death for death is the path of life a Gaole-deliuery of the soule a perfect health the hauen of heauen the finall victory of terrestriall troubles an eternall sleepe a dissolution of the body a terrour to the rich a desire of the poore a pilgrimage vncertaine a thiefe of men a shadow of life a rest from trauell an Epilogue to vaine delight a consumption of idle desires a scourge for euill a guerdon for good it dis-burdens vs of all care vnmanacles and frees vs from vexation solicitude and sorrow Of all those numberlesse numbers that are dead neuer any one returned to complaine of death but of those few that liue most complaine of life On earth euery man grumbles at his best estate The very elements whereby our subsistence or being as the secondarie cause is preserued conspire against vs the fire burnes vs the water drownes vs the earth annoyes vs and the aire infects vs our dayes are laborious our nights comfortlesse the heat scorcheth vs the cold benummes vs health swels vs with pride sicknesse empaleth our beauties friends turne Swallowes they will sing with vs in the Summer of prosperitie but in the winter of tryall they will take wings and be gone Enemies brand our reputations with deprauing imputations and the enuious man hurleth abroad his gins to ensnare our liues who would then desire to liue where there is nothing that begets content for this world is a Theater of vanities a Chaos of confusions an Embassador of mischiefe a Tyrant to vertue a breaker of Peace a Fauorite of Warre a friend of Vices a coyner of Lies an Anuile of Nouelties a table of Epicurisme a furnace of Lust a pit-fall to the rich a burthen to the poore a Cell of Pilgrims a den of Theeues a calumniator of the good a renowner of the wicked a cunning Impostor and a deceiuer of all How is the progresse of poore proud mans life violently agitated like the riuer Euripus with contrarious motions The pleasure of the wyly world thus inueigles him Come vnto mee and I will drowne thee in delight The corruption of the luxurious flesh thus ingles him Come vnto me and I will infect thee the Diuell he whispers this in his eare Come vnto mee and I will cheate and deceiue thee But our sweet and sacred Sauiour Iesus Christ with perswasiue inducements thus intreates him Come vnto me I pray thee that art heauy laden and I will receiue and exonerate thee and with the mighty arme of my mercy and compassion lift off that vnsupportable loade which crusheth downe to Hell thy groaning soule Study then to liue as dead to the world that thou maist liue with God for the iust man is said neuer to liue till after death Endeuor thy selfe to march faire through this worlds Labyrinth not to squander and looke asquint vpon the Circean allurements thereof But without turning either to the right or left hand runne straight on in that Eclipticke line which will conduct thee to that celestiall Ierusalem where with that immaculate Lambe Iesus Christ thou shalt enioy pleasure without pain wealth without want rest without labour ioy without griefe and immensiue felicitie without end Moreouer the contempt of the world born of the loue of God shall at length grow to hatred of the world when that besides the vanity and misery of it he shall contemplate the mischiefe and enmitie against the Almighty vvhich there raigneth when besides that vanity which some doe lay open to the view of all hee will represent to himselfe the iniquities which are closely kept and the Treasons Adulteries Murthers which are priuately and lurkingly committed when he shall consider the vials of Gods wrath and displeasure powred generally vpon all man-kinde for in the consideration of this world it behooueth vs to leaue out no part of it but to obserue all manner of nations and people amongst which there are many Pagans which not onely by a consequent but also by expresse profession adore the deuill The East Indies dedicate their temples to him and reuerence him with all respect The West Indies are afflicted and tormented ordinarily with euill spirits In most part of the North lurking deceits and assuming strange shapes are very common among the Inhabitants Sorcery is there an ordinary profession and the Diuell reigneth without contradiction In that Countrey which did once flourish where the Apostles had planted so happily the holy Ghost the Churches are now changed into Mosques and Temples of Idolatry In the West the head of the visible Church is become an earthly Monarch and banks are erected in those places where in times past was the House of God Amongst those erroneous and enuious people are scattered the Iewes which blasphemed against Iesus Christ and hauing persecuted him in his life doe iniuriously wrong him after his death The Countrey from whence came Decrees and Orders for Religion hath in it