth suddenly Againe if hee knew his time of life to bee long then it may bee thought he would take more liberty to sinne putting-off the reformation of his wicked life vnto the last day Both which are very daungerous and inconuenient for the saluation of man Therefore to deliuer thee from both these daungers the all wise God hath so ordained that the houre of death should bee alwaies kept from thy knowledg that suspecting death alwaies to bee nigh at hande thou wouldest alwaies liue in the feare of God and bee thankefull to his Maiesty for this so singuler benefite of concealing the houre of death whereby as with a spurte he pricketh thee on to follow practise the works of godlinesse Besides God would not haue thee to know the houre of death because thou shouldest learne to liue for the benefite of others and not to thy selfe For a publique benefite is alwaies to bee prefered afore a priuate Diddest thou knowe that quickly thou shouldest die many good workes thou wouldest leaue vndone which might bee profitable to the common-weale and thy study would bee of thine owne saluation neglecting without the more grace of God the profite of thy neighbour Aud what more If many did knowe beeing sicke that their sicknesse were not vnto death surely neither would they hartely turne vnto the Lord by repentance nor doe those workes which Christians are to doe But now many lying greeuously in paine vpon their bed they turne vnto the Lord God knowing themselues neere vnto death which questionlesse they woulde not doe if they knewe they should liue still and not die Last of all euen for the preseruation of Christian peace and concorde among men God would not haue vs aforehande to knowe the time of our departure out of this world For did wee know that yet many yeeres wee should continue heare there would follow or bee nourished stil in vs hatred desire of reuenge and such like sinnes againe did we know that very speedely wee should die we should be euermore sad and full of melancholy passions and so be vncomfortable to our selues and to all such as are about vs. All which doe violate the common peace and fellowshippe of man Seeing therefore by this vncertainty of our life God hath prouided so well for the benefite both of our selues and of others there is great cause why for the same wee should thanke him loue him worshipe adore him that onely euermore CHAP. 33. The remembrance of death is a goodly medicine against the feare of death THough a man liue many yeares and in them all he reioyee yet he shal remember tbe dayes of darknesse saieth the Preacher Death would be vanquished as he doth approch if it were well thought vppon afore neither is there any thing that from death better may defend thee than after God the continuall memory of the same A wise mans life is the meditation of death and vnworthy is hee all comfort at the houre of death which hath beene forgetfull of death in the daies of his life Death though it seeme contrary to life yet hath God appointed the same to bee a meane whereby to attaine vnto life And Christ hath made death so sweet for vs that laying aside the name of death it is become the iustrument of life inaâ—â— much as thereby wee attaine vnto the true life in heauen in such wise as that which before his glorious resurrect on was very death is nowe life life I say to the good but a gate of eternall death vnto the wicked Death it is the ende when the valieant soulders receiue their pay and the cowards are dimissed with shame According to the diuerse liues of men a diuerse rewarde is giuen to men by death If thou forget death then will death forget thee It is the chiefest point of Philosophy to bee still occupied in the meditation of death The Niniuites hearing the sentence of death pronounced against them by Ionas the prophet straight did humble themselues before the Lord with harty repentance Seeing therfore the consideration of death did so change the mindes of those sinners thou mayest percease the great profite that commeth to man by the same If thou thinke of death as thou shouldest tentatation cannot ouercome thee Beware thou loue not life so immoderately that in the meane while thou put death out of thy minde For then looke especially for to die when thou desirest chiefely for to liue The remembrance of death maketh a man not to waxe proud in prosperitie It is good to be ready to die before death come and to expect with patience the time that insueth after death When thou seest other men to die before thy face thinke thy selfe also to hasten toward the graue though thou maiest seeme to haue sure footing on the earth When two shippes meete vpon the sea together they that bee in the one shippe
some of thy carriage and yet wilt go for al that with an heauy loade He goeth best that is vnburdened and doth wrastle best which is naked If thou striue with Sathan naked thou shalt easily ouercome him but if thou be clad with vaine attire he wil quickly subdue thee Christ vp naked came I out of my mothers wombe naked shal I return thither againg The wheele though it turne al the day long about and stay not yet at night it is to be found where it was in the morning it changeth not his place So howsoeuer thou runne a-about the world for wealth yet at thy death thou shalt be found as poore as thou wert at the comming into this worlde Naked thou wast receiued out of thy mothers wombe and naked shalt thou be deliuered vnto the graâ— So in that state which thou begannest in the verie same thou must ende thy daies Euen as thou camest so shalt depart Labour what thou canst to becom a great rich man thy carke and care wil be to no purpose It is a vaine thing thou seest in this short life to heape riches vpon riches despise them therefore and so with Christ thou shalt triumph worldes without end CHAP. 23. The ioy of this world is but a vaine thing WOe be to you that now laugh for ye shall waile and weepe saith the Lord Woe be to you that haue your comfort in this world for in the life to come yee shall bee tormented Woe to theÌ„ which liue in delighte for they shall suffer paine and tribulatioâ—s But blessed is he that in this world being mortified for Christ doeth allwaies beare in mind the grieuous pain of his holy passion Blessed is he which feedeth himselfe with the breade of teares in this vale of mourning Much ought man surely to weepe while he thinketh vpon heauenly Zion his quiet and true countrey while he seeth himselfe banished amids the confused and bitter streames of this Babylonish worlde Blessed are ye that weepe now for yee shal laugh saith the Lord God shal wipe away all teares from their eies Blessed are those teares which the godly hande of thy creator shall wipe away selfe but he is in good earnest with thee O that thou wouldest let this sinke into thy minde surely surely thou couldest not chose but leade a more sparing life and shunne vaine pleasure more than thou doest if stil in fresh remembrance were the paines of hell where if thou repent not in this life thou shalt be made `wil thou nil thou to paie full dearely for all thy cosâ—ly cates And as Iob in the person of good men saide My sighing commeth