in a little ring set forth the great vanity of this world in a little Map Let vs now learne the lesson of Saint Iohn the beloued Disciple of Christ who wrote so much of loue doth yet dehort vs from louing the world 1 Ioh. 2. 15. Loue not the world neither the things that are in the world Why not the world for three reasons 1. If any man loue the world the loue of the father is not in him 2. All that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the father but is of the world 3. The world passeth away and the lust thereof that is it is vaine and vanishing yea in the abstract Vanity For these reasons we must not suffer our hearts to cleaue to the best things in the world as if hâ—ppinesse were to be sound in them Follow the counsell of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 7. 31. Vse this world as though thou vsed it not fâ—â— the fashion of this world goâ—th away Vse the things of this world as helpes to thee in thy trauell to heauen-ward but let them not steale away thy heart from better things from God and Christ and heauen and peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost these must de light the heart of a Christian who was redeemed not with corruptible 1 Pet. 1. 19. things as siluer and gold but with the precious bloud of Iesus Christ in comparison of whom all the things of the world must seeme losse and drosse and dung and whatsoeuer is most despitable in the eyes of mâ—n If riches increase set not thy heart vpon them no treasure no pleasure no honor nor gold nor plate nor iewels Ps. 62. 10 nor house nor land nor apparell nor friends must steale away thy heart We must be affected to these things as Theodoricke In bonis 〈…〉 us tacet in maâ—is â—idet in vtrisque Philosophâ—◠〈…〉 the good King of Aquitaine was with his play * In good casts he was silent in ill merry in neither angry in both a Philosopher or a wise man We must not make these a riuall vnto God we must not leane vpon these by our confidence for they are a reed that shall quickly breake and the shiuers will run into our hand Death is the most terrible of all things that are terrible said the Philosopher Aristotle it is terrible both to man and beast but most terrible to a wicked man that is worse then a beast when he remembers his sinfull life past the complexion of his flesh the palenesse of his face the dissolution of his members the rottennesse of his bones the obscurenesse of his graue the solitarinesse of his sepulcher the gnawing of wormes and the like But alas albeit these are terrible yet these are nothing without the consideration of sin which is the sting of death the strength and victory of the graue Thinke vpon thy sinnes whereof thou art guilty and for which thou must dye as the condemned malefactor that after sentence pronounced is hurried to the fatall place of execution to suffer deserued punishment Remember yea againe and againe I say remember how miserably how violently how sodainly others haue suffered death that were guilty of those sins which are more predominant in thee then they were in them Art thou a thiefe which thou maist be though thou weâ—t neuer attached for theft by the lawes of mâ—n for couetousnesse is a Pick purse before God read and remember how Achan dyed Iosh. 7. Art thou a whoremaster which thou maist be as well in thy minde as in thy body then 1 Sam. â— read and remember how Hophni and Phineas dyed how Zimri Num. 25 8. and Cosbi were slain in the very act of their vncleannesse And Iezabel an impudent strumpet dyed a sodaine and shamefull death Art thou a blasphemous swearer that dost rend grinde the sacred name of God betweene thy teeth Remember him vnder the Law that was stoned to death for his blasphemy Art thou an Idolatrous impe of the Popish Church that dost leaue our Lord to worship our Lady and giue that honour to Sâ—ints nay to stockes and stones which is proper to God alone call to minde how Sennacharih was slaine in the midst Is 37. vlt of his Idolatry Art thou an intempeâ—ate drunkard that dost sâ—crifice thy time and state nay â—oule and body vnto Bacchus rising eaâ—ly to drinke strong drinke and sitting vp lâ—te till Wâ—ne inflâ—â—ne thee thinke Dan. 5. vlt. vpon Belshazzar that was slaine in the midst of his cups whilst he was drinking in that Wine which the swords of his insâ—lting enemies drew out of him together with his lâ—test blood Art thou a couetous Vâ—â—rer that dost let out thy mony to men thy time to Mamon and thy soule to Satan that like a common Hackney jade wilt not beare thy debtors one houre past thy day or art thou a griping oppressor that dost racke thy poore tenants and exact vpon thy neighbour to gaine a little transitory trash Remember Nabal and remember that Miser in the Gospell who being Luk. 12. asleep in security and dreaming of enlarged barns and plentifull haruests was sodainly â—erest of all and being awaked vpon the hearing of his Soule-knell perceiued himself to be for euer wretched Consider whether these and the like sinners