publike Brothel-houses and Sodomy is there an vsuall custome Here it is also where doubts in Religion that concerne a mans faith are decided in the middest of corruption There onely remaineth in the world a handfull of people which serue Iesus Christ in truth and verity and they can scarce receiue breath in this ayre which is so contrary to them beeing here as fishes without water as the remainders of great Massacres as pieces of boords scattered after the breaking of a great vessell and yet neuerthelesse among these few that are substracted out of the rest of the world corruption doth increase as a Canker or Vlcer Quarrels Vanity Superfluity in Apparell Auarice Ambition Sumptuousnesse which spendeth foolishly doth infect the one part of this small troupe for GOD is ill serued in priuate families their almes are cold they pray seldome and reade neuer IN briefe a contagion of vices by conuersing with our aduersaries doth infect vs which is the first steppe to superstition for errour creeps in to vs by vice and spirituall fornication by corporall If therefore where God is most purely knowne hee bee there ill serued how much more amongst the rest of the world If vices doe harbour in the Sanctuary how much more in the body of the church and habitation of the wicked Therefore Christ doth rightly call Satan The prince of the world and Peter doth iustly write in the second of the Acts Saue your selues from that peruerse generation for Satan lieth in ambush for vs all This age is infectious vices are like vnto glue temptations strong our enemies mighty our selues feeble and ignorant and the way of saluation narrow and full of thornes And few there bee saith Christ that finde it And those which finde it doe not alwayes keepe it but many hauing knowne the trueth doe leaue it and returne to their vomit Let vs know then a place so dangerous that wee may passe by as strangers which doe not onely passe but also runne from it flying from the world to come vnto God for wee shall neuer haue repose vnlesse wee rest
either for that hee hath vertues more then humane or that hee is so contemptible and meane in respect of Man that he is vnworthy to approach neere him But let him know which doth affect solitarinesse because he doth surpasse all men in vnderstanding and vertue that he ought to repell that humour and to condescend by humilitie and meekenesse to the imperfections of others labouring for the good of the Church or Common Wealth either by word or worke For what are all those perfections more then shaddowes and obscure traces of those perfections that are in Iesus Christ notwithstanding he tooke vpon him our shape and conuersion among men that thereby he might saue them and winne soules to heauen Therefore to conclude this point If to flie from the World bee a vanity how much more to follow it If vices and torments do harbour in the desart how much more in presses and throngs of people Truely if vanity bee in euery place let vs say that all is torment and affliction of Spirit CHAP. XI Of old and decrepit age BVt in the meane time that man is busied about al these vaine conceits while he is pushing time with his shoulder endeauouring nothing all dayes of his life but to rise and to goe to bed to apparell himselfe and to make himselfe vnready to fill his belly and to euacuate his stomacke which is no more then a circle of the selfe same importuning occupations much like vnto a Millers horse that alwaies treads one compasse While he is thus busied with such occasions behold old age stealingly arriueth to which few doe attaine and all desire But if any doe peraduenture gaine that time they desire to haue it prolonged to the vtmost this age being as Grapes which haue lost their iuyce and as the sincke of mans life is without question the most vnhappy for those men that are worldly as no the contrary it is most blessed for such as are godly For worldly men in this age are doubly possest with way wardnes their feare and distrust doth increase their iudgement waxeth weake begins to diminish Wherefore we do wrongfully call a melancholy humor wisedome a dis-abilitie sobriety because old age leaueth not pleasure but pleasure leaueth it And therefore he doth vndeseruedly complaine that the time and manners of men are changed into worse while nothing is changed but himselfe for in his youth all things pleased him if they were neuer so bad in his old age all things dislike him if they were neuer so good Like vnto those which being in a Ship thinke that the banks moue when it is onely themselues It is also a vice incident to this Age to speake much because they are no more able to performe any thing and that they also thinke themselues most fit to propose precepts to youth and to declare things of time long since Like vnto a declining State