soule Giue to thine enemies being hungry foode being naked and needy clothes and almes and so shalt thou make of this poyson compounded with these good receiptes a wholesome medicine against many noysome diseases CHAP. 9. Selfe-loue is the bane of many Christian vertues GEt thee out of thy countrie and from thy kinred and from thy fathers house saith the Lorde vnto the Patriarch Abraham All earthly affections must bee renounced least thou beginne to like more thine owne than the thinges of Iesus Christ. For the desire of thinges inuisible and heauenly renounce the loue of visible thinges Plucke ill weedees by the rootes that they spring not againe Selfe-loue it peruerteth iudgement dimeth the light of reason darkneth the vnderstanding corrupteth the wil and shutteh the doore of saluation against vs it knoweth not God and forgetteth the neighbour it banisheth vertues affecteth honour and loueth the world He that so loueth his life shall loose it The roote of all iniquity is self-selfe-loue Esau Saul â—ntiochus they found no place to vnfained repentance though they sought the fauor of God with teares the reason is because they more esteemed their owne losse than the offending of God Seeke therefore GOD in all thy workes and put thy trust in God onely self-Selfe-loue is as the heart in the body which ruleth and guideth the flesh the fynewes and the vaines of man Why giuest thou thy selfe so to the immoderate desiring of honour riches and delights but because thou laborest of self-selfe-loue To contemne a mans owne selfe is a gratefull thing both to God and man He that loueth himselfe more than God his maker or Christ his Sauiour is like a traitor that deserueth to loose both life and goods If selfe loue haue the dominion ouer thy soule thou doest what thou wilt but not what thou shouldest and is for thy behoofe thou art blind and vnworthy to haue any credite giuen vnto thy wordes Renounce thine owne will If that would beequiet and keepe her place thou shouldest bee quiet and not be so torment in minde Follow not thine owne will and there will be nothing to torment thee but vntill thy will bee vtterly consumed looke to bee tormented by the fire of Gods wrath Why halt ye between two opinions you cannot loue God vnlesse you forsake your selfe There be certaine precious stones which if they touch some kind of metall doe loose their vertue and by some other againe they encrease the same Loue is such a precious iewell for beeing fastened vppon thy selfe it looseth his vertue but fixed vpon God it is most glorious and of infinite vertue Because thou shewest thy selfe so familiar to thy selfe thou louest thy selfe so much but wouldest thou be more familiar with God by faithfull praier and meditation thou wouldest loue God more and thy selfe lesse than thou dost a great deale A man bread and brought vp altogether in a simple cottage is so blinded in iudgement that hee will praeferre his rude home before the most princely pallace in the world so for that thou acquaintest not thy selfe as thou shouldest with the house of God thou more esteemest a present trifle than the infinite treasures laide vp in heauen for such as loue God If the Apostle did so loue Christ that hee could say that nothing should seperate him from the Loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord maruel not that the same Apostle did say Our conuersation is in heauen Greatly familiar was the Apostle with God and little with himselfe therefore hee loued God much and himselfe but little Let thy mind runne still vpon God euermore thinke vpon him by some deuoute prayer or meditation this if thou doe vse from time to time it is vnpossible but thou shouldest loue God seeing thou art come vnto the knowledge of him Two loues doe build two Citties the one is the loue of God which bringeth the contempt of thy selfe the other is the loue of thy selfe which causeth the contempt of God Betweene both these that is betwixt God and thy selfe standeth thy will whereby the nearer thou art vnto thy selfe the farther thou art from God the nearer vnto God the farther thou art from thy selfe Had not these two pronownes Meum Tuum Mine and Thine so much bene vsed in our mouthes so much discorde as there is had neuer bene in the world But because the most part doe more loue their owne than the publique commoditie there be so manie defectes in euerie common-weale The Apostle saith In the last daies shal come perilous times For men shal be louers of their owne selues couetous boasters proude cursed speakers disobedient to parentes vnthankefull vnholy c. And of all these euiles here mentioned selfe loue is set in the fore-front as the cause and originall of them all Nothing so hurteth a man as the hauing of his owne will Take away this foundation and the walles of worldly vanities whereunto thou art giuen will fal downe flat vnto the ground CHAP. 10 It is the part of the seruantes of God to denie themselues Iâ— any man will come after me let him deny him selfe take vp his crosse dately and follow mee saith the Lord The way to come vnto Christ is to conquer thine owne will to suffer tribulation with patience and not to seeke thine owne profite and commodity The true seruant of God hunâ—eth not after his owne commodity but for the glory and honour of God him selfe In all thy workes studie to please God and from his hande thou shalt receiue the greater blessing Let him be the beginning and ende of all thine actions least thou loose the fruit of thy labours Selfe loue is a most deadly plague Hee that seeketh himselfe spoyleth himselfe Good workes done in the Lorde they reioyce the conscience enlighten the vnderstanding and be recompensed with new blessings from God aboue Many doe despise outward things which they possesse and yet for all that attaine not vnto that perfection which the Gospel requireth which consisteth in the denial of a mans own selfe and of his will The seruant of Iesus Christ ought not onely to make light account of temporal goods but also to contemne himselfe least he bee hindered in the way that he walketh Let him learne by the grace of the holy spirite to ouercome himselfe that hath learned before to despise the things of the world This is the perfect denial euen for a man to denie himselfe from the bottom of his heart and not to seeke consolation in any creature If thou seekest any priuate or temporall commoditie surely thou art not throughly motified neither shalt receiue any spirituall comfort from the Lord. Many that haue had some zeale and ioy of the spirit at the first haue continued in that good course but a litle while they haue begunne with heate but they haue gone forwarde but coldly They sought in their prayers their owne consolation
perceiuest therein although it haue besides many imperfections why louest thou not God who is essentially good of himselfe and the perfection of all goodnesse The lesse materiall substance there is in a bodie the lighter it is and so much the more apt to ascende vpwarde so againe the more thou art loden with the loue of earthly things the more hardly shalt thou ascend in heart vnto God The fewer thine inordinate passions be the greater is thy loue And if thou loue God perfectly thou wilt make none account of earthly things CHAP. 7. We are necessarily to loue our neighbour THou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe sayeth God The honest loue of thy neighbour is so linked to the loue of God that as thou art commaunded to loue so art thou enioined also to loue thy neighbour They both proceede out of one and the same roote and bee vnseparable The Apostle saith Hee that loueth another hath fulfilled the lawe Thou canst not separate thy selfe from thy neighbour vnlesse thou separate thy selfe from God All the lines that bee made from the vttermost part of a circle vnto the Centre which is the middle point doe all meete together in the Centre and the further any of those lines is drawen from the Centre the further is it diuided from the other lines and the further one line is drawen from an other the further doth it goe from the Centre it selfe Thou canst not by any meanes diuide thy selfe from thy neighbour but withall thou doest diuide thy selfe from God thou art so made that of necessitie thou must mourne when thy neighbour mourneth and take a part of his troubles vpon thy selfe by a Christian compassion Iob he neither tare his clothes nor complained grieuously for the losse of his goods but for the death of his childreÌ„ But for the most part many they are more grieued at the losse of temporal riches than at the hurt of their neighbours Let it not greeue thee to forgoe these corruptible thinges which God doth suffer to be taken from thee for the good of thy soule but let thy neighbours harmes pearce thine heart and let his hurt bee thine owne After God had created al things I meane the trees plants beastes and such like which were to multiply and encrease euery one after his kinde he created man male and female of whom all men that were to liue in the world should descende that they seeing themselues to proceede from one roote should by so much loue one another the more Thinke it not an hard commandement to loue thy neighbour though he haue offended thee but acknowledge that much harder it had been if God had commanded thee to hate thine enemy For to loue it agreeth with the nature of vs all but to hate it is contrarie to mans natures nowe God hath willed those things wherevnto naturally wee are enclined and as much against the nature of man it is to hate as it is against the nature of water to ascend vpward If it seeme an hard thing for thee to loue thy neighbour it will be much more hard in hell fire to burne Chuse therefore one of the twaine I say not if thou hate but if thou loue not thy neighbour looke out of question to burne in hell And worthy is hee the curse of God which had rather to burne in the bottomelesse pit than to loue his neighbour and so haue the fauour of the Lord. Loue thy neighbour yea though he be thine enemie so shalt thou be the childe of God if the child than also the heire eâ—en the heire of God and an heire annexed with Christ of that celestiall kingdome whih hath none ende CHAP. 8. We must loue our enemies LOue your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray from them which hurt you and persecute you that yee may be the children of your father that is in heauen saith the Lord A Kings sonne wil abide his schoolmaster both to teach and reprehend him There is no better schoolemaster than an enemie who hath a singular â—are of thy life and can no sooner â—ee thee to slip and take a fall but foorthwith hee rebuketh thee for â—he same If thou wouldest bee warie in leaâ—ing of