Nothing doth more diminish a mans commendation then much vaunting the successe of his actes Benificence BEnefite the godlie and thou shalt find recompenee if they cannot requite thee yet God will remember thee Those benefits are most thankfull which a man findeth readie and are bestowed with out tarrying but onely the shame fastnesse of him that shall take them Charitie CHarity is patient and gentle and enuyeth no man If I had faith in so much as that I could carie away mountaines yet were I nothing if I lacked Charitie If I should distribute all my goods giue them to the poore and although I gaue my body to be burned hauing no charitie it nothing auaileth me Charitie doeth nothing amisse it is not puffed with prid it is not ambitious she seketh not her profit she is not mooued shee thinketh no euill shee reioyceth not in miss chiefe she suffereth all thinges shee ioyeth in trueth shee beleeueth all thinges shee hopeth wel of al things Charitie neuer fayleth Chastitie CHastitie is the beauty of the soule or of the Kings daughter that is abroad Chastity without Charitie is like a Lamp without oyle Where necessity is laide vnto Chastity where authoritie is giuen to Lechery there vertue is put to exile The absence of women causeth chastitie amongst men A chaste eie sheweth an honest mind Constancie COnstancie doth surelie perform the thing determined He that is constant â—eeleth neither trouble nor heauinesse Constancie keepeth and still preserueth things well gotten but goodes euill gotten neuer continue long Carnall Appetite CArnall appetie leaueth behind her more cause of repentance then of remeÌ„brance â—â—lthy lust wil haue no affinitie with vertue The fleshlie mind is neuer satisfied A carnall woman euer wisheth without contentment Carnall appetite dulleth the wit dimmeth the eies letteth good counsell spoileth the mind and with vertue wil haue no medling Heshly lust consumeth the body and damneth the soule Confession COnfession is the only remedy for sinne The vengeance of God ceaseth where mans confession timely preuenteth Confession is the life of a sinner the glorie of good men to all offenders necessary and not inconuenient to the godly Confession is the confounder of vices the cleanser of soules the restorer of vertues the vanquisher of deuils what will you more It stoppeth hels mouth and setteth wide open the gates of Paradâ—ce Discorde IF they which make peace bee called the children of God without doubt the disturbors of peace be the children of Satan Discord is the root of all confusion the spring of desolation Discord is an enemy to nature and a shorteâ—er of the life of man They that sustaine one part of the citie neglect the other lowe the wicked seedes of sedition and discord By concord small thinges are made great but by discord the most greatest are brought to nothing Warre is soone made but not quickly discussed for he is not sure to finish it that first toke in hand to begin it Dignitie HE is most honourable that disdaineth to erue or be subiect to vices True Nobility consisteth noâ— of great patrimonies and rich possessions but of godlie vertuous actions If thou wilt esteem a man truly know him plainly viewe him naked and let him lay aside authority possessions and other fortunes finallie respect not his bodie but behold his soule then shalt thou see what he is of himselfe and what he hath of others Dolours THere is no sorrowe but the length of time doth diminish make more easie As a moâ—h consumeth a garment euen so heauinesse hurteth the heart of man It is to be considered in all griefe and heauinesse that nothing bee done vnaduisedlie nothing rashlie nothing fearfulâ—ie nothing desperatly nothing wretchedlie or any thing foolishly Ouer much sorrowe breaketh the heart and killeth the bodie Sorrowes bring solace to the godlie but they vtterly ouerthrow daunt the wicked Sorrowes are most necessary to all sinners for they bring amendement of life Doctrine DOctrine is an ornament to the rich and Noble but to men without wealth a happie refuge and succour As faire legges bee in vaine to a Cripple so vnseemely is Doctrine in the mouthes of fooles Learning is a treasure which water cannot drown fire burn theeues steale nor dice lose As learning in good men is the armour of vertue so in wicked and corrupted persons it is a spurre to doe mishciefe We teach our children liberall Sciences no because these Sciences may giue