as that of the Romane Empire where there are many talkers but few valiant not much different from the aged time of the world where are many curious disputers but few of the true Religion In this Age also doth increase the loue of wealth and earthly cares doe summon new forces against man he waxeth all gray and euery thing in him beginneth to wither onely his vices excepted That auncient man of whom the Apostle maketh often mention beeing ready to dote waxeth not old in worldly age but then he is in full vigour He therefore feareth approching death and holdeth his life like vnto an Eele which slideth away In the meane time he determineth of tedious designes and heapeth vp riches as if death stood a farre off and durst not appeare But now that age is come and the time that he ought to rest his griefes and dolours are renewed the heart afflicted the braine troubled the face withered the body crooked the sight dimmed the hayres falne and the teeth rotten and to be short the body is as it were asimilitude of death yet doth he prepare himselfe least to gaine the future blisse and though many times death takes for a gage one part or other of his body as an arme an eye or a legge to serue for an aduertisement that he will shortly fetch the rest yet he is so affianced to the earth that he is vnwilling to goe to it when nothing remaineth in him but euill CHAP. XIII Of DEATH THus after Man hath sorrowed all his dayes vnder the heauy burthen of his sinnes and in conclusion of all this vnprofitable wearisome trauell behold the approch of death before he hath learned to liue much lesse to dye The most part beeing taken out of this world before they know to what end they entred in they would willingly prolong the date of their life but death admits no composition for it hath feet of wooll but armes of iron it cōmeth vnsensibly but hauing taken once hold it neuer looseth her prize To this pace or step man commeth so slowly as possibly he can For if a Ship should sinke among the waues two hundred leagues from Land notwithstanding euery Passenger would striue to swim not with an intent to saue his life but to repell death for some minutes and to render nature her last ineuitable tribute Euery man trembleth at this passage and laboureth to settle himselfe here yet is forced at last to yeeld vnto Death and yet by no meanes may bee knowne after what manner hee shall end his life Some there bee that are forced to dye by hunger others by thirst others by fire others by water others by poison others are smothered others are torne in pieces by wilde beasts others deuoured of the Fowles of the aire others are made meat for Fishes and others for Worms yet for all this Man knoweth not his end when hee thinketh himselfe most at rest hee sodainly perisheth What a dreadfull sight is it to see him lying in his bed that is oppressed with the paines of Death What shaking and changing of all the bonds of nature will he make the feete will become cold the face pale the eyes hollow the lips and mouth to retire the hands diminish the tongue waxeth blacke the teeth doe cloze the breath faileth the cold sweat appeareth by the violence of sicknes All which is a certaine token that nature is ouercome But now when it commeth to the last gaspe or at the sorrowfull departure that the soule maketh from his habitation all the bands of Nature are broken Besides when the Diuell or wicked spirit is assured of our end what furious assaults will hee make against our soules to make vs despaire of Gods mercy It is the houre when as Satan doth his power to striue against GOD for to hinder the saluation of mankind and he is more boisterous in these latter dayes for that he knoweth that his time is but short and that the end of his kingdome is at hand and therefore he is the more enflamed for he neuer
at Sea and to performe such kinde of seruilitie that Death is more tolerable to them then this kinde of life There are certaine people which haue for the space of sixe moneths continuall night who liue in Cauernes and in the extremity of the extremest degree of coldnesse hauing no heat to comfort them but onely cruelty Others there are on the contrary who liue amongst Sands continually scorched by the Sunne a countrey barren in fruits and fertile in Serpents and Lyons Our climate in respect of such intemperature is as the garden of Nature where God hath planted most wealth and riches but where hee hath reaped least fruit of gracefull actions And where these naturall blessings are so ill husbanded that amongst all that abundance there is nothing to be seene but misery and pouerty Now that we haue formally and superficially represented as with a coale the vanity and misery of our Nature and the actions of Man Let vs now examine his thoughts Dauid in the 94. Psalme saith