times in going or labouring oftentimes is of greater dignity and efficacy then other prolixe exercises or copious prayers This exercise is more profitably done by desires and inward sighings and mournings then by words albeit wordes helpe at al times which a man may now and then vtter after this or such like manner O blessed Iesu ô the sweetnes and delight of my hart ô the life of my soule when shall I please thee in all things and at all times When shall I perfectly dye vnto my selfe Whē shall I preferre thee before all creatures When shall there not liue any other thing in mee besides thy selfe ô Lord Haue mercy vpon me ô Lord and helpe me I salute thy wounds ô Lord as it were fresh flourishing roses hide me ô lord in them and wash mee in them that I may be throghly cleane and inflamed with thy loue O Lord God ô admirable beginning ô the piety of amiable charity ô the dearest light of my vnderstanding ô the rest of my vvill vvhen shall I feruently and ardently loue thee Vouchsafe ô lord to shoote through my soule vvith the dart of thy loue vouchsafe to associate and vnite mee vnto thee that I may bee one vvith thee O my desire ô my hope ô my refreshing and comfort O that my soule were worthy thyne embraces that all the drowsines and luke-warmnes of my soule might be consumed with the fire of thy loue O the soule of my soule ô the life of my life I wholy desire thee and offer my selfe wholy vnto thee wholy to thee that art all in all one to one and only to thee alone O that it had place in me that thou spakest to thy Father O holy Father let them be one as wee are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one I neyther will nor wish any other thing I desire none other thing I entreate none other thing of thee for thou alone art sufficient for me Thou art my father thou art my mother thou art my defender my leader and all my good Thou art wholy louely vvholy delightfull wholy faithfull Who was euer so liberall that would giue him selfe vvho euer loued so tenderly that would deliuer himselfe vnto death for a vile creature Who vvas euer so humble that hath so debased and ecclipsed his Maiesty O Lorde thou despisest no man disdaynest no man reiectest no man that sueth vnto thee yea thou callest and prouokest them to come meete thee for it is thy delight to conuerse with the children of men O Lorde the Angells doe blesse and prayse thee what other thing hast thou found in vs but pollutions and blemishes of sin Wherefore wouldest thou be with vs to the end of the vvorld Was it not enough for thee that thou sufferedst for vs but that thou must leaue thy Sacraments for a medicine vnto vs and thy Angells for our companions and protectours And albeit we be vnthankfull for so great benefites yet thou wouldest dwell among vs for thou art so good and gracious that thou canst not deny thy selfe Therfore ô Lord let vs make if so it please thee a league couenant take thou charge of me and I will take charge of thee Doe with me ô Lord as it pleaseth thee for thou knowest what I want and what is meete for mee I will be thine and no others Giue me grace ô Lord that I may not seeke nor desire any thing but thee and that I may wholy offer yeeld vp my selfe vnto thee O sire that enlightenest me ô charity that inflamest me ô light illuminating me ô my rest ô my life ô my loue who alwayes burnest and neuer art extinguished vvhen shall I perfectly loue thee When shall I embrace thee with the naked arms of my soule Whē shall I despise my selfe and the whole vvorld for the loue of thee When shall my soule with al her powers strength bee vnited vnto thee When shall I be swallowed vp in the bottomles depth of thy loue O thou most sweete most louing most beautifull most wise most rich most noble most precious and most worthy to be loued and worshipped when shall I so loue thee that I may lie drowned wholy in thy loue O the life of my soule who didst vndergoe the burthen of death that thou mightest reuiue me and dying didst kill death kill ô Lord me also that is slay all my peruerse inclinations to euill my will also and whatsoeuer hindereth whereby thou mayst not liue with mee But after that thou hast thus killed me make me to liue with thee by loue and a true faith that I may faithfully obserue all thy commaundements and the precepts of my superiours and that I may only prosecute follow those things that are of the spirit O most bountifull and gracious Iesu giue me a perfect hatred and loathing of sinne and a perfect cōuersion of hart vnto thee that all my thoughts and all my desires may be busied and conuersant in thee alone and about thee alone O life vvithout which I dye ô truth without which I am deceaued ô way without which I goe astray ô saluation without which I perrish ô light without which I walk in darknes Doe not ô Lord doe not suffer that at any time I should be plucked away from thee for in thee alone I liue without thee I dye in thee I am safe and without thee I perish in thee I am some body but without thee I am no body As I shall more manifestly declare in the sequent considerations which shall be vnto mee as a most cleare glasse which I looking into with open stedfast and constant eies shall see both the magnitude and multitude of my miseries A SPIRITVA'L and heauenly Exercise deuided into seauen pithy and briefe Meditations for euery day in the weeke one The first Meditation for Monday of the miserie in which man is created THE Prophet Ieremy deploring the misery of his own condition saith How is it that I cam forth of the wombe to see labour and sorrow that my dayes should be consumed with shame If the Prophet sanctified in his mothers vvombe so lamentablie spake of himselfe what shall I miserable and vvretched man say conceaued and borne of my Mother in sinne Hugo de S. Victore doth very well counsaile vs ô man sayth he learne to know thy selfe Thou art better if thou knowest thy self then if neglecting thy self thou knevvest the motions of the starres the vertue of hearbs the complexions of men and the natures of al heauenly earthly creatures For many men know many things and know not themselues vvhen as the knowledge of our selues is the chiefest Philosophy Consider therefore ô man vvhat thou wast before thou wert born what thou art now thou art borne vntill thou returne to dust and what thou shalt be after death Before thou wast borne wast thou any other thing but an impure and vncleane matter conceaued
