●HE CONTEMPT OF THE WORLD, AND THE Vanity thereof, written by the reverent F. Diego de Stella, of the order of S. Fr. divided into three books, And of late translated out of Italian into English, with convenient tables in the end of the book.  
In nomme jesus omne genu flectatur. Philip. 3  
Anno domini. 158●   

O maiestas domini, quantum inclinaris.  
Cum Deus ex femina oriri dignaris.  
Numquid in palac●s, rex coeli locaris?  
Non, sed in praesepio brevi reclinaris.  
 
jesus qui angelico coetu veneratur.  
Vestibus purpureis natus non ornatur.  
Sed in satis vilibus pannis inclinatur.  
Sicque mundi gloriam pauper detestatur.   

TO MY DEAR AND LOVING countreywomen and sisters in Christ assembled together to serve God, under the holy order of S. Bridget in the town of Rone in France.  
THis discourse treating of the vanity and contempt of the world, after I had perused, and in mine own opinion conceived, a special liking thereof: I fell into some desire with myself, to have it made common, to certain of my friends and well-willers, such as I wist well would like of the argument, and would be delighted to see it well & cunningly handled: And because I could not have the effect of my desire, nor they, the fruit of that good, I wished them, except it were made communicable by some man's travail and industry, in reducing it out of the spannishe or Italian language, (wherein it was first written) into our vulgar & mother tongue. I thought good, since I wanted not goodwill, and thereto had store of good leisure, being at that time secluded from all company (rather than to leave so good a work undone, that might tend to the benefit of many) to adventure what I could do myself therein, and by mine own experience to make trial, what a mean diligence was able to do, even in the most unusual exercises whereinto when I was entered, being daily drawn with desire to see so good a work at an end, & continually enticed forward with the sweetness of the work & soundness of the matter, and the good handling thereof, I found no great difficulty in the attempt, but passed through the same, in a much shorter time, than I supposed it possible for me (at the first) to have done.  
Thus love maketh labour light, and hard things are made easy by delight: yea even the vearie thing itself, that this book entreateth of, which to us worldly men, is of all others the most hard, as that which our corrupted nature most misliketh & abhorreth, is made by love, not only easy, but most pleasant and delectable. We see daily how the wicked and ungodly, leave no mischief undone, what danger so ever they incur, in the doing thereof, to have their pleasure, and satisfy their desire, which is caused only, by the perverse love and lewd affection, over firmly fixed upon the things that they fancy and desire. It seemeth that love alone, is the director & guide of all our actions, either good, or evil, so as the well, or evil ordering thereof doth make us either good or evil.  
Nothing then can be more convenient for us, ●hen to have a good order and method proposed, what is meet to be beloved and followed, and what is meet to be detested & eschewed. This ●ath been the teaching of almighty God him ●elfe, from the beginning of the world. It was ●he first lesson that he taught our father Adam 〈◊〉 Paradise, when he gave him & order what ●e should take, and what he should refuse. Both ●he law & the prophets tended to no other end, ●ut to instruct the people what they should love & ●lowe, and what they should hate and avoid.  
Our Saviour Christ himself coming in ●●she to redeem mankind, preached no other doctrine to the world but this. His holy Apostles ●●d teachers sithence, have travailed about no ●●●er thing. The scope of all, that hath been ●●ther well taught or written in the world ●●till this day, hath been to no other effect, but ●●●ly to instruct us aright, what we have to ●●we, and what to fly, and to prescribe us orderly means, which way we should do it best.  
Amongst those that have laboured in this ●●d business, and have bestowed their travails ●●framyng and compiling some necessary work schich might aptly teach the way to live ●●ell, and to rectefie the mind of man, in the ●●fect and true love of God, and contempt of the ●●orld, which be as it were, two inseparable cō●●ions, and have their connection always together, so as we can not love God, but if w● contemn the world, nor contemn the world 〈◊〉 we ought, if we love not God. Amongst 〈◊〉 (I say) that have taken pains in gods Church, 〈◊〉 teach the ready way to a good life, none hat● (in my small judgement) more happily achieved that which he hath gone about, than the auth●● of this book, who leading a most religious an● contemplative life himself, hath by due obser●uation, and diligent labour, chosen out so man● good rules & precepts for that purpose, & hat● as aptly applied them, and in so good order digested them, so bewtefyinge them with apt sim●●litudes and sentences of holy scripture, to ma●● them aswell h●dthfull as grateful, that heard 〈◊〉 were (I think) any where to find a worke● better fruit, and more likely to profit the re●●der.  
And as it is now made familiar to oth●● christian nations abroad, and well received 〈◊〉 them, so can I not think, but that it shall be asw● welcome to you, when you are once made a●●quaynted therewith, but if the habit that 〈◊〉 cometh clothed in, doth seem over rude & ho●● for so good a guest, remember I pray you, fir●● from whom it cometh and at whose hands▪ hath received this simple array, next to who● it goeth that is, to them that have wholly, both 〈◊〉 act, and will, utterly cast of, the desire 〈◊〉 ●vorldlie conversation, so as to you the difference 〈◊〉 not great, betwixt a kendal coat, and a pur●e Robe, the substance not the show, is that which you desire.  
lastly the book itself is such as asketh 〈◊〉 outward setting out, nor glorious show of words, the whole argument thereof, entrea●ge of nothing else, but only of the contempt of the world, and the vanity thereof, so as it were nei●●er agreeable with the matter, nor convenient 〈◊〉 the persons, to come either richly arrayed, or ●y better then meanly apparelled. If the letter self be truly expressed, and the author's mind ●●thfullie delivered, I have that I sought for, ●●s it that which I travailed to do, both for 〈◊〉 own honesty, and the reader's satisfaction, ●●w well I have fulfilled it, let the learned ●●der be judge, unto whose examination and ●●sure I refer it. My travail herein I have ●ore others dedicated unto you, for that I roughte it a meet work for you, and the ar●●ment thereof so well agreeing with your pro●●ion. Wherein if you find any furtherance 〈◊〉 means of any help that doth arise to you by 〈◊〉 small pains taken herein, I pray you of your charity, that for my pains, you will afford 〈◊〉 part of your prayers, and by your intercessor entreat for me at goods hands, that whi●● I seek to carry a candle to give others light I walk not in darkness myself, and lose 〈◊〉 comfort of that, which I procure to get for oth●● folk, but that if I chance to trip or stumble 〈◊〉 my way (as God knoweth I do full oft) yet 〈◊〉 may the sooner by your good help recover m● self again, and escape the everlasting ruin 〈◊〉 my soul, so as at the last after these hard storme● be past, I may by god's mercy be received to som● piece of his glory. Far ye well, & God send yo● the assistance of his holy spirit to conduct you 〈◊〉 the end of your well begun journey. Amen▪ From the prison Aprilis 7. Anno domini. 1584.▪ nost. capt. 7.  
Your faithful well-willer, and true friend in Christ jesu. G. C.   


OF THE despising the vanity of the world. The first part.  

●ow that we can neither taste of God, nor enjoy any spiritual delight and divine comfort, if first we despise not the world, and the Pleasures thereof. CHAP. 1.  
NO man can serve two masters saith Christ our Saviour. 
Mat. 6.  The comfort that is of God, is sweet and delectable, but this is not for all men, but for those only which de●ise the vanities of the world. It is impossible to taste of God, and to love dis●●dinat●ie the things of this life: All men ●●ulde gladly enjoy the sweet conversion of our Lord, but few there be that ●ll forego their own commodities, and ●●linglie despise the earthly delights. They desire greatly to have the inward comfort of the soul, but with all they desire to satisfy their own appetites. But if thou wilt follow Christ, thou must deny thyself.  
Thou must withdraw thyself from the world, if thou thinkest to enjoy God, for God and the world be contrary, they have nothing common betwixt them, neither may they inhabit together: ca●● of therefore the love of the world, if thou wilt that God shall have access to thy soul: Neither mayest thou fully taste o● the sweetness of God, until thou dost find that the pleasures of the world be waxed bitter unto the, and unpleasant▪ And when thou shalt account of these wordly things to be hard and harsh of taste, then shalt thou find thy soul disposed to receive the inward comforts of jesus Christ. For as it is unpossible fo● the with one eye to look upward to he●●uen, and with the other to look downward to the earth: so is it against reaso● to have thine affections here on these earthly things, and enjoy withal th● spiritual comforts of heaven. If thou wil● enjoy God it is necessary for the to de●pryue thyself of all kind of wordly 〈◊〉 sensual comfort: That comfort which cometh from man, must needs be vile an● of no account, since it hindereth the com●forte which cometh from God.  
Thou must not seek for God in the ple●●sant fields, nor in delightsome gardens, neither in the pleasures of this world, Since Moses one so dear unto him, 
Exd. 3.  found him out amongst the thorney bushes of hard penance and sharpness of life. Therefore do those worldlings never deserve to find him, that do not seek him any where, but amongst pleasures and delights. But fly from all worldly comfort as much as thou mayest and then shalt thou be refreshed at gods own hand. Dispatch all worldly care from thy soul, to the intent that their may be place for the love of God to rest therein where it may be surly planted, and take fast rooting.  
God would not permit that his holy Ark & the idol Dagon should have both one Altar. 
1. Reg. 5.  And although the Philistines did earnestly labour to have it so, yet could they never bring it to pass that they might both abide together. God will not that the Idol of vice, which thou dost adore, should have any place there, where as his divine person remaineth: he consenteth not that the world and he should be adored together.  
And therefore if thou wilt love God, as thou oughtest to do, thou must not set by the glory of this world. 
Exod. 2.  God never appeared unto Moses whilst he remained in Egipte, no more owghtest thou to have any hope of seeing him, whilst thou ●iuest in darkness of the world. Refuse the Palace of Pharaoh, despising the honours & vanities in which thou livest, that thou mayest find in the desert of solitary life, (as Moses did) the help of God and his spiritual comforts. 
Exod. 16.   
Whilst the flesh pots of Egipte do savour well in thy mouth, thou shalt never taste of the heavenly manna. Thy stomach being full of naughty humours thou canst never receive the precious food of heaven. Despise from the bottom of thine heart, all that is delightful here under heaven, And thou shalt easily make thy soul thereby, to mount above the heavens, & to receive the joys thereof. Many be desirous to have respect unto both, And giving themselves unto God, do yet reserve their wordly commodities still to themselves. Let it not be grievous unto the, to separate thyself from thy friends and kinsfolk when they do give the any impediment toward the way to heaven, For God revealeth not his hidden secrettes unto thy soul, in the presence of other witnesses, neither will he be conversant with him that is unquiet, and is occupied about wordly business.  
There is none beloved of the world, but he that is driven away from Christ: And there is none that is beloved of Christ, but he whom the world despiseth. Thou canst not perfectly love God but if thou do first despise thyself, and the world for God: And by this mayest thou know, whether thou lovest God, if thou confer the love that thou bearest him, with the love thou bearest to the world: for so much the more as thou lovest God, so much the less, shalt thou esteem the world.  
Our Lord will not have our heart divided, nor parted in pieces, but will have it whole to himself.  
And therefore that thou mayest not lose a thing of so great a price, esteem but lightly these transitory things. And this is the ready way to get the perfect comfort of spirit.   

THAT PERFECT PEACE IS not found, but of the humble & meek mind, which is not gotten, but by mortification of our own wills and by voluntary suffering of wordly pain and tribulation for the love of Christ. CHAP. 2.  
I LEAVE unto you peace, 
Io. 14.  I give you my peace saith our Lord: as long as you shall serve the world, you shall always live in debate and contention. The love of carnal things is folly, which hindereth us of things spiritual. The lovers of the world do live in continual torment. The world still runnethe about like a wheel, and in the fury of his turning, slayeth them that love it most of all. The true peace of heart is never obtained by the lovers of this world. Love God and thou shalt have life. Deny thyself and thou shalt have the true peace. But who is he that getteth perfect peace in deed? He that is humble and lowly of heart. Purge thine heart from all malice, and thou shalt have the true and happy peace. Learn to conquer thyself in every thing, & thou shalt have the inward peace of the mind. Break of thy disordinate appetites: take away thy vain desires, and drive from thee the unsatiable love of the world, & then shalt thou live at peace and quietness. No man shall then trouble the, nothing shall molest the, but thou shalt enjoy the sweetness of spirit, & find even Paradise here upon the earth.  

Pr. 12.  Nothing can happen unto a just man, that may give him any perturbation. Thine own proper passions be they that make war against thee, And when thine enemies be within thee, why compleinest thou of those that are without thee? A great Lord is he that can command himself. The dominion of our own will is of wonderful power & effect, & may do more, than all the kings & Emperors of the earth who can by no means make their enemies their friends as your will can do being disposed thereunto, in subiectinge our unruly appetites unto the sweet rule of reason. The vearie cause why injuries, adversities, and all kind of other tribu●ations annoy thee so much, is because thou ●oest seek how to fly away from them▪ & to escape them. Thou proclaymest open ●arre against them & accomptest them for ●hy enemies, which causeth them to ●orke the all thee displeasure they can. But ●f thou faule in league with them, and ●egynnest once to love them, they that ●efore did give thee much trouble, will ●fter give thee as much comfort.  
saint Andrew rejoiced in his Cross, & that glorious father saint Francis called infirmity his sisters, whereby we may see ●ow these, and other holy men rejoiced ●n those tribulations which do so much ●ffend thee. They loved that which thou so ●uch hatest: And do thou love that which ●hey loved since it lieth in thy power, & ●hou shalt then find comfort in thy tribulations ●s they did. If in suffering tribulations thou ●indest the pain grievous unto the, compleine not of them that persecute thee, but ●ather of thyself, who having free liberty ●n the to love persecution, wilt not love it.  
Thou must conform thyself to jesus Christ, and love his Cross and Passion. Resign thyself wholly to him, and love that wihche he loveth and then shalt thou find comfort & sweetness in those things which now thou takest to be unsavoury.  
Enter into thyself, and destroy within thee all thy passions and worldly desires, and thou shalt not have cause to complain against any man. And if any thing seem● grievous unto the, make the revenge vp●● thine enemies within thee, that do affli●● thee, and never complain of those enemies which are without thee, since they cannot hurt thee, but by thine own consent.  
Like as the moth bred in the cloth, consumeth the self same cloth wherein h● bre●deth: And in like manner the woorm● eateth up the wood which brought hy● forth & engendered him: even so these he●●uie cares which so much aggreeve thyn● heart, grow in thee of thine own concupiscence. They take their nourishment i● thee, & at last do consume thee, playing th● vipers with thee, which eat their way ow● of their mother's belly which bread them▪  
Oh in what peace shouldest thou rest, 〈◊〉 thou wert verily mortified? true is th● sentence which saith: That no man is hu●● but by himself.  
The greatest enemy which thou hast i● thyself. All that is good in thee, consisteth in the virtue of thy mind, to which n● man can do harm, allthowghe he tak● away liberty honour, or riches.  
And persecutions do not only no● hurt thee, but also give matter of merit.  

Gal. 6.  Now if the glory of a christian, be the cross of jesus Christ, embrace it, and the● shall none trouble thee, nor hurt thee, bu● thou shalt obtain the true rest and quietness of mind, and live ever after contentedly and peaceably.   

●Y THE LIFE AND DEATH of our Saviour jesus Christ, it is plainly perceived, whether the honour and riches of this world ought to be esteemed or no, Who being himself vearie true god, both by his example and doctrine, teacheth us which way they have to take which desire to go the straight and direct way. CHAP. 3.  
BE ye followers of jesus Christ as his well-beloved children saith the Apostle: 
Eph. 5.  let all thy labour and study be to conform thy life, to ●he life of our saviour. If we had no other reason for to condemn the vanities of the world with all, yet the life of jesus Christ and the example which he gave us here in earth were sufficient alone to confound all christians with all.  
It were shame for us to live in pleasure and delight, 
2. Reg. 11.  our great captain joab li●ing in great danger and ignominy. There is not any soldier which seethe his captain die before his face, but that he will willingly also put himself to the danger of death forgetting all his former pleasures and delights. If thou seek for honour when thou seest thy Captain general live altogether without honour, i● is a great token that thou art not of his band. And sithence thou reputest thyself for a Christian, thou mayest well be ashamed to seek after the love of such vanities as the infidels delight in. Many be they which call themselves Christians, but there be but few of those which follow the life of Christ in deed: in name they agree all together, but in conversation and behaviour they be very far contrary.  
If the lives of many Christians were tried and compared together with the life of our redeemer, as the woorkeman trieth his work by a line to find out the crookedness thereof▪ It would soon appear very manifest, how much our hearts were gone away from the true level, in the which God did once rightly settle us, towards the love of those things which he would have us to despice and contemn.  
Whom thinkest thou to know more? God, or the world? Now if thou thinkest that God knoweth more, Behold how he chooseth poverty, and a most base kind of life. And this sufficeth for thee to know how much thy life is out of square. Thou goest clean wide from the true path o● heaven if thou dost disordinatlye seek● after the honours, & riches of this world.  

Mat. 4.  If the world had been good, and th● honour's & riches thereof profitable, our holy redeemer would never have commanded his disciples to despise them. In ●he little esteeming of himself, whilst ●e lived here, and in the great austerity ●f his own life, our Lord did teach us, ●ow little we ought to make account of ●hese worldly things.  
The hard manger in which he was ●yed after his holy birth, 
Luc. 2.  condemneth the ●elicatenes of this life of ours. That stawle treweth, how vain the honours and pro●●erities of this world are. And those sim●le clothes, wherein his divine majesty ●as wrapped, gyve-us well to understand ●hat the riches of this world is.  
Proceed thorough the whole course ●f his life, and consider also of his death, & ●●ou shalt find, that the son of God ●●●er that he became man did always teach 〈◊〉 to despise the world, aswell by the exā●●e of his life, as by the whole course of ●●s doctrine and teaching.  
When he made that great sermon of ●is on the hill he began saying: Blessed ●e the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  
Our Lord came not into this world ●o undo thee, or to overthrow the, 
Mat. 5.  but ●o teach thee the way to heaven, and to assure thee of thy salvation. If Christ erred ●ot, than errest thou: If he chose well, than choosest thou ill: And if he with dishonour, and by sufferring opened unto thee the gates of glory, without all doubt thou being such a friend to honour and vanity, dost take the strait way to hell.  
In great danger dost thou live, and much peril doth thy soul run into, y● thou turnest not back again from the way that thou art now entered into, by hating o● that which thou dost now so much love▪ And by determining to follow the footsteps of him that could never err. O● what an abuse is this, that a poor simpl● worm made of earth will needs be grea● when the God of all Majesty was conten● himself to be so little.  
Oh than thou Christian soul if tho● espy thy spouse Isaac walking on th● ground, th●u oughtest to put on thy cloak, & cover thee with the veal of shamefastness as Rebecca did, 
Gen. 24.  blushing for veare shame to see thy Lord and Master Iesu● Christ to walk on the earth in the cōtēp●● of the world, And thyself to sit mownte● aloft upon thy cammells back in high● honour and power of the world.  
Thou must come down as she di● despising the honour and vanity of thi● present world, by conforming thyself to the life of thy redeemer, so as tho● mayest after enjoy with him the true riches and honour which induer for ever.   