The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vanity For if any could but make a true collection of his thoughts which haue only passed through his brain in one day the confused multitude and varietie of them beeing all very foolish would astonish him The diuers fictions and strange Ideas that Painters conceit in respect of these are nothing For some man when he hath settled himselfe in his study or some place where he thinketh to haue his spirit busied about the most serious affaires doth then begin to count the Quarrees of his window or as the Emperour Domitian to pursue little flies both with eye and hand Some one againe perceiuing himselfe destitute of company and being very pensiue doth aduise with himselfe what he would doe if he were a King or if that he had a million of Crownes how he would spend them or thinking of his own domesticke affaires doth thred a chaine of tedious hopes and by degrees becommeth very rich in his discourse at the conclusion of which he frustrateth all that imagination and returning to the consideration of his present pouerty hee moderateth his passions Yea also during the time of Sermons and Prayer when God speaketh vnto vs or we to him our minds are abstracted thinking of some other thing There if our best actions are infected with idle cogitations how much moreouer vnprofitable houres are ill spent time These friuolous thoughts mixed with vaine desire and a like ignorance do labour the mind and giueth it no repose for man in his solitary thoughts doth ruminate the euils past vexing himselfe with the things present and fore-fearing things to come yea those things that shall neuer happen he changeth his doubtfull feare into certaine miseries many being miserable out of a feare that they shall bee miserable and many dying out of a feare that they shall die Euery day hath sufficient affliction to torment vs. For who can euer bee in ease if all the past and future euils doe render themselues present to vs the first by our memory and the last by our feare This naturall vnrest is the cause that Man loueth change like vnto one that is sicke who desireth continually to change his bed Yet notwithstanding findes himselfe more distempered in the last then in the first thinking no repose to be but in wearinesse For he alwayes carrieth his griefe with him and findes little ease in changing of sides yea I dare say if God had placed Man betwixt good and euill to take his choise of either and as it were to cut what hee thought good out of the whole earth his blindnesse is such that hee would quickly conuert it into ill If God send such no griefes they wil send themselues some If their owne griefes doe not trouble them the happinesse of others will torment them and enuy is more stinging then affliction From it also doth it proceed that men desire alwayes they know not vvhat themselues they are greedy to desire but weake to put in Execution as a Bird that doth couet to fly but vseth onely one of her wings Also men are distracted with contrary cogitations One complaineth that his Wife is dead Another that shee will not dye One mourneth for the losse of his children Another that hee hath some that be very wicked One disturbed with businesse praiseth domesticke repose and that opinion of Saul who did rather affect to liue obscurely in the basest pouerty then to bee exalted to the highest Dignity Another being excluded from publique command doth notwithstanding breake his own necke to attaine it Euery thing doth seeme to vs beautifull but that which we haue and nothing delighteth vs but that which wee cannot obtaine Nothing doth so much reioyce vs as the hurt of another man of some decay in Fortune wee smile but it grieueth vs to see him receiue any Honour In this vanity of thoughts and vncertainty of desires doth appeare a great weakenesse of spirit for our affections are swayed more by gestures and externall appearance then by the thing it selfe Like vnto some Spectators at a Tragedie who notwithstanding that they know the argument to be fabulous nothing concerning them doe weepe out of compassion when as they will not shead a teare for their own vnfained griefes Some there bee also that hang themselues out of despaire which the selfe-same houre would haue runne away from the thrust of a sword because that this last kinde of Death commeth accompanied with horrour and feare whereas the former is so quickly dispatched that the sight of it doth nothing amaze one Opinions doe more gouerne vs then the things themselues many doe sometimes eate meat which they know not and yet they finde it pleasing to the taste but after vvhen some one hath told them what it is their conceit will make them so sick at heart that they will vomit it vp againe Some others haue more feare of a Mouse or a Hem or a Toad