thy selfe than pray God to â—end thee an enemie whome if thou â—â—nce haue thou needest none other â—aister whose paines thou maiest â—argely recompence Before thine enemy thou ponâ—erest aduisedly what thou art to â—peake for thou knowest howe thou shalt no sooner trâ—p in thy speech but thou shalt be taken but if thou haue none enâ—my thou carest almost neither what thou sayest nor what thou doest An enemie is a bridle as it were to keepe thee from sinne but a friend couereth and concealeth thine offences By thy friend thou offendest God and through thy foe thou doest thy duty Thine enemie is to thee a clocke whereby thou mayest order thy steps aright More good a great deale thou reapest from thy â—oe than from thy friend and therefore good cause hast thou to honor him by whose meanes thou prouest more circumspect wise and good than otherwise thou wouldest be If thou doest set by and esteeme a a little staffe or wande for that it seâ—ueth thee to beate off the dust from garments why wilt thou not esteeme of thine enemies and set much by them that driue away the dust of thy defects by sharpe reprehending of thee O Ashur the rod of my wrath and the staffe in their hands is mine indignatiâ—â— saith the Lord by his Prophet Isaiah Cast not such a rodde into the fire neither make more account of riches than of thy soule When our friendes doe extoll and magnifie vs our enemies doe humble and bring vs downe that wee waxe not proude If prosperity doe blinde vs our enemies by persecution will cause vs to see now seeing the enemie doth make vs better let vs esteeme of him greatly as reason doeth require Friendes many times will not say the truth when enemies wil tel all that they know As much good as thine enimie doth vnto thee so much harme doth he vnto himselfe for hee killeth his owne soule and woundeth his conscience therefore seeing him in so euill a plight that did thee so much good thou oughtest greatly to pittie his estate The Psalmist doth say They persecute him whom thou hast smitten and they add vnto the sorrow of them whom thou hast wounded He addeth sorrowe vnto sorrow which doth recompence one hurt with another and hee taketh life from the man that is dying which hateth his enemie If yee loue them which loue you what rewarde shal yee haue Doe not the Publicans euen the same To loue an enemie is the very property of a true Christian and Gospeller The malice of thine enemie is verie poyson but yet of poyson is the wholesome triacle made so mayest thou make of the malice of thine enemie a good medicine for thy
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 1. Iohn 2. 15. If any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him Imprinted at London by Iohn Windet 1608. To the worshipfull his good friendes M. H. Blagge and T. Pooley Esquires Iustices for the maintenance of the peace within the countie of Suff. S. IT is no newe thinge in these latter daies of the world now first put in vre but for long continuance among all sortes of the learned a most ancient custome to dedicate their labours vnto some one or moe who in respect of their virtue zeale wisedome athority or one consideration or other them inciting are deemed worthy the patronage of the same In the doing whereof as in all other things if a good fore-sight be not vsed by obseruation I doe find that the recompense is either priuie scoffes or open either scornes of the wicked or blame and reprehension of the godly the former they come by which without all regard of their patrons disposition hand ouer head doe dedicate good bookes vnto ill men the latter that blush not to offer ill bookes vnto good men the former he gat to leaue examples of this time which vnto Antigonus being then in Armes presented a booke of Iustice as though warriers were not to thinke of Iustice in time of warre the latter they purchase who dedicate ouerboldly the carnall books of Italie and other vaine inuentions vnto vertuous and honorable personages The greater the danger is by misse-dedicating the greater should bee mens care both of the matter which they publish and of the persons who are to patronize their doings least for want of good patrons they bee discouraged by ill wordes or thorough diuulgating ill matter especially vnder the names of good men they heare ill and deseruedly I am bold worshipfull to gratulate your good and safe returne from those daungerous places and persons with this treatise ensuing and as I know it is not in your natures who are no Antigonists to reiect it as comming out of season so I haue good hope that the godly wise as many of them alreadie haue will approue the same by their good acceptation the matter being sounde and most necessary to bee reade and regarded of all sortes of men in these loose daies of the world Yet because the disposition of many is so peruerse and crooked that oftentimes euen good thinges are contemned because the doers of them are not liked and they whose hands haue beene in this worke are diuerse especially for religion the author being of one and my selfe of another I thinke it very necessarie something to say in this place that neither the good Christians may shunne this as a Serpent because of the author a Papist nor the papistes condemne it as hereticall in respect of my selfe a Protestant For seeing the ground subiect and substance of the booke is such as both of vs yea all the wisest of both sidesâ—doe agree in namely that the world and the vanities thereof are to bee contemned methinkes the circumstance of persons is not so to bee regarded as that any sound perswasions vnto godlinesse and vnto the crucifying of our selues to the world whosoeuer doe moue them should bee despised especially when such care hath beene had as neither any thing is added which might either grieue or nusle the Papist in superstition nor any thing left out but what would offend the godly Christian if it were still in nor any thing published but may like them whosoeuer they bee as haue growne and would more and more into a detestation of this world and the vanities of the same If any aduersaries doe say that much I haue ommitted and therefore take offence I answere the thing is more open than that I can deny it and my grounds so good that I neither am neither neede to be ashamed for so doing For hath nature taught the Bee out of all flowers to chuse those as are meetest to minister the sweete hony and waxe and to leaue the rest and shall not grace mooue Christians to make choise of that which may bee to the comfort and profit of the Church of God Haue Carpenters such wisedome as they will not build with euery tree but chuse one and leaue another as may bee most for the profite of the builder the safetie of the inhabiters and their owne credite and shall not the spirituall builders haue the same for the edifying of the house of God Shall the holy Spirite command vs to Trie the Spirits to Trie al and keep that which is good and are such commended that would receiue no more no not of the Apostles wordes than could be iustified by the Scriptures of Godâ— and shall they bee blamed which obey so holy a commander and imitate such diuine examples But Authors must haue their wordes and Readers are to vse their iudgement in refusing or taking as shall bee most for their behoofe The Philosophers many of them wrote much yet is it lawfull for Christians in the iudgment of S. Austine to take from them as from vniust detainers the riches of true wisdome which they enioy and translate the same into the tresurie of the Church of God For whatsoeuer the Philosophers and Poets did writ that was vnsound it came of themselues but saith Tertulian whatsoeuer they published that was good they either drew it immediatly from the holy Scriptures or they learned the same of them which had reade the word of God That which the Fathers haue thought of the Philosophers and Poets we may iudge of all other aliens from the Church and heretikes and therefore we doe them no wrong when we take but the trueth which is our owne and leaue them the errors wherein wee haue none interest Againe whaâ—soeuer is saide of our aduersaries sure I am the time was and still is that they themselues do so much as we doe to others so that with what wordes they doe either commend their own or dislike our doings with the very same they coÌ„mend vs condemne themselues For in proofe hereof though I might aleadge the â—oet Martial purged by Edmondus Augerius a Iesuit of our owne writers among others the tables of Spangenberge not reformed but deformed in many things by Villamicentius a Frier of there own sid Ludouicus Viues whose goldeÌ„ locks are shaken off as were Samsons by dalila euen by the deuines of Louaine sufficient profes that if they haue done well therein we do not ill that do the very same which they doe or if wee doe ill they cannot be iustified which doe to
then it were good policy for thee to procure their commendation and to be counted for a Saint but sure God onely and thy soule must enter into an account of matters together it were vaine to procure the praises of men on thy behalfe vnto God For God wil not require their opinion concerning thee say they what they will God will not referre himselfe vnto their sayinges but vnto thy owne consience If all the world say thou art a Saint and deseruest glory what wil that auaile thee afore God which will iudge thee according to the constitution of thy consience Againe though all men do condemne thee and God be thy friende what can their obloquies hurte For he whom they reproue is not approued of God nor what they allowe is acceptable before him The iudgements of men are vaine for they knowe neither what men thinke nor what they deserue they see not the inward thoughtes of the mâ—nde and therefore be commonly deceaued they cannot giue grace much lesse glory to any man neither is it in their power either to condemne or to saue thee I say vnto thee as the truth is were all the men in the world thine assured friendes they all could neither prolong thy life halfe an houre nor deliuer thy soule from the streight iudgement of God How much better shal it be at the point of death to haue God on thy side then to haue spent thy whole life in the seruice of a king or other princes of the world who though they loue thee much yet can they not help a whit at that extremitie Listen therefore vnto me and afflict not thy selfe if thou doe thy dutie howsoeuer men murmur against thee labor not to please the people neither seeke their praises in this world for it tendeth al vnto vanitie and losse of time But turne thy selfe vnto GOD and labor with all thy strength to serue and please him turning away thine eares from the rumors and vanities of this vnhappy world CHAP. 