the death of the other They bee so linked together that being two they are yet but one and being one are neuerthelesse two Betweene these twaine passeth the whole course of the life And therefore sundry names and titles are giuen them by the Apostle when hee calleth the one Spirite the other flesh the one the soule the other the body the one the lawe of the minde the other the lawe of the members the one the inner man the other the outward man Walke in the Spirite saith the Apostle If yee liue after the flesh yee shall die but if ye mortifie the deedes of the bodie yee shall liue The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh A wonderfull warre is this questionlesse wherein peace is sought and in peace warre in death life and in life death in bondage libertie and in ouercomming a mans owne selfe and bringing vnder the inordinate passions of the minde the whole force of a Christian man is declared To bridle thy desires is verie fortitude of the minde and contrariwise in folowing them the weakenes of the heart is declared More valiant is that man which ouercommeth the passions of his minde then hee which subdueth his outwarde enemies Wouldest thou atchieue a greate dominion Then ouercome thy selfe He that ruleth his owne minde is better then him that winneth a citie saith Salomon There be manie that sacke cities but fewe that conquer themselues He that is Lorde ouer himselfe is a mightie Lorde If thou once subdue thy selfe thou shalt easelie subdue all other things He is to bee taken for a good and valiant souldier that can master him selfe And that is the true seruant of Iesus Christ which bringeth the flesh in subiection to the spirite and the sensual parte vnder the obedience of reason If thou bee ouercome ascribe the same to thine owne default If thou pamper thy body in ease with dainty meates and drinke then shal thy soule be vanquished of the bodie The Apostle saith God is faithful which wil not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you be able but wil euen giue the issue with the tentation that ye may be able to beare it It is the manner of those which bee iudges in combates to measure the weapons of those that are to fight together in the listes This doeth God the most righteous iudge for he suffereth none of vs to bee tempted aboue that wee are able to endure When two in all thinges equall enter into the combate needes must hee preuaile which hath another to assist him If thou cheerish thy bodie with ease ' drinke good fare and sleepe thy bodie it will ouercome and thy soule of the body shall bee subdued but if thou assist thy soule with watching and prayer the flesh by the grace of God shall easily bee brought vnder and the soule shall ouercome It is better that the soule should ouercome that soule and body may be saued than that the bodie should preuaile to the vtter destruction both of body and soule If thou loue the flesh make it obedient vnto reason and neuer pamper the same too-much He that loueth hateth and he that hateth loueth Christ Jesus doth say He that loueth his life shall loose it and he that hateth his life in this world shall keepe it vnto eternall life Thus you see how much the victory which the soule atchieueth is better than the victorie of the bodie and what gain is gotten by bringing thine affections vnder the yoake of reason If thou be wise thou wilt helpe the soule to subdue the sensuall part of man the conflict thereof is but short the victory will be glorious and the reward most blessed Shunne no labour if thou lookest for a reward which is not giuen but to him that striueth Bee thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee a crowne of life saith the Lord CHAP. 13. The knowledge of our selues bringeth vs vnto the knowledge of God THE inuisible things of him that is his eternall power and Godhead are seene by the creation of the world saith the Apostle If any creature in the world doth by the creation thereof declare vnto vs the great wisedome and omnipotencie of God surely man doeth the same which is made according to the image or likenesse of God himselfe Many there be which know much and yet they knowe not themselues they see others but they passe by themselues they seeke God in outwarde neglecting inwarde thinges where chiefely hee may bee founde The more thou knowest thy selfe the more perfectly shalt thou knowe God And although by the knowledge of the noble condition of the minde the true and perfect knowledge of Gods greatnesse is best seene and perceiued yet to abase thy pride withall thou hast alwayes before thine eyes the misery of the body and the shortnesse of thy life that thou maiest come by that way vnto some knowledge of God In knowing of thy selfe thou wilt humble thy selfe and in humbling thy selfe thou wilt feare God and because the feare of God is the beginning of wisedome thou art first to begin at the knowledge of thy selfe If thou haue a desire to know who thou art take a glasse and beholde thy selfe in it The glasse that a man may best beholde himselfe in is another man Nowe if another man which thou beholdest is but earth ashes and a very worme surely euen such art thou how rich soeuer and of great estimation thou seemest to be in the world And that thou maiest not bee deceaued beholde not thy selfe in a glasse that is hollow which maketh a shewe of the thing represented therein cleane contrary to that which it is indeede but take vnto thee a glasse that is plaine which setteth out a man according as hee is in truth If thou beholde thy selfe in the inside of a siluer spoone that is bright and cleare thou shalt see thy face with the wrong end turned vpwarde thy bearde aboue and thy fore-head beneath So in man there be two glasses and states one is of life the other of death Life is the hollow glasse which maketh vs to seeme otherwise than wee be It sheweth thee forth to bee sound lustie strong and long-liued all which is vanitie and lies If thou behold therein fresh and lusty youth doe not trust therein for it will deceiue thee Fauour is deceitfull and bewtie is vanitie This false life of ours it seemeth some great thing vnto men when it is nothing so But the state of death or of a dead man is the plaine and true glasse which doeth manifest thinges euen as they bee without fraude and deceite Therefore if thou wouldest see what thou art in deede then looke not vpon thy selfe aliue but vpon another man that is dead So thou shalt perceiue that thou art earth ashes a very sinke of all filthinesse a little set out and beautified on the out side by