then of a sword certainely such peeuish weakenesse or fantasticall actions doe gouerne our imaginations Truely I know not how but men study to deceiue themselues Some one will recite a tale for truth which hee knoweth to be most false and that so often and with so great assurance that himselfe in fine doth beleeue it A Husband that knoweth his Wife to be deformed notwithstanding because shee is painted and disguized will begin to perswade himselfe that shee is faire and shee her selfe will beleeue it and thinke to be reputed so How many bee there which beleeue in a Religion because they will beleeue it which contest against their owne sense which say among themselues that surely is absurd and not agreeable with the Scripture I will haue it thus and will beleeue so This is to haue a constrained beliefe not to haue his will subiected to Religion but Religion to his will The infirmitie of mans iudgement doth especially
is a happinesse in regard of the torments of eternall death which doth swallow the most part of men It is a large way which leadeth to perdition and few doe find the way of Saluation Death commeth here to leuy soules for Hell and doth enroll great and small learned and ignorant rich and poore yea many which are esteemed holy and liue couered vnder the cloake of Hypocrisie to the end that they might goe to Hell with the lesse noise and not be stayed by the way This Hell is a place of flames and yet there is perpetuall darknesse where soules doe waxe old and yet neuer die and where they liue continually to die Where they burn without consuming where they mourne without compassion are afflicted without repentance where torment is without end and past imagination There the vnpappy rich man which refused to giue poore Lazarus a crumme of bread doth now beg of him a drop of water although whole Riuers bee not sufficient to extinguish his heat What if the rods that God doth punish his Infants withall doe sometimes make them almost despaire and euen curse the day of their Natiuitie as Iob and Ieremy did What are those afflictions that hee doth oppresse his Aduersarie withall It is a horrible thing saith the Apostle to fall into the hands of the Liuing God For because hee saith in his anger as it is written in the 32. Chapter of Deuteromie I haue lifted my hands towards heauen and said I am the euerliuing God If I whet my glittering sword and my hand take hold on iudgement I will execute vengeance on mine enemies and will reward them that hate me Praised be God which hath deliuered vs and drawne vs from that burning furnace of hell by his Sonne Iesus Christ who as S. Paul saith to the Galatians was reuiled for our sakes hath called vs our of perpetual darknes to his maruellous light 1. Pet. 2. 9. Is it possible for vs to be ignorant what that torment is not know how much he hath suffred for to retaine vs in feare and to make vs know the greatnesse of the grace of God and the excellence of our Redemptiō in Iesus Christ his Son who is also God eternally blessed This precedent discourse hath led vs through all ages and through all the most ordinary conditions of humane life yet in this voyage we haue knowne nothing but vanity and torment of spirit And it hath chiefely appeared when we haue cast our eyes vpon the diuine prouidence of God which doth from the highest Heauens view all the actions of man not as an idle spectator but as a wise Conductor and iust Iudge And there from aboue he laughes at the designes of great men frustrateth their enterprises destroyeth their tongues spirits of Babylonian builders ruineth their greatnes and breaketh their Scepters into shiuers teaching man that he is nothing but dust and his wisedome but meere blindnes to the end that hee may learne to contemne the world aud transport his hopes from earth to heauen that hauing seene some beames of this terrestriall splendour which vanisheth as Lightening he doth say with S. Peter It is good that we be here let vs make our selues heere Tabernacles Happy is that man which hauing well knowne the vantiy of this world doth retire towards God thot he beeing in a sure Hauen a farre off and that being vnder his shaddow as vnder a sure couered place may contemplate the ruine of the wicked the instability of their designes the folly of their hopes and the effects of the Iudgement of God Thereupon the Prophet Dauid in Psal 92. saith also O LORD how glorious are thy workes and thy thoughts are very deepe an vnwise man knoweth it not and a foole doth not vnderstand this When the wicked grow as the grasse and all the workes of wickednes doe flourish then they shall be destroyed for euer It behoueth vs heere to note carefully that this Psalme is intituled A Song for the Sabbath day for by it hee doth aduertise vs that this meditation requireth a quiet