any vertue but because they make the minde apt to receiue vertue As the right vse of learning adorneth the soule euen so the abuse therof spoyleth both bodie and soule Diet. IN diuers meates is occasion of sicknes and greedy feeding is a token of choller When the sicknesse is in his force then sparest diet is best Vâ—cleane bodies and they which be not well pâ—rged of supeâ—fluous humours the more you nourish them the more you hinder them Ouermuch euacuation or ouer much filling of the body is dangerous for too much of any thing is enemie to Nature To him that is fallen into a distemperance in heate or colde it is expedient to giue him things of contrary qualities Stomackes in winter and spring time bee hottest and sleep then is longest wherefore in those times meat should be taken in greatest aboundance You must not only remember that contrarie thinges be cured by their contraries but also consider in euery contrarie the true dose and quantitie Vâ—e moderate exercise for so shalt thou helpe Nature Ouer much ease maketh Nature feeble that shee cannot resolue that which by Arâ—e was not purged Drunkennessâ— DRunkennes maketh men seem as beasts â—oâ— it depriueth them of reason and stirreth them to all filthinesse The drunken man shall neuer be rich The Drunkard consoâ—ndeth Nature loseth both grace and honour runneth headlong into â—uerlasting damnation Eâ—uie THe enuious man pineth to see the prosperity of his neighbour Enuie seeketh dayly to subuert the state of the godâ—ie Enuie is blind can doe nothing but dispraise vertue Enuie is an excremeÌ„t of Satan which poisoneth the hearts of all such as once touch it Enuie cannot endure the vertuous but seketh their confusion The enuious man wisheth wel to no man but worst to himselfe for his filthy conceites drowne his soule in the filthy puddle of eternall damnation Faith AS the bodies is dead wherein is no spirit euen so that faith is dead which bringeth foorth no good workes By faith wee see God by faith we beleeue in God and by faith wee haue our saluation from God A liuely faith is the badge of a perfect christian Let all godly beleeuers endeuour to excell in good workes True Faith confirmeth thy wordes with workes Not the hearers of the Law be righteous in the sight of God but the doers of the lawe shall be iustified The Faith of a
doest possesse when Croesus wealth to thee is bound When all things els that world can yeeld at thy command and becke do stand Then commeth Death like Mars in field and pluckes thy life into his hand Thy landes thy rentes thy wife most graue thy daughters clad with Venus hoe Thy sonnes adoâ—n'd with vertues braue thou art compeld to bid adue Thy houses high thy castles strong thy gardens square in each degree Thy pleasant courts and towres long all to forsake thou forst must be Thy lambes thy goates thy fatlings all which feed themselues in pastutes green Thine Oxen eke within thy stall thou wilt then wish hadst neuer seen Thy horses which in stable stand and praunce most stately in their kind Thine oxen eke that plow thy land thou art full loath to leaue behind Thy Deere which raunge thy forrest wilde and brouse on boughes in winter cold And such as rome abroad the field doe please thee well though thou bee old Thy tender youths and seruants graue which on thee wayt in comely glee No longer with thee must thou haue but leaue them al thus must it be Thy brothers kind and sisters deare thy kindred all that lou'd thee best Hereafter may not keepe thee here but trudge thou must among the rest Contemne therefore all worldlie wealth and craue no more then may suâ—fise So God wil blesse thy soule with health which stil shal dure without surmise But if with want thou be opprest if pinched eke with pouertie Let all by sufferance be redrest when it shal please our God on hie For Iob by patience wan great praise cruel Pharaoh could not Dauid daunt By patient hope they both had ease and al their foes could not once vaunt Or say loe here we haue preuaild loe here is he whom we subdude But Peacocke like they al were quaild and forste to flie in sort most rude Let these examples mooue thy hart al woes al paines for to endure For heauens blisse without great smart none can atchieue I thee assure All crosses who so doth imbrace all miseries who doeth sustaine Adorn'd is hee with diuine grace with Angels eke shall he remaine But he that liueth wantonlie he wicked Mammon