the Prophet he called vpoâ— God The more that the waters of thâ— flood did increase so much more was thâ— Arke of Noe lifted vp and the more thâ—â— the children of Israell were afflicted 〈◊〉 Egypt so much more did they increase 〈◊〉 multiplie So the waters of tribulation doâ— lifte vs vpward toward God and by theâ— is our merite increased and grace augâ—mented Take therefore a delight in tribulaâ—tions for it is a vearie readie way for theâ— vnto heauen The first thing that God wrought in the conuersion of S. Paule was to make hym blynd and throw hym downe to the grounde to geue vs thereby to vnderstand that the first begynnyng of 〈◊〉 true seruyng of God cometh by triâ—â—â—â—tion The corne and the chaffe reâ—â—ne both in the floore together Euen 〈◊〉 this worlde are good men and euill â—â—ed together in company But when â—â—ynde of tribulation bloweth vp the â—â—ked are blowen away and scattered â—â—ugh anger and impatience and the â—â—â—d are thereby vnited and ioyned toâ—â—er That which doth hurt vnto euill 〈◊〉 doth good vnto the iust By much beating at last the blacke â—he is turned to be whyte If good men â—â—gather anye spotte of sinne through to â—â—â—h fauor and prosperitie of the world â—â—â—n aduersity cometh it taketh it cleane â—â—â—y from them The chastisemente of 〈◊〉 in this lyfe is like vnto the correctiâ—â—â— of a pitifull father who euer iâ— his â—â—â—ishmente remembreth mercie withall 〈◊〉 the punishment of the nexte worlde is â—â—â—hout all participation of mercie acâ—â—â—ding to that which the Prophet sayde â—o God Thou shalt rule them with thy 〈◊〉 of yron and thou shalt breake them in â—â—ces like vnto the vessels of clay y Choose then rather to be afflicted and persecuted in this worlde seeinge thou mayest by so shorte a suffering gayne thy selfe thereby perpetuall rest in heauen OVR BEINGE OVER CAREFVâ—â— for matters of this vvorld beside it shevveth diffideÌ„ce in gods promâ—â—â— made vnto vs it letteth and hyndâ—â— vs froÌ„ our spirituall exercyses vviâ—â— vvee ought most to attend vnto CHAP. 33. BE not ye carefull for which yow shall eate drinke nor take yow thought for that wâ—â—â—â— yow shall were on 〈◊〉 backs sayth our redeeâ—â— Much vayne carefulnes aboute tempâ—â—â— thinges doth ouerchardge our spiritâ— winges by the which our soule 〈◊〉 flie vp to the contemplation of thiâ— eternall God made man such as he shold be 〈◊〉 to vnderstande and knowe his chiâ—â— good and finall felicitie that by the â—â—â—derstandinge thereof he might loue and by louing of it at the last enioye which he loued froÌ„ the enioying wâ—â—â— of wee be kept by the ouermuch 〈◊〉 and loue of these worldlie thinges If childreÌ„ of Israell had bene carefull aboâ—â— that which they shold haue eaten droâ—â— or worne when they shold haue 〈◊〉 â—â—o the desert they wold neuer haue gone â—â—t of Egipt nor neuer haue entred into â—â—e lande of promyse If thou wilt enter â—â—to the lande of promise thou must cut 〈◊〉 the superfluous cares of these transitoâ—â—e thinges And the greatest parte of those Heâ—â—ewes which were by gods mercie deliâ—â—red from the bondage of Egipt because â—â—ey were to carefull after they were 〈◊〉 men into the desert for their foode and â—â—e prouision for their bellie longing still â—â—ter flesh meate and their olde good fare 〈◊〉 Egipt they died in the wildernes and â—euer obteyned their desire in the entring â—â—to the riche frutefull lande which was â—romysed them Labor thou not for temporall thinges â—nd thou shalt wynne erernal thinges And â—oe not seeke too greedelie after these â—â—sible thinges lest that thou doe loose the â—â—inges inuisible Vnto certeyn men that had so much â—â—re of their owne matters that they forâ—â—t gods causes God hym selfe saide â—ecause ye haue attended with to much â—â—re to your owne howses and haue let â—â—y howse stand desert forsaken thereâ—ore shall not the heauens yeld you any â—ater nor the earth any fruyte It is but â—â—eete iust they should want all thinges â—hich forsake the maker of them for their â—wne worldlie busines God compareth the lyfe of the iust vnto the birdes of the ayre aswell for thâ— little rest they haue and the small suertâ—â— they finde in the earth As also becausâ— their ordinarie abiding is alofte in high places Hereof it is that Christ repreheâ—â—dinge the carefull lyfe of worldlie foâ—â—â— reproueth them by the example of thâ— birde sayinge Beholde the birdes of thâ— ayer they neyther sowe nor reape noâ— gather into their barne and yet our Lordâ— feedeth them A fowle shame it were 〈◊〉 thee to consume thy selfe with the care 〈◊〉 trauayling after this fowle earthly mucâ—â— when thou mayest with the same care gâ—â— the sweete flowers of Paradis VVhâ—â— wronge doest thou vnto thy selfe to weaâ—â— out to tier thy selfe in seeking after thiâ— world when thou mightest with as little trauayle finde out heauen it selfe Euen foâ— the verie honour of thine heaueÌ„lie father thou owghtest not so to doe For this ouâ—â— greate diligence and carefulnes of thâ— sonne doth as it were priuilie repreheâ—â— the necgligeÌ„ce carelesnes of the father aboute the prouision of thinges necessariâ— for his child For wheÌ„ the child doth taâ—â— so much care yt argueth little care in thâ— father Thou canst not therefore without soâ—â— reproofe to thy heauenlie father set thy care thy mynd altogether about theâ—â— temporall thinges as thoughe he had 〈◊〉 care at all to prouyde necessaries for hiâ— children The birdes of the ayre tarrie nâ— â—â—nger vpon the earth theÌ„ their necessitie â—â—forceth them the most of their lyfe they â—â—e spend ordinarelie in the ayre aboue â—nd yf thou wilt escape the daungers of â—is lyfe thou must flie from the earth as â—â—rre as thou canst Thou must seeke by â—â—templation to get vp to heauen yf thou â—ilt keepe thee safe from taking harme on â—â—e earth VVhen God created the birdes and â—â—e fishes he gaue vnto them his benediâ—â—ion but vnto the brute beastes of the â—â—rth he gaue not his blessing at all and he â—â—at will get that blessing which god doth â—â—ue vnto good men must doe his best to â—â—e from all those daungers whiche he â—â—ethe others to perish in For vnto those â—hich lyue disordynatlie on the earth deâ—â—ghting in all earthlie pleasures like vnto â—â—ute beastes God will not gyue his blesâ—â—â—g at all but rather his maledictioÌ„ sayâ—â—ge Goe ye cursed of my father into â—â—erlasting fier which is prepared for â—â—e diuell and his aungells Seeke to lyue like a birde on highe prayer and contemplation putting all â—â—y care vpon God according to the sayâ—â—g of the Apostle saint Peter Put all your â—â—â—e vpon God for he it is that taketh care 〈◊〉 yow all So sayde the prophet I am poâ—â—e and needie but our lord hath care of 〈◊〉 And yf our lord haue care of thee â—ake 〈◊〉 thou too much thought carefulnes for these temporall
lyfe He wept vpon the Citie of Hierusalem and vpon the crosse And to be shorte all his whole lyfe was but a longe mournyng and a contynualle penitence Our Lord sayth that vnlesse you be as little children you shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Ye knowe that children haue no other weapon to defend theÌ„selues with all but teares And with those must thou likwyse defend thy selfe from the deuill Pharao was drowned in the water of the sea and the deuill is destroyed in the water of teares It is a madnes to take pleasure in this lyfe when thou must lyue in the middest of so many greate daungers The wyse man sayeth I haue taken ioy for my sorow and vnto pleasure haue I saied why doeâ—â— thou so vaynely deceaue me Moyses had rather suffer affliction with the people of God then to be made partaker of the earthly pleasures of the Egiptians and therefore denied he himselfe to be the sonne of Pharaos daughter The teares of the iuste shall be turned into ioy sayeth the prophete And according to the multitude of my sorowes shall thy coÌ„solatioÌ„s coÌ„fort my soule It is better to be troubled with the iuste then to eate the breade of gladnes vppon the table of sinners It is better to weepe in wildernes than to laugh in the pallace of princes Despise thou this soone passing pleasure that thou mayest after receaue the vnspeakeable pleasures in glorie perpetuall GREAT VANITIE IT IS FOR A maÌ„ to gyue hym selfe vnto the pleasures delightes of this vvorld the vvhich doe runne so fast avvay and vvhiche doe cause hym at last to loose the eternall ioyes of heauen CHAP. 24. VVHAT pleasure can I haue to sit here in the darkenes sayed Tobias to the Angell It is vanitie liuing here in the darkenes of this miserable world to seeke after theâ—e vayne pleasures fond delightes of the world VVee wander in such darkenes here that â—vee can not know those that wee daylie keepe company with all yea of them that wee haue coÌ„tinually before our eyes wee can not tell which be good nor which be bad the darkenes is so great that many tymes a man can not see hym selfe The wyseman sayth That a man knoweth not whether he be worthie of loue or of hatred That man that trauayleth by the way and knoweth not whether he be out of his way or no can take no greate comforte of his iourney It is vanitie to take pleasure in the way of this peregrination not knowing whether it be acceptable to God or no And greate vanitie is it for a man to take pleasure in that state in the whiche he knoweth not whether he shal be condemned to hell And because this may happen in this lyfe at any tyme thou must allwayes lyue in doubte in feare VVhen thou trauaylest by nighte and art doubtefull of thy way it were greate marueyle to see thee ioconde and merie He that seeth his neighbors howse on a fyer will haue little lust to be merie And verie vanitie is it for the to spend thy tyme in pleasure that is geuen thee to doe pennance in especiallie seeing thy frendes thy neighbours daylie dying before thy face Of death thou art full sure but of the state whâ—â—ein thou shalt dye that knowest thou little of theÌ„ is it an extreeme vanitie for thee to forget the feare of God to gyue thi selfe to laughiÌ„g making merie That father doth much more sorow then he doeth reioyce that burieth his childe the same day that he is borne The pleasure of this world in which thou so much reioycest doth passe away in post slydeth away more swifte then the wynde The wyseman sayth that the foole taketh pleasure at his owne follie And follie it is to make accompte of that pleasure which tarieth no longer with vs. It is a vayne thing to gyue thine harte a tast of that pleasure which thou no sooner tastest of but it is gone agayne The Prophet Esay sayth they gaue greate sighes and did bitterlie bewayle that reioyced with their hartes before for their ioye ceased euen sodenlie It is a vaine pleasure that the birdes doe take when they tast of the corne and are straight taken in the grynne and like vnto that is the pleasure of the fishes which delighte in the bayte vpoÌ„ the hook whiche they no sooner take into their mouthes but death apprehendeth them Thou art as vaine and simple as these vnreasonable creatures if thou doest reioyce amiddest all those vayne prosperities of the worlde hauinge death so neare vnto thee and readie to take thee Remember that the tyme is short and let them that take pleasure be as thoughe they tooke it not God broughâ— the iust man by the right waye The waye is right when the myddest doth answere and is conformable to the begynninge and the ending The man that is strayed out of his waye goeth seeking aboute to see yf he can fynde it agayne to the ende he may get to the place that he intended his iourney to in the begynning The scripture in many places doth liken vs vnto wayfaring folke and wanderers by the way VVee begynne to enter into our pilgrimage when wee be first borne and it neuer endeth agayne vntill death doe end it You may aske of SalomoÌ„ what our begynninge and our ending is The first voyce sayeth Salomon that I vttered comming out of my mothers bely was crying and lamenting nether had euer king of this world any other beginning and like vnto this shall be also thy later ending Thou wast borne in weeping and thou shalte dye lamenting and wilte thou yet lyue laughing This is not the right way by the which the iust must walke Goe thou the strayght way be none of those that walke aboute quyte out of the way which is as Dauid sayeth the right course of the wicked Let the middest be agreeable to the beginning and the ending thou begannest in weeping and after the same sorte maiest thou well beleeue that thou shalte make thyne ending also Takâ— thou no great paynes to be rich seeing that Iob sayeth Naked I came out of my mothers wombe and naked must I retorne to my mother the earth agayne Neuer care thou to make proude pallaces since a poore litle cradle did holde thee when thou camest firste into the worlde and when thou dyest a small pit in the earth must receaue thee agayne Neuer seeke to be greate in this world since thou wast so little wheÌ„ thou camest first into it and at thy death when thou departest from it againe thou shalt be as lowe as thou wast before litle Thou wast both litle poore when thou camest into the world and not greate and riche Thou camest not first into the worlde â—â—ke a coÌ„querour or a reuenger of quarâ—els with thy sworde in thy hande neither â—ust thou be such a one when thou entrest â—â—to thy