that haue made their souls the slaues of vanity haue not in the end made themselues the slaues of misery Haue they prospered or haue they perished if they haue prospered then follow them if perished as indeede they haue then in the feare of God retire out of their paths lest thou be speedily cut off hauing no information of the danger till thy owne eyes amazed with the sodainnes behold it in the shape of ineuitable damnation Be thou warned by their examples for God hath punished sinne in them to preuent sinne in thee Vt exempla Cyprian ser. â— dâ— Laps sint omnium tormenta paucorum that the torments of some few may be terrours vnto all like as thunderbolts fall Paucorum periculo sed omnium metu to the hurt but of few though not without the horror of all That ship which sees another ship sinke before her lookes about her puls doâ—ne her saile turneth heâ— câ—â—â—se and escapes the sanâ—s which else would swallow her vp as they done the other When the earth swallowed vp Corah and his confederates all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them for they said Lest the earth swallow vs vp also Num. 16. 34. The Bird will not light on the lime bush nor into the net if she see another insnared before her the Hoâ—se will not follow another whom he sees to sticke fast in the mire oh be not lesse wise then bird or beast nor more brâ—tish then Horle and Mule that hath no vnderstanding If thou â—â—â—st another fall into the fire thou wilt not willingly follow him
great diuersitie betweene thy things and the things that wee doe continually see in this life In thee is neuer seene neither darkenesse nor night neither yet any change of time The light that shineth in thee commeth neither of lampes nor of Sunne or Moone nor yet of bright glittering Starres but God that proceedeth of God and the light that commeth of light is he that giueth clearenes vnto thee Euen the very King of Kings himselfe keepeth continuall residence in the middest of thee compassed about with his officers and seruants There doe the Angels in their orders and quires sing a most sweete melodious harmonie There is celebrated a perpetuall solemnitie and feast with every one of them that coÌ„meth thither after his departure out of this pilgrimage There be the orders of Prophets there is the famous company of the Apostles there is the inuincible army of Martyrs there is the most reuerent assembly of confessors there are the true and perfect religious persons there are the holy Virgines which haue ouercome both the pleasures of the world and the frailtie of their owne nature there are the young men and young women more ancient in vertue than in yeares there are the sheepe and little lambes that haue escaped from the wolues and from the deceitfull snares of this life and therefore doe now keepe a perpetuall feast each one in his place all alike in ioy though different in degree There Charitie raigneth in her full perfection for vnto them God is all in all whom they behold without end in whose loue they be all continually inflamed whom they doe alwayes loue and in louing doe praise and in praising doe loue and all their exercises consist in praises without wearinesse and without trauell O happie were I yea and very happy indeed if at what time I shall bee loosed out of the prison of this wretched body I might be thought worthy to heare those songs of that heauenly melodie sung in the praise of the euerlasting King by all the Citizens of that so noble Citie Happie were I and very happie if I might obtaine a roome among the Chaplaines of that Chappell and wait for my turne also to sing my Halleluia If I might bee neare to my King my God my Lord and see him in his glory euen as hee hath promised mee when he said O Father this is my last determinate will that all those that thou hast giuen vnto me may me with me aad see the glory which I had with thee before the world was created Hetherto are the words of S. Augustine Now tell mee Christian brother what a day of glorious shine shall that bee vnto thee if thou lead thy life in Gods feare when after the course of this pilgrimage thou shalt passe from death to immortallity and in that passage when others shall beginne to feare thou shalt beginne to reioyce and lift vp thy head because the day of thy deliuerance is at hand Come forth a little saith S. Ierome vnto the Virgine Eustochia out of the prison of this body and when thou art before the gate of this Tabernacle set before thy eyes the reward that thou hopest to haue for thy present labours Tell me what a day shall that bee when our Lord himselfe with all his Saints shall come and meete thee in the way saying vnto thee Arise and make hast O my beloued my delight and my Turtle doue for now the Winter is past and the tempestuous waters are ceased the flowers doe beginne to appeare in our land Cant. 2. How great ioy shall thy soule then receiue when it shall be at that time presented before the Throne of the most blessed Trinity by the hands of the holy