The vanity of the Na­ture of man.

FIrst to speake of mā in his [Page 6] originall; The most noble The birth of Man. of them, yea if he be the so [...]ne of an Emperor, doth rece [...]ue his forme betweene the two basest excremēts of Nature, & there he is nourished for time with the most impure bloud of all. He is there subiect to be bruised by the least fall of his mother, or sti [...]d by the savour, which proceeds from an extinguish [...]d Lampe; his birth is shame [...], in so much that womē bl [...] to bee publiquely seene [...] childbed. It is also reputed an honour to kill a man, & therfore Duells adde to one much reputation; because as it is [...] shame for a man to be borne into this world; so it is an ho­nour [Page 7] to send him out of it. A manifest proofe that the life of man is evil, since that it is so great a dishonor to beget it, and a greater glory to de­stroy it; seeing that also hee doth begin his life with sor­row, and beeing borne im­moueable, tumbleth into his owne filth; whereas other living creatures, are no soo­ner out of the wombe, but they fal on their feet, and are ready to goe, nor out of the shel, but they run for meate. He againe is borne vnto such necessity, that he is compel'd to gaine his own liuing with the sweat of his browes, whereas other liuing crea­tures doe find all things rea­dy [Page 8] prepared for thē, man on­ly hath need of habiliments: for hee which is the most noble in the world, is asha­med to shew his nakednesse, & therefore hideth himselfe vnder the spoiles of other Creatures. Hee is subiect to more maladies, then all the Beasts together; to which the obscurest fogges or eve­ning dew doe no hurt. They neuer bleed at the nose, al­though they goe alwaies declining toward the earth; They are ignorant what the Catarre, Calcul, & diuers sorts of Agues, meane: Man only is capable to discerne these differences, and to feele their effects. For if there bee any [Page 9] beasts which are more affli­cted with diseases, they are such that liue limited within the precinct of some house, & so receiue it by Cōtagion.

But some will obiect, that man hath reason aboue the beastes, which is indeed the reason of his tormēt, in win­ning him to practise dange­rous, & pernitious designes: to be subtill in contentions, to winde himselfe into other mens affaires, & being once satisfied, to stirre vp an artifi­ciall appetite, and a desire to drinke without thirst. I am ignorant what the reason is, but we are much more sensi­ble of ill then good, and that griefes doe more disturb vs, [Page 10] then pleasures can content vs. Scarce can we thinke of an absolute health, but some torment or other doth pre­sētly possesse vs, as the Tooth­ach, or paine in the fingers end One drop of Gall will distast a whole vessell of Sweetes: How much then of happy fortunes is required, to di­gest one affliction?

The vanity of man in his Actions.

MAn being borne so Infancie. poore, and base into this world, how many years steale from him before he receiue ability to cōduct him­selfe? How long, and labori­ous is his instruction? What [Page 11] time is consumed, while hee trembleth vnder Masters, for to gaine vnprofitable words and some little superficiall knowledge? Also who doth not discerne in this part of his age, an vntoward perver­sitie, a contradicting hu­mour, and in one Infant spi­rit, all the vices of man, as buddes, and graines of some future infelicity? The onely meane to appease children, is to correct some one be­fore them. If any doe but touch one of their toyes, they overturne al the rest for despite. The loue and respect which they giue to ther poppets are eminent seeds of I­dolatry. Such are the infants, [Page 12] that are begotten of the best of mē: a graine of corne well vsed in growing produceth straw, a mā circūcised beget­teth an Infant vncircūcised. Therfore you may know by the perversity of your chil­drē, the image of your cor­ruption.

After mans infancy fol­loweth Youth. his youth, which is an vnbridled humour; a vio­lent heate, that provoketh him to vndertake things vnfit that leadeth him into al dan­gers, and that induceth him to reiect all instructions. O how many men doe wander in this way? How many per­sons in this age are corrup­ted with too much pleasure, [Page 13] lulling themselues a sleepe in the lap of such, that seeke to strangle them? O traitresse Dalilah, which seekest by thy inticing flatteries to deliuer vs to an enimy far worse thē the Philistins, which is the Divell himselfe! Such plea­sures are like vnto guilded pils; which vnder their exter­nal beauty include bitternes. They are also like vnto fresh Rivers, that end their course in the sea, loosing their sweet relish in an Ocean of saltnes. True zeale cannot flourish vnder so nice and delicate a government; nor cā the per­fect knowledge of God, (which is a celestiall guift) be subiected to the belly, it can­not [Page 14] remaine amongst swine that habitatiō is only agree­able to the Divell; who b [...] the permissiō of Iesus Christ hauing entred into a hear [...] of swine, compelled them to runne headlong vnto thei [...] owne ruine, and who (as it i [...] recorded in the holy writ nourisheth prodigall childr [...] with the huskes of pleasure insteed of their parēts brea [...] ▪

This heat being somwha [...] Ripe age. allayed by age, and man no [...] come to his maturity, behold other vanities, which a [...] tend on him, although no altogether so violētly scho [...] ching; yet more opinionated, & troublesome. For the comes irremoueable care [Page 15] domestique troubles, the knowledge of husbandry, contentions in law, and the labour of painefull Mecha­nique Arts, all to the end, that he may gaine somwhat for his children, who suck­ing from him al that he hath it may bee, is onely requited with ingratitude, & reproch. These infelicities are the oc­casion, that man is alwaies wearied with the things pre­sent, desiring onely things to come, & continually endea­vouring to catch at sōewhat that is already escaped; whereas if by chance they obtaine it, it dissolveth to no­thing, as it is in their handes, or if they enioy it, it yeelds [Page 16] no contentment, nor doth a­ny way appease their fear, or satisfy their desire. This evil [...] hath many inconveniences.

There are many men, Couetous­nesse. which will hazard their life to win a little mony, that is to loose their being, for to gaine the meanes to bee which misse the end, to obtaine the accessories: As he which selleth his sword to buy a sheath: or his horse to haue some provender: and to gaine worldly pelfe, not to serue his occasions, but rather for himselfe to serue it; to haue riches as one hath a feauer, which doth more often possesse the grieued then the grieued it. To bee [Page 17] like vnto a greedy dogge, which lying vpon hay, and not eating it himselfe, will snarle when any other com­meth neere vnto it. O mise­rable people, that liue poor­ly to dy rich! that are most couetous in their declining age, which is to prouide for a tedious iourney, when it is euen finished! But a man that feareth God, for to avoid so great an inconuenience, will consider in himselfe, what is the worth, and estimation of such drosse; and will con­ceipt, that the Divell is the only giuer of these things, & and seducer of mindes from true piety, and the diuine knowledge of the Almighty, [Page] who sheweth vs what esti­mation wee should haue of riches, in giuing largely to the wicked, within whose breasts it doth fall, as a purse into a stinking privie. Iesus Christ doth giue vs an exam­ple, what repute is to be held of it, in committing his purse to Iudas, when as he gaue his holy spirit to his faithfull A­postles. And if he had thought wealth to haue bin the true felicity, no questiō he would haue gathered it more abun­dantly: but hee had not so much where to lay his head on. He hath willed vs to ho­nour poverty by his exam­ple. And the great King of Luk. 9. the worlde will despise all [Page 19] things, that shall intice vs to affect the contrary. A little wealth will suffice vs to liue well, and lesse to die happily: godlinesse with contentment is 1. Tim. 6. a great gaine; wee are come naked into the world, & na­ked shall wee goe out: peac­able pouerty is much better then troublesome riches. But mā is so foolish, that he had rather draw water out of a great disturbed riuer, with difficulty and perill, then frō a little cleere brook with fa­cility and ease; had rather take a great masse of gold vvith torment, and danger; then a little with peace and security; and in fine, hee will be nothing the more satisfi­ed. [Page 20] Moreouer he oftē think­eth that to bee lost, vvhich was neuer gained by him: this kind of auarice is alwaies linked vvith enuie. If perad­venture a mā lose his world­ly fortunes (according vnto that vvhich Salomō saith that Prou. 23. 5 Riches taketh her to her wings) it doth somtimes distract hu­mane sense, for to ransake a couetous person, is to flea his skin frō his body, to take from him his riches, is to de­priue him of his heart, since that such doe vvholy deuote both heart and affection to their vvealth. The faithfull considering these things, wil say vvith the wise man, that This is also a vanity & afflic­tion of spirit.