THE THINGS OF THIS world although in appearance they seem good and delightful, yet are they in deed full of falsehood and vanity, and that for their instability we ought not to put any trust in them, lest that in the general day of judgement we do in vain repent us, that we have loved more those vanities, than God our Creator. CHAP. 4.  
ALL is vanity in this world, 
Eccl. 1.  & nothing but vanity is in it saith the wise man, I have behoulden saith he, all that is under the son, & nothing do I find but vanity. This world is worthily called in holy scripture an hypocrite, because it hath an exterior appearance of goodness, and within, it is full of corruption and vanity. In deed there appeareth some show of goodness in these sensible things, but yet are they but conuterfeyte & false. Never seek to fasten the anchor of the ship of thine heart, in the large Seas of worldly love.  
The Reeds when they shoot out first ●n the springe of the year, do with their fresh green colour, delight the eyes for a while, but if thou do break them, and look within them, thou shalt find nothing there but emptiness and hollowness.  
Let not the world deceive thee, nor thine eyes beguile thee, by the means of this vain and counterfeit beauty. For truly if thou consider it well, and look narrowly what is within it, thou shalt find there nothing but vanity. If the world were to be laid open to the eye, And every particular part thereof viewed and searched out, as the Anotomistes use to do the bodies of men, it would soon make an open show of all his vanity. For what soever is in the world, either it is past, or present, or else to come. That which is past, is now no longer in being: That which is to come, dependeth all upon uncertainties: And that which is present, is but unstable, and to endure but for a moment. It were great vanity to trust in it, and a much more vanity to make account of the favours and love thereof. It is a vanity to desire or wish for the honours thereof, And a greater vanity to esteem the riches and pleasures thereof. It is a vanity to love such transitory things: And truly great vanity to delight in the corruptible substance of this world. It is vanity to seek after the wind of humane praises: vain be those cares which cause the to serve so unhappy a master as the world is. Finally all is but vanity, saving to love and serve God only.  
Happy is he which hath forgotten the world: such an one may live in vearie good comfort, when no care may take ●way from him his good spiritual exercises ●ut may still enjoy the sweetness and ●eace of the spirit.  
It is better to be poor then rich: And ●etter to be little then great: And better 〈◊〉 is to be ignorant with humility, then to ●e learned which pride and vanity. That knowledge and those Good gifts which ●od bestoweth on thee, to make thee the ●ore bound to serve him withal fervour ●f heart & humility: Thou takest occasion ●y to be more licentious than other men ●●e, and more vain and proud.  
How much better it is to be little thē●●eate, the latter day of all shall declare in ●●at rigorous and exact judgement, when ●●e books of our consciences shallbe ●●yed all open to the show of all the world: ●ee would then wish that we had ●●ued god more, and less to have disputed ●f subtle and curious questions. A pure conscience shall then prevail thee more, ●●en thy profound and most learned sermons that thou hast preached. It shall not ●●en be asked of us what we have said, ●ut what we have done.  
It willbe more worth at that time to have despised the vanity of the world, then to ●aue followed the deceitful delights & ●alse promises thereof. Better it would be ●t that day, that thou hadst done penance for thy sins, then by fullfilling thine appetites here for this short spac● of time, be after thrown down to 〈◊〉 for ever.  
Make well thy reckoning hereof b● time: Enter within thyself, and consider how much of thy life thou hast bestowe● upon the world, And how little thereo● again thou hast given to God, which gau● it thee to serve him wthall. What is become of so many years which are passe● without any profit at all? what commodity hast thou taken of all the time wherein thou hast served the world? The tym● passed can not now be called back again▪  
The days of thy life do pass away, 〈◊〉 thou thinkest not thereon, and death stil● waiteth on thee. What hast thou of al● that thou hast done? In thy friends tho● hast found no fidelity, In them that tho● hast done good unto, thou hast found in●gratitude. And in the most part of me● thou hast found falsehood & dissimulati●● Behold here now, how thou hast lost whatsoever thou hast done heretofore. 〈◊〉 little pleasure that thou haste reaped by th● world, And all that whereof now tho● dost lament thee, do both call & even 〈◊〉 unto thee that God is he whom thou only oughtest to have served and loved. Tho● losest all thy travails and labours whi●● thou dost not bestow in the only se●●uice of jesus Christ. That time doth onel● profit the which thou hast spent in his 〈◊〉, for all the residue is nowghte worth 〈◊〉 thee: It is nothing but even a mere ●●nitie.  
If thou consider, & dost well remem●●● thee how much time of thy life thou 〈◊〉 lost in the pleasing and contenting 〈◊〉 these ungrateful persons whom thou 〈◊〉 so much followed, thou must needs ●●epe and lament for that part of thy life ●●ich is passed, And procure all that thou ●●yest to serve thy Creator for the 〈◊〉 that is to come. And that which thou ●●uldest have wished to have done in the 〈◊〉 passed (which is not to be recovered,) Endeavour thyself now so to do hereafter, that by thy diligent serving of 〈◊〉 thou mayest wholly gain the time 〈◊〉 is to come to be spent only in his ●●●uice.  
It is a great vanity to spend thy time ●●pleasinge of men. Resign up thy appetites, and do away thine affections, And then thou wilt esteem as nothing that which now seemeth something unto the.   

WHOSOEVER WILL KNOW how vain these worldly things are, must not only consider the b●●gynnyng of them, but way with●● the end of them, which is always accompanied with bitterness & sorov●▪ CHAP. 5.  

Phi. 3.  THere be many which wal● of whom I told you, now do tell you it weeping, which are enemies the Cross of Christ, wh●● end is destruction saye● the Apostle: The end of those that love 〈◊〉 world (as saint Paul saith) is death & p●●●ditiō. Do not join thyself in league vn●● those persons which the world doth 〈◊〉 unto thee, for thou shalt be drawn to fol●●● the vanities of their deceipts. The plea●●●res which it presenteth unto the, be the unwrie messengers of death. Fly from the altering falsehood thereof, for fear 〈◊〉 thou be taken in his snares. Look not 〈◊〉 that which is present, but consider withal 〈◊〉 which is to come. Be diligent in the obs●●●uinge that which always followeth 〈◊〉 sin: And weighing them that which is pre●●● with that which is to come, thou wilt fa●● into a hatred of all the pleasures and 〈◊〉 which this world setteth before thee, ●llure the with all.  
Our lives be as it were Rivers which 〈◊〉 run into the Sea of death: The waters ●●e rivers are sweet & fresh but the end ●hem is to enter into the brackish & ●●er waters of the Sea. Life is a sweet ●●ge to them that do love it, but when ●●●h doth come then will it be bitter. The 〈◊〉 of those sweet waters of the river is 〈◊〉 made bitter by the Sea that it runneth 〈◊〉 Even so is the end of man's life vearie viernes in deed. The vanities which 〈◊〉 worldly folks do delight in withal doubt will end in sorrow and in ●●●f: They begin in weal, but they 〈◊〉 end in woe, the entry is pleasant, but 〈◊〉 ●oing out is very unpleasant▪  
●f thou wilt but consider well, how ●●●e the torment is more than the plea●●●, thou wilt willingly renounce all 〈◊〉 vanities: And then shalt thou not faule 〈◊〉 the fault which causeth thy sorrow & ●●enteth thy conscience. That which lighteth is but short, and that which ●●enteth is everlasting. Let not these ●●ties draw the which this false world ●●eth the, But rather consider deeply hereunto they do tend. God saith, Your ●●ing shallbe turned into mourning, and 〈◊〉 pleasures into tears, your laughing ●●●e mingled with sorrow, 
Amos. 9 Prou. 14.  and the end of 〈◊〉 mirth shallbe overtaken with lamen●●●n.  
That great image which appeared 〈◊〉 Nabuchodonozer, 
Danie. 2  had an head of go●● but the feet were all of earth. This w●●● hath likewise his beginning riche●● beautiful to the eye, which is that w●●● worldly folk desire, But they will 〈◊〉 look so low as the feet, which be of 〈◊〉 They consider not the end thereof wh●● is all rueful and unpleasant to beho●● But look thou unto that which hat●● end, and thou shalt always live wit● 〈◊〉 end. Behold not so much what thou 〈◊〉 what thou shalt hereafter be. Consider 〈◊〉 so much this present beauty, as the 〈◊〉 end that this beauty bringeth the vnt● 〈◊〉 not occupied still in that which is 〈◊〉 but way well what is to follow after 〈◊〉 leeve m●, all thine evil groweth of 〈◊〉 that thou remember'st thee not of the 〈◊〉 of sin when thou art entered into 〈◊〉 beginning thereof: but thou haste 〈◊〉 ●●●oner tasted of the sweet pleasures th●● but it beginneth strait ways to lay 〈◊〉 abominations to thy charged. Prophet Iheremy not without cause 〈◊〉 upon Jerusalem saying: 
Thren. 1.  Her filth 〈◊〉 her feet, and she would not reme●●● her latter end. In the feet which is th● end of sin, had she her uncleanness filthiness: The sottish soul clean 〈◊〉 her latter end, and remembered only beginning, And having her eyes ●●●ed upon the vain ornaments of her 〈◊〉 would never enter into the considerate ●●ete, which is the last end of all. The 〈◊〉 why our redeemer wept upon Hieru●●●●● as for that it knew not the miseries 〈◊〉 ●●ere to faule upon it. 
Luc. 9  It is a thing much ●●amēted, that this present time should ●●ch be accounted on, that the grief 〈◊〉 unto this worldly pleasure tendeth 〈◊〉 so clean be forgotten. And there●●●●id our Saviour jesus Christ weep, 〈◊〉 much as Jerusalem being lulled a 〈◊〉 with the short pleasures that were ●●●t, never so much as once thought 〈◊〉 sorrows which were to follow after. 〈◊〉 ●uch to be lamented to see the so de●●d, as not to care at all for the evil 〈◊〉 ●hich these present pleasures and de●●●s do lead thee unto at the last. Be 〈◊〉 ●ou led with that which appeareth 〈◊〉 ●hyne eye at the beginning, but 〈◊〉 to know & understand that which 〈◊〉 follow after.  
〈◊〉 not thine appetite have power and 〈◊〉 ●nyon over the, which is but an ●●●ance of reason, and no true reason in 〈◊〉, and is received by thy will before 〈◊〉 ●ell considered by thine vnderstan●●●●. And since thou knowest now how 〈◊〉 the end of this world is, make no 〈◊〉 account of the pleasures thereof. 〈◊〉 ●ot thy desires exceed thine vnder●●●●●nge: commonly men make more ac●●●te of that which is passed, then of 〈◊〉 which is to come. After the good co●●● the evil, And after these worldly pleasures, succeed bitter sorrows.  
The common custom of the world is, to give a good dinner first, and an evil supper afterward. Every one useth to se● the best wine on the table first, And af●ter, that which is of the meaner sort: s● said the Steward of the Marriage feast a● Cane in Galilee. 
joh. 2.  So is it likewise the common guise of the world, to begin wit● joy, & end with sorrow after. But at the fea● where jesus Christ is present himself, 〈◊〉 is all contrary, for he giveth trouble in th● begyninge, and after great comfort an● consolation. The pleasant beginnings do● cover the evil which is in the world● which the end doth afterward discover When they shall talk and cry out peac● and security most of all, 
1. Thess. 5  then shall sodein●lie come ruin & destruction upon the●▪  
The perfection of any thing is know● always by the end: Such as the end i● such are likewise the things that tho● delightest in. The end of pleasures, is tourment, The end of much eating, is infirmi●tie, And the end of this life that tho● delightest so much in, is nothing but worms and Ashes. The end and conclusion of every mortal sin, shallbe great and everlasting torment.   

wise MAN OWGHTE always diligently to consider the end of his actions, to the intent that knowing the filthy end that sin bringeth with it, he may well take heed and beware thereof. CHAP. 6.  
MAN being once in honour and knew it not was compared unto the unreasonable beasts, 
Psal. 48.  and is become like unto them, saith the Prophet David: God gy●●ge unto man reason and prudence to ●●esee and consider what was after for to ●●ne, and what end these vanities of the ●●rld did tend unto, he would not take 〈◊〉 opportunity and benefit thereof, but ●●ie beheld the present honour he stood ●and did forget the bitter pain of the parting therefrom: He remembered 〈◊〉 pleasure that he had before his eyes, 〈◊〉 thought nothing on the pain that was follow after: yea the pain was even vpō●n before he remembered it, or advised ●n of it. Ecclesiasticus saith, I said of 〈◊〉 sons of men that God should make ●●ofe of them, 
Eccle. 3.  and try whether they ●re like unto the beasts, or no. 
Genes. 3.  God ma●● Adam apparel of the skins of beasts after his sin, to declare thereby vnt● him, that he was by his fault made like unto them.  
The sinner offendeth God, and as soo● as he hath done, he wisheth that he had never offended him, since by experience 〈◊〉 findeth how full of malignity the world is, and how sorrow is still joined unto plea●sure, But why considered he not this befo●● he sinned?  
It is the property of a wiseman to con●sider things in the beginning, And of fool to advise himself when it is to la●● A wise man bethinketh him first, but t●● fool saith: I thought not thereon at all. 〈◊〉 thou wouldest think beforehand of t●● unpleasant end which these world●● things do bring with them, thou shou●●dest have no cause of repentance after. T●● Prophet David saith. 
Psal. 118.  I thought upon 〈◊〉 ways, and I returned back from the w●● that I was walking in▪ Of the thinking of the end of sin, groweth the desire● forsake sin, & to return again to kee● the commandments of God.  
If thou shouldest pass by a way▪ the which it had been told the befo●● that thieves & murderers did haunt, wo●●dest thou not forsake thine intended w● and take some other? In the way of th● pleasures which now thou art entered in there be thieves which seek to dest●● the grace of God in thee, & to take awa● from thee thy means of meriting: Take 〈◊〉 council with thee, and turn the back again if thou wilt escape death. Assoon ●s temptation beginneth to assail thee, con●ider the way that it leadeth the unto, And ●f thou occupyest thine understanding ●ell in the remembering thereof, I doubt ●ot, but that thou wilt soon turn back again.  
The Apostle sayeth, 
Rom. 6. Gene. 25.  That the reward of ●●nne is death. jacob & Esau, were in their ●●others womb together, and contended together which of them should come ●●rth first, and when they were borne Ia●●b took Esau by the sole of the foot. ●he head is the first and principal part 〈◊〉 man, and the foot is the last and extremest part of all the whole man. And this 〈◊〉 the difference betwixt evil men and ●●od: The good do take vice by the foot ●nd the wicked take it by the head. The ●icked embrace all kind of pleasures, ●●nours & vanities, And look not toward ●●e end of these matters: But the good ●●ke the world by the foot, and do con●●●er the bitter end of all these pleasures.  
The pleasures and prosperities of this world, do shine bright like a burning ●●ndle, whilst the flame thereof doth 〈◊〉, but when the substance thereof is wasted, tendeth with a smoke and an evil sa●●ur. And even so do all these worldly ●●●asures end. And although the shining ●his vanity doth now for a time de●●●t thee, yet deceive not thyself, for in the end it will breed thee great affliction and much remorse of mind.  
In the Psalm it is written, As the smok● consumeth, 
Psal. 67.  so do all sinners vannysh away from the face of God, And as wax consumeth at the fire so do sinners consume & perish in the presence of God. If thou be wise tho● wilt provide for that which is to come.  
That which hath been, is an instruction of that which is to come. Remember saith the Apostle, 
Rom. 6.  the things that are passed, 〈◊〉 consider thereby what is to follow after what profit (saith he,) hast thou reape● of all those things wheroof thou art no● ashamed? Reduce in to thy memory ho● unfruitful the time which thou hast spe●● in the world hath been unto thee. An● look thou return not again to thy follmer follies. although thou do live i● the greatest glory of the world, y●● think that it must soon have an end. Th● vain must those worldly pleasure's 〈◊〉 which have so vain an end.  

Psal 77.  The Prophet David saith, They h●● yet in their mouths, their meat, and th● anger of God fell down upon the●▪ These worldly men likewise begynne● sooner to taste of the vain pleasures 〈◊〉 this life, but the justice of God doth co●● upon them, and chastise them for th●● sins. And since that affliction is thus io●●ned to all worldly things, consider 〈◊〉 end in the beginning: and forsake the vanities thereof betimes.   

HOW MAN OWHGT NOT to much to be aggrieved when men do murmur against him: Nor rejoice overmuch of praises that be given unto him, for before the face of God, the judgements of men do neither hurt, nor good. CHAP. 7.  
CASTANNA thy care upon God (saith the prophet) and he will reeleve the. 
Psal. 54.  Let all thy care be to please God, and then thou shalt not be lifted up with the vain praises ●f men, nor beaten down or troubled ●hen they speak evil of the.  
The occasion why their evil speeches ●oe offend the, is because thou pretendest ●ith thyself to please and content them. ●nd the cause for which their praises do 〈◊〉 much delight the, is for that thou desirest to have them maintain a good opinion of the. Oh that thou wouldst desire ●ought else but to please God, and to fulfil ●●s holy will, and then should all things ●oe well with the: Oh how little account ●ouldest thou then make of these words which do now so much work with in ●ee. Labour to content none, but him alone, and then shalt thou live quiet and contented. Nothing shall then offend the, but that which shall offend him, nor any thing delight the, but that which delighteth him, And so shalt thou be comforted continually in purity of conscience.  
It is mere vanity for the to make account of the fond & rash judgements of men, if it stand well between God and the.  
There have been many which the world hath made vearie much of, who now do lie full low in hell, And divers other there are, which have been taken for fools, that do enjoy the everlasting glory of heaven. And since it is thus, never take thou any glory in the praise of men, although they commend the never so much, neither do thou despair or mistrust thyself for any evil opinion the world hath of thee. If they commend thee worthily for that good which is in thee be not thou proud thereof, for if they saw such secret defects in thee, as thou findest in thyself, they would commend the● nothing at all. And if they do praise the● for these virtues which thou haste not procure to have them, that the world be no● deceived in the. And if they have caus● in truth to murmur against thee, seek● thou to amend thyself. And if they iudg● amiss of the, thou must remember th●● they are but men, and that much harms they cannot do the, but rather some goo● if thou have patience withal. If almighty God would ask the opinion of men, and have a consultation with them, before he either call thee to heaven, or condemn the to hell, It were good policy then for thee to curry favour with them, and seek to be esteemed for a vearie Saint amongst them: But since he will have ●he alone face to face before him, And thy soul and he shall enter into account together of all matters, it is but vearie vanity, to make account of the judgements ●f men, & to desire to have their praises, ●or God meaneth not to take their opinion in the matter, neither shall any questioned asked them of the, for they have no ●oyce therein at all. And although they ●ake their pleasures in talking of the, yet ●s not God directed by their sayings, but ●y that which he shall find in thine own conscience. What would it avail thee ●efore God, if all the world should say ●hou wert a Saint, and deseruedest glo●ie, And God himself that is only to ●udge thee, doth find the with a spotted conscience? And likewise if all the world ●hould condemn the, if thou be found to ●e gods friend, what can their reprobation do the harm? Not he whom they reprove is reproved before God, nor all that ●●ey do allow is accepted before God.  
Their judgements be vain, they know ●ot the hearts nor the deserts of men: They ●●n not enter into the soul of man, and therefore they are most commenlie deceived. They themselves give not grace, and therefore they can give no glory, neither resteth it in their power either to condemn the, or to save the. And if all the men in the world were thy friends, they shall never be able to prolong thy life for one hour, no more shall they be able to deliver thee from the rigorous judgements of God.  
Oh how much better will it be for the in the hour of thy death to have God for thy friend, then to spend thy whole life in seeking to please the kings and Princes of the earth, who though they do love the never so much, shall not a● that time be able to do any thing for the.  
This council will I here give the. Do not take any grief, if in doing thy duty the world doth murmur against the, neither take thou any pain to please the world, to win thereby their praise again, for all this is but vanity and loss of tyme. But rather lift up thine heart to God, and with all thy force procure to please and to content him alone, and shu● up all thy senses from hearing and harkeninge after the vain blasts of this unhappy world.   

SINCE EVERY ONE OF US must be judged by God himself, who is the only searcher of hearts: we ought not to make any reckoning of men's words, but labour to have a clear conscience before him. CHAP. 8.  
I MAKE but small account to be judged of you, 
1▪ Cor. 4.  saith Saint Paul, for he that must judge me is God himself. judge not before the time, until our Lord do come, who will lighten the secrettes that are hidden in darkness, & will make manifest ●he inward part of our hearts, & then shall every one receive his praise at gods hand: This said Saint Paul in the contemning of the sayings and opinions of men. God knoweth the hearts, and seethe what every one is. At the hour of death it will appear, who is good, and who is evil: we need not care for the judgements of men, Let us seek how to please God one●y. Those which do run at Tilt to break their staves, do make no account of the praise or dispraise of the ignorant people's judgements, which do look on: They respect only the judgement of those which are to give the prices to the best runner: Even so oughtest thou to neclecte the praise or dispraise of men, and only seek to have all thy care in pleasing of God that must judge thee. If thou do travail and take pain here, i● is he which seethe all, and of his own hand shalt thou receive thy reward. Love thou the verity, and not the sayings of men, who are for the most part moved either with love or with hatred, not considering what is in man worthy either to be loved or misliked. Be not thou troubled, nor take any grief thereof at all, that some folk have of thee an evil opinion.  
Art thou better than jesus Christ▪ Read in the Gospel and thou shalt find that some called him a deceiver of the people, 
Math. 27. john. 8.  some a Samaritane, and one that was possessed with the devil. Some said that he was not a man of God, since that he kept not the feast days: Other answered again, how could he do so many miracles being a sinner? 
john. 5.  In so much that S. john saith. There was thereupon a great schism and division amongst them. Now if of our Saviour himself, who was all holiness, and goodness, there were so many opinions of men, why art thou so proud, that being so full of so many and sundry kinds of imperfections, wouldst yet that every one should allow of thy doings & commend thee. If of our most innocent Lord there were so many thoughts 〈◊〉 men, why wouldst thou, that all men ●●ould sound forth thy praises with one ●●outh? If thou being a vessel full of all wretchedness & iniquity art yet of many commended, let it not displease thee, or ●●eeue thee, that there be some again ●hich speak little good of thee.  
There is not any so good, or so holy 〈◊〉 this world, whose life is of all men commended, neither is there any man's ●●●orke so well justified, but that the ●●cked will mumur at it. It were a fowl ●●our, not to use virtue in respect of any ●●●nge that the world can say against it. ●t thy life be never so holy, there will ●●t want some, which will speak against 〈◊〉▪ And if thou be so light as to be moved ●●th all that men say of thee, thou shalt ●●uer do any work that good is.  
The poor blind man that sat by the ●●ye side at Iherico calling upon jesus ●●rist to help him, 
Luc 18.  wanted not some that ●unde fault with him: But he the more ●●ey found fault with him, the more he persevered in cawlinge upon him. It is ●●possible to refrain the tongues of the ●●cked and the malignante people.  
Draw thou near unto God and follow ●●e way of virtue, and continue in it when ●●ou hast begun it, not making any account of the words of idle fellows, ●hich have no other business, but to gloze ●●on other men's intentions, and to interpret amiss of their neighbours doings, It were a ready way for thee to mak● thee to lose thy wits if thou shoulders give ear and make account of all tha● the people talketh: Endeavour thyself continually to please God, and to fullfi●● his will, for all the rest is but vanity an● affliction of mind.   