to fooles as papers of infamy Though prodigality bee a vice yet couetousnesse is worse because a prodigal man doth good to many but the couetous person doeth profite none CHAP. 38. Vnlawfull lust is lothsome in God his sight KNowe ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you If any man destroy the Temple of God him shall God destroy â—saith the Apostle Now commeth the thirde band of enemies to bee spoken of comprised in the lust of the flesh Other vices doe defile but on part of man onely namely the soule but this vice polluteth the whole man Looke not to escape the terible iudgement of God if thou handle the Temple of the holy spirit dishonestly For vnlawfull lust the Lord destroyed the old world with water Sodom Gomora with the fiue citties next adioyning Hamor and the Sichimites Onan and the whole tribe of Beniamin in a maner with the sword For this vice was Amon murthered Salomon bereaued of the Spirit of God Samson blinded Dauid manie waies afflicted the two Elders that accused Susanna vnrustly stoned three and twenty thousand in one day put vnto the sword and most greeuous plagues for this vice hath the Lord sent among his people Fly from this infection and God his spirit will comfort thee haue death in minde and lust will soone bee quenched Auoid idlenesse and repell the tentation of the flesh from thee Remember the fire of hel where fleshly men shal burne for euer and the lust of the flesh will not so inflame thee It seemeth to thee harde to resist tentations but much harder will it bee to suffer the paines of hell Hee that is not deliuered from the first shall not escape the second fire One heate euercommeth another The remembrance of the infernall fire will extinguish the flame of the internall fiâ—e If thou art held with the loue of God al other vanities wil vanish from thine heart Hee is the seruant of Satan which serueth the lust and wicked affections of the mind Of this sinne did the Apostle speake when he said They that doe such things shalt not inherite the kingdome God The sinne of the flesh is a fire of hell and the maintainer thereof is riotousnesse and gluttonie The flame thereof is filthinesse the ashes vncleannesse the smoake infamie the ende vexation of the minde destruction of the bodie shipwrack of a good conscience and an horrible contempt of the holy commaundements of God Many of them bee vtterly cast away through the wrath of GOD which giue themselues to this vice If thou wouldest ouercome thou must flye from this sinne according to the commandement of the Apostle from God himselfe This victorie is gotten by flying and not by violence Daintie fare prouoketh lust but a sober diet with godly exercise keepeth chaste A wonder it is that euer thou canst auoide this persecution of the flesh faring deliciously and liuing in idlenesse The water of teares quencheth the flame of concupiscence and vnlesse thou auoid occasions hereunto it is almost impossible but at one time or other thou wilt yeeld vnto his sinne Few there be but either in youth or in age do humble themselues before this idole and giue themselues to the flesh Many there bee which commende the unspotted life but few retaine the chastitie of the body much lesse of the mind they would seeme honest and praise honesty but yet they auoide not as they ought the occasions which cause them either to bee or to be thought dishonest Their meaning is good but their knowledge is but smal and not sufficient Happy is that soule which in a pure body serueth her spouse Iesus Christ and happy is that man which prepareth in his heart an habitation for the holy spirite Remember still the death the corruption and the filthynesse whereinto our bodies shall bee resolued and doing so much wilt thou bee moued to serue God in all holinesse of conuersasion whereby thou shalt enioy him blessedly in the heauens being deliuered from the fire of hell where they continue boyling in torments which like beastes in this worlde did giue themselues to al inordinate desires of the flesh CHAP. 39. The chaste Christian God delighteth in WIsedome cannot enter into a wicked heart nor dwel in the bodie that is subiect vnto sinne saith the wise man Gather thy senses together and refreine thine appetites Death is come vp into our windowes and is entered into our palaces sayeth Ieremie Vnlesse thou settest a watch ouer thy senses thy soule is in danger to die of an euill death Because Ishbosheth looked not well vnto his doores hee lost his life euen in his owne house lying vpon his bed Consider in thy minde what mischiefe came into the worlde through Euahs casting her eie vpon the forbidden fruite It is not lawfull for thee inordinately to beholde that which is not lawfull for thee in heart to desire Had not Dauid cast an vnchaste eie vpon â—athsheba he had neither lost so many good things neither fallen into so many euils as he did Looke warely vnto thy senses the want hereof brought destruction vnto Olofernes No vice so troubleth th'understanding nor ouerthroweth the reason of man as doeth the sinne of the flesh God who is all simple and pure He fedeth among the lillies as the Spouse doth say signifying thereby how hee is delighted altogether in cleannesse and chastitie The puritie of the creature is most gratefull before God and therein doth he most gladly rest himselfe It is written that There shal not enter into it the heauenly citie any vncleane thing The principall bewtie of the soule is principally ascribed vnto chastitie through bringing the flesh in subiection to the spirite The memorie of the chast persons is afore God immortall and renowmed of men Chastitie is compared vnto the roase not onely for the beautie and sweetnesse thereof but also for that it springeth encreaseth and continueth as the rose doth among thornes For chastitie neuer groweth nor continueth but where there is sharpenesse and austeritie of life and mortification of the flesh it is alwaies in danger where pleasure is Chastitie cannot liue where no fasting is vsed nor temperance appeareth And a wonder it were that such as are not sober should be chaste If thou wilt continue chaste bee still doing of some good worke or other flye the companie of dissolute persons and prepare a place in a pure bodie for the holy Ghost The Doue which Noah sent out of the Arke could haue no footing at all but vpon carion which she liked not and therefore returned vnto the Arke againe The holy Ghost which sometime was resembled to a Doue it cannot abide in bodies that bee vncleane but in the pure and holy Flye the vices of the flesh as thou wouldest the plague or pestilence that thy soule may remaine pure
as meates to inflame thy desire As it were folly to heape woode more and more for the quenching of a fire so as great folly should it bee to goe about with the dry wood of worldly things to quench the fire of our desires The reason is Nothing in this worlde hath any resemblance with the soule of man God hath made vs for himselfe therefore our heart abideth vnquiet vntill it rest in him that made it All thinges be ordained of God according to the proportion of the nature it hath The horse is not satiate with flesh nor the Lyon with grasse because it agreeth not with their nature Our soule therefore beeing a spiâ—it how can it be satisfied with corporall thinges What fellowshipe hath gold with the spirite Nothing of this world is any whit conformable to the soule of man Before the Chameleon the worlde setteth winde wherewith the proud person delighteth yet is the soule no Chameleon Vnto some it giueth iron to liue with all as vnto the Oyteriges and also vnto couetous men vnto others clay as vnto carnall beastes vnto others venime as vnto the enuious but because all these bee earthly and haue none agreement with the soule it cannot bee sustained with earthly thinges only grace and the giftes of the holy Ghost as spirituall thinges doe minister sustenance vnto the soule And although pride enuy and the like are thinges spirituall yet they yeelde not food to our spirite as neither doe many corporal thinges satiate the body For God alone is the nourishment of our soule and nothing beesides because it hath no proportion at all with our soule If thou shouldest demaunde why bread doth nourish our bodies and not poysâ—n what reason else may bee giuen but that bread agreeth wel with the nature of man and poyson doth not Euen so because God alone agreeth with the