that doth loue He that desires to climbe on hie forgetting God that sits aboue And he whose mind is puâ—t with pride whose heart with malice great doth swell With Lucifer still shal abide and with the Furies must hee dwell Wherefore O man O wretched wight this wicked vale seek thou to scorn Thy latter end haue still in sight least soule and corpes be both forlorne For what can it thee ought auaile if all the world thou doe possesse Sith grieâ—ly graue is thy reraile where worms thee gnaw without redres Yet worse then that doth it remaine when Spirits thy silly soule shall rent In fiery flame with hellish paine Which neuer staies nor will be spent In dungion deepe when thou shalt lie a place from God that's farthest cast Where damned soules both houle and crie where fiery chaines doe hold them fast Wherefore with Salomon I crie O sonne remember thou thine end Then wilt thou wicked sinne defie then wilt thou neuer God offend Now sith thaâ— we compassed be with dreadfull death on euery side And that the same all creatures see what of vs all shall now betide May not we call this wretched life a vale whose corne is bitter woe The crop whereof we reape with strife in age which lustie yeares did sowe The worms which vexe our minds be cares most griping griefe our bodie presse And sicknesse takes vs in his snares whereof we hardly get redresse Our bodies are a cursed ground our skin is like to withered hay Our humours weake and watrish found which filthie wormes shall suck away Behold now marke you what we are Behold but dust and brittle glasse Behold a streame that fals like starre behold a wind that soone doth passe Behold here are we turnde and cast Behold we often times do change Behold from piller to the post both to and fro are forst to range The sands in sea the grasse we see in â—ertile lands and fields most faire With all the starres may reckoned be that glister in the healthsome aire Much sooner I doe tel thee right then al the woes and pinching paine Which stil on men doe fal and light that in this loathsome vale remaine Amongst mankind was neuer one that euer here on earth did dwel Of miseries that taste had none or once could say all things run wel Although he were in glorious state although he liu'd in high degree Yet forst was he to blame his fate and say I see it wil not be But if both poore and indigent thou be and canst not wealth attaine Thy life thy breath thou doest repent and stil in sorrowe doest remaine If that a suckling babe thou be but euen now if thou were borne Thy life is death we all do see thou art a silly wretch forlorne And when a tâ—nder childe thou art thine age is chiefest spring of woe Ten thousand griefs oppresse thy heart and stil on euery side they floe If that by yeares thou be a man most great mishaps on thee will fall And dangers will sare now and than cast thee and thine int'wofull thrall When crooked age comes stealing ou then haue we lost all worldly blisse With pinching paine and sicknesse strong then all our bodie troubled is If that a wedded man thou bee then art thou tide to blocke of paine Then art thou bound which once wert fre and so for ay thou must remaine If thou a single life doest lead then sunke thou art in all annoyes And drownd in grieâ—e although indeed thou thinkst to swim in sea of ioyes Although thy bodie thou adorne with glittering gold and pearle bright Yet is thy mind with care forlorne because in sorrowes thou art pight What life thou wilt do thou prosesse of want and woe thou shalt haue store Be what thou wilt thy cares to cease thy dolors yet are as before Vnconstant is the state of man his life as brittle as the clay And is compared to a spanne for in short time it fades away It to a bubble likened is which to our sight appeareth hie And in the time thou canst say this flat with the water doeth it lie The man that late in wealth did flowe in pouerty is now and thrall And is constrain'd to lie full lowe vvhich lately vvas the prince of all Whom God in mercie hath extold and set in golden chaire of blisse Death plucketh downe in sort most bolde and vnto him least partiall is He liues to day quite void of paine no griefe hath he nor yrksome care Passing the time in pleasures vaine vvith iolitie and daintie fare To morrow dead and turnde to dust to morrow put in mournfull tombe And to the earth his corpes he must commit till dolefull day of dombe Such is the state which
