Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	worldly_a	worm_n	yield_v	20	3	7.5928	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A00414	A methode vnto mortification: called heretofore, the contempt of the world, and the vanitie thereof Written at the first in the Spanish, afterward translated into the Italian, English, and Latine tongues: now last of all perused at the request of some of his godly friends, and as may bee most for the benefite of this Church, reformed and published by Thomas Rogers. Allowed by authoritie.; Vanidad del mundo. English	Estella, Diego de, 1524-1578.; Rogers, Thomas, d. 1616.	1608 (1608)	STC 10543; ESTC S114515	174,792	500

is good and will yeelde fruit but if it be drie it affordeth none at all If the though bee good it ministreth good matter vnto the will to take holde of which beeing maintained and holpen forwarde with vnderstanding doth bring forth good desires from which good workes doth proceede Thou must not continue in euell thoughts which the Lord cannot abide as appeareth by the prophet Ieremiah How long shall thy wicked thoughtes remaine within thee So long as the Gentiles were mixed and remained with the people of Israell so long was God absent from them and would not speake vnto them at all So God hee will forsake thee if thou allow any place for euill cogitations in thine heart When a litle sparke of an euill thought doth catch hold in thy mind thou must not blow on it to kindle it thereby least afterward it grow into a fire vnquenchable to consume thee withall The silke wormes bee at the first but little graines like vnto Mustarde-seede but by the carrying of them about in womens bosomes they doe gather an heate whereby they come vnto life and so proue wormes Pewa●e that thou sow not the seedes of sensuality in thy corrupted imagination least by the heate of naturall concupiscence they proue wormes to gnaw thy conscience into peeces Nourish not thine euill thoughtes with the heate of worldly loue neither let thy consent yeeld vnto them least thou be deceiued and perish with au euil death CHAP. 26. Idlenesse is the enimie vnto godlinesse IDlenesse bringeth much euell saith the wise man Aboue all thinges shunne thou idlenesse as the mother of vices the stepdame of vertue Idlenesse it is nought else but the death and graue of a liuing man If God would not that man at the first beeing created in originall righteousnesse and endued with so many excellent graces should lead his life in idlenesse thinkest thou that thou art Idlely to passe-away thy time beeing enuironed with so many enemies The Lord tooke Adam and put him into the Garden of Eden that hee might dresse it and keepe it But Adam euen in that estate of his was foyled through the malice and subtiltie of Satan and thinkest thou a weake and wicked man liuing idlely in pleasures to be safe Man is borne vnto trauell as the sparkes fly vpward as Iob saith c As God hath giuen the birde two winges to flie with-all so hath ●●e giuen thee two handes to worke withall The birder will not shoot at a bird while shee flieth but when she si●t●th still The Diuell then seeketh to oppugne and ouerthrow thee not when thou art occupied but when thou art idle Bee alwaies there fore doing of some good least when thou art idle thou bee ouertaken The vessell that is employed to some vse and full already it can receiue no more into it and the minde that is full fraught already with good thinges hath no roome in the same for idle wicked cogitations Vnlesse it be empty either wholy or in part the enimie of mankind Satan can put nothing thereunto The running water it bringeth forth the best fishes but the standing water as marrishes lakes and such like they engeder froggs and serpentes and the fish that is within them is vnsauory and daungerous to bee eaten So long as thou art idles what bringest thou forth but idle or dishonest and euil cogitations Shunne thou idlenesse as thou wouldest the plague vnlesse thou wouldest be taken prisoner by a number of sinnes So long as Dauid was kept occupied by the persecutions of Saule hee committed none adultery but when hee sate qu●etly and idlely in his pallace he then defiled himselfe with the wife of another man Solomon also so long as hee emploied his time in building of the temple hee abstained from many thinges but beeing idle from great affaires hee fell and was foiled with outragious wickednesse The Children of Dan they destroyed the citie Laish with fire and smote the people with the edge of the sworde while they sate quietly gaue themseleus vnto idlenesse Idlenesse it is the nourisher of carnall vices Shunne thou idlenesse and thou shalt easely destroy many a dishonest motion in the minde in cutting of all entrance of idle thoughts by godly businesse When the righteous Iaakob fled because of his brothers wrath wisedome she led him the right waie shewed him the kingdome of God gaue him knowlede of holy thinges made him rich in his labors and made her pains profitable saide the wise man The way vnto heauen is ful of trauaile and continuall occupations of holinesse and vertuous exercises If thou hadest in remembrance that one day thou shalt giue a straight account of all the time thou now mis-spendest thou wouldest endeuour with might and maine to loose no time at all The spirit of God sheweth it selfe to all men where that is there if none idlenesse Solomon praiseth a good 〈◊〉 wife among other thinges because she eateth not the bread