nature of our soule hee alone can satisfie our desire And his filling neither quencheth nor hindreth our desire This spiritual foode hath also this aduantage which our bodely nourishment hath not for that our bodely sustenance engendreth still a satiety and loathing in them that doe take of it which the meate of the soule doeth not but the more it is eaten the more it is desired Couet thou in the world neither to bee great for that is a vexation of the spirit nor to bee rich and renowned for that is a burden and an intolerable care Turne therefore vnto the Lord thy God who is thy foode and the sustenance of thy soule to thine exceeding comfort CHAP 4. Ther is no tranquility of mind but in God alone REturne vnto they rest O my soule saith the Psalmist The sicke maÌ„ though hee change his beddes neuer so often yet shall hee neuer finde ease vntill his paine bee taken away wherewith hee was so troubled Thou doest carry about with thee the sicknesse of worldly loue but vntill thou cast the same cleane away from thee looke neuer to find any case in the delicate beds of honors riches or delightes Loue God onely and aboue all and thou shalt haue rest turne thee vnto him and hee will giue thee quietnesse Ionas seuering himselfe from God could neuer bee quiet and when hee fled into the shippe hee fel vppon a storme For where God is not ther be the stormes and tempsts But when Ionas gaue himselfe in the belly of the whale to pray he was deliuered from the deuouring fish and danger of the sea Seeke not for any rest in the things of this life There is no perfect ioy in this world for battell there is without on euery side and within thee fears and terrour Thou bearest about with thee a continuaâ—l affliction In vaine is it therefore to change thy place except thou alter thy minde from vice vnto vertue For thou must turne thee vnto God if euer thou wouldest enioy any quietnesse of minde or bodie This is a short and readie way for thee to come vnto that safetie and peace of minde which thy soule desireth Onely thinges spirituall and not temporall doe bring the quietnes that is of continuance So longe as Iaakob liued with Laban hee was in continuall trouble and affliction but hee was no sooner gone from him but hee was comforted euen by the Angels of God So if thou serue the world looke for nothing but labour and troubles If we would bee deliuered from euil then must we goe out by the way we came in againe if we would attaine vnto any good and perfect thing we are to enter the way we came out Euery thing by nature desireth to returne vnto that from whence it had his beginning for that is the perfection of the same The Bul when he is wel baited returneth out the same way that hee came into the baiting place and that by the â—ustinct of nature So thou when thou art well baited vppe and downe here in the world endeauour thou to goe out againe the same way thou cammest in For it is the onely remedie to atchieue perfection thether to returne from whence thou camest And because God is the onely fountaine from which all good thinges doe proceede for euerie good giuing and euerie perfect gift is from aboue if thou desirest quietnesse and ioy indeede it is needefull that thou turne the vnto the Lorde thy God Nothing commeth vnto his perfection vntill it bee reduced vnto the generall originall of the same Seeing therefore God is our author and fountaine of all the good whatsoeuer wee haue no maruaile though the soule so vehemenâ—ly doe desire God to the end that of him she may attaine al maner of good things For whatsoeuer good there is either it is God himselfe or it commeth from God The comming of a King into a barren countrey causeth a plenty to be in that lande so long as hee is there but when hee departeth it becommeth barren againe So when God is in our soule by grace there is no want of any good thing but if God bee absent from the same the soule it must needes be without fruite barren and withered Through God his presence thou shalt haue abundance of all good thinges with all manner of quietnesse but if thou haue not God with thee what peace or comfort canst thou haue As God sent amonge the Egyptians busie and vnquiet flies to annoy them so he sendeth superfluous cares to disquiet the men of this world whereas Israel which is the true people of God shâ—ll haue the sweete Sabbath of the blessed â—est It is a great torment of minde to burne with the desire of earthly thinges but the greatest comfort that wee can haue is to fixe the minde vppon God and not vpon the worlde He which hath God hath a merrie heart but they which hunt after worldly things liue in a perpetuall affliction of the spirite CHAP. 5 No trust is to be reposed in any thing of this world TRust thou in the Lorde and doe good saith
knowledge both of God and himselfe and that beeing attained hee falleth out of loue with this world and thereby God blesseth him with newe strength to serue him withall CHAP. 17. He that will liue with Christ must first die to the world FOr thy sake are we slaine continually saith the Psalmist Happie is that soule to which Christ both in life and in death is aduantage So long as thou liuest in thy flesh thou must die to the world that after thy death thou mayest liue for euer with Christ. Thou shalt bee quiet within if thou vse not to gad much abroad but to keepe thy selfe at home He that feruently seeketh after outward things must needs waxe cold in the matters of God If thy disordinate appetites and desires of the world be not dead in thee looke neuer to obtaine the true comfort of the spirit Christ he died for all that they which liue should not hence forth liue vnto themselues but vnto him which died for them and rose againe I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in me saith the Apostle That Christ may come into thy soule it is needefull that first thou die vnto sinne and that the inwarde man may liue the outwarde man must be mortified Yee are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God saith the Apostle Thou diest when thou ceasest to be such as thou wert before in wickednesse If we liue in the spirite saith the Apostle let vs walke in the Spirite For if ye true after the flesh ye shall die but if ye mortifie the deedes of the body by the Spirite ye shall liue Saul he spared Agag and put him into prison being commanded from God himselfe to destroy all the Amalikites and to haue no compassion vpon anie of them So many doe enclose and shut vp their wicked passions for a while but they kill them not presently as God would haue them to doe For it is not enough for thee to imprison thine affections that they burst not forth but thou must besides kill them so that all inordinate concupiscence and desire of the worlde haue no life at all in thee There bee diuers and sundrie persons which like the trees in winter seeme as it were dead vnto the world but they are no sooner ill entreated but they cannot onely murmur but raile too For the rootes beeing left aliue they beginne to spring againe assoone as the tentation of sommer commeth vpon them Because thou hast let goe out of thine handes a man whom I appointed to die thy life shall goe for his life saith the Prophet vnto Ahab The life which thou giuest vnto thy fleshly parte which God will haue killed it shal be recompensed by the death of thy soule Consider aduisedly who it is that liueth within thee If the flesh doe liue than is the spirite dead Thou shalt neuer giue thy selfe vnto deuoute prayer