LET EVERY ONE LABOV● to do good only to please God wit● all, and not for the desire of worldly praise, if he look to be rewarded fo● his well doing. CHAP. 9  

Mat 6.  BEWARE that you do no● your works (sayeth ou● Lord) to the intent to be seen of men. And allthough● our Saviour saith likewise in another place: Let you● light so shine before men, 
Mat. 5.  that they may● see your good works, yet was it not hi● will for all that we should seek ou● own praise, but the glory and honour of God, And therefore he added sayings to the intent that they may glorify you● father which is in heaven. He that doth 〈◊〉 good work because he would be pray●sed for the doing of it, seeketh not go●● glory, but his own.  
God doth not prohibit us to do good openly, but he would that our intention should be secret. He commandeth thee ●ot to seek thine own praise, but in the ●ood which thou shalt do, to seek to ●lease him.  
If thou commit the treasure of thy works to an other man's mouth, It is thē●o longer in thine own power either to ●eepe it, or to lose it. Keep thine own seasour thyself, and hide privily the ●●ches of thy virtues, unless thou wilt let flatterer's spoil thee quite of them.  
King Ezechias, because he showed his ●●easure to the ambassadors of the king ●f Babylon, 
4. Reg. 20  he was grievously punished ●herefore. Do not publish abroad thy ●ood works which thou dost, lest ●hou be punished by God for a vain & 〈◊〉 arrogant person. Seek not for the re●ard of thy well working in this world, ●est thou lose thereby thy reward in ●eauen, and that the judge do say unto ●hee at the judgement day. Thou hast re●eyued thy reward all ready. 
Mat. 6.   
Be not thou desirous to be justified ●y men, for if thine own conscience do accuse the, what availeth thee then their ●ayne praises. Fly from being praised, ●est thou be deceived, And so lose the ●erite of thy good work.  
Let not the praises of men, nor the favours of those which are mighty, any thing move thee, or delight thee, for all such things as do separate thee from the chiefest felicity of all, be both vearie vain▪ and very dangerous.  
Of words make thou no account at all, for wisemen way more thy works them thy words. A good work is praise worthy of itself, and they that seek after words, shall nothing find at the last. The virtue that is wrought in God shall receive reward at the hand of God. If thou wilt commit thy life unto the mouths of men, thou shalt never be quiet nor at rest amongst them, for sometime thou shalt be of good account amongst them, and some time again thou shalt be no body, as their fancies serve them. The good and just man is not moved with fair words but seeketh all that he can to please God alone.  
Return and look into thine own conscience, where thou shalt find recorded the vearie truth of that which thou art in deed. There shalt thou find, how thou art a weak and a frail sinner, And that thou hast not long to live here. And when death in deed shall come, then shalt thou see how vain the glory of this world is, how brittle is the joy, And how little worth the praises of men are. Desire not to be in the mouths of men, for that they do easily deceive with their vain praises, the greedy and fond followers of this worldly honour.  
It is but a vain delight which is not founded upon a pure and a clean conscience. As gold is tried in the furnace, so is man tried in the mowth of him that praiseth him. 
Prou. 27.  The gold is purged in the furnace, and that which is not gold turneth into smoke and cinders: So virtue being once passed through the furnace of praise, if it be false it consumeth away to nothing, but if it be true, it is by praise increased. If thou desire the praise of men, thou hast not true virtue in thee. If thou dost exalt thyself by man's praises, thou art not surely virtuous.  
Those of Babilone when they hard once the music sound, 
Dan. 3.  they adored the Idol, and so do vearie many men, hearing themselves once praised, they fall after to the adoring of the Idol of vice.  
The Manna which the Israelites did reserve for any of the week days, 
Exo. 16.  they found it always the next day following to be eaten up with worms, But that which was kept for the saboth day, remained sound and incorrupt. By this is to be understood, That by the week days is signified the time of this present life, And all the works that thou dost in this world to be praised therefore of men, are all marred and corrupted: But those which thou dost lay up in store for the great feast of the glorious Saboth in heaven, will continue good and sound for thee there▪ for the which also thou shalt receive reward. Say therefore all thy works up in store against that high feast of glory.  
When God commanded that the stones of which the Altars were made, 
Exo. 20.  should not be polished nor wrought, but should remain rude & without workmanship, he meant thereby no other thing, but that the works which we should do, we should not do them to be esteemed for them by man, but only by the doing of them to please God.  
The stone is not wrought on the out side but only to make it fair to the show and view of men. Beware therefore of seeking to please those that do stand by to look o●. Seek thou only to please God, and to serve him in the inward part of thine heart, And defy all vain Hypocrisy, or any other thing that should make thee to esteeeme of the vain praises of men.   

HOW GREAT A SIN vainglory is, and of how much mischief that is the cause: And how carefully they ought to avoid it, that do tend to the perfection of Chistian Religion. CHAP. 10.  
give unto thy Lord God the glory (sayeth the scripture: 
jos. 7. ) The glory of thy good works God himself doth crave at thy hand, as the principal author and cause of the good which thou dost. Beware that thou usurpest not that glory unto thyself, which God will not give unto any man. Vain glory is a great offence unto God: And self love is a very hurtful thing unto the spiritual man.  
In every thing that thou dost, beware of vain glory, and fly from it as from a Cockatrice, who if he chance for to espy thee, before thou espy him, and so be taken unprovided, with his very sight will cause thee to die: But if thou espy him first, and do consider well what vanity is, and how little reason thou hast to take glory of thine own doings, thou shalt get perfect victory thereof.  
Let God be praised in his works and not man, who is but a poor instrument of his grace. 
Esa. 10.  Will happily the axe (sayeth God) vaunt itself against him that cutteth therewithal: Or will the saw rise up against him that worketh therewith. The praise of the work is not to be attributed to the instrument, but unto him that worketh with it. Now if thou dost any good work, thou art nothing else but the instrument which God worketh it by. Beware lest thou do attribute unto thyself▪ that honour and glory which is due unto thy Lord. 
Exo. 10.   
The Apostle after he had made mention of many afflictions which he had suffered in doing his duty to God, sayeth. It is not I which have done it, 
1 Cor. 15.  but the grace of God which is with me.  

Apoc. 4.  The four and twenty elders mentioned in the apocalypse took of the crowns from their heads, and laid them at the feet of the Lamb. So oughtest thou to do also, laying the honour of thy good works at the feet of jesus Christ, remembering what the Prophet sayeth: 
Psal. 113. Esa. 25.  Not unto us Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory. All our works thou hast wrought in us O Lord, saith Esay.  

Dan. 4.  Nabuchodonoser which in praising of himself said. Is not this that mighty strong city, which I built by mine own ●●rce and power: Strait ways hard ●is voice from heaven, which said. Thy ●●ngdome shall pass away to thine eni●ies.  
Samson glorying in a victory which ●od gave unto him said: 
Iu. 15.  with a jaw of 〈◊〉 ass did I slay this great number: he ●as straightways so humbled and brought ●we, that he was nigh dead of thirst, ●●rough the vain glory of such works, 〈◊〉 God himself wrought by his hands. 〈◊〉 job thought it a great fault, for a man 〈◊〉 delight in his own hand. 
job. 31.  Which thin●●ou dost, as often as thou dost glory & ●ast thyself of any work that thou ●est.  
Moses thowght that his hand had been ●●ole and sound, 
Exo. 4.  but as soon as he put 〈◊〉 hand into his bosom, it came out ●●ayne all full of leprosy. If thou do ●●inke that thy works be good & soun●●▪ do but put thy hand into thy bosom, ●●d lay it on thine heart, considering with 〈◊〉 self what circunstances are required 〈◊〉 make every work to be good and ●●rfect, And thou shalt happily find that ●●ey be partly tainted with some spice 〈◊〉 the leprosy of vain glory▪ what haste 〈◊〉 that thou hast not received of God? Thy perdition is of thyself, 
Oze. 13.  but thy sal●●●ion is from god. If thou dost look what 〈◊〉 passed thee before time, thou wilt ●●de that thou hast committed some thing ●●t thou mayest worthily be ashamed of. If thou have consideration to that whic● is now present, Thou shalt find thy sel● in this time of bannyshement enuiron●● with infinite dangers: And if thou 〈◊〉 thine eyes to that which is to come, th●● haste much to be afraid of, considering the terrible judgements of God whic● are toward thee.  
Thou oughtest rather to walk in fe●● and dislykinge of thyself, here in th● vale of misery and tears, Then be ful● with vain glory and liking of thy sel● since those good works which th●● dost, thou knowest not how acceptab●● to God they be, neither yet how lon● thou shalt persever in them. He that sta●●deth, 
1. Cor. 10  let him beware that he faule n●● saith th● Apostle.  
If thou take vain glory of that gra●● which God giveth thee, and be prow●● thereof, thou shalt soon lose that gr●● again: 
Psal. 29.  the Prophet David sayeth, I say●● in mine abundance that I will never 〈◊〉 moved. And because he trusted vayn●●lie in himself he fell, as the same Pr●●phet saith further. 
Psal. 29.  Thou hast turned 〈◊〉 face away from me, and straight weigh'st was troubled. If thou dost any good 〈◊〉 all, thou dost it by the power of God, 〈◊〉 what cause is there why thou should 〈◊〉 boast thee of the goods which be●● thine? They be those foolish virgin's 〈◊〉 have their lamps without oil, 
Mat. 25  whic● seek for the vanity and exterior glo●● 〈◊〉 ●his world. If thou dost gloriefie thy 〈◊〉, thy glory is nothing. 
john. 8.   
If the Angels which have so high a dignity in heaven, do seek nothing 〈◊〉 the honour and glory of God, how ●●ch more owghtest thou being a seely ●●rtall man, seek to drive from thee all ●●ne glory, & to humble thyself? Learn ●●ou (O miserable man) to be humble of heart, 〈◊〉 thou mayest find that grace which the ●●ll Angels lost by their vanity & pride.   

●HE CONSIDERATION OF thine own weakness and defects, and the great labours which holy saints have suffered here in the world are vearie good remedies against vainglory, the which is want to mar all the good deeds▪ which are wrought by man. CHAP. 11.  
LET him that glorieth glory in our lord (saith the Apostle: 
1. Cor. ●1. ) glory not in thine own works for all the glory of the servants of jesus Christ ought to redownde to God 〈◊〉 giver thereof. Despise every vainglory of this present world, if thou wilt receive the greater grace of God. And 〈◊〉 more devout that thou shalt find 〈◊〉 self, so much more hast thou cause to f●●re vainglory and to live circumspect●●● Vainglory as it proceedeth from th● which is good, so is it not diminished wi●● that good, but rather thereby increase● For as our God of his infinity good● gathereth good out of that which is eui● So contrariwise the malice of our adue●●sarie the devil, is so great, that of good 〈◊〉 gathereth evil. Out of good works 〈◊〉 gathereth vainglory, to the end that 〈◊〉 may destroy the merit of our go●● work. This vanity is the arrow th● flieth by day, which proceedeth from 〈◊〉 light of our good works, from the whi●● the Prophet desired to be delivered. 
Psal. 90.  〈◊〉 heed thou be not hit with this arrow which carrieth poison with it to slay th●● with all.  
When thou thinkest that thou ha●● done enough, and well acquitted thy sel●● in thy working, it is because thou 〈◊〉 not compared thy works, with the work●● of holy men. It thou compare thine ow●● works with theirs, thine own will appear to be but of little value. A thin● which seemeth to be white when it is c●●●pared with snow, seemeth in manner 〈◊〉 black. If thou call to thy remembrance how much the holy Martyrs suffered, 〈◊〉 the great penance they took, I know not what work of thine, that were ther● 〈◊〉 compared, would seem any other 〈◊〉 very vain and unprofitable: Know ●●ne own weakness, and how little thou ●●●e, & be not proud of nothing: let not moiety move thee to do any work, neither the hoping for any reward of man.  
The wyndemill goeth not about, nor ●●ndeth meal, but if it have wind to 〈◊〉 withal: so be their many men that ne●●● grind any meal of good works, but ●he wind of vanity do blow them ●●warde to it: But the merit of thy ●●d work is lost, if thou be moved ●●●reunto by vanity. What if thou fulfil 〈◊〉 that the law commandeth thee, where●●●● hast thou yet to glory? our Lord saying ●●●o thee, 
Luc. 17.  when ye have done all that is ●●●maunded you, yet say that you be still ●●profitable servants.  
All though that thou hadst always ●●ued God, yet owghtest thou to account 〈◊〉 self but unprofitable still. How much ●●re than oughtest thou so to do, if thou ●●est cawl well to thy remembrance all ●●●t thou hast done before, and how many ●●●es thou hast fallen into sin. The way 〈◊〉 thee to do all things in deed, is to ●●ke account with thyself that thou ●●●t yet done nothing.  
Destroy not the fruit of thine own ●●uailles, neither let all thy labours be lost 〈◊〉 nothing. God knoweth better than thy ●●●e, what thou dost, & what thy merit's 〈◊〉: he will not leave unrewarded one cup of could water which thou h●● given in his name.  
What need is it for thee the● praise thyself? Dost not thou kno● that if thou praise thyself, thou shalt 〈◊〉 be praised of God? Esteem thyself 〈◊〉 unprofitable, and God will account th● amongst those that he alloweth for go●● and profitable. If thou were never 〈◊〉 much worthy of praise before, yet as●● thou hast entered into the praising of 〈◊〉 self, thou hast lost all that thou didd●●● deserve before. And if thou were befo●● unprofitable, yet in so humbling of 〈◊〉 self, and acknowledging thyself for ●●profitable, thou shalt be accounted 〈◊〉 profitable. It is necessary for thee to ●●ther thy thoughts together: It is convenient fo●●hee to forget thine own virtuous deeds, since thou hast forgot thy sins which much better deseru● remembrance at thy hands. It is 〈◊〉 most necessary thing for thee to 〈◊〉 thy good works. The good holy 〈…〉 old time, laboured much to bring to 〈◊〉 memory their offences past, and for 〈◊〉 purpose they humbled themselves ver● much.  
The Pharisee through vain glo●● was over thrown, 
Luke. 18  although it seem●● tha● he gave God thanks. If thou 〈◊〉 praise thyself, thou art abominable ●●fore god, and hateful in the sight of m●●▪ If thou wilt have thy deeds to be gre●● ●●●eede yet take not thou them for such 〈◊〉 self, for otherwise will they never be ●●●n for such as thou wouldst have thē●●●e. Be thou in all things little before 〈◊〉 face of God, and thou shalt receive the ●●●ter grace at his hands.   

●●W LITTLE A MAN ought ●o esteem himself for great in this world, aswell because that being in ●hat state, he is in more danger of fawlinge into sin: As also for that ●he most part of men, throwghe the opinion of their own greatness, forsake clean the serving of God. CHAP. 12.  
SEEK not to climb to high, 
Rom. 11.  (saith the Apostle:) but fear least by going to high, thou fawle down again. If thou wilt great in heaven, thou must be but little ●e upon the earth.  
Thou hast known many both great 〈◊〉 mighty, of whom there is now no merry lest at all. How many have attay●●● unto great dignities and stately projections, which when they have enjoyed ●●m a while with great pomp and glo●●, all that glory turned quickly to a smoke, and within a short space after 〈◊〉 mention at all was made of them, nor 〈◊〉 taken for them. They are gone and o●●● succeed in their rooms, who little este●● of those that went before them.  
Why dost thou labour to command & to be great? Why wilt thou be a mig●● man in this world? In the state which 〈◊〉 desirest to be in, have their not been 〈◊〉 other before thee? Hath not the wo●● clean forgotten them, and do not 〈◊〉 see also what is become of them? And 〈◊〉 like that is to them befallen, must tho● so look to befall unto thyself, since 〈◊〉 world keepeth still his old custom. 〈◊〉 hold how they ascended up, and ho● they fell down again, and thou sh● find, that the more glorious their asc●●●dinge was, the more shameful was 〈◊〉 fall.  
Those persons, whom some of th● great men in former times disday● do now walk over them, and tread th● under their feet.  
Thou mayest think, that in the s●● state in which thou wishedst to be, o●● were before, whose names thou kno● not: and the world hath now forgot that ever there were any such, they b●● turned into dust and ashes. Think no● much of that which is present, but lo●● to that which is to come. Make no● much account of that honour which 〈◊〉 world doth offer unto thee here, but lo●● ●hat is to follow after. If thou wilt but ●●nsider, and set before thine eyes, that ●●ich shall follow after this short life is ●●ste, thou wilt be right well contented ●●th the state in which God hath now ●●aced thee here.  
Let not the world beguile thee, neither 〈◊〉 the devil make thee to believe that ●●ou wouldest have served God better 〈◊〉 some higher room, then in that mean ●●lling, wherein he hath now placed thee.  
Many a simple soul doth our enemy, ●●e devil deceive, with making them 〈◊〉 believe such like lies & vanities, under ●●e colour of virtue. They desire aduaun●●mentes & great preferments supposing ●●en that they would give large alms, and ●●e many other good deeds. But all this 〈◊〉 false & full of disobeyed: for honours and ●●omotions do blind us worldly folk ●●e greatest men, be lest lords of them ●●●ues, and in the greater dignity that men ●●ue, the more are they charged with ●●re both of themselves and of others ●●so.  
And now that thou art free from that ●ardge, and thereby more Lord and ●●ster of thyself, and yet dost not satisfy ●●at little which thou art bound unto, ●●w wouldst thou satisfy that great ●ardge, being in less freedom & liber●●. If thou canst not weld well a small ca●●●ge, how wouldest thou do, with an hea●● burden? If a few cares do keep thee from thy prayers and other spiritual exer●cises, how wilt thou do, when thou art en●uironed with many cares.  
He that cannot bear a little, how w●●● he go through with much? He that 〈◊〉 not a good Subject, will never be good go●uernour. Be thou the servant of God, an● love him, and see that thy conscience b● clear, & refer all the rest to God, for y●● he have ordained thee to be great, he ca● set thee up when he list, without any ca●● of thine, for of thy diligence therein, h● hath no need at all. Be thou humble before the face of God and care not fo● these dreams of honours. The trees whic● grow in highest places, be soon blow● down with the wind. Esteem not th● highest degrees, for there is least safety▪ In fishers nets the greatest fish be take● when the small fish scape through the 〈◊〉 at ease. 
4. Reg. 25.  The greatest princes and chief persons of Jerusalem, were led capti●● into Babylon by Nabuchodonozer wh●● he took the town, but the meanest sor● of people were suffered to continue sti●● in their country and dwelling place. D●●sire not to be great, since thou shoulders thereby be so much the more likely to 〈◊〉 a pray unto the devil. Have thou no lo●●ginge to be a mighty man in this world lest thou be brought to the eternal co●●fusion of Babylon.  
Consider the end that great men ha●● come unto and thou wilt like well 〈◊〉 ●●ugh to continue in the mean state thou ●●e now in. Be contented with the state ●●ich God hath put thee in, that thou ●aiest merit after this short life, an high ●owne of everlasting glory.   