as a most precious treasure Wherfore S. Gregorie sayd Woe be vnto mee if I shall negligently keepe the talent committed to me of the Lorde that is my soule redeemed with the precious bloode of that immaculate lambe seeing also that there is not any moment of time which I am not to giue an account of The thyrd example If any one be a Steward whose dutie is to dispose the goods of hys Lord if hee shoulde giue the best bread the best vvine and the best meates to strangers to the enemies of his Lord should sette before his Lorde mustie bread vnsauory meats putrified flesh corrupted fishes and dead vvine doe you not thinke that this seruaunt should badly fitte the humour of his Lord A wretched sinner is like to such an one vvho offereth to the worlde and to the deuill who are the enemies of Christ Iesus his lord the best and fairest flower of his youth and strength and to his God and lord the worst part of his lyfe barren and vnprofitable old age Dauid did not so who saith of himselfe I will keep my strength for thee ô Lorde And the Wise man sayth that from his youth hee sought for wisedome vvhich is true vertue But of all them that deferre repentance Saint Gregory saith Hee is farre enough of from fayth vvho expecteth old age to repent in For it is to be feared least while hee hopeth for mercy he fall into iudgement For not any day is within hys power therefore euery one ought to follow the counsel of Isidore and conuert hymselfe with all the diligence and hast hee can vnto the Lord for if hee lynger and loyter he shall at the length bee willing but not able to turne himselfe Which things beeing so repent my deere brother with all speede and celeritie and make no longer tarrying least thou be reprobated and shutte out with the foolish virgins The fourth Meditation for Thursday of the contempt of the world and with what hatred and diligence it is to be eschewed THE glorious Apostle S. Iohn saith Brethren loue not the world neither the things that are in the worlde For if any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him and the world passeth away and the lust thereof Saint Augustine expounding thys place sayth What wilt thou doe whether hadst thou rather loue temporall things and so passe away with the tyme or Christ our Sauiour and liue for euer If thou shalt loue thys world it will consume and destroy thee for it cannot defend them that loue it Thys VVorlde is as an excommunicated man for as the Church doth not pray for him that is excōmunicated so Iesus Christ dooth not pray for the world although he prayed for them that crucified him O how great madnes is it to serue such a lord who at the end of thy seruice is wont to giue no other wages but nakednes and desolation So Saladine that great Soldane of Babilon the conquerer of Asia being at the point of death and seeing no hope of life to remaine cōmanded his standard-bearer to bee called vnto him to whom hee thus spake saying Thou hadst wont to carry myne imperiall ensigne before me whē I went to warre nowe also carry the ensigne of my death which is thys poore vvinding-sheete carry it thorow all the streetes of Damascus and cry Behold the king of all the East dieth of all his spoyles trophyes carryes none other with him but thys worne thredbare winding-sheete The lyke is read of a certaine young king of Lothoringia vvho beeing readie to giue vp the ghost lying in a most magnificent pallace and in a rich sumptuous bedde cryed out with a loude voyce that he might be heard of all O lorde Iesus Christ how woorthily is this world to be condemned See in vvhat stately and royall buildings I haue lyued now vvretched creature that I am knowe not whither thys night following I shall goe what Inne I shall haue or what manner of entertainement I shall find Therefore ô sinner flie from the world flye I say from the worlde first because it leaueth thee in so great neede and misery For as the Apostle Saint Iames saith The amity of this world is the enmity of God Whosoeuer therefore will be a friende of the world maketh himselfe the enemy of God And Saint Gregory sayth A man is so much the neerer vnto God by howe much he is further of from the loue of the worlde For thys cause the Lord would bee carryed without the Citty to signifie that hee had no parte in the VVorlde and whosoeuer will bee pertaker of the fruites of hys passion hee must renounce the vvorlde and seperate himselfe from all worldlie conuersation if not in act yet in desire thys is that which almighty GOD commaundeth by his Prophet saying Get ye out of Babylon that euerie one may saue his owne soule Babylon according to the exposition of Saint Hierome is the house of confusion vvhich is this world in which confusion raigneth euery where as well in the Clergy as in the Layitie as well in olde as young as well in men as women Therefore it is very well sayd of Saint Iohn in his generall Epistle The whole worlde lyeth in wickednesse Saint Bernard also counselleth vs very well saying Flye out of Babylon flye and saue your soules Fly to the Citties of refuge where ye may both repent for sins past and for the present finde grace and safely looke for future glorie Let not the anguish and remorse of your sins hinder you nor the austeritie of repentance deter and afright you For neither the passions of this time nor the trybulation of thys world are woorthy for the fault past which is remitted for the present grace of cōsolation which is bestowed nor for the future glory which is promised To be briefe there is no bitternesse so great vvhich the Prophets meale will not sweeten which the wisedom of the tree of lyfe will not make sauory Wee are to knowe that the worlde is to be eschewed for foure causes the first of which is because wise and circumspect men are wont to flie and auoyd infectious and contagious places especially if they be weake and sickly or feare any infirmitie Such a place is the VVorlde which hath in it many euills many diseases of sin we see also much filthines many blemishes in it which cōtaminate pollute our soules for sinne it selfe is a contagious disease therefore not without cause we ought to eschew auoyd the societie and company of wicked and vngodlie men for it is not meet that the whole and sounde should dwell with the leaprous and diseased for the Wise man saith Hee that toucheth pitch shall be defiled with it and he that companieth with a proude man shal put on pride Certainly saith S. Ierom nothing dooth so hurte a man as naughty
GRANADOS Spirituall and heauenlie Exercises Deuided into seauen pithie and briefe Meditations for euery day in the vveeke one Written in Spanish by the learned and reuerend Diuine F. Lewes of Granado Since translated into the Latine Italian French and the Germaine tongue And now englished by Francis Meres Maister of Artes of both Vniuersities and student in Diuinitie AT LONDON Printed by Iames Robarts for I. B. Anno. Dom. 1598. To the valorous and noble minded Gentleman Captaine Iohn Sammes Esquire F. M. hartily wisheth in this life the health yeeres happines of Galen Nestor and Augustus and in the other the delight rest and ioy of Abraham Isaac and Iacob THere bee three thinges Right worshipful greatlie desired in this lyfe Health VVealth Fame it is a question which of these is cheefe the sicke sayth Health the couetous commendeth VVealth and both these place good name last of all But they be both partiall Iudges because Health VVealth though they be neuer so good and so great end with the body and are subiect to time But honour fame renowne and good report doe tryumph ouer death and make men liue for euer Nunquā stigias fertur ad vmbras Inclyta virtus Immensum calcar gloria habet there is not a greater inticement vnto vertue then Fame true glory Spes famae solet ad virtutem impellere multos This made Alexander in honor of armes to emulate Achilles Scipio Africanus to imitate Xenophons Cyrus Caesar to patterne himselfe by Alexander Selimus Prince of Turkes to trace the steps of Caesar and Carolus Quintus to fire his thoughts at Philip Cominaeus his Lodouicus xi King of Fraunce Proceede noble and heroyick Spirite with young Troylus to ayme at Hectors glory And as the pregnancie of your Hopes promiseth to be an Huniades to the Turkes a Talbot to the French and a Drake to the Spanyard so also bee an Artaxerxes to Hippocrates an Alexander to Pindarus and Aristotle a Scipio to Ennius an Augustus to Virgil a Traian to Plutarch and a Mecaenas to all Schollers And then as the sworde