Like to this former vani­ty, Ambition. is that of those, which as­pire to honour, & greatnes, with an extreame desire. A­mōgst that multitude of peo­ple, which presse themselues in mounting vp, those that follow, endeuour to march vpō them, which go before: and at length three partes of them, being driven to stay be­hinde, swell with envy, and griefe at the rest; when as those that haue attained to the height of honour, drawe vp after thē their scaling lad­ders, fearing that otherwise, some by aspiring might pa­rallel their worth. But often­times when they haue pos­sest thēselues with these dig­nities, [Page 22] they are like vnto Apes which having once climbed to the top of a tree, or house, doe sit and make ill fauoured faces at passengers, & retaine the people to gaze at their moppes: For then ordinari­ly their weaknesse doth en­crease, and their vices growe eminēt; in so much that they finde more care, and feare in that state of greatnesse, then whē they were most meane. The highest boughs are most shaken by the winde, and the points of steeples most bea­tē by stormes, & lightening. A man hath least minde to sleepe in beds of silke embro­dered with gold. The grea­test feare of poisoning is at [Page 23] Tables furnished with varie­ty of delicate dishes. Where­as on the cōtrary, it hath not beene heard, that any hath received hurt out of woodē cups. After an innocent tra­vell, sleepe seemeth pleasing in a bed of straw. This is also a vanity, and affliction of Spirit.

Aboue all that vanitie, The life of Courtiers which corruption doth con­tinually attend, there doth appeare in Princes Courtes a certaine noble captiuitie; where vnder the colour of greatnes, is the highest servi­tude, & those gilded chaines, that fetter mens mindes. He which wil liue here, must al­waies be masked, & prepared in one howre, to cōvert him [Page 24] selfe into twentie several shapes, to entertaine manie servāts, but no friends. There innocency is accoūted meere simplicity, and to affirme a­nie thing, is to disproue the same. There are two sorts of people in Court, which hate one the other, each knowing of it, notwithstanding there is alwaies an emulation be­tweene them, which should first attēpt any point of ho­nour, to do the other service; and bee the last that shoulde end it. But such ridiculous complements, are like vnto Antike actions. Envy which doth supplant, and deceaue his neighbour, or that doth snarle in secret, is there per­petually, [Page 25] and to appease it there is no way but by mise­rie. Vices & degenerat actiōs are esteemed amōgst Cour­tiers, as precepts, and part of their composition. Not to be corrupted by them, there requireth more faith then a graine of Mustard seed. As Crowes builde their nests in the highest boughes, so doth the Divel amongst the high­est of men, where spreading his wings, hee clocketh for his little ones, which are his vices; because there they re­maine, more exposed to the sight, and never appeare but vvith authority. There also shall you see Cavalieroes, which out of their gallant [Page 26] disposition will kill one the other vpon the interpretati­on of a word; a manifest cō ­fession, that their life is not much worth, which vvill sell it so good cheape. Notwith­standing these kinde of men that are in such occasions so valiant, doe flie away, vvhen they shal suffer any thing fo [...] Gods cause. Surely manie such are required to make one good Martyr for the holy Gospell. O how ill doe they vnderstand the precepts of honour! This is also an vn­happy life, & extreame vanity.

To this also there is linked the vanity of another sexe. The vani­ty of wo­men. For the most part of womē are vaine, not only out of [Page 27] weaknes, & example: but also by expresse profession. All their study is howe to esta­blish vanity, and about this they haue great strife, and e­mulatiō. For amongst those worldly lusters, you shall see women corrupted with de­licacies, subiecting thēselues to fashions, and aspects of o­thers, loosing the vse of their feet, by pleasing their fancie vvith too much neatnes, im­ploying the fourth part of their life, in attiring them­selues: wearing haire bought out of Tyre-womens shoppes, painting their faces, Idolatri­zing their owne bodies, yet neverthelesse crucifying thē with a iust punishmēt, igno­rant [Page 28] of all things, yet study­ing to speake vvell, viewing thēselues in a looking glasse a thousand times in a daie, & calling consultations vpon: particular haire. Poore crea­tures, who in altring the co­lour of their haire, & adding somwhat to their height, by extraordinary shooes, would disprooue the saying o [...] Christ, & that he vnderstood little, when he sought to ve­rifie, that man could not mak [...] Mat. 5. 36. 6. 27. one haire white or blacke, no [...] adde one cub it to his stature. Make but a collection of the time, that a curious woman doth spēd through al her life in dressing her selfe, and you shal finde, that it is more thē [Page 29] a fourth parte of her age: This curiosity hath some af­finity vvith servitude. Who amongst them will apply so much time in doing good works? And how commeth it to passe, that those habits, which were giuē vnto mā for to hide his sin, are now con­verted into sin it selfe? What is the occasion, that that vvhich God hath ordained to cover mans shame; serues novv to set forth his glorie? That that vvhich was an ar­gument of humility, is novv become the matter of pride? There is nothing so contra­ry to the will, and glory of God, as that vaine vanity. For a womā that hindereth [Page 30] the going of her owne feet, by wearing such nice, and high pantoffles, hovv cā she fly avvay into a strange coū ­try for Gods cause? A flesh that is so delicate, how can it endure to take rest, being im­prisoned for the testimonie of the divine Gospel? A wo­man which by reason of her painting cannot tolerate the heate of the Sunne, how can shee then endure the fire for the sacred word of God? Ob­serue our preparatiōs to suf­fer afflictions, & pervse our apprētiship to Martyrdome; and in the end you will find that Salomon hath not seene such things in his time, and that The vanitie of vanitie, [Page 31] vvhich he speakes of, is infe­riour to the vanity of this age.

But novv behold another O [...] petti­fogging strifes in law. sort of vanity, vvhich doth much vexe and trouble man. A roaring, crying, & turbu­lent vanity, vvhich is armed vvith stings, & couered with subtility: vvhich emploieth al the best part of mans life in petifogging strifes, and a­mongst the controversies of importunate processe. Doe but enter into some greate Hall, or place of pleading, you vvill admire at the con­fused murmure, the corrup­ted discipline, the wearisome courses, and contentious hu­mours, & vvill truly perceiue [Page 32] that in carriage of all these things, there is no mention of God, vnlesse perchance in­svvearing. And that there in the meane time, vvhile that two persons doe consume their estates, to gaine a pro­cesse, commeth a third & be­guileth thē both of the prey, and oftentimes their charge in follovving, surmounts the principall. O hovv many mē doe liue by the losse of o­thers? How many would fast without riches, if all those that endevour to consume one the other, should but en­ter into familiarity & friend­ship? I doe thinke that God doth perceiue this confused & murmuring multitude, in [Page 33] the same fashion, as vve doe see a litle hillock ful of Ants, running togither pell mell, vvithout order, or reason.

This is also a great vanity and affliction of Spirit.

Some one it may bee knowing these things to bee true, vvill say neuerthelesse, that there is in humane life some honest study, some lau­dable knowledge, and many ciuill, and religious vertues, vvhich cannot be comprised vnder vanity, but deserue to be much esteemed. In this o­pinion doth principally ap­peare the vanity of mans spi­rit: for if the best of humane actions bee but vaine, how much more is vanity it selfe? [Page 34] Let vs first begin to examine studies and sciences.