●HE GREAT bond THAT great men are in, and that it is much better for our souls, that we be subjects, than governors, because they have to render account of the souls ●●mmyted to their charged. CHAP. 13.  
YE Know not what ye ask, said our Lord to his two disciples that would be preferred before their fellows. 
Mat. 20. Mar. 10.  The not knowing ●●o thou art, breedeth the appetite and ●●sire of commanding and being great 〈◊〉 the world.  
Honour is the reward of virtue: if thou ●●e take thyself for worthy of that re●●rde, and thinkest thyself to be good, ●●en for that cause only art thou vnwor●●e of any honour at all. The very opinion of thinking thyself to be a good ●●●n, is enough to make thee know that ●●ou art none. If thou dost but believe that thou deservest it, even for that alon● mayest thou know that thou deseruest● not: For ambition is the mother of all fa●●sehood and heresy.  
It is hard to be in a high degree, & n●● to have a proud & a high mind. Therefore dost thou put thyself into grea● danger in seekng to be set a loft in th● world, and to command other. And ● think verily that there is none of● small understanding, that would be a rul● of other, if he considered well with all, th● charged & the burden of those that bea●● rule and authority. They that would 〈◊〉 in authority know not surly what b●●longeth to them that be in authority.  
The governor ought so much to 〈◊〉 cell all those whom he governeth, as th● shepherd ought to excel his sheep.  
The degree of a doctor is not bestrewed upon him that beginneth for to b●●● student, because he hath an intent to 〈◊〉 learned, but upon him that is already well studied. Neither is he to be mad● governor, that beginneth to be vertuo●● but he that hath of long time ruled w●● his appetites and is already virtuous.  
Government belongeth to those wh●● are perfect.  

Num. 10.  God commanded that at the first bl●●● of the trumpet, the Captains should 〈◊〉 come into the field: And after the bl●●● thereof should have begun to sow● again, the whole Number of the people ●●ould have followed after. But the principal leaders, must ever be ready at the first ●●ll to do God his service. The subjects ●●e not bound so far forth, as the rulers, because they are not in equal degree of perfection. But God will that the rulers be 〈◊〉 diligent in their charged, that they ●●old be ready to run at the vearie first ●allinge.  
How much thou goest before others in dignity of calling, so much must thou ●●kewise go before them in virtuous life. ●f thou hast received much, thou must answer for much. If thou do sin, thy ●●nne is more grievous, & thy fawl● must ●●e greater, in as much as thy calling is greater.  
All Christ's disciples were a sleep together in the garden, 
Mat. 26.  but our Saviour ●eprehended none for his sleeping but S. ●eter alone, for though they were all culpable of the same crime, yet did the chief of them all, deserve the greatest ●lame.  
He that is to keep others from sleeping, ●s bound to much watching himself.  
Thou wilt not be ambitious, if thou consider that thou art bound to be more virtuous than others, and that if thou ●oest sin, thou must have also more pun●ishemēte than others have. All men's eyes ●e fixed upon him that is in authority, & ●f he do not that which he ought to do, ●e doth give cause of scandal and offence unto many.  
The evil ruler is worthy of as ma●● deaths, as he hath given occasion of muc● sinning to the weak through his eui●● example. The children of job perishe● all in the house of their eldest brother: 
job. 1.  S● do the subjects perish by the example o● their governor, who is to them as it we●re their elder brother. For commonly th● subjects do always follow the example of their leaders.  
According to the coloured sticks whic● the shepherd jacob pitched in the wate● where his sheep did drink, 
Gene. 30.  did they con●ceyue and bring forth their lambs. S● likewse according to such examples, as th● subjects do see in their superiors do● they conceive & bring forth good o● evils works. It is a blot in the subjects 〈◊〉 to behold an evil example in his ruler. Th● good or evil deeds, which art a directo●● of others be like unto the coloured wāde●● which jacob set up before his sheep: looke● how thou livest, even so will they live also▪  
When the Pillar which went before the children of Israel for to guide the● and lead them the way did go, 
Exod. 13.  the people followed, and went after it. And whe● it stood still, the people stood still also▪ So likewise, when the governor leadeth his followers by the way of virtue, they walk after him the same trade, but if he stand still, and do live in Idleness, th● subjects stand still, and will not set on● ●●ote forward toward any good virtue▪ ●●oe thou before them thyself, that hast charge of them if thou wilt have them 〈◊〉 proff●● by thee, for if thou dost stand ●●ll, and callest on them to go forward ●●ey will little regard thy words.  
There is much more force in perswa●●nge by works and examples, then by ●●ordes: if thou wilt have thy people to ●●e well, begin to do well thyself befo●● them. The Physician doth more move ●●s patiented to drink his bitter medicine, 〈◊〉 drinking part of it before his face, ●●en by his only word, in willing him 〈◊〉 drink of it.  
So shalt thou move thy people more 〈◊〉 do well, if thou goest before them, ●●d say unto them, let us go on together, ●●en in willing them to go on, and stand ●●y self still.  
saint Luke in the acts of the Apostles, ●●yth of our Lord: 
Act. 1.  That he began first to ●●e, and after to teach. Never trouble thy ●●lfe with much speaking, which doth no ●●od when thou thyself livest licentiouslie ●●e while, for it is a monstrous thing for a ●●an to have his tongue larger than his hand.  
Thy tongue is less than thy hand, and ●●osed up in thy mouth, because it is gods ●●ill that thou shouldest use but few worries, and many deeds: speak little and ●●oe much.  
The great rulers of these our days, & ●●e great preachers also make great account of their well speaking, and bu● vearie little reckoning make they, of the●● virtuous living.  
And when their living is misliked their doctrine is but little esteemed. Be thou the first that shall use diligent service toward God, And thou shalt soon perceive how much thou shalt move th● subjects more by thy good examples, th●● by all thy fine talking and fair words▪ It is a great folly surly, to have a desire to be over other in authority, when tho● art bound to give a reckoning to God o● their souls. It will be great trouble to th● to be asked a reckoning of thy subiecte● sins, which thyself never committed.  
It is a madness for one man to be bound to pay for that which an other man de●uoureth. When the day of iudgeme●● cometh, it will be work enough for eue●● man to answer for his own soul without any further account giving for the soule● of other men. If thou shalt than find enough to do for to deliver thine own soul▪ how much more shalt thou have to do 〈◊〉 answer for the consciences of other men● & to deliver their souls. It is surly gre●● vanity for thee to put thine own salvation into so great a danger.  
And much greater vanity is it for th●● to desire to be greater here in this place 〈◊〉 bannishement, & exile, than other men 〈◊〉  
If thou be virtuous, and dost 〈◊〉 which thou oughtest to do, thou shal● 〈◊〉 better beloved, and more honoured of 〈◊〉, although thou be but a subject, than ●●u shalt be if thou be taken & esteemed 〈◊〉 a proud and an high minded ruler.  
Do away thine affections, and put 〈◊〉 thy mind all such vain thoughts. ●he humility as becometh the faithful ●●ante of jesus Christ, and drive from ●●ne heart the love of worldly honour's 〈◊〉 promotions, for at the hour of death, ●●ich can not be vearie long to, since our 〈◊〉 is so short,) these things can nothing ●●her thee, but rather put thy salvation 〈◊〉 greater danger.   

CONSIDERING HOW ●ITTLE ●ime we have to tarry in this world, we ought not to se●t our love upon any of these worldly things, but have ●ur eye fi●ed still toward heaven, for ●he which we were created, and so ought we to use these worldly things in this our Pilgrimage▪ as we ●ay gain by them the things celestial. CHAP. 14.  
WHILST we do here live in this world we are in Pilgrimage and journey toward our Lord, 
2 Cor. 5.  saith the Apostle: Remember that 〈◊〉 art here in this life a stranger, and going onward thy way toward heaven We have here no certain resting pla●● but we look for that which is to co●●▪ 
Heb. 13.  There is no journey made without ●●uayle. And since thou art here a trauayle● and a wayfaring man, thou must not loo● to spend the time thou livest here in 〈◊〉 and pastime.  
Make not much ado in building 〈◊〉 houses to make a long abode here in 〈◊〉 barren world, since thou hast so ry●● and so plentiful a country prepared 〈◊〉 thee by thy father in heaven, make therefore what hast thither thou canst.  
Hear what S. Peter sayeth unto you● desire you all that live here like strangers and pilgrims, 
1. Pet. 2.  that you will abstain from all carnal and sensual delights, a●● live ye as it becometh pilgrims to d●▪ You know how that pilgrims and passe●●gers here in this world do lead a life 〈◊〉 of pain and travail: They are all 〈◊〉 were strangers, and live void of 〈◊〉 friends here. Make thou therefore no ●●●compte of worldly frenshippe, since th●● knowest that it is hurtful to the soul▪ 〈◊〉 since thou art but a travailer here, th●● must not look to have all things according to thine own taste. If thou carry 〈◊〉 well this in mind, that thou art 〈…〉 a pilgrim, thou shalt thereby esc●●● 〈◊〉 mischiefs.  
Thou must pass away in haste 〈◊〉 post through this world, and make 〈◊〉 tarrying here.  
He that taketh up his lodging at adventure in an Inn to stay there but an ●owre or two, never goeth about to dress ●p the house, nor to bestow any cost there, ●eaning not to rest therein, but maketh account to get him quickly thence: And ●f he should do otherwise, men would account him but a fool for his labour. ●hou art here but a pilgrim, to day thou omest hither, to morrow thou must make account to be gone again.  
Never take thou any care to get honour's, riches, or other like vanities, since ●●ou art like no longer to enjoy them, ●ut part thou must from them again in ●●eate haste: but rather play the good way●ring man's part, who all the way that he ●auayleth, hath still his mind on his journeys' end, and the place unto which he 〈◊〉 going. So let all thy thoughts and cogi●●tions be altogether of heaven, which is ●e very true land of the living, where ●hrist doth rest with his holy elect. 
Psal. 141.   
Thou art going towards thy father's country, let thy mind be occupied therefore upon the means of coming thy●●er, & of the good enterteynement thou ●●te like to find there, and forget altogether this present banishment, for this lit●●e space of time that thou continewest ●●ere, thou hast no certainty of thine habitation.  
If thou wert sure to continue here any long time, I would nothing maruayl● at thy building of great houses, nor 〈◊〉 thy great provision making, for so ma●● things. But thy life being so short, an● the hour of thy death so uncertain, th●● thou knowest not whether thou shalt ly●● until to morrow: Thou deservest grea●●● to be reprehended, and sharply to be ●●●buked, if thou shouldest make accomp●● of any thing in this world, as though th●● shouldest always enjoy it. There be ma●● which build fair houses, and when th●● have done, other men do make th●● dwelling in them. Take not these sligh●● things of the world to be any better th●● they are in deed. And since thou art every hour and moment, departing hen●● by death, esteem no such vanities of th●● world, in which there is no steadfastness n● assurance.  
Every man is well contented wi●● one evil nights rest in his Inn, when 〈◊〉 remembreth that the next day following he is to rest at home in his own howse●● his ease. This only consideration migh●● suffice thee to suffer with patience, all th● troubles of this present life, remembering with thyself that they are not long to ●●●dure and continue here: but that thou 〈◊〉 ready still every day to take thy journey thine own house, which is heaven, 〈◊〉 thou mayest take thy rest for ever.  
Have always in thy mind the 〈◊〉 of the holy prophet David saying 〈◊〉. I am a stranger here before thee, and pilgrim, 
Psal. 38.  as my parents have been be●● me.  
If thou dost consider how eternal 〈◊〉 durable that life is, which we look 〈◊〉 hereafter that never is to have end, 〈◊〉 compare it with this life which we 〈◊〉 lead here now, (all were it a thou●●●d of years) yet in comparison of that ●●er life to come which is perpetual, 〈◊〉 wilt think this to be scarce half an ●wer.  
Make well thine account, and thou ●●●te find (as the truth is in very deed) ●●at this present life is in comparison 〈◊〉 that other to come, but even a moment. 〈◊〉 This moved the Apostle to suffer with ●●ience the great travailles & turmoils 〈◊〉 his Pilgrimage here, saying to the Corinthians.  
We do take pains here and do ●●●uaile, but yet we be not forsaken: 
2. Cor. 4.  we ●●fer persecution, but yet we shrink not ●t: we are thrown down, but yet we ●●rish not: we faint not, because our tribulation is here in this present time but ●ie and short: we live now beholding 〈◊〉 that which we see with our bodily ●es, but those things which we see not: 〈◊〉 visible things be but for a time, but 〈◊〉 invisible things be for ever. With ●s contemplation, both of the brevity 〈◊〉 this life, and of being but as a Pilgrim 〈◊〉 it did the holy Apostle digest the heavy storms which he suffered here 〈◊〉 his Pilgrimage toward heaven.  
And whilst thou takest thyself 〈◊〉 be but a wayfaring man here, thou ned● not greatly to care for that thou art 〈◊〉 better regarded of men here in this lyf●▪ If the travail of thy life seem ou●● burdenous unto thee, remember it is 〈◊〉 endure but for a short space. Of the sai●● of the old Testament, 
Heb. 11.  S. Paul sayeth: Th●● they confessed themselves to be but pi●●grims and strangers upon the earth, liui●● in caves and vaults under the earth, 〈◊〉 that in this life they never had rest, 〈◊〉 continued still in wandering on of the●● pilgrimage.  
Live not here as though thou we●● an inhabiter in this world. Cain began 〈◊〉 build cities here upon the earth, and a●●ter he lost the chief city of heaven. Th● first that sought to live on this earth ly●● an inhabiter thereof being in deed 〈◊〉 a pilgrim, was Cain, who was afterwards damned.  
S. Peter was worthily reprehend●● by our M. Christ, for as much as he bei●● but a pilgrim upon the earth, would 〈◊〉 needs have had a house builded on th●● mount Thabor, as though he had 〈◊〉 to have made his mansion still on the ear●● and have continued an inhabiter there●●▪  
They which travail through stran●● countries towards their own dwellings do never use to buy any thing by 〈◊〉 ●ay as they travail, but that which they ●ay easalie carry with them, they neither ●●y houses nor trees, nor such unportable ware, but only things of easy carriage, 〈◊〉 Pearls or jewels which be of more ●●ice & greater value than they be either numberous or heavy to carry with them ●●to their country. Remember that thou 〈◊〉 a travailer and a pilgrim, and that of ●●●y worldly substance thou canst not car●●e aught hence with thee. Here must thou ●●edes leave all thine honours, & riches behind thee: Thy good works be only ●●e things that thou must look to carry ●ith thee, and therefore labour thou to ●ette good store of them: All other things ●olde annoy thee, and cumber thee, These ●●ll comfort thee and relieve thee.  
What wisdom were it for thee to ●●eke to be rich here, from whence thou 〈◊〉 daily passing in haste, and after when ●●ou art gone hence to live a beggarly ●●●d a bare life at home in thine own ●owse? Seek to carry with thee in thy pilgrimage the precious jewels of good merits, that thou mayest come rich home and live in prosperity and honourable wealth for ever in heaven.   

THAT THE BEAUTY OF TH● soul is more to be set by, than the bew●● of thy body, which is but a ver●● small thing to be made account 〈◊〉 and therefore is thy mind to be fixe● upon the contemplation of divine an● celestial things which ought only 〈◊〉 be loved and esteemed. CHAP. 15.  

Prou. 31.  BEAUTY is but a vain thing, sayeth the wise ma●▪ And if all vanity be to 〈◊〉 esteemed as nothing, the● with great reason ought this bodily beauty of ou● be accounted as nothing. Amongst all o●ther vanities which worldly men do de●lyght in, (all which thou that art a goo● servant of Christ oughtest to despise there is none greater than that delight which is taken in the beauty of our body And truly they seem to want the use 〈◊〉 reason, and are to be esteemed little bette● than fools, that take felicity in any suc● vain pleasure.  
Let not thine own beauty decey●● thee, nor be not delighted with the vay●● shadow thereof, lest it happen to th●● as it did to that fond fellow Narcissus, 〈◊〉 ●●e delight that he took in his own ●●●e: fell into such a foolish fantasy 〈◊〉 often beholding the shadow of ●●ce in the water, that he after perished 〈◊〉 shamefully thereby.  
absalons goodly fair locks of hear 〈◊〉 but the instruments of his own 〈◊〉. 
2. Reg. 18.   
●hat beauty which almighty God hath ●●●wed upon his creatures, is to the end 〈◊〉 the Creator might the more be glo●●●● thereby, and himself the better ●●●vē by his creatures. Doth it not often ●●●nce unto thee as thou travailest by ●●●aye to espy a small stream of water ●●●●inge, which when thou followest, thou ●●●st thereby the fountain from whence 〈◊〉 ●●●e? So of every ●●●porall beauty that 〈◊〉 beholdest, thou ●●st look to find 〈◊〉 by due examining and diligent sear●●●●ge of one thing by an other,) until 〈◊〉 thou dost find out the principal 〈◊〉 and fountain thereof, which is God ●●●selfe, from whom all beauty procee●●●.  
It is the property of little children 〈◊〉 they look in their books, to mark 〈◊〉 be the goodliest gay letters in all 〈◊〉 books, and nothing to regard furnish matter that is written in them.  
●e not thou like unto a little child, ●●●e thou art now come to man's estate. 〈◊〉 do not rest thyself in the contemplation of the beauty of that thing which thou beholdest, but let it serve th●● as a book to find out the true caus● the giver thereof, that thou mayst there be moved the more to love him, and give him the greater glory theref●●● Thou shalt find written in every of 〈◊〉 creatures, if thou consider them well, th●● is God which is the Creator of them a●●  
The creatures be as it were spectacle which serve us, not to see ourselves but to make us to see other things 〈◊〉 better by them. So must thou use th● creatures, not for to see them, nor thy 〈◊〉 in them, but to see & behold God in the▪  
If thou dost love and esteem thy se●● because thou art beautiful and fair, I 〈◊〉 then ask of thee, doth not this be●● proceed● from the soul?  
Take from thy body thy soul, 〈◊〉 then what thing is viler, and more 〈◊〉 than thy body? If thy body then ser●● unto thee beautiful, how much 〈◊〉 owghtest thou to think thy soul be●●●●full, and to love that, which is the cause thy body's beauty? If the only prese●● of thy soul, be cause of the beauty of 〈◊〉 body, of what beauty then mayest 〈◊〉 think thy soul to be of? In the soul ●●●●sisteth the true perfect beauty: fo● other beauty is but as a shadow, that 〈◊〉 passeth away and vanisheth. Thou 〈◊〉 not consider the bark, nor the outwa●● appearance, but rather cast thine 〈◊〉 toward the root & love and esteeme● beginning of all that which appeareth so ●●●e on the outside, upon that, as upon a 〈◊〉 foundation, ground both thy love 〈◊〉 affection.  
And of bodily beauty, make no ac●●●te, which is by a little sickness or other ●●●alties soon taken away. Thy days 〈◊〉 away in haste: Thy youth is soon ●●●e: And toward thine old age, (and so ●●●sequentlye unto death) thou passest ●●●y as fast: which when it cometh, what 〈◊〉 then become of all thy beauty, and 〈◊〉 fair looks? If either in thyself, or ●●●y other body, thou findest any beautiful countenance, call to thy remem●●●●ce in how short space death will ●●●re that fair white skin, and how ●●●w will those eyes be, and fea●●full to ●olde, that were before so bright, and 〈◊〉 to look upon. And how filthy and ●●●e will all that body be, that seemeth 〈◊〉 so beautiful to thine eye.  
●his verity is now for the time coue●●● with falsehood, and this deceivable ●●warde show hideth the certainty of 〈◊〉 ●ruth. This outward show of vain ●●●e, doth nothing else but secretly de●●●e our eyes. It burneth worse than the 〈◊〉 of the fire, for no man is burned 〈◊〉 the fire, but he which toucheth it, ●●●ewtie burneth a far of. Under this ●●●terfeyt sign, is their much matter ●●●e, let the eyes of thine understanding, ●●●e out the secret mysteries thereof.  
I would not have thee to abuse th● eyes with the very first show, or 〈◊〉 overthrown, at the first blow, but as so●● as thou seest any beautiful sight, whic● like to inflame thy mind with any va●●● affection, call strait to thy mind 〈◊〉 thing man is.  
And if thou wouldest exercise thy 〈◊〉 often times in the consideration the●● Thou shouldest take such an habitual conceit thereof that thou mightest ever 〈◊〉 serve God with a pure & a clean my 〈◊〉 and quite discharged thine affection 〈◊〉 such fond vanities. Labour to beautiful to adorn well thy soul, for all other 〈◊〉 is nowght else but vain, corruptible, 〈◊〉 transitory, which time consumeth▪ 〈◊〉 quickly bringeth to nothing.   