and meditation vnlesse first thou bee mortified in minde yea it is necessarie that all thy spirituall exercises beginne at mortification Manie will flie without winges They profite smallie which are not mortified Of this be thou sure thou shall neuer see God vnlesse thine affections are so rauished with the loue of God that thou art throughlie minded in regard thereof to despise thy selfe The pure loue of God maketh thy minde simple and so free from all worldly desires that it doth without all paine and labour mount vp vnto the Lord. If thou wert dead vnto the world the world also would bee dead vnto thee againe as it was to the glorious Apostle S. Paul Euen as the sea retaineth in it those men that bee liuing and casteth out to the shore such as are dead so the world it maketh greatly of those which liue to the world and suffereth them to haue no rest therein which are as dead thereunto for Christ his sake CHAP. 18. By abstinence the flesh mâ— be brought in subiection to the spirit IF yee liue after the flesh ye shall die but if ye mortifie the deedes of the bodie by the Spirite ye shall liue saith the Apostle Thou shalt neuer please the Spirit except thou subdue thy bodie by abstinence and true repentance for thy sinnes If thou burden thy bodie with much meate thou shalt depresse thy soule through the waight of sinne The diuell by offering the forbidden fruite to our first parentes ouercame them and brought them and vs by them into the displeasure of God The first tentaion wherewith Iob was tried arose from the rioâ—ing and bellie-cheere of his sonnes and daughters S. Paul notwithstanding hee knew himselfe to bee an elect vessel of the Lord yet hee beare downe his bodie and we on the other side knowing our selues most hainous sinners in respect of him wee liue and fare deliciouslie without scruple of conscience Take heede to your selues least at any time your hearts bee oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of tâ—tâ— life saith our Sauiour Daniel to bee the better prepared to receaue the heauenly consolations hee was in heauinesse for three weekes of daies and ate no pleasant bread neither came there any flesh or wine into his mouth till three weekes of daies were fulfilled and immediately thereupon he saw most heauenlie visions and reuelations from God If thou wilt ouercome thine enemy bereaue him of his weapons The armor that Satan taketh to foile thee with all is thine owne flesh He that giueth himselfe to bodily plesures shall fall into the snares of the diuell Labour to destroy the idol of the flesh by abstinence watching and praier so shalt thou carrie away from Satan a most glorious victorie Nothing maketh the Diuell more bolde to inuade as thy delicious pampering of thy flesh Hee that thinketh hee can liue chast faring daintelie and deliciouslie deceaueth himselfe and is a foole Take away delicate fare as wood and thou shalt quench the fire of sensuall desire After that Lot had out of measure quaffed vp wine and was drunke hee committed incest with his owne daughters Though a man ascende vnto the mount of meditation and professe religion yet will he fall with Lot vnlesse he keepe a sober diet abstaine It is dangerous riding of a colt which neither is tamed nor hath a bridle Holde in the colt the flesh with the bridle of abstinence least he throw thee downe to thine hurt bind his mouth with bit and bridle as the Prophet saith Rush not violently into the waters of worldly delightes vnlesse thou wilt be drowned as Pharao with all his host were They sunke like stones into the bottome as thou shalt likewise both in bodie and soule vnlesse thou tame and restraine thy flesh with the bridle of abstinence By abstinence much sinne is auoyded vnlawfull pleasure banished our saluation furthered grace confirmed and chastitie is retained It is a shamefull thing for the maister to bee ouercome of the seruant As great shame
reedes when they beginne to spring do delight the sight and the eyes are comforted with their goodlie hue and flowers which notwithstanding if you breake you shal find altogether emptie and destitute of substance within Let not the worlde deceaue thee neither suffer thy eyes to be taken with the vaine and apparant bewtie of the same for do thou cast thine eyes into the inward corners thereof thou shalt find there nothing but meere vanitie If the world were opened with the sharpe knife of truth it would by and by bee found both vaine and deceitfull For all in the world eyther it is already past or present or to come That which is past is not now that which is to come is vncertaine that which is present is vnstable and but for a moment It is vanity to trust but greater vanity greatly to esteeme the fauour of the world It is vanitie to desire the promotions but greater vanitie to loue the riches and pleasures of the same It is vanitie to couet the transitory goodes and surely vanity is it to make greate accompt of the corruptible substance of this worlde It is vanity to hunt after the winde of humane commendation vaine be the cares which are bestowed vpon the seruice of this vnhappie world To ende al is vanity sauing to loue and onely to serue God O happy is that man which is not mindeful of the world surely he shal liue at ease neither can any thing reclame him froÌ„ his spirituall exercises so long as he enioyeth the sweetnes and tranquillity of the spirit It is better to bee poore in spirit than rich in sinne it is better to bee little in our owne eyes then great it is better to be of smal learning with humility than to be profoundly learned with vaine and proud mind To abuse thy knowledge other graces vnto more licenciousnes which God hath giuen thee to binde thee thereby the more zealously to serue him it is also meere vanity arrogancy of minde Surely surely that last day at that straight and rigoreus iudgmeÌ„t where the bookes of al menâ— conciences shal be opened and red in the presence of the whole world shal euidently declare how much better it is to be of smal than of great reputation in this world It shal then appeare that better it had bin to haue loued God than to haue disputed about many curious and subtil questions a good conscience shal do more good then than many and hie orations vttered in the world it shal not there be demaunded what wee haue said but what we haue done neither wil it do vs good that we follow the deceipts and false promises but that we haue contemned the glory oâ— this world and better thou shalt finde it at that day for to haue repented thee of thy sinnes than for a time to serue thy fleshly appetites and afterward for euer to bee câ—st into the pit of hell Consider with thy selfe and count howe much thou hast bestowed vpon the world and howe little vpon God and that in this life which he hath lâ—nt thee to serue him in what is become of so many years without profite what fruite hast thou reaped from the tim thou first serued the world The time passed cannot be recouered The daies are passed thou wottest not howe and death shortly wil ouertake thee What hast thou of that which thou hast done Thou hast found in thy friendes no fidelity in them vpon whom thou hast bestowed benefites ingratitude in men generally much fraud and dissimulation See now al is lost whatsoeuer thou hast done That litle experience which thou hast of man and the things whereof thou so complainest they do al and that continually cry vnto thee that God aboue shoulde haue been loued that he alone should haue been