dooth defend the penne of the Scholler so the penne shal grace the sword of the Souldiour shall tunablie sonnet that paracleticall verse out of Horace Dignum laude virum Musa vetat mori Learning indeede vvould bee soone put to silence without the ayde support of noble bountifull and generous spirits In hope of which ayde and supportation I present these diuine and celestiall meditations vnto your VVorship which vnder the title of your protection may doe as much good in England as they haue done in Spayne Portugall Italy Fraunce and Germanie Lodouicus Granatensis the Authour of these heauenly and spyrituall Meditations hath so cunningly portrayed in this Treatise the myseries and calamities of this lyfe and with such diuine eloquence depainted the future blessednes of the other that for stile hee seemes to mee another Cicero and for sounde and emphaticall perswasion a second Paule VVhose diuine spirit heauenly writing as it hath moued the Italians Camillus Camilli Georgius Angelierus Timotheus Bagnus Iohannes Baptista Porcacchius to translate his works into theyr language and Michael of Isselt to conuert thē into Latine Philippus Doberniner into the Germaine tongue so also hath it mooued me to digest thē into English that nowe at the length our Country might enioy that rare Iewel vvhich those famous Countries doe so highly prize For further commendation of the Authour and thys Booke I referre your VVorship to the present discourse which I assure my selfe will worke those motions in you that it shal neyther yrke you of your paines nor mee of my labour Thus boldlie presuming on your curteous acceptation I commit you to hys sacred protection who graceth heere vpon the earth the memories of the valiant and vertuous by the pennes of Schollers and glorifieth them in heauen with his chosen men of vvarre who with Iosua haue fought his battailes and with Dauid haue vnsheathed their swords to auenge his quarrell London the 24. of Nouember 1598. At your Worships commaundement Francis Meres The Contents of the seuerall heads discoursed in this Booke THE Prologue a briefe manner of Meditation Page 1. The first Meditation for Monday Of the miserie in which man is created page 21. The second Meditation for Tuesday of sinne and what discommodities come by it page 39 The third Meditation for Wednesday how dangerous it is to deferre repentance page 63 The fourth meditatiō for Thursday of the contempt of the world and with what hatred and diligence it is to be eschewed page 99. The fift Meditation for Friday of the vanity of the glory and magnificence of this world 120 The sixt Meditation for Saterday how death is to be feared and that a Christian ought so to liue that death may neuer find him vnprepared 147. The seauenth Meditation for Sonday of the ioyes of the blessed in heauen and of the paynes of the damned in hell page 166 Lastly there is annexed to these seauen celestiall Meditations an excellent Exposition vpon the one and fifty Psalme 208. THE Prologue and a briefe manner of Meditation ALl thinges passe away except the loue of GOD. Whē as the wise man had contemplated and by long experience learned the mutabilitie of all things neither had found any constancie or certainelie very little in any thing created in this world but many desires an vnsatiable thirst of men which violently forced them to hunt after these transitorie things at length he cryeth out Vanity of vanities all is vanity affliction of spirit And when he had runne thorow and experimēted all things in the world with a most wholesome councell he concludeth his disputation saying Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth whiles the euill dayes come not nor the yeeres approch wherein thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them whiles the Sun is not dark nor the light nor the Moone nor the starres nor the clowdes returne after the raine Feare God and keepe his commaundements for this is the whole dutie of man And because the whole safety of our soules and all our blessednes dependeth of this councell it is most aptly and fitlie spoken of S. Gregory That there is no such sacrifice offered to the Almightie as the zeale of the soule is vvhich sheweth by vvholesome doctrines the vvay vnto celestiall glory I beeing therefore moued by this zeale although vnworthy to teach haue gathered this short tractate out of diuers authorities of holy doctors that a soule drowned in the pollution of sinne beeing conuicted by these instructions authorities of holy men and enlightned of the holie Ghost might bee reduced to her Creator and Redeemer as a straying and lost sheepe or at the length might know her estate and the errors and daungers which she in this vvorld is in whilst shee continueth in sinne and being touched with the sorrow of contrition might returne vnto God and returning
company and euil society For a man becomes such a one as the company he keepeth The Wolfe dooth neuer dwel with the lamb a chast man doth flie the company of the luxurious I think it impossible that a man shoulde long cōtinue honest who daily vseth the societie of wicked mē With the holy thou shalt be holy sayth the Psalmist with the innocent thou shalt be innocent and with the frowarde thou shalt learne frowardnes For as euill companie hurteth so good company profiteth Nothing can bee compared to thys treasure He that findeth good society findeth life and aboundeth with wealth I speake truly and confidently a man is made verie sildome eyther good or euill but through company society The hart of a chyld is said to bee as a Table in which nothing is paynted Therefore that he receiueth from company hee keepeth till his old age whether it bee good or euill These things spake S. Ierome beeing ready to yeelde vp the ghost Therfore seeing that the worlde is so euill wee ought to eschewe and auoyde it as an ill neighbour who can worke vs great mischiefe by hys neighbourhoode and vicinitie and hurte vs very much by sinnes and sinners of vvhich it is full The second cause vvhy the worlde is to be eschewed is because vvise and considerate men doe auoyde those places in which they feare the intrappings and snares of theyr enemies least they fall into theyr hands and thys is the revvard that the world rendereth vnto her louers that shee at the length deliuereth thē into the hands of the deuils theyr deadly enemies The wordes of the the traytour Iudas are to be referred hether saying to them to whom hee sold and betrayed the Sonne of God Whomsoeuer I shall kisse and say peace be vnto thee that is he lay hold on him VVhich vvordes the world saith also to the deuils to vvhomsoeuer I shall gyue the kisse of peace of riches of pleasures and honors lay holde on him binde him hand foote and cast him into hell Wherfore S. Gregory saith not without good cause It is a manifest signe of perdition whē the effect and euent dooth fauour affected iniquitie and no contrarietie dooth hinder what the peruerse minde hath cōceiued And Saint Ierome sayth It is a manifest token of damnation to bee loued of the vvorld to enioy prosperity to haue all things what the vvill desireth Certaine therefore it is that they are exceedingly deceiued in finding out the way to felicitie who thinke that they may enter into glory and into the kingdome of heauen by riches and pleasures The third cause why vvee ought to eschew the worlde is this because wise wary men doe flie auoyde dangerous places such as the sea is wherin