as reste is vnto motion for theâ—â— is our rest quyet and perfecte when theâ—â— is not any thinge more to be moued Aâ—â— euen so shall our ioy be full and perfecâ—â— when there is not any thinge more for 〈◊〉 to desiâ—â— or wish for And because that in the things of thâ—â— lyfe our desire neuer findeth perfect reâ—â— hereof it groweth that in the creatures 〈◊〉 this worlde it neuer findeth perfect ioyâ— Therefore doe thou loue God alone whâ—â— filleth thy soule with good desires and 〈◊〉 the onely cause of thy perfect ioy The prophete Dauid sayeth That 〈◊〉 only filleth our desires with good thingâ— Anna the mother of the prophet Saâ—muell sayde my hart reioysed in ouâ— Lord and in my God was all my gladneâ—â— So doe thou reioyce onlie in God becausâ— the ioye of this worlde is false and vainâ— the which shortelie passeth awaye vaniâ—sheth â—OVV GREAT SO EVER ANY mans honours in this vvorld be yet they all vanysh avvay at the last and true honour doth only rest in the seruantes of God both here in this vvorld and in the vvorld to come CHAP. 26. THY frendes are verye honorable O Lord and their gouernement full of comfort Thus sayeth the prophete dauid If thou be the frende of honor thâ—â— arte 〈◊〉 enemy of God for he onely hath true â—â—nor that is in the fauour of god It is vaâ—â—ie to seeke the honor of this presente â—â—rlde for with payne it is gotten and â—â—th charge maynteyned and quickely it â—â—gone agayne Onely true honor belonâ—â—th to the seruantes of God All those â—â—om the worlde doth honor and extoll â—â—re not the frendes of God That honor which the sainctes of God 〈◊〉 both here on the earth and also in â—â—auen was not gotten by the seeking of 〈◊〉 but by the flying away from it VVilte â—â—ou be honorable Then must thou humâ—â—e thy selfe and be brought lowe VVilte â—ou that all men shall knowe thee Labour thou then to be knowen of no body 〈◊〉 lyke a shadow that flyeth from him whiâ—â— foloweth it and it is gotten by throwiâ—â— thy selfe downe to the grounde and alâ—â— sing thy selfe If thou shalte once knowâ— thy selfe but for earth and ashes as thâ—â— arte thou wilte not couet after the vayâ—â— honors which these blind worldly folâ—â—â— doe seeke so much for VVhen thou wiâ—â— haue none of them then shall they be gâ—â—uen thee VVhen thou fliest from theâ—â— then will they come vnto thee and 〈◊〉 humbling of thy selfe thou shalt get theâ— But yf thow wilt desire the honoâ—â— perpetual thou must despise this tempâ—â—rall honour doe but cast thyne eyes vpâ—â— the end that all these temporall vanitâ—â— doe câ—me vnto thou wilt easelie despiâ—â— the vayne honours of this world Thâ—â— be certayne countrie pastimes vsed 〈◊〉 which amongest other their is vsed tâ—â— carying aboute of a certeyn paper Imaâ—â— sett vp a lofte vpon a pole which all 〈◊〉 people folowe froÌ„ place to place to maâ—â— sporte at which he that carieth setteâ—â— furth with all the brauerie gay garmenâ—â— and Iewels that he can get or borowe 〈◊〉 when the play is ended and all that borâ—â—â—wed ware retorned backe to the ownâ—â— agayne then their remaynes nothing 〈◊〉 the bare naked Image as little esteemeâ— theÌ„ as it was folowed coÌ„mended befoâ—â— And euen so falleth it out by thee whâ—â— thou arte alofte in the world decked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the honours dignities thereof be 〈◊〉 neuer so vyle a sinner thou shalt not â—t commendacions and vayne prayses â—he people but when thy playing tyme â—nded all that thou haddest borowed â—ore of the worlde restored agayne as â—e will they set then by thee as they 〈◊〉 set by the paper puppet before that 〈◊〉 so much esteemed and folowed Thou must remember that all thy â—â—ddes honours and dignities be all but 〈◊〉 vnto thee here for a tyme and allâ—â—ughe thou doest possesse them for a â—â—e yet mayest thou well see that they be â—ne of thyne since when thy lyfe forâ—â—keth thee thou canst not carrie them â—â—aye from hence with thee since other â—â—lkes must then adorne them selfe with â—â—at which thou diddest so much magnifie â—â—y selfe with all before VVhen the iourney of thy lyfe is ended 〈◊〉 an end is also all thyne honour and â—orldlie reputation and in the earth must â—â—ou lye all poore and naked while others â—ake merie with that which thou so much â—steemedst The greate estates and kinges of the â—arth that sat sometyme full high in their â—â—rones and seates of Maiestie all clad in â—urple and rich array vnto whom folke â—owed their knees made lowe curtisies â—s vnto some earthly God The same folke â—fter when all the honor was gone and â—hey layed lowe in their graues weÌ„t walking ouer their heades shewâ— small reuerence to those whome they 〈◊〉 greatlie magnified before This is 〈◊〉 worldlie guyse to daye in honour to 〈◊〉 row in dishonour To day euery man spâ—â—â—keth honorablie of thee And to moâ—â— not one that will remember thee Aâ—â— passeth the wynde of this vanitie the feâ—â— lasteth not longe and at last in short spaâ—â— cometh all the honour to nought O I wold to God that vnto the eaâ—â—nest louers and folowers of this worldâ—â— false honours and vanities there were 〈◊〉 worse to falle vnto them TheÌ„ after thâ—â— they should be once depriued of them 〈◊〉 death and cleane forgotten of wordâ—â— people there mighte no more harme coâ—â— vnto them But this is loo a miserabâ—â— thing and vearie fearefull to thinke 〈◊〉 that after these short daies be ended 〈◊〉 which they haue serued the worlde thâ—â— which contynued in their vyces and euiâ—â— lyfe vnto the end shall burne in hell 〈◊〉 after for euer This end haue the vanitieâ— which thou seekest after and in this doâ—â— the honours end that thou so much deâ—lightest in The true seruante of Iesus Christ doth not desire this temporall honour which he acknowledgeth for vaine and transiâ—torie The seruante of Christ setteth morâ— by the honour of his Maister then he doeth by his owne honour and coÌ„moditie Happie is he which in all that he doeth â—â—â—ireth nothing but the honour of God 〈◊〉 Happie is he which imbraceth humiâ—â—â—â—e foloweth his maister Christ thereâ—â—â—nd dispiseth all the vayne honour of 〈◊〉 world from the bottome of his harte â—he end that he may reigne with Christ 〈◊〉 euer Care not for the false honour of this â—â—rld that thou mayest get the true hoâ—â—ur of heauen leaue not the truth for 〈◊〉 shadowe The Apostle sayth be not ye in your â—â—ce vnderstandinge like vnto childreÌ„ â—â—ildreÌ„ doe more delight in horses made â—reedes and puppetts made of clowtes â—â—en in true horses verie men and woâ—en in deede Thou must not be a childe â—â—d set more by a shadow of truth then 〈◊〉 the trewth it selfe The riches and honours of this worlde 〈◊〉 but shadowes of the true riches and â—â—nours that be in heauen And since thou art a man of
prouidence of God â—â—th so ordeyned that we shold sometime 〈◊〉 bitteÌ„ by sclaunderous detractors to the â—â—d that when the tongue of the flatterer â—â—th made vs ouermuch to rise vp in the â—â—king of our selues the tongue of the â—â—ckebiter and murmurer might as much â—â—ayne depresse vs and humble vs. Reprehensions and mislykinges of men â—â—e bringe vs to the knowledge of our â—â—lfe The fauor of the people entringe â—â—nce into our soule taketh away from vs â—â—e light of reason whereby we mighte â—â—owe our selues He that is ouermuch fauoured is knowâ—â— of all other men but yet he knoweth â—ot him selfe but he that is disfauoured â—nd lyueth in disgrace knoweth him selfe â—nd is not knowen of other men It is â—uch better that a man knowe well himâ—â—lfe then to be knowen of all other men â—nd not knowen to him selfe and more â—arme doth a man take by fauour then by â—isfauour and more hurtefull is loue then â—ate vnto him Hate is one kinde of perâ—ecution to a man and persecutions be â—rofitable because they doe humble a maÌ„ â—nd make him to knowe him selfe but â—oue doth make a man blinde and taketh from him the knowledge of him self◠〈◊〉 for that cause is it better to be persecuâ—â— then fauored In persecution thou shalâ— finde God and in fauors thou shalt loâ—â— him and doe not thinke that because thâ—â— arte fauored and doest lyue in the prospâ—â—ritie of this world that thou art therefoâ—â— any thing the better beloued of God Remember what the Ghospell sayeâ—â— Forget not that in thy lyfe thou recâ—â—â—uedst thy ioy and Lazarus his woe 〈◊〉 now must Lazarus be comforted and thâ—â— tormented If in this lyfe thou hast faâ—â— and honor thy saluation is thereby thâ— more in hasard and it is a token that thâ—â— arte not appoynted to be an heyre of thâ— ioyes of heauen The lawes doe not allâ—â— that a bastard sonne sholde enter as heyâ—â— into 〈◊〉 fathers possessions Abraham gaue gifts vnto Ismael and 〈◊〉 the rest of his children the inheritancâ— of his patrimonie remayninge whole 〈◊〉 Isaacke his true heyre and successor 〈◊〉 those which doe degenerate from Gâ—â— their true Father by vicious and lewâ—â— liuing he bestoweth onely vpon them 〈◊〉 gyftes of this worlde which be honor anâ— riches They which most of all doe enioy thâ—â— world with the offending of God and thâ— are set alofte therein by hauing of maâ— honors and dignities are after excludâ—â— from the inheritance of glory which 〈◊〉 reserued for the good who despising 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—ors of this worlde doe hope as lawfull â—â—res to be admitted to the inheritance heauen And the worldly folke must â—â—tente them selues with their worldly â—â—tes without further hopinge for any â—â—â—er prefermente in the inheritance of â—â—â—uen Doe not thou marueyle if the â—â—â—ked doe florish in this worlde for our â—â—ristian Religion doth promise here no â—â—â—or but contempte and dispising The â—â—â—ked men haue nothing in heauen neiâ—â—â—r haue the good men any thing in this â—â—rld Esteeme not thou the fauor thereâ—â— but as the good seruant of Iesus Christ â—â—â—ecte with patience that glorious day which thou mayest enioy the euerlasâ—â—â—g treasure of heauen â—HE BEST AND THE REAdiest vvay for the vvynninge of Paradise is to suffer persecutioÌ„s and tribulations in this vvorld for that purpose be they sent vs by God that vvee may be purged by them as golde is purged by the fier CHAP. 31. THROVGH manye tribulations must we enter into the kingdome of God sayth the scripture Suffer with patience triâ—â—â—ations and afflictions for our Lorde sayeth I am with thee in thy tribulatiâ—â— Tribulation is the faythfull messâ—â—â—ger of God which carieth health and â—â—â—â—uation with it And as he that doth iâ—â—â—rie vnto an embassator of a king or a 〈◊〉 man doth also iniurie to him that seâ—â— him So doth he offeÌ„de God that is grâ—â—ued at his tribulations And God will pâ—â—nish them as Dauid punished Amon 〈◊〉 dishonoring the messengers that he seâ—â— vnto him Tribulation is to man as the fyle is 〈◊〉 iron the fanne to the corne and as 〈◊〉 fier is vnto golde Deale mercifully wiâ—â— Sion O Lorde that the walles of Hieâ—â—â—salem may be builded vp sayeth the prâ—â—phete vnto God S. Peter calleth vs the stones of 〈◊〉 And thou canst not serue for a stone 〈◊〉 that glorious building in heauen aboâ—â— excepte thou be firste well squared heâ—â— and made iust to lye in the foundation 〈◊〉 the workeman who vseth these tribulâ—â—tions as hammers and edge tooles to briâ—â— thee to a right leuell and a perfect squâ—â—â— and the persecutors be they which 〈◊〉 make the wall and are appoynted of Gâ—â— to be the masters of that worke He theâ—â—â—fore that will not be persecuted will 〈◊〉 dwell in the heauenly Hierusalem in 〈◊〉 glory euerlasting King Dauid was a better king then â—â—â—lomon his sonne was for the father 〈◊〉 know to be saued but of the sonne 〈◊〉 opinion remayneth doubtefull and yet â—â—â—ids life was al full of affliction teares 〈◊〉 tribulations but Salomons was all â—â—â—trary who lyued alwayes in peace and â—â—â—speritie Tribulation put Dauids lyfe â—â—ssurance and prosperity put Salomons â—â—â—ation in doubte Tribulation lighteneth the vnderâ—â—â—â—ding Ioseph was not knowen to his â—â—thers when he honored theÌ„ and made â—â—em good cheare but when he wept and â—â—â—ented vpon them then was he by and made knowen vnto them And thereâ—â—re doth God gyue to thee tribulation â—â—cause thou sholdest knowe hym synce â—â—en he maketh much of thee thou wilt â—â—t know hym at all And because thou â—â—â—epest so soundelie and forgettest God 〈◊〉 taketh from thee the pleasure and deâ—â—ght wherein thou layest so much at thyne â—â—se before and sendeth thee some trouâ—â—es to make thee starte out of thy sleepe â—ithall to the end that thou mayest the â—etter remember thy selfe acknowlege â—ym So did Dauid deale with Saul when â—e tooke from hym his speare and his â—essell of water so made hym to awake â—nd afterward he acknowleged his faulte Be not thou ouermuch greeued wheÌ„ God â—aketh thy worldlie comfortes from thee â—or he doth it but for thy greater benefite Thou shalt recouer by tribulations â—hy sight agayne as Tobias did by the galle of the fish VVhen the wilde bull is coursed with in the listes if happelie 〈◊〉 one doe walke by without any care hym selfe yet yf he see the bull coâ—â— running toward hym he will straight by hym out of his waye although that thought hym selfe neuer so safe and 〈◊〉 before So doth God send thee tribulatiâ—â— in this lyfe to the intent that thou mayâ—â— haue good regard vnto thy selfe mayâ—â— put thy selfe in safetie by turnynge 〈◊〉 selfe vnto hym and takinge hym for tâ—â— safegarde The psalme sayth thou diddâ—â—â— multiplie their miseries and infirmities after they made hast vnto thee Iâ— as fauours and felicities doe make thâ— goe away from God so doe tribulatioâ— make thee draw neare vnto hym In tribuâ—lation sayth