serued All thy laboure is lost which is not bestowed vpon the onely seruice of Iesus Christ. That time onely is for thy good which thou emploiest vpon the seruice of God but al the rest tendeth vnto vanity and destruction If yet more exactly thou wilt consider the ingratitude of men and note how a good parte of thy time thou hast spent vpon their seruice it will make thee to lament the time so vnprofitablie consumed and hereafter to addresse thy selfe to serue thy creator And seeing the time passed cannot be recouered woulde to God at the least now thou wouldest beginne to serue him and leade such a life now before thou be very olde as thou thinkest to do when thine heares bee hoary and thou drawest to the graue Doubtlâ—s it is greate vanitie to spende the life in pleasing of men Resigne vp thine appetites doe away thine offâ—ctions and counte that as nothing which now appeareth something CHAP. V. The end of worldly thinges shew them to be but vaine MAnie walke of whome I haue told you often now tell you weeping that they are the enimies of the crosse of christ whose end is damnation as the Apostle saith The end of them which loue the world as witnesseth the Apostle is death and destruction Cleaue not to the thinges which the world doth offer thee for sodainlie thou shalt fal into the snares therof The pleasures therof be the forerunners of death flie the deceites vnlesse thou wouldest be caught consider not what is present but what is to come Be diligent in considering the end of sinne by waying aswell that not yet come as that which is present so shalt thou hate the pleasures and vanities which the world setteth before thine eies Our life is like a riuer running vnto the sea of death The water of the riuer is sweete indeed yet the end thereof is to enter into the bitter waters of the sea Life is sweet to them which loue it but it wil proue bitter to such as draw nigh death The end of the pleasant waters of the riuer proueth bitter so the end of mans life is bitternes it selfe might put her in remeÌ„brance of the ende of al things Againe why did our Lord weepe for the same Ierusalem but onely for that she had not in minde the euilles which were to fall vpon it It is a lamental le thing to haue an eye only to the ioy that is present and not vnto the paine which followeth after pleasure this made Christ to weepe that Ierusalem was so foolishly bewitched with present ioye that shee had not regard of the troubles that would follow Euen so doudtles it is much to bee lamented that thou walt suffer thy selfe so to bee deceaued that thou canst not see the cursed endes of all these worldly pleasures Measure not thy selfe by the things which appeare at the first but wisely consider what wil follow â—ee ruled rather by reason than by a vain appetite And when thou knowest how bitter the ends of these worldly thinges are make not accompt of the goods thereof Desire nothing before you throughly doe knowe whether it be
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
thou be exercised and hewen thou canst not serue for any vse in the spirituall building Persecutors bee the rough masons Hee therefore that flyeth persecution refuseth to be of Ierusalem that is abouâ— Better was Dauid than Salomon inasmuch that certaine it is the father was saued whereas the safetie of the sonne commeth into question The whole life of Dauid was full of tribulation and teares but Salomon contrariwise liued altogether in prosperity and peace by tribulation K. Dauid entered into heauen and by the prosperity of Salomon whether hee bee saued or no many are in doubt Much good commeth to the soule by aduersity Whereas prosperity quencheth the good spirit aduersity enlighteneth the vnderstanding of the minde While Ioseph shewed much honour to his brethren they knew him not but hauing once made them sad they knew him Therefore doth God send thee tribulation euen that thou shouldest know him for when he doth good to thee thou soone forgettest him Because thou sleepest securely as vnmindfull at all of God therefore his maiestie dooth depriue thee of thy delights wherein like a beast thou diddest tosse thy selfe and tumble to th' end thou mightest awake and confesse thy God Grieue not thy selfe when God doth bereaue thee of worldly comfort for he alwaies doeth it for thy profit So dealt Dauid with Saul wheÌ„ he tooke from him being a sleepe his speare and pot of water not for his hurt but for his good as it appeareth not onely by his owne wordes but also by Saul his humble confessing his offence By afflictions if thou be the child of God assure thy selfe that thou shalt recouer the inward sight of thy soule euen as Tobias did the outward sight of the body by the gale of the fish At the baiting of a Bull if a man perceaue that hee may fall into any danger thereby he wil carefully giue place that the hornes of the Bull goare him not at all In like sort therfore doth God suffer thee to be in peril somtime to the end thou shouldest see vnto thy selfe by flying vnto the Lord for refuge with vnfeined repentance Euen as prosperitie turneth the minde of man from God so aduersitie draweth man vnto God In my trouble did I call vpon the Lord saith Dauid The more the waters of the â—loude did encrease the more was the Arâ—ke of Noah lifted vp the more the people of Israel were vexed in AEgypt the more they multiplyed and grew the more we are afflicted the more both we for our partes doe thinke vpon God and God for his part doth encrease his blessinges vpon vs. Like well therefore of tribulation for it openeth a way for thee vnto heauen The first thing that God wrought in the conuersion of S. Paul was that he flang him vpon the ground leting vs thereby to know that the first entrance into the seruice of God is tribulation As in the barne the chaffe and the corne are mingled together so in this world the bad the good they liue one with another but when the winde of tribulation beginneth once to blow the wicked are throwne downe to the grounde for very anguish of heart but the vertuous they are more strongly vnited both to Christ and themselus That which is il to the wicked is good for the godly The blacke pitch becoÌ„meth white through beating and if the good men haue gotten any spots of sinne by prosperitie affliction doth wash and wipe it cleane away Gods chastisement in this life is a fatherly correction for God hee punisheth alwaies with great fauour but the chastisement in the life to come it shal bee with indignation and furie without al pitie and mercy according to the saying of the Prophet Thou shalt crush them with a septer of yron and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell Choose therefore rather in this worlde to be troubled that so by afflictions which are but smal and momentanie in respect thou maiest attaine the kingdome of God which is eternall CHAP. 32 It is a vaine thing to be careful for the thinges of this worlde BE not careful for your safe what ye shal eate or what ye shall drinke nor yet for your body what ye shall put on saith the Lord For the care of these thinges wil suffer thee to haue small care of thinges eternall God he made man to the end hee should know and by knowing shold loue and by louing shoulâ— enioy the soueraigne felicitie from the enioying whereof the immoderate care of thinges temperall doeth detaine vs backe Had the people of Israel been carefull about meate drinke and apparel in the wildernesse they had neuer doubtlesse set foote in the