we saile with feare Whervpon the Wise-man saith They that saile ouer the sea doe tell of the dangers of it Dauid certifieth vs that thys world is a great spacious sea in which the greater parte of the marriners perrish Thys is manifest because as Bernard saith many do miscarry in it and fewe are saued The worlde is as an Ocean in which of foure shyps scarcelie one is saued as the Deluge in vvhich so many thousand men were drowned and so fewe escaped and as the Fornace of Babylon kindled with hell fire in which a man is sette on a light flame with one word of the fire of vvrath in vvhich luxury dooth burne and couetousnes is inflamed by the onely looke and aspect The fourth cause vvhy we ought to forsake the world is because euery man that is wise beeing admonished ought to eschew that place in which his mortal deadly enemy dwelleth Thys place is the vvorld which the deuill our capitall enemie inhabiteth hee hath his signory and dominion in thys world who alwayes threatneth destruction vnto vs and thyrsteth for our deathes Therfore let vs flye from the worlde as from the deuill according to the counsell of the VViseman Keep thee far from the man that hath power to slay These reasons thus beeing sette before our eyes let vs bee wise for we see manifestly by these things which haue beene spoken that the world cannot be better ouercome by any other way then by flying from it VVee haue an example of thys in the life 's of the Fathers of Achrimus who being Emperour standing in his pallace prayed thus vnto GOD. Lord I desire thee shewe vnto me the way of saluation And behold hee heard a voyce saying vnto him Achrimus auoyde the concourse and solemnities of the worlde entangle not thy selfe in the snares of humaine vanities thou shalt be safe At the hearing of which voyce hee betooke himselfe foorth-with to a strict solitarie course of lyfe And saying an other time the same prayer he hearde a voyce saying Fly ouercome bee silent at rest And surely these be the rootes and the grounds not to sinne For by flying the cōcupiscence of the flesh is ouercome by being silent the pride of lyfe and by beeing of a peaceable and quiet mind couetousnesse greedines of gaine are subdued and ouerthrowne Saint Isidore admonishing vs that wee shoulde contemne the world sayth If thou desirest to lyue quietly couet nothing that is in this world cast frō thee what-soeuer may hinder thy holy purpose Be dead to the world and therefore being deade doe not thyrst after glory and thou shalt lyue in tranquilitie and rest being cōtent with thine owne Despise that in thy life which thou canst not keepe in thy death S. Augustine speaketh thus of this deceitfull world This life is a miserable life a fraile life an vncertaine life a painefull life an impure lyfe a lyfe Lady of enormities Queen of pride ful of miseries errors which is not to be called a life but a death in which wee die dailie through sundry defections of mutability and by manifolde kinds of death A brickle lyfe an incōstant life which the faster it goeth on the nerer it approcheth to death a deceitfull and vnsteady life full of the snares of death Although it be replenished with these and other greeuances sorrowes and inconueniences yet ô greefe howe many dooth it ensnare with vanities and howe many are deceiued with false and deceitfull promises And albeit of it selfe it is so false and bitter that it cannot cōceale these incōueniences from her blinde louers yet it maketh drunk an infinite multitude of fooles with the golden cup which she beareth in her hand As they are happy so are they rare that refuse her familiarity that despise her perfunctory ioyes that contemne her society least with this perishing deceiuer they bee also forced to perrish This sayth he Beholde sayth Bernard the worlde cryeth I shall fayle thee and the flesh crieth I shal infect thee which then ô miserable sinner vvilt thou follow the failing world or the infecting flesh Both of them are euill therefore followe Christ who
pompe in the night of this world to weak dimme eyes vvhich cannot iudge but by outward appearances But when that cleare and bright day of iudgement shall come wherein God shall reueale the darkest and obscurest thinges of our soules and shall manifest the secret counsailes of our harts then those that seemed happy and glorious shall be knowne to be filthy vile and without any hope of saluation Wherefore these mighty mē are like vnto Owls which flying in the darke doe seeme to cast some light from them but when the day ariseth they show blacke as they are If these gloriosoes had eyes to looke into theyr most vile riches and to behold the stinch and corruption of their owne flesh which shall be turned into ashes they that are nowe swelled and puffed vp and doe despise others through the noblenes of their birth theyr power and dignity should well perceaue hovve abiect base blacke and corrupt they are Wherefore I cannot be induced to thinke otherwise but that if they would deeply consider and weigh these thinges they would presently cast out of their harts al the earthly glory of this world knowing as Hierome saith that it is impossible that any one should be happy in both worlds and appeare glorious both in heauen and in earth Secondly the glory of thys world as we sayde is to be eschewed because it is fraile and without any cōstancy or foundation therfore it is like vnto a smoke or a vapour which the higher that it is lifted the lesse it is seene and to a flower of a good sent and fairenes which a little Sun-shyne dooth dry vp in a short time is vvithered with a little blast of wind and dooth loose all the beauty and fragrancy Such is the glory of the vvorld of vvhich Esaias sayde All flesh is grasse and all the grace and glory thereof is as the flower of the field The grasse withereth the flower fadeth and the glorie thereof passeth away Such are the louers of thys temporall momentany glory vvorthily compared to grasse vvhich grovveth on the topps of houses to day greene and to morrow not seene VVherefore the Wiseman sayth All power is of short continuance and hee that is a King to day to morrow is dead Tell me where is the povver and glory of King Assuerus vvho gouerned an hundred and tvventy prouinces VVhere is the glorie of great Alexander at whose presence the vvhole earth vvas husht to vvhom all Kings and Tyrants payed tribute as it is in the first Booke of the Macchabees VVhere is the glorie of that great Empyre by vvhich he conquered and subdued vnder him almost all the Kingdomes of the vvorlde Where are all the Princes and Potentates of the vvorld vvho raigned ouer both man and beast They are passed and gone avvay as a straunger or a Soiournour that tarryeth but for one day Trulie not one of them remaineth all their dayes vvere spente in vanitie and theyr yeares svviftly posted avvay Death feareth no man it swepeth all avvay without any difference or partiality it is a fierce cruell beast that spareth not any body it taketh avvay both the king and the begger and maketh all equal alike Thirdly the glory of thys world is to be auoided because it is deceitfull and dooth performe none of those thinges it promiseth but deceaueth all men in this life Which of the Princes and Emperours hath it not deluded promising vnto them long life peaceable honours a quiet empire when as it cannot prolong mans lyfe one houre VVho in earthly glory was lyke vnto Alexander who was neuer subdued in any warre who alwayes