at all in it neuer yet make thou any accompte of his wordes for although it be true that there is no sinne to lyue in highe degree and statelie honour yet doe they lyue in greate daunger of fallinge into the fowle sinne of pryde which doe lyue in the prosperitie and ioliâ—ie of the world The world seemeth goodly and fayre to the eye being in deede fowle filthie like an image made of a peece of wood which is set out well and fayre paynted to the sighte and within is there nothing but a peece of olde rotten timber The fisher vseth to couer his hookes with bayte to catch and kill his fish withall All this worldly flattering is but to doe thee harme with all And vnder the greene grasse doth the serpent lurke and hyde her selfe The woman mentioned in the Apocalips gaue poyson to drinke in a cuppe of gold O how many hath the world slayne with the poyson of his deceytes And how many doe drinke their owne death out of the cuppe of honours riches and vanitie with this golden cuppe he deceyueth the simple which know not the poyson that is conteyned therein flye from his deceytes if thou wilte escape death THE FALSE PROMYSES OF the vvorld are not to be trusted vnto for it giueth the cleane contrarie of that vvhich in shevv it pretendeth CHAP. 4. MANY haue bene cast away through vniust promyses sayeth Ecclesiasticus Let euerie man be well examyned and let them declare the truth of their owne knowledge and they will say that in all their lyfe they neuer sawe ioye without some sorowe Peace without discord Rest without feare Health whithout infirmitie nor myrth without mournynge The world maketh still his promyses of all good and prosperous thinges but in perfourmance they proue all contrarie It promyseth ioye but it cometh accompanyed with sorowe It promyseth to abyde still with thee but when thou hast most neede of his helpe it wil be furthest from thee It promyseth quyetnes and it gyueth perturbations and troubles It promyseth mirth and perfourmeth mournynge And when it promyseth honour it bringeth shame Finallie it promyseth loÌ„ge lyfe when their foloweth a shorte lyfe a miserable and subiect to much euill That lyfe which it promyseth rather seemeth a lyfe then is in deede a trew lyfe To some it maketh a shewe of a longe lyfe for to deceyue them in the end It shortneth againe the liues of some others to the ende that thoughe they wold conuert them to God yet shall they haue no tyme therunto To others it promyseth leÌ„gth of life because they shold doe what they listed be made worse thereby And vnto other it sendeth a shorte lyfe that they shold haue no tyme to doe good All these doth it deceyue depryuing them of the knowledge which they ought to haue of God of the world and of them selues Iacob serued Laban seuen yeares to haue his daughter Rachell to his wyfe but his deceytfull father in law in the darke night gaue hym Lia to wyfe So playeth the world with thee It promiseth thee one thing and intendeth an other These worldlie men doe neuer take knowledge of these things vntill the mornynge come and that the darkenes of this present lyfe be passed away and gone that is vntill death doe come which doth opeÌ„ the eyes of our vnderstanding and maketh vs to behold the falsehood of the worlde as Iacob in the mornynge perceyued the guyle of his false father in lawe Then shall they perceyue the bitter ende that the honors and pleasures of this worlde doe bring with them and then shall they see how much tyme they haue lost in the seruice of this false lyeng world Many althowgh they see well enough the falsehood of the world yet are they contented to be deceyued thereby As BaalaÌ„ did who fell downe at noone dayes wheÌ„ his eyes were open The three freÌ„des of Iob drew neare vnto hym like frendes to gyue hym comfort at the first but afterwarde they iniuried hym gaue hym many fowle wordes of reproche So doth the world draw neare vnto thee at the first with fayre wordes like a frend but afterward thou shalt well perceyue hym to be an hard aduersarie against thee It cometh flatteringe with pleasant speaches vnto thee to offer thee frendship but shortlie after yâ— becometh thy cruell enemy Let not his sweete wordes enter within thyne eares for thou shalt shortlie after finde a fowle chaunge yet are there many for all that which doe gyue it credit and holde all that for true that it telleth them and by beleeuing his false promises they deferre their pennance perswading them selues that they shall lyue many yeares and then cometh he sodenly and taketh their lyfe away from them They lyue so carelesly and vpon such truste of those false promises as though they were very sure that the worlde tolde them nothing but truth But thou must not beleeue his wordes nor what so euer it shall tell thee for thou shalte finde in the ende that all his promises are false THE MEMORY OF THEM that haue despised the vvorlde continueth but of those that haue bene louers of the vvorld the remembrance is soone gone avvaye CHAP. 5. THE memorie of these wicked worldly folke perisheth lyke the sounde of a voyce in the ayer sayeth the prophete Make not any accompt of this world who soone forgetteth his frendes and of his enemies keepeth a perpetuall memorye If thou wilte that the world shall haue thee still in remembrance thou must despise it and so it will remember thee And who be they thinke you that the world remembreth most Good S. Hierome and others lyke vnto him that fled from all the pleasures of this worlde and lyued alone in desertes Of these who were enemies vnto it and set nothing at all by it the worlde hath yet as freshe a memory as if they were liuing still That is most true which the holy prophet telleth The iust man shall be had in memory for euer The worlde hath yet in good memory S. Paule the heremite that was faste shut vp in a caue ninetie yeares together VVhom hath Rome cheefely in remembrance at this day Not the famous princes and greate men which florished so much there but the poore fisher S. Peter whom the worlde despised and made no reckening of The kinges and emperors of the worlde doe adore and haue in reuerence those most of all that fled from and forsoke those great honors and riches which them selues do lyue in They be more honored of the world which doe hate it then they which doe esteeme it They which hate the world those doth God loue and they that forsake the worlde God receyueth and he honoreth those that despise it here in the worlde doth he make also an euerlasting memory of them It is a notable thing that the seruante of God liuing in a caue farre from the company of men sholde haue his glory manifested
throughout all the worlde by God his owne holy appoyntment There had neuer such memory bene made in the world of S. Marie the EgyptiaÌ„ yf shee had remayned still in the world and neuer had gone into the wildernes at all If shee had serued the world shee had bene forgotten longe agoe but flyeng from the world God had care of her to make her glory knowen and published ouer all the worlde the honour of her who liued allwayes hidden in a hole She gayned more by flyeng froÌ„ it theÌ„ euer she could haue done by being her selfe present in it O how much are wee deceyued who by our seekinge of honour doe loose it by desyring to haue our name kept in perpetuall memorie wee are quickelie forgotten And hauing a will to be greate we are brought to be lowe and of little accoÌ„pte And the thinges which wee doe take to preserue vs be made the meanes to vndoe vs and to ouerthrowe vs And euer wee loose where wee doe thinke to gayn O what follie is this of ours and what terrible blindenes to desire still such greatnes in this world seeing before our eyes those onlie to be great in the world which desired to be little and of no accompte VVee wold that men shold remember vs and wee are straighte wayes forgotten there is none so much honored in deede as he that flieth from honour No man is more riche then he that is contented with a little No man so greate as he that seeketh to be little And none so soone forgotten as he that desireth to be had in remembrance of the worlde And all those of whome the world maketh so much feast and so much ioyfull memorie I see finde that they were all enemyes vnto the world Mathathias sayed vnto his sonnes gyue your liues for the testament of your fathers remember the workes that they wrought in their generations and you shall get great glorie and a name for euer The prouidence of God hath so ordeyned that there shold be a perpetuall memorie made of the enemyes of the world and that the frendes thereof shold be forgotten The Ghospell in rehearsing of the genealogie of Christ leaueth out the memorie of Iesabell vnto the fourth generation Allthoughe it had fitlie serued the turne to haue brought it in The memorie of Amaleck God cleane tooke away froÌ„ the earth but the memorie of the iuste shall remayne with our Lord for euer And the memoâ—â—e of worldly men shall perish with the world It is a fowle vanitie to offend God for the leauinge of a memorie behynde thee in this miserable world If thou doest desire a memorie to be had of thee thou shalt be sure to loose it And because the world is so forgetfull of his frends put all thy trust in God who is a most faythfull and â—uer frend THE VVORLD EXALTETH his frendes vvhyle they doe lyue but vvhen their lyfe is ended tyme taketh avvay all the memorie of them as though there had bene none such CHAP. 6. IOB sayth of worldlie folke that the memorie of them shold be likened vnto ashes The wynde neuer ceaseth to blow in this lyfe which doth scatter the ashes that is the fame and the memorie that worldlie men doe seeke in this worlde The Prophet sayth They are like vnto duste which the wynde bloweth vp from the earth The vanitie of men is great who knowing that they shal be conuerted into ashes which the wynde of this world doth soone blow away doe yet thinke that their memorie may continue longe in the world And although it were so that the memory of thee shold neuer perish here what wert thou the better yf thou sholdest remayne coÌ„tinually in hell wold that delyuer the theÌ„ce or deminish thy payne there It is a greate vanitie for thee to desire to be had in memorie of the worlde if thou haste a spotted conscience and a very vayne desire it is of any man to flye abrode in the mouthes of men How much so euer thou art desirous to be praysed of men and to haue thy memory preserued yet must not thou looke to be better remembred then those that are passed out of this world before thee The world is contented for the tyme present here to gyue some shew and signification of his fauour but as soone as one is gone hence he is forgotten as though he had neuer bene The memorie of the iust man shal be with prayse sayth the wyse man but the wicked mans memorie shall soone perish And of the good men shall there be a sweete mention made according as Ecclesiasticus sayed of kinge Iosias The memorie of Iosias shal be sweete in euerie manâ— mouth The memorie of all worldly folke cometh soone to an ende and vanisheth away VVhat is now become of all the honors riches and possessions of worldly men where is all the bewtie of this world the men be gone and all that longed to them and time hath cleane consumed the memorie of them all their goodly great pallaces are made euen with the grounde their costly toumbes wherein their bodies lay be all defaced and no monument lefte behinde so much as of the place where they were Our lyfe passeth away lyke a flower and the delightes thereof be shorte and that which the worlde yeldeth vs here is dearely payed for agayne the pleasures thereof be but for a shorte tyme but the sorowes be perpetuall The glorie and delight of this world is but a pufte but the tormentes that folowe thereof be without end many doe neuer thinke of them vntill they falle vpon their backes and with a vearie little pleasure they buy a greate deale of payne and trauayle And for the mainteyninge of a little honour here what infinite tormentes are susteyned which for all that whithin a little while after vanisheth away like a smoke and they are forgotten as though that they had neuer bene To this point cometh at the last all that peuish prayse which is so greedelie sought for by men in this world How many notable learned men hath there bene in this world whose learnynge was folowed with greate affection of men and were therefore called into greate dignitie and honour here of whome yet at this day there is no memorie lefte no not so much as their names knowen Their lyfe was but short with death it had end and straight wayes they were forgotten for euer VVhat is become of so many Princes kinges and greate estates and all their greate port and Princelie Maiestie their frendship riches and Iolitie VVhat is become of all this geare now There is now no memorie lefte thereof It is passed like a shadow and as though it had neuer bene How many haue wee knowen and bene famylier withall and in whose companie wee haue bene full merie together that now doe lye full lowe vnder our feete and are almost forgotten as thoughe they had neuer bene They are all deade they shall