8 The reproches of the world must be contemned AS touching me I passe verie little to be iudged of you or of mans iudgmeÌ„t He that iudgeth me is the Lord Therfore iudge not before the time vntil the Lord come who will lighten things that are hid in darkenes and make the counsels of the hearts manifest then shall euery man haue praise of God This said the Apostle despising the iudgements of men inasmuch as God is priuie to the hearts and condition of euery man he can search the hearts and reines At the houre of death it wil appeare who is the good or the euil man Let this therefore moue thee to giue no heed to the wicked iudgements of men but to please God They which runne a race regard not what euery one doth say but what their iudgement is which must giue the rewarde Whose example may teach thee not to care for the praise or disprayse of men but altogether to bende thy selfe to please God the supreame iudge If thou take paine for his glory he seeth it doubt thou not and from his hand thou shalt receaue a croune of righteousnes Loue the truth and care not what men say who are moued oftâ— through loue or hatred yet wot they not what is in man be not moued neither take it greuously though some haue an euil opinion of thee Art thou better than Christ himselfe Read the Gospel and there shalt thou finde written that of some he was called a Seducer a Samaritane one which had a diuel some said this man is not of God because hee keepeth not the Sabboth Others sayd how can a man that is a sinner doe such miracles Insomuch that as Iohn doth testifie there was a diuisior among them If then so diuerse opiniâ—â—s Wâ—â—e sparsed abroad of our Sauiour â—hrist who knew no sinne but was very holinesse and goodnes it selfe why art thou so proud being indeedeful of imperfections that wouldest haue al men praise thee as thou dost If the iudgements of men were so contrarie about our most innocent Lord and maister what reason hast thou to wish that al men with one mouth would commend thy dâ—ings If many praise thee which art notwithstanding a weake fraile vessel let it not grieue thee if some againe speake il of thee There is no man so holy whose life wil be commended of al men nether is there any worke so righteous but wicked persons wil murmure against the same It were a foule error not to follow vertue because of the contradictions of men Goe thou about the most holy worke that may be and thou shalt be sure some will speake against the same now if thou art so light as to esteeme what men saie assure thy selfe nothing thou wilt do that shal please God That blinde man which sate in the way toward Iericho crying vnto the Lord for helpe wanted no reprehenders notwithstanding the more he was rebuked the more ernestly he cried The mouthes of the wicked by no meanes can be stopped they will speak Which being so draw neere vnto GOD abide in the pathes of righteousnes perseuere in a good thing and regard not the wordes of idle persons whose manner is sinisterly to interpret the meaninges and doings of their neighbours Thy time is lost if curiously thou marke what men do say Labor therfore that alwaies thou maiest please God and doe his wil. for al the rest is but vanity vexation of the spirit CHAP. IX To be praised of men is a vain thing TAke heed that ye giue not your alms before men to be seene of them saith the Lord And although in an other place our Sauiour doth likewise say Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works yet his meaning is not that we should therby seeke our praise but the glory of God and therefore hee addeth immediatly And glorifie your Father which is in heauen He which doth good workes that he may be praised seeketh the glory of himselfe and not of God God doth not forbid that we should do good workes in the sight of men but he would haue the intention to be good He forbiddeth thee to seek thine owne praises and willeth that in the good things which thou dost the glory of God should be sought of thee If thou measure the treasure of good workes by the tonges of other men it is no longer in thee either to keep or to forgoe the same Keep secret the riches of vertue by thy selfe except thou wouldst that flatterers should bereaue thee of them quite Ezechias that shewed his treasurs to the King of Babilons messengers was greuously punished for the same Publish not abroad the good workes which thou dost neither seeke the praise of men least God he punish thee for a vaine and arrogant man Seeke not the reward of wel doing in this world least thou leese the reward of eternal
what answere hee may make for himsâ—fe though hee be not made to answere for the soules of other men Iâ— then thou shalt bee so busied that hardly thou shalt vnwinde thy selfe from the sentence of coÌ„demnation in respect of the sins committed by thy selfe then much more hardly shalt thou escape the same hauing taken vpon thee to answere for the consciences of other men It must needes therefore bee a vaine thinge after this manner to bring thy saluation into so great a danger It is vanitie to couet supereminence ouer others in this place of banishment God for his parte wil more loue thee if thou bee a good man and good men for their parte will more esteeme thee being a godlie subiect than a proud prelate I graunt indeede thou shalt not bee feared being not preferd but thou shalt be loued which is the better of the twaine Doe away therefore thy inordinate affections and keeep thine hart from vanitie Loue humilitie as the seruant of Iesus Christ and cast from thy mind the desire of honor For at the houre of death it will not helpe a whit but rather hurt thee CHAP. 14. This world is not our natiue countrey but a place of banishement WHile wee are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord againe Here wee haue no continuing cittie but weÌ„ seek one to come saith the Apostle There is no iourney taken without labour There is no pleasure to bee sought for in this world wherin wee do but soiorne Couet not to build much or to abide in the world seeing thou hast a father in heauen so rich and mightie but hold on a right course towarde that land where all manner of felicitie doth abound S. Peter saith I beseech you as strangers Pilgrims abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule It is the manner of Pilgrims to leade an hard life They are alwaies like for rainers their true friends are in an other countrey Procure not that friendship which is hurtfuâ—l to thy soule neither take it greeuously though al thinges fal not out according to thy desire For thou art but a traueler in this present world which if thou wouldest beare in minde much dangers thou couldest not but auoide Make speed therefore away like a post neither purpose thou to staie in this miserable world He that betaketh himselfe to an Inne there to tarry onely for halfe an houre bedecketh not the house for so short a time for then would hee be counted an egregious foole Thou art a Pilgrim vpon earth yester-day thou camest and to morow thou shalt depart Care not therefore for these honors riches or vanities of this world but let thy whole minde be touching the lande of the liuing where the Sainctes with Christ doe euerlastingly triumph haue in minde the lande of the heauenly father but sette not thine heart vpon this place of banishment It is a wonder how thou canst promise to thy selfe in this worlde any stability at all seeing this life is so short and the houre of death so vncertaine that thou knowest not whether thou shalt liue till to morrow or not Thinke how the troubles of this world are of small continuance and very shortly thou must goe vnto heauen where thou shalt rest for euermore Wouldest thou beare in minde that the life which we do looke for shall continue yea is euerlastinge surely thou wouldest thinke this life though it were to last a thousande yeares in comparison of that to come scarce halfe an houre in length Yea al our life compared to that is but a moment This moued Th'apostle patientlie to beare the troubles of his pilgrimage as himselfe writing vnto the Corinthians doth say on this wise Our affliction which is but for a momeÌ„t causeth to vs a farre mooe excellent eternal waight of glory while we looke not on the thinges which are seene but on the thinges which are not seene for the things which are seen arteÌ„poral but the things which are not seene are eternal Thus did th'apostle meditate of heaueÌ„ waying with himselfe the shortnes of this liefe If thou be a stranger in this world maruel not though thou be vnknown to men if the labour of this life trouble thee be not disquieted in thy selfe for shortly thy iourney shall haue an ende The fathers in the olde Testament confessed they were strangers pilgrims on the earth and wandred in wildernesses and mountaines and dens and caues of the earth and neuer found rest Neuer be of mind that thou must inhabite this earth Kain was the first that we read of which built a city vpearth lost he not heauen Neither was Saint Peter rebuked without cause who being a stranger would yet haue an house builded vpon mouÌ„ Thaber as if he had been to inhabite therevpon They which trauel like pilgrimes vse not to buie fruite trees and such like thinges as are too heauie for them to beare but such thinges as are of light carring but yet of greate price as precious stones and other iewels In like sort forsake thou the honors and riches of this life and â—arrie about thee the precious iewels â—f an vnspoted conscience Why then heapest thou promotion â—pon promotioÌ„ so fast which of necesâ—â—tie thou must leaue behind thee Why wouldest thou be loaden with â—â—ches in the race of this life Rather â—eeke for the inestimable iewels of good workes that thou maiest liue in perpetuall riches and honor in the heauens CHAP. 15 Beautie is a vaine thing FAuour is deceitfull and beautie is vanitie saith Salomon If no vanitie is to be accounted of any thing at al and beautie is a vaine thing surely beauty is nothing to be accounted of Then most vaine are they which haue in great price the vaine beautie of the body Let not thy beautie puffe thee vp neither cast an eye vnto the shadowe of thy countenance least thou fall into destruction and loose thy life as Nareissus did who beholding his beuty lost his life Absolons goodly lockes of haire were the haltars to hang himselfe withall Beuty is giuen vnto maÌ„ to th' ende he should lift vp his mind vnto God the giuer of the same When thou findest a litle vaine of water thou followest the same till thou come vnto the spring from whence it flowed first Euen so when thou meetest with a beutifull body leaue not vntil thou come vnto the author of the same which is God himselfe the fountaine of al beuty Litle children thou knowest doe wonder at the gay letters pictures which are in bookes but the substaÌ„ce which is the learning comprised therein they regard no whit Shewe thy self not a childe but a man of wisedome gaze not so curiously vpon the external beuty of any creature but marke diligently what is written therein to the end thou maist loue the author and creator of such fairnesse Creatures be spectacles as it were which serue vs