THE WEARING OF G●●●gious and brave apparel, is not convenient for a true proffessor of Chri●● Religion, chiefly because th●● tokens of a vain glorious mind. CHAP. 16.  
NEVER boast thee of thy ●●●●mentes, 
Eccle. 11.  saith Ecclesias●●●●● If the superfluity of ●●●rell had not been rep●●●●sible, Christ would 〈◊〉 have commended S. 〈◊〉 Baptist for his moderation and 〈◊〉 ●●at behalf: 
Luke. 16.  Nor S. Luke the Euange●●●●n writing of the rich man, would ne●●● have touched him for that he used to ●●●re precious and sumptuous apparel. ●●●nd our Saviour himself sayeth: That 〈◊〉 which do apparel themselves in 〈◊〉 and costly array, 
Mat. 11.  do dwell in kings ●●●ses, in the houses he sayeth of tem●●●●ll kings, not the house of the eter●●●● king of heaven.  
Since the holy Ghost the author of ●●●●pture, condemneth the proud appareling of the rich man that was damned, 〈◊〉 commendeth the holy precursor S. 〈◊〉 for the sharpness and austerity of 〈◊〉 clothing: It is a great argument to 〈◊〉 in how great danger they do live 〈◊〉 delight in rich array, and how vain ●●●se persons be, that do spend their ●●●e and wealth in such kind of vanity. 〈◊〉 If thou dost not apparel thee gorgeously to any ill end, yet at the least thou ●●●st lose much time therein, which is 〈◊〉 most precious thing that thou hast.  
And although it be not always di●●●●lye a sin to wear such curious and ●●●●ycate apparel, yet hath it always some ●●●itie annexed unto it, for commonly 〈◊〉 which do wear it, do love the ●●●re to be seen and commended of men: ●●●cy little do profit in virtue, and their ●●rite doth wax cold in devotion: And 〈◊〉 when thou hast bestowed all thy la●●●r to make thyself sign and trim, yet shalt thou never be comparable 〈◊〉 the poor flower of the field: 
Mat. 6.  For Salo●● with all his glory was never like unto 〈◊〉 of the fresh flowers of the field.  
The Apostle sayeth: That if we 〈◊〉 wherewith to clothe us, 
1. Tim. 6.  let us be con●●●ted. It sufficeth for the simple follower 〈◊〉 Christ, to wear such comely apparel 〈◊〉 most conformable to his estate and ●●●ling.  
Fly from all curiosity, for it is a ●●●ken, that who so setteth much by 〈◊〉 outward stuff, is little occupied abo●● the adorning of the inward man. King hollomon by means of much adorning 〈◊〉 himself and his Court, fell to be f●●●getfull of his duty toward God, 〈◊〉 took little care of his soul, so as he 〈◊〉 at last to the adoring of Idols. Men 〈◊〉 use to behold the outside, but God l●●●keth into the heart, and they seek 〈◊〉 how to content men, that are so much ●●●cupied in these exterior things.  
But hearken what the Apostle S. Pa●● sayeth: 
Gal. 1.  If I should attend unto the plea●●●● of men, I should not then be the seru●●● of jesus Christ. If thou wert mortificate thou oughtest to be, thou wouldest 〈◊〉 all these superfluous cares. The outw●●● business driveth away the good though●● from the heart, One man cannot sufficeth so many cares at once, he must needs 〈◊〉 in the one of them, and for the setti●● out of his body confound his soul.  
〈◊〉 Apostle saith that the holy father's 〈◊〉 old testament went apparelled with 〈◊〉 made of camels & goats hear. 
Heb. 11  〈◊〉 were men as we are: but conside●●●● with themselves, that they came 〈◊〉 out of their mother's bellies, 
job. 1.  & that 〈◊〉 should naked return to the earth 〈◊〉 from whence they first came: They 〈◊〉 still apparelled like poor pilgrim's 〈◊〉 this world.  
●efore the fall of man, there was no ●●●itie of any apparel at all, for then ●●●an clothed with the grace of God, 〈◊〉 son is apparelled with light, and ●●●ēcie was then his vesture, more pure ●●●he whytest lylie: but when he had ●●●oste that innocency, he waxed then ●●●ed any longer to be naked. And ther●●●id God apparel our first progenitor garments made of beasts skins. ●●●or that man was wounded by sin, ●●●ouered him with clothes, to bind 〈◊〉 to hide his wounds with all. He roasteth him of his apparel, is like ●●im, that braggeth of his old clouts 〈◊〉 hath plastered his sores withal▪ 〈◊〉 glory may well be accounted for 〈◊〉 unto him. Great folly were it for ●●ities to boast him of his wounds and 〈◊〉.  
〈◊〉 was but in vile apparel, when he 〈◊〉 have apparelled myself with 〈◊〉▪ 
job. 16.  That noble king David was both 〈◊〉 and very sharply apparelled too when he said: My garment was sack●● made of hear. 
Psal. 34.  To them that do g● in such vain apparel, God sayeth b● mouth of his prophet Esay: 
Esa. 14.  Wo●● shall be thy covering: Thou prouo●● God with such like vanities, who (〈◊〉 prophet David sayeth) hath them 〈◊〉 abomination. 
Psal. 98.   
Bring not into the world new i●●●tions and strange devices of apparel 〈◊〉 stand in fear lest thou be punished therefore at Gods hand, who sayeth 〈◊〉 mouth of the prophet Sophonias: 〈◊〉 bring my visitations upon prince's an● children of kings, 
Sohp. 1.  and all such as do 〈◊〉 in new and strange devised apparel: 〈◊〉 rich and curious apparel is only 〈◊〉 for vain glory and lightness of mind▪  
Thou dost thereby manifest thy 〈◊〉 to the world, and publish thine own ●●●fectes, and make numbers of men ●●●compte thee for light, whereas ha●●● thou waste before esteemed for a 〈◊〉 gravity and good discretion. Eccle●●●cus sayeth, that a man's appareling, 〈◊〉 manner of going, 
Eccl. 19  give signs what th●●● is. The outward superfluity is a to●●● the inward vanity, and delicate app●●● declareth the tenderness and weaken the mind, for he that esteemeth so 〈◊〉 the tricking up of his body, and hat● care therefore, hath not his mind ●●●pied in manly exercises, nor set 〈◊〉 his understanding a work, as 〈◊〉 ●●●ite for a good christian to do.  
Thou dost take that from the poor ●●ch thou bestowest on thyself in superfluous vanities. Wear not in anywise that which exceedeth thy calling & ●●ree, but such moderate and honest ap●●ell, as is convenient for thy profession 〈◊〉 dignity, that thou do give no show ●●ny vain glory or lightness in thee.  
Behold thy Saviour jesus Christ han●●●g naked on the Cross for thy love: and 〈◊〉 things thou goest about, have in 〈◊〉 mind Christ that was crucified for 〈◊〉, and thou shalt thereby cut of a num●●● of superfluous cares, that often mo●●eth and troubleth thy mind.   

〈◊〉 AT TRUE NOBILITY IS ●ot that which the men of the world ●o much glory in, that is to say. The descending of noble houses, and from ●uch Ancestors as were of singular ●nd rare virtues: But that is true nobility which every one getteth by this twne virtue. CHAP. 17.  
HOLY job in his bitter sorrow and lamentation cried out saying: 
job. 17.  Unto curruption and rottenness have I said thou art my father, and to the worme● said I likewise, ye are my mother 〈◊〉 sisters. If thou vain man wilt needs 〈◊〉 hold the original of thy parentage, 〈◊〉 but open the grave, and look into it. 〈◊〉 great vanity that a very worm the so● of Adam, should esteem so much of hi● self for the nobility of his kindred.  
A wise man sayeth: To what end s●● these great titles, what good do the●● royal arms and monuments of no●●●litye. Although all the corners and pla●● of thine house were filled with the m●●numentes of thine ancestors, yet is v●●●tue still the true nobility. It were be●● for thee to be Thersites son, (who 〈◊〉 a man of an obscure and base calling) 〈◊〉 condition to be Achilles: then to be●● self like unto Thersites, and to have ●●chilles to thy father. He like a ma●● great value and courage, gave the beg●●ninge of nobility to his kindred, and ●●●uaunced and set up the house from wh●● he descended: So did thine ancestor likewise, at the first advance thine ho●● but in being thyself virtuous 〈◊〉 mightest leave nobility to thy child●●● and those that should descend of th●● all were it so that there had none bene●●● unto thee by those which were be●● thee, and from whom thou descende●▪  
If thou be borne noble, and after●●●● grow to be of a vile, and a base 〈◊〉 and of lewd behaviour, the nobility thy blood, will take end in thee. It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be the beginner of nobility then to 〈◊〉 the ender thereof. To set up a state is ●●re worth, then to make an end of it. ●●rtue beginneth the house, and vice ●●keth an end thereof. Thine own evil ●●edes overthroweth clean thine house. seek not for the light of other men's eyes 〈◊〉 see with all if thou hast none in thine ●●ne. For the light of other men's nobiliary will pleasure thee but little, if thou 〈◊〉 none within thyself.  
It is better to be noble, then to descend ●hose which are noble. It is better to be ●●●tuous, then to descend of those that be ●●●tuous. And it is a great token, that he ●●●not virtuous that goeth to beg and ●●●owe his virtue from other men. And ●●●ause thou hast it not in thyself, thou ●●kest how to beautify thyself, and set 〈◊〉 self out with the goods of other 〈◊〉. It is an argument of great poverty, 〈◊〉 thou art feign to enrich thyself with 〈◊〉 good deeds of thine Anuncestors.  
If thou be descended of those which ●oble, so much art thou bound more be virtuous, that thou mayest by thy ●●des declare to others that thou art of 〈◊〉 generation. Out of one root grow 〈◊〉 the pricles & the rose, And so of one ●●●ther may there be borne a noble child, 〈◊〉 an other very vile. So mayest thou 〈◊〉 out of a root, from whence there 〈◊〉 come some noble and valiant men, 〈◊〉 thyself for all that be but a base bramble or thorn. Cain, Cham, and Es●● had all noble men to their fathers, & ●●ble men to their brothers, but them sel●●● and their offspring, were both vile 〈◊〉 miserable, and darkened much the 〈◊〉 stock from which they were descended  
If thou do not the acts of Nobiliary I cannot account thee for noble. It is 〈◊〉 part of a noble mind to forgive injuries: As it is likewise the property 〈◊〉 vile mind to be greedy of revenge▪ 〈◊〉 the part of a noble mind to suffer all 〈◊〉 tribulations of this world with a conte●●● mind, & to occupy thy mind in fru●●●full cogitations, and matters of grauman and not in these vile and flight transi●●● things of this world. That is to be ●●●compted true nobility, which ador●● the mind with good manner and be●●●uiour. It is not the honour of thy sto●●● but the Nobility of thine own my●●● that shall make thee acceptable in the 〈◊〉 of God.  
The nobility which pertaineth to 〈◊〉 body is not thine, but theirs from 〈◊〉 thou rceivedst it, but the true nobil●●● in deed, which is thine own pro●●● virtue, can neither be given thee, 〈◊〉 taken from thee. What merit ough●●● thou to have for that which other do● 〈◊〉 for thee? What praise mayest thou ●●●thelie look for of that thing which 〈◊〉 dost inherit by thine ancestors? 〈◊〉 nobility of thine ancestors cometh 〈◊〉 ●●neration, but the nobility of virtue ●●meth of thine own proper work and ●●bour, helped forward with the grace of ●od, without which thou canst do noth●●ge. This nobility is properly thine.  
From a bitter root proceedeth often a ●●uite pleasant and delectable to the taste, & 〈◊〉 likewise of a base & mean stock may proceed an honourable & a noble of spring ●elighting in virtue and the love of God. ●ut many because they be borne of noble ●milies, take thereby the more licentious ●●bertie to be themselves vain and arrogant. 
Ose. 9  His glory (saith Ose) is in his noble ●irth and conception, and so of our birth ●●roweth vanity. And those things which ●●ey should take to stir them the rather ●o be virtuous, they take occasion by them 〈◊〉 be the more vain and light. The nobi●●tie of their descent should enforce them 〈◊〉 follow the virtue of their Ancestors.  
There nobility should be unto them as 〈◊〉 oath of inheritance for to bind them ●ith all, perpetually to follow the virtue ●f their predecessors. And those which ●re not such in deed. be as it were monster's, nothing at all resembling their parents. Never vaunt thyself to the world ●f thine ancestors, thyself being so far degenerated from them, for thou dost ●yue to them that do hear thee, great testimony of thine own folly.  
It is good for thee to consider with ●hy self, what account God maketh of the nobility of Parentages. He chose & to be king of Israel being descended 〈◊〉 the meanest family and the least tribe● all that whole people, 
1. Reg. 9  he made more a●●compt of the value of the person than th● honour of the family. 
Math. 4.  When he ca●● himself into the world, he chose no nob●● men to his disciples, but the poor se●● fisher men.  
Our redeemer himself, although he were both a king, and a great Lord yet in confounding of them that made 〈◊〉 much reckoning of such vain title he would himself be called a Pastor 〈◊〉 Shepherd. It is a thing to be reprehend●● in them, that curiously seek out the me● honourable titles that any of all their a●●cestors had, to make of that a su●na●● to themselves. drive from thy mind 〈◊〉 such fancies and dreams. Remember 〈◊〉 thou art as thy forefathers were, earth 〈◊〉 ashes, and the worms will no more sp●●● to eat of thy flesh, than they have done 〈◊〉 those that have begotten thee. The nobility that thou hast of inheritance fro● them is mortality and corruption.  
These may well be the arms, that th●● mayest set up in thy shield: not so much 〈◊〉 thine house, as in thine heart, let it 〈◊〉 always a glass for thee to see thyself 〈◊〉 And if this be well rooted in thy mind, it will expel all thy vain and idle thoughts.   

●HAT RICHES BE AS IT were certain snares to catch them withal, that are in love with them, and are content to be made slaves unto them: And therefore they ought of a christian man to be despised and contemned, and in the stead of them, the stable and sure riches of heaven are to be esteemed which be full of everlasting comfort. CHAP. 18.  
IF riches abound set not thine heart upon them (saith the Prophet. 
Psal. 61. ) The true servant of jesus Christ ought greatly to have in hatred those things that might separate ●ym from the love of God. Vain must ●eedes those riches be, that have so vain 〈◊〉 end. The rich men have slept their ●●eepe, 
Psal. 75.  and have found nothing in their ●andes, when they awaked again.  
That thing must needs be vain ●hich separateth us from God which is ●ur most desired end. Happy is that rich ●●an that is found without spot, 
Eccl. 13.  and hath ●ot followed after gold, nor put his trust in ●is heaps of money. Who is he that we may praise him? For it is thought almost a rare thing amongst men, to separate themselves clean from the love of money and riches.  
Every rich man is commonly either nought himself, or heir unto them that were nought. The falcon when she is too full, will not once know her master. 
Luc. 15.  The prodigal son perceiving himself to be grown rich & wealthy would not abide in his father's house, but afterward being nipped with need, and brought into necessity, he converted and turned back again to his father's house from whence he came. Riches did separate him from God, & poverty brought him home again. If thou wilt give thyself wholly unto God, thou must put quite away from thee all wordly business and earthly love and affection. 
Luc. 10.  Thou trowblest thyself about many things, But it is only one thing that is merely necessary for thee If thou findest out that one thing, thou shalt avoid all sorts of vain earthly thoughts.  
When our first fathers lived in state of innocency, all occupied in the spiritual consideration of God, they so much forgot their bodily estate, that they were never ware that they were naked. 
Genes. 3.  But when they had once entered into sin they strait ways attended unto bodily things, and knew themselves to be naked. The Apostle Saint Paul being rapt up into the third heaven, said, that he knew not whether he were there in his body or without it: 
2. Cor. 12  for because they intent not to any thing of the body, which are lifted up into heaven to behold heavenly things. The care that they have about spiritual things maketh them to forget these worldly things. Not to be troubled with the care of the world is true care in deed And not to be wise in wordly matters, is perfect and true wisdom.  
The disciples of christ being occupied in the doctrine of their master took no regard of exterior things, 
Mat. 15  and therefore they sat down at the table with unwashed hands, But the idle pharisees took great care of those small matters: Which declareth well unto us, that the care which the servants of God have is far different from the care of wordly folks: The servants of the world being still occupied in small matters, have never any regard unto any greater.  
They spend so much time in providing and caring for the body, that they have no time left them to spend, in providing for the soul. Worldly thoughts and cares be the children of riches, and the occupations and business which they bring with them do suffocate and choke up the spirit of God. Despise thou therefore the vanity of these corruptible things, that thou mayest freely yield thyself unto God: and unto God thou canst not fly, except thou do break the bonds wherewith the world holdeth thee bound. Let not the sweetness of this world separate thee from the love of God.  
Poison is always given in some savoury and well releshed meat, and when it is well tempered therewithal, it is easily taken, but he that receiveth it, is soon after carried to his grave: Even so be riches very pleasant unto them that do love them, but death doth always accompany them, and doth bring them to everlasting death which are made proud and vicious by them. 
Eccle. 5.  Ecclesiasticus sayeth: He that loveth riches shall get no profit by them: what profit cometh by them S. Paul telleth: 
1. Tim. 6.  They that will be rich do fall into the snares and grins of the devil. All creatures be such unto man, as man is unto himself.  
The good soul can take no offence of the things that are without, no more can the evil soul take any benefit by them: for what profiteth the multitude of riches to this flesh of ours the which must shortly perish: they can not defend it from the corruption which doth belong unto it, and in which it must needs rest at the last. That is a good soul which is not subject unto riches.  

Psal. 75.  The men of riches have slept their sleep, sayeth the prophet. He said not the riches of men, but the men of riches, because they were servants unto their riches, and not lords over them. That gain which is gotten by the loss of a good name, may well be accounted for loss and no gain. He is to be feared that doth fear poverty. Servants do serve to ease their masters of their cares, for one having care of one thing, and an other of another thing, they divide so the care among them, that the master is by that means at rest and ease: but it falleth out clean contrary by our money and temporal riches, for they do not take away their masters cares, but do rather double their cares and their troubles also.  
Thou art very vain thyself, if thou do put any trust in the vanities of this world. It is an extreme vanity to subdue thy mind to the vanity of this miserable world. Despise with all thine heart the riches of the earth, and thine heart shallbe replenished with the true riches of heaven.   

THE RICHES OF THE WORLD are declared to be but of vile substance, And therefore unworthy either to be loved or esteemed of a man who is adorned with so many good gifts by God, to the end, he should not abase himself in the loving of so vile things, but should wholly direct his love toward his divine majesty, to be after partaker in heaven with him for ever. CHAP. 19  

Philip. 3.  I HAVE not esteemed the things of this world (sayeth S. Paul) any better than dung. He could invent nothing to compare riches unto that he could esteem for less, or account more vile, than dung. But if these temporal things were in deed of very good price & value, yet in respect of heavenvly things, they ought not to be accounted of any value at all, much less ought they then to be esteemed, being of so vile and base substance, as in deed they be.  
Thou thinkest thou dost much in the despising of the goods of this world: do but consider a little the vileness of the matter, that all these riches and jewels of the world be made and form of, and according to the matter thou findest them of, so do thou esteem them.  
What is gold but the very dregs of the earth? What other thing is silver and precious stones, but the superfluity of the earth, which droppeth down into some hollow place of the earth, and there is gathered together, nourished & increased. What be all these Satins, damasks, & all kind of silks, but the superfluity of vile worms? And what is your finest cloth, but of the wulle of a silly beast? What be your fine delicate furs, as sables, martens and other like, but only the skins of dead beasts.  
What be all your costly buildings, your painted Palaces, high towers, and other costly edifices, your mighty and large Cities, are they of any other substance than earth? And what other thing is honour, but wind? And what is there any thing in this world, that is not of earth? So that in loving or esteeming any thing that is in this world, which is of worldly folk so much made of what other thing do you esteem but a little earth?  
know and acknowledge that which the world doth offer unto thee, and beware that thou put not thine heart in subjection to such base and vile stuff. Thou mayest with good reason be ashamed of thyself, that being a creature of that excellency, borne to love and to serve God, art yet of so base a mind and courage, that forsaking thy creator, thou hast bestowed thy love upon such vile & abject things.  
Let there be yet at the lest wise so much noble nature found in thee, as to acknowledge thyself, for such as in deed thou art, and for that excellency of thy nature which thou hast received of God, to give him thanks, and never subject thyself to any thing meaner than thyself. Love those things which are the most noble of all, which are things spiritual, and most agreeable to that noble nature which God endued thee with all, when he created thee to his own similitude and likeness.  
For as love doth transform the lover into the thing that is beloved, so as that lover is brought thereby into the possession of an other thing, and is not master of himself: Even so thou thyself being so worthy a creature, & loving these earthly things so dearly as thou dost, (being such and so vile as they be,) thou dost give that which is of good value in deed for that which is but vile & nothing worth Thou exchaungest most precious things for things most beggarly, and the thing that of his own nature is most excellent, (which is thy soul) thou givest for the vile muck of the earth, which is a thing very unworthy and unfyt for thine estate and degree, whereby it not only appeareth, that thou knowest not thyself, but also that thou unthankefullie renouncest those singular privileges which God hath given the.  
Why doth God command thee to love him, 
Luc. 10.  not for that his divine Majesty hath any need of thy love, but for thine own good and singular benefit. He will that thou shalt love him, because he would have thee to be honoured thereby, and by transforming thy seffe into him by thy entire loving of him, thou mayest receive advantage by the exchange, when thou givest things that be good for things that be better, and things that be precious for things that be inestimable without value.  
Thou mayest see by this how little God esteemeth these earthly things. When he deprived his great friend job (one whom be loved so well) of them, 
job. 1.  at the request of his great enemy the devil.  
Open thine eyes and consider how much thou dost abase thyself, in the unordinate loving of riches, & how much thou dost exalt thyself again, by the contemning of them. Take away therefore thy love from these vanities, & bestow it only upon jesus Christ.   