In this our moderne time Of the know­ledge of the tōgues learning is onely reputed to be the knowledge of langua­ges: & those that are learn­ed, doe busie themselues to finde out hovv the Romish vvomē did speake two thou­sand yeares since, how the ancient Romaines did appa­rel themselues, how people did then affect Comedies, & to refine some Lattine or Greeke words, that are now growne out of vse by anti­quity. This kinde of course is to vse a golden scepter for to take vp dong, to employ the vnderstanding, which ought to flourish in one, to [Page 35] some base occupation, & to make a feast of nothing, but sauce. For the knowledge of these things is only profita­ble to season, no vvay good to nourish. Also there are some, that when they haue attained olde age, doe then search for vvords, when they should haue the things. Ma­ny there are also, that begin to read grammar, vvhē they are come to vse spectacles. They learne rules to speake eloquently in Latine, vvhen they are barbarous in their owne natiue language. So that their life is a continuall incongruitie. Of learn­ing and Phyloso­phy.

Phylosophy and the sciē ­ces haue many thinges not [Page 36] only more high, but also harder: like vnto pine aples in the highest parte of a pine tree, vvhich many seeking to obtaine, doe fall in climbing for them, vvhereas others doe breake their teeth that striue to open them. Such is this learning, that as it indu­eth a man vvith much know­ledge; so also it addeth vnto him more care and trouble of minde. For Salomon saith, that hee which doth augment his knowledg, doth but increase Eccl. 1. 18. his sorrow. Ignorance is ne­uer vvithout some commo­dity▪ and in conclusion, when vve haue gotten all the pre­cepts of this knowledge, it extends it selfe not far, and is [Page 37] of smale vse: For man can­not by all his Philosophy at­taine to the perfect know­ledge of a small fly, or gardē lettice, much lesse of his owne composition. We de­sire to trauerse our spirits through all things, but re­maine strāgers to our selues. We vvill knowe much, and performe little. To speake more properly, our study is no labour, but rather an idle action, vvhich doth torment vs vvithout any hope of ad­uancement: Like vnto the Squirrells, that runne conti­nually vvithin turning Ca­ges, thinking to get avvay, vvhen as after al their paines taking, they still remaine in [Page 38] the same place. We learne little vvith great paine, and that little doth scarcely a­mende our imperfections, but rather oftentimes addes more to them. One drop of wisdome, guided by the feare of God, is more vvorth then all humane learning. For what doth it profit a Lawier in taking paines to gaine the processe of another, if hee himselfe be at variance with God? What commodity reapeth a Physitian, to iudge of another mans health, if he himselfe be not as yet re­solu'd to feele the pulse of his owne conscience? What good is it to any, that haue learned the ancient histories, [Page 39] if they be ignorant of those things that passe in this time? Or to haue learned by Astro­nomy the motions, and in­fluences of heauen, if they knowe not the meanes how to come thither?

There be some, that vn­dertake Of Travailers & Pil­grims. long tedious voya­ges, gaining many hostes, but few friends, promising to learne much in their iour­ney, whē as oftentimes they returne more foolish then thy went: and perchance ha­uing circuited the earth, doe sorrowfully bequeath their body to it, for a conclusion to their perfected resolutiōs, as flies when they haue pas­sed many times round about [Page 40] the candle, at length enter into the flame. After they haue seene so much land, there only requires a hand­ful for to couer them. With this vanity are they iustly af­flicted, which make long voi­ages toward some Saint, for to desire that they may get children, when it may bee at their returne they finde that some officious neighbour hath discharged them of that care. This is also a vanity and affliction of Spirit.

Perchance our ciuill ver­tues Of Civill vertues. haue some thinges that are of more cōsequence. But here out of this also doth bud another vanity, seeing that those vertues haue no [Page 41] motion, but by vices. For choller giues an edge to va­lour, Cowardice doth make a man to be more circūspect, and wary. Ambitiō, Auarice, & Enuy, are as stings to stu­dy, & Industry. The feare of an ill report in many womē is the cause of Chastity, ma­ny are sober out of a coue­tous humour, others for ne­cessity; friendships are con­tracted, either for the desire of pleasures, or for the hope of profit, the first being no o­therwise then a paltry bro­kery, nor the last thē a mar­chandise. Religiō it selfe doth often serue for a cloake to such couetous persons: for many followe Christ in the [Page 42] desert onlie to haue breade, Ioh. 6. 26. which is to subiect their vn­derstanding to the belly, and the chiefe of vertues to the meanest of vices, but I knovv not which is worse, either to fly away from Christ, or to follow him for gain: to serue him for mony, or to serue the Diuel for nothing. Whe­ther it doth seeme most iniu­rious and ignominious to­wards God, either to leaue his Sonne Iesus Christ, or in following him, wrong fullie to make him a vallet to our concupiscences. What can these vertues then bee that march vnder the Pay of the Deuill? Surely this is also a great vanity and manifest cor­ruption.

Wherfore some (not per­ceiving anie thing in the worlde which is exempted out of this vanity, & that vi­ces & impiety haue infected all sorts of estates and condi­tions in humane life) doe thinke to wrest themselues out of it by cōfining their bo­dies to some desert, and con­dēning their minde to a per­petual care, where being se­cluded frō all company they liue in continuall silence, ne­ver speaking but with God and themselues. This solita­rie humour in manie doth proceede from a brutish cō ­ceipt, in others from a weake spirite incapable of humane [Page 44] society, in others frō an am­bition to be remarkeable for some extraordinary professi­on, and in others out of dis­content & envy, that they are wearied in swimming against the current of this worldly streame, and in having recei­ved all things stil contrary to their desire; Notwithstāding I do not doubt but that there be some which doe embrace this sort of solitary life to ba­nish themselues from the vi­ces of this world, & to serue God with more liberty. But such are much deceiued who willing to forsake the world do returne farther into it by other meanes, and are assaul­ted by worse tēptations. For [Page 45] then passionate griefes, curi­ous cogitatiōs, peeuish Idle­nes, Hypochondriacall hu­mours, dispaire, presumptiō, and selfe admiration doe in­sensibly glide into mēs spirits vnder the professiō of an ex­traordinary sāctity; all which do render the spirit discontē ­ted of an insolent melancho­ly and presumptuous devoti­on, which oftētimes degene­rateth into madnes and want of sence. A solitary man in the extremitie of his griefes and sadnes hath no bodie to comfort him, & comparing himselfe with none other but himselfe, hath this con­ceipt, that he is some excellēt thing. But then lustful desires [Page 46] do doubly burne within him. For mā is of this nature that hee thinketh those thinges most beautiful which are far­thest remote from him. So Saint Hierome being in the S ^t. Hi [...] ­rome in his epistle to Eusto­chium. midst of a desert, & in his greatest abstinency doth confesse that his minde was then a­mongst the dances & Ballads of young maides, and that he did burne with incontinency and desire. Besides the Devill following Jesus Christ in to the desert doth plainelie shew that hee did iudge that place most convenient for temptation. Then if the Son of God was assailed by the Devil in the desert, how sca­peth an Hermite or secluded [Page 47] person that can neuer be ex­empted? Therefore the surest way for a man is to seperate himselfe from the world, not with his feet, but with his af­fection, to expel it altogither from him, and his heart, fea­ring otherwise that depar­ting frō this world, notwith­standing hee carrieth it with him. For as it is possible to be worldly & vicious liuing far from the world: So is it pos­sible to leaue the world with out flying into a desert, & to liue alone in the middest of company: To bee within a Court or Pallace spectator of vanity and troubles, with­out participating of them: & in the midst of a babling mul­titude, [Page 48] to talke only with him selfe, and to entertaine his thoughts with God: And in the meane time to employ his endeauors to the edifica­tion of the Church, stretch­ing out his hand to the Erro­neous, for to reguide thē in­to the right way of Salvatiō, rather then to hide his Talēt in the earth, and to cut him­selfe cleane off frō the body, and all civill society, as an vn­profitable member. So did the Apostles and those glo­rious lampes which haue en­lightned the Church of God, and which shine to this daie amongst vs they being dead. I know wel that the opinion of Aristotle in the beginning [Page 49] of his Politiques is true, that He which is of a solitary di [...]si­tion is either of a most divine, or very base spirit: because that hee doth estrange him­selfe from all society, either for that hee hath vertues more then humane, or that he is so contemptible and meane in respect of man, that he is vnworthy to ap­proach neere him: But let him knowe which doth af­fect solitarines, because hee doth surpasse all men in vn­derstanding or vertue, that he ought to repell that hu­mour, and to condescend by humility and meekenesse to the imperfections of others, labouring for the good of [Page 50] the Church or Common­weale, either by worde or worke. For what are al those perfections any more then shadowes & obscure traces, of those perfections which are in Iesus Christ? Not­withstanding he tooke vpon him our shape and conver­sed amongst men, that there by he might saue them, and win soules to heauen. There­fore to conclude this point; Jf to fly from the world be a vanity, how much more to follow it? If vices and tor­ments doe harbor in the de­sert, how much more in presses and throngs of people? Truely if vanity bee in euery place, let vs say that All is tor­ment [Page 51] and affliction of Spirit.