and resting spirit which beeing restrained from the presse of humane actions doth retire it selfe into the House of God according to that which hee saith in the 73 Psalme where he doth confesse that the prosperity of wicked men hath offended him and that hee could hardly digest it vntill that he had entred into the Sanctuary of the Almighty and considered the end of such men For to vnderstand what the true happinesse is and to vnmaske himselfe to the imaginary felicitie of this world it is not necessary to goe to Philosophicall schooles or to build his resolutions vpon the opinion of the Vulgar but to enter into the holy House of God and there learne what the difference is betweene the riches which he scattereth vpon this great multitude and that which he reserueth for his little ones what the vncertainty of this worldly prosperitie is in respect of the certainty of Gods promises But vvith what insensible chaines doth Satan lead men into perdition How doth he triumph ouer those which triumph in this world how they that thinke themselues most sure are vpon the point of their ruine and perpetuall destruction Let vs furthermore consider how vaine the glory of man is in that some one doth boast of his particular strēgth wherein it is impossible for him euer to equall a Bull. Some other doe glory in their beauty when as it is onely a superficiall colour which couereth the bloud bones and braines hideous things to see It is also a thing that age and many maladies haue power to deforme Some other doth glory of his honour and greatnesse when indeed he is possest in this state with most trouble and feare and lesse liberty besides he is mounted so high that he cannot fall but with breaking of his owne necke Some other doth glory to bee more drunke then his companions but if his belly bee greater in capacitie then others notwithstanding it will neuer exceed a Barrell These former things are generall for vanities and miseries are common to all men since that sinne hath subiected mankinde to them But notwithstanding there are some more then other which are made examples of extreme misery As poore beggers which are constrained through necessitie to lye vpon the bare pauement as Gally-slaues and as those miserable slaues which are made mercenaries The hundreth part of humane kinde doth imperiously and impiously torment the rest and those that are feeble and meane serue as preyes to the mighty Amongst the Turkes and Pagans which possesse three parts of the world men are bought and sold in the same fashion as horses in a Faire for the buyer marketh their fight maketh them shew their teeth and feeleth the sinnewes of their armes and legges Great Princes keepe millions of chained Slaues for to labour in making of Sugar in working of Mines to serue in Gallies
that minute for hee will come like a thiefe in the night suddenly before with a winke thou canst locke vp thine eye or in thy braine create the nimblest thought Canst thou then hope to stand iustified in thy Makers presence when thou hast cramd the deuill with thy sappe of strength and full gorg'd him with the purest Acorne Mast of thy siowy virility if at last thou come limping on Times tottering crutches to present vnto him the off all huskes and morosity of thy doting decrepit age What thanke is it to pardon our enemies when wee cannot hurt them to giue away our goods when wee can enioy them no longer to abandon our pleasures when wee cannot vse them to forsake sinne when it biddes farewell to vs and at last onely to surcease to offend when ability of offending is taken from vs No no hee will then paralell thee with the sluggard that neuer would acquire foode till hee was first starn'd and ranke thee with the sottish ideot that could not know a fish till hee was already stung with a Scorpion thy palsie-shaken prayers will bee like Cains oblation vnacceptable to the Lord and noisome to his nostrils Thinkest thou to expiate Gods Iustice when thou hast prodigally swealed out the blazing lampe of thy brightest day in the Deuils chappell if at last thou come creeping when thy breath lies twinkling in the socket of thy nostrils to set it vp in Gods Sanctuary hoping then and there to haue it replenish't with his all-sauing grace and mercie O mocke not thy soule with these deluding phantasma's for as Alexander seeing one of his souldiers whetting his dart when others of his fellowes went foorth to fight casheer'd him saying Hee 's vnfit to beare armes that hath them to make ready when hee should skirmish So will God send thee packing as hee did the foolish Virgins with this retorsion Thou comest disfurnish't with no oyle in thy lampe and thou deseruest no mercie that neuer desiredst it till now in miserie Gather thy selfe betimes then within the weapons of Faith Hope Charity Repentance