triumphed ouer his enemies vvho ouerthrew huge hoasts with a litle army who neuer besieged Citty but he tooke it neyther was there any prouince which did not obey his Empire But now when he seemed an absolute conquerour and purposed to passe the rest of his time in peace and tranquillity hee vvas on a suddaine poysoned Tell mee why doest thou follow and hunt after the glory of the world which cannot succour thee in death Fourthly as I said humaine glory and applause is to be auoyded and eschewed because it is a very euill and naughty pay-mayster for it promiseth glory and payeth euerlasting perdition and eternall confusion Wherfore the Lord saith by the Prophet I will turne their glory into shame So theyr strength shall bee turned into weakenes their wisedome into foolishnes and their pleasures into punishments For according to the quantity of the falt shall be the quantity of the punishment vvhich they shall be tormented vvith Heereupon Saint Hierome speaketh thus to the louers of this fleeting and deceitfull vvorld Woe bee vnto you miserable vvretches vvho endeuour to goe to heauen by the vvay of riches and pleasures and vnderstand not vvhat our Sauiour sayth That it is easier for a cammell to goe through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen Remember that this is a Diuine sentence and the words of him who sayth Heauen and earth shall passe but my words shall not passe O miserable vvretches and more inconstant then any wind howle mourne who are onely great and noble by the benefit of fortune but in deed are base abiect and blind vvith the smoake of vanitie with deceaueable honours and false dignities of this vvorlde Doe yee not see the shortnes of time howe death perhaps this might shal cut off the thred of your liues and that yee shall be tormented for euer in hell vvhere yee shall alwayes liue dying without end yea more dying then all the men that die in the world vvhere no rest shall be giuen but torments shall alwayes liue to reuenge Where yee shall not onely be tortured with men but also with deuils For so much the greater shall thy punishment be there as thy glory was greater here as thou hast liued in greater delicacies and delights See how our Sauiour that vnchāgable truth al whose deeds words are one instruction amōg his twelue apostles whō he choose would haue but one Bartholomew a noble man one Matthew a rich man hee chose all the other poore men and fishers that he might signifie that the noble and rich men of this world can hardly be saued and be made worthy of heauen For if by one onely sinne man became guilty of hell fire how shall a rich man be saued desirous and greedy of populer applause hunting after the fraile and mortall glory of this life which is none other thing then a filthy impure vessell and receite for all sinne full of pride and luxury full of couetousnes in the rich mighty and noble men of this world These are theeues that robbe the poore of that they should liue by vvho eate vp their labours killing and treading them vnder theyr feete vvhen notvvithstanding God hath blessed them vvith great aboundance of vvealth that they therby might nourish
it shall lament that for so small and momentany a pleasure it hath lost the perpetuall felicity of euerlasting blessednes It shall blush be ashamed that for the flesh which shal be cast vnto wormes to eate it neglected and despised it selfe which should haue liued in the society and felowship of Angels And lifting vp the beams of her vnderstanding and considering of those immortall riches of heauen and seeing that shee hath changed them for the miseries of this life shee shall bee exceedingly afflicted and vtterlie confounded VVhen she shall turne her eyes to view the vanities of this world and the darknes of the earth shee shall admire and vvonder at the brightnes of the light glistering aboue her and shall manifestlie knovve that thys worlde is night and darknesse The breaste shall beginne to pant and beate the forehead shall waxe stiffe whence cold svveate shall issue the eyes shall growe dimme the eares deaffe the nose shall sinke downe the nosethrils shall bee filled vvith filth and corruption the countenance shal wax wanne and pale the mouth shall bee distorted and pursed the lippes shall grow blew the hands cold the pulse shall faint and languish novve beating neuer a whitte novve stryking softlie and sometymes creeping lyke a vvorme or a pysmier the feete shall vvax cold and the whole flesh shal turne to corruption Those antecedent tokens of death neerely approching and these neerer signes beeing at hand the euil works which she hath done the wordes which she hath spoken and the cogitations which she hath thoght vpon shall also approach and both the workes wordes and thoughts shall be witnesses against a miserable sinner they shall stand in his sight will he nill he he shall be constrayned to see them At the one side of him there shall bee deuils present and at the other Angells these shall comfort him dying the other shall accuse him and both of them shall earnestly expect which of them shall carry him away with them If there be in him signes of piety and contrition he shall be glad at the sight of the Angels and hee shall take courage to depart vvith thys sweete and happie companie But if on the left side there shal bee present so obscure and so hatefull a multitude of sinns so vncleane and stinking that the Iudge cannot abide the smell of them thē the miserable soule shall forth-with faint for feare it shall bee disturbed with violence of perturbations shall bee compelled to forsake the prison of the miserable flesh Then the soule shall runne to the mouth to the eyes to the eares to the nosethrils seeking which way it may get forth finding all thinges shut vp and closed it shall breake through which when it hath so done and shall looke round about casting her eyes on euery side and seeing her selfe condemned shee shall curse and banne her selfe exclaiming and crying out O the cursed soule of one excomunicate of a theefe of a Church robber of an adulterer of an vsurer And whē the wretched soule shal view the vvhite and vnspotted garment that was giuē her in baptisme to be nowe blacker then pitch she shal sigh and mourn vvith greate lamentation and howling saying Woe is mee woe is mee miserable wretch who hath changed my garmēt it was whiter then snow and nowe it is blacker then pitch Then the deuill will presentlie step forth who wil mock thee and say O my soule doe not meruaile beholde it is I that haue prepared for thee thys blacke garmeut with which vesture the greater part of the worlde is inuested to vvhich thou hast alwayes beene obsequious which thou hast credited which thou with me hast imployed thy selfe in alwayes follovving myne aduice and counsaile therefore with mee thou shalt for euer dvvell in mine infernal kingdom where there is sorrowe without ioy hunger without meate thyrst without drinke darknes without light stinke without sweetnesse greefe without comfort mourning vvithout consolation teares without ceasing hideous noyse vvithout silence howling without melody burning fire without refreshing a violent wind without calmnes heat without ende and all euill without any good Therefore arise my loue goe with me behold all the infernal spirites doe come to meet thee Then also shall bee present the Angel of GOD to vvhom the soule was committed saying Happie and blessed are they who in this worlde haue not