But in the meane time that Old age. Man is busied about all these vaine conceipts while hee is pushing [...]ime with his shoul­der, endevouring nothing al daies of his life but to rise, & to go to bed: to apparel him­selfe, & to make himselfe vn­ready: to fill his belly, & to e­vacuat his stomacke: Which is no more then a Circle of the selfe same importuning occupations: much like vnto a Millers horse that alwaies treads one compasse: While hee is thus busied with such occasions, beholde olde age stealingly arriveth, to which few do attaine, and all desire. But if any doe peradventure [Page 52] gaine that time, they desire to haue it prolong'd to the vtmost. This age (being as grapes which haue lost their iuice, and as the sinke of mans life) is without que­stion the most vnhappy for those men that are worldly: as on the contrary it is the most blessed for such as are godly. For worldly men in this age are doubly possessed with waywardnesse; their feare and distrust doth en­crease; their iudgement wax­eth weake, and begins to di­minish: Wherefore wee doe wrongfully call a melancho­ly humour, wisedome; or a disability sobriety, because oldnesse leaueth not plea­sure, [Page 53] but pleasure leaueth it. And therefore hee doth vn­deseruedly complaine that the time & manners of men are chāged into worse, while nothing is changed but him­selfe. For in his youth all things pleased him, if they were neuer so bad; in his old age all things disliked him, if they were neuer so good; Like vnto those which being in a shippe thinke that the baukes moue, vvhen it is onely themselues. It is also a vice incident to this age for to speake much, be­cause they are no more able to performe any thing; and that they think also thēselues most fit to propose precepts [Page 54] to youth, and to declare thinges of time long since. Like vnto a declining state (as that of the Romaine Em­pire) where there are manie talkers, but few valiant: & not much differēt from the aged time of the world, where are many curious disputers, but few of the true religion. In this age also doth encrease the loue of wealth, & earthly cares doe summon new for­ces against man; hee waxeth all gray, and every thing in him beginneth thē to wither, onely his vices excepted. That ancient man of whom the Apostle maketh often mentiō, being ready to dote, waxeth not olde in worldlie [Page 55] age, but then is hee in his full vigour. He then fore-feareth approaching death, and hol­deth his life like vnto an Eele which slideth away. In the meane time he determineth of tedious designes, and hea­peth vp riches as if death stoode a far off, and durst not appeare: Thē man hath least feare to die when nothing of worth remaineth in him, but the very leese & dregs of life. Then doth hee prepare him­selfe least to gaine the future blisse, when age forwarnes him, & every gray haire doth ordinarily advertise him: yea many times death takes for a gage one part or other of our body, as an arme, or eie, [Page 56] or legge to serue for an ad­vertisement that he will very shortly fetch the rest. For old mē are affianced to the earth by a long vse and habit: not­withstanding they are vnwil­ling to go to it, whē nothing remaineth in them but euill. This is also a vanity and great griefe of Spirit.

In conclusiō of all this vn­profitable & wearisome tra­vaile, Of death. behold the approach of death, before they haue lear­ned to liue, much lesse to die. The most part of thē being taken out of this worlde be­fore they know to what end they entred in. They vvoulde willingly prolong the date of their life, but death admits [Page 57] no composition: for it hath feet of vvool, but armes of I­ron: it commeth insensibly, but having taken once holde it never looseth her prize. To this pace or step man com­meth so slowly as possible he can: For if a ship should sinke amongst the waues two hū ­dred leagues from land, not­withstāding every passenger would striue to swimme: not with an intent to saue his life, but to repell death for some minutes, and to render nature her last inevitable tri­bute. Every mā trembleth at this passage, and laboureth to settle himselfe here. The sole memorye of death, mournefull funerals, and the [Page 58] reading of Inscriptions en­grauen on sepulchres, doth make the very haire to stare and stand on end, and strikes man with an horror and ap­prehensiō of it. Some repre­sent death terrible to the as­pect and deprived of flesh, o­thers consider it with com­passion mixte with dread. Some particular man which not long since was clad in silke and shined vvith Dia­mōds, is now assaulted with troupes of wormes, and breathes foorth intollerable sents, while that his heire doth laugh in secret, and en­ioyeth the fruit of all his la­bour, which he himselfe ne­ver enioyed. And never the­lesse [Page 59] in this his very dust and corruption doth appeare an ambition, and pride doth rest it self within his tombe. For then behold stately Sepul­chers, ingraued stones that report some famous actiōs, and proud titles vpon his tombe set out with false nar­rations, to the end that pas­sengers by may say, Here ly­eth a goodly stone & a cor­rupted body, Surely this is a vanity of vanities, and one ex­treame vanity.

But all these are as Roses Of Hell. in respect of the Thornes which follow: for the vanity and trauaile of this tempo­rall life is a happinesse in re­gard of the torments of eter­nall [Page 60] death which doth swal­low the most part of men. It is a large way which leadeth to perdition, and few do find the way of saluation. Death commeth here to leuy souls for hell, and doth enroule great and smale, learned and ignorant; rich and poore; yea many which are esteemed holy, and liue couered vnder the cloake of hypocrisy, to the end that they might goe to hell with the lesse noise, and not be staied by the way. This Hel is a place of flames, and yet there is perpetuall darknesse, where soules doe wax olde and yet neuer die; and where they liue conti­nually to dy; where they [Page 61] burne without consuming; where they mourne without compassion, are afflicted without repentance, where torment is without end, and past imagination. There the vnhappy rich man, which re­fused to giue poore Lazarus a crume of bread, doth now begge of him a drop of wa­ter, although whole riuers be not sufficient to extin­guish his heate. What if the Roddes that God doth pu­nish his Infants withall, doe sometimes make them al­most dispaire, and euen curse the day of their natiuity, as Iob and Ieremie did? What Iob. 3. 1. & 3. Iere. 15. 10 are those afflictions that hee doth oppresse his aduersarie [Page 62] withall? It is a horrible thing (saith the Apostle) to fall into Heb. 10. the hands of the liuing God. For because hee saith in his anger, as it is written in the 32 Chapter of Deuterono­mie, I haue lifted my hand to­ward heauen, and said, I am the euerliuing God; If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hād take hold on iudgement, I will execute vengance on myne e­nimies, and will reward them that hate me. Praised be God which hath deliuered vs, and drawn vs from that burning furnace of hell by his sonne Iesus Christ, who (as St. Paul saith to the Galatians) was Gal. 3. reviled for our sakes: and hath called vs out of perpetuall dark­nesse [Page 63] to his meruailous light. 1. Pet. 2. 9. Is it possible for vs to bee ignorant what that torment is, and not knowe how much he hath suffered for to retaine vs in feare, and to make vs knowe the great­nesse of the grace of God, & the excellency of our redēp­tiō in Iesus Christ his sonne, who is also God eternally blessed?