lande of promise Circumcise therefore from thine heart all superfluous cares of transitory thinges if thou minde to haue enterance into the lande of promise And of those Hebrewes which left Egypt many died in the wildernesse and could not bee suffered to goe into that fruitfull lande so often promised and that because they fell a lusting after the fleshe pots of Egypt Set not thine heart vpon the good thinges of this life hut let thy desire be vpon heauenly matters couet not immoderately these visible thinges vnlesse thou passe not for loosing the good thinges which are inuisible To manie too too carefull about their owne but carelesse altogether about the matters of God the Lord himselfe doth saie Because of mine house that is waste and ye runne euery man vnto his owne house Therefore the heauen ouer you stated it self from dew and the earth staieth her fruit It is meete that they feele the smart of povertie which prefer the matters of this worlde before the maker of all thinges The Lorde compareth the life of the righteous vnto birds not onely in respect of the little rest and stare which they haue vpon the earth but also for that commonly they abide in the higher places whence it was as not vnprobably wee maye gather that Christ when hee found faâ—lt with immoderate carefulnesse he said Behold the soules of the heauen for they sow not nether reape nor carie into the barnes yet your heauenly Father seedeth them Blush therfore and be thou ashamed that so thou abusest thy desires by cleauing vnto the filthie dung of the world when thou maiest be refreshed with the odoriferous flowers of the celestiall paradise O prodigeous cruelty to consume thy selfe in trauelling about to gette and gaine in this worlde when with as little yea lesse paine thou mayest come vnto the riches of heauen And this thou shouldest doe at the least for thy fathers sake which is in heauen For the diligence and carefulnes of the child is a blaming though secretly the Father of negligence For if the childe bee not sufficientlie prouided for of necessary thinges it followeth that the Father hath not performed the duety which a father is bound vnto â—ee not therefore so carefull to get temporall good vnles thou wouldest
doe iniurie to the heauenly father which more than liberalie prouideth for his children those thinges which he knoweth are most necessary and meete for euery one of them The birde of the aier wil no longer staie vpon the earth than meere necessitie driues her so to doe but spendeth the greater parte of her life aboue in the aier where she is best in secutitie If thou haue a desire to escape the perill of this life shunne so much as in thee is all vnnecessarie busines of this world It is thy part either to flie with the birde or to swimme with the fish not to grouell on the grounde if thou wouldest liue in safety At such time as God created the foules and the fishes he gaue them his blessing but the beastes and other liuing creatures that crept on the ground he blessed not at al He therfore which desireth the blessing that God imparteth on the good let him flie or let him swimme that he maie escape all danger and not like the brute beastes abide and rest vpon these earthly thinges for such he will not blesse but curse saying vnto them Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Deuil his Angels Liue therfore like the flying soule aloft in heauenly meditations and praier and cast al your care vpoÌ„ God as the Apostle commaundeth saying Cast al your care vpon him for he careth for you And saie with the Psal. mist Though I bee poore and needy yet the Lord careth for me Now if the Lord haue care of thee why serueth thy carefulnesse but euen to extinguish in thine heart the word of God The desire of riches in whomsoeuer it be choaketh the good seede of the worde of God that it can take noe roote and fructifie The GentÃles and heathen inasmuch as they are of opinioÌ„ how these things are giuen vs of fortune it is no maruel though they be so careful But thou which dost admitt and beleeue the Doctrine concerning Gods prouidence thou maiest not be so careful seeing well thou knowest that doing thy dutie according to thy calling God he will prouid that which is sufficient for thee If God preserue the Birdes which he created for man will he not much more haue a care for the substance of man which hee made for him selfe Remoue from thee al vnnecessarie businesse that thine heart may bee lifted vp vnto God Our nature and sensuall part being very strong they seeke themselues in the vanities and pleasures of the world but in the meane while the vnderstanding is darkened the spirite becommeth insensible and all spirituall exercise is vnsauorie Vnnecessary busines it hindereth the inward prayer of the heart it distracteth the mind it blindeth the vnderstanding and finally driueth away from vs the true light of the spirit Therefore if thou haue any desire to serue God aband from thy mind all carefulnesse and suffer not thy selfe to be distracted with the affaires of this world CHAP. 33. The wisedome of this world is vaine and foolish THe foolishnes of God is wiser than man saith the Apostle The worlde esteemeth him for a wise man which can cloke his owne vices in the sight of men and cunningly can attaine vnto honour and preferment in the worlde on the other side it holdeth all those for fooles which despise suche vanities The wise man in the person of worldly men saith We thought his life madnes and his end without honor the cause was for that he gaue not his minde to the gathering together of riches The men of this worlde take the seruantes of God for verie fooles without all forecast but they are like burning lampes and the worlde is onely the winde which bloweth and would put them out which the godly obseruing they do hide themselues that they maie be secure neither studie they to shewe theire holinesse in the sight of men but to God onely which regardeth not the outward partes but the heart within The wisdome of God is quite contrarie to the wisdome of man Good men are of none accounte amonge worldlie men but they are greatlie esteemed of the Lorde The iudgemetes of God differ much from the iudgements of men For the worlde looking vnto those thing which appeare to the outward senses taketh him for happie which is of power and rich When Samuel went to annoint one of the sonnes of â—shai for King of Israell passing by him whome the father made great account of he annointed Dauid which no man would haue thought So whome the worlde accounteth wise men GOD numbreth among fooles He whome the world reiected as an abiect was elected afore all to be a king He which hath a matter to be pleaded before a iudge of learning and integritie taketh it not too heauily though afore hee be condemned by an vnskilfull Iudge inasmuch as hee reposeth confidence in the sentence of that Iudge which is well seene in the lawes The men of this worlde like partiall and vnskilfull Iudges they iudged the pouertie of Th'apostles and the beggerly condition of the Martyrs but very foolishnes bnt the iudgement of God touching this matter is quite contrarie When it was said to S. Paul that much learning had made him mad he answered that he was not mad but spake the wordes of truth and sobernesse Hereby we may see that it is no newe thing for the worlde blindlie to iudge that which it knoweth not neither vnderstandeth meere foolishnesse But death will one day come when the seruantes of Christ will appeale