of idlenesse By idlenesse time is lost which is a most precious thing Gather the Manna in the week daies that thou maiest rest when the Sabaoth day doth come take paines and trauaile while thou art in this life that thou maiest rest and take thine ease while the great day of of that eternall Saboath shall appeare The slothfull will not plowe because of winter wherefore shall he begge in s●mmer but haue nothing If thou passe thy time heere in idlenesse looke to famin for foode and be the meate of Satan in the infernall pit Idle persons that stood still and did not worke bee reproued in the Gospell The land that lieth idle and is not tilled husbanded it bringeth forth thistles and thornes as by experience wee doe see Beware of idlenesse if thou doe not thou wilt bring forth no goodnesse but much euell to t●● dishonour of God and hurt of 〈◊〉 I wil thou shouldest affirme that they which haue beleeued in God might bee careful to shew forth good workes saith the Apostle And I must worke the workes of him that sent me while it is day saith our Sauiour Christ Employ therefore the ground o● thine heart vnto holy and good exercises that in the ende thou mayest reape the worthy fruite of thy labours CHAP. 27. Good words are not onely to be done but they must also zealouslie be done BE not slouthfull to doe seruice be feruent in Spirite seruing the Lorde saith the Apostle God requireth feruencie in good workes More account doth God make of one houre spent in godly zeale than of a thousand coldly consumed in his seruice For GOD regardeth more the zeale than the time in working whereby thou maiest perceaue that in a little time thou maiest gaine much The theefe which did hang on the crosse by our Sauiour Christ if you consider time serued God but a moment as it were and yet in that short time he came into the euerlasting fauor of

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 gra● 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 thē which liue in delighte for they shall suffer paine and tribulatio●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 cos●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 〈◊〉 ros●e hanging hee wept what doe ● 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 lamēt 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 t●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 ●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 d●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 wh●ther it bee good or ill And when thou walkest in the night and doubtest of the way it is a ma●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 pa●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 ta●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

this life and with what toile they be gotten and with what care preserued it cannot be but thou wouldest take another trade of life than thou doest Looke not so earnestly vpon these worldlie pleasures and vanities least thou be taken by the snares of them and least theire goodlie she wes so dazell thine eies that thou rush headlong into the pit of hell There is nothing in the vnderstanding but first it was in the senses After that the vnderstanding hath once drunke out of the chanels of the senses the world playing Iacobs part sticketh there downe white rods of greene poplar and hasell and of the chesnut of faire delightes to beguile thee withall and to infect by thy senses thy vnderstanding The honors and pleasures of the worlde they are but as flowres that soone fall and fade awaie The world offereth to thy senses floures and vanities and albeit thine vnderstanding be pure yet the senses labor by these outwarde thinges to dull and darken the same And as a menstruous woman dooth pollute the glasse which she looketh in so a naughty imagination infecteth the vnderstanding with error And when the vnderstanding hath once tasted the water which sensuall imaginations haue offered thereunto it conceaueth like Iakobs sheepe lambes of party color and with small great spots euen worldly desires and bringeth forth afterward sin and ill works Fixe not therefore thine eyes vpon the greene roddes which the worlde presenteth to thy consideration for it is but a bare shewe without substance It deceiueth worldly men as the burning candle doth children Children many times when they see the candle they cannot bee content but they must needes touch it with their finger also and they haue no sooner so done but they plucke it backe againe and crie So the children of this world euen like infants without discretion deceiued with the apparent shewe of worldly bewty they cast themselues into the flames of wickednes but after they finde that both their handes be emptie without substance and their conscience feared by the fire of sinne CHAP. 3 The world is false and seeketh to deceiue THere be some that being about wicked purposes d● bowe downe themselues are sad whose inward partes burne altogether with deceipt sayth the wise man Giue no credite to the worlde neither enter into any league of friendship with the same for if thou doe it will play with thee as Ioab did with Amasa who took Amasa by the hearde with the right hand to kisse him and with the left stabde him with a sword Whatsoeuer it saith and counsaileth it is but falsehood and flattery whatsoeuer thine appetite shall entice thee vnto it is but deceit to abuse thee withall for though it promise life yet leadeth it vnto death so that if thou beleeue the