Angels and when shall bee declared thy good workes and what crosses tribulations and iniuries thou hast suffered for Gods sake Acts 9. S. Luke writeth That when holy Tabitha the great almes giuer was dead all the widdowes and poore folke came about the Apostle S. Peter shewing vnto him the garments which shee had giuen them wherewith the Apostle being moued made his prayer vnto Almighty God for that so mercifull a woman and by his prayers he raised her againe to life Now what a gladnesse will it be to thy soule when in the middest of those blessed spirits thou shalt be placed with remembrance of thy almes deeds thy prayers and fastings the innocency of thy life thy suffering of wrongs and iniuries thy patience in afflictions thy temperance in diet with all other vertues and good workes that thou hast done in all thy life O how great ioy shalt thou receiue at that time for all the good deeds that thou hast wrought how clearely then shalt thou vnderstand the value and the excellencie of vertue There the obedient man shall talke of victories there vertue shall receiue her reward and the good honoured according to their merite Moreouer what a pleasure will it bee vnto thee when thou shalt see thy selfe to bee in that sure hauen and shalt looke back vpon the course of thy nauigation which thou hast sailed here in this life when thou shalt remember the tempests wherein thou hast been tossed the straits through which thou hast passed and the dangers of theeues and pyrats from whom thou hast escaped There is the place where they shall sing the song of the Prophet which saith Had it not beene that our Lord had beene mine helper it could not be but my soule had gone into hell Especially when from thence thou shalt behold so many sins as are committed every houre in the world so many soules as doe descend euery day into hell and how it hath pleased Almighty God that among such a multitude of damned persons thou shouldst be of the number of his elect and one of those to whom he would grant such exceeding great felicity and glory Besides all this what a goodly sight will it bee to see those seats filled vp and the Citie builded and the wals of that noble Ierusalem repaired again With what chearefull embracings shall the whole court of heauen entertaine them beholding them when the come loaden with the spoiles of their vanquished enemies Theâ—e shall those valiant men and women enter with triumph which haue together with the world conquered the weakenesse of their owne fraile nature There shall they enter which haue suffered martyrdome for Christs sake with double triumph ouer the flâ—sh and the world adorned with all coelestiall glory There shall also daily enter many young men and children which haue vanquished the tendernesse of their young yeares with discretion and vertue Oh how sweet and sauorie shall the fruit of vertue then be although for a time before her roots seemed very bitter sweete is the cold euening after the hote sunnie day sweete is the fountaine to the weary thirstie trauailâ—r sweet is rest and sleepe to the tired seruant but much more sweet is it to the Saints in heauen to enioy peace after warre security
thou hast Were it not a point of wisedome after so long time and so many great iniuries to feare the most terrible iustice of Almighty God who the more patiently he suffereth sinners the more hee doth afterwards punish them with seueritie iustice Were it not meet for thee to â—eare thy long continuance so many yeares in sinne and in the â—ispleasure of Almighty God procuring there by against thee such a mighty aduersary as he is and prouoking him of a mercifull louing father to become thy seuere terrible iudge and enemy Were ir not meet to feare least that the force of euill custome may in continuance of time be turned into nature and that thy long vicious vsuall manner of committing sinne may make of a vice a necessity or little lesse Why art thou not afraid least by little and little thou maiest cast thy selfe downe head long into the deep pit of a reprobate sence whereinto after that a man is once falne hee neuer maketh account of any sinne be it neuer so great The Patriarke Iacob said vnto Laban his father in law These foureteene yeares haue I serued thee and looking to thine affaires now it is time that I should looke to mine owne and begin to attend vnto the affaires of mine owne houshold Wherefore if thou hast likewise bestowed so many yeares in the seruice of this world and of this fraile transitory life were it not good reason that thou shouldest now begin to make some prouision for the saluation of thy soule and for the euerlasting life to come There is nothing more short nor more transitory then the life of man and therefore prouiding so carefully as thou doest for all such things as be necessarie for this life which is so short why doest thou not prouide likewise somewhat for the life that is to come which life shall endure for euer and euer A Sigh HEnce lazie sleepe tbou sonne of