agayne Saul slept careleslie and put hym selfe into verie greate danger hauyng his enemy readie at hand to kill hym In so much that Abisai woâ—d haue thrust hym through with his speare yf Dauid had not staied hym And all this was because he put his trust in his greate force of men and weapoÌ„ that he had aboute hym Many putting trust in their corage and their youth haue stayed from doing of pennance and slept without taking any care for their soules But they sleepe vnder the shadow of this miserable lyfe being allwayes at the poynt of loosing it Thou art more to be blamed theÌ„ euer was Isboseth that hauing thyne enemies still aboute thee being coÌ„passed aboute with so many daungers thou doest sleepe in a carelesse dreame trusting allwayes in thy vayne desires But death shall comme vpon thee and awake thee and then shalt thou knowe that thou wert all that while but vnder a shadowe and that at last thou shalt fynde thy selfe to be sett downe at the hott fire of hell where worldlie men shal be burned and tormented for euer Oh how much shalt thou fynde thy selfe then at that paynefull tyme of thy passage to haue bene mocked and deceyued when thou shalt see before thy face all those vayne pleasures and worldlie delightes in which thou diddest put so much affiance while thou liuedst here cleane vanished away and turned into a smoke Sleepe not vnder the shadow of these worldly vanities least when death cometh to awake thee thou be founde compassed about with miserable troubles and paynefull tormentes HE THAT SERVETH THE vvorld not onelie hath no revvard of it but also is kept by it in contynuall broyles troubles and at last brought to a miserable ende CHAP. 10. YE shall serue straunge gods which shall gyue ye no rest neyther day nor nighte sayeth God vnto worldlie folke They which doe loue the world doe serue their owne passions and doe continually suffer intollerable torment by them The fayned flatterie of Dalida drewe Samson to his death whom the Philistines did firste make blynde and after set him to grynde in a mill wheele Euen so thou that arte a seruante of this worlde and seekest by all meanes to please thyne inordinate appetites and to get the riches and honors thereof thou shalte finde at the laste that thou haste but gone rounde aboute in the wheele as Samson did The prophete sayeth that the wicked goe alwayes compassing about for sinners doe neuer goe the directe way by which the iust doe walke As the wyse man sayeth VVorldly men going still aboute their worldly busines with much trauayle are much lyke vnto a doore going aboute vpon hinges which doe neuer moue out of their place but doe stay them selues vpon sinne as vpon their sure platforme and foundation they goe to and fro and labor vp and downe but from their sinne they will not departe they be so cawght vp with their owne passions they goe aboute still folowing their owne vanities and seeking after their pleasures lyke men that had but little brayne in their heades still trauayling without any profitte or commoditie VVe trauayle through many harde and sharpe passages and we are euen tyred in the way of wickednes sayeth Salomon speaking in the person of worldly folke If thou doest serue the world thou mayest labor and toyle thy selfe to death but of all thy paynes and thy trauayles thou shalt be sure to get no more in the ende then Samson did for all his paynes taken for the Philstines no more doe thou looke for any reward for all thy paynes taken in the seruice of the worlde Iacob serued Laban many yeres with greate trayuayle and payne and yet ten tymes did he deceyue him by chaunging of the rewarde which he had promysed hym And many doe serue the world with like trauayle that Iacob serued Laban moued with desire to increase their wealth and their honour but the worlde playeth Laban with them It chaungeth their reward denying that which it agreed with them for The burthen of their trauaylles be heauie and their paynes be vearie vnprofitable The deceites of Laban be not comparable with those which the worlde doth proffer to his seruantes The world can not coÌ„plaine that wee doe not our true seruice to it but wee may well coÌ„playne that wee haue not our iust rewarde for our paynes of it agayne And allthowghe that worldlie men doe suffer much in this miserable seruitude yet how many be there that will suffer any paine most willingly how sharpe so euer it were for the world which will not suffer a little trouble for Iesus Christes sake to gayne thereby eternall glorie for euer wee will in no wyse chaunge these present thinges for thinges to come The Iewes were many of them at that passe that they had rather haue lyued vnder the tyranny of Pharao still in Egypte then by a little trauayle of their passage thence gayne vnto them selues the fruitfull land of promyse Those which were inuited to the mariage feast in the Ghospell thought it better for them to trauayle aboute their busines with payne then to be partakers in peace of the solemne feast of the eternall kinge If the kinge of heauen had inuited them to trauayle and the world vnto pleasure and ease they might well haue bene excused But when it is all contrarie then is the errour to manifest yf thou shouldest despise the sweete seruice of Christ for the displeasant seruitude of the deuill Thinke it not better for thee to beare the heauie yoke of the worlde then to suffer a little for gods sake and thereby to lyue after in happines for euer He is a foole that passeth many a day in payne many a night without rest throughe the continuall payne of his teeth rather then he will abide a shorte payne in the taking out of the rotten tooth that greeueth him and so to be after at quyet rest and free from all his former payne There be many that will rather leade a paynefull lyfe in consentyng to their owne appetites then by withstanding their passions for a shorte tyme enioye the pleasant sweetenes of the spirite for a longe space after Yow shall see sometyme a free maÌ„ that is in perfect libertie which wil for a little fonde loue which he hath cast vpon some bondwoman be content for the satisfieng of his faÌ„tasie to marrie the woman and thereby cast hym selfe into willfull bondage for euer So doth the will of man loosing the loue of God for his owne fonde affectioÌ„ cast vpon a creature thinke it nothing to put it selfe into the bondage and seruitude of the world Allthough that Samson knew well by the often guylefull deceytes whiche Dalida had vsed shee could not haue any other meanyng in her earnest desire to knowe the secrete wherein his strength did coÌ„siste then thereby to sell hym to the Philistines yet was his affection such vnto her and so much
mee in I wil enter and suppe with hym and he shall suppe with me likewise VVith such like woordes doth God prouoke the synner knockinge at the dore of his soule Here doth small curtesie appeare yf our Lorde shall knocke at our harte and not be suffered to enter And when he desireth but the coÌ„sent of our harte it will not be graunted vnto hym If it doe seeme small good maner vnto thee to let thy frend tarrie longe at thy dore knockinge before he be let into thy house howe much more worthy of blame arte thou if thou let God almighty stande knocking at the dore of thy soule and gyuest him no entrance in He speaketh here conditionallie saying If any man will let me in by the worke of his free will whereby it lyeth in his handes eyther to consent or not to consent And yf he doe enter and come in vnto thee it is but for thy help and benefite synce he sayeth that he will suppe and rest with thee He bringeth the meate with hym will not suppe with thee at thy charge He doeth not by thee as the poore sowler doeth by the partridge who inuiteth hym to supper because he may feede on hym which is the vearie propertie of the deuill who inuited poore father AdaÌ„ with the fruit of the forbidden tree to make a praye of hym afterwarde according to the sayng of Iheremy the prophâ—t Myne enemyes haue hunted after me and at last haue taken me as yf I had bâ—ne a birde VVhat are worldlie pleasures aboundance of riches and desire of honors but a bayte layed by the deuill to bring vs into his snares VVheÌ„ he maketh much of thee then doth he hunt after thee If thou be not warie and considerate in taking any thing at his hands thou wilt soone be takeÌ„ vp in the nettes of his deceytes But contrariewise God inuiteth vs intending nothing nor seekinge any thing of vs but to doe vs good and to helpe vs. And allthoughe that the voyce of his calle be sweete and pleasante yet is not he harkened vnto nor any aunswere of admyttance gyuen vnto hym because the loue of the world hath closed vp the dores of our hartes The noyse that the worlde maketh in the soule of a synner is vearie lowde and shirle And wheÌ„ there is much noyse within the house he whiche knocketh at the dore cannot be heard The spirituall crying is the earnest desire of the soule and the prayer that is made with effect force of the mynde Moyses prayed and neuer moued his lippes and God asked hym wherefore he cried Anna the mother of Samuel the prophet prayed in the temple and neuer opened her mouth and yet sent shee most effectuall prayers vnto God allmightie Our lord heareth the desire of the poore and his eare hath harkened to their prepared petitioÌ„s sayth the prophet Dauid The loue which is borne to the thinges of this world doth make a great sturre and noyse within the inward partes of the harte The desires of honor doe neuer cease cryinge out The appetite of reuenge and the greedie desire of money doe make a contynuall clamor within the hart of man It is no marueyll then that God is not heard in that house where so many cryings out be of all disordinate appetites And one greate inconuenience is this that when thou hast once gyuen thy consent to all thy vayne desires and let them haue all their owne will yet will they neuer coÌ„sent to let thee be quyet but will still be asking and crauing for more as yf they had neuer had any thing of their desire before The couetous worldlie men allthoughe they doe get that which they doe desire yet are they neuer contented therewith The remedie then that thou hast for to heare hym which knocketh without is first to quyet all that troublesome people that doe disquyet thee within Let not thyne appetites haue their will for then shalt thou neuer be quyet nor haue any rest Resigne vp thyne owne will and doe away thyne affections and then shalt thou soone haue silence Content thy selfe with that which thou hast considering the shortenes of this lyfe and the greate pouertie and humilitie of Iesus Christ and so shalt thou make all thy disordinate appetites to be in peace and tranquillitie Dryue from thyne hart the loue of the world and reduce thy selfe to a quietnes and theÌ„ shalt thou heare the swete inspiration and pleasant voyce of Christ Iesus Put from thyne hart the cares of this world and then mayest thou saye vnto God with holie Iob. Thou wilt calle me and then will I make answere vnto thee HE SHEVVETH HERE BY sundrie examples out of the olde testament and many authorities of the olde and nevv testament both hovv the good are allvvayes persecuted and the vvicked are fauored esteemed CHAP. 22. IF ye were of the world the world wold loue you as those which were his but because you be not of the world the world careth not for you sayth our Lord. It is no new thinge that the wicked sholde persecute the good and the seruantes of the world the seruantes of Christ. So did Cain persecute Abell Ismael Isaack Esau Iacob The brethreÌ„ of Ioseph persecuted Ioseph Phenenna Anna Saul persecuted Dauid Iesabell Elias Because the lyfe of good men is as it were a secret reprehention of the euill doing of those that be noughte It is a naturall and an ordinarie thinge in this lyfe that wicked men and synners sholde persecute those that are iust and good Iob sayth that the holie men in this lyfe be like children that be borne before their tyme because they be sodaynlie as it were secretlie hidden and buryed out of the way for because they doe not meddle nor busie them selues with the thinges of this world But the wicked be the lyuelie children of this world and for such they doe shew them selues by their dealing in the world The theeues which doe breake by nighte into the house to robbe the first thinge that they doe after they be entred the house is to put out the candle to the end that they may robbe without beinge seene Euen so play the wicked in seeking to darken the fame of those that by their vertue and Iustice doe shine like bright candles in the world for they which doe euill doe allwayes hate the lighte Dauid reioyced in spirite and daunsed beâ—ore the Arke of our Lorde and strayghte way Nicholl his wyfe began to scorne at him therefore for it is alwayes the custome of the wicked to scorne at the workes of those which be vertuous The people which inhabited within the country of Iury after the transmigration of the Iewes thence vpon their returne thether agayne wolde not suffer them to reedify the temple but gaue them all the impedimentes they might to hinder their worke which is the very facion of worldly men at this day to hinder all those good