before I eate which is the manner of the Saintes of God So of worldly men writeth the same Iob They spende theire daies in wealth and sodenly they goe downe to the graue Euen as Abraham said to the rich glutt on Son remember that thou in thy life time receiuest thy pleasures likewise Lazarus paines now therefore is he comforted and thou art tormented This is that which worldly delightes do bring vnto and this is the ende of the glory of this world We neuer read that Christ laughed at any time but that he wept we often reade For at his natiuitie hee wept at the raising of Lazarus from death he wept ouer Ierusalem he wept on the 〈◊〉 rosâ—e hanging hee wept what doe â— mention particulars his whole life was a daily lamentation and continual sorrow for the sinnes of man Verily I say vnto you saith the Lord except ye be conuerted become as little children ye shal not enter into the kingdome of heauen A little child wee see hath none other weapons for his defence but teares doe thou likewise defende thy selfe against the rage of Sathan by those weapons It is a vaine thing to giue thy selfe to pleasure in this world with so great dangers The wise man saith I said of laughter Thou art mad and of ioy what is that thou doest Moses he chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God than to enioy the pleasure of sinne for a season would not be called the sonne of Pharaos daughter The teares of the righteous shal be turned into ioy so saith our Sauiour Christ your sorrow shal be turned into ioy And the Psalmist In the multitude of the thoughts of mine hart thy comfortes haue reioyced my soule It is better to be troubled with the righteous then to eate the bread of pleasure at the table of sinners it is better to lameÌ„t solitarie then to laugh in the pleasant pallaces of vngodlie Princes Despise therefore the ioy of this worlde which is but moment any that afterward thou maiest tâ—ste the ioies of heauen which are euerlasting CHAP. 24. The pleasures of this world are meerely vaine WHat ioy can I haue that fit here in darkenes said â—obit vnto the Angell As if he should say It is a vaine thing to affect pleasure amids the darkenes of this worlde For we walke in the dâ—rke and see not what is expedient for vs and what is not insomuch that we know not one the other The wise man saith No man knoweth ether loue or hatred Little pleasure can hee take in his iourney which doubteth of the waie whâ—ther it bee good or ill And when thou walkest in the night and doubtest of the way it is a maâ—uel how thou canst be merrie at the heart Little ioy can hee haue that seeth his neighboures house on fire And sure a vaine man thou art if in pleasure thou passe thy time especially beholding thy friendes euen euery houre to leaue this world before thy face That die thou shalt thou art sure but howe thou must leaue this world thou wottest not therefore vaine thou art if casting the face of God from thy minde thou giuest thy selfe to immoderate pastimes and delightes More sorrowe then ioy hath that paâ—ent which in one and the same day seeth his sonne both to be borne and to leaue this world Short and of small continuance is the loue of this world Salomon saith Foolishnes is ioy to him that is destitute of vnderstanding It is a vaine thing to bewitch the heart with delightes who take an end oftentimes before they are well begun The prophet Isaie hath these words Al that were merry of heart doe morun The mirth of taâ—ret resteth the noise of them that reioyce endeth the ioy of the hart ceaseth Small is the pleasure which either birdes in the snares of the foulers or fishes haue by the deadly baite of the fishers Euen as vaine and surely like the vnreasonable creatures art thou if thou ioy and glorie in the prosperitie of the worlde seeing death continually is at thine elbowe The time that remaineth is but verie short therefore let them that reioyce bee as though they reioyced not Wisdome leadeth righteous men the right way The way
such like most noysome cogitations and errors Many are depriued of all heauenly ioÃe because they will not be depriued of some worldly authoritie This is a perilous condition for temporall to forgoe the glorie which is eternall O that men would prudently consider the daungers that they are in which be of hie degree suâ—ely I am of minde they would soone be wearie of their glorious estate Mâ—nie haue bin losse and spoiled themselues in their chiefest glorie Adam in that earthly paradise in great glorie he sinned Iob contrariwise encountring with manifold tribulations offended not Adam was in great dignitie obeyed of all and fell but Iob in great miserie despised of all and yet stood He that standeth in an hie tower or some slipperie place is in great danger of falling In more danger be they which stande on the top of loftie buildinges than they which are vpon the firme ground In a lowe degree thou needest not feare so much and more securely thou shalt liue Noble and men of glory in this world they raigne for the most parte in idlenes which is the mother of vices and the step dame of Christian vertues They spend the time idlely and consume it in pastimes and pleasure in vaine delightes and banqueting More doe these men offend than the poore laboring men which get their liuing with the sweat of their browes Woul dest thou attaine the life which is euerlasting Then set thy â—oue vppon those thÃnges which bee here of great account The merchaÌ„t â—uieth his ware good cheape where 〈◊〉 is plenty and selleth it againe in places where it is scant Thou desirest to goe to heauen and thetherwarde thou art bounding take not that with thee thether which is good cheape there There bee all manner of true honor riches and abundance Carrie with thee thether the ware which is not there to be gotten so shalt thou be sure to be well paide for the same Contempt persecutions teares fastinges repentance are not there to bee found if therefore thou prouide thy selfe good store of these wares when thou commest thether thou shalt be sure to bee well rewarded for the same infomuch that thou wilt say thou art rich indeede and of great honor but if thou heape to thy selfe honor vpon honor in this world be thou well assured thou shalt not finde them there Flie therefore from the glorie of this world so shalt thou be glorified in heauen CHAP. 28 The prosperity of this world it is vaine THE prosperity of fooles destroyeth them sayeth the wise man Much oughtest thou to feare the prosperitie of this present worlde if thou hast any desire to bee of a lowly minde and to serue thy Sauiour Christ. Saul than whome there was not a more holy and better man in his low estate being once aduanced ouer the people of Israel his heart withall became exceeding proud Dauid in his aduersity spared the life of his enemie Saul but in prosperity tooke away the life of his faithfull seruant Vriah â— He that in the time of persecution gaue life vnto them that had deserued death in prosperity brought vnto death such as deserued life It is a hard thing to be wise and prosperous too Looke how thou vse prosperitie well for such shal be thy punishment as thou hast been negligent