and Perseuerance and let Prayer stand perpetuall Sentinell for if the Diuell once get footing within thee he will hardly bee eiected so wily is he in peruerting thee that thou canst not bee too wary in preuenting him For as Iphicrates answered his Generall who asked him why hee surrounded his souldiers with a Wall when there was no feare of foe-mens approach A man cannot be too prouident in preuenting obuious and occurrent dangers So canst thou not bee too cautelous in repelling the perillous stratagems of the Diuels assaults therefore may I cloze vp the precedencie with that worthy saying of a more worthy Epigrammatist No man needes feare that feares before hee needes O cleanse and purifie thy heart then by earnest prayer and powerfull ciaculations which is made the loathsome cage of sinne the silent receptacle of diabolicall cogitations and the dismall dungeon of malignant motions that the Spirit of grace may there finde harbour and take delight to bee thy inmate Remember O thou mighty man that swelling titles of Honour are but the leaues of vanity Remember O thou rich man that terrene and transitorie pleasures are like the Bee though they yeeld honey yet carry they a sting and are but as the Lillies of the earth more delectable in show then durable in continuance Remember O thou extortioner thou cruell man thou Murtherer thou Adulterer thou deceitfull man thou vnconscionably deteinest the hirelings wages and thou that actest inexorable villanies secretly in the darke imprisoned from the worlds dull eye that if the Eagle can discerne as one hath it the Hare vnder the Bush and the Fish vnder the Waues much more can God who is the Creator of creatures penetrate the closet of thy heart with his all-seeing eye and discerne thy clandestine sinful practices before and in their very conception and for them hee will bring thee to iudgement Remember O thou that swayest the Sword of Iustice to strike or saue as thou art suggested by thine owne ends profits or affections that though thy couert proiects be not envulgard to the worlds generall eye yet a day of Reuelation will come when all thy partiall and priuate practices shall bee stript euiscerate and laid as apparantly open as the sheepe vpon the Gambrell But now with reuerence and Doue-like humilitie to you which are Iehouahs Embassadors the light of the world and salt of the earth doe I addresse my speech mustered vp in the meanest and mildest ranke of words O I could wish that all of you stood without the list of that reprehension of Vices which once an ancient and honest Historian twitted the Monkes of Canterbury with Some rise early in the morning to see their hounds pursue the prey but not to pray some delight to catch Fowles but not Soules some take pleasure to cast a Dye well but not cast to die well Doth the wilde Asse bray saith Iob when he hath grasse or loweth the Oxe when he hath fodder But I dare not say No more doe some of you preach when you haue once got a Benefice If there bee any that entertaine Religion with their Lord preach the praise of their Patrons preaching in the Pulpit chatter in their Chambers suiting their Linsie Wolsey professions with their seuerall ends O let those remember how God met with a mischiefe that notorious Nestorius who for his temporizing inconstancie set wormes a worke to eate out his tongue O let them looke into the Story of one Hecebolus a Sophister who accommodating his profession to the fashions of the Emperours fained himselfe in the dayes of Constantius to be a most feruent Christian But when Iulian the Apostata was Ruler presently he turned Paynim and in his Orations proclaimed Iulian a god And when Iulian was dead in Iouinians time hee would haue turned backe to Christianitie Wherevpon for his mutabilitie and lightnesse in his Religion his horrid conscience draue him to the Church gates and there hurling himselfe flat cryed and bellowed with a lowd voice Trample me vnder your feete vnsauoury salt that I am entirely wishing out of his soules agony that he had neuer seene the light or at his conception his tongue had been riuetted to the roofe of his mouth Lastly and indefinitely to all Remember so to liue as you still may bee prepared for the stroke of Death then will you desire to be dissolued and to sleep in peace reclusiuely frō the turbulent sea of earthy carefull miseries discerning cleerely by the spirituall eye of vnderstanding that mans life is a wayfare because it is short and a warfare for that it is sharpe and that worldly delights are deceitfull and of no durabilitie like the water-Serpent no sooner bred but dead Collecting likewise out of humane experience that the best life is but a weary and tedious pilgrimage feeles no touch of true solace till at the euening of his dayes he lodge at the Inne of