sullen night That with soft-breathing Spels keeps sorrowes vnder Thy charmes cheares vp the spirits with delight And laps the Sences in Lethaean stumber Packe and â—e gone for my sad soule knowes well Care best accordeth with a gloomie Cell And what more darke then my sin-clouded Soule Where yet the Sunne of Sapience neuer shone But still in Errors vgly câ—ue did roule Where nought keepes concord but discordant mone Leaue me I say and giue me leaue to tell That to my Soule my selfe ha's not done well Good man if good there liues one Thou that art So farre thrust from the worlds imperiouseyes Helpe me to act this penitentiall part I meane No coyner of new Niceties Nor wodden Worshipper Giue me him than That 's a God-louing and good-liuing man To be my partner in this Tragedie Whose scenes run bleeding through the wounded Acts Heart-strucke by Sinne and Satans fallacie And poyson'd by my selfe-dcommitted facts Send me thy prayers if not thy presence found To stop the Ore-face of this streaming wound Steere me sweet Sauiour while I safe haue past The stormie Euroclydons of Despaire Till happily I haue arriu'd at last To touch at Thee my Soules sole-sauing stayre Tow vp my sin-frought Soule sunke downe below And long lien weltring midst the waues of wo. New rig me vp lest wallowing I orewhelme Thy Mercy be my Main-mast And for Sayles My Sighs thy Truth my tackling Faith my Helme My ballast Loue Hope Anchor that ne're failes Then in Heau'ns hauen calme Peace me arriue Where once enharbor'd I shall richly thrine Woes me how long ha's Pride besotted me Proposing to â—im Reason my good parts My nimble Wit my quicke procliuitie To Apprehension and in high desarts How many stood beneath me I vaine foole Thus fob'd by Satans steights ore-slipt my Soule Who in darke Error downe embodied lies Blacke as the Star-lesse Night and hideously Impuritie with rustie wings crosse flies Betwixt the Sunne of Righteousnesse and me Whil'st Bat-like beats my Soule her leather sayles Gainst the soft Ayre and rising fals and failes Must I for each vnsyllabled close Thought Render account O wit fi'lde Conference Cal'd in is thy protection then deare bought How was my brow o'rehatcht with Impudence To let whole worlds of words my cheekes vp-swell The least of whom would ding me downe to Hell O wretched Impes then of mans impious race who 'l breath out Blasphemies to make a Iest And call wit flashing the sole punctuall grace Of genuine knowledge But amongst the rest Iudge in what case are those wit-hucksters in That hourely practise this soule sinking sinne O may my tongue be euer riuetted Fast to my roofe but when it speakes Gods praise May not one vocall sound by breath be fed But when it carols out celestiall Layes Let not one tone through my tongues hatches flye But what beares with 't heau'ns glories harmonie Helpe Lord of power my feeble-ioynted praiers To clamber th' azure Mountaines throwne aboue me And keepe a seat for me there mongst thâ—se haires Apportion'd out to such as truely loue thee Admit them in thine eares a resting roome Vntill to thee and them my soule shall come Meane while moyst ey'd Repentance here below Shall Inmate wise be Tenant to my minde For Prayers without true Penitence doe show Like meats vnseason'd or like Bils vnsign'd Or corne on tops of Cottages that growes Which vselesse no man either reapes or sowes O how my Soule 's surpriz'd with shallow feares When thinking to leane on Lifes broken staffe And counting to mine age large summes of yeares I heare the sweet and sacred Psalmograph Compare Life to a Flowre a Puffe a Span Who 's Monarch now next minute 's not a Man Must I needs dye why surfet â—on Pleasure Must Ineeds dye why swim I in Delight Must I needs dye why squint I after Treasure Must I needs dye why liue I not aright Must I needs dye why liue I then in sin Thrice better for me I had neuer bin Fountaine of breathing Dust such grace me giue That I in life prepare in dust to lye Let me be dying still whiles I doe liue That I may blisfull liue when I shall dye For in Christs Schoole this Paradox learne I Who dies before he dies shall neuer die If I must die then after must begin The life of Ioy or Torment without end The life of Torment purchas'd is by sinne The life of Ioy by life that learnes t' amend Why should I then prophane sweare curse lust lie If I but thinke on this That I must die Why should I quaffe to more then Nature can Sith more drinke I gaine more losse is mine For may I not be tearm'd a bestiall man To drowne my Reason in a cup of wine Yea tenfold worse Thus monster made at least God made me Man I make my selfe a Beast How swelt I with hard trauell through the Dale That leads to Prophanations irkesome cell But freeze by softly pacing vp the skale Where burning zeale and her bright sisters dwell Thus sweat I in the