belonging to the body they haue scarce any time to thinke of matters pertaining to the soule Wordly thoughts aud cares bee the children of riches and the occupations busines which they bring with them doe suffocate aod choake vp all good motions of the spirit Despise the vanitie of these incorruptible goodsr so the more freelie shalt thou serue God For it is vnpossible for thee to fly vp vnto heauen vnlesse thou breake the bondes of this world wherewith thou art deteined Let not the pleasure of this world separate thine heart from the loue of Christ. Poyson commonly is giuen in some sauery and well relished meate but hee that receiueth the same liueth not long after Riches are sweete to such as loue them but such as embrace them they puffe vp with pride and so bring them vnto euerlasting destruction The preacher saith He that loueth riches shal be without the fruicte thereof And they that will be rich fall into tentation and snares and into many foolish noysom lusts which drown men in perdition destructiō saith the Apostle Al creatures be such vnto man as man is vnto himselfe A good man cannot be the worser for these outwarde thinges nor an euil man the better What good doeth an heape of riches to this corruptible flesh they cannot deliuer the soule from death O happy is that soule which is not subiect vnto riches The men of riches haue slept their sleepe saith the prophet men of riches that is the seruants of riches not the masters That gaine which is gotten with the losse of a good name may well be counted a great losse and no gaine at all When the seruantes haue a care of the maisters good estate then may the masters giue themseules to ease But so it is not with riches for they are so farre from vnburdening their masters of care that they presse them sore with worldly cogitations A very vaine man art thou if thou place thine happines in these corruptible goods Despise therfore from thine heart al these earthly riches so shall thy minde be filled with most heauenlie treasure CHAP. 19. Al earthly riches but vaine I Haue counted al thinges bnt losse and doe iudge them but dung saide the Apostle when he spake of these worldly thinges He could finde nothing more fit then the very dung whereunto hee might compare the riches of the earth And surely though otherwise they were of great account yet in respect of heauenly treasure they are of litle or no price at al. For what is gold the verie drosse of the earth What siluer and precious stones the dregs of the ground gathered together on a heape What be your fine sattins damaskes and al kinde of silkes the dung of vile wormes What is your best cloth the wool of sheep What be your costly furres the skinnes of dead beastes Your painted palaces your loftie toures your sumptuous buildings your large populous tounes what are they Euen verie earth What is honor Nothing To conclud what soeuer is in the world it is but dust Doest thou loue the good thinges of the earth if they may be called good Surely thou louest nothing but earth Consider the vanitie of those thinges which the world offereth vnto thee beware thou set not thine heart vpon them A wonderfull thing it is that thou so excellent a creature made to serue to haue the ioy euen of GOD himselfe canst so debase thy selfe as to cast thy minde vpon so vile thinges If thou wouldest bee accounted noble loue noble thinges I meane thinges spiritual according to that nobilitie which God hath imprinted in thy noble heart Euen as loue doth change the louer into the thinge loued insomuch that hee is not his owne but the thinges which is loued So in louing these vile thinges of the earth thou giuest that which is better for that which is worse that is thou giuest thine heart which is all pretious euen for very doung which is most filthy These thinges are farre vnseemely for a man of reason whereby thou shewest that not onely thou art forgetfull of thine estate but also renouncest al thy chiefest priuileges God therefore would haue thee to loue him not because his heauenly Maiestie doth neede thy loue but for thine owne aduauntage and preferment For while thou transformest thy selfe into his likenesse as it were through loue thou gettest great commoditie For thou giuest that which good is for that which for excellencie is so surpassing that it cannot sufficiently be either praised or prised God in depriuing his especiall friend Iob of al his earthly substance at the instance of Sathan would haue thee to learne how little he esteemeth the goods of this world Open thine eies consider how shamefully thou debasest thy selfe man while inordinatly thou couetest after earthly riches and againe how worthily thou lookest vp when thou despisest them Reclaime therefore thy mind from al these vanities and giue it wholy to the seruice of Christ CHAP. 20 To be proud of riches it is a vaine thing I Compare not pretious stones vnto wisdome for all gold is but a litle grauel in respect of her and siluer shall be counted but clay before her saith the wise man To be worldly rich is to bee verie poore Cast not thy minde vppon the vanitie of creatures but lift it vp vnto heauen where God is Humble not thine hearte before these earthly thinges God hath made thee to loue heauenly and to contemne the thinges of the world And because hee seeketh thy good hee hath laid al necessarie thinges which hee knoweth thou shalt neede vppon the face of the ground as bread wine flesh and such like that readily thou maiest find them but as for things lesse necessary as gold and siluer hee hath buried them deepe in the earth that as they are out of sight so they should bee out of mind Couet not greedily for vaine things Dauid saith O ye sonnes of men how long wil ye turn my glorie into shame louing vanitie and seeking lies Seeing God hath endued thee with reason why abusest thou it in placing thine happinesse in earthly goodes when thou art created to be the heire of heauen All that thou louest is vanitie saith the Psalmist and whatsouer the worlde promiseth thee is but lies This gold is but earth and this silke whereof thou vauntest it commeth from the vilest wormes These pretious stones wherewith thou glitterest and those borders of imbrodered worke which thou settest out to th'vttermost what are they all but vanity Glory not therefore in thine apparell nor in thine hangings nor in thy glorious cortins such like for these be not the riches these make not a man rich these make not him that is foolish wise that is proude lowely that is cholerike patient that is incontinent chast that is vnciuill courteous they make neither the angry man milde nor the enuious charitable and louing but the contrary they doe Then
if nothing they further vnto vertue but hinder much why so impatiently dost thou couet them Art thou so blinde that thou seest not how embracing riches thou nourishest a serpent or scorpion in thy bosome For as the scorpion will kill them with poyson which cherished them with their heate so these riches which with the heate of in ordinate desire thou doest nourish and augment they will eate thy bowels gnaw thy conscience choke the good spirit hinder thee from saluation aud bring thee to destruction both of body and soule This is that thou louest O thou blind man this is that thou seekest this is that lastly that destroieth Call thy wits together a little and behold the falsehood of these riches so shalt thou lift vp thy mind not onely vnto the liking but also vnto the louing of thinges far much greater and euery way more true CHAP. 21. To loue riches and earthly thinges it is meere vanitie LOue not the world nor the thinges in the world saith S. Iohn By the light of nature wee are taught not to loue these natural thinges in regarde of themselues For loue is a thinge so pretious that it should bee bestowed onely vppon him who can with like affection of loue answere the good wil. But seeing no creature natural can with like measure recompenc thy loue therfore thou oughtest not to applie thine heart to the thinges of this world Doubtlesse couldest thou perceiâ— thus much in desiring to enioy the thinges which be ordained onely for thy vse thou doest peruert the order of God God alone thou must enioy by louing him as the soueraigne good thing from the bottome of thy heart but vse thou must the things of the world as seruants referring the loue of them vnto God and to the setting out of his glory God created man after his owne likenes to the end that as other liuing creatures do he should loue his like Seeing therfore thou hast no likenes with earthly thinges thou art bound of equity to loue not these earthly thinges but God after whose similitude thou art made All the while that Iacob had children by Leah and her handmaide he neuer thought of returning into his countrey but so soone as Rahel had borne him a sonne he had a longing forthwith to returne home againe So the men of this world while they are occupied about earthly thinges they are forgetfull of the Celestial countrey but when they once bring out the fruite of Godlines then begin they to loath their former state and greatly to desire the happinesse of heauen When the king of the Egyptians was dead the children of Israel sighed for their bondage and cried God heard their mone but afore his death though they cried bitterly yet were they not heard Both good and badde al crie vnto God but none be heard saue they which haue killed the kinge of Egipt that is the loue of this world which worldlinges haue not Let the loue therefore of the worlde once be dead and God wil heare thy praier out of hand It is the lawe of vnfained loue that you doe shewe your selfe to bee such as that is which you loue Our soule is like vnto waxe which taketh the forme of that which is imprinted thereupon As that is which you loue such is thy soule earthly or heauenly If thou puttest a glasse toward heauen thou shalt see the figure of heauen there-vpon if thou turne it to the earth warde there shalt thou beholde the figure of earth So thy soule is like vnto that whereunto thou appliest the same insomuch that whatsoeuer goodnes or badnes is in thee thou maiest ascribe the same to that thing which thou so leuest Nebuchad-nezzer louing the world became a beast and did eate grasse like an oxe but lifting vp his eies vnto