NO MAN OUGHT TO BE proud, nor to glory of his earthly possessions, which do further nothing toward the attaining of virtue, but rather as hurtful things they ought to be rejected and abhorred of us. CHAP. 20.  

Sap. 7.  COMPARE not the wisdom of God unto a precious stone, for all the gold in the world being compared unto that, is but as the small sand: And silver in respect of that shallbe accounted but as a piece of clay, saith the wise man. That is great poverty, which the wordl calleth riches.  
Put not thy mind upon such vanities but lift it up to God alone. Abase not thyself in subjecting thy will to such w●e things. God hath created thee to go upright and strait, because thou shouldest look upward to heaven, and love heavenly things. And set nought by these things of the earth.  
And because God looketh and hath respect to help thee, & to do thee good, therefore hath h● placed all things that thou haste need● 〈◊〉 upon the uppermost face of the earth, as bread, wine, meat and all other things necessary for thee, because thou mightest find them readily and easily, at what time thou hadst need of them. But the superfluous things as gold and silver, he hath hidden under the earth, because thou shouldest not wish for them nor desire them.  
Seek not therefore after such false ware. The prophet sayeth: 
Psal. 4.  Ye children of men why do ye love vanity, and seek after lying? Thou being the son of a reasonable man, which haste also the use of reason, do not thou live so without all reason, as to make these earthly goods▪ the uttermost end of thy travails, since thou wast created for to enjoy the heavenly goods.  
All that thou lovest is vanity (saith the Prophet) and whatsoever the world promiseth thee, is but lies. This gold is but earth, and this silk (which thou esteemest for so delicate a thing,) cometh from the silly worms, and what things be more vile than those? These be those precious things which adorneth thee: with this dainty stuff, thou settest thyself out to show, when all this was upon thy back, wast thou clothed with any thing but with poverty and with vanity?  
Be not thou proud of any such like clothing, neither do thou vaunt thyself of thy rich hangings, or other costly stuff that thou dost adorn thy house with all, for though to thy blind eyes, they seem to be great riches, yet in truth they be none, nor for such are they esteemed of men that be wise and of understanding. These things be not they which shall make a man rich.  
If thou wilt be rich, thou must love that which is very true riches in deed. These riches can not make a man wise, humble, patient, chaste, or merciful: they convert not anger into meekness, nor make a cruel man piteous, nor the envious man charitable. Now if toward the virtue of the mind they do further nothing at all, but rather (as by experience we daily see) do make men worse in maintaining vice and driving away virtue: what reason is it why thou shouldest so fond esteem them? for even as when thou dost nourish in thy bosom serpents and scorpions, who when they have well warmed them there, will sting thee and poison thee for thy labour, and do as much as is in them to kill thee: So with the heat of thy disordinate desires, thou dost nourish and augment these riches and delicacy wherein thou livest, which being fostered with in thy bowels, do after gnaw thy conscience, and extinguysh the good spirit with in thee, and so put thy salvation in great daunger·  
This is that which thou hast loved so well: O thou blind man. This is that after which thou seekest so fast. And this is that which thou consumest thyself for. Pray unto God to give thee thy right understanding, to the intent that thou mayest know the deceitfulness of these goods which thou lovest so well, and that thou mayest lift up thy heart to the love of those things in which true riches are to be found.   

MAN BEING CREATED TO the image and similitude of God, ought only to love him, and not these earthly riches, with which in deed he hath no manner of resemblance. CHAP. 21.  
DO not thou love the world nor the things which be in it, saith Saint john, 
1. john. 2.  By the light of natural reason it is manifest, that thou oughtest not to love any of these earthly things, ●or love is a thing of that nature & price, ●hat it cannot be due unto any thing, but ●hat which is able to render love back again, and requite love for love, which ●s the just recompense and price thereof. ●nd because no unreasonable creature can ●hus do, therefore must not thou set ●ayne heart and affection upon any of them. It is a great perverting of order, to vs● things to other ends than they are appointed and created for.  
Only god is to be loved for himself▪ as that which is the chief good of all, and as it were the very centre of thine heart▪ And his creatures must thou use in their kinds to serve him with all, as he hath ordained, but for that good which thou dost thyself take by them, thou must thank God threreof, And upon him must thou bestow all the love therefore that thou canst, unto whom it only belongeth, & from whom thou only rceivedst the fruit and benefit of those his creatures. But if thou dost love the creatures themselves, not referring the love thereof unto God▪ Thou p●ruertest the order of nature, and art worthily▪ to be punished therefore.  

Gen. 13.  God created man to his own image and likeness, to the end, that (as all other living creatures of their own natures do love their like) so he should give all his love and affection to God alone, and not set his liking in these earthly and transitory things. But with riches wh●● resemblance or likeness hast thou? Wh●● hath thy soul to do with gold? Tho● hast to love God only, after whose imag● thou art made, And not these earth●● creatures.  

Gene. 31.  All that long time that jacob ha● children by Lya, and her handmaid, 〈◊〉 never remembered his returning to 〈◊〉 own country again, for the lovers of ●hese temporal goods, being occupied about external things, do forget heaven which is their true country in deed. But ●s soon as he had children by Rachel he desired to return to his native country again: And so do all those which do good works, desire to come to glory ●nd rest in heaven.  
When the king of Egypt was dead, 
Exo. 1.  the israelites cried unto God, and they were heard. They had cried likewise before his death, aswell as they did after, but he ●arkened not unto them. The good and the bad do all cry unto God, but God giveth not ear unto the wordly people, for that they have not killed the king of egypt, which is the love of worldly things. But if thou dost kill once the love of the world, by & by, god will hear thee.  
This is the very force and true effect of love, to have the to be such as is the thing that thou lovest. Thy soul is like unto wax, which taketh the form of that which is impressed therein. That which the seal doth imprint in it, that shalt thou find therein. If thou impress therein the love of worldly things, thou must be worldly, but if thou place heavenly things therein, thou shalt be heavenly thyself. If thou puttest thy glass toward heaven, thou shalt find heaven figured therein, and if thou turnest it toward the earth, thou shalt find the earth figured therein. So shalt thou always tak● that figure which thou wilt apply thyself unto, and according to that things which thou lovest shall thyself be either good or evil.  

Dan. 4.  Nabuchodonozer when he was in lou● with the world he went about the hills and the woods feeding on grass like a beast. But returning again unto God by penance, he recovered his former image, which he had lost before.  

Gene. 1.  When God created the son and the moon, and all his other creatures, God said that they were all good and approved them for such. But when he created man, he neither said that he was good or bad. Yet are not those creatures better than man, but less worth than man because that for his sake they were all created. And why did God say of other creatures that they were all good, and said not so of man that was better than they all? God paraysed not man, neither called he him good or evil, because he looked that he should so work with his free will, that according to that which he should choose himself either good or evil, he should have his denomination & calling. If thou dost love that which i● good, them art thou good, And if thou dost love that which is evil, than art thou evil. So man only because he hath his fre● eleection to take either good or evil▪ God would first see, both what he would ●●oose, and what he would love, before he ●●olde give him any addition of dignity, ●●d then after give him his title according to his choice, and this power hath ●ot God given to any other of his earthly ●●eatures, but only to man.  
The Apostle S. Paul speaking of a ●ertayne sort of men, sayeth: 
Rom. 1.  That they changed the glory of the incorruptible ●od into the likeness of a corruptible man, 〈◊〉 birds, fowrefooted beasts, and of serpents. You may hereby behold, what oppressions be made in man's soul, through ●●e love of these earthly things.  
The proper habitation of the soul 〈◊〉 heaven, 
Phil. 3.  where they only that be perfect must inhabit. Our conversation is 〈◊〉 heaven, saith the Apostle. The way to ●●e rich, is to despise worldly riches. It is ●reate riches not to care for riches, Who 〈◊〉 he that hath much, even he that is con●●nted with a little.  
God commanded the Israelites, that ●●ere should no man take away or enjoy ●●y part of the spoils of Iherico. Wherein was signified unto us, that we should ●ot covet after the mutable treasures of ●is world, which is implied in this word ●herico, which signifieth mutability or ●hange. But as joshua did burn and consume with fire both the town, and all the ●iches thereof, so should we that be faithful, consume with the hot burning ●oue of God all the riches and goods of this world, which a true faithful ma●● should never esteem or set by, And wh●● so doth otherwise, shallbe put to death a● Acham was, and committed unto euerla●stinge damnation therefore.   

EARTHLY RICHES ought TO be despised together with the desire o● them because they are heavy, and do hinder a man that is clyminge vp●● toward heaven. CHAP. 22.  

Luke. 14.  HE that renounceth not all tha● he possesseth in this world can not be my disciple, sayeth our Lord. If thou wilt therefore be the true disciple of jesus Christ, thou must with thine heart despise all the transitory things of thi● world. They which followed Christ, d●●● forsake as much, as they could desire which followed him not. Our will is so vnsatiabl● in desiring, that he which hath mo●● thereof, is least satisfied, and he that ca● forsake his will, forsaketh all things. An● by that means did Saint Peter forsa●● as much, as Alexander could desire.  
By thy contemning of these things thou findest thyself: But in the loving o● ●hem, thou losest thyself. Happy is that ●oule that laboureth in the renouncing ●f all those things that the world so much ●mbraceth. Despise thou corruptible things, to gain uncorruptible.  
Gold and silver are not a load for ●an, but a burden for beasts. There is no ●east that carrieth a greater load than he ●ay well bear, but the lover of riches ●arieth as much as may be laid by any ●eane upon him: Lighten thy burden, & ●ast of these false honours from thee, and ●hou shalt afterward go with the more ●ase. Why wilt thou go so heavily ladē●hē thou mayest have help of the poor ●an to carry part of thy burden for ●hee? Thou mayest go best when thou art ●nladen, And wrestle best when thou art ●aked: when thou dost wrestle, with the devil naked, thou wilt easily overcome ●ym: but if thou have thy clothes upon ●hy back for him to take hold on, thou ●ayest easily be overthrown. jesus Christ ●ought naked upon the cross for thee: ●nd if thou wilt follow him, thou must ●idde from thine heart all love of temporal things.  
joseph being tempted in Egypt, 
Gene. 39  fled ●waye, and left his clothes in the hands ●f his persecutor, and after he had dis●hardged himself, and cast his outward ●ooddes away, he became a great lord ●nd ruler in Egypt. 
Mat. 19  They that contemn ●iches shald receive therefore again an hundredth times as much saith our Lord▪  
There is nothing great, in this world but that heart which contemneth great● things. Who is poor? he that appeareth rich: and he that most hath, enjoyeth leas● liberty, and with less ease doth lift up his heart to God.  
Crates the Theban Philosopher despised riches, because it hindered his studying in Philosophy, and dost not thou think that they will hinder thee more toward the getting of heaven? It is hard for thee to carry a great burden on thy back, although thou walk on the even ground: How much more hard is it for thee then to climb up to heaven being laden? What business so ever thou dost go about in this world thou wilt as much as thou canst put from thee all such cares that should hinder thee therein, and yet in thy journey toward heaven, thou seekest for all these worldly impediments that might hinder thee thitherward. What good doth it a man for to gain the whole world, and to lose his own soul?  

Mat 16. Leu. 11.  God saith himself that every beast which creepeth upon the earth with hi● breast shallbe abominable. And very abominable is it, that man which is create● for heaven, should travail & take payn● in the loving of the goods of the earth▪ These are very unworthy of heaue● these be they whom Gedeon the nobl● captain dismissed out of his army, 
jud. 7.  an● bid to return home again, as men unworthy to be partakers of any worthy enterprise, who fall down flat to the earth, and lie on their breast, to drink the running waters of these transitory worldly goods.  
Get thou as great riches as thou canst yet must thou give credit unto job that hath told thee long ago. 
job. 1.  That naked thou camest out of thy mother's womb, and naked thou must return to the earth thy mother again.  
The mill wheel turneth all day about, and never resteth nor standeth still. But turn it never so much all day long, at night yet it standeth still, & resteth in the same place where it first began to turn. Well mayest thou travail and wander about the world to be rich, and honourable, but when death cometh than thou must needs stay from going any further. Then shalt thou be found in the very same state, that thou wast in, when thou first enterdst into the world, poor and naked thou camest into it, & so shalt thou enter into thy grave, and in the state thou wert in at the beginning, thou shalt make thy latter ending, & whence thou camest thou shalt return, and this must thou needs do how much soever thou hast travailed in the world before to make thyself rich and great therein.  
It is a vanity therefore in this short life to make thy foundation upon the temporal riches of this world. If thou contemn them with all thine heart, thou shalt live in wealth for ever with Christ▪   

WITH MANY GOODLY Reason's and examples of gods friends, he proveth that in this world mourning is better than laughing, And travail and pain more profitable than pleasure and solace. CHAP. 23.  

Luc. 6.  WOE be unto you that laugh, for you shall weep, saith Christ: woe be unto you that have your joys in this world, since you shallbe so void of all joy in an other world. Woe be unto all them that do live in pleasure, for much sorrow and travail is prepared for them.  

Psal. 83.  Happy is he that in this world being mortified (for Christ) doth carry always about with him the sorrow of his bitter passion before his eyes.  
Happy is he, that in this time of tears & vale of misery, 
Psal. 41.  is daily fed with tears. Happy is he, who in this time of banishment, doth make tears his food both day and night. A man that hath in his remembrance the quiet peaceable country of heavenly Zion his own proper habitation, may well with reason lament, and be even confounded, to see himself confined into this place of bannishement amongst the bitter waters of the Babylonical state of this world. 
Psa. 136 Mat. 5.  Happy be they that weep, for they shallbe comforted, saith our Saviour, and God himself shall wipe of the tears from their eyes, those must needs be comfortable tears, which the blessed hand of our Master doth wipe away.  
As the land that is never watered, 
Apo. 7. Apo. 21.  bringeth nothing forth but brambles & thistles & engendereth serpents: so will thy soul bring forth nothing but vanity and uncleanness, except thou do water it with the water of thy tears: And as necessary are tears to the soul, as water for the earth. All flesh was corrupted, and for the remedy thereof, God sent the water of that great flood upon the earth to cleanse it again. And if thou wilt let the flood of tears fall upon thy soul and overflow it, It will kill all sensual concupiscence in thee. Happy is that flood which mortifieth the body, quencheth all worldly desires, and maketh fruitful the barren field of thy soul.  
They are but vain which in this life do seek their pleasures and delights. It is a great error for thee to seek after these temporal consolations. At the hour of thy death, it willbe found better for thee that thou hadst lamented, and bewailed thy sins, then in this miserable life to have spent thy days in deceivable light vanities. If thou wilt have thy feast day here, then must thou keep thy vigil and fast there. If thou do spend thy days in laughing here in this life, in hell shalt thou mourn with death for ever. Holy job said, I sigh and am sorry, before I take my food. 
job. 3.   
In the feasts of the Saints, the vigil cometh ever before the feast day, because they did always in this world fast and take pains, and therefore afterward they must eat and be merry for ever. The worldly manner is all contrary, they do first eat and make merry, and then after they do pay their scot. Death cometh and maketh the reckoning for them, and then shall worldly folk pay dear for their good cheer that they have made hear. Then shall the laughing and mirth which thou usedst here, be too well paid for, with perpetual mourning there. Those be bitter comforts that must be bought with everlasting torments.  
Although thou dost here eat a pace, & take thy pleasure, and takest thyself no care thereof, yet is their one appointed by the governor of the house, to take the reckoning and score up all the shot, so that at the last there shallbe nothing left unpaid for.  
If thou didst but way well this with good consideration, thy charge should not grow so great, neither wouldest thou with such full scope of liberty give thyself to the world: But now because thou remember'st not, that these things shall have an end, (And that thou must give an account thereof, and pay for all the reckoning) thou spendest here so freely, for the which thou shalt after never cease thy payment in hell.  
And as job said of good men, that they sighed and sorrowed before they did eat, 
job. 21.  so sayeth he of these worldly folk here: They pass forth their days in joy and mirth, they rejoice and make merry when the music soundeth, and in the twinkling of an eye they descend down into hell.  
To the rich glutton which S. Luke mentioneth, Abraham said: 
Luc. 16.  Thou must remember (said he) that in thy life time thou receivedst joy, and contrariwise Lazarus received sorrow, and now is Lazarus comforted and thou tormented. This is the end of worldly comfort, and this is the end of the vain glory of this world.  
Thou shalt not find in all the whole evangelists, that ever our saviour Christ laughed at any time, but of his weeping we find oft mention made. He wept at the time of his own nativity. 
john. 11. Luc. 19  He wept at his raising up of Lazarus to life. He wept upon the City of Jerusalem, and upon the cross, And to be short all his whole life was but a long mourning, 
john. 11. Luc. 19  and a contynualle penitence.  
Our Lord saith that unless you be as little children you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 
Mat. 18.  Ye know that children have no other weapon to defend themselves with all, but tears: And with those must thou likewise defend thyself from the devil.  
Pharaoh was drowned in the water of the sea, and the devil is destroyed in the water of tears. 
Exo. 14.  It is a madness to take pleasure in this life, when thou must live in the midst of so many great dangers. The wise man sayeth: I have taken joy for my sorrow, 
Eccl. 2.  and unto pleasure have I said, why doe●● thou so vainly deceive me?  
Moses' had rather suffer affliction with the people of God, then to be made partaker of the earthly pleasures of the Egyptians, 
Exod. 2.  and therefore denied he himself to be the son of Pharaos' daughter. The tears of the just, shall be turned into joy, (sayeth the prophet) And according to the multitude of my sorrows shall thy consolations comfort my soul. 
Psal. 93.  It is better to be troubled with the just, then to eat the bread of gladness upon the table of sinners. It is better to weep in wilderness, than to laugh in the palace of princes.  
Despise thou this soon passing pleasure, that thou mayest after receive the unspeakable pleasures in glory perpetual.   

GREAT VANITY IT IS FOR A man to give himself unto the pleasures & delights of this world, the which do run so fast away, and which do cause him at last to lose the eternal joys of heaven, CHAP. 24.  
WHAT pleasure can I have to sit here in the darkness, 
Tob. 5.  said Tobias to the Angel. It is vanity living here in the darkness of this miserable world to seek after the●e vain pleasures & fond delights of the world. We wander in such darkness here that we can not know those that we daily keep company with all, yea of them that we have continually before our eyes, we can not tell which be good nor which be bad, the darkness is so great that many times a man can not see himself·  
The wiseman saith, That a man knoweth not whether he be worthy of love▪ or of hatred. That man that travaileth by the way, and knoweth not whether he be out of his way or no, can take no great comfort of his journey. It is vanity to take pleasure in the way of this peregrination, not knowing whether it be acceptable to God, or no? And great vanity is it for a man to take pleasure in that state, in the which he knoweth not whether he shallbe condemned to hell. And because this may happen in this life at any time, thou must always live in doubt & in fear. When thou travailest by night, and art doubtful of thy way, it were great marvel to see thee jocund and merry.  
He that seethe his neighbours house on a fire, will have little lust to be merry. And very vanity is it for the to spend thy time in pleasure, that is given thee to do penance in, especially seeing thy friends & thy neighbours daily dying before thy face. Of death thou art full sure but of the state wherein thou shalt die, that knowest thou little of, & then is it an extreme vanity for thee to forget the fear of God & to give thy self to laughing & making merry.  
That father doth much more sorrow, than he doth rejoice, that burieth his child the same day that he is borne. The pleasure of this world, in which thou so much rejoicest: doth pass away in post, & slideth away more swift than the wind.  