This whole precedent dis­course How God frustra­teth our designes. hath led vs through all ages, and through all the most ordinarie conditions of humane life, yet in this voyage we haue knowne no thing but vanity and torment of Spirit. And it hath chiefly appeared, when we haue cast [Page 64] our eies vpō the diuine pro­vidence of God; which doth from the highest heauens view all the actions of man, not as an idle spectator, but as a wise conductor and iust iudge. And there frō aboue he laughs at the designes of great men, and frustrateth their enterprises, destroyeth their tonges and spirits of Babylonian builders, ruineth their greatnesse, & breaketh their Scepters into shiuers; teaching man that hee is no­thing but dust, and his wise­dome but meere blindnesse; To the ende that hee may learne to contemne the worlde, and transport his hopes from earth to heauē, [Page 65] and that hauing seene some beames of this terrestriall splendor, which vanisheth as lightning, he doth saie with S ^t. Peter. It is good that we bee Luk. 9. 33. here, let vs make our selues here Tabernacles. Happy is that man which hauing well knowne the vanity of this world doth retire himselfe towards God: that he being in a sure hauen a farre off, & that being vnder his shadow as vnder a sure couered place may contemplate the ruine of the vvicked, the instability of their designes, the folly of their hopes, & the effects of the iudgement of God. Therevpon the Prophet Da­uid in the 92 Psalme saith al­so [Page 66] O Lord how glorious are thy workes, and thy thoughts are very deepe.! An vnwise man knoweth it not, and a foole doth not vnderstand this. When the wicked grow as the grasse, and all the workers of wickednesse doe florish, then they shall be de­stroyed for euer. It behoueth vs here to note carefully that this Psalme is entituled A song for the sabbaoth day. For by it he doth advertise vs that this meditation requireth a quiet and resting spirit which beeing restrained from the presse of humane actions doth range it selfe into the house of God, according to that vvhich hee saith in the 73 Psalme, vvhere hee doth [Page 67] confesse that the prosperity of vvicked men hath offen­ded him, and that hee could hardly digest it, vntil that hee had entred into the sanctua­ry of the Almighty, and con­sidered the end of such men. For to vnderstand vvhat the true happinesse is, and to vn­maske himselfe to the im­maginary felicity of this vvorld, it is not necessary to go to Philosophical schools, or to builde his resolutions vpon the opinion of the vul­gar, but to enter into the ho­ly house of God, and there learne vvhat the difference is betweene the riches, vvhich he scattereth vpon this great multitude, and that vvhich [Page 68] he reserueth for his litle ons, vvhat the vncertainty of this vvorldly prosperity is in re­spect of the certainty of Gods promises. But vvith what insensible chains doth Sathan lead men into perdi­tion? How doth he triumph ouer those vvhich triūph in this vvorld? Hovve they that thinke themselues most sure are vpon the point of their ruine & perpetual destructiō?

Furthermore he doth cō ­sider Of the vaine glo­ry of men hovv vaine the glory of man is, in that some one doth boast of his particular strēgth wherein it is vnpossible for him ever to equal a Bul: some other doe glorie in their beauty, when as it is onlie a [Page 69] superficial colour, which co­vereth the bloud, bones, and braines, hiddeous thinges to see; Jt is also a thing that age & many maladies haue pow­er to deforme. Some other doth glorie of his honour, and greatnes, when indeede he is possest in this state with most trouble & feare, & lesse liberty; besides he is moūted so high, that he cānot fal but with breaking of his ovvne neck. Some other doth glory to be more drūk thē his cōpaniōs; but if his belly be grea­ter in capacitie then other mēs, notwithstāding it wil never exceed a barrel. This is also The mise­ry of some conditions of men & nations. a vanity with a like peruersity.

Those former thinges are [Page 70] generall; for vanities & mise­ries are common to all men, since that sin hath subiected mankinde to them: But not­withstanding there are some more then other, which are made examples of extreame miserie. As poore beg­gars, which are constrained through necessity to lie vpō the bare pauement; as gallie slaues; and as those miserable wretches which are made mercenaries. The hundreth parte of humane kinde doth imperiously and impiouslie torment the rest; and those that are feeble & meane serue as prayes to the mightie. A­mōgst the Turkes & Pagans which possesse three parts of [Page 71] the world, men are bought and sold in the same fashion, as horses in a faire. For the buyer marketh their sight, maketh thē shew their teeth, and feeleth the sinewes of their Armes and legs. Great Princes keepe Millions of chained slaues for to labour in making of sugar, in vvor­king of Mines, to serue in Gallies at sea, & to performe such kinde of servility, that death is more tollerable to them then this kinde of life. There are certaine people vvhich haue for the space of sixe months continu­all night, vvho liue in Ca­vernes, and in the extremity of the extreamest degree of [Page 72] coldnes haue no heat to cō ­fort them but only crueltie: Others there are on the con­trary, who liue among Sādes continually scortched by the Sunne, a Country barren in fruites, & fertill in Serpents, and Lyons. Our clymat in re­spect of such intemperature is as the garden of Nature, where God hath plāted most wealth and riches; but where he hath reaped least fruite of graceful actions. And where these natural blessings are so ill husbandred, that amongst all that aboundance there is nothing to be seene but mi­sery and poverty.

The vanity of the thoughts, desires & iudgmēts of men.

NOW that vve haue for­merly and superficiallie represented as vvith a Coale the vanity & misery of our nature, & the actions of mā, let vs novve examine his thoughts. David in the 94. Psalme saith, The Lord know­eth the thoughts of man that they are vanity. For if anie Idle & vn­profitable thoughts. could but make a true colle­ction of his thoughts which haue only passed through his braine in one day: the confu­sed multitude and varietie of them, being all very foolish, would astonish him: The di­verse fictions and strange I­dea's that painters conceipt in respect of these are no­thing. For some man (when [Page 74] he hath setled himselfe in his study, or some place where he thinketh to haue his spirit busied about the most seri­ous affaires) doth then begin to count the quarrees of his window, or, as the Emperor Domitian, to pursue little Sueton. flyes both with eie & hand. Some one againe percei­ving himselfe destitute of cō ­pany, and being very pensiue, doeth advise with himselfe what he would do if he were a King: or if that he had a million of crowns how he would spende thē: or thinking of his owne domestique affaires, doth threed a chaine of tedi­ous hopes, & by degrees be­commeth very rich in his dis­course, [Page 75] at the conclusion of which he frustrateth all that imagination, and returning to the consideration of his present poverty, he modera­teth his passiōs. Yea also du­ring the time of Sermons & praier (when God speaketh vnto vs, or wee to him;) our minds are abstracted, & thin­king of some other thing; Therefore if our best actions are infected with idle cogi­tations, how much more our vnprofitable howers, and ill spent time?

These frivolous thoughts mixed with vaine desire, and a like ignorance do labor the minde, and giueth it no re­pose: For man in his solitary [Page 76] thoughts doth ruminate the evils past; vexing himselfe vvith the things present and fore-fearing things to come, yea those things that shal ne­ver happen: he changeth his doubtfull feare into certaine miseries: Many being misera­ble out of a feare that they shal be miserable: & many di­ing out of a feare that they shall die. Every day hath suf­ficient affliction to torment vs. For who can ever bee in ease, if all the past and future evils doe render themselues present to vs; the first by our memory; and the last by our feare? This naturall vnrest is the cause that man loueth change; like vnto one that is [Page 77] sicke, who desireth continu­ally to change his bed: yet notwithstanding findes him­selfe more distēpered in the last then in the first, thinking no repose to be but in weari­nes. For he alwaies carryeth his griefe with him, & findes little ease in chāging of sides: yea (I dare say) if God had placed man betwixt good & evill to take his choice of ei­ther, and, as it were, to cut what hee thought good out of whole cloath, his blindnes is so great, that he would ra­ther chuse the worst: or if he did make choice of the best, his perversity is such, that he would quickly convert it in­to ill. Jf God sende such no [Page 78] griefes, they will send them­selues some. Jf their owne griefes doe not trouble thē, the happinesse of others wil torment them: and envy is more stinging then afflictiō.