spotted nor blemished theyr garments O vnhappy soule ô friend of deuils ô the cursed creature of the omnipotent God I alwayes stood by thee and thou sawest mee not I alwayes admonished thee and thou wouldest not heare me I alwayes suggested good counsailes vnto thee and thou wouldest not beleeue mee Therefore now get thee gone to hell into the handling of deuills that is to the place of torments vvhich are prepared for thee according to thy deserts Who can expresse the multitude of hellish fiends that with great fiercenes shal runne to catch the vnhappie soule and carrie it to euerlasting torments who despitely insulting ouer it and mocking it shall say O how proude hast thou beene heeretofore How delicately and sumptuously hast thou banquetted How finelie curiously hast thou been cloathed Howe valiant and prosperous hast thou alwayes been Tell vs why doest thou not now eate why doest thou not drinke vvhy art thou not gallantlie apparrelled Why doest thou not nowe play and reioyce with thy wife children and friends Then the miserable soule shall curse the bodie saying O temple of the deuill whose works haue polluted mee ô cursed earth ô habitation of sathan arise now and goe with mee and thou shalt see the place of torments prepared for thee in vvhich I shall dwell vvithout thee till the comming of the Iudge and then also shalt thou come hither and for euer shalt bee tormented with mee Cursed bee thine eyes vvhich would not see the light of truth and the vvay of righteousnesse cursed bee thine eares which refused to heare the wordes of eternall lyfe Cursed bee thy nosethrills vvhich disdayned to smell the most sweete sauour of vertue Cursed be thy lippes and tongue and cursed bee thy mouth that would neither taste the ioy of glory nor prayse theyr Creatour Cursed bee thy handes vvhich denyed almes to the poore Cursed be thine heart vvhich brought foorth so many and so vncleane cogitations and counsayles Cursed bee thy feete vvhich vvould not frequente the Church of Christ Iesus Cursed bee thy members vvhich neuer brought foorth the vvorkes of repentance And cursed bee all thy workes which haue deserued so cruell and so endlesse torments Consider therefore my brother from vvhat great daungers and feares thou mayst nowe delyuer thy selfe if so novve through the feare of death thou endeuourest so to lyue that when it commeth thou mayst say with Dauid Into thy handes ô Lorde I commende my spirite Learne novv to dye to the vvorlde that thou mayest lyue vvith Iesus Christ. Learne nowe to contemne all thinges that thou mayst freelie
and mercifull towards sinners that of vncleane filthy wretches thou hast made them holy and righteous men that with the fire of thy loue which as the Prophet sayth thou thy selfe art calling thee a fire which dooth consume thou wouldest purge burne vp and vtterly consume all mine iniquities and imperfections making mee of a stone-cold sinner a most ardent louer and feruent follower of thee and of thy precepts and commaundements Neyther only purge me from my sinnes past but Wash mee throughly from my wickednesse and cleanse mee from my sinne Wash mee so ô Lorde and so cleanse all mine inward parts that there may not any thing remaine in mee that may solicite mee to sinne againe Giue me strength and fortitude to ouercome the world the deuil and the flesh least I returne to mine olde wayes former errors And because I knowe ô Lord that no man doth lyue that of himselfe can be iustified in thy sight and presence and that thou doost onely vvill this that hee that desireth to haue forgiuenes of his sinnes do acknowledge and confesse himselfe a sinner and that hee lament and bewayle his misdeedes I being such a one doe say For I acknowledge my faults and my sin is euer before mee I doe acknowledge I say my faultes and confesse them not onely outwardly but also inwardly For although there are some that beeing spotted and polluted with vaine hipocrisie and with some other vice doe deceiue men vnder a shadowe of pietie yet Lord no man lyuing can possibly deceiue thee with a show of outward sanctitie if inwardly he be not so indeed I haue learned by experience that the inwarde sinne is opposite and contrary to euery one which accuseth vvithout intermission and gnaweth the conscience like a worme by the gnawing of which that horrible voyce of the damned ariseth who say We haue wearied our selues in the way of wickednesse and destruction and wee haue gone through dangerous wayes but wee haue not knowne the way of the Lord. The Heathen in tymes past dyd confesse theyr errors and offences to Mars Venus Iupiter Mercurie and to other vaine Gods fictions of Poets and many at thys day do offend because they haue riches honours and the glorie of thys world doe confesse that they haue offended against all these because they haue erred by the meanes of them haue not attained vnto theyr desires But I ô lorde doe contemne all these do confesse my sinnes vnto thee because Against thee onely haue I sinned done euill in thy sight For all my sinnes are against thee as against the Lord the maker and preseruer of all thinges from whom they cannot be hid but are open to the eyes of thy diuinitie as all other thinges are whether they bee in heauen in earth or in the depth of the Sea And truely my sinnes transgressions bee so many and so great that some beeing in the same state of damnation with mee and not considering of thine omnipotencie but measuring thee according to their ovvne frailety and weakenes haue in theyr peruerse cogitations descended into iudgemēt against thee saying My sins are greater then can bee forgiuen And giuing no credite to thy words promises suppose that thou art angry and cruell and doost thinke vpon punishment and vengeance and not vpon pardon and forgiuenes And such when they shall see that thou ô my Lord doost forgiue mee my sinnes will bee of another minde and be confounded in theyr iudgements shal confesse that which thou spakest by thy Prophet saying As the heauens are higher then the earth so are my wayes higher thē your wayes and my thoughts aboue your thoughts Therefore haue mercy vpon me ô Lord and blot out mine offences That thou mayst bee iustified in thy sayings and cleare whē thou art iudged But if a greater acknowledgement of them be necessary for the remission of my sins or if it carry any show of excuse to repeate them frō the first beginning and originall I say ô lord and plainly confesse that I was shapen in wickednes and in sinne hath my Mother conceiued mee And that through that olde transgression of our Father Adam which hee hath traduced and conueyed to all his posteritie which hath made vs subiect first to bodilie death and thē to spiritual to both which deaths we had still beene subiect vnlesse the seconde heauenly Adam Christ our Lord and thy beloued sonne had freed and deliuered vs from them by his most precious blood and had instructed vs by his doctrine and examples and had showed vnto vs the true way by which wee might againe returne to that first estate of innocencie in which we were created in the garden of Parradice For thou louest truth in the inward affections and shalt make mee to vnderstand wisedom in the secret of mine hart For seeing that thou art that ineffable vnspeakable truth which thou louest and which is acceptable to all thine by obseruing it according to thine owne promises thou gauest him who is the desired of Nations and promised in thy law that is thy