in thy flourishing estate Dangerous is that life which seemeth to be the nourisher of great security and negligence Many of good men became proude and dissolute being once aduanced vnto high degrees of promotion After prosperitie foloweth the forgetfulnesse of God The request of Ioseph vnto the chiefe butler of Pharao was that he would haue him in remeÌ„brance when he was in goodcase yet the chief butler did not remember Ioseph but forgot him saieth the Scripture The king of Aegipt Pharao in his prosperitie saide who is the Lorde that I should heare his voice and let Israel goe I know not the Lorde neither will I let Israell goe but in his tribulation he began to know God and besought Moses and Aaron to praie vnto God for him S. Peter being aloft in glorie vpon the mount Thabor wished for three Tabernacles there One for Christ another for Moses the third for Elias but he had neither himselfe nor his fellowe Disciples in remembrance And no maruell for in prosperitie man forgeteth commonly both himselfe and his friendes too It is more dangerous sailing vpon the sweete waters of the running riuers than vppon the salt waters of the wide sea In more daunger thou art in the ioyful time of prosperitie than in the troublesome stormes ofaduersitie The nigher thou art to prosperitie the nigher thou art to thy peril the vniting therof to the flesh is the killing of the soule Thinke of prosperitie as of a thing lent thee but for a shorte time and may easilie be taken away thinke againe of aduersitie that it is momentanie so the more patiently shalt thou endure the same Flie from prosperitie and the vain honors of this world if in the other you would liue for euer-more with Iesus Christ. It is better to bee troubled with Christ than to spend thy life in a flourishing state Despise therefore from thine heart the felicitie of this present world so shalt thou come vnto the glory of heauen which is eternall CHAP. 29. Great good commeth by persecution AL that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shal suffer persecution Euill trees which beare no fruit are not beaten but hewen downe by the rootes and cast into the fire as our Sauiour saieth of the withered figge tree but it is otherwise with good trees which are not hewen downe though they bee beaten The Lord compareth men vnto trees among whom the euil so wel as the good doe suffer persecution but when death once approcheth the wicked shal be cut vp by the roots and throwen headlong into the fire of hell If thou suffer persecution take it not greeuously but thanke GOD that hath admitted thee to bee one of that number which hee hath chosen for himselfe Christ himselfe hath suffered persecution and all that haue loued Christ at any time haue endured the same If thou thereforâ— art without persecution feare least all manner of euils fall vpon thee at the point of death that may foreuer roote and raze thee out of the ioyes of heauen Thinke not thy selfe the more acceptable in Gods sight because thou sufferest no persecution Christ wee reade gaue vnto Iudas a sop wheÌ„ it was dipped when the rest of the Disciples did eate drie bread yet was not Iudas any whit the holier and more perfect for al that Thinke not thy selfe the better if thou eate thy bread with varietie of pleasant sauses yea better it may bee are the poore feeding on the drie bread It is the wâ—nt of God to deale his earthly blessinges more liberally vpon sinners than vpon righteous men Did not the Lord betrust Iudas with the
thou curiously dispute and reason about that which is commaunded thee The beginng of al mans miserie and mischeefe it came from the womans curious disputing with the serpent about the commaundement giuen vnto our first parentes of God For when the Diuell reasoned thus with her Yea hath God indeede saide Yee shall not eate of the fruit of the trees of the garden If shee had done well shee would haue taken vppe her aduersarie short and saide I wot well what God hath commaunded me to doe euen that I forbeare from eating of the forbidden frute when hee hath doone so I may not enquire but seeing he hath commanded I must giue obedience thereunto because he is my God and creator but shee ouerthrew her selfe because she would enter disputation with Satan It is not the duetie of a subiect to argue but to obey Holde thy peace and obey neither make answere to thine aduersarie otherwise thou shalt bee ouercome Let thy will be all one with thy superiors will For though the man that commaundeth thee bee of an euill life yet if that which hee commaundeth thee bee good thou shalt by obeying both giue a good ensample vnto others and profite thy selfe The obedient subiect liueth at great case when the troblesome person is neuer without troubles Remoue away the burden of thin owne will which so doth tire weary thee and laie the same vppon the shoulders of thy gouernour so shalt thou liue in security and quietnesse For it is great quietnesse to liue with out care that so thou maiest the more freely addict thy selfe vnto the Spirite Onely the men of high authority in the world they may lament and mourne that they want this priuiledge But worldlings they comprehend not yet the sweetenesse of holy obedience Hence it is that many which would seeme religious hauing not thoroughly perceaued howe pleasant a thing it is to obey for Christs sake they both couet prelacy and shunne the quietnesse of the Spirite and while they thinke to finde ease they fall into troubles and are tyred continually with cares and molestations Onely therefore the good soules which bee religiously obedient they get the freedome of the Spirite and liue with ioy and comfort Many of their owne free will doe chuse out places of comfort for themselues where beeing once come they finde themselues voide of all ioy and comfort But the Godly doe euen there finde most consolation where they thinke to haue no comfort at all To bee short look not to finde any true comfort but in God which dwelleth in the heart of the obedient person If thou bee truely obedient thou shalt finde comfort wheresoeuer thou shalt dwell because God is with thee but if thou bee led by thine owne affection what place or land soeuer thou chusest to dwell in euen there shalt thou finde an hell where thou thinkst to haue paradise For thether shalt thou carry thine own will which offereth bloudy battell vnto thy soule in all places thether shalt thou carry thy affections which night and day wil vexe and trouble thee But submitting thy selfe vnto the authority of others as thou shouldest thou shalt make thy selfe a Lord and ruler ouer all thinges CHAP. 31. Pouerty is great riches BLessed are the poore in spirite for theirs is the kingdome of heaueÌ„ saith our Lord For the obtaining the custody of some strong castle or place of defence a warrant signed with the hande and seale of the Lorde or Prince of the same shall doe thee more good than a great deale of mony for vppon the sight of the warrant the captaine of the castle will giue thee possession of the same which no mony could get at his handes Pouerty in spirite is the warrant or bill assigned by the great King of heauen whereby