From it also doth it pro­ceed Desires. that men desire alwaies they knowe not what them­selues: they are greedy to de­sire, but weake to put in exe­cutiō: as a bird that doth co­vet to flie, but vseth only one of her wings. Also men are distracted with contrary co­gitations: One complaineth that his wife is dead: Ano­ther that shee will not die. One mourneth for the losse of his children; another that hee hath some that bee very [Page 79] wicked. One disturbed vvith busines praiseth domestique repose; and that opinion of Saul who did rather affect to liue obscurely in the basest poverty, then to bee exalted to the highest dignity: ano­ther being excluded frō pub­lique commande doth not­withstāding breake his own necke to attaine it. Every thing doth seeme to vs beau­tifull, but that which wee haue, & nothing delighteth vs but that which we cannot obtaine. Nothing doeth so much reioice vs as the hurte of another man: Jf some one decay in fortune wee smile, but it grieveth vs to see him receiue any honour.

Jn this vanity of thoughts and vncertainety of desires doth appeare a great weake­nes of spirit. For our affecti­ons are swaied more by ge­stures, and externall appea­rance, then by the thing it selfe. Like vnto some specta­tors at a Tragedy, who not­withstanding that they know the Argumēt to be fabulous & nothing concerning thē: doe weepe out of compas­sion; when as they will not shed a teare for their owne vnfeined griefes. Some there be also that hang themselues out of dispaire, which the selfesame houre would haue run away from the thrust of a sword, because that this [Page 81] last kind of death commeth accompanied with horror and feare, vvhereas the for­mer is so quickly dispatched, that the sight of it doth no­thing amaze on. Opinions doe more gouerne vs then the things themselues, ma­ny doe sometimes eate meat vvhich they knowe not, and yet they finde it pleasing to the tast: but after, whē some one hath told them what it is; their conceit vvill make them so sicke at heart, that they vvill vomit it vp again. Some others haue more feare of a mouse, or of a hē, or of a Toad, thē of a sword: certainly such peeuish weak­nesse and fantasticall actions [Page 82] doe governe our imaginati­ons.

Truely I knovv not hovv, but mē study to deceiue thē ­selues. Some one will recite a tale for trueth, which hee knoweth to be most false; & that so often, & with so great an assurance that himselfe in fine doth beleeue it. A hus­band that knovveth his vvife to be deformed, notvvithstā ­ding because she is painted and disguised, will begin to perswade himselfe that shee is faire: and shee her selfe will beleeue it, and thinke to bee reputed so: How many bee there which beleeue in a reli­giō because they vvil beleeue it? Which contest against [Page 83] their owne sense? Which say among thēselues that Sure­ly is absurd and not agreea­ble with the Scripture; I will haue it thus, and will beleeue so. This is to haue a constrai­ned beliefe, not to haue his wil subiected to religion, but religion to his will.

The infirmity of mans iudgement doth especially shew it selfe in religion. For what hee thinketh touching the seruice of God doth ma­nifestly appeare by his exte­rior actions. In matters of newes wee doe sooner be­leeue one that hath seene it, then the common report: But in matters of religion it is contrary; for most doe fol­lowe [Page 84] the vulgar opinion: which is as much as to main­taine that which is most ab­surd, and then to hide him­selfe amongst the multitude. If some one hath a desire to put out mony, hee requireth for such as are both faithfull and of ability, and will haue good assurance for it: But in matters of conscience with­out farther enquiry hee re­ferreth himselfe and opinion to the Curate of the same place wherein he liueth. Ob­serue many other things which follow, that any may easily perceaue to bee most ridiculous: as to cloath with silke and gold the images of men, while that a poor beg­gar [Page 85] goeth naked, which is the image of God: To put of the hat at the name of Jesus, and not to remoue at the name of Christ. To weare a Crosse hanging downe vp­on the belly, while that the belly is a enimy to the crosses of Christ. In going to a baw­dy house, or returning from some wicked fact, to say cer­taine Pater nosters. To kneel down at the box which kee­peth the Host, vvhen it retur­neth empty from some sicke body, as when it went full. To adore the Host passing by in a little box, and not to re­spect it in a mās body, which is come newly from receiu­ing it. To make their Crea­tor [Page 86] with vvordes, and then presētly to devour him with their teeth. To be insolent & deboshed on day before lēt, and the next day following to be very graue & sorrow­full. To employ their blessed beades for to obtaine remis­sion of their sinnes. After the death of any great personag to cloath with blacke the I­mage of our Lady, to the end that she may participate of their griefes. To whip them­selues in publique for to cō ­tent God, or to release a soul out of Purgatory. In honour of the Saintes to burne can­dles in the midst of day. To conclude, man hath forged many strange things in his [Page 87] braine, & would haue God to approue them. Nay hee is come to that passe, that hee doth assume to himselfe the distribution of offices in Pa­radise; making one protector of a Country, another a hea­ler of some particular disease as if little Antes had power to dispose of affaires belong­ing to the Crown of France. this is also a vanity of vanities and an extreame imbecillity of Iudgement.

Our selues which haue the true word of God for a rule to frame our actions by, are not exempted; & our folly and vanity doth mixe it selfe with the sole verity of [Page 88] God. For in our ciuil actions if we haue need of counsaile, wee presently addresse our selues to some friends: But in matters of Gods divine ser­vice we take counsaile of our minde and concupiscences, which are our domesticall e­nemies. Jf mony be due to vs from one, wee had rather al­vvaies haue the mony thē his promise; in celestiall matters it is contrary. For the Holie Gospel is an obligatiō, by which God hath promised vs salva­tion, and hath sealed it vvith the bloud of his Sonne; but we had rather keepe the ob­ligatiō then receiue the pay­mēt, which is due at the daie of death, nay vve do endevor [Page 89] to prolong the date of it.

Some doe recorde in the Zonaras. Emperour Honorious a great simplicity, & childish weake­nesse, that having a Henne nominated by him Rome, which hee did cherish, and so infinitely affect, that vvhen one came vnto him, said that his Rome was lost, he answe­red very sorrowfully, Alas! she vvas here but even now. But the other replying said, And please your Highnesse I speake not of a Henne, but of your city of Rome, which hath beene surprised and sac­ked by Alaric Goth. The Em­peror hearing this was som­vvhat comforted, thinking that losse to be more tollera­ble. [Page 90] Such is our simplicity we vvill not suffer one to touch our riches, but vvee will en­dure any to entice vs to vice, to seduce vs into error, & to poyson our soules. Jt is a great folly to refuse a medi­cine because the Physitian is not eloquent. Why doe vve not then make account & e­stimation of the preaching of the Gospel, if the preacher be not eloquent, seeing that the holy Gospell is the medi­cine of our soules? Is it not then an extreame brutishnes for some vicious person to misprize the Holy writ, be­cause it is not adorned with flowers of Rhetorique? what is the reason then that the [Page 91] worde of God doeth not please vs, If it bee not decked with flowers and composed vvith art, seeing that it is that sacred vvorke & doctrine of our reconciliatiō with God? We do not receiue willingly the correctiō of our parēts, if it be not very milde. This is also a vanity, distast, and chil­dish Humour. False Iudgmēts

Touching our iudgement vvhich we haue of others, ei­ther in esteeming or cōtem­ning them, it is most vaine & ridiculously ignorant. For if there be a questiō about bur­thens, vve account him most strong vvhich can carry the heaviest; on the contrarie a­bout quarrels wee esteeme [Page 92] him the most valiant which cā beare nothing; attributing force and valour to weaknes and impatience. Jn matters of Ornament wee doe not iudge of the goodnesse of a svvorde by the beauty of a scabbard: nor of the mettle of a horse by the fairenesse of the Bridle and Saddle: vvhy do we then measure our esti­matiō of a man, either by his good or bad apparel? And if it be necessary that vve salute one for the stuffe of his cloa­thes which he weareth, why doe wee not salute the same stuffe in the shops? Why do we iudge discreetly in the e­stimatiō of vaine and triuiall things, whē as in a matter of [Page 93] such importance, as of the e­stimatiō of man we are most void of reasō? So some do re­spect a Marchāt or Rent-ga­therer, because he sūmeth vp exactly his accoūts, vvhen he liueth in such fashion that he cannot giue an account to God. Some labour to till their Gardens and other grounds, and by it win much praise, vvhen as themselues are barren and bring foorth vaine feare. no fruit of good workes.