vnto God the chiefe and vpright iudge who soundely and substantially will consider the cause and then will hee condemne the iudgement of the world as altoghether vniust hy his righteous and irreuocable sentence whereby he will reproue all that which was approued in the worlde If therefore thou bee reputed for a foole in the world bee not dismaid for so was Christ esteemed of Herod neither waigh the vaine iudgementes of men which shall euery of them shortly bee repealed and then true vertue and they which be truelie veruous shall shine most gloriously in the celestiall paradise CHAP. 34. The true wisedome is the wisedome of Christ. IF any man among you seeme to bee wise in this world let him bee a foole that he may be wise saith the Apostle It is true wisdome to become and to bee counted a foole for Christ his sake The wisdome of God which consisteth in true mortifying denying of a mans selfe is takeÌ„ but for foolishnes among men The wise man saith I am more foolish than any man haue not the vnderstanding of a man in me The children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light therefore the wise man said that hee had not the vnderstanding of a man yet had he the wisdome of God which is reputed foolishnesse of the world forasmuch as the wit of man cannot reach vnto
good because they neuer tasted the thinges of God But such as feele the sweetnes of the spirit they vtterly abhorre the pleasures of the flesh Diddest thou once but taste what God is thou wouldest forthwith abhoâ—re all the pleasures and vanities of the world but because thou relisheâ— not the thinges of the Spirit thou likest better of worldly biâ—ternes Therefore that thou maiest enioy those eternall and true riches of heauen repel farre from thine heart the desire of all worldly vanities and deceipt The end of the first Booke The seconde Booke which setteth downe the peruerse and erooked customes of the world CHAP. 1. The conditions of the world are naught and dangerous LOVE not the worlde neither the thinges that are in the world saith S. Iohn Hee that knoweth not the malice of anything liueth by so much the more securely by how much hee feareth not the hurt which may proceede from the same Therefore it is expedient that thou know the conditions of the world that to the better thou maiest take heed of them The deceipts thereof be manifest and the euill customes of the same shew how small accompt we should make thereof It is the propertie of the world to poison all those which come neere vnto it It deceiueth many and maketh many blinde When it flyeth it is nothing when it is seene it is but a shadow when it is aduanced it is fire and burneth It is to fooles sweet but vnto wise men sowre and vnsauorie They know not what the worlde is which loue it but they onelie which hate the same If thou wouldest know the world thou must behold it a farre off for they which come nigh it they neyther know the worlde nor themselues It bringeth forth much euill and is the occasion of infinite miseries Those which loue it it hateth those which trust it it deceiueth and those which obey it it beateth such as fauour it it afflicteth such as honour it it dishonoureth such as are mindfull thereof it forgetteth Wee haue more cause to flie the world when it helpeth than when it openly persecuteth vs The more familiar the more dangerous is the worlde and worser is it when it fawneth vppon vs than when it frowneth He that seeth not the world shal be seene of the world Woe to them which repose confidence therein but happy are they which despise the same The world is both to bee feared and fled from The life thereof is deceitfull the labour fruitlesse the feare continuall the honour dangerous the beginning without wisedome the end without repentance liberall is it in promising sparing in performing It is impossible thou shouldest liue in the world securely without feare merily without griefe easily without labour happily without great danger It intrappeth men with snares neuer ceaseth till they are brought vnto their graues To loue the worlde and not to run headlong into manie miâ—eries it is impossible Thinkest thou euer to see the world cleane and pure in euery respect Why man it changeth euerie moment and by the often turning thereof about it tendeth vtterly vnto corruption It promiseth ample commodities which notwithstanding it neuer performeth it reacheth goodly fruite in shew to the friendes thereof but with in it is full of wormes and intollerable stinch The glory of the same is so fickle that it both forsaketh many while they be aliue and will not follow any after they be dead Of the worlde in the promises there is falshood in the mirth griefe in the pleasures paine in the comforts vexation in the prosperity continuall doubting that the state will change There is nothing stable nothing of continuance in the world onely it hath a shew of good things whereby it deceiueth simple folkes that cannot discerne the same who beeing once entered into the gulfe of those bitter thinges which erst they thought full sweete they are plunged and drowned in the bottomlesse gulfe of euerlasting perdition through the mighty stormes which it hath raysed It is like a crafty marchant which will shew a cloth which is faire and fine at the first vnfolding and sell that for good which after it be laide abroad to the eye is but very course and not worth any thing Such slippery parts doth the world play vnder the shew of pleasure it thrusteth vpon vs euerlasting paines But stoppe thine eares when it beginneth to speake vnto thee thinke that her voice is like the Mermaides musicke which with her sweetsonges doth allure vnto her selfe that in the ende she may drowne thee for euer in the bottomlesse pit of hell CHAP. 2. The snares and deceipts of the world are to bee taken head of BEware least there bee any man that spoilâ— you through Philosophie vaine deceipt saith the Apostle The world it blindeth many by the outwarde shewe thereof concealing the inward euils which it doth coÌ„prehend Hee that liueth in the world so deceitful he had need to be wary lest he be deceiued It presenteth pleasure to voluptuous persons but vnder that vanitie there lurketh filthines and sorrowe It offereth the glorious golde to the couetous eye but not the cares troubles which riches do bring It entiseth vnto honour and preferment but it telleth not the weightie burdens annexed vnto prelacy The Deuill hee led our Sauiour not vnto the sanctuary or inner part but vnto the pinacle of the temple which serued more for an ornament than for necessity So the deuill and the world they allure not a man vnto the fight and searching of the inward conscience of their sinnes but vnto bewtifull showes of vaine terrour and superfluous things God he gaue in commaundement that the beastes which should bee sacrificed vnto him shold first be flead and haue their skinnes taken from them but contrariwise the world will that all the seruice which thou offerest vnto it should bee couered with the skinne of pleasure honour and commoditie to the entent that the entrals of wickednes may not be seene at all Therefore thou shalt do wel as God commandeth to take off the outwarde skinne of voluptuousnesse and so shalt thou perceiue the deceites the scruples and the filthines which lieth hid and couered vnder those exterior thinges Thou must take away the barke of wickednesse flea and deuide the entrals of sinnes which are full of deceipt so shalt thou behold and that sensiblie the vaniry and naughtines of that which thou hast loued Behold the fraud of the worlde Great thingâ— they seeme to thee small things and vile God himselfe which is incomprehensiblie greate hee seemeth but small in thine eyes because thou art farre estranged from him and the small thinges of this world they appeare great vnto thee for thou louest them which the Apostle iudged no better then dung The friendes of God replenished with the light of heauen they haue knowne and made knowne the deceiptfulnes of the world Wouldest thou somwhat consider both of what small continuance the thinges are of