the poore in spirite shal enter into paradise seeing the Lord doth say Theirs is the kingdome of heauen This warrant is more worth for the getting of heauen than all the temporall riches of the worlde Well said our Sauiour Christ Blessed are the poore in spirite For if he is to bee counted blessed which coueteth nothing sure the greedy gatherer of worldly riches is not blessed for hee coueteth much The poore in spirite lacketh nothing saue that hee will not haue what hee wil hee hath and that will hee not haue which hee desireth not Theirs is the kingdome of heauen saith Christ. Pouerty is a treasure that is easely kept for no man wil or can bereaue vs of it It is a sure possession which none will chaleng or lay claime vnto Hee that is so poore that hee hath nothing needeth neuer to feare that dreadful sentence against the vnmercifull rich men I was a stranger yee lodged me not I was naked and yee clothed me not sicke and in prison and yee visited me not Hee that hath not to giue is not bound vnto these workes of mercy Had not the poore estate liked God the Angel had neuer in particulars tolde the shepheardes that they should finde the Sauiour of the world swadled and lying in a cratch The apostle saith of Christ that Hee being rich for your sakes became poore that ye through his pouerty might be made rich Christ was poore at his birth in his life poore and poore at his death If the onely begotten sonne of God for thy sake became poore why art thou ashamed to become poore for his sake A good pouerty is great riches to bee thoroughly mortified it is necessary that thou despise this salfe riches and to with-draw thine hearte from the inordinate desire of them They which stand vpon the ground are nearer vnto heauen then they which liue belowe in vauts vnder the ground So they be nearer vnto God that despise the riches of this earth than are the couetous which serue the world haue made themselues slaus vnto the same Reioyce therefore if thou mayest heere-in bee a companyon of Iesus Christ who hanged on the crosse poore and naked to make thee a partaker of those inestimable riches and glory in his celestiall kingdome CHAP. 32. We are to continue in doing good workes ANd yee brethren be not weary of well dooing saith the apostle A good work is neuer without a rewarde For if thou liue in the state of grace thou shaâ—t come vnto heauen but if thou art not in such a state yet shalt thou not loose the good which thou dost Hee that liueth euell and doeth no good deedes shal hardly after become a vertuous man get therfore the custome of doing well that by the vse the thing may bee made easie Let vs not therefore be weary of well dooing saith the apostle For in due season we shall reap if we faint not Christ seeing a figge tree in the way hee came vnto it and finding nothing there-on but leaues onely said to it Neuer fruit grow on thee hence-forward â—nd anon the figge tree withered Therefore is it good
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
euen deuoure and eate vppe the poore the waues of the sea bee neuer at rest but alwayes are mouing and working so the hearts of worldlinges they are neuer quiet but are continually beaten vp and down with the heauy thoghts cares of the world This made the Prophet Isaiah to say The wicked are like the raging sea that cannot rest whose waters cast vp mire and dirt Daniel hee saw the foure windes of the heauen striue vpon the sea The companion of honor is care and with riches go carefulnesse â—nd among the dignities and â—anitieâ— of the worlde is mixed pride and arrogancy for the most part You shall see few rich men but they haue store of sinnes few men of greate calling but they are proud few that followe the trades in the worlde that loue God from their heart yea a wonder were it that a man wrapped among the busines of this world should put his confidenc in the inuisible God Happie is that man which setteth not his heart vpon the vaine thinges of this world which are so full of daungers and trappes and drawe hedlong vnto hell If thou wouldest bee deliuered fâ—om them flie with Eliah into the wildernesse of true repentance Much trouble in the world thou mightest auoide if diligently thou didest thinke thereof but he that doth not somuch as feare them falleth into them ere hee be aware When there is a calme in the sea the Sailers be in good safetie but when such a storme doth arise that doth hazarde the ship and all therein then is it their manner for the sauing of their liues to throwe their goodes ouer boorde If then for the safetie of the bodie men will euen throwe awaie their temporall riches how much the rather should wee doe the same if they bee an impediment to the spirituall proceeding Preferre not therefore I pray you these momentaâ—y and transitory things to those true riches and eternall And seeing the world is like in many respectes to a tempestuous sea where daunger is present looke well to thy self that with Pharao the King of Egypt thou bee not drowned therein CHAP. 9 Men are not to bee without care of their saluation liuing in this dangerous world ELiah lay and slept vnder the iuniper tree saith the Scripture Way fairing men doe vse to rest them and to sleepe vnder the shadow of a tree as they iourney by the way and when the shadow is gone and they beginne to awake they finde themselues all in a sweat by reason of the parching heate of the Sunne Are not all the things of this world as a shadow in which the seruantes of this world doe lie and rest themselues while being forgetful of their owne saluation they repose confidence in the vaine honours of this worlde If thou trust in the fauour of princes thou sleepest vnder a shadowe which soone is gone for their fauor continueth not and quickly mayest thou come into disgrace with them if they do liue but if they die being honoured before of some thou shalt then be forsaken of all Cursed bee the man that trusteth in man saith the scripture Put not your trust in princes nor in the sonne of man for there is none helpe in him You can promise to your self nothing certaine from these men for if they fauour you to day they may abhorre you to morrow Sleepe not vnder the buckler of strange friendshippe or of riches for these last not Trust not in bewtie for as a vapor it vanisheth soone away Put no confidence in the glory of this world For as the winde it is quickly gone As for honours alas they passe away euen as a smoake and as a shadow Whatsoeuer things are in this world they slide away and are transitorie euen thy selfe man shortly shalt be carried to the graue Saul he put his trust in the strength of his men and weapons which hee had about him and therefore betooke himselfe to sleepe to the â—azarding of his person Euen so many men reposing trust in the strength of their bodies and youth put off the amendment of their liues securely from time to time whereby they fall into the danger of leesing the life of their soules for euer and euer The Sonne of Saul Ishbosheth hee slept at noone day on his bed in a troublesome time where hee was smote slaine and beheaded Take heede that the like come not vnto thee as it can hardly