We are as much vaine & childish in our feares as in a­ny other thing. For as little Infants doe play vvith fire, & burne themselues, but feare vvhen they see their father comming (masked with a [Page 94] frowning countenance) to­vvards them: So men desi­ring to dally vvith pleasures because of their lustre, at the length loose themselues a­mongst thē; yet notwithstā ­ding they fear God their Fa­ther, vvhē he cōmeth to thē vnder the maske of afflictiōs or death. Also mā doth ingē ­der in himselfe either foolish or pernicious feares. Some one beeing iealous, that his wife doth affect others, ende voreth to espy & search out that vvhich hee feareth to find: & by this meanes ange­reth her, so that she seeketh to be revēged in such nature which he formerly suspected. Some other fearing to liue [Page 95] without honor, cōmits such things that subiects his body to some cruell torment, and staineth the memory of him with perpetuall infamy. Sōe other feareth the want of ri­ches, but he shal wāt it, & die without it. Some againe fea­reth he shal dy before marri­age; but God wil attend that time, and by wedlocke will make him twice; miserable.

When I consider what Childish wisdome. humane wisedome is, I finde it agreeable to the Industry of Moles, which dig vnder ground with much dexterity but are blind when they cōe into the Sunne. So wee haue much skill in earthly affaires, to sell, to couenant, and to [Page 96] supplant any one; But take one of these men which is most subtill in these things, and bring him to the bright­nesse and light of the holy Gospell, and there hee is al­together blind, and of a selfe conceit will continue so. For during the time that he doth foresee future evēts & altera­tions of estate, hee is igno­rant of his own destruction: while that he discourseth on the affaires of kingdomes hee is a slaue to the Deuill. And notwithstanding that blind iudgement of his dares contest against the euer li­ving God; the folly and foo­lishnes of the childrē of dark­nes against the diuine wise­dome [Page 97] of the Father of light; And the discretion of mā a­gainst the prouidence of the Almighty. For the wicked do couer themselues with si­lence, craft and dissimulatiō: like vnto little childrē, which thinke that they are suffici­ently hidden when their eies are closed: beleeuing that no body seeth them, when they see no body. But in the mean time God perceiues them both naked & vncouered, yea better thē they know them­selues. For God is not only al hand in holding and condu­cting the whole vniverse, but also all eie in seeing & dicers­ning all things in it. The thic­kest bodies are to him trans­parant, [Page 98] and darknes it selfe is to him light, & therfore the Prophet David doeth iustlie reprehend that foolish wise­dome in the 94. Psalme, where he saith Vnderstand yee vnwise among the people: and yee fooles, when will yee be wise? He that planted the eare, shal he not heare? Or hee that formed the eie, shall he not see? Novve in this place he calleth them vnwise, not which are fooles and runne vp and downe the streetes: nor those priuate & particular men which are vvithout office: nor the hea­vy-spirited Commons, but such as are crafty, & manage affaires with dexterity, thin­king by their sagacity to co­ver [Page 99] themselues frō the vvise­dome of God; or to dazell the Eies of his sacred proui­dence. Like vnto the most dā ­gerous Agues, which are vn­der the appearance of cold­nes: so the most ridiculous folly is that which lyeth vn­der the appearance of wise­dome.

It behoueth also the faith­full to exercise his meditatiō and to bee Spectator of the actions and thoughts of mē, and of al the vnprofitable la­bours of his life. For it is in humane life, as in a Faire, where there commeth tvvo sorts of people; one for to buy & sell; the other only to see. Man that feareth God is [Page 100] like to one of those which come to see, he is not here to be Idle, & search for nothing but to contēplate the works of God & humane actions: but he may say (whē he hath seene al the delights that rhe curious vanity of men can shewe forth) O how many things are there in this world which I haue nothing to do withall? What if during this contemplation some one do iossell or throng vpon him, or if one cut his purse, that is doe afflict or depriue him of any thing, all that such a one vvill do is, to goe out of that company, & knowing him­selfe to bee a stranger in this world will trauell towardes [Page 101] his Country, where that ce­lestiall habitation is, pressing alwaies (as the Apostle saith) towards the marke for the price Phil. 3 14. of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus. If the vvorld cō ­temne him, he will cōtemne that contempt, as knowing himselfe better then the world, and to bee called to a better hope: he vvill esteeme the promises allurements of the vvorlde, vaine, the occu­pations of men base and im­portunat. And according to the example of Mary in the tenth of Luke, Hee will chuse the good part, which shal not bee taken from him: Concluding all his Meditations after the same māner as Salomon doth [Page 102] in the ende of Ecclesiastes: The ende of all, is the feare of God, and the keeping of his com­mandements: for in it is cōpri­sed the summe of mans being.

Now therefore after all this Meditation let vs rest our selues vpon these two Maximes and propositions, which are the true foundati­on that zeale is grounded vpon. The first is for to loue God, it behoueth to contēne the world. The second is, that for to contemne the worlde it is necessary for the faith­full to know his own worth, noblenesse, and excellency of his vocation.

The first Maxime is taken out of S ^t. Iohn in his first E­pistle, [Page 103] Loue not the world, nei­ther Chap. 2. ver. 15. the things that are in the world. If any mā loue the world, the loue of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world (as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eies, and the pride of the life) is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the worlde passeth away, and the lust there­of: but hee that fulfilleth the will of God abideth for euer. Nothing doth so farre sepa­rate vs from the loue of God as our affectiō to the world, seeing that the holy Scrip­ture for to admonish vs doth call the world the kingdome of Ioh. 16. 11. the Divell. But as the Moone hath no light vnlesse frō the Sunne: So our soules haue [Page 104] not any light but by the re­gard of our God; and by a consequent neither more nor lesse: but euen as the Moone doth loose her light whē she is hid within the shadow of the earth: So also do our souls loose their bright­nes; for they are called in the holy Scripture the Infantes of light, when they molest and wrap themselues within the shaddow of earthly things, cares, and worldly concupis­cences: which wee ought to tread vnder our feete accor­ding to the example of the Church, vvhich as it is vvrit­ten in the 12. of the Apocalyps hath vnder her feet the Moone, that is, the mutable instabili­ty [Page 105] of these inferiour thinges. To this purpose also Jesus Christ vvould that The peny should be restored to Caesar, be­cause that it had his Jmage on it. Let vs therefore then giue our selues to God, see­ing that wee beare his ovvne Image. But the Jnconveni­ence is that we do often abo­lish the Image in rubbing it against the Earth, and pollu­ting our soules with world­ly thoughts and desires.