are turnde to dust his furious wrath none can abide God stil will fauour all the iust but sinners seeke themselues to hide Ocursed soule how art thou vext how art thou chok'd with wofull care Hovv doest thou quake when as the text of sinne doth vvill thee to beware When all these dreadfull sights appeare before thine eyes and are at hand Hovv doth thine heart then shake and feare hovv doest thou care to flie the land Thy body novv doth rise also like griâ—sly ghost from out the graue And in the same thy soule must goe and with the same due paines must haue Before thee sits a Iudge seuere vvhose vvrathfull rage thou must abide Behind thee Sprites they soule to teare accusers eke on euery side Aboue thee hangs a dreadâ—ull sword to cut thy body to the pot Which is of God the mighty word but woe to thee that hath this lot Below the fierie pot doth stand which filled is with boiling lead And will consume both heart and hand and euery limme from foot to head Most filthy brimstone is the fewel thâ—t makes the lead like burning fire Of wicked men this is the iewell of damned soules the perfect hire Yet worse then this remaines behind their hope is past of all redresse For dying still themsâ—lues they find yet liue they must a time endlesse Behold thou canst no mercy win behold thy foes haue thee beset Behold thy soule condemnd for sin in Stâ—gian lake must pay thy debt O dolefull doome of sinne the meed O wretched soule that doest repent But too too late thus doe we read for time of grace is past and spent Wherefore in vaine thou now doest crie with Diues that is vext in hell Thy birth thy life thou doest defy because with deuils thou must dwell Which raue with rage which firebraÌ„ds cast which rome which run still in their kind Which only fiery trumpets blast this is the ioy which sinners finde Of the felicities of heauen BVt come beholde the ioyfull place behold the comfort of the same Behold where Saints and soules of grace all ioy possesse quite void of blame Behold who can conceiue in heart beholde what tongue can els expresse What pen can well discrie in part the woondrous ioyes of heauen blesse Where Angels bright with Christ do raign where honours hie doe flourish still Where darknesse all is banisht cleane where all things haue their wished will Where heat nor cold do once oppresse where thirst and hunger haue no place Where paine and sorrow alwaies cease where loue and peace haue all their grace Where heauinesse is turned to ioy where all conceipts do comfort bring Where nothing is that breeds annoy where perfect blisse doeth alwaies spring O caitiffe wight this place behold which doth surmount the reach of thought Whose gates are fram'd of finest gold whose wals of diamoÌ„ds clear are wrought Behold the citie where it standes whose pauements are of pearle fine Whose springs brings comfort to all lands for stil they run with oile and wine There all things bath in ioyful blesse There milke and honie doe abound There all men haue chiefe happinesse there musick hath her sweetest sound The lambe of God is there inthroand in chaire of state shining most bright Which all the wicked doth confound and brings the godly to his light The light is such as would obscure both Sunne and Moon if they were there And so for euer will endure most happie he that is his heire There flowes a pleasant siluer streame wherein the life of man doth run Which glittereth as faire Tytans beame yea much more bright then is the Sunne There growes a tree on either side which sauing health and comfort brings Whereby in peace we alwaies bide and from the same all mercie springs The â—ap thereof doth iustice nurse the leaues as reliques left behind Do stil maintaine each Christians purse whose soules in fine our Lord doth find The blosâ—oms of the same doe cease all worldlie strife euen in one houre The seeds thereof bring heauens blesse the fruits do showe Gods mighty power No time can well consume the barke it stronger is then time can wast The substance eke appeares so staâ—ke that death it doth subdue at last The Song of the Angels and of all the Saintes of God A Famous Quire there is also whose godly songs do sound most sweet Sanctus Sanctus and Lans Deo thus in their harmony they meet The â—ingers Angels are most bright the Cherub and the Seraphin The holy Saints are eke in sight and all consent in well tuning Most happie he yea ten times blest amongst these Saints that