bee auoided if thou sleepe securely in the vanities of this world Death it will come at the length and being awaked out of thy slumber of sinne thou shalt find thy selfe â—ast headlong into that vnquenchable fire of hell At the point of death how wilte thou be troubled in minde when all the thinges wherein thou trâ—stedst thou shalt see coÌ„uerted into a smoke and shadow Sleepe not therefore in the shadowe of worldly vanitie least in death thou finde thy selfe enuironed with sundrie afflictions and torments CHAP. 10. It is a miserable slauerie to serue the world BEcause your fathers haue forsaken me saieth the Lord c. yee shall serue other Gods day and night They which giue themselues to the satisfying of their owne desires they shall suffer such torments as be intollerable The fained loue of Delilah it was the cause why Sampson did leese both his eyes and his liberty beeing made a slaue to grinde in the prison house Thou art like vnto blinde Sampson whosoeuer thou art which sub duing the vnrulie passions of his heart through the discipline of the worde Doth it not argue great folly in that man which beeing free to the preiudice of his owne libertie will enter into matrimonie with a womaÌ„ that is bond And is it not as greate foolishnes despising the feare of God for the will to submit it selfe to the seruitude of creatures and the bondage of the world Did not Sampson declare a great ouersight in that knowing himselfe often to be deceaued by Delilah and that she ment nothing more then to deliuer him into the handes of the Philistines his enemies yet had rather with the danger of bondage to serue and obey her as it fell out to his vtter ouerthrow than to crosse her desire or to bridle his owne affections Into the same reproach thinke not but thou shalt fall if thou beleeue the enticements and falsehood of this flattering worlde Take heede least the world do make a sale of thee as Delilah did of Sampson If it doe with Sampsons thine eyes shal bee plucked out so that thou shalt not beholde the deceipts the cares and troubles of the world nor taste any whit how sweet the yoake of thy Sauiour Christ is Oh how much better is it to serue God and so to raigne than by seruing the world to feele that intollerable hunger and thirst in the pit of hell Being warned therefore by the danger of other men casting off that most grieuous yoake of the worlde put thou vpon
Little knowe the men of this world what they say when they iudge the yoake of Christ sharpe and soure and their wordes are so much to be waide as the wordes either of a blind man that will iudge of colours or of him that will condemne a way aâ—â—l which he neuer went not yet knoweth But seeing all the Saintes of God haue carried vppon their shoulders the yoake of Christ and haue by experience found the same to bee light more credit is vnto them to bee giuen than to those men whosoeuer they are which neuer did vndergoe the same No man euer hath taken vpon him this yoake of Christ but he hath confessed that the same was light againe no man will say it is bitter and intolerable but hee that knoweth not what it meaneth This wil they testisie to bee true who laying aside the burden of sinne by humble confessing them vnto the Lord haue fouÌ„d theÌ„selues so lightened as they seemed foorthwith to be rapt vp into the heauens If such comfort cometh vnto vs by forsaking of sinne howe much greater will the consolation be in proceeding forwarde in the holy exercises oâ— most Christian vertues For of one good deede thou shalt not be called good but of many actions The habite of vertue it commeth after thou hast first seuered thy selfe from euill and exercised thy selfe in godly vertues And by proofe thou shalt sinâ—e that wel it will goe with thee when thou feelest the true comfort of the soule by going forwarde in the way of the spirit The natural man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God of many good things is he depriued O that but euen a little thou hadest tasted the ioy of the holiâ— Ghost thou wouldest soone take the things which seeme so sweete here in the world for very soure and bitter Seeing the yoake of Christ is so sweete and the yoake of the worlde so burdensome take vpon thee and that cheerefully the yoake of the Lord so at the length thou wilt say that both nowe it doth and hereafter it will go wel with thee CHAP. 13 In all our troubles we must make recourse vnto the Lord COme vnto me al ye that are wearie laden I will ease you saith the Lord If thou forsake God and runnest backe vnto the worlde looke not for any comfort in thy troubles So long as thou obeiest the desires of thy minde and the world so long assure thy selfe no consolatioÌ„ wil come vnto thee That good woman Mary Magdalene when shee was comfortâ—â—sse she came vnto our Sauiour Christ into the Pharisies house and had her sinnes forgiuen her but desperat Iudas flying vnto men hanged himselfe afterward in desperatioÌ„ Here you may see that wiser waâ— that woman than Iudas the Traitor they had both offended and both confessed their sinnes but better did she for her selfe in flying vnto the fountaine of comfort than the foolish Disciple which leauing his life sought his own death If a picture that sometime was faire and perfect afterward becommeth soule and spotted who better canne restore the same to the former integritie than the painter which first made the same So if thy soule be defiled with the spottes of sinne who better can reforme it than God himselfe which created the same after his owne likenesse Be take not therefore the reformation of thy soule to the worlde for it cannot mende but empaire yea vtterly destroy the same Beleeue not lies but turne thee vnto God the fountaine of all mercy Hee that wil aske an almes of a poore man when a rich man that is both able and willing also to giue is present is a verie foole No creature is so rich that it can comfort thee but God onely heerein is most liberall Turne therfore thy praiers vnto him and cast thy heart vpon his kindnesse who is the true quietnes consolation Seeke vnto thy Sauiour Christ as the doue sought vnto the Arke of Noah But hang not vppon this worlde as the rauen hanged vppon carion The doue founde no rest vntill she returned vnto the Arke againe If thou wouldest inwardly be comforted in thy soule fly the outwarde consolation of the body If thou hungrest after Christ hee will fil thee with the bread of heauen Happy is he that setteh not his heart vpon any creature but dedicateth himselfe and al his works vnto the Lord. One thing is needful vnto thee Is it not better to ioine thy selfe to one than to many Let others seeke if they wil varietie of things external seeke thou that one thinge which is spiritual and with that be content Of one al thinges proceede and not that one thing of many By seeking these visible thinges while thou thinkest to finde rest in them thou forgoest the things which are truely good if thou turne thy selfe vnto transitory goods thou shalt leese trust vnto it the good thinges in deede and finde thy selfe incombred in many troubles but if vnto God the soueraigne good thou turne thy selfe then shalt