shadow shake i' th shine And by free choice from good to ill decline Sweet Sauiour cleanse my leprous loath some soule In that depurpled Fount which forth thy side Gurgling did twixt two Lilly-mountaines roule To rinse Mans tainted Race Sin soylifide Wash it more white then the triumphant Swan That rides o' th siluer brest of Eridan Suffer my prayers harmony to rise Into thine eares while th' Angels beare a part Accept my Sigâ—s as smelling Sacrifice Sent from the Altar of my bleeding heart Vpto thy nostrils sweet as th' Oyle of Aaron Or th'odoriferous Rose of flowrie Sharon The Hart ne're long'd more for the purling brookes Nor did the lust full Goate with more pursuit After the blossom'd Tritifolie looke Then do's my panting Soule t' enioy the fruit Of thy Life-water which if I attaine To taste of once I ne're shall thirst againe Euen as the chapped ground in Summers heat Cals to the clouds and gapes at euery showre Whose thirstie Casma's greedily intreat As tho they would th' whole house of heau'n deuour So do's my riuen Soule beparcht with sin Yawne wide to let mayst drops of Mercie in Earths vanitie VAnitie of vanities and all is but vanitie saith the wisest Preacher that euer wrote One generation passeth and another commeth and all is but vexation of spirit Which diuine theorem that we may the better perceiue let vs set our selues to the serious meditation of it for the more we search the more we shall see all things to be vanity nothing constant nothing for our eternall good but our soules saluation Mans life on â—arth doth no sooner begin but his 〈◊〉 approacheth his death hasteneth Some come vpon the stage of this world but to haue a breathing and are presently gone others stay a while longer it may be a day perhaps a weeke perhaps a month peraduenture a yeare or it may be some few yeares but alas the longer they stay the greater their griefe care feare and anxietie of minde Euen in the infancie of age man is oft times left as Mâ—ses sometime was in the flouds of misery but as age increaseth sorrow increaseth because sinne increaseth when youth runnes most at randome and thinketh it selfe most safe it is then hemm'd in with greatest dangers then the rashfoole-hardy minde of man hurrieth him headlong to hell except the irresistible power of Gods preuenting grace doth speedily stay him then his wits are euen intoxicated with a frenzie of iniquity and wholly bent vpon riotousnesse rashnesse luxury iollitie superfluity and excesse in carnall pleasures Hee then deuoteth his time and addicteth himselfe to all manner of euill drinking dancing reuelling swaggering swearing whoring gaming quarelling fighting and in the meane while neuer thinkes on heauen nor feareth hell His head is frought with vanities his heart with fallacies whereby his soule is brought into a labyrinth of inextricable miseries So great is the temerity of his vnaduised minde that no consideration of Gods iudgements either past or present or to come can set a stop to his wickednesse His youthfulnesse damps at no bogges quagmires hils or mountaines but wingeth him ouer all impediments mounts him ouer all motiues that might way-lay his sinnes He sticks not to offend his maker to recrucifie his redeemer to resist shall I say his sanctifier no but the Spirit whom God hath giuen to be his sanctifier and if hee so carry himselfe toward thâ—se no meruaile that he derideth his Tutor scornes the Minister like the little children that mock'd Elisha oppresseth his poore brother as Pharaoh did the Israelites spareth not Infants no more then Herod did regardeth not parents no more then Hophin and Phinius did Let the mother direct him the father correct him his ancients instruct him alas all is in vaine youth makes men head-strong selfe-conceited and proud so that they swell with an ouerweening opinion of their owne worth they thinke themselues the onely wits of the time the onely men of the world more fit to teach others then to learn themselues more able to giue then to take aduice If they goe on a while in their lewd courses without the restraining and renewing Grace of God they get a habit of euill are hardned through the custome of sinne none may resist them none compare with them no law of God or man can restraine them They take counsel together against Psa. 2. 2 3 the Lord and against his annointed saying Let vs breake their bands asunder and cast away their cords from vs. Whereupon oftentimes the ripenesse of sinne being hastened by outragiousnesse of sinning God suddenly Nâ—quities vitae non sinit esse senew cuts them off in their intemperancy luxury quarrels and disorders which shewes their vainnesse to be meere vanity Suppose they grow as great as Tamberlaine yet a Gunne Pike Arrow nay a Fly Flea or Gnat a dram nay a drop of poyson proues them to be vaine men one of these silly creatures may send him presently to his creatour to receiue his final doome Yet alas what doe these most minde The bum-basted silken Gallants of our time that come forth like a May morning decked with all the glory of Art the Epicurean Cormerants the gusling and tipling tosse-pots the dainty painting Dames the delicate mincing Ladies