Blesse ye all those that doe persecute you blesse but curse not at all And in an other place he sayeth Let vs blesse when we be cursed if persecutions doe fall to vs let vs beare them He sayleth with a contrarie winde as Christ sailed on the shippe of the crosse that prayeth for his enemies and doth good to them that doe persecute him The wicked doe also many tymes suffer persecutions and sickenes as well as the good for that God will that they shall in this lyfe beginne to feele of the tormentes which they must suffer after in hell But by the aduersities them selues it is easelie knowen which be they that be gyuen for to gayne by them lyfe euerlasting And which be they which are gyueÌ„ to begynne euerlasting death by If thou shalt see any man which in his sickenes shall blaspheme or greeuouslie offend God thou mayest perceyue how that tribulation is gyuen hym for his punnyshment and for to begynne to feele his hell here But yf he haue patience and doe gyue God thankes in his punnyshement then mayest thou be sure that God hath sent that infirmitie vnto hym for his good and benefite to clense hym from his former faultes and to augment his glorie in heauen Thou must haue patience in aduersitie yf thou lookest to be of the number of the elect Patience in aduersitie and tribulation is to God a most acceptable sacrifice In patience there be many good thinges Doe but hold thy peace and thou shalt ouercome And yf thou be sorie to day thou shalt be glad to morowe If thou be to day discontented thou shalt to morow be comforted For so small a tyme then temper thy sodayne motions and refrayne thy tongue Doe not afflict thy selfe neyther doe thou drowne thy selfe in a small water In good workes as fasting almes and penitence thou arte so pursued with humayne prayses that thou doest often loose a greate parte of thy merite but patience is a secret treasure For men can not see what thou sufferest neyther can they perceyue the iniuries done vnto thee because they touch not them If thou haue patieÌ„ce and doest holde thy peace thou arte not praysed because in suffering silence beareth the sway and hath the domination but yf thou be impatient then doe many wordes beare all the rule If thou be impatient then doe all men finde fault with thee but yf thou haue patience then will no man saye ought of thee for men doe heare well thine impatient wordes but of thy patieÌ„ce being done sayeng nothing they haue no consideration at all The more that thyne harte is sacrifised vnto God the more is all the worke that thou workest acceptable vnto him and so much as thy workes be lesse noted and commended of men so much be they the more perfect and better accepted of God Suffer then and haue patience a whyle for tyme cureth all thinges if thou be faythfull vnto death thou shalte receyue the crowne of lyfe BECAVSE THE VVORLD IS fâ—ll of confusion disorder and miserie it oughte to be fled from of hym that is desirous to fynde the treasor of heaueÌ„lie riches CHAP. 24. FLYE from the middest of Babilon sayeth God The world is full of confusion where no order is but euerlasting horror Golde is more esteemed then vertue transitorie goodes be preferred before spirituall and true goods the worlde is so full of confusion that he which hath a soule hath not a true lyfe it exalteth them that be euill and it subdueth those that be good Our Sauiour brought three of the perfectest disciples which he had vnto the toppe of an hill for to transfigure himselfe before them The worlde exalteth Iudas vnto honors and high estats leauing those that be good vnder the foote it is good for thee not to inhabite where so litle order and so great confusion is Esai speaking of the great mischeee that reigned in Babilon sayed that the Arabians wolde not pitch their tentes in that place And he that considereth the confusion and disorder of the world will neuer sett his affection therevpon VVhen a sicke man findeth not health in one place he chaungeth his dwelling and goeth to another This world is full of sickenes vearie daungerous for thee to recouer thy health in Thou wilt neuer get thy perfect health whilest thou doest abide with it Chaunge it and thou shalte finde healthe forsake it and thou shalte finde lyfe flie from it betyme yf thou wilt escape death Seperate thy selfe from the noyse of this world yf thou doest meane to lyue in rest and quyetnes The pleasures and the consolations thereof be more bitter then the waters of Iherico and they be as mutable as the moone Thou canst not find so euill waters agayne vpon the whole earth Little shalt thou profit in vertue in so barrayne and hungrie a soyle Abraham looked toward Sodome and he beheld all the land smokinge and flamynge as it had bene a fierie fornace And he that will consider this world well shall finde in it nothing but the smoke of pride and vanitie and the flame of disordinate desires He doth well that forsaketh all worldlie thinges flieng from the wayes of sinners and hydeth hym selfe farre of from all the busines and daungers of this world That seruante is wyse which knowinge that his maister whome he serueth intendeth to put hym awaye doth determyne to forsake hym first and take his leaue of hym And since the world is such as doth forsake his frendes in their chiefe tyme oâ— neede the best is for thee to forsake it before it doe forsake thee VVhen Isaacke was borne Abraham made no feaste at all but when he tooke him from nourrisse and wayned him then he made a great feaste VVhen man is first borne ther is no cause of feaste because a man knoweth not what will become of him but when he is seperated from this worlde and wayned from all his pleasures and delightes then oughte we to make a feast for him Flie from the worlde and thou shalte finde the treasor hidden in the fielde He which diggeth after any treasor the nearer that he cometh vnto it so much the more withdraweth he him selfe from the conuersation and companie of men and the nearer that he approcheth it so much more haste doth he make in his worke So doe the holy and good men the nearer that they draw vnto death the more earnest they be aboute all good workes as though they began but euen then to labor He that did eate of the Pascall lambe was firste circumcised And if thou doest not first circumcise thy selfe by dryuing from thee the loue of this worlde and spoyling thyne harte of all sensuall desires thou shalte neuer taste of the spirituall foode of the soule If thou haddest a greate deale of good grayne in a lowe bottome and one sholde tell thee that it marreth and corrupteth in that place thou woldest strayght waye
good so much did he gett and recouer agayne by vniting hym selfe vnto them It is a daungerous thinge to forsake the coÌ„pany of them that doe feare God And it is a thinge of wonderfull profit to be conuersant amongest spirituall men The holye Ghoste descended vpon VVhitsonday where the disciples were gathered together And if thou wilte contynew amongest good men thou shalte receyue the holy Ghoste as they did thou shalte delyuer thy selfe from the daunger of euill company if thou wilte ioyne thy selfe to those which be good with their wholsome admonitions they doe keepe thee from many euill attemptes and with their vertuous examples doe they excyte thee to doe good workes Choose those for thy companions to walke withall to talke vnto and to imitate by whose sweete conuersation and fruytfull communication thou mayest be brought vnto the loue of God For euill speeches doe corrupt good manners As necessarie and as profitable as it is for the health of thy bodie to haue a good ayre and an holesome situation so necessarie is it for the health of thy soule to haue conference and conuersation with the seruantes of God And since thou fliest from vnsounde and vnholesome places for the coÌ„seruatioÌ„ of thy corporall health why doest not thou likewyse for the mayâ—enance of thy soules health Flye from all worldlie company and seeke out for the frendship and conuersation of those which are good and iust Flie worldlie company as thou woldest flie hell fire and conuerse with the frendes of God for at the ende of thy iourney thou shalte get more by it then thou canst now well imagine ONLY FOR THE LOVE OF God and for the desire of obeying his holie vvill ought man to despise the vvorlde and the vanities therefore yf he vvill that the despising of them shall serue hym for the gettinge of heauenlie glorie CHAP. 29. HE that leaueth his house his father mother and his brothers for my sake shal receyue a hundred tymes as much agayne sayeth our Lorde Many haue forsaken their possessions and neuer receyued rewarde therefore because they despised not the worlde for Christes sake They seeke them selues they loue their owne glory and desire to be talked of in other mens mouthes So much shall thy worke be meritorious as it shall be founde to beare iuste weighte with it iâ— the ballance of God his loue The Apostle sayeth If I shall gyue all that I haue to the poore haue no charitie it profiteth me nothing Let all thy desire pleasure be to contente to please God and let his loue onely moue thee to the seruice of hym despisinge wholie this world and pretending to thy selfe no profit or commoditie thereby God praysed Iob and the deuill replied agayne saying Happelie doth Iob serue thee for nothinge This deuill pleaded his cause subtillie with allmightie God for he denyed not the workes of Iob to be good but he argued vpon his intent sayinge that happelie he did them for his owne commoditie and not freelie of good will For yf Iob had bene moued to doe those workes which he did for his owne interest and profit and not for the loue and glorie of God he had proued by good reasoÌ„ to God allmightie that Iob had bene neyther a iust man nor a good man The seruante of God oughte in all that he doth to haue no other respect principallie but vnto the seruice and honor of God yf he will that his worke shal be meritorious vnto hym for the wicked men doe many good morall workes but the difference is that good men doe their workes in the fayth of God for his loue It is against all reason that the goodes of the earth sholde be preferred before God Art thou better then he that thou doest esteeme thy selfe more then his deuyne Maiestie If thou doest forsake synne eyther onely or principally because God sholde gyue thee glorie therefore thou shalt neuer enter into that glorie Or yf thou despisest the world and leauest synne onlie or cheefelie because thou woldest not come in hell thou hast takeÌ„ euen thereby a redie way thether For yf thou coÌ„siderest all this well thou shalte fynde that it proceedeth from the loue of thy selfe and if thou doest examine well thyne owne intention and meaning herein thou shalte see how the loue that thou haste to thy selfe doth inuyte thee and moue thee thereunto and then arte not thou full lord of thy selfe neyther arte thou throughly mortified neyther canst thou yet tell what thing it is to serue God Doe not thou thinke that all they whiche haue forsaken their temporall goods haue therewith also forsaken them selues nor that all they be the frendes of God that doe despise the world But who is the frend of God in deede Euen he that doth forsake the world for God And who is the seruant of Iesus Christ. Euen he that hath no will in this world but to fulfill the will of Christ. The Prophet Dauid saide I haue inclyned my hart to doe thy commaundementes for a reward The reward that moued that holie man Dauid was God hym selfe According vnto that which God him selfe had told the Patriarke Abraham long before saying I am thy greate and thyne aboundant rewarde God ought onelie to moue thee principally thy will ought to be chieflie to haue hym for the reward of all that thou shalt doe Let al thine intentioÌ„ be onelie to please God and thou shalt merite much euen by the smalest workes that thou doest which ought not yet to be called small when they doe proceede out of that roote Seeke onelie the glorie of God and folow the counsayle of the Apostle which sayeth Doe all that thou doest for the glorie of God The perfect true louer seeketh God in all that he doeth and despiseth hym selfe for charitie is a bonde of loue by the whiche wee be vnited vnto God renouncing our selues Althoughe that naturall loue and diuine loue be like in their outward workinge yet be they farre differinge in the â—ntention for charitie doth not in any â—hing loue it selfe and naturall loue doth â—n all thinges seeke his owne good onelie for it selfe He may well and ought to be esteemed an euill man that is good onelie for his owne pleasure and delighte Let Christ be the cause and the end of all thyne actions yf thou wilt not loose thy tyme in the poing of them THE CONTINVAL REMEMbrance of death and that our bodies must be turned into Ashes is the perfectest and the best remedie against the temptation of sinne CHAP. 30. REMEMBER the last thinges and thou shalt not synne for euer The memory of death helpeth much to make vs lightlie to esteeme the vanitie of this world He will easelie despise all thinges that remembreth he must die God appareled our father Adam with the skynnes of dead beastes because he shold haue euer in his memory the senteÌ„ce of death which he fell into by his