thou in him finde quietnesse â—nd a plentifull heape of all good thinges Seeke the water of life to refresh thy soule whithall at the fountaine which by no possibe meanes can bee dried vp For better is one dropp of heauenly consolation than all the floudes and streames of worldly pleasures The men of this world they seeke for quietnesse in thinges that bee out of quiet and for continuance in things transitory Let them therefore take to themselues the dignities of the world but let it be as a shielde vnto thee to make recourse vnto God and in him to repose al thy trust and confidence CHAP. 34. The comfort of this world as they are not true so neither be they of continuance I Haue seene the wicked strong spreading him selfe like a green bay tree Yet he passeth away and loe hee was gone and I sought him but he could not be founde saith Dauid The righteous haue been counted for dead in this worlde like the treeâ— in winter whose vertue remaineth hidden in the rootes Therefore in the sight of the world they seemed fruitelesse and good for nothing but the sommer being come their vertue flourisheth and then will they shewe themselues in their glorious array The floures appeare in the earth so shall the iust say when gloriously shining as the Sunne they shal bee presented before the God of heauen Trust not the greene and goodly hew of this worldly vanity which soone vanisheth away loue not the world which thou seest to passe away so swiftly Salomon saith As the whirl wind passeth so is the wicked no more As a thunderclap which maketh a great noyse in the ayre and as a sudden shower of raine which soone passeth away and by and by the day is cleare again such is all the pomp and show of this world it no sooner commeth but it is gone again Loue the life which is eternall which enioying
people of whom more profite shall you receiue at the length than at the first you would imagine CHAP. 29. The world must be despised in no worldly respects WHosoeuer shall forsake houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my Names sake hee shall receiue an hundred folde more and shal inherite euerlasting life saith the Lord Many do forsake great possessions which yet receiue no reward because they forsake not these thinges for Christ his sake but seeke themselues loue their owne glorie and couet the praise of men The more thou louest God the more acceptable is that whatsoeuer thou doest Though I feede the poore with all my goods and though I giue my bodie that I be burned and haue not loue it profiteth me nothing saith the Apostle Study thou onely to please God and let his loue onely mooue thee to serue him contemne this world not hoping for any temporall commoditie God he praised Iob and the Diuel replied againe Doth Iob feare God for nought The Diuel he denied not the workes of Iob but he argued vp In euery worke therefore let God be the cause and ende of the same if thou haue no purpose to worke in vaine CHAP. 30. Death is to be had in continunual remembrance WHatsoeuer thou takest in hand remember the ende and thou shalt neuer doe amisse saieth a wise man The remembrance of death it auaileth much to make vs to contemne this world Hee will easily despise all which hath in minde that he shall die Vnto Adam and his wife did the Lord God make coates of skinnes and clothed them that thereby they might haue in remembrance the sentence of death whereinto they were fallen through sinne Seeing thou with all mortall creatures art condemned to die the death and art still going the right way vnto the graue thou oughtest to giue thy selfe vnto continuall mortifying of thy selfe It is a soueraigne medicine for to refraine thy sensual and wicked appetites to haue death in remembrance whereby the bodie shal be turned into duste and ashes and eaten vp of wormes The cogitation of death it throweth water as it were into the fornace of our burning desires to quench them Death is the clocke by which wee set our life in order and the memory thereof doth choake vp much of that loue that wee doe beare vnto the world As Daniel by strawing of ashes in the flore discouered by the print of the feete the deceipt of the false Priestes of Babylon so doe thou cast in thy memorie the ashes whereinto thou shalt one day bee conuerted and thou shalt perceiue the deceiptes of the worlde the subtilty of the Diuel and the secrete tentations whereby the wicked spirits doe impugne thy soule O that these thinges were in thy minde howe purely should the life beleeue the things which dayly thou seest to happen before thy face Thinke that euery moment thou hearest that terrible trumpet resounding in thine eares Arise ye dead and come vnto iudgement The memorie of death in a good man it clenseth and purifieth all that passeth through it as a strainer clenseth all that liquor that is powred into it Driue not from thy mind the remembrance of death for it will detaine thee greatly from reuenging iniuries and from following the vanities of this world which as yet abide in thy minde and study to get the Christian virtues which highly doe please God and are profitable to man CHAP. 31. The houre of death is vncertaine WAtch for yee knowe neither the day nor the houre when the sonne of man will come saith our Sauiour Seeing death is so certaine and the time thereof so vncertaine we are continually to watch and to thinke that euerie day shall bee the last Many doe builde houses yet wot they not whether they shall inhabite them or no Many doe make prouision against the yeere to come which it may bee they shall neuer see They giue themselues to this life which is vncertaine and ouerpasse the caâ—e of death which is most certaine Seeing then with such an earnest studie thou prouidest for vncertaine thinges why prouidest thou not against death which is of all most certaine It is not good to leaue the certaine for the vncertaine Man knâ—weth noâ— his time sayeth the preacher but as the fishes which are taken in an euill net and as the birdes that are caught in the snare so are the children of men snared in the euil time when it falleth vpon them suddenly Why tariest thou longer vpon present things If a King of speciall fauour should giue thee one of the cities of his stingdome and should assigne thee a certaine houre to confirme his graunt wouldest thou not with all studie and diligence endeauour that that houre should not bee ouerslipt But now a farre more excellent and glorious city than any is in this world euen the celestial Ierusalem is promised vnto thee by the vnspeakeable magnificence of the King of Kinges The time of this life is giuen thee to attaine therein this blessed citie Leese not thy time therefore omit not a good opportunitie least thou leese that happinesse which thou so longest for The night commeth when no man can worke No man hath an houre sure of his life Therefore the time being so short and the promises so ample what a woonder is it that many can so idlely passe the time away in vanities and pastimes as though they had yet an hundred yeeres moe assured them to liue and looked for none other world after this life If for the getting of some temporal good thing thou