beares a part In heauens high sure is his rest and hath all ioy plac'd in his heart There is also a pleasâ—nt field wherein all vertues flourish still Their humblenesse which oft doth yeeld and patience that gets good will Fideliâ—y there eke doth raigne with her is ioin'd Dame Prudence graue Good gouernment for to maintaine whereby at last good rest we haue There Sapience sage with Modesty there faithfull Loue doth come in place There Friendship deare with curtesie which fauour wins without disgrace There Probity her selfe doth stay a vertue rare I you assure There Piety remaines alway which bringeth blisle which will endure There Summum bonum shal we find the strongest Anchor of our hope There chiefest treasures for mankinde there of all blisse the only scope This summum bonum is the well whence godly vertues al doe spring Wherin each faithfull seeks to dwell and there with gladsome ioy to sing O Fountaine cleare O blessed spring whereby all vertues flourish still Most happie he in euerie thing that vertue loues and euer will By vertue honours here we haue By vertue faithfull hearts we win By vertue cleane we are and braue by vertue purg'd of all our sinne Wherefore lets all with might and maine Embrace the course of Vertues lore That we in blisse with Christ may raigne where vertues spring for euermore O famous place that doth excell that doth al earthly blisse surmount Where Saints and Angels only dwel whose pleasant ioies no man can count Each saint is higher in his place and brighter also in our sight Then Sun or Moon whose glittering grace our eyes refuse they are so bright What glory there where glory is and doth in highest state abound Thrise happy hee that can see this most blessed they that haue it found Here Patriarkes and Prophets all here godlie martyrs weare the crowne Here Virgins pure are freed from thrall here sacred Saints haue all renowne Here sences all are fullie fed with their delights in highest degree 1. Here musick seeks to fill thy head with sound as sweet as sweet may be 2. Most fragrant smels here eke abound to please thy nostrels in their kind 3. Here tastes most sweet are also found to please thy palate yet behind 4. Surpassing sightes here are also as obiectes for thy Christall eies 5. More
perfect feeling then we know here eke remaines by destinies O glorious God that hast assign'd these pleasures all vs to content Inspire our hearts that thou maist find our soules with thee still to consent What greater ioyes can be exprest what sweeter blisse what pleasure more Can be conceiu'd in humaine breast then here haue bene rehearst before Yet more then all is ouerâ—ast which one is all I dare well say For faâ—e to face we shall at â—â—st Our Sauiour sweet see night and day And ioy in him with perfect blâ—sse and liue with him that death hath sâ—aine In loue and peace which are endlesse and neuer toucht with woe or paine No gooâ— can be but there is found no good without him is possest All best delights do there abound each fight doth yeeld a perfect rest The Angels there most glorious are then humaine eyes can well behold More bright they shine then any star and still Gods mercies they vnfold What place more stately can there be for greatest Princes to enioy Then follow heires with him to be that grants all blisse without annoy Behold the time which once hath bin behold the time which present is Behold also each future thing most plaine are there with God in blisse O knowledge deep O heauenly light O sence most cleare that so can reach That so can bring all things in sight and so all saints and Angels teach O blessed state where malice sleepes no one is here of base degree O glorious Lord that Princes keeps his loyall seruants for to be O seat of ioy O sâ—e of blisse O happie house of all pleâ—sures O state which neuer doth amisse O blessed place which so endures O place which yeeldeth all contents O place which neuer wracke sustaines O place which need ne lands ne rents O place which still in blisse remaines O woondrous place of all the best O place which endlesse comfort brings O place of ioy and quiet rest O place whence chiefest goodnes springs O place the nurse of loue and peace O place the fountaine of all faith O place where strife and discord cease O onlie place of life and breath O glorious Lord that there doth raigne and only giuer of all blisse O happy we if we maintaine and keepe his lawes in