same thou shalt perish with Ahab which beleeued the foure hundred false Prophetes that flattered and promised him both life and victorie But Michaiah euen the remorse of conscience it is which telleth truth and discouereth the manifolde deceites of thy flattering affections Yet for al this thou pursuest it with hatred as Ahab did Michaiah for telling him the truth thy conscience it seeketh thy profit yet thou canst not abide the counsell of the same but choosest rather to goe out of the waie with lying spirites to the losse of thy life than to doe well with the Prophet of God and so liue without daunger The worldlie man following his affections doth euen hasten vnto the battell of death where hee doth loose his life These be like the false witnesses of lezebel which being once heard do euen quench the spirite and kill the soule Giue none heed vnto their lying wordes vnlesse thou wouldest be taken captiue by the nets of their false deceiptes All the louing countenance of the world it is but fained to entrap thee before thou art aware Therefore CHAP. 4. The promises of the worlde are false and deceitfull RAsh promises saieth Ecclesiasticus in effect hath destroyed many a man Who in this worlde hath found either ioy without sorrow or peace without troubles or health without weakenes or mirth without griefe The world it promiseth all good thinges but it giueth nothing but euill it promiseth ioy it bringeth paine it promiseth to continue but it stayeth not it promiseth rest and bringeth troubles it promiseth estimation but it causeth shame it promiseth long life but by experience wee find that our life is both shore and subiect to manifold perils and miseries And the life which it sheweth it may not be called the true life The life of some it prolongeth to deceaue of some it shorteneth that they may haue no space to repent of some it prolongeth to make them proude of some it shorteneth that they maie doe no good at all but liue as them list All these it deceiueth depriuing them of the true knowledge both of God of the worlde and of themselues Seauen yeeres did Iacob serue Laban for his daughter Rahel wherby hee deserued to haue her for his wife but his father in lawe gaue him Leah in stead of Rahel by deceite Such partes playeth the world it promiseth one thinge and intendeth another The men of the world they perceaue not the● anitie of the world vntil the daie appeare and the darkenesse of this present life bee departed awaie by death when the eies of their vnderstanding be opened then like Iaacob they perceaue the subteltie of craftie Laban the world Manie although they see welenough the deceitfulnesse of the worlde yet are they content to be deceaued thereby and to fall at noone daie when their eies be open The three friends of Iob agreed together to come to lament with him and to comfort him but afterward the worlde as they did And experience doth did nothing else teach vs that by desiring to get we loose honour and while wee couet to be great wee become smal that which we thinke shal be the meanes to vpholde vs shal throwe vs downe and then wee loose when wee thinke to gaine O foolish wee and blinde in deede that would be deemed great when God wil haue none to be great but such as first were smal we hunt after fame and yet shal neuer be remembred No man is more honorable than he which shunneth honor None richer than he which is content with a little none shal sooner be forgotten than he which most ambitiously hunteth after glory Mattathias vnto his sonnes saide on this wise Now therefore my sons be ye zealous of the law giue your liues for the couenāt of our fathers Cal to remembrance what acts our fathers did in their time so shal ye receau great honor and an euerlasting name The prouidēce of God hath so appointed that there should be a perpetual memory of the enemies of the world and that the friendes of the same should quickely be forgotten God vtterly put out the

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 ●nd among the dignities and ●anitie● 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 f●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 momenta●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 ●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 ●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 tr●stedst thou shalt see cōuerted 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 womā 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

himselfe a slaue vnto them The least thing that is sufficeth a poore man but nothing can satisfie the greedy minde of a couetous churle Other sinners though they haue no portion of ioy in the other world yet they enioy the present state but the couetous man hath no ioy in neither and therefore the most miserable Hee that putteth his confidence in riches is a foole The couetous man is neuer without some excuse when hee should giue to him that needeth It is greater honour than to win a kingdome to conquer a mans inordinate desires The Diuel being asked of God from whence hee came answered from compassing the earth to and fro and from walking in it So doe the couetous men they compasse the earth about as the Diuel did and doth but toward heauen they neuer looke The couetous rich man is a pray for his Prince a marke for theeues to shoote at and a cause of quarrell among his kinsfolke and friends The couetous man is vnworthy to haue a place either with the Angels aboue in heauen or with men below