art willing to breake thy sleepe to refraine from meate to absent thy selfe from many meetinges of pleasure and that onely to finish which is in thine handes least the occasion doe slip and thou wottest not when to haue the like againe why doest thou not take the like occasion now giuen thee of God for the attaining of that life which shall endure for euer Those fiue foolish virgins that sufâ—ered the time praeâ—ent unprofitably to passe-away and presumed of the time to come were deceiued of their vaine expectation Disire not a long but a good life nor many but good yeares Endeuor rather to liue well than long and seeke not onely to haue a good-will but adde thereunto good workes Many contenting themselues with a good intentes haue descended into the tormentes of hell Vncertaine is the houre of death which is a thing that should stirre vs vp vnto more watchfulnesse in our calling It were extreme foolishnesse for thee to liue in that state in which thou wouldest not that death should finde thee And seeâ—ing this may fall out euery houre euen in reason it standeth thee vppon to liue well for little doe you knowe the houre when death wil summon you to answere for your life before the iudgement seate of God CHAP. 32. The houre of death is vnknow en because we
thinke the other doe saile exceeding fast and that themselues doe go but faâ—re and easily or rather stand still although in truth one ship saileth so fast as the other Euen in like sort many that see other men dayly to die before their face doe thinke themselues notwithstanding to be immortall and that they doe abide stocke still while others doe goe on apace towardes death If death doe come vpon a suddaine and doe carrie any man away with him neuer say that hee betrayeth any man since long afore hee hath proclaimed himselfe to be an open enemie of vs all And it is an euident argument that he meaneth not to bee at truce with men when euery day he killeth one or other It is thy part therefore to prepare thy selfe and euery moment to looke for death and to liue in the feare of God They which goe through the fields that bee â—cuered with snowe they knowe not their way and while they thinke to enter into their lodging they fall into some daungerous pit or place Euen so the men which enioy all manner of prosperity which as snowe taketh away a great part of the sight of men while they thinke howe still they shall liue they rush headlong vpon death and come vnto destruction No maruaile then that of rich they become poore and from pleasure and pronâ—otion they come vnto anguish and plaine For good reason is it 〈◊〉 at his death he should forget himselfe which in his life would not remember God And then can hee hardly thinke of his saluation being occupied with the deceiptful light of the worlde vnlesse hee lay aside first all hurtfull sticking about visible things So ought a man to behold death despising all the vanity glorie and worship of the world CHAP. 34. Pride is horrible in the sight of God AL that is in the worlde as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of lift is not of the Father but of the worlde sayeth S. Iohn By these three troupes of enemies doth the world oppugne thee But of these the mightiest of all is pride which is the originall of all sinne If thou purpose to approch neere vnto God flie from pride becausâ— God resisteth the proude and giueth grace to the humble The waters of Gods grace they doâ— runneaway from the hie mountaines of the vaine and hie minded people and goeth into the vallies of them that bee humble and meeke hearted Consider who thou art and thou shalt see how little cause thou hast to bee proud Thou shalt fiâ—de that in thy conception there was sinne in thy birth misery in thy life troubles and in thy death anguish and vexation To bring downe thine hie stomacke withall Almighty God hath ordained that thou shouldest bee vexed here in this life with the most vile and simple creatures as gnattes frogges and such like vermine as he plagued the proude Egyptians withalâ— Boast not arrogantly of thine own vertues neither lay open the faultes of other men but humbly consider thine owne defects and thy neighbours vertues and confesse thy selfe to bee a sinner and thy neighbour to bee an holy man Doe not thou imitate the poude Pharisie that made mention of his owne good workes and of the Publicans wickednesse Bee not arrogant least thou fall into the rigorous iudgement of the almightie God Be not proude man for thou art worthy all shame and confusion Thy casting downe shal be in the middest of thee saith Micheas Thou art a vile worme of the earth and a deâ—ne full of filth and abomination RemeÌ„ber that thou art but dust and shalt returne againe into ashes Moses he sprinkled ashes toward the heauen and there came a scab breaking out into blisters vpon man and vpon beast If thou being but ashes dost lift vp and exaâ—t thy selfe by pride thou shalt be punished as the Egyptians were and as was Nebuchadnezzar There is no sinnner that so resembleth Satan as the proud man To remoue this sinne of pride God he descended vpon the earth in great humilitie Pride is the originall of al sinne Other sinners be separated from God either by some commoditie or pleasure but the cursed proude man is so past all shame that voluntarily hee renounceth euen God himselfe Other sinnes are knowen to proceede from certaine inordinate desires but the proude man in all that hee doeth maketh showe of pride He sheweth his pride in his pompous tables in his costly bedding and in many other things It is a continuall ague that continueth still and followeth a man often yea euen to the graue and after hee is dead Whereof are witnesses the stately monuments and toumbes which they cause to bee set vp and erected for them after they bee laide full lowe in the graue For the auoiding of this pride God hee suffereth man to fall into other sinnes An argument that of all it is the greatest Euery proud man is an abhomination to the Lord For he hath stretched out his hand against God and made himselfe strong against the Almighty saith Iob Onely by pride doeth man make contention saith Salomon With other sinners man may haue some societie but the proude man will admit no peere When Saul was little in his owne fight he was made the heade of the tribes of Israel but after hee became proude he lost his kingdome Pride it is the roote of all vice and the destruction of all vertue The trees that bee planted vpon hie places doe soonest loose their leaues thorough the vehemencie of the windes Studie therefore to bee little and make account of humilitie for therein shalt thou finde most safetie CHAP. 35. God giueth grace to the humble HE that humbleth himselfe shal be exalted saith the Lord As much as pride is hatefull so much is humility acceptable in Gods sight This humilitie is so liked of Iesus Christ that therein hee would bee borne and therewith as with a most deere friend he spent the time all the the dayes of his life Enter in at the straight gate for it is the wide gate and broad way that leadeth vnto destruction and many there be which go in thereat Because the gate is straight the way narrow that leadeth vnto life saith the Lord He that wil goe in at a lowe doore had neede stouâ—e and bowe downe himselfe if thou doest not â—umble thy selfe thou shalt neuer enter into heauen Except ye be conuerted and become as litle children ye shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Learne of me that am meeke and lowly in heart saith our â—auiour Many there be which know themselues to be weake and offenders yet will they not be taken to be such but be thou humble in will and be content to bee as slenderly accounted of by other men as thou knowest thy selfe to bee worthy of the same and this is to be humble in very deede Iesus