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
is it for man which by creation is made little lower than God to fulfill the minde of so vile a slaue as the flesh is CHAP. 19. The louer of God loueth little company I Wil allure her bring her into the wildernesse and speake friendly vnto her saith the Prophet When God speaketh vnto our soule hee needeth no witnesses When the pleasure of God was to blesse Abraham hee willed him to get him out of his owne countrey and from his kinred and from his fathers house God called Moses out of the mount vnto himselfe and charged that none besides should goe vp to the mount nor touch the border of it As Hagar wandered vp and downe in the wildernesse alone the Angel appeared vnto her to her exceeding comfort Eliah also was farre from the companie of men when the Angell said vnto him Vp and eate God when hee seeth thine heart to bee solitarie and alone hee then desireth to rest in the same and seeing our soule withdrawen from the cares of this world he reuealeth many things thereunto which he would not if he saw it occupied immediatly with the affaires of this world God is a Spirit and therefore careth not so much that the body as the soule should be solitarie Hee may bee said to be a sole man whose minde is not fixed vpon these worldly things O that thou wouldest leaue all these dreames and toies and idlenesse and commend thine heart into the hands of Christ thou shouldest then haue much comfort of the spirite which now thou goest without If thou diddest know what losse thou receauest while thou busiest thy selfe in worldly affaires thou wouldest not thinke it such a paine to serue Christ as thou doest The woman mentioned in the Gospel which was diseased with an issue of bloud came secretly behind our Sauiour touched the hemme of his garment and was presently healed Let euery Christian soule that is diseased and weake drawe neere secretely vnto Iesus Christ for in him it shall finde perfect saluation and true comfort of spirite Thou shalt sooner be cured if thou lift vppe secretlie thine heart vnto almightie God in thy chamber than if all the daie long thou shouldest walke vppe and downe in the market steedes or pallaces of earthlie Princes No tongue is able to expresse the sweetenesse of that prayer which is priuate if it be vnfained Thinke nor thy selfe then to bee alone for as said Flisha They that bee with vs are moe than they that be with them Thou hast neuer more companie than when thou art most solitarie Sweet is the felowship of Iesus Christ and the comfortable societie of the blessed Angels But when thou praiest enter into thy chamber and when thou hast shut thy doore pray to thy Father which is in secrete saith the Lord If thou diddest sauor the thinges of the Spirite thou wouldest not deeme solitarinesse vnnecessarie for prayer It is the nature of them that loue to couet to be solitary and alone Haue you not read that it was the wont of our Sauiour Christ to pray alone vpon the mount of Oliues When our first parentes were alone in paradise they were gratfull to God and to his holy Angels and dreadful to Satan but they had no sooner acquainted themselues with strange company but their eies were opened their bodies naked and they lost the fauour of God to their extreame affliction To bee short therefore thou shalt forgoe thy Lord and maker vnlesse thou carefully doe auoide the company I say not of men but of vngodly and prophane persons Make not so small account therefore of God that for the companie of thy pot companions here thou wilt loose the company of thy God in the world to come CHAP 20 The more wise and godly a mā is the more silent he is and of the fewer wordes IN silence and in confidence shal be your strēgth saith Isaiah Vnlesse thou auoide vnnecessary company and loue silence thou shalt neuer bee perfectly religious S. Iames doth say If any man among you seemeth religious and refraineth not his tongue but deceiueth his owne heart this mans religion is vaine He giueth a great argument of wisdome which is sparing of his speech Whatsoeuer thou hast wonne by prayer thou wilt loose by prating Silence is a good keeper of men in deuotion Maruell not that thou art colde and weake in prayer if thou spende thy time in superfluous and idle speech Learne to hold thy peace if thou wilt profit For why hath God giuen thee but one tongue and two handes but because thou shouldest speake little and doe much God hath appointed two hatches to thy tongue one of them is of flesh as the lips the other of bones as thy teeth this is to the end that beeing so kept in it should neuer speake superfluously but onely when necessity enforceth and ministreth iust occasion When thou bablest or pratest what art thou but as it were a citie without a wall a house without a doore a vessell without a couer or an horse without a bridle What good thing canst thou keep if thy tongue doe runne before thy wit If it bee lauish of speech it will open an entrance for the diuels into thee which will carrie that away which thou hast gotten before Death and life are in the power of the tongue A goodly ornament of all vertues is silence As the vessell that is couered will sooner bee hot and cause the liquour that is in it the looner to boyle than that which is vncouered by reason of keeping in the vapors so if thou keepe thy mouth shut vp close by silence thou shalt the sooner waxe warme and zealous in the seruice of God Vnlesse thou haue learned to hold thy peace thou wilt neuer learne to speake aduisedly The Scripture speaking of the godly man doth say Hee sitteth alone and keepeth silence He that keepeth silence wil the more easely lift-vp his heart vnto the Lord. S. Iames saith Let euery man be swift to heare slow to speake and slow to wrath Easely they fall from the rule of Godlynesse which vnaduisedly doe breake-out into much babling Euen as when you shut a conduct mouth where water passeth the water will straight-wayes mount vp on hie so while you keepe close the lipes with silence the spirite mounteth zelously vnto the sight of God and the soule ascendeth on hie and tasteth the more sweetly the comfortes of the spirite by zelous and earnest prayer But if thou babble with thy tongue thou hindrest thy deuotion and openest a doore to thy watchfull enemie at what time soeuer thou speakest idle wordes The citty of our soule must needes suffer many a sore assault when it is without the walles of silence to keepe of strokes It is written of Nebuchad-nezzer that hee brake downe the walles of Ierusalem robbed the temple and caried the Iewes into captiuity Surely the like would
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 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 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 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
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