heauen by true repentance hee came againe vnto his former shape When God had made the Sunne the Moone and all other creatures hee saide of them all that they were very good for such did approue them but man being created he was neither said to be good nor ill not thereby preferring other creatures aboue man for whose sake they were all created Why then said God of all other creatures how they were good and said not so of man who was better then they The reason is because God he looked that man according to his freewil should worke and as he made his choise so should his titles be good or euil When hee loued the good he was good but when he loued the euill he was ill For man onely of all creatures had free libertie to chuse either good or ill The holy Apostle speakinge of certaine wicked men saide They turned the glory of th'incorruptible God to the similitude of the image of a corruptible man and of birdes foure footed beastes and of creeping thinges As they made God such were they themselues the images â—â—ey made of God were not so vnlike him as they resembled their images which they made The proper seate of the soule is in heauen where they onely do inhabite which be perfect men as the apostle doth say Our conuersation is in heauen Loue not riches and thou shalt be rich It is great riches not to couet riches Who possesseth much Euen hee that desireth little God gaue in commaundement that no man to his proper vse should take any parte of the rich spoiles of Iericho which in respecte of the mutabilitie thereof representeth the worlde the treasures whereof should not bee desired of Christians least they com vnto that destruction which Adam did CHAP. 13. The rices of this worlde are to be contemned WHosoeuer renounceth not all that he hath he cannot be my Disciple saith our Sauiour Christ Despise from thy hart these transitory things They which followed Christ frosooke so much riches as they could desire which followed him not And so infinite is our will in coueting that he shall neuer be satisfied which foloweth the same and he which renounceth it renounceth al thinges Insomuch that poore S. Peter left as much indeede as ambitious Alexander could in heart desire These thinges if thou contemne thou shalt find thy selfe but if thou doe them loue thou dost for-doe thy selfe Happy is that soule which earnestly despiseth these transitory thinges which the couetous minde so greedily desireth For by contemning thinges corruptible the riches which are eternal be attained Golde and siluer are to loade a beast not a man Yet no beast is so voide of vnderstanding that willâ—ngly will take more than it can beare Onely the couetous man as more voide of reason than a beast will offer himselfe to beare it lay on him what or how long soeuer yee will But if thou be wise thou wilt vnburden thy selfe by renouÌ„cing the vaine riches of this world so assure thy selfe thou shalt goe the lighter A fond man thou art that may haue poore men in ough to beare
is right when the middle annswereth proportionably both to the beginning and ende of the same Hee that straieth out of the way fetcheth a compasse many times that hee may so come into his way againe The holy scripture doth liken vs in many places vnto way faring men and strangers At our birth wee beginne the iorney and at our death wee finish the same Aske the wise man what our beginning is When I was borne saith he I receiued the common aer and fel vpoÌ„ the earth which is of like nature crying and weeping at the first at al the other do I was nourished in swadling clothes and with cares For there is no king that had any other beginning of birth Al meÌ„ haue one enterance vnto life and a like going out Thou wast borne with tears and thou shalt die with paine and wilt thou liue in ioy If thou art of that minde thou goest not the way of righteous men but fetchest a compasse with the vngodlie Let the middle of thy life be correspondent to the beginning and end of the same that is so liue both as thou wast borne and as thou shalt die Care not much for riches but say with Iob Naked came I out of my mothers wombe naked shall I return thither â—uild not large and sumptuous houses but remeÌ„ber that a poore little cradle did holde thee beeing newely come into the worlde and forethinke that being deade a small pit shall containe thy body Neuer couet in this world to bee greate seeing thou wert so little at thy birth and shalt bee so vile when thy breath 〈◊〉 gone Into the world thou camest not great and rich but little and poore Thou camest not like a Champion and thou shalt not goe to thy graue like a wâ—â—rier with a drawenâ— word in thine hande And therefore see that thou liue in peace and quietnes while thou art in the world Loue not riches hunt not after promotion consume not thy time idlely in delights bewaile thy sinnes Repent in this life that thou mayest be blessed in the life to come The Lord saith Your sorrow shal bee turned into ioy O happy sorrowe that shall be so rewarded Loue holy compunction of the heart sigh after the celestial cunâ—rey and make not this present banishement thy paradise of pleasure Thou art vtterly loste and wanderest out of the way if thou wouldest spend thy time altogether Pleasantly in this world Returne therefore and come into the right way againe embrace the light by thinking vppon the most bitter passion of thy Redeemer so shalt thou attaine vnto the desired ende euen vnto that happines whereunto at the first thou wast created CHAP. 17. The true ioy is in the Lord. REioyce in the Lord alway againe I say reioyce saith the Apostle The ioy of the seruant of GOD ought onely to be in his Lord God A vaine man is he which reioyceth in any other theÌ„ in God alone It is not the will of God that thou shouldest liue in sorrow but in ioy and mirth onely he requireth thee to change the cause of thy ioy and in steede of that false ioy of the worlde to embrace the true comfort of the soule The Apostles reioyced when they tolde our Lorde how the diuels were subdued to theÌ„ through his name But it was answered them foorthwith In this reioyce not that the spirites are subdued vnto you but rather reioyce because your names be written in heauen So he forbideth not al but the false ioy All ioy without God is vaine and without a foundation in God onely you should reioyce nor in any other thing vnder heauen Say with the Apostle Our reioycing is this the testimonie of a tru conscience 〈◊〉 good conscience is a pleadge of the true ioy which thou shalt taste in heauen Dauid he was without God as hee thought therefore breaketh he forth into teares day and night wanting the presence of his God Signifiing that where God is not there can bee no true ioy The worldly ioy is not the true ioy because it is not founded vpon a good conscience S. Iohn the Baptist he sprang for ioy in the belly of his mother this was a true ioy All other ioy is vaine which hath not grace for the foundation thereof Get therefore Grace before God and thou shalt gette the true goodnesse of the heart Desirest thou riches Riches and treasurs be in his house desirest thou beutie The Lord saieth to the spouse Thou art faire my loue Desirest thou life I am the life saiteh the Lord Desirest thou saluation Hee shal saue his people from their sinnes Desirest thou peace The Lord is our peace as witnesseth Th'apostle Desfirest thou honor Heare the Psalmist Thy friendes bee veri honorable and their praeeminence is verie comfortable If thou hast God with thee thou hast the true ioy What more desirest thou Well may hee reioyce which hath wiâ—h him the fountaine of grace Renounce therefore al temporal ioy and more esteeme thou the smalest quantitie of spirituall consolation than all manner of worldly ioy whatsoeuer There is no true taste where God is not nor true ioy but in God for sonne vanished the comfort of this worlde Soone was the water spent which Abraham gaue Hagar and Ismael his sonne after the flesh but Isaac his soone after the spirit he wanteth noe water I he comfortes of the world doe soone leaue the vngodly but the consolation of the righteous are as wels of liuing water which may be drawen but neuer dried vp This ioie is certaine and euerlasting which no man shall take from you saith the Lorde Of worldlie folkes manie glorie in their braue apparell but this glorie is their apparels not their owne others glorie in their riches and this glorie also is not theirs but their riches For take them awaie and the glory is gone Bnt the ioy which is in the Lord proceeding from a good conscience no man can take from vs except we wil our selues Which ioy is rightly numbred among the other fruites of the holy spirit In creatures there can bee no full ioy but the ioy in the Lord is ful because it is infinite answereth to his infinite goodnes Ioy doth answere vnto desier as rest doth vnto motion For then is our rest quiet and consummate when there is not any thinge more to bee moued Euen so our ioy shal be full when their is nothing besides to bee desired Nowe because in worldly thinges the desire is neuer perfect rest it followeth that among the creatures there câ—n no true rest bee founde But because God 〈◊〉 he satisfieth our desire he is alone to be loued that our ioy be full The Kingly prophet he saith that God he satisfieth our mouth with good thinges and Anna the mother of Samuel she saith Mine heart reioyceth in the Lord mine horne is exalted in the Lorde To