selfe that we being deliuered frō the feare of our enemies might serue thee not with that olde seruile loue which was for feare of punishment and vengeance but vvith a filiall loue as a Lorde and Father who neuer ceaseth to showre downe his benefites vpon vs his children VVhich loue and name of children we haue obtained by Iesus Christ thy Sonne our lord for by the vertue of his merrits because hee would bee our brother in this worlde hee hath giuen vs boldnesse that wee dare vvith confidence call thee Father thou also callest vs sonnes not naturall Sonnes for Christ alone is thy onely begotten and naturall Sonne and of one substance with thee but vvee are adopted sonnes by vvhich adoption if wee doe our duties wee come to the inhearitance of thy kingdome vvith him therefore to vs being such Thou hast manifested the sescrete and hidden things of thy wisedome That is the misteries of our redemption which neither Socrates nor Aristotle nor Plato nor any other of the Grecian or Romaine Phylosophers could euer find out by all their immeasurable study and long searching yea thou hast shewed that al those things in which they placed the last end and chiefest felicitie to bee meere foolishnes extreame vanity and that which they supposed foolishnes thou hast showen to be true wisedome that thou mightest declare manifest howe little mans strength can preuaile without thy help and that thou mightest giue an example that none heereafter shoulde trust to his owne vvit or power but thou dost giue ioy and strength to them that with humilitie offer vnto thee theyr misery and weakenesse and him thou fillest with thy wisedome that with a sincere minde offereth vnto thee his ignorance and to bee briefe him thou iustifiest that yeeldeth vp himselfe vnto thee humbled as a sinner VVhich seeing it is so I desire thee O Lord That
thou wouldest purge me with hysope I shal be clean that thou wouldest wash mee and I shall bee whither then snow VVash mee ô Lorde with the water of that fountaine which floweth to eternall life vvhich thou didst promise to the vvoman of Samaria and purge me with the hysope of thy grace and with the fire of thy loue charitie burne away all the errors of my frailetie and all my wickednesse and then I shall bee cleansed frō all my sinnes then I shall returne vnto the state of innocencie then I shall be more pure and whiter then the whitest snowe Then Thou shalt make mee heare of ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce Then all my sences which hetherto serued the worlde the flesh and the deuill that lay drowned in pleasures world lie delights which are rather to be called sorrowes miseries afflictions and confusions shall receiue of thee ioy gladnesse and rest and they shall begin to heare and tast howe good and sweete ô lord thy Spirite is to them that serue thee with humilitie I hauing tasted of thy Spirit my flesh and bones which are nowe broken because they serued earthly and vile thinges shall returne with gladnesse to the obedience of thy Spirit They shall taste of the high misteries of thy workes shall know a great part of thy goodnesse graciousnesse which both heeretofore thou hast vsed and stil vsest daily to all the nations of the world wherefore they shall persecute those thinges vvith a deadly hate vvhich they haue passed thorow and that which heeretofore was sweet pleasant vnto them now they shall esteem it bitter that which they refused as bitter now they shall desire it as most sweet shall giue thee immortall thanks because thou hast deliuered them out of the depth of misery in which they wallowed beeing deciued with a false vizard of pleasure gladnes because now ô lord throgh thy gracious goodnesse I am come to the knowledge detestation of my sinnes beeing the ready way to saluation O Lord I pray thee Turne thy face from my sins and put out all my misdeedes Turne thy diuine face I say the beholding and contemplating of which is eternall lyfe deale not with me after my deserts but looke vpon mee with the eyes of thy mercy and take from mee all my wickednesse Purge me ô lord and cleanse me not only from sinnes past but from all those that may happen to mee heereafter Create in mee a cleane hart ô God and renue a right spirite within mee Take from me my stony hart which hetherto hath delighted it selfe with the loue and contemplation of abiect and vncleane things and therefore it is vncleane and polluted I pray thee ô lord take this from mee and vouchsafe to create another in me cleane pure and chast Take from me the spirit of pride of vaine-glory of couetousnes of luxury and of many other vices and slaueries which hath raigned in mee renew within me a right mild and humble spirit vvhich may thirst after all righteousnesse Thou knowest ô lorde that we are earth and a masse of iniquitie and that vnlesse thou doost support vs with thine hand we cannot do any thing but that which is earthly there-I pray thee Cast mee not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me But alwayes direct mee preserue mee with thy right hand that I may say as the Prophet sayd in times past The Lord is my Sheepheard I shall not want Take not from mee thy holie Spirit the true comforter of the afflicted who is the way of truth to all them that as wanderers lost and desolate doe enter into the blinde Laborinth of thys worlde yea rather Lord Restore to mee the ioy of thy saluation and stablish me with thy free spirit Giue mee grace that by meditating on those things vvhich thou hast wrought for our saluation and workest daily in beholding thy will who desirest not the death of a sinner but that hee may be conuerted and liue I may enioy that true ioy and rest which they enioy who beeing guiltie of eternall death doe heare that theyr sins are forgiuen them not of thē that haue no power to doe it but of him that is omnipotent who can neyther deceiue nor be deceiued who as hee cannot die so hee cannot fayle in his promise Take from me ô lorde the spirit of bondage which I haue hetherto obeyed and strengthen me in thy loue and grace with thy royall and free spirit not subiect to the worlde the flesh or the deuill that we may serue thee with ioy in the perfection of the works of righteousnes in the libertie of the Gospell to the which vvee are restored by thy Sonne Christ our lord and Sauiour And then ô lorde I beeing strengthened by thy mercie I shall not onely be free clean frō all sin but I shal march into the fielde as a couragious warriour valiant captaine I shall teach thy wayes vnto the wicked and sinners shal be conuerted vnto thee Who seeing me to be made of wicked iust of weake mighty of a seruaunt free of a subiect thine adopted sonne and considering thys to be doone not by mans strength but by diuine power they will bee conuerted vnto thee with all their hart and with all theyr soule But I pray thee ô my lord and the GOD of my saluation whilst I am conuersant vvith wicked peruerse and vngodly men doe not suffer me to sin with them or to pollute my selfe with theyr blemishes But Deliuer mee from blood-giltinesse O God thou that art the God of my health and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousnesse As the sunne vvith his beames dooth pierce and penetrate all thinges both pure impure and is not onely not polluted but also dooth purge those things that are infected corrupted so I beeing clothed with the beames and heate of thy charitie and loue may with out spotte and blemish be conuersant among the impure vncleane Thys if thou vvilt grant mee my tongue beeing directed and guided by thy grace and ayde shall plant thy righteousnes in their harts and they shall be deceiued when they shall thinke that it is my worke seeing that it is thine For of my selfe I am not sufficient to doe it nay I am not able to speake a worde without thy helpe grace That therfore they may acknowledge this and yeelde thee thy due prayse and not bestowe it on mee Open thou my lippes ô Lorde and my mouth shall shew forth thy prayse And now ô lorde I offer thee my spirit afflicted troubled because I haue offended thee to which I add a purpose of amendement Which sacrifice I know doth please thee to be that which thou requirest For thou desirest no sacrifice though I woulde giue it thou delightest not in burnt offerings For now is the time in which no burnt offerings