Christ our blessed redeemer did manifest his glorious transfiguration but onely vnto three oâ— his Disciples but the shame of his reprochâ—ull death he made open to all the worlde dying vpon a crosse publiquely in the great citie of Ierusalem and that in the time of the solemne â—east of Easter â—ut the guise of man is not so which desireth that his vertues and fame but not his imperfections and shame should bee knowen of any Oâ—ten did our Sauiour preach of humilitie because hee would haue that lessoâ— to be wel remembred And greatly was he touched with compassion toward the humble After the Centurion had said I am not worthy that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe he was preferd afore all Israel S. Paul that saide He was not meete to bee called an Apostle was the chiefe preacher of all the Aposâ—les and laboured more aboundanâ—ly than theâ— all S. Peter that fell downe at Iesus knees saying Lord goe from mee for I am a sinfull man h was straightway made a fisher of men S Iohn Baptist that humble man that said he was not worthy to beare the shâ—â—s of our Sauiour Christ was not withstanding the chosen friend of the bridegrome and baptised Christ. God alwaies from the beginning hath chosen for himfelfe the least and the simplest things in showe Of the first two brethren that were borne in the worlde Kaine and Habel hee choase Habel that was the yonger Of the sonnes of Abraham Ismael and Isaak hee choase Isaak that was the yonger Of the sonnes of Isaak Esau and Iaakob hee choase Iaakob which was the yonger Of the 12. sonnes of Iaakob hee choase Ioseph one of the yongest and made him ruler ouer the lande of Egypt Of the sonnes of Ishai he choase the least and yongest Dauid that kept his fathers sheepe He made Saul King of Israel being of the least tribe the meanest familâ—e of all the Iewes Againe when Christ himselfe came into the worlde to shewe that he â—â—ned humilitie hee choase not the great and mightie men to bee his disciples but poore men that vsed the trade of fishing Amongest all his vnreasonable creatures he hath planted in the very meanest and in the least in a manner of them all as the Pismire the coâ—ies the grashoppers the spiders such a wisedome at the wisest men in the worlde cannot but wonder at the same In the creation of the world hath not God of materia prima as the Philosophers doe terme it the vilest matter made all things yea of nothing as the Scripture teacheth Furthermore the sonne of God Christ made himselfe of no reputation and took on him the forme of a seruant and was made like vnto man and was found in shape as a man Hee humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the crosse To commend humilitie vnto man Suffer litle children and forbid them not to come vnto me for of such is the kingdome of heauen saith Christ At an other time to make pride odious vnto vs he brake out into these words against Capernaum And thou Capernaum which are lifted vp vnto heauen shalt be brought downe to hell The glorie of a proude man shall soone turne into confusion and as pride is hatefull to God men so coÌ„trariwise humilitie purchaseth fauor As ashes doe keepe and preserue the fire so doth humilitie preserue the grace of the holy Ghost Abraham said vnto God I haue begunne 〈◊〉 speake vnto my Lord being but dust and ashes The deeper the well is the sweeter is the water thereof and the more lowly thou art the more louely art thou in the sight of God Seeke not ambitiously after promotion and dignity in the world for all these things full speedily shall come vnto an end If thou knewest to what a miserable end the proude shall come thou couldest not chuse I thinke but contemne pride When corne is cut in the field all lyeth alike on the ground together and no man can discerne which were the hiest eares although that in the growing one eare did much ouergrowe another so likewise in the fielde of this worlde although that some be higher than others and that a fewe doe exceede the residue in learning honor wealth and dignities of the worlde yet when death commeth with his hooke and cutteth vs all downe and bereaueth vs of our liues then shall we be all equal and no difference made between one and another of vs. If thou openest the graues thou canst not tel which was the rich man and which was the poore which was the King and which was the subiect which was the noble and which was an abiect in the world So then if all men of power and honour in the world shall be brought to one and the same miserie with the poore men and of no reputation â—urely it is vanitie to desire to mount aloft in this present world â—hinke therefore humbly of thy selfe so shalt thou finde grace with God couet to be lowe and little so God will promote and exalt thee CHAP. 36. The couetous man is good for none no not to himselfe NO couetous person which is an â—â—olater hath any inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of God saith S. Paul Vnder couetousnesse are comprised another troup of enemies which doe set vpon man for his destruction Easilie in this battel mayest thou ouercome if thou wouldest beare in minde wherefore thou camest into the worlde and that all the riches of the same are to bee accounted but as dung must be left by death There is no man more barbarous and cruell than the couetous man The couetous man is voide of loue hee knoweth neither mother noâ— brother neither his owne nor strangers Ecclesiasticus doth say He that is wicked to himselfe to whom will he be good What good can a man looke for at a couetous mans hand seeing hee is cruell against himselfe Hee doth no good but when he dieth He that is couetous and sparing of his goods is of his honour and credite ouer lauish and prodigall It is a wonderfull thing that man created for to loue God should so be addicted to the inordinate loue of the vile things of this life There is nothing worse than a couetous man saith Ecclesiasticus Other sinners though they hurte themselues yet they doe good to other men in some sort but the couetous man hurteth all men as well priuately as publiquely for while hee hideth the good thinges of the earth he causeth a greeuous and miserable dearth to arise in the lande A couetous man is a poore man yea so poore as none is poorer Hee is the cause of his owne miserie There can be no greater pouerty than to haue nothing A couetous man lacketh as well that which hee possesseth as that which he hath not The things which hee hath hee vseth not yea hee maketh