that is of durance and Perpetuetie As for riches sensualitie and such like they are much more subiect to mutabilitie and alteration Seeing therefore that the verie pillars of the worlde be so fraile and totter is it not a verie daungerous thing to liue in the worlde subiect to such alteration and mutabilitie If the worlde which in this sorte doth threaten a destruction be so loued howe would it be liked were it stable and of continuance Howe were it possible for thee to flie therefrom if it were louely when thou doest embrace the same beeing so lothsome How couldest thou but gather the flowers seeing with thy fingers thou dost handle the thornes of the same Thou wilt still loue the worlde which wil and doth leaue thee whether thou forsake it or no. Looke for no quietnesse heere where euerie moment there is alteration neither loue a thing moueable seeing thy selfe desirest to continue and not change at all The sailer whether hee will or no must needes moue when the shippe moueth al thinges in this world be moueable and change to daie they be to morowe they be not and as they change so dost thou with them What comfort therefore canst thou haue in such vnstable thinges The name whereby most fitlie almightie God is expressed is I am Moses speaking of God saith I am hath sent me vnto you God contiunally Is but man altogether is changeable and hath no certaine being And so are you to thinke of the world of which you make so great an account Loue those thinges that bee and continue and not the thinges which by reason of their often change doe come vnto nothing It is an il dwelling in the countrey which is subiect to often earth quakes bestowe not cost vpon that grounde which is not firme but vppon that foundation which will continue Let all thy care bee to haue a mansion place in heauen which is a place of safetie and blessed quietnesse The winde of flattery which is included within the bowels of the earth which bee the pallaces of princes and houses of great men when it seeketh to breake out and to ascend to honour and hye promotion it is the cause of great earthquakes in the world Seeke not to dwell in so daungerous a place neither make friendes to serue in the pallaces of great men where continuall earthquakes bee by reason of the great windes of ambition that bee there kept vnder and hid with the cloake of hypocrysie which breaking out at the last doe cause great disorders and troubles in a land and country Daily if thou marke thou shalt heare of innouations in the world Daily some of rich become poore and of poore bee made rich If fortune to day doe smile shee will frowne to morrowe In the morning the sunne shineth most comfortably and within an houre or two commeth a storme and tempest This sheweth that in the world nothing is of long continuance Pleasure is no sooner come but straight-way entreth sorrow and disquietnesse The mutabilitie that is in the world is by nothing better expressed than by the vsage and handling of our Sauiour Christ who was honored with all ioy of the Iewes at one time at another forsaken of theÌ„ at one time was welcommed in the waie with greeâ—e bowes at another was scourged with drie rodes at one time they strewed their garmentes before him in the way at another by and by they spoiled him of his raiment whipped and crucified him at one time they cried Blessed is hee that commeth in the name of the Lord at another they called vppon pâ—late to hang him at one time hee entered into Ierusalem with great glory at another hee came out of the same Ierusalem with great shame Perceiue you not hereby the suddaine change whereto the honours of the world are subiect If now you laugh looke by and by to weep Put therefore thy trust and confidence in God alone which is thy true friend and will not faile thee CHAP. 26 The smallest sinnes must be auoided FLie from sinne as from a serpent saith Ecclesiasticus The friendshippe of the worlde dooth so wound the conscience that not in a small thing are you to conform your selfe after the same Whatsoeuer is in the world it is full of wickednes and sinne which though it be but small yet is it to be shunned Ecclesiasticus hee likeneth sinne vnto a serpent which though it bee but a little one yet wil not man abid it The Prophet Isaiah doth say Out of the Serpents roote doeth come a cockatrise That fearefull cockatrise doth proceed from the small serpent which is alwaies verified when the great sinne doth arise out of a little offence Assuredly if thou take not heede of smal thou wilt fall into great and greeuous sinnes Vnlesse thou fly the serpent thou shalt light vpon the Cockatrise If thou stop not a small cliffe in a ship where throug the water coÌ„meth so much by little and litle wil enter as in the end wil ouerwhelme drowne both the ship and thee So small incoÌ„ueniences are to be fled least greate perils doe ensue Seuer thy selfe from all vnnecessary busines of the worlde from toying and idlenesse least thou leese thy zeale and fall into greater discommodities which though they seeme but small yet being multiplied may ouerthrowe thee Kil thine enemy sinne I meane when hee is yet but little for when hee is growen vp to his full biggenesse for sparing him he wil murther thee It is the part of a wise man to feare his enimie bee hee neuer so weake Take example here of from Kaine who because he shunned not the griefe of minde conceiued from the good of his brother hee ioyned afterwarde to his enuy malice whereby hee committed murther after that fel into heresie supposing that God saw not what hee had done and after that vtterly despaired of all mercy from Gods hand One deep calleth another deepe one sinne draweth easely another sinn that is greater Bee not therefore negligent in looking well to auoide euen the smalest offence Thou hast neede to bee very circumspect and vigilant liuing in such a daungerous world Men vnprouided bee easily ouercome Thou must flye from euery euill custome as from the pestilence for death is at the doors and will enter straight if thou let open to his messenger One of the plagues of Egypt was of small yee which suck the bloud and after them followed great swarmes of flies which cruelly vexed both Pharao and all his people After the lesse plague came still the greater and after a smal a greater teÌ„tation followeth Ecclesiasticus doth say Hee that coÌ„temneth smal thinges shal fal by little and little Yea the lesser thou takest them to be the greater they are Listen to the Apostle Paul Bee yee not idolaters as were some of them as it is written The people sate downe to eat and drinke
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
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 â—herefore he would be buried with â—udas the traitor that for the loue of mâ—nieâ—old his master euen the Sâ—uiour of the world The couetous man before he wiâ—neth any thing is first wonne hiâ—selfe and before hee taketh ought is taken himselfe â—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 tâ—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 â—entre But nothing doth so peâ—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 afflictionâ— 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 â—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
and so be fitte as a chaste spouse to welcome the bridgrome Christ. CHAP. 40. Vnspeakable is the happines which the men of this world shall forgoe THey contemned that pleasant lande said the Prophet of worldly men It is a wonderfull thing that with all diligence and studie wee seeke not for glorie which of all things exceedingly is to be desired There is nothing which naturally wee so desire nor sooner may loose nor for which men will spende so much as for the glorie of this world whereby many are depriued in this life of spirituall consolation and in the other world of eternall life Many good thinges doe they want and great ioyes doe they goe without which giue themselues to serue the world And because they set their mindes vppon corruptible things they are depriued of that heauenly society of Iesus Christ and the diuine contemplation of spirituall things It is much to bee lamented that men can finde sweetnesse in the vnsauorie and sowre things of this world and yet haue no taste at all of the matters of God the pleasure whereof is soueraigne The taste of the diuine loue is so delicate that worldly pleasures giue no relish at all where that hath a place Happie is that man which is onely refreshed with the loue of God and rauished with the pleasures of holy vertues Flye from henceforth from the vanitie of this worlde for the more thou estrangest thy selfe from the same the greater comfort shalt thou perceiue in thy soule and the lesse dealing thou hast in the worlde the more fauour shalt thou haue with God Why therefore doest thou not approch neere vnto the Lord why lingerest thou It is a lamentable thing that the loue of such vile trash should keepe thee backe Shall the shadow of good things in this world so preuaile with thee that thou wilt forgoe those all sweete and delectable ioyes in the life to come For whatsoeuer in this worlde thou louest it is nothing in comparÃson of the treasure of delights in the kingdome of heauen Giue thy selfe wholy therefore to loue God and the vnuisible good things buy for smal great for transitorie eternal for vile precious for base glorious for miserable comfortable for sowre sweet and to speake in a worde for nothing all things Let not the apparance of these corruptible thinges deceiue thee neither suffer the vanitie and pleasure of this present life to darken thy knowledge vnderstanding of heaueÌ„ly matters If thou contemne the vanitie of this world thou shalt enioy the loue of God Consider how little it is that God would haue thee to do how much hee promiseth Renounce therefore the vile thinges of this worlde that thou mayest attaine that precious pearle of inestimable price Seeing in comparison of the life to come which is perpetuall this present life is but a moment as it were delight not in this short and corruptible to the end thou mayest haue ioy in the euerlasting life A foole were he that hauing many faire Lordships and pallaces of his owne would yet for all that continue in a stable euen such a base thing is this miserable world in respect of the glorious and celestiall citie Ierusalem which is aboue Seeing therefore God himselfe of his most holy loue doth inuite thee and open the gates of paradise against thou come bee not so carried away with the loue of the shadow of good thinges that for them thou canst be content to goe without those true and most sweete goods of the other life for the enioying whereof thou wert created Liue so in this world as in the way as in the world to come thou mayest raigne for euer as in thy proper countrey The end of the second Booke THE Thirde Booke declaring howe the vanitie of this world being renounced wee should giue our selues to the seruice of Iesus Christ. CHAP. 1. The whole world cannot satisfie the desire of mortall man THE Lions do lacke and suffer hunger but they which seek the Lord shal want nothing that is good saith the Psalmist He that hath God hath all that good is but hee that hath him not is very poore Without God all pleasure is paine all ioy is sorowe all abundance is penurie and scarsitie God alone the creator of our soulâ— doeth satisfie the desire they are aâ— vaine that seeke consolation in thâ— things of this world There is nothing in this life which is not full of bitternesse nothing so precious so good and delectable besides God himselfe that it can either deliuer from all euill or bring vnto felicitie The Lord is my shepheard I shall not want saith the prophet The Princes of the world themselues the more mightie they seeme the more they doe neede nowe and then for thâ—â— maintenance of their honour and his estate Onely the seruant of God can say I shall not want Hee whome God ruleth liueth quiet and merâ—ie life The beastes of the worlde are fed with dry hearbes among