the sweet-singing Syrens the dancing Damsels the finicall youths the couzening Shop-keeper the crafty Crafts-man I say what doe all these but set their minds vpon vanitie vpon glory honour pride drosse and such like trash which weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary proue lighter then vanity Doe we not sometime see more spent vpon one suite in Law then would keepe a poore Country towne with the inhabitants for a whole yeare See wee not more spent vpon one suite of apparell for one proud carkasse then would build a Free-schoole So that the cloathes on many a Gallants backe exceeds his Rent-day See we not more spent vpon a Feast to satisfie the curiosity of a few then would satisfie the necessity of a hundred poore wretches almost famished to death See wee not more drunke in a Tauerne at one â—itting by a small company then would serue a troope of sturdy Souldiers in the field Many goe daily to the Tauern where they sticke not to spend their twelue pence who would grudge to giue one penny nay one farthing to a hungry begger Againe is there not now more spent vpon a Ladies feather then would pay a meane mans tythes Is there not more spent vpon one paire of sleeues then would cloath sixe bodies and more spent at a Whitsun-ale then would keepe the poore of the Parish for a yeare Haue wee not amongst our Gentry some of the female sexe who will spend more vpon a Glasse and a pot of complexion then they will giue a whole yeare at their gate they must be menders of that which God makes makers of that which God marres turning themselues like the Camelion into all shapes though neuer so grisly and vgly and being
sinne will then torment me for sinning vntill I cry out with Cain My punishment is greater then I can beare A horse is but a vaine thing to saue a man said the sweet singer of Israel so say I all earthly things are too vaine to saue a man to make him blessed I appeale to the conscience of euery man if thou hast tried the pleasures of vanity and who hath not whether thou maist not take vp the words of Saint Rom. 6. 12. Paul What fruit haue I of those things whereof I am now ashamed Shame and griefe and guilt and punishment are the fruit of vanity enough I thinke to rend our hearts from affecting of it Thinke vpon this thou that art in the trace of vanity that thou maist make a retreat loose no more time herein for thou hast already lost too much redeeme the time because the dayes are euill and why are they euill but because they are vaine Whatsoeuer is without the circumference of euill is about the sphere of vanity Resolue therefore with thy selfe that all things earthly worldly carnall sinfull are vaine the fashion of this world passeth away faith the Apostle 1 Cor. 7. 3. The fashion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word very emphaticall it signifies first an accidentall and externall figure without substance secondly the habit vesture or cloathing of a thing Saint Paul vseth this word to debase the world by intimating vnto vs that the world is cloathed with a vesture that is wearing and wasting the fashion of it lasteth but for a time it is ready euery houre to put on a new fashion againe by intimating vnto vs that the world is without any substantiall forme like vnto shewes and shadowes that vanish in the representation Saint Luke cals all Agrippa's pompe but a fancie Dauid cals the yeares of a man but a tale Psal. 90. 9. We spend our yeares as a tale that is told As a tale nay as a thought for so much the originall word doth import and how many thoughts may a man haue in an houre Nothing is more changable then a vesture nothing more fugitiue then a shadow nothing more fickle then a fancie nothing more swift then thought What a disproportion therefore is it for the immortall soule of a man to be fastened vnto things which are of such a variable nature What a folly for vs to preferre those which are but momentary for so I may more truely cal them then temporall vnto those things which are indeede eternall Glasses are in great vse amongst vs yet because of their brittlenesse who esteemes them precious We smell to flowers because they are sweet but because they are fading we regard them thereafter It were well if we would deale thus with all other vanities viz. regard them as they are vse the creatures we may but not abuse them serue our selues of them but not serue them inioy them but not ouer-ioy in them Now because examples are are very effectuall whether we vse them by way of dehortation or whether by way of exhortation let me propound one or two in this matter whereof I am treating that by them thou maist be beaten off from the vanities and iniquities of this present euill world When Alexander in the height of his glory kept * a Parliament of the whole Conuentum terrarum orbiâ— world himselfe was summoned by death to appeare in another world It was a wonderfull president of the vanity and variety of humane condition saith the Historian to see mighty Iustin. l. 2. Zerxes