will refresh thee But if all these thinges my Brother which thou hast hetherto read of do not moue thee heare what the same famous Doctor of the Church Bernard sayth of the louers of the world Woe be vnto those vnhappy and wretched ones saith he for whom is prepared intollerable sorrow incomparable stinch and horrible feare Woe bee to them for whom is prepared that place where nothing shall be heard but vveeping and wayling lamentation and howling mourning gnashing of teeth where nothing shall bee seene but the worme vgly deformed and horrible tortures and terrible fearefull deuils where they shal cal seeke for death but shal not find it where there is no order but where perpetual horror euerlastingly abideth How great feare how great sorow how great mourning will there be whē sinners are seperated frō the righteous deliuered to the power of deuills with whom they shall be cast headlong into the eternall tormēts of hel without hope euer to see the face of the Lorde or heauenly glory without any hope to bee euer freed from those torments where neyther the torturers shal be wearied nor the tortures haue any ende where death shall neuer die nor lyfe bring any ioy Tell mee ô sinner sayth S. Ierome if we had the wisedom of Salomon the beauty of Absolon the strength of Sampson the long life of Enoch the riches of Craesus and the felicitie of Octauian what would these things profit vs when as our fleshe at the length is to be giuen to the wormes of the earth and our soules to the deuils to bee euerlastingly tormented with the rich Glutton in hell The shortnesse of time the breuity of life and the vncertainty of death ought to moue thee to contemne the worlde those vaine delights that be in the world Wherefore Saint Gregory sayth Reprobates doe many things wickedly because they hope to liue long heere Contrariwise the righteous whilst they consider the shortnes of theyr lyfe they auoyde the sinnes of pride and vncleannesse Of the breuity of this life S. Iames saith What is your life it is euen as a vapour that appeareth for a little tyme. And Saint Augustine sayth If thou haddest lyued all that time since Adam was expelled out of the garden of Paradice euen to this day certainly thou shouldest well perceiue that thy life was not perpetuall vvhich hath so passed avvay but the lyfe of one man what is it adde as many yeeres as it pleaseth thee adde a very long and lasting old age what then Is it not yet morning Bee it that the day of Iudgement is farre of assuredly thy last day cannot bee farre of therefore nowe prepare thy selfe for as thou departest out of thys life so shalt thou bee presented to the other lyfe Thys sayth hee And in another place All the time that wee liue heere is taken from life so that the lyfe present is none other thing but a short way by which wee passe vnto death in which no man can long stay nor linger or walke softly and at leysure but euery day thou must finish by little and little some part of thy iourney All things passe away sayth Soneca and are in continuall diminution augmentation None of vs is the same in olde age that wee vvere in youth Not any one of vs is the same in the morning that wee were the day before Our bodyes passe away after the manner of running riuers vvhatsoeuer thou seest runneth away with the time Nothing remayneth steadie of all those thinges vve see behold they are changed whilst I speake and I also am changed And in another place The Fates doe ply their worke and doe take away frō vs the sence and feeling of our death and that death may creepe vpon vs more easily it lurketh vnder the very name of life Childhood cōuerts infancie into it youth childhood manly age youth and olde age takes away manly age The very increases if thou doost well account thinke of them will be founde to be losses If my deere Brother thou lettest these thinges into thine eares and meditatest on thē in thine hart well considerest them thou wilt say that thou rather runnest vnto death then that thou canst hope for long lyfe The fift Meditation for Friday of the vanitie of the glory and magnificence of this world THE Prophet Baruch detecting and laying open the great and intollerable mockerie of vaine glory and riches and the subtile deceits of this vvorlde in the third chapter of his prophecie sayth Where are the Princes of the Heathen and such as ruled the beastes vppon the Earth They that had their pastime with the foules of heauen and hoarded vp siluer and golde wherein men trust and made none end of their gathering For they that coyned siluer and were so carefull of their worke and whose inuention had none end are come to naught and gone downe to hell and other men are come vp in their steades Where are the inuincible victors and heroicke conquerours of Coutries who by theyr conquests purchased such tryumphs and by their riches prepared such magnificent feastes and banquettes Where are the Emperours and Captaynes of huge Armies Where are the managers tamers of horses and other creatures vvhere are the Iudges tyrants great theeues of the world they are novv nothing but dust and ashes Looke and looke againe looke I say into theyr Sepulchers whether this is a rich man or that a poore man Whether this man is valiant or that man faint-harted tosse turn ouer their bones distinguish if thou canst a rich man from a poore man a valiant man frō a coward a beautifull man from him that is deformed Wherfore my brother let vs be wise at the last being admonished by this Scripture and let vs assuredly persvvade our selues that all mans glory whence soeuer it commeth is to be auoided of vs. First because of his owne nature it is vile secondly because it is deceitfull in his promises thirdly because it is vaine brickle frayle fleeting and momentany fourthly because it is euill and malicious in rendering a reward First I say that mans glory is to be eschewed because of his owne nature and condition is vile and base as it is manifest in the first booke of the Macchabees where Mattathias dying sayth to his Sonnes Feare not yee the wordes of a sinfull man for his glory is but dong and vvormes VVhat in this world is more filthy thē dong What more vile then wormes Therefore if all mans glorie consisteth in dong it is not to be desired but auoyded Mans glorie as the Phylosopher sayth is as corruption and the rottennesse of vvood Which thing also experience teacheth vs for as the little vvorme Teredo that eateth vvood in the night shyneth and maketh a crackling but in the day time is knovvne to bee a worme putrefaction so also vayne glory shineth and glittereth vvith great