but when thou art before thyne enemyes thou wilt take good heede both what thou speakest and what thou doest lest thou be reprehended therefore to thy shame Thy frendes be a couer to thy sinne and thyne enemyes be a bridle to thy vices with thy frend thou offendest God and with thyne enemye thou doest that which thou oughtest to doe Thine enemye is as it were a clocke for thee to set thy lyfe in an order by Thou receyuest better turnes at thine enemyes hand then thou doest at thy freÌ„ndes It is reason theÌ„ that thou sholdest loue hym honor hym that doth thee so many benefits He maketh thee vertuous wyse discreete and warie Now if the lawe of nature byndeth thee to loue hym that doth thee good it is reason also that thou sholdest loue thyne enemye and be kynde vnto hym If thou doest set by and esteeme a litle stafe or a wande for that it serueth thee to beate of the duste from thy garmentes why wilte not thou esteeme of thyne enemies and set much by them that doe wype away the dust of thy defectes by reprehending thy faultes Assur is the staffe of my fury sayeth God by the mouth of the prophete Isay. God vsed Assur that was enemy to the Israelites as a staffe to beate his people withall that by the persecution of their enemyes they might be both clensed and sanctified Thou must neyther marre nor burne this staffe in the fire Thou must not more esteeme thy goodes then thy soule VVhen our frendes doe extoll vs magnifie vs our enemyes doe humble vs â—nd keepe vs vnder that wee wax not â—roude and insolent VVhen our frendes â—â—y to much makinge of vs doe make vs â—linde our enemyes by persecutinge vs â—oe make vs to receyue our sight agayne Our enemies are to be esteemed and loued of vs for if they were not we sholde be much worse then we be and for the preâ—eruation of vertue it is needefull eyther â—o haue a true frende or a sharpe enemie Our enemies will tell vs true when our frendes dare not for many will not receyue admonition at their frends hands and therefore God sendeth vs enemies because they may tell vs that which our frendes dare not And as much good as â—hyne enemie doth vnto thee so much harme doth he vnto him selfe for he killeth his owne soule and perisheth his conscience wherâ—fore when thou seest him in so euill plighte that did thee so much good thou oughtest to take pitie on him The prophete Dauid sayeth They haue persecuted him whom thou haste persecuted and they haue added sorowe vnto his woundes He doth ioyne one wounde vnto another and add sorow vnto sorow that doth hurte vnto him that he receyueth wronge of thou canst not doe thyne enemie so much harme by any frowarde answere that thou canst gyue him as he did harme vnto him selfe by speaking euill agaynst thee he that hateth his enemie doth in effecte as much as if he sholde goe aboute to bereue a deade man of his lyfe In no one thinge canst thou better shewe thy selfe to be a true christian then in louing thine enemies If thou doest loue him that loueth thee doe not the Infidels as much To loue thyne enemie is the very true propertie of a christian In this doth the gospell of Christ farre exceede all other lawes that be written The malice of thyne enemie is very poyson but yet of poyson is the fine treacle made and so mayest thou make of the malice of thyne enemie a good medecine for thyne owne soule Thou must put vnto this poyson other things of good substance as to gyue thyne enemies meate when they be hungrie to cloathe them when they be naked to gyue them almes when they be poore and so shalt thou make of this poyson compounded with these other good receytes an holsome medicine to cure all spirituall diseases THE LOVE OF A MAN 's ovvne selfe doth so occupy his vnderstanding that yt taketh avvay cleane the knovvledge of God and of his neighbour and shutteth vnto hym the gate of euerlasting saluation CHAP. 9. GOE out of thine owne country and from thy kinred forsake the dwelling of thy father and thy mother sayed God vnto Abraham the patriarcke Thou must departe from all thy earthly affections leste thou fall in loue with the thinges of this worlde and forget Iesus Christe forsake the loue of these visible thinges for the loue of inuisible and heauenly thinges Thou must plucke vp thyne affections by the roote that they doe not growe vp and spring agayne The ouer louinge of a mans selfe is the cause of all his woe selfe loue peruerteth iudgement it darkeneth the vnderstanding it destroyeth our will and shutteth the gate of saluation it neyther knoweth God nor his neighbour it banisheth away vertue it seeketh after honors and delighteth in the loue of the worlde He that so loueth his lyfe sayeth our Lorde doth loose his lyfe The roote of all iniquitie is selfe loue Esau Saule and Antiochus neuer obteyned pardon of their synnes althoughe that with sorow and teares they sought it at gods hand because that all their sorow was for them selues and their owne harmes losses and not for that they had offended god They sought them selues they sought not god But thou must seeke God in all thyne actions bend thy selfe onlie vnto hym The loue of a mans selfe is like vnto the harte in the bodie of man that commaundeth and ruleth the flesh vaynes and finewes Selfe loue doth guyde and direct a sinner to all mischeefes harmes VVhy doest thou desire honor riches or pleasure but because thou louest thy selfe too much But the little esteemynge of a mans owne selfe maketh hym acceptable both vnto God and man The loue of a mans selfe is like vnto a treason that deserueth both losse of goodes and of lyfe If selfe loue reigne in thee thou mayest well knowe what thou desirest but thou seest not what will doe thee good Thou art blynde and therefore thou deseruest not to be beleeued vnto a passionate mynde there is no credite to be gyuen Neuer take thy will for reason which is an enemie vnto God O how greate a punnishemente is a mans owne will vnto hym selfe If that wolde cease hell wolde soone cease also VVhereupon doth the fire of hell worke but vpon the will of man And if any persecution or trouble afflict thee what is the cause of thyne affliction but thyne owne proper will Of that cometh all thy greefe and all thy torment take away thy will and there will remayne no matter of torment and vntill that be gone thy payne shall neuer cease It is not possible for thee to loue God as thou sholdest doe and not to take away thine owne proper loue There be certayne pretious stones which if they touch some kinde of mettle they loose their vertue and by some other agayne they increase it And loue being a most precious
three disciples he made â—hem goe vp from the valley to the toppe â—f the mounte Thabour where they saw â—ym transfigured VVhen thou wilt likewise ascend to â—e deepe knowledge and contemplation of God thou must despise with all thyne harte the lowe basenes of this worlde VVITH THE VVINGES OF meditation and contemplation a man ought to lifte vp his harte to loue the infinite goodnes of God for perfection consisteth in loue and not in contemplation CHAP. 16. IN my meditation is thâ— fire kindeled sayth the Prophet Dauid For to kyndle the fire of gods loue in thy will and to haue the moâ—â— perfect knowledge of God meditation and Contemplation be both most necessarie Betwixt both which there is no other difference but that meditation is an exercise more paynefull difficulâ— in the matters perteynynge to God And contemplation is more easie and sweeâ— to them that haue had the exercise thereof But neyther in the one nor in the otheâ— of them consisteth our perfection but iâ— the loue of God onlie Contemplation iâ— the worke of our vnderstanding and a waâ— and a meane vnto our perfection but iâ— lifting vp our will vnto God by vnitinâ— our will vnto his will and by pure louinâ— of hym consisteth our perfection The sweetenes of our delighte is not in contemplation but in hartie louing The vnderstanding doth not gyue sustenance vnto our soule but onlie prepareth the meate that our soule is fedde withall But â—he vnderstanding and the will together â—oe minister foode to the soule there is no â—leasant taste nor sauour in preparing that â—hich must be eaten but in eating of that â—hich is prepared Seeinge that the obiect of our will or â—hat thing which our will doth tend vnto 〈◊〉 alwayes that which is good so that noâ—hinge can be beloued but that which is â—ood or els taken for good vnder the coâ—â—r of some thinge that is good If then â—ur vnderstanding doth shew forth and â—emonstrate vnto our will the bottomles 〈◊〉 of gods infinite goodnes that will â—olde appeare to be but vearie colde â—hich wold not straight wayes burne like â—â—to another phenix with the loue of God â—hen by coÌ„templation the bright beames 〈◊〉 the sonne of Iustice shold shine in vpoÌ„ 〈◊〉 Let the winges of good and deuowte â—editation blowe the fire of earnest loue 〈◊〉 thine harte that thou mayest be renued 〈◊〉 the flame of that fire as the phenix is â—â—d thereby acknowledginge thy selfe for 〈◊〉 better then ashes and woormes meate â—eaue whollie vnto God and loue hym â—â—d to his infinite goodnes referre thy â—â—â—fe by yelding thy will vnto his almighâ—â—e will and pleasure If thou wilt haue the sweetnes of prayer and be comforted and refreshed therein by contemplation then must thou lifte vp thy will wholie vnto God that thou mayest thereby get the full fruyte of thy contemplation Some are exercised onely in the intellectuall parte and not in the affectuall parte of their will and their end is not to be kindled with the loue of God but onely to haue a curious knowledge of God by meanes whereof they be still thinking how our Lorde was borne how he lyued how he suffred and how he rose agaynâ— and other such lyke thinges of him supposing the contemplatiue lyfe to consisâ—â— onely in that but they are farre from thâ— true contemplatiue lyfe in deede if they fix their felicitie in the knowledge and pure speculation of such misteries for thâ— true contemplation must be fastened anâ— grounded in the moste effectuall and burâ—ning loue of God vnto which thou muâ—â— ioyne and vnite thyne owne will and affection so as all the imperfection of thinâ— owne mortification may be made perfect and pure through him and his loue All thyne exercises and thyne actions must be ordeyned for the true loue oâ— God and not to get the knowledge oâ— God making that the onely ende of all thy labor If thou haste gotten any knowledge of God thou must not stay there but thoâ— must proceede on therewithall to gâ— â—â—ereby the loue of God The contemplatiue persons because â—hey knowe the secretes of God as those â—hat enter into his priuye chamber are â—alled his frendes as the holy Apostles â—ere vnto whom our Lorde sayed I doe â—â—all you my frendes because I haue declaâ—ed vnto you all those thinges which I â—aue hearde of my Father But those that â—re exercised in the actiue lyfe are called â—is seruantes Contemplation is the beginning of â—lory whereby a man firste beginneth to â—nowe God and him selfe which being once gotten he falleth out of loue with this world and thereby getteh great force towarde the seruing of God HE THAT VVILL LYVE vvith Christ must first die to the vvorld the flesh and his ovvne disordinate appetites and desires CHAP. 17. FOR thy loue are wee mortified all day sayth the Prophet speaking vnto God Happy is that soule whose lyfe is Iesus Christ. To die to Christ is gaine but he must first die to hym selfe that will liue vnto Iesus Christ whilest thou liuest in this flesh thou must die to the worlde to the end that after thy death thou mayest lyue for euer with Christ. Thou shalt be quyet within if thou goest not wandering too farre abrode He that to feruentlie foloweth outwarde thinges must needes wax colde in the inward things which tend toward the loue of God Sara beinge so olde a woman that all fleshlie appetites were deade in her yet brought forth Isacke that was the ioye and the gladnes of his father And yf all thy disordinate appetites and the desires of this world be not deade in thee thou shalt â—euer obteyne the true ioy of the spirite â—or after that Sara was full mortified in â—â—esh shee brought forth the sonne of the â—pirite Christ died to the end that they which â—iue might not liue vnto them selues but â—nto hym that died for them and rose â—gayne Abraham receyued not the circumâ—ision vntill his goinge out of his owne â—ountrey I lyue sayth the Apostle but â—ot I it is Christ that liueth in me VVhen â—erode was deade Christ returned from â—gypte to Israell agayne vntill that you be â—ortified Christ will not come vnto the â—oule And to the end that Christ may enter â—nto your soules it is necessarie first that â—â—nne be deade in you that the outward â—an may lyue the inwarde man must be mortified If thou doest kill Herode Iesus Christ will come to thee The Apostle â—ayth you be dead and your lyfe is layed â—p with Christ. Thou diest when thou â—orsakest to be such as thou wast If wee â—oe liue to the spirite let vs walke accorâ—ing to the spirite sayth the Apostle And â—f you liue according to the flesh you shall â—ie and yf you will lyue according to the â—pirite you must mortifie the workes of â—he flesh saith the same Apostle in another â—lace Saul did put agag in prison when God â—oÌ„maunded hym