flote and flye away in a small vessel who before wanted Sea-roome for his Ships When Belshazzar was laughing and Dan. 5. quaffing with his Princes and Concubines carowsing healths in the sacred Vessels deaths secretary the hand-writing on the wall told him he was weighed in the ballance and his Kingdome was finished And before him his father Nebuchadnezzar at that time the greatest Monarch in the world as he was strouting in his Galleries and boasting of his owne power and honour a voyce from heauen told him that his Kingdome was departed from him that he Dan. 4. should be driuen from amongst men that he should haue his dwelling with the Beasts of the field c. And the sentence was fulfilled on him the same houre So Zedekiah was a liuely spectacle 2 Kin. 25 of this worlds vanity and misery who of a potent King became a miserable captiue saw his children slaine before his face after that had his eyes put out and died miserably in prison I had almost forgotten Salomon the wisest King that euer Eccl. â— was hauing giuen himselfe to take pleasure in pleasant things hauing made great workes built goodly Houses planted Vineyards Gardens and Orchards and planted in them trees of all fruit hauing gathered siluer and gold and the chiefe treasures of Kings and Prouinces being now full of wisedome and schooled with experience he is licensed to giue his sentence of the whole world and euery man knowes what his censure was Vanity of vanities Eccl. 1. â— vanity of vanities all is vanity This wise King trauelled all the world ouer and the further he went the more vanity he did see and the neerer he looked the greater it seemed till at last he could see nothing but vanity Wouldst thou know what is to be seene or heard or had in this vast Vniuerse Vanity saith Salomon yea vanity of vanities and what else Vanity of vanities And whâ—â— else All is vanity Nothing beneath the Moone that hath not a tincture of vanity Nay the Moone it self the Sunne all the Planets all the Starres the whole body of the Heauens is become subiect to Vanitie The creature is subiect vnto Vanity saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 20. that is the whole frame of the world consisting of the coelestiall and elementary region the visible heauens with all their goodly furniture of Starres and of coelesti all bodies and the earth with her ornaments and the other elements The heauens shall perish Psal. 10◠〈◊〉 and they shall waxe old as doth a garment and the Lord shall change â—hem as a vesture and they shall be changed As a garment the older it waxâ—th the lesse comely it is the lesse able to warme him that weares it so the materiall heauens by continuance of yeares decrease in beauty and vertue The neerer the Sunne drawes to the end of his daily course the lesse is his strength in the euâ—ning we feele the Sunne to decay in his heat and he waxeth alway the weaker Now if those superiour bodies then much more things inferiour and sublunary are included within the compasse of vanity But it was my purpose when I first set vpon this subiect so ample and large to be so much the more short euery vnderstanding can of it selfe discourse where such plenty of matter is offered I haue therefore according to the modell of that gift which God hath giuen me contriued a great picture
in store I deserue that my request should now be denied me sith when the poore made request vnto me I refused to releeue them I haue deserued to sigh and lament so long as God shall be God I haue deserued that this worme of conscience shal gnaw mine entrails for euer and euer by representing vnto mee the little pleasure that I haue enioyed and the great felicitie which I haue lost and how far greater that was which I might haue gained by forgoing that little which I would not forgoe This is that immortall worme that shall neuer dye but shal lye there euerlastingly gnawing at the entrailes of the wicked which is one of the most terrible paines that can possibly be imagined Peraduenture thou art now perswaded good Reader that there can be added no more vnto this than hath beene said But surely the mighty arme of God wanteth not force to chastice his enemies more more for all these paines that are hitherto rehearsed are such as doe appertaine generally to all the damned but besides these generall paines there are also other particular paines which each one of the damned shall there suffer in diuers sorts according to the quality of his sinne And so according to this proportion the hauty and proud shall there be abased and brought low to their great confusion The couetous shall be driuen to great necessity the glutton shall rage with continuall hunger and thirst The lecherous shall burne in the very same flames which they themselues haue enkindled And those that haue al their life time hunted after their pleasures and pastimes shall liue there in continuall lamentation and sorrow But because examples are of very great force to moue our hearts I will bring onely one for