That wee may therefore misprise the earth, & all that the word doth promise, it requireth that wee come to the second point, which is, to know perfectly vvhat the vvorth and excellency of the [Page 106] faithful is. For vvhen as men by an vnfriendly amity, and cruell welwilling do sollicite some one to doe ill, which hath the feare of God, and to offende his conscience in of­fending God, Jt behoueth the faithful to thinke in him­selfe: vvhat? I that am a childe of God, and am of a celestiall noblenes, that am one of the first borne whose names are registred in heauen, shall I e­steeme Heb. 12. the promises of the world, which when they are most certaine, they are too base for me to meditate on? to delude the son of a Prince with an apple? To entice vvith siluer the Sonne of the King of Heauen, to offende [Page 107] his Father? And after the ensample of Esau to sell my birth-right for a messe of pottage? Such persuasions shall not by any meanes pos­sesse me. God will not afflict me with so great a blindnes. We are vnworthy to be fol­lowers of Christ, if wee doe not esteeme our selues to be better then the world. Was it not for the loue of the faithfull that the world was framed? Will not God rui­nate it againe for to reedify for thē a fairer house in hea­uen, vvhere shall bee the ful­nesse of glory? For this hea­uen or climate is inferior to the vvorth & dignity of the children of God. You that [Page 108] feare God & trust in his Son, knowe that it is you that vn­derprop the world, and that nourish the wicked in it. Therefore the enimies of God are bound in obligatiō to you. For he doth cōserue the worlde out of a respect, vvhich he hath towards his chosen and elect, vvhereof some are mixed amōgst the euill, and others are yet vn­borne. It is vvritten in the 6. of the Apocalyps, That God doth attend vntill our fellowe seruants be accomplished. And therefore this is one of the reasons why that Christ doth call the faithfull the fault of the Mat. 5. 13 earth, vvhich is as much as a little part amōgst mē, which [Page 109] conserueth the rest, and de­layeth their destruction. For God conserueth the sinfull because of the good, to the end that they should serue as medicines to them, and that the might and power of our aduersaries might serue to compell vs to the feare of God and to trust in his pro­mises. Such being the excel­lency of Gods elect aboue the rest, it behoueth vs to re­spect the pleasures, riches, & greatnesse of the vvorlde, as things that are most ridicu­lous, and as the painted king­domes vvhich the Deuill shewed vnto Christ. Like those vvhich from the high­est part of the Alpes doe [Page 110] looke into Campania, vvhere the greatest Citties seeme like vnto little Cottages: how much lesse and base wil they seeme then if they were discerned from heauen? Frō thence therfore it behoueth that the faithful contemplat humane things, and that hee transport instantly his heart to heauen, since that there is his treasure. And conside­ring from thēce the Pallaces of Princes, hee will esteeme them as habitations of Ants; & the turbulent murmuring of men as the buzzing of an angry swarme of Bees; and contemplating from thence vvhat things are most greate and apparant in the earth, he [Page 111] vvill say, The vanity of vani­ties that all is vanity.

That Holy glory wil not hinder Christian humility. For wee knowing the vvor­thinesse in our selues, doe finde our dignity in Iesus Christ. If repentance doth humble vs, faith doth exalt vs: If we are nothing before God vvee are somewhat in God, & in his fatherly affec­tions. And therefore in this the faithfull are contrary to vvorldly men. For they do lift their eies to heauen by too much pride, but presse downe their heart on the earth vvith avarice and incō ­tinency: vvhereas the godly on the contrary hath his eies [Page 112] vpon the earth by humility, as the Publican which durst not lift his eies to heauen, but hath his heart in heauen by faith and hope. The con­tempt of this vvorlde pro­ceedes not out of a loue to himselfe; but out of a true af­fection to God.

The wickednesse which now reigneth.

MOreouer the contempt of the vvorld borne of the loue of God shal at lēgth grow to hatred of the world, when that besides the vanity and misery of it, he shall con­template the mischiefe and enmity against the Almigh­ty, which there reigneth; [Page 113] when besides that vanity which some doe lay open to the view of all, he wil repre­sent to himselfe the iniqui­ties which are closely kept, & the treasons, adulteries, mur­ders which are priuatly and lurkingly committed; when he shall consider the vials of Gods wrath and displeasure powred generally vpon hu­mane kinde. For in the consi­deration of this vvorld, it be­hooueth vs to leaue out no part of it, but to obserue all manner of Nations & peo­ple, amongst which there are many Pagans, which not on­ly by a Consequent, but also by expresse profession adore the Deuill. The East Indies [Page 114] dedicate their Tēples to him, and honour him with all re­spect. The West Indies are afflicted and tormented or­dinarily with euil Spirits. In most part of the North lur­king deceipts, and assuming strange shapes are very com­mō amongst the Inhabitāts: Sorcery is there an ordinary profession; & the Divel raig­neth without contradiction. Jn that Country, which did once flourish, where the A­postles had planted so happi­ly the Holy Gospell, the chur­ches are nowe changed into Mosquees, and Temples of Idolatry; In the West the head of the visible Church is become an earthly Monarck: [Page 115] & banks are erected in those places where in time past was the house of God. A­mongst those erroneous and envious people are scatterēd the Iewes, which blaspheme against Iesus Christ, and ha­ving persecuted him in his life do iniuriously wrōg him after his death. The Coun­try from whence come de­crees and orders for Religiō, hath in it publique brothell houses, and Sodomy is there an vsuall custome: Here it is also where doubts in religiō that concerne a mans faith are decided in the midst of corruption.

There only remaineth in [Page 116] the world a handfull of peo­ple which serue Jesus Christ in truth and verity, and they can scarce receiue breath in this aire which is so contrary to them, being here as fishes without water, as the re­mainder of great Massacres, as pieces of boards scattered after the breaking of a great vessel: And yet neuerthelesse amongst these few (which are substracted out of the rest of the world,) Corrup­tion doth encrease, as a Can­cre or vlcer. Quarrels, vanity, superfluity in apparell, Ava­rice, ambition, sumptuous­nes, which spendeth foolish­ly, doeth infect the one part of this smal troupe. For God [Page 117] is il serued in priuat families, their almes are colde; they pray seldome; & read never: In briefe a cōtagion of vices, by conversing with our ad­versaries, doeth infect vs, vvhich is the first step to su­perstition: For error creepes in to vs by vice, and spirituall fornication by corporall. Jf therfore where God is most purely knowne, he be there il serued: Hovv much more a­mōgst the rest of the world? If vices do harbor within the Sanctuary, hovv much more in the body of the Church, and habitatiō of the wicked? Therefore Christ doth rightly call Sathan the Prince of the world, & Peter doth iust­ly [Page 118] vvrite in the 2. of the Actes Saue your selues from that per­verse generation. For Sathan lyeth in ambush for vs all; this age is infectious: vices are like vnto glue; temptatiōs strong: our enimies mightie: our selues feeble & ignorāt: & the vvay of Saluation nar­row, and full of thornes: and few there be (saith Christ) that finde it. And those which finde it, do not alwaies keepe it: but many, hauing knowne the truth, do leaue it, and re­turne to their vomit. Let vs know then a place so dange­rous, that we may passe by as strangers, which do not only passe but also run from it, fly­ing from the world, to come [Page 119] vnto God. For we shal neuer haue repose vnlesse wee rest our selues vpō him. The hea­uen moueth alwaies, and yet it is the place of our rest: on the contrary the Earth re­steth alwaies, and yet it is the place of our motion. The Quadrantes & Horologies imi­tate the motion of Heauen: but the faith of the beleeuers doeth imitate the rest which is aboue all. Vlysses did more esteeme the smoake of his owne house, then the flame of an others; Howe much more thē would he esteeme the flame of his owne chim­ney than the smoake of ano­thers? We are here strāgers, [Page 120] this is not our house, our ha­bitation is in heauen. Let vs compare the smoake of this strange house, and the darke­nesse of the Earth with the beauty and splendor of our ovvne dvvelling, vvhich is in the kingdōe of Heauē. Here is the raigne of Sathan; there the kingdome of God. Here is a valley of teares; there the height of mirth. Here wee sovv in sorrovve; there vvee reape in Ioy; Here we see the light of the Sunne through tvvo little holes, vvhich are called the eies: there vvee re­ceiue light from God on e­very side, as if vve vvere all Eyes.

Therefore because God is all in all. To him be honor and glory in this vvorld, and in the world to come. Amen.