in earth and ●herefore he would be buried with ●udas the traitor that for the loue of m●nie●old his master euen the S●uiour of the world The couetous man before he wi●neth any thing is first wonne hi●selfe and before hee taketh ought is taken himselfe ●ee burneth here in this worlde with the fire of inordinate desire and afterward shall burne in the fire of hell Diues beeing in hell desired that with the t●p of Lazarus finger his thirst might be quenched Woulde so little water thinkest thou aswage the heate of the fire of hell No doutlesse For if that had beenne granted he would haue desired more still without ceasing Such as the state of this man was in hell such is the state of all couetous persons in this worlde they desire a drop of riches when all the waters and seas of worldly substance will not quench their thirst Euery thing that is heauy doeth naturally incline towards his ●entre But nothing doth so pe●se downe the heart of man as couetousnesse They sanke downe to the bottome as a stone saith the Scripture of Pharao and all his hoast Couetousnesse of all other sinnes reuiueth and waxeth young againe when a man is olde If thou dost lie vpon the earth with thy breast and drinke of the running waters of these worldly riches thou shalt bee discharged from the seruice of God as Gedeon discharged the like men that went out to fight against the Medianites Was not Achan stoned Gehazi plagued with a leprosie Iudas hanged Ananias and Sapphira punished with sudden death and all for couetousnesse Beware therefore of it Hee that ouercommeth this vice of auarice is a stronger man than he that vanquished his bodely enemie If thou heapest vp riches together thou makest a heape of wood wherwith thou shalt bee burned in hel as the Phenix is in this world As the Physicion forbiddeth a sick man that which hee knoweth to bee hurtfull for him to the end hee may recouer his health so God as a good physicion forbiddeth man couetousnesse as hurtfull to the soule whom if hee harken not vnto hee is like Adam who not obeying God which did prohibite him to eate of the tree in the middest of the garden fell into infinite troubles and affliction● Obey therefore the commaundement of God whose will it is that thou shouldest flye from couetousnesse if thou wouldest haue any part in the kingdome of heauen CHAP. 37. God he blesseth the liberal man GIue and it shal bee giuen you saith the Lord Christ compareth riches vnto thornes which laide vppon a mans bare hande they will not hurt him but if hee close his hande together they wil draw blod and the faster the hande is shute so much the more is the harme that hee shall take thereby Riches doe not hurte the open but the hand that is shut Blessed is that man of whom it may bee said as it was of that good woman She stretcheth out her hand to the poore and putteth forth her hand to the needie If thou giue to a poore man thou shalt receiue good mony for Copder If thou impartest of thine aboundance thou shalt encrease in virtue like vnto the tree whose superfluous bowes be cropped of He shall neuer want any thing that for Christ his sake giueth his goods liberally no more than meale and oile was wanting in the widdowes house though shee were very poore which ministred sustenance to the Prophet Heliah Many doe say if I sawe such a poore man as Helyah was I would doe him good but they are deceiued for in not giuing to the Lord of Heliah how would they giue to Heliah himselfe He that giueth to the poore giueth to Christ. Inasmuch at ye haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethren yee haue don it vnto me saith Christ himselfe Therefore if you helpe not the Lord of Heliah how should you releue Heliah himselfe Blessed is he that iudgeth wisely of the poore the Lord shal deliuer him in the time of trouble In the day of iudgment thou shalt be examined touching the workes of mercy Many doe spend their goods and their wealth vppon their houses vppon tapestry horses thinking there by to get a name and fame among men When more commendation they should purchase if they bestowed their wealth vppon the poore that can giue them good words than vppon any other creatures which haue no reason at all Neither the beds nor the wals of thine house haue any ●ong at all to praise thee as the poore haue that will blaze abroade thy goodnesse Be thou liberall and so both God will like and man will loue thee The liberal man hath many frindes though many of them be very vngratful Neuer can he want friends which is liberal toward other men and neuer can he haue any friendes which is a couetous man The poore doe him curse and his kinred doe wish him dead If the couetous man doe fall thorough some vice which he hath euery one doth blowe abroad his defamation but if the liberall man doe sinne al doe excuse and purge him the best they can Many benefites doth he receiue which knoweth well how to giue and he may take himselfe for an happy man on the earth Better is it to giue than to take as better is it to loue than to hee loued For to loue is an action of the mind but to bee loued is not so many somtime are loued which deserue it not God for his part he giueth vnto all but receiueth of none the more therfore a man giueth the more he resembleth God his maker The Sunne excelleth the other planets because it ministreth light vnto the starres The more vile and odious that a couetous man is the more noble and renowned is the liberal man Riches to wise men are as fetters