Apostle Brethren if any of you shall be taken in any offence you that be spirituall instruct you him amongest you by the spirite of meekenes considering that any of you may also be tempted Consider thy selfe sayeth S. Paule for if thou woldest consider thy selfe and haue respecte vnto thy owne faultes thou woldest neuer be proude nor reprehend thy neyghbour with any greate indignation And when thou hast cause to chasten any that is vnder thee looke that thou doest it with pietie VVhen thou offendest woldest thou that God sholde straighte wayes send thee downe into hell And if thou wilt that God shall deale mercifullie with thee then must thou deale mercifullie also with thy neighbours And he that will chastise other mens offences with rigor and seueritie shall neuer deserue to haue his owne offences pardoned at gods hand And if a man be neuer so bade yet oughtest thou not cleane to cast hym of because thou knowest not what the end of that man may be for he that is bad 〈◊〉 day may to morow amend and be better VVho wold haue thought that the theefe that spent all his lyfe tyme in robbinge and stealing sholde haue made so good an end as that he sholde haue bene brought by our Sauiour hym selfe into perpetuall glorie If any man had slayne hym one yeare before he had bereued hym of that happye ende of his Howe many greate sinners haue there bene in the worlde that haue bene afterward blessed Saintes No man ought to be vtterlie cast away thoughe he be neuer so greate a sinner for because he may be a Sainte at the last The hand of God is not shortened thou must not gyue any bouÌ„des or limits vnto his graces nor measure his mercies Those happelie that thou seest nowe to haue committed greate crimes God may choose to make his predestinates elects of VVhat shall become of men in tyme to come that canst not thou knowe that which thou knowest is that thou arte thy selfe a sinner and that thou arte worthie to be despised of all men and to be condemned to hell If thy neighbour doe offend take thou heede sayth the Apostle for wee be all members one of another It is conformable to the lawe of nature and to all common reason that one member shold helpe and succour another Despise not thyne owne flesh suffer with patience thy brothers offences and neuer be thou scandalized or offended thereat but contynue in thy good exercyses of prayer and contemplation whatsoeuer or how much soeuer thou seest amisse in other men For the sorowe and the passion that thou doest often receyue by these occasions doth coole thy soule and taketh away the ferueÌ„cie of thy spirite and much harme doth the greefe that groweth of these exterior thinges vnto the seruante of God Excepte thou doest discharge thy mynde of these vayne cares and keepe it from wandringe abrode thou shalt not much profit But enter within thy selfe and haue alwayes in thy memory that thou arte a sinner and stand in feare and suspicion of thy selfe for thou knowest not whether thou arte acceptable vnto God or no neyther if thou wert how long thou shalte contynue in the good course that thou hast begonne AS SOONE AS ANY VVICked thoughtes doe approche vnto thy mynde they must straight vvayes be driuen avvay and extynguished for thoughe they be neuer so small at the first yet if they doe contynue they vvill grovve greater and vvax stronger vvhereby they vvill be able to dravve thee into distruction CHAP. 25. VVOE be vnto you thaâ— thinke vpon thinges vnprofitable sayth God Thy thoughts must not be idle nor occupied aboute any euill thinge for euen of thâ— verie thoughtes shalt thou be asked a reckeninge in the latter day If men shold buâ— beholde the vanitie of thy cogitations iâ— what credite doest thou thinke that they wolde haue thee And yet thou knoweâ—â— that at the day of iudgemente the secreteâ— of all hartes shal be laied open It will be a wonderfull confusion anâ— shame vnto thee when all thy secreâ— thoughtes shall be made manifest vnto thâ— whole worlde whereof thou arte noâ— ashamed to let thy cheefest and moste secrete frendes to know any thing If thou doest let euill thoughts harbour any while within thee thou canst not escape but that thou shalte thereby fall into the daunger of death Of thoughtes first come wordes and after of wordes folow deedes Such corne as thou puttest into the mill such meale shalt thou haue thence agayne thyne imagination goeth alwayes aboute lyke the wheele of a mill and if thou doest put into it good thoughtes it will yelde thee meale agayne of good workes but if thou doest put into it euill thoughtes conformable vnto them shall thy workes be also Of barley corne will neuer good meale come neyther of idle thoughtes will euer come good deedes He that tarieth longe in anye euill thoughte putteth him selfe into daunger of consenting vnto it The psalme sayeth Happie is he that taketh the litle children and throweth them agaynst the stone And before that thy thoughtes doe growe to any greatnes beate them against that rocke which S. Paule speaketh of The rocke sayeth he is Christ. And if they be agreeable vnto his lawe let them grow and increase but if they be not doe them away betyme according to his commaundement Kill thyne enemy when he is but yong and litle for if thou lettest him grow vntil he be greate he will goe neare to kill thee It is a wyse mans parte to stand in some feare of his enemy although he be yet but litle Thy thoughtes be lyke vnto the roote of a tree if it be greene it is good and will cause the tree to bring forth fruite but if it be drye and withered it will bring forth no fruite at all If the thought be good it ministreth good matter vnto the will to take holde of which being mayntayned and holpen forward with the intelligence doth bring forth good desires from which good workes doe proceede In euill thoughtes thou must not abyde for of this did God by the mouth of Ieremy the prophete complayne sayinge Howe longe will this people contynue in their euill thoughtes God doth not here finde faulte with them for that they had euill thoughtes but because they perseuered and continued in them VVhen the gentiles remained amongst the people of Israell God did cleane forsake his people wolde not once vouchsafe to speake vnto them and so shalt thou be also forsaken of him if thou wilte let euill thoughtes take vp their dwellinge with thee God is with thee when euill thoughtes be away from thee but when they come once in place he departeth quyte away from thy soule Thou must shut the dore of thy consent agaynst them that they may haue no restinge place with thee It was lawfull for the Iewes to let the gentiles passe through their countrey for thereof wolde no harme come
come sayth the Apostle â—â—ll they that will lyue godlie in Iesus Christ doe suffer persecution and none â—hall receyue the crowne but he that fighâ—eth after the lawe of the game And howe shaâ—l any warre be made except there be some to fight without victorie there can be no glorie and how shold there be any victorie where no warre is made GOD SENDETH VS ALvvayes temptations to amend vs by them and to make vs better and that vvee may be vanquishers of them vvhereby vvee may be made vvorthie of the glorie celestiall CHAP. 35. HAPPIE is that man which suffereth temptation for after that he is full prooued he shall receyue the crowne of lyfe which God hath promysed to all those that doe loue hym Thus sayeth the Apostle S. Iames the tyme of temptation indureth not longe and the reward that thou gettest if thou doe ouercome shall be infinite Thou doest not loue thy selfe so much as God doth loue thee all that he doth is for thyne aduantage God will haue thee the more to be tempted because thou sholdest merite the more temptation is gods permyssion the deuill tempted Iob but he had first gods licence to doe it which if he neuer had had he cold neuer haue bene able to haue tempted hym VVe reade in scripture that by Godeâ— permission the euill spirite vexed Saule The deuill is sayed to be nought because he hath an euill will to doe vs harme whom our Lorde suffreth to tempte vs but yet no further then he will nor then his pleasure is to gyue him leaue so as no man is tempted but by the suffrance of God who more desireth our welfare then our selues can doe thou oughtest to take comforte by thy temptations considering the commoditie that cometh by them The mariner wolde neuer venter to passe the daungerous seas if he did but onely consider the troubles and daunger of his passage Nether wolde the laboring man endure so much colde or heate but in hope onely of haruest to gather vp the corne And though the resisting of temptations seeme troublesome vnto thee yet the rewarde that thereof ensueth might make thee bolde and encourage thee and yet in this lyfe also thou shalt not be without spirituall comforte by thyne hope of victorie for in all our temptation God alwayes seeketh our amendmente and prefermente He might well haue sente the greate floode of waters to haue drowned the sinfull worlde withall without gyuing â—ny warning thereof before hande but because he sought the amendment of sinners and had rather haue them to be saued â—hen to be cast away and destroyed therefore did he sende Noe to gyue them warninge of it an hundred yeares before it came VVhen he determined to bringe thâ— greate famine into Egipte he gaue Pharao vnderstanding of it before and prouided Ioseph to make prouision before hand for the safegarde of the people which he neuer wolde haue done if he had absolutely determined before that they sholde all haue perished by that famine and because that our moste mercifull Lorde is alwayes more desirous of our lyfe then of our death and euer seeketh our amendmente therefore did he sende vnto Niniue that great citie the prophete Ionas to preach pennance vnto it before he wolde vtterly subuerte the citie Receyue chasetisement at gods hand willinglie as of a most pitifull father because that in thy punnyshement he seeketh thy profit and commoditie If temptations had not bene good for thy saluation God wold neuer haue suffered thee to haue bene tempted But he dealing most liberallie with thee hath ordeyned many meanes for thee to worke thy saluation by and to merite thy selfe glorie God dothe thee more honor in gyuinge thee temptation and tribulation by which thou mayest merite glorie then if he sholde gyue it thee freelie without doinge any thinge for it Labour to ouercome and to be a conqueror ouer thy temptations for the trauayle thereof is but shorte and the merite vearie greate VVhen the kinge doth meane to aduaunce any man to honor and â—o gyue hym a rewarde he will place hym â—irst in some charge of perill and importance Susanna had neuer bene in such estimation and reuerence amongest men â—f shee had not first bene tempted by defamation but shee ouercame her teÌ„ptatioÌ„â—nd merited both honor here in the earth â—nd a glorious crowne in heauen so that her temptation did her more good then harme Of olde holie Toby the scripture sayth that God suffered hym to be tempted that there shold remayne to his posteritie a memorie and an example of the greate patience that he had PRAYER IS A SINGVLER remedie agaynst temptations that yt may the better be heard of God it behoueth it to be often feruent and free from all vvorldlie affection CHAP. 36. PRAYE you that ye enter not into temptation sayeth our Lord. To the intent that thou be not ouercomen by temptation Christ wolde haue thee for to pray against the assaults of the deuill the best defence is prayer if thou takest God for thy shilde who can doe thee any harme Thy owne force is not stronge ynough to defend thee for if thou doest leane vnto the trust of thy selfe and hast confidence in thyne owne strength thou wilt suerlie be ouercomen But gyue eare vnto the Apostle that sayth I can doe all thinges in hym that is my comforter Our Sauiour teachinge vs how wee sholde praye saide that wee sholde aske of God that he wolde delyuer vs from temptation A singuler meane to ouercome temptation is prayer by the which God is called on to be thyne helpe and defence VVee beinge of our selues but weake â—nd all our sufficencie coÌ„minge from God â—â—uing here enuironed with so much trouâ—le and so many worldly temptations it is â—ll the helpe we haue to sende our prayers â—â—s messengers vnto God to demande succour of hym Prayer is a messenger that declareth â—ur necessitie vnto God according to the â—aying of the Prophet Esay let my prayer 〈◊〉 O Lorde enter vnto thee like a speedie messenger VVhich reporteth vnto God â—ll our necessities then asketh remedie of all at his hande A good messenger ought to haue two qualities the one to be quicke and light â—he other to be diligent in that which he goeth aboute lest through the messengers necgligeÌ„ce the mischeefe may falle while â—he message is a doinge And he that will goe lightlie and runne a pace must put of all that may be burthenous vnto him Thy prayer can not lightlie ascend vnto God if thou be ouerladen with the tormoyles and busines of the worlde These worldlie busines and temporall affayres wherein thou doest occupy thy selfe be â—earie contrarie vnto prayer and if thou wilt haue the fruyte of prayer thou must flie from all temporall busines and it is necessarie for thee also to be fullie mortified and to put from thee all worldlie consolation And if thou wilt gyue thy selfe vnto God thou must doe away