Prou. 15.  The wiseman saith, that the fool taketh pleasure at his own folly. And folly it is to make account of that pleasure which tarrieth no longer with us. It is a vain thing to give thine heart a taste of that pleasure, which thou no sooner tastest of, 
Esa. 24.  but it is gone again. The Prophet Esay saith: they gave great sighs, and did bitterly bewail that rejoiced with their hearts before, for their joy ceased even suddenly.  
It is a vain pleasure that the birds do take, when they taste of the corn, and are strait taken in the grin, and like unto that is the pleasure of the fishes, which delight in the bait upon the hook, which they no sooner take into their mouths, but death apprehendeth them. Thou art as vain and simple as these unreasonable creatures, if thou dost rejoice amidst all those vain prosperities of the world, having death so near unto thee, and ready to take thee.  
Remember that the time is short, 
1. Cor. 7. Sap. 10.  and let them that take pleasure, be as though they took it not. God brought the just man by the right way. The way is right, when the midst doth answer and is conformable to the beginning and the ending. The man that is strayed out of his way goeth seeking about, to see if he can find it again, to the end he may get to the place that he intended his journey to, in the beginning.  
The scripture in many places doth liken us unto wayfaring folk, 
Heb. 11. 1. Pet. 2.  and wanderers by the way. We begin to enter into our pilgrimage when we be first borne, and it never endeth again until death do end it. You may ask of Solomon what our beginning, and our ending is.  
The first voice, 
Sap. 7.  sayeth Solomon that I uttered coming out of my mother's belly, was crying and lamenting, neither had ever king of this world any other beginning, and like unto this shall be also thy later ending. Thou wast borne in weeping, and thou shalt die lamenting, and wilt thou yet live laughing?  
This is not the right way by the which the just must walk. Go thou the straight way: be none of those that walk about quite out of the way, 
Psal. 11.  which is as David sayeth, the right course of the wicked. Let the midst be agreeable to the beginning and the ending: thou begannest in weeping, and after the same sort mayest thou well believe that thou shalt make thine ending also.  
Tak● thou no great pains to be rich, seeing that job sayeth: Naked I came out of my mother's womb, and naked must I return to my mother the earth again. 
Io●. 1.  Never care thou to make proud palaces since a poor little cradle did hold thee, when thou camest first into the world, and when thou diest, a small pit in the earth must receive thee again. Never seek to be great in this world since thou wast so little when thou camest first into it, and at thy death when thou departest from it again thou shalt be as low, as thou wast before little. Thou wast both little & poor, when thou camest into the world, and not great and rich.  
Thou camest not first into the world ●●ke a conqueror, or a revenger of quarrels with thy sword in thy hand, neither ●ust thou be such a one when thou interest ●●to thy grave. Labour thou also to live ●fter the same fashion while thou conty●uest here.  
job said unto God, 
job. 10.  give me time O Lord) that I may bemoan myself and ●ake sorrow. The good holy man asked ●ot life of God to laugh and be merry ●or to take his pleasure here, but to bewail and to lament, and such ought thy ●yfe to be likewise, and thou owghtest also heartily to pray unto God, that it may be such, and that thou mayest not spend thy days in the vain heaping up of riches together, nor in other idle pleasures of this life, which thou wilt find a● the last to be but a vearie vain folly. Bewail thy sin, and thy offences, do penance in this life that thou mayest after this life obtain the life everlasting.  
Our lord saith, 
Io. 16.  that our mourning shallbe turned into joy. And happy is that sorrow unto which everlasting joy succeedeth. love holy compunction, Sigh after the celestial country, and make not this present banishment a Paradise of pleasure.  
Thou undoeste thyself and art clean gone out of the way, if thou seek to live in joy and pleasure here in this world. Turn thee back again, and set thy feet in a better way and embrace the cross of Christ, and think upon his bitter passion, that thou mayest come to the end th●● thou wishest for, which is the felicity th●● thou wast created for.   

ALL YOUR JOY ought TO BE in God, for of every earthly thing the joy is unperfect, But in him it is so full that nothing can be desired more. CHAP. 25.  
REJOICE in our lord always, 
Phil. 4.  again I say unto you rejoice and be glad, saith the Apostle: The pleasure of the servant of God, ought altogether to be in his Lord & master. It is a vain thing to be joyful in any but in God alone.  
God will not that thou shouldest live discontented, but he would rather have thee to be glad and joyful, Only this would he have thee to do: Altar the cause of thy joy, And convert the false cause thereof, into the vearie true cause of joy in deed.  
The Apostles were vearie joyful, when they said unto their redeemer, that the devils obeyed them. 
Luc. 10.  And our lord answered them again, that they should not rejoice for that, but rejoice, (saith he ●nto them) for that your names be written ●n heaven. He forbidden them not to be merry ●ut he would have them change the cau●e of their mirth, & whereas their joy be●ore depended but upon a worldly consideration, he would have it altogether celestial which is in deed, the very true perfect joy.  
Every joy that is not of God, is vain: And every contentation that cometh not from him is false, and hath no good foundation. In him therefore must all thy joy be, and not in any earthly thing of this world. Thou mayest rejoice in the testimony of a good conscience, as the Apostle willeth thee which is to thee as a pledge from God himself, of the true joy that thy name is recorded in heaven. 
1. Cor. 1.   
King David being of the wicked demanded where his God was, 
Psal. ●1.  (as he whom they supposed to have forsaken him for his former fall,) found himself so faint, and so unprovided in making of his answer unto them, that the vearie grief thereof, made him so burst forth into tears, that they were his continual food both day and night until he had found the comfort of his sweet Lord again. For where God is not, there is it not possible to have any true joy remaining. Although the scripture doth speak sometime of the joy of wordly folk, 
Esa 14. Prou. ●.  saying that they rejoice when they do mischeyfe, yet is that no true nor perfect joy, because it is no● grounded upon a true and incorrupte● conscience.  
Of saint john the precursour of ou● lord, his holy mother said, that he reioy●sed in gladness. This is the difference, th●● is between good men, and ill men's joys These do joy in their vanities, And th● other do rejoice in a good conscience. This is the rejoicing of Saint john in joy.  

Luc. 1.  That joy must needs be vain which hath not the grace of God for his foundation. If thou do stand in good state toward God, then shalt thou have true joy, and if thou canst get God, then shalt thou have all joy in him. Wilt thou have riches? 
Psal. 3.  Behold it is written: Glory and riches be ●n his house. Wilt thou have beauty? 
Can. 4.  Our Lord sayeth unto his spouse. Behold my friend how fair she is. Wilt thou have life? Behold I am the life, sayeth God. 
joh. 14.  Wilt thou have salvation? I am, sayeth our Lord, the Saviour of the people. Wilt thou have peace? The Apostle sayeth: 
Eph. 2.  That our Lord is our peace, which maketh agreement betwixt God the father and us. Wilt thou have honour? Behold what is written in the psalm. Thy friends be very honourable, and their domination is comfortable.  
If thou have God with thee thou hast perfect joy, for with him thou ha●te as much as thou canst wish: with good reason, and for just cause is he joyful that ●●th with him the fountain of all joy.  
Away with all this temporal joy, for an ●●che of one spiritual joy is more worth ●●en all the false joys and pleasures that ●●e world can bestow upon thee. There 〈◊〉 no taste of true joy but in God alone, for 〈◊〉 worldly joy doth soon vanish away again.  
Ishmael Abraham's son according 〈◊〉 the flesh, 
Gen. 21.  had soon spent and consumed the water which his mother ●●gar and he carried for their comfort ●nd relief: But isaack's lasted and continued, who was the child of promise. The comforts of the world shall soon have an ●nd in the wicked, but the spiritual consolations of the just, shallbe like springing ●●elles of water which never sh●●l fail: ●nly this joy is certain & sure whereof ●ur lord speaketh: No man shall take your ●oye from you. 
john. 16.   
Many worldly men do glory in ●heir garments, but that glory is their garments, it is none of their own. Others ●oast them of their riches, but that glory ●ongeth to the riches, and not to them ●hat do owe them. This joy is not theirs, it ●esteth in temporal things. They may soon ●e without that joy, if they be without ●he things which brought the joy.  
But that joy which Christ calleth our ●oy, no man can take away from us, which ●s the joy of a good conscience. This is our own proper joy, which no man can take away from us, but if we be contented to depart with it ourselves. This is th● joy which we have, not of any creature but from the creator himself. Among● the fruits of the holy Ghost, S. Paul r●●keneth gladness to be one. 
Gal. 5.   
In creatures their can be no perfec●● joy, but only the joy is full an● perfect of itself, which is in God o●● creator, because it is infinite and without end, according to the goodness of him th●● it proceeded from. joy is in comparison to desire, as rest is unto motion: for the●● is our rest quiet and perfect when the●● is not any thing more to be moved: A●● even so shall our joy be full and perfec●● when there is not any thing more for 〈◊〉 to desi●● or wish for.  
And because that in the things of th●● life, our desire never findeth perfect re●● hereof it groweth, that in the creatures 〈◊〉 this world it never findeth perfect ioy●▪ Therefore do thou love God alone, wh●● filleth thy soul with good desires, and 〈◊〉 the only cause of thy perfect joy.  

Psal. 102.  The prophet David sayeth: That 〈◊〉 only filleth our desires with good things  
Anna the mother of the prophet Sa●muell said my heart rejoiced in ou● Lord, and in my God was all my gladness So do thou rejoice only in God, because the joy of this world is false and vain the which shortly passeth away & vani●sheth.   

●OW GREAT SO EVER ANY man's honours in this world be, yet they all vanish away at the last, and true honour doth only rest in the servants of God, both here in this world, and in the world to come. CHAP. 26.  
THY friends are very honourable (O Lord, 
Psal. 138 ) and their government full of comfort. Thus sayeth the prophet david. If thou be the friend of honour, th●● art 〈◊〉 enemy of God, for he only hath true ●●nor, that is in the favour of god. It is va●●ie to seek the honour of this present corlde, for with pain it is gotten, and ●●th charge maintained, and quickly it ●●gone again. Only true honour belongeth to the servants of God. All those ●●om the world doth honour and extol ●●re not the friends of God.  
That honour which the saints of God 〈◊〉 both here on the earth, and also in ●●auen, was not gotten by the seeking of 〈◊〉 but by the flying away from it. Wilt ●●ou be honourable? Then must thou hum●●e thyself and be brought low. Wilt ●ou that all men shall know thee? Labour thou then to be known of no body: 〈◊〉 like a shadow that flieth from him whi●● followeth it, and it is gotten by throwing thyself down to the ground, and al●● sing thyself. If thou shalt once know● thyself, but for earth and ashes as th●● art, thou wilt not covet after the vay●● honours which these blind worldly fol●●● do seek so much for. When thou wi●● have none of them, then shall they be goguen thee: When thou fliest from the●● then will they come unto thee, and 〈◊〉 humbling of thyself, thou shalt get the●▪  
But if thou wilt desire the hono●● perpetual, thou must despise this temp●●rall honour: do but cast thine eyes vp●● the end that all these temporal vanit●● do c●me unto, & thou wilt easily despi●● the vain honours of this world. Th●● be certain country pastimes used, 〈◊〉 which amongst other, their is used t●● carrying about of a certain paper Ima●● set up a loft upon a pole, which all 〈◊〉 people follow from place to place, to ma●● sport at, which he that carrieth sette●● forth with all the bravery, gay garments and jewels that he can get or borrow, 〈◊〉 when the play is ended, and all that bor●●●wed ware returned back to the own●● again, than their remains nothing 〈◊〉 the bare naked Image as little esteeme● them, as it was followed & commended befo●● And even so falleth it out by thee, wh●● thou art aloft in the world, decked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the honours & dignities thereof, be 〈◊〉 never so vile a sinner, thou shalt not ●t commendations and vain praises ●he people, but when thy playing time ended, & all that thou hadst borrowed ●ore of the world, restored again, as ●e will they set then by thee, as they 〈◊〉 set by the paper puppet before, that 〈◊〉 so much esteemed and followed.  
Thou must remember, that all thy ●●ddes, honours, and dignities be all but 〈◊〉 unto thee here for a time, and all●●ughe thou dost possess them for a ●●e, yet mayest thou well see, that they be ●ne of thine, since when thy life forsakes thee, thou canst not carry them ●●aye from hence with thee, since other ●●lkes must then adorn themself with ●●at, which thou didst so much magnify ●●y self with all before.  
When the journey of thy life is ended, 〈◊〉 an end is also all thine honour and worldly reputation, and in the earth must ●●ou lie all poor and naked while others ●ake merry with that which thou so much ●steemedst.  
The great estates and kings of the ●arth that sat sometime full high in their ●●rones and seats of Majesty, all clad in purple and rich array, unto whom folk ●owed their knees▪ & made low curtisies, ●s unto some earthly God: The same folk ●fter (when all the honour was gone, and ●hey laid low in their graves) went walking over their heads, & shew● small reverence to those whom they 〈◊〉 greatly magnified before. This is 〈◊〉 worldly guise, to day in honour, to 〈◊〉 row in dishonour. To day every man sp●●●keth honourably of thee, And to mo●● not one that will remember thee. A●● passeth the wind of this vanity, the fe●● lasteth not long, and at last in short spa●● cometh all the honour to nought.  
O I would to God, that unto the ea●●nest lovers and followers of this world●● false honours and vanities, there were 〈◊〉 worse to fall unto them: Then after th●● they should be once deprived of them 〈◊〉 death and clean forgotten of word●● people, there might no more harm co●● unto them. But this is (loo) a miserab●● thing, and vearie fearful to think 〈◊〉 that after these short days be ended 〈◊〉 which they have served the world, th●● which continued in their vices and eui●● life unto the end, shall burn in hell 〈◊〉 after for ever. This end have the vanities which thou seekest after, and in this do●● the honour's end, that thou so much de●lightest in.  
The true servant of jesus Christ, doth not desire this temporal honour, which he acknowledgeth for vain, and transi●torie: The servant of Christ setteth mor● by the honour of his Master, than he doth by his own honour and commodity▪ Happy is he which in all that he doth▪ desires nothing but the honour of God. 〈◊〉 Happy is he which embraceth humiliate, & followeth his master Christ there●●●nd despiseth all the vain honour of 〈◊〉 world from the bottom of his heart, ●he end, that he may reign with Christ 〈◊〉 ever.  
Care not for the false honour of this ●●rld, that thou mayest get the true ho●●ur of heaven, leave not the truth for 〈◊〉 shadow.  
The Apostle saith, 
1. Cor. 14.  be not ye in your ●●ce & understanding like unto children. ●●ildren do more delight in horses made ●reedes, and puppetts made of clouts, ●●en in true horses, & very men and wo●en in deed. Thou must not be a child, ●●d set more by a shadow of truth, than 〈◊〉 the truth itself.  
The riches and honours of this world 〈◊〉 but shadows of the true riches and ●●nours that be in heaven. And since thou art a man of reason and judgement, put not thine affection upon these slight soon sliding vanities.   

ALL DESIRE OF WORLD●● honour is to be fled, for by them d● thou incur infinite dangers 〈◊〉 losing thy soul, and by them th●● are great offences committed agai●● thy lord God. CHAP. 27.  
BE NOT thou desirous 〈◊〉 take any worldly domin●●● at man's hand, 
Eccl. 9  neither d●● thou seek for aduaunc●●ment of the king, saith th●● wise man. Those that 〈◊〉 to climb up in the tops of houses, are 〈◊〉 great danger of falling, wherefore it be●houeth them to have a good stayed he●● lest they fall and do break their nec●kes. If thou dost follow after the hono●● of this world, it willbe needful for the●● to have a good brain, and to stand well i● gods favour, for fear lest thou fall into hell.  
Prosperity is more dangerous th●● adversity. The prophet sayeth: That 〈◊〉 thousand shall fall at thy left hand, 
Psal. 90.  an● ten thousand upon thy right hand. The●● were more in number which perished vp●on the right hand of the honour and feli●city of this world, than were those which perished on the left hand of base degree ●nd mean fortune. The felicity of worldly folk, is as it were an offence with out ●orrection. In place of honour look that ●hou set not thyself, for there art thou subject unto much danger.  
The frantic person hath many imagination's, and if he drive them not away ●rom him, they will put him into great ha●arde. Leave the vain desires of honour, which thou carriest about with thee in ●hyne head, for if thou put them not ●way from thee, they will put the life of ●hy soul into vearie great danger of destruction. Take away from thine heart ●he vanity of proud thoughts and high minded conceits, if thou wilt obtain valuation. Thou wilt never be ●●red, except thou do drive from thee th●se imaginations.  
Worldly honour is dangerous, and in ●t full many have perished and been lost. ●ome have their worldly honour so dear ●nto them, that to maintain the same, and keep the good opinion that they suppose ●he world hath of them, they will not stick ●o offend God, & to defame their neighbour ●o whom they will not seek afterward ●o restore his good name again, which is ●y them impaired for fear lest they should ●rgue themselves of their former wrongs, And so thereby decay their own credit. And rather than they will lose one ●ote of their worldly honour and reputation, they will remain in hell for ever▪ And rather then they will pay that which they own, (while they shall thereby abat●● some part of their worldly worship and estimation, for the payment of their debts,) they will venture to go to the devil, and cast away their souls for ever.  
They be like unto those great me● which Saint john speaketh of, which believed in Christ but they durst not confess it, for fear of the pharisees, lest they should have been driven out of the synagogue, 
Io. 12.  They loved more the glory of men, than the glory of god. This is a dangerous state, in which these lovers of worldly honours do live, that they determine rather to lose their souls, than the honour of ●his world.  
Pil●●e condemned our saviour, although he knew him to be innocent, for to maintain his own credit thereby amongst the people. He knew well enough our saviours innocency, He saw● that he was delivered into his hande● through envy, and he was also very desirous to have delivered him. But when hi● accusers told him, 
Io. 19  that if the should 〈◊〉 him scape away, he was not to be accom●●ted Caesar's friend, so greedy was he 〈◊〉 worldly honour, (which he stood in fea●● to lose by their means if they shol●● accuse him to the Emperor of any ●●uour bearing toward Christ,) that for th● saving of his credit, and maintaining 〈◊〉 ●is worldly honour he gave sentence of ●eath against the author of life, And would rather go against all reason, & his ●wne knowledge, then fall tnto the disgrace of his Prince. And was contented to offend God, rather than to diminish any ●arte of his worshipful estate, or lose ●is credit with the Emperor. And if ●hou wilt prefer worldly honour before ●he love of God, thou must needs fall ●nto a thousand of such mischiefs.  
Many be they which go to the devil ●or the maintaining of their credit in ●his world. This is a dangerous estate, ●nd if thou didst but well consider of ●he dangers in which they do live that ●re put into high dignities and honours ●f the world, thou wouldest from ●he bothome of thy heart, with all earnest affection, determine resolutely with thyself 〈◊〉 renounce all these vain dreams of worldly honours and promotions, which ●owe thou settest so much by, and dost 〈◊〉 disordinatlie love. How many have perished through honours.  
In what honour was Adam when he ●as placed in the earthly paradise, 
Gene. 3. job. 1.  & yet ●ow grievously offended he? Contrariwise job was beaten down with many tri●●lations, and had many occasions given ●ym to offend God, and divers impediments to serve him, And yet all this suffi●●d not to make him to sin. Adam was 〈◊〉 great dignity obeyed of all, and job lay in a stall despited of all. By this tho● mayst perceive what danger there is 〈◊〉 the dignity and honours of the world, & what surety is found in the despising & contempt thereof again.  
He which standeth on the top of a steep slippery tower, is in great hazard of falling: And in much less surety b● they which climb up to the tops of hoffses, than they which walk below on th●● even ground: in a low estate thou ha●● not so much to fear, and livest in bette● safety.  
In noble men, and men of great est●●● we see much idleness reign, which is th● mother of vice, and stepdame to all virtue. They spend their life, and consume their d●yes in idle pastimes, vain delighte● and banquets. God is more displeased by them then by those that ge● their living by the sweat of their brow●●▪  
But wilt thou get the life everlasting▪ Than must thou in this life, make store▪ and set much by those things which an● much worth there. The merchant that wil● thrive, buyeth his ware good cheap whe● it is plenty, and selleth it dear again 〈◊〉 places where it is scant. Thou desirest 〈◊〉 go to heaven, and thitherward thou an● now travailing: take not that with thy thither which is good cheap there. The● be all manner of honour's riches, and p●●●sperities very abundant, follow 〈◊〉 counsel, and carry with thee thither, th● kind of ware, which is not there to be gotten, thou shalt be sure to sell it well, & to have good payment there for it.  
All manner of tribulation, persecutions tears, fastings, and all works of penance, be things which are not there to be had, nor none such found there. If thou do therefore provide thyself good store of this ware, when thou comest thither thou shalt be surly well paid for the same, and so thou shalt be rich therewith and live thereby in honour for ever. And if thou go laden hence with vain honours and pleasures of this world, they will yield thee little, in the next world.  
Therefore leave of that trade betime and meddle with none of that kind of stuff, let these false honours go set not by these short sliding pleasures of the world: They will but work thee dishonour and shame, fly from them here, & thou shalt win thereby true honour in heaven.   

THIS WORLDLY PROSPERITY▪ aught much to be feared, for as much as many great men of this world, which have been good and just in adversity, have yet in prosperity been found to be full of wretchedness and iniquity, committing divers offences, which have been both against gods high honour, & their own salvation. CHAP. 28.  