thornes and briers the waters thereof are poysoned and the hearbes haue a secreâ— poyson in them The diuell to our first parents reached out pleasant meate and they had no sooner tasted of the same but they were poysoned The childe of â—his worlde eateth the hearbe of pleaâ—â—re but the eating thereof is vnto his â—estruction hee is allured wiith the â—aite of honour and riches and â—raight-way is taken in the snare â—e he be aware It is written by the Psalmist God the strength of mine heart and my â—rtion for euer He is happie whom â—od feedeth and putteth no trust in â—an Happy is hee which seeketh â—OD with his whole heart and from â—m seeketh consolation Taste thou neuer so much of the â—ters of these worldly honours and â—nities yet thy thirst shall neuer bee â—enched but thou shalt still bee like â—e that hath a dropsie who the more â—e drinketh the more hee thirstâ—â— The eyes of al wait vpon thee thou â—est them meate in due season The prodigall childe had no sooâ—â— separated himselfe from God but â—ight hee confessed that hee was â—â—d well neere for hunger Vice 〈◊〉 wickednesse doe alwaies bring afâ—tion to the will whereas vertue on 〈◊〉 other side bringeth ioy and conâ—tion Eate thou not the breade of him that hath an euil eye neither desire his dainty meates For as though he thought it in his heart so will he say vnto thee Eate and drinke but his hart is not with thee saith the wise man He that sayeth that in vice there iâ— nourishment and satietie beleeuâ— him not for thou shalt find it cleaâ— contrarie The Nigromancers and inchaunters will make a shew to thine eies of pleasant gardens and fruitfull trees but if thou once gather and taste of them thou shalt perceiue them to bâ— nothing such as they seeme to be 〈◊〉 the world it laboreth to perswad woâ—ly men that the things it propoundeâ— are such as they seeme to the viewâ— but in
the â—salmist All creatures when thou hast most neede will faile thee and therefore it is a vaine thing to repose any confidence in the things of this world If thou trust in men looke often to be deceaued for their wont is after a long and great seruice to make but a simple recompence Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and withdraweth his heart from the Lord Put not your trust in Princes nor in the sonne of man for there is none helpe in them saith the Psalmist Haman trusted much in the fauour of King Ahashuerosh of which he was soone depriued and brought to a most infamous and miserable end To be in fauour with great men of this world it doth vs little good and surely it vanisheth as nothing if not afore yet at the point of death What stabilitie canst thou promise thy selfe I pray you in a broken staffe of reede Euen such is man O Lord of hostes blessed is the man that trusteth in thee saith the Psalmist Happie is hee which loueth God with his whole heart and putteth his trust in him the Lord will deliuer that man from all trouble But forasmuch as true hope is founded vpon a good conscience the Psalmist doth say that is not enough in God to trust but besides a man must worke that which good is according to that Blessed is he that iudgeth wisely of the poore againe sayeth the wise man The hope of the wicked shall perish because it is not grounded 〈◊〉 on a good foundation To trust in the Lorde as some say they doe and yet dayly to sinne what is it but rash and vndiscreete presumption â—ut thy confidence in God for if thou for thy part doe that which thou oughtest doubt thou not but God of his infinite goodnesse will giue thee glorie for hee neuer for saketh them which trust in him It is a vaine thing liuing ill to presume vpon hoâ—e to repent thee heereafter whereas thou art ignorant whether thou shalt liue any longer than to day or no. Thou oughtest by and by to reforme thy life and to haue good hope that God will giue thee of his glorie since it is most sure that he neuer denied it to any which fulfill that which he commaundeth Hope still in thy God saith the Scripture so wiâ—l he deliuer thee from al thy troubles For hee is a shield to them which put their trust in him Dauid put his trust in the Lord and he was holpen Blessed is the man which feareth the Lord he will not be afraide of euil tydinges Happy is the man which falleth not from his hope happy is the man whose force and strength and refuge God is such an hope shall neuer be in vaine in the daies of trouble Consider the old generations of men ye children saith Ecclesiasticus and marke them well was there euer any confounded that put his trust in the Lord or who hath continued in his feare and was forsaken or whom did he euer despise that called vpon him Is it not good reason that the sicke man should put his trust in the Physition that healeth all diseases It is the Lord saith the Prophet which healeth all thine infirmities The Lorde is neere to all that call vpon him yea to al that cal vpon him in truth CHAP. 6. God is to bee loued aboue all THou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy minde saith the Lord. If so thou wouldest doe then is it not sufficient for thee to leaue the euill way vnlesse thou walke by the good way through the detestation of worldly vanities Loue God aboue all Thou canst not liue without loue seeing therefore of force thou must loue then louâ— that which of all is most sweete and pleasant Thou maiest not so loue the world that thou offend God For what proportion is there of God his excellencie vnto the profite of the world For as God infinitely surpasteth his creatures so the holy loue of God without all comparison is more excellent than all other loue Who should reape the fruite but he which planted the tree The Apostle saith Wâ—o planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit therof WhoÌ„ shouldest thou loue but him that hath giuen thee power to loue He onely is to be loued of whome thou receiuest abilitie to loue Flie therefore the corruption of the world and embrace the loue of GOD with al thine heart Runne vnto the loue of God as vnto a refuge and defence Nothing so soone will make thee to despise the vanitie of earthly things as the loue of God but because thine heart was neuer touched throughly with the fire of his loue thereof it groweth that thou art so in loue with the corruptible goods of this wretched world Hence is it that thou art so troubled with cares and griefe of minde and hence thou settest not thine hart vpon the loue of God O that thou hadst but some small taste of Gods spirit to begin withall It is the nature and propertie of loue to make his account of that which it loueth That is well verified here in this worldly loue where we see many times that for the attaining of that which they loue they make no reckoning either of goods honor or name they forget themselues through musing vpon the thing beloued After their example therefore thou which sayest thou louest God giue thy selfe wholy to loue him and casting aside all other matters of the world occupy thy selfe wholy and altogether in his seruice So did the holy Fathers in times passed showe themselues they were transformed into a heauenly nature they thought not of themselues nor of the world for which cause they were iudged of the world to be very fooles not to haue so much as common sense Let it be thy chiefest exercise that God and thy soule may agree well together as though there were nothing besides vnder heauen to bee done and as though thy selfe besides wert nothing so that thou mightest truely say as the Apostle did I liue yet not I now but Christ liâ—eth in me Be not so taken with the thinges of this worlde as to make them the end of thy loue since all that thou canst loue in this world is more perfectly a great deale in God than in the world If thou loue any thing because it is beautifull why louest thou not God the fountaine of all beautie If goodnesse bee the thing wherevpon thine heart is fixed what is better than God None is good saue one euen God God is purely good in his essence and substance The goodnesse of a creature is so farre good as it receiueth some little drop from that infinite sea I meane from the incomprehensible goodnesse of God the creator thereof If thou dost so much loue any creature for some showe of goodnesse that thou
which when they sawe they were depriued of they gaue their minde vnto the worlde againe which they renounced before and the cause was they subdued not their owne affections as they should neither were truely mortified because they forsooke not themselues Be it alwayes in thy mind to serue God and then though thou finde no comfort in thy selfe yet thinke that thou art occupied in his seruice and that it is his will that thou shouldest haue no further comfort thereby than hee should thinke it conuenient If thou wilt profite in the seruice of God learne to denie thy selfe euen in euery thing Many denie themselues in some but not in all thinges They are obedient in all thinges which doe like them but in the thinges which are contrarie to their humors they finde themselues But thou must in all thinges bee readie to yeelde vnto Gods will and vtterly forsake thy selfe for his sake The carefull Merchant sold all that he had to buy the pearle Ananias and his wife Sapphira were killed with present death for that they gaue parte of their money vnto God and reserued part for themselues If thou wilt serue God thou must as occasion is offered forgoe all and reserue nothing for thy selfe Through renouncing of thine owne will the will of God getteth the dominion ouer vs and so mans will is transformed into the will of God when man for Christes sake is readie to endure all manner of aduersitie Hadst thou once gotten a full victorie ouer thy selfe in a small time thou shouldest greatly profit in the schoole of Christ. Our Sauiour Christ he sought not his own glory but thine the Lord of heauen descended not into the earth for his owne profite but for thy coÌ„modity Why then seeking thy selfe dost thou forget him which for thy sake so forgat himselfe that hee gaue himselfe vnto the death to saue thee A good wife and an honest is she that wil please none but her husband and happy is that soule which onely seeketh to please delight her spouse Iesus Christ. Blessed is that soule whose onely desire is to haue the fauour of God and vtterly contemneth all other loue Christ is a good husband and worthy solely and sincerely to bee loued Therefore thou shouldest forsake all and deny thy selfe to the end thou mayest enioy the sweete friendship of Iesus Christ. CHAP. 11. A good Christian will take it patiently when he is despised LET vs cast away euery thing that pressed down and the sinne that hangeth so fast on let vs run with patience the race that is set before