righteousnesse O happie we to whome the light and knowledge of his word is brought O happie we that liue in sight of such a Lord in word and thought O happie all that doe imbrace this famous Lord in word and deed For they shal comfort get and grace and on his Manna shall they feed O Manna sent from God aboue O Manna sweet that bringeth blisse O onlie food of godlie loue that mends all things that are amisse O heauenly iewell of all the best O pearle passing glittering gold Wherein all Christian soules do rest and with all ioy the same behold No difference there of persons is Each one doth liue in like degree Each one possesseth heauens blisse all face to face our Lord do see O man to thee now must I call the end where first I did begin That ioyes that blisse that paine and thrall may keep thy soule and mind from sin Thy heart will melt on them to thinke if any grace in thee remaine And from all filthy sinfull sinke thy heart and hand thou wilt refraine Vaine pleasure all then wilt thou scorne when heauens blisse thou doest behold For they with damned spirits are torne that make a treasure of their golde When grieâ—ly death doth the assault it is too late for to amend Wherefore in time confesse thy fault and God to please see thou intend For when this liâ—e is gone and past there is no cure for any sinne Then as we are so shall we last in ioy or paine as we begin Wherefore thy life see so thou frame that it may please our Sauiour sweet And alwayes praise his holy name then thou in blisse shalt Angels meet And with them euer shalt thou be all peace all ioy with them shalt haue Surpassing pleasures stil shalt see and nothing euer need to craue Which blessed place none can possesse till from this finfull life they goe None to the same can haue accesse vnlesse in godlinesse they flowe FINIS A PRAIER TO ESCHVE worldly vanities FOr asmuch O bountifull Iesus and most sweete sauiour of mankind the frailtie of our corrupted flesh is still more ready to yeelde to the vain allurements of this wicked world and fond fancies of this wretched vale then to the sweet and comfortable perswasions of thy constant worde reuealed in the holy Gospell the food of our soules the bread of our liues and the strength of our saluation I most humblie beseech thee euen in the bowels of thy tender mercies to turne thy fauourable countenance towards me so poure in me the dewe of thy heauenly grace that I may euen hate and eschewe the vaine inuentions and fonde pleasures of this loathsome laberynth walk in the waies of the godly according to thy holy lawes coÌ„mandements Be thou O merciful God my strong castell and refuge against the wicked assaults and most filthy temptations of Satan and all his hellish hoste for they secretâ—ly dig pits for my soule and seeke continuallie to entrappe the same in the snares of eternall damnation and leaue nothing vnattempted that may worke my most miserable destruction Wherefore o most sweet and tender Father so mortify old Adam in my fond affections that despising the vncertainty frailtie of this momentaneous life I may not delight my self in the ioyes of any earthly pleasures or looke for any comfort of this present life but withdrawe my mind and soule from things of fickle stay to fix my hart to solace and delights vpon the hope of beholding the maiestie and beautie of they glorie wherein ioy shal be ful and nothing wanting for euer Graunt O blessed God and most merciful Father that art the mighty monark of heauen and earth and onely giuer of all goodnesse that my soule may as a Doue speedily flie vnto the sweete bosome of thy deare sonne and there with him receiue the happie rest which he by shedding of his preeious bloud hath purchased and prepared for the same to whome with the father and the holie Ghost be all glorie praise dominion and power for euer and euer Amen A Prayer to escape the calamities of hell BEholding with the eies of my heart O blessed Lord the cruell tormentes and dreadful terrors of the pit of hel which thou hast appointed to be a iust guerdon for sin and a fit punishment for such as forsake thee and daylie seeke by infidelity to dishonour thee and knowing that if thou shouldest deale with me according to thy iustice I should receiue nothing but death and damnanation I here prostrating my selfe before thy diuine Maiestie most humbly beseech thee of thy gracious fauour to caste downe the eyes of Mercie vpon me to