neuer weare it and in â—â—ne sholdest thou haue a soule if thou â—â—te not therewithall doe those thinges 〈◊〉 exercyse those functions that thy â—â—e is created for God hath created for thee a memorie 〈◊〉 thou sholdest remember hym with 〈◊〉 vnderstandinge that thou sholdest â—â—w him with a will that thou sholdest 〈◊〉 hym by It is but meete that synce 〈◊〉 hath made thee to the end that thou â—â—â—dest loue hym and serue hym thou â—â—â—dest spend these short dayes of thyne â—â—â—e exercyse of such thinges as might â—â—â—ge thee vnto that glorious end that 〈◊〉 wast created for He that hauinge a soule doth lyue 〈◊〉 though he had none and he that occupyeth his vnderstanding in the applying 〈◊〉 it to get worldly honors and riches and bestoweth his will in the louinge of the thinges of this worlde such a one receyueth his soule in vayne because God created it not for that purpose Felicitie is the last ende of man and 〈◊〉 the which all other thinges are ordayneâ— in their due course Let not the finall 〈◊〉 of thy trauayles be intended vnto any thing besides God nor doe not thou reâ—â— vpon any earthly thing for neyther 〈◊〉 nor riches nor knowledge nor any thing here on the earth can throughly quâ—â— thee and contente thee Take away thâ—â— harte from the loue of all worldly thiâ—â— and loue God onely for whom and 〈◊〉 whom thou wast created Despise this present worlde and thâ—â— shalt come vnto thy desired ende and â—â—â—ly this may suffice to perswade thee forâ—â— despise the vanitie of the worlde to 〈◊〉 that thou waste created for heauen Alâ— not thy selfe so much as to delight theâ— these contemptible worldly thinges and thou shalte be quyet here in this worlde for the tyme and glorious and happie foreuer after in heauen â—ORRIBLE AND FEAREfull shall the day of Iudgement be in the vvhich thou must render accompte of thy thoughtes vvordes and vvorkes and shalt be iudged for them accordinge to the rigour of iustice CHAP. 38. ENTER not into iudgement with thy seruante sayde Dauid that holie man of God Dauid was the seruante of God and yet he desireth hym not to exactâ— straight accompte of hym The Iudgeâ—ent of God shall come with that rigour â—â—at holie Dauid beinge such is he was â—â—old neuerthelesse gladlie haue escaped 〈◊〉 And if then he which serued God did â—â—are his iudgemeÌ„t how much more ought â—â—â—e to feare it that serueth still the world 〈◊〉 sayth enter not O Lorde into iudgeâ—ent with thy seruante what reckenynge â—â—all then the seruaÌ„tes of the world make 〈◊〉 the seruaÌ„te of God be so much affrayed â—nd if the iust man shall scarse be saued â—hat shall then the poore sinner doe It is a thinge to be much lamented to â—e any man lyue here all his time shyning in honor and in vanities and yet be 〈◊〉 neare fallinge into so darke and daungerous a place as that all the corners of 〈◊〉 conscience and secretes of his hart shalâ— diligentlie searched and tried out by the lighte of gods Maiestie shynynge moâ—â— brighte therein then any torch or candle lighte Balthasar kinge of Babilon lyuing in all maner of vice and satisfying his lustâ—â— in all kynde of sinne had sodeynlie vpon him the haÌ„d of gods Iustice that wrote the sentence of death against him signifyinge vnto hym that God wold take an accomâ—â— of him and put his sinnes in a balance anâ— deuide his kingdome The tyme draweth veary neare 〈◊〉 thou must also gyue a strayte accompte 〈◊〉 all thy workes wordes and thoughtes 〈◊〉 the secretes of thyne harte shall be layâ—â— open and all thy priuie thoughtes shaâ—â— come forth in open shew for which thâ—â— arte to receyue thy punnishment with aâ—â— rigor of iustice thou shalte not be able 〈◊〉 deny any thinge for thy sinnes shall lye â—â—pen agaynst thee and thyne owne conscâ—â—ence shall be thyne accuser there will 〈◊〉 no pleadinge alowed thee before thâ— mightie King of glory all thy sinnes shalâ— be put into the ballance and all the câ—â—â—cumstances thereof shall be wayed and 〈◊〉 the benefites which thou haste receyâ—â— of Gods hande and then shall thy kingâ—dome be deuided when thy body shall 〈◊〉 â—ut into the graue to be eaten by wormes â—nd thy soule shall be sente to hell there â—o remayne for euer Then shall no prayer â—â—e heard for thee the Saintes that thou â—ast wonte to call vpon to be intercessors â—or thee will then be so deafe that they â—ill not heare thee nor any answere shalte â—hou haue of them All that then thou shalt â—ee shall be nothing els but thyne angrie â—udge ouer thyne heade and hell open â—nder thy feete on thy righte hande shall â—e thy sinnes that accuse thee on thy lefte â—ande the deuils that shall tormente thee â—ithin thee shall thy conscience be gnawâ—â—g on thee and without thee all the world â—n a burning fire If Adam for a litle meate which he â—â—oke contrary to Gods will did so much â—eeke to flie his presence what wilte thou â—oe or where wilte thou hyde thee when â—od shall come to take an accompte of â—ee and shall finde thee so full of vyces â—nd sinnes Euen as wax melteth before â—â—e fire so shall sinners perishe before the â—resence of God It is written Let the â—hole earth tremble before hym and let â—ll the inhabitaÌ„tes of the world be moued 〈◊〉 his presence It wil be a greater punnishement for â—ee to be seperated from the presence of â—od then â—o feele the sensible torment of â—ell The Prophet Esay sayeth let the wicâ—ed man be seperated to the intent that â—e may not see the glorie of God The louers of this world doe neuer knowe tâ—â— vanitie in which they doe lyue vntill tâ—â— payne hath lightened their vnderstandâ—â—â— and made them bewayle their greate 〈◊〉 felicitie Despise thou vnfaynedly the vaniâ—â—â— and false shewes of this transitorie worâ—â— and so shalt thou best escape the paine anâ— tormente of hell hereafter THE PERPETVALL PAINE of hell vvhich are prepared for 〈◊〉 louers of these vvorldlie vanities 〈◊〉 greate so horrible and so fearefull 〈◊〉 the onely consideration thereof vvâ—â— sufficient occasion to hold a man baâ—â— from sinne if there vvere none other CHAP. 39. SO much as he did gloryâ—â—â— his pleasures so much toâ—â—â— and sorowe doe thou gâ—â—â— vnto him sayeth God Tâ—â—â— vanities of this world ougâ—â—test thou for many causes despise and for to doe it the better it â—â—â—fiseth thee to knowe the greate tormeâ—â— wherewith they shall be punnished It is written That accordinge to the measure of thy sinne shall the measure of â—hy strypes be If thou woldest but consider wherein these pleasures and vaniâ—ies in which thou lyuest haue to take â—nde thou woldest lyue in some sorow and â—itternes of mynde and of such thinges â—s thou nowe delightest in thou woldest â—ake small comforte Iob sayed in the person of worldly â—â—en That which my soule abhorred
is â—ow my cheefest foode In this lyfe men â—re loth to touch any thing that may gyue â—hem any displeasure or annoyance and â—n the nexte lyfe euery thinge will gyue â—hem displeasure and tormente whereby â—t is to be gathered that they which doe â—yue in this lyfe in most delightes shall in â—he next lyfe finde the paynes of hell more â—harpe and vehement For looke how much â—ny thinge doth gyue resistance vnto his â—ontrarie so much is the operation of â—â—at thing perceyued to be more forcible â—hich ouercometh and maistereth that â—hich resisted it Iron doth resist the fire â—ore then wood doth but when the fire â—ath ouercomen the Iron and got full doâ—ynion ouer it then is the heate of the â—â—on farre greater then the heaâ—e of the â—ood So they which in this lyfe doe feele â—o sorowe shall feele in hell the more â—orment as by the contrarie agayne the â—ood men that felt here but small rest shall â—nde and perceyue afterward the greater pleasure and comforte The mightie men shall suffer mightie tormentes they shall desire to die and death shall flie away from them and death shal be their foode The grasse doth feede the beast that eateth thereof and afterward it begynneth to growe agayne Euen so shall wicked men be euer dyinge but shall neuer be deade and how much soeuer they be tormented by payne yet shall their tormentes neuer make an end of them Consider how hardlie God will deale with his enemies that so sharpelie handeleth his frendes in this world The Apostle sayth the frend of this world is an enemy vnto God The holie Martyrs that were gods frendes suffered many cruell tormentes here And doest thou thinke that geuinge thy selfe to the pleasures in this world thou shalt finde rest and ease in the next Iheremy sayth they against whome there was no iudgement haue dronke of the cuppe of affliction and doest thou looke to be accompted as innocent No thou shalt not be taken as innocent but thou shalt drinke of the cuppe I haue sworne by my selfe sayth our Lord that thou shalt be as a perpetuall wildernes and a contynuall reproofe Deceyue not thy selfe nor doe not thou thinke that pouertie sorow and torment were made for goodmen for althoughe that God suffereth them to tast of them here for a tyme yet are they not purposelie prouided for them For God hath chosen out the good for his owne glorie But these afflictions doe properlie apperteyne vnto thee and are reserued for thee although thou doest now escape them and they flie away from thee All the tormentes that the holy Marâ—irs suffered if they were all ioyned togeâ—her in one will not be equall nor able to counteruayle one of the least tormentes which the damned doe suffer in hell If God wolde not spare his Angells when they offended hym how wilt thou â—ooke to be deliuered from the fierie pit of hell prison Thou Capernahum that â—idest exalte thy selfe vp vnto the starres â—hou shalt discend downe into the botâ—ome of hell And if thou be afrayed to be by nighte â—n the darke amonge the bodies of deade men howe wilt thou abide to be in the darke amoÌ„gest so many deade men where â—hou shalt neyther see sonne nor moone â—or starre light It is a most miserable â—ountrey to dwell in where there is conâ—inuall nighte and neuer any day And if now thou canst not suffer the â—ighte of one deuill how wilte thou endure then the sighte of so many together And if thou canst not abyde to holde thy finger a litle whyle in the fire how wilte â—hou abyde to tary so long together in â—ell fire in coÌ„parison of which the fire which thou doest here see is but as it were a fire paynted on a wall If a litle greefe doe now seeme paynefull vnto thee how wilte thou suffer all the infirmities and disseases that thy bodye may beare All the infirmities that mans body is here subiecte vnto shall the damned man haue in hell and euerie parte of a man shall suffer there greater torment then any man can here imagine in this lyfe and if euerie euill sauour offend thee and annoy thee here how wilt thou abide the most lothsome and filihie sauour of hell If onely one bodie of a damned person were layed vpon the earth it wolde so corrupte the ayre with the vyle stynke thereof that it wolde cause a vniuersall plague ouer the whole earth If thou sholdest be layed in a most softe and delicate bed and haue all things ministred vnto thee there that might moue thee to take delight therein yet if thou sholdest haue all this vnder coÌ„dition that thou sholdest not departe out of it in fortie yeares together but be bounde to be there all that tyme thou woldest take it for an vntollerable payne and torment How wilt thou then indure to be bounde in fierie cheynes in some filthie corner of hell where thou shalte neuer ryse agayne And what can be more miserable then to be altogether voyde of hope to be most assured that neuer remedie wil be had Now thou that doest lyue here in the vanities of this worlde and doest set more by them then by God hym selfe looke about thee consider with thy selfe these bitter sharpe tormentes that thou mayest thereby be moued to doe pennance for thy sinnes while thou hast tyme and that thou mayest so despise set noughte by these worldlie vanities that God may delyuer thee from these greate infernall tormentes and perpetuall lamentations THE GLORIE FELICITIE and beatitude vvhich they get vvhich for the loue of God doe despise the vvorlde vvith all the vanities thereof is so greate and infinite that it farre exceedeth all mans vnderstandinge neyther can any tongue of man expresse it or declare it CHAP. 40. THESE worldlie men shall goe into euerlastinge tormentes the iust men shall goe to lyfe euerlastinge Euen as the iust Iudge will gyue eternall torment to those that haue forsaken God and preferred the corruptible goodes of this world before the euerlastinge Lorde him selfe So vnto hym that will for gods sake despise these earthlie thinges our Lorde will say to him as in the gospell is mentioned Ryse vp thou faythfull seruant that hast in small thinges bene trustie for I will gyue thee charge ouer greater thinges Ioseph bringing his two sonnes to his father Iacob to receyue his blessing before he died placed Manasses that was the elder of them on his fathers righte hande and Ephraim that was the yonger he set on his lefte hande after the manner of the worlde which alwayes gyueth honor to great men and despiseth the meaner sorte But wyse Iacob in gyuing of his benediction vnto them preferred the yonger and layed his righte hande vpon him and on the elder he layed his lefte hande So will God doe when he shall come to iudge the worlde he will lay the right hande of his glory vpon those that in