vs looking vnto Iesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame is set at the right hand of the throne of God saith the Apostle It is thy dutie to bee dead and estranged from all the inordinate affection of humaine praises honors and fauor and to desire of all men to bee contemned and put to shame Alas fewe there bee which seeke to be adorned with such vertues If any be founde which hunt not after dignities yet are there almost none that loue to be contemned and put to rebuke It thou desire these thinges with all thine heart God will graunt them vnto thee If God doe not send thee aduersitie it is not because it is not good for thee but because thou art so weake that thou art not fit for the same beeing yet smally mortified For God is vnto nothing more ready than to laye afflictions and tribulations vppon him which is truely mortified in some good measure knowing that they that ouercome shal be crowned with glory wherof he would haue his friendes to bee partakers All things which either thou wouldest or canst desire of God which belong not vnto the due mortification and despifing of thy selfe for Gods sake haue some-what within them sauouring of thy corrupt nature and selfe loue and although in part thou hast put away from thee the loue of thy selfe yet secretlie returneth it vnto thee againe by seeking somewhat of thy selfe and thine owne commoditie which thou wert not aware of and so many times when we thinke that wee are farre from our selues we are not so Hence it is that thou which before thou haddest it desiredst some great aduersitie but once falling into a little trouble thou diddest â—ainte foorth with because thoroughly thou haddest not contemned thy selfe for selfe loue did still lurke in thy minde and it was no sooner touched but it rose againe Though thou sleepe now and then yet art thou not altogether dead Happie is that man which is so dead to himselfe that hee desireth to be contemned of all men Our Lorde gaue vs a most perfect example of mortification when vpon the crosse he saide My God my God why hast thou forsaken me So the seruant of God ought so to content himselfe when hee is forsaken that yet hee faint not therein albeit he be depriued of all sensible perceauing the comfort of the spirite for a time as our Sauiour was vppon the crosse It is not againe the propertie of Gods children to place the last ende of their prayers in the sensible vttering of them by the mouth to be heard of men But seeing that an eye is alwaies to be cast vnto that which God would haue vs to doe ascende once vnto this perfection which consisteth in the essentiall loue of God so that in all things thou maiest do his wil through contempt and mortification of thy selfe and that onely for Gods sake not for thine owne either glorie or commoditie Happie is hee which is so mortified that hee is readie to endure euen extreame 〈…〉 for the loue of God and 〈…〉 stil his fauor Happy is that man which inflamed with the loue of God is content with all his heart to be destitue of all sensible so he may enioy the essential loue of the holy Spirite Happy is hee which coueteth to imitate Christ Iesus in the crosse abandoning all consolation of earthly and corporall things Happie is that soule that is so dead to it selfe that it liueth without these strange affections such a soule is pure without sinne quiet without disturbance free without molestation depriued of worldly honour but adorned with vertues clarified in vnderstanding lifted vp in spirite vnited vnto God and blessed for euermore CHAP. 12. That bodie shall bee blessed which is subdued of the soule PVt on the whole armour of God that yee may bee able to stand against the assaults of the diuel saith S. P. u. Thou canst not liue without warfare for wheresoeuer thou art thou shalt haue a battell because in thy bosome thou bearest him that euermore will gaine say thee In one and the same man the Apostle setteth downe vnto vs two men so ioyned together and so compact that the one cannot bee without the other and yet are they so diuided that the life of the one is
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
thou shalt neuer tast death If thou art in loue with this life open to so many troubles me thinkes thou shouldest much more desire that life where all manner of rest and felicitie is in most abundant wise In this world thou art a pilgrime therfore labour with might main to come vnto the possession of the celestiall countrie All thinges that are seene in this world they fade away like the shadow A foolish part then thou shalt play if rather thou haddest to perish with the transitorie worlde than to flourish for euermore with ioy in the world to come The paine which thou takest here to defer death and to prolong this life of thine thou mayest doe well to bestow though it were to the losse of this present life for the attainement of that happy life in the other world CHAP. 15 The disquietnes which the men of this worlde doe feele it is great and wonderfull BEcause your fathers haue forsaken mee sayeth the Lord c ye shall serue ether Gods day and night He that serueth the worlde he goeth continually with a troubled minde is like the wheele of a clocke which neuer standeth quiet being distracted with continuall cares and anguish of the heart The worlde will neuer suffer thee to be quiet a whit if thou followe thine appetite being depressed with the waight of worldly loue depending on thine owne will This it is which turneth those wheeles this is it which doth vexe thee inwardly so much this is it which taketh all sleepe from thine eyes and causeth thee to turne still in a perpetual motion For what is more troublesome than for a man to be subiect to his owne affections Who can promise himselfe any rest at all in the affaires of this world which are so sâ—biect â—o continual alteration Great stâ—â—â—e was there betweene the heardmen of Lot and the heardmen of Abraham which debate arose through the riches which they had it was so greate that they coulde not dwell together One of the great plagues wherewith Egypt was afflicted was the litle busie flies whose properties are and of God which willingly refused the land of promise for the liking they tooke of Gilead because it was an apt place for cattel Last of all nener thinke to finde quietnesse in that place where all thinges are full of confusion and alteration The worldly men themselues they rest all amazed and know not what they doe nor whether they intend to go no more then did the builders of the tower of Babell CHAP. 16. There is more sorrow than comfort in the pleasures of this world HE will not suffer mee to take my breath but filleth me with bitternes saieth Iob You cannot in the worlde haue any perfect ioy and comfort where all things be replenished with bitternes and sorrow Marke I pray you vnder the goodly showe of sweetenesse what gall of pleasure what paine doeth lurke Consider the paine and vexation that doth accompanie sinne Vices do adorne and set out themselues after the brauest manner being in deede most filthie but vertue though ragged and torne is maruelous louely Let not the pleasures of this world deceaue thee seeing within they are so full of gal and bitternesse In that great glorie of his transfiguration Christ he spake of his death and passion whereby thou maiest obserue that euen the chiefest comfort of this worlde hath some affliction If the world being al full of bitternesse be yet so loued and made of how woulde men esteeme of the same were it all sweete and voide â—f troubles But God he hath so tempered sorrowe with pleasure of the worlde to the end that man with all possible speed might aspire vnto the ioies of heauen Haman that so hunted after the glorie of this worlde he was ioyfull and had a merrie heart because hee was inuited vnto the banquet which Ester had prepared for the king MIne heart panteth my strength faileth me the light of mine eyes euen they are not mine owne saith the Prophet of himselfe Surely I may say thou art blinde if thou seest not the miseries that thou art in which seruest the worlde As the Hauke could neuer be kept quiet vpon the pearch except his eyes were couered with an hoode so thou couldest neuer endure the miserable bondage of the world except thine eyes were blinded that thou couldest not see How were it possible that thine heart should bee so fixed vpon earthly thinges but that thou seest not the vanity of them But for that thou art blinde thou art a bond man open thine eyes therefore I pray thee that thou maiest perceiue the miserable condition which thou doest endure The dung of the sparowes which fell vpon the eyes of Tobit as he was a sleep bereft him of his eye sight The Apostle doth iudge all things of the world to bee but dung and experience teacheth vs that they haue the quality to make men blind as had the dung of Tobits Sparrowes The property of the swallow is to sing sweetly in the beginning of sommer but suddenly afterwarde shee becommeth both blind mute The propertie of the worlde also is first with a short and sweet harmony to bring men a sleepe and after to make them blind that they may not see the vanities of the same Men of this world they lacke eyes to see the light of God and of those good thinges which they forgoe They are like vnto Eli the Priest whose eyes were so dimme that hee could not see the Lampe of God which hung continually burning in the Temple And though worldly men doe seeme wise and of sound iudgement yet is it not so in truth but towardes worldly matters otherwise as touching things of the spirite they haue no sight at all but are as blinde as Moles Fall not from sinne vnto sinne as a blinde man The Prophet Zephaniah speaking of worldly men doeth say They shall walke like blind men because they haue sinned against the Lord And our Sauiour Christ walk while ye haue light least the darkenesse come vpon you For when sinners doe walke in the darkenes of their ignorance what maruell though miserablie they stumble and take a fall The eyes of worldly men they are taken easily with certaine imaginarie profites and affections of their own toward the world and they are made blinde therewith euen as the Egyptians vpon whome God brought such a darkenes that no man saw another neither rose vp from the place where he was for three dayes together If thou couldest haue a sight of the miseries thou artin questionles thou couldest not stand still so securely after that Egyptian manner as thou doest But blindnesse hath ouertaken thee blinded thou art with the loue of this glittering vaineâ— glorious world like the Beare which becoÌ„meth blind if it behold the brightnes of a burning bason Had not the world beene blind S. Iohn had not said The world