this purpose wherby somewhat of this matter may the better be perceiued It is written of a certaine holy man that he saw the paines in spirit of a licentious and worldly man in this sort First he saw how the diuels that were present at the houre of his death when hee yeelded vp his ghost snatched away his soule with great reioycing and made a present thereof to the prince of darkenesse who was then sitting in a chaire of fire expecting the comming of this present Immediately after that it was presented before him he arose vp out of his seat and said vnto the damned soule that he would giue him the preheminence of that honourable seat because he had beene a man of honour ann was alwayes very much affected to the same Incontinently after that he was placed therein crying and lamenting in that honourable torment there appeared before him two other most ougly diuels and offered him a cup full of most bitter and stinking liquor and made him to drinke and carouse it vp all perforce saying It is meet sithence thou hast beene a louer of precious wines and bankets that thou shouldest likewise proue of this our wine whereof all we doe vse to drinke in these parts Immediately after this there came other two with two fiery trumpets and setting them at his eares began to blow into them flames of fire saying This melody haue we reserued for thee vnderstanding that in the world thou wast very much delighted with minstrelcie and wanton songs and sodainly he espied other diuels loaden with vipers and serpents the which they threw vpon the breast and bellies of that miserable sinner saying vnto him that forsomuch as he had beene greatly delighted with the wanton embracings and lecherous lusts of women he should now sollace himselfe with these refreshings instead of those licentious delights and pleasures which he had enioyed in the world After this sort as the Prophet Esay saith in the 47. chapter when the sinner is punished there is giuen measure for measure to the end that in such a great variety and proportion of punishments the order and wisedome of Gods iustice might the more manifestly appeare This vision hath almighty God shewed in spirit to this holy man for aduertisement and instruction not that in hel these things are altogether so materially done but that by them we might vnderstand in some manner the varietie and multitude of the paines which be there appointed for the damned Whereof I know not how some of the Pagans haue had a certaine knowledge for a Poet speaking of this multitude of paines affirmed That although he had a hundred mouthes and as many tongues with a voyce as strong as yron yet were they not able onely to expresse the names of them A Poet he was that spake this but truely therin he spake more like a Prophet or an Euangelist than a Poet. Now then if all this euill shall most assuredly come to passe what man is he that seeing all this so certainly with the eyes of his faith will not turne ouer the leafe and begin to prouide for himselfe against that time Where is the iudgement of mâ—n now become Where is their wits yea where is at least their selfe-loue which seeketh euermore for his owne profit and is much affraid of any losse May it be thought that men are become beasts that prouide onely for the time present Or haue they peraduenture so dimmed their eye-sight that they cannot looke before them Hearken saith Esay O yee deafe and ye blinde open your eyes that you may see Who is blinde but my seruant And who is deafe but yee vnto whom I haue sent my messengers And who is blind but he that suffereth himselfe to be sold for a slaue Thou that seest so many things wilt thou not suffer thy selfe to see this Thou that hast thine ears open wilt thou not giue eare hereunto If thou beleeue not this how art thou then a Christian If thou beleeue it and doest not prouide for it how canst thou be thought a reasonable man Aristotle saith That this is the difference betweene opinion and imagination that an imagination alone is not sufficient to cause a feare but an opinion is for if I doe imagine that a house may fall vpon mee it is not enough to make me afraid vnlesse I beleeue or haue an opinion it will be so indeede for then it is sufficient to make me afraid And hereof commeth the feare that murderers alwayes haue by reason of the suspition they conceiue that their enemies doe lye in wait for them If then the opinion and onely suspition of danger is able to cause the greatest courage to feare how is it that the certainty and beleefe of so many and so great terrible miseries which are farre more sure than any opinion doth not make thee to feare If thou perceiuest that for these many yeares past thou hast led a licentious and sinfull life and that at the last according to present iustice thou art condemned to these horrible torments in hell if also there appeare by probable coniecture that there is no more likelihood of thy amendment for ensuing years to come than there was in those already past how happeneth it