Prou. 1.  THE prosperity of fools will be their own confusion, saith the wise man: thou oughtest to stand much in dread of prosperity here in this world, if thou seek to conserve the humility of heart, and to serve jesus Christ.  
Saul was as good, and as holy a man as any was in all the land of Israel, 
1. Re. 9  when he lived in mean estate, but after he came unto honour, and was advanced to the dignity of a king, his worldly prosperity made him proud and high minded.  
David when he was persecuted, could give life unto Saul his enemy and persecutor, 
2. Reg. 11.  which he had in his power to ●aue taken from him, but after in his great prosperity, he would not spare the life of ●is faithful friend Urias. He that in persecution gave life unto them that had ●eserued death, in prosperity slew those ●hat best deserved life. It is a rare gift to ●se prosperity well.  
Thou must not in worldly prosperity live all at adventure, for so great is ●hy danger, as thy negligence is great in ●hy government. That part of thy life must needs be greatly in danger, which is neglected through too much assurance of thyself. We have seen many men very virtuous and much fearing God, who when they were advanced to high rooms and dignities, fell into pride and dissolute living. Beware therefore of worldly prosperity, as of a most manifest pestilence  
Upon the high hills of Gelboe, 
2. Reg. 1.  the noble men of Israel lost their lives. And in the prosperity of this world, doth many a man daily perish: unto prosperity is joined the forgetfulness of God.  
joseph prayed Pharaos' cup bearer to have him in remembrance, 
Gene. 40.  when he should be restored again to his former estate of honour. And the holy scripture sayeth of him: That as soon as he had gotten out of prison where joseph and he had bene long together, and that he was restored unto his office again, he quite forgot his friend and interpreter joseph, he put him in mind that he should not forget him, when he was restored to his room again, because he knew that prosperity was the time of forgetfulness.  
Pharaoh king of Egipte, in his prosperity said that he knew not God, neither would he let the people of Israel depart away from him: but in his tribulation he began to know him, & besought Moses and Aaron, to pray unto God for him.  

Mat. 17.  Saint Peter being a loft in glory upon the top of the mount Thabor, wished for three Tabernacles there, One for Christ, One for Moses, and a nother for Elias, and never remembered himself, nor any other of his fellow disciples.  
Do not thou marvel at this, for prosperity, and worldly glory, maketh a man to forget both himself, and all the friends that he hath.  
It is more dangerous sailing upon the sweet pleasant waters of the running● rivers, them upon the salt and bitter waters of the sea. And so is thy salvation in more peril when thou livest amongst the prosperities of this miserable world, then when thou livest in the bitter storms of tribulation.  
Prosperity showeth always a friendly countenance, and continueth still at hand with us, which maketh us the less to suspect it, and take no regard thereunto, whereby she taketh better occasion to link herself in league with our flesh ●gainst us, so as they both join together, ●nd assault our poor soul.  
But it is the best way for thee, when ●hou art in prosperity, to think always ●hat there is a storm coming at hand. And then shalt thou take it, but as a thing ●ent unto thee.  
And again in tribulation thou mayest comfort thee with the remembrance that ●hy troubles shall not long last, and so shalt ●hou carry one indifferent face toward ●hem both.  
And if thou wilt live with jesus Christ for ever in an other world, thou must fly from the prosperity and vain honours of this present world: and better it is for thee to be afflicted and troubled with Christ, then to live in all the prosperity of this world. Take it for great good to thee, to be persecuted and tormented with Christ thy redeemer, 
Mat 5.  for unto those that are persecuted for him belongeth the kingdom of heaven. Despise the felicity of this world, that thou mayest get the true honour which endureth for ever.   

THE PROSPERITY OF THIS world giveth show of the pains and infelicity of the next, And the persecutions and afflictions suffered for Christ, are sure testimonies, of his divine love, And of his choosing of th●● to be of the number of his elect. CHAP. 29.  

2. Tim. 3.  ALL those which seek to live religiously in Christ jesus do suffer persecution, saith the Apostle. The barren trees which yield no fruit, are never shaken nor beaten, but are at last cut down, and cast into the fire: as our Saviour Christ said by the withered fig tree. But contrariwise happeneth it unto the good trees, which though they be well shaken and beaten for to gather the fruit, yet are they neither cut down nor destroyed. 
Luc. 13. Math. 7.  Our Lord likened men unto trees, which when they be good, are persecuted, and when they be nought shall be burdened in hell fire.  
If thou be persecuted be not dismayed, but yield thanks to God, that hath admitted thee to be one of that number that he hath chosen for himself. Christ ●ym self was persecuted, so were all his ●oly Apostles, and all his friends. If thou ●uffer no persecution in this life, thou oughtest much therefore to be afraid ●●ste thy punishment be reserved for thee altogether unto the later end, when death ●hall cut thee down by the root: and do ●ot thou think that thou art the better beloved of God, for that he suffereth no persecution to fall on thee.  
Christ gave with his own hand unto ●udas his bread dipped in the liquor of ●he tender Lamb, 
Io. 15.  whereas his other disciples did eat their bread dry, without either liquor or levayne: yet was not judas therefore either the more favoured, ●he more holy, or the more perfect. And when thou likewise dost eat thy meat dressed delicately after the finest fashion, do not thou think thyself therefore to be better than the poor souls which do eat their bread dry.  
God dealeth his temporal benefits most liberally to the sinful wretches of the world, and showeth them outwardly the best favour. 
Io. 12.  Unto judas he gave the bag of money, and to his other disciples he gave the travail of preaching.  
Unto judas he gave the most savorye and the most easy part: but unto his well-beloved Apostles, he gave his unsavoury and hard persecutions.  
It is better to be poor with the Apostles, then to be rich with judas. 
Mar. 55  It is better to eat the bread of penance, amongst the disciples of Christ with sorrow and fear, 
Mar. Vlt.  then to live in the pleasure of vain joys amongst the servants of the devil.  
Take courage unto thee in thy persecution, and hearken what our Lord saith unto thee. 
Io. 15.  If they have persecuted me, they shall persecute you also. Thou must not think thyself to be better than jesus Christ, neither let it come at any time into thy thought that the same glory which his holy mother bought with so many afflictions and persecutions shallbe given unto thee, living after thine own will without any suffering thereof at all.  
That rest which the friends of God have gotten by suffering of much vexation, & many tribulations, shall not be given unto thee, living at thy pleasure, and revenging of thine injuries. Be not proud that thou hast no persecution, but take it rather as a most grievous persecution unto thee, that thou wert never persecuted.  
The physician suffereth the sick man to do what he will and to have his own lust in every thing, of whose recovery he is in utter despair: which he will not do unto him, of whom he hath good hope of amendment.  
It is a great show of thy damnation, if every thing come to pass as thou wouldest have it, and that thou hast thine own ●il in every thing as thou wouldest wish it. nappy is he to whom God is himself physician, by taking of his worldly comforts away. Happy is he that with patience ●●ceyueth at the hand of God adversity ●nd tribulation to cleanse his soul with 〈◊〉. 
Mat. 5.  Happy be they that for righteousness ●oe suffer persecution, for theirs is the ●●ngdome of heaven.  
Even as thou sufferest thyself with patience to be let blood, and to be ●urged for thy bodily health sake: so oughtest thou most joyfully to take persecution for the saving of thy soul: And ●oke not so much to the present pain ●hich thou sufferest, as unto the salvation ●hich thou seekest. Remember not so ●uch the present pain which thou feerst, as the reward which thou ●●okest ●fter.  
He that passeth over the Sea, and would ●ot be troubled with vomiting nor have ●is head to turn about with giddiness, ●et him cast his eyes toward the land▪ So must thou cast the eyes of thy mind ●oward heaven, the vearie true land of ●he living, and never look upon the troublesome waters of worldly persecution, neither cast so much in thy mind the present dangers of this tempestuous world, in which thou art now sailing, as ●he pleasant country of heaven, toward which tbou art going.  
saint Stephen in the persecution of those stones which were thrown at hy● lifted up his eyes toward heaven. 
Act. 7.  And y● thou wilt not be troubled, thou must think upon the reward which thou art to receive hereafter. Thou must suffer i● this life many persecutions, if thou wil● get the eternal life. This is the money which God maketh payment withal unto his servants here. With persecutions they be healed, & therewith be the spots of their sins wiped clean away.  
Some be so like unto little children, that they had rather be sick still, then take any pain to get their health again. Think it not better for thee to lie sick for ever in hell, then suffer in this life a short persecution for a tyme. The greatest glory of a Christian man is to suffer persecution for jesus Christ. 
2. Cor. 12.  S. Paul after he had been taken up into the third heaven by God himself, and there received many great graces and gifts at his hands, with sundry spiritual consolations, yet would he never glory in any thing but in his infirmities and persecutions.  
A gentleman will sooner boast himself of those hurts which he hath received in the wars, and in the things which he hath done in his masters service, than he will in the favours and gifts which he hath bestowed on him. So should a good servant of jesus Christ glory more in his persecutions suffered for his master Christ, 
Mat. 5.  then in any other ●races and gifts which he receiveth at ●is hand:.  
Let thy glory be in the cross of thy ●●rde, and in thy suffering for him, for if ●ou wilt take part with him in suffering of persecution, thou shalt after en●ye with him the fruits of thy travails.   

WORLDLY FAVOURS DO keep a man from knowing of himself, and do so drive him into pride, that he loseth thereby the grace of God, and his celestial gifts, except they be tempered with humility & knowledge of himself. CHAP. 30.  
A MAN was a great man (saith the scripture) and highly favoured of his master Assuerus, 
Hester. 3.  But what profit took he by all the favours and benefits that Assuerus bestowed on him. They served him to ●o other end, but to be the instruments of ●is own fall and perdition.  
Thy soul must needs run into great hazard amongst these worldly favours, when as the favours which God bestowest upon his own especial servants be 〈◊〉 without danger. Our nature being 〈◊〉 weak through the evil inclination▪ that is in it, doth often take harm even by those favours, which God himself giveth us.  

Mat. 16.  Christ praised Saint Peter, callings him happy, for that the father of heaue● had revealed unto him that which 〈◊〉 most confidently pronounced of him. Yet 〈◊〉 much was he blinded with that favour received at God's hands, that within a whil● after he sought to have hindered the blessed passion of our redeemer, for the which he was worthily rebuked at our Lorde● hand. Now if through our own evil handling, w● do take harm of these favours which we have at Gods own hands: what effect is the favour of the world like to work in us?  
The favours that joseph received of his masters in Egypt, were but as occasions and means to make him offend God, and to cast away his soul: and think thou not that humane favours can serve thee to any other end.  
They are of the nature of wine which stil● fumeth up to the head, therefore it is necessary for us, that these worldly favours be tempered with water (which they do power upon us, and (as it were) delay withal the heat of our temporal favours) that by murmuring and grudging against 〈◊〉 do cause that these favours of prince's 〈◊〉 worldly honours, do not fume into 〈◊〉 heads to make us drunk therewith. 〈◊〉 because we should not be puffed up 〈◊〉 much with superfluous praises and favours of the world, the providence of God ●●th so ordained, that we should sometime 〈◊〉 bitten by slanderous detractors, to the ●●d that when the tongue of the flatterer ●●th made us overmuch to rise up in the ●●king of ourselves, the tongue of the ●●ckebiter and murmurer might as much ●●ayne depress us and humble us.  
Reprehensions and mislykinges of men ●●e bring us to the knowledge of our ●●lfe. The favour of the people entering ●●nce into our soul taketh away from us ●●e light of reason, whereby we might ●●owe ourselves.  
He that is overmuch favoured, is know●● of all other men, but yet he knoweth ●ot himself: but he that is disfavoured ●nd liveth in disgrace, knoweth himself ●nd is not known of other men. It is ●uch better that a man know well him●●lfe, then to be known of all other men, ●nd not known to himself: and more ●arme doth a man take by favour, then by disfavour: and more hurtful is love then ●ate unto him. Hate is one kind of persecution to a man, and persecutions be profitable because they do humble a man, ●nd make him to know himself: but ●oue doth make a man blind, and taketh from him the knowledge of himself, 〈◊〉 for that cause is it better to be persecute then favoured. In persecution thou shal● find God: and in favours thou shalt lo●● him: and do not think, that because th●● art favoured and dost live in the prosp●●ritie of this world, that thou art therefore any thing the better beloved of God.  
Remember what the Gospel saye●●▪ Forget not that in thy life thou rec●●●uedst thy joy, 
Luke. 16.  and Lazarus his woe, 〈◊〉 now must Lazarus be comforted and th●● tormented. If in this life thou hast fa●● and honour, thy salvation is thereby th● more in hazard, and it is a token that th●● art not appointed to be an heir of th● joys of heaven. The laws do not all●● that a bastard son should enter as hey●● into 〈◊〉 father's possessions.  
Abraham gave gifts unto Ishmael and 〈◊〉 the rest of his children, the inheritance of his patrimony remaining whole 〈◊〉 Isaac his true heir and successor. 〈◊〉 those which do degenerate from G●● (their true Father) by vicious and lew●● living, he bestoweth only upon them 〈◊〉 gifts of this world, which be honour an● riches.  
They which most of all do enjoy th●● world with the offending of God, and th● are set aloft therein by having of ma● honours and dignities, are after exclud●● from the inheritance of glory which 〈◊〉 reserved for the good, who despising 〈◊〉 ●●●●ors of this world, do hope as lawful ●●res to be admitted to the inheritance heaven. And the worldly folk must intent themselves with their worldly ●●tes, without further hoping for any ●●●er prefermente in the inheritance of ●●●uen. Do not thou marvel if the ●●●ked do flourish in this world, for our ●●ristian Religion doth promise here no ●●●or, but contempt and despising. The ●●●ked men have nothing in heaven: nei●●●r have the good men any thing in this ●●rld. Esteem not thou the favour there●● but as the good servant of jesus Christ, strecte with patience that glorious day, which thou mayest enjoy the everlasting treasure of heaven.   

●HE BEST AND THE REAdiest way for the wynninge of Paradise, is to suffer persecutions and tribulations in this world, & for that purpose be they sent us by God, that we may be purged by them, as gold is purged by the fire. CHAP. 31.  
THROUGH many tribulations must we enter into the kingdom of God (saith the scripture. 
Act. 14. Psal. 60· Prou 13. ) Suffer with patience tri●●●ations and afflictions: for our Lord sayeth: I am with thee in thy tribulation▪  
Tribulation is the faithful mess●●●ger of God, which carrieth health and ●●●●uation with it. And as he that doth i●●●rie unto an embassator of a king or a 〈◊〉 man, doth also injury to him that se●● him: So doth he offend God, that is gr●●ued at his tribulations. And God will p●●nish them, 
2. Re. 20.  as David punished Amon, 〈◊〉 dishonouring the messengers that he se●● unto him.  
Tribulation is to man as the file is 〈◊〉 iron, the fan to the corn, and as 〈◊〉 fire is unto gold. Deal mercifully wi●● Zion (O Lord) that the walls of Hie●●●salem may be builded up, 
Psal. 50.  sayeth the pr●●phete unto God.  

1. Pet. 2.  S. Peter calleth us the stones of 〈◊〉 And thou canst not serve for a stone 〈◊〉 that glorious building in heaven abo●● except thou be first well squared he●● and made just to lie in the foundation 〈◊〉 the workman, who useth these tribul●●tions, as hammers and edge tools to bri●● thee to a right level and a perfect squ●●● and the persecutors be they which 〈◊〉 make the wall, and are appointed of G●● to be the masters of that work. He therefore that will not be persecuted, will 〈◊〉 dwell in the heavenly Jerusalem in 〈◊〉 glory everlasting.  
King David was a better king then hollomon his son was, for the father 〈◊〉 know to be saved, but of the son, 〈◊〉 opinion remaineth doubtful, and yet ●●●ids life was all full of affliction, tears, 〈◊〉 tribulations: but salomon's was all ●●●trary, who lived always in peace and prosperity. Tribulation put David's life ●●ssurance, and prosperity put salomon's ●●●ation in doubt.  
Tribulation lighteneth the vnder●●●●ding. 
Gene. 42.45.  joseph was not known to his ●●thers when he honoured them and made ●●em good cheer, but when he wept and ●●●ented upon them, than was he by and made known unto them. And therefore doth God give to thee tribulation, ●●cause thou shouldest know him, since ●●en he maketh much of thee, thou wilt ●●t know him at all. And because thou ●●●epest so soundelie and forgettest God, 〈◊〉 taketh from thee, the pleasure and de●●ght wherein thou layest so much at thine ●●se before, and sendeth thee some trou●●es to make thee start out of thy sleep withal, to the end that thou mayest the ●etter remember thyself, & acknowledge ●ym. So did David deal with Saul, 
1. Re. 26.  when ●e took from him his spear, and his ●essell of water, & so made him to awake, ●nd afterward he acknowleged his fault. Be not thou overmuch grieved, when God taketh thy worldly comforts from thee, ●or he doth it but for thy greater benefit.  
Thou shalt recover by tribulations ●hy sight again, 
Tob. 11.  as Tobias did by the gall of the fish. When the wild bull is coursed with in the lists, if happily 〈◊〉 one do walk by without any care himself, yet if he see the bull co●● running toward him, he will strait by him out of his way, although that thought himself never so safe and 〈◊〉 before: So doth God send thee tribulation in this life, to the intent that thou may●● have good regard unto thyself, & may●● put thyself in safety, by turning 〈◊〉 self unto him, and taking him for t●● safeguard. 
Psal. 15.  The psalm saith thou didd●●● multiply their miseries and infirmities▪ after they made haste unto thee. I● as favours and felicities, do make th● go away from God, so do tribulation make thee draw near unto him. In tribu●lation (saith the Prophet) he called vpo● God. 
Psal. 119.  The more that the waters of th● flood did increase, 
Gene. 1.  so much more was th● Ark of Noah lifted up, and the more th●● the children of Israel were afflicted 〈◊〉 Egypt, 
Exod. 1.  so much more did they increase 〈◊〉 multiply. So the waters of tribulation do● lift us upward toward God, and by the● is our merit increased, and grace aug●mented.  
Take therefore a delight in tribula●tions, for it is a vearie ready way for the● unto heaven. 
Act. 9  The first thing that God wrought in the conversion of S. Paul was to make him blind, and throw him down to the ground, to give us thereby to understand, that the first beginning of 〈◊〉 true serving of God, cometh by tri●●●●tion. The corn and the chaff re●●ne both in the floor together: Even 〈◊〉 this world are good men, and evil ●●ed together in company. But when ●●ynde of tribulation bloweth up, the ●●ked are blown away, and scattered ●●ugh anger and impatience, and the ●●●d are thereby united and joined to●●er. That which doth hurt unto evil 〈◊〉, doth good unto the just.  
By much beating, at last, the black ●he is turned to be white. If good men ●●gather any spot of sin through to ●●●h favour and prosperity of the world, ●●●n adversity cometh, it taketh it clean ●●●y from them. The chastisement of 〈◊〉 in this life, is like unto the correcti●●● of a pitiful father, who ever i● his ●●●ishmente remembreth mercy withal. 〈◊〉 the punishment of the next world is ●●●hout all participation of mercy, ac●●●ding to that which the Prophet said ●o God. 
Psal. 2.  Thou shalt rule them with thy 〈◊〉 of iron, and thou shalt break them in ●●ces like unto the vessels of clay. y. Choose then rather to be afflicted and persecuted in this world, seeing thou mayest by so short a suffering, gain thyself thereby perpetual rest in heaven.   

OUR BEING OVERDO CAREFV●● for matters of this world, (beside it showeth diffidence in gods prom●●● made unto us,) it letteth and hynder us, from our spiritual exercises wi●● we ought most to attend unto. CHAP. 33.  

Mat. 6.  BE not ye careful for which you shall eat drink, nor take you thought for that w●●●● you shall were on 〈◊〉 backs, saith our redeems Much vain carefulness about temp●●● things doth overchardge our spirit● wings, by the which our soul 〈◊〉 fly up to the contemplation of thi● eternal.  
God made man such as he should be 〈◊〉 to understand and know his chi●● good and final felicity, that by the ●●●derstandinge thereof, he might love and by loving of it, at the last enjoy which he loved, from the enjoying w●●● of we be kept by the overmuch 〈◊〉 and love of these worldly things. 
Exo. 12.  If children of Israel had been careful abo●● that which they should have eaten, dro●● or worn, when they should have 〈◊〉 ●●o the desert they would never have gone ●●t of Egypt, nor never have entered into ●●e land of promise. If thou wilt enter ●●to the land of promise, thou must cut 〈◊〉 the superfluous cares of these transitory things.  
And the greatest part of those He●●ewes, 
Num. 11.  which were by god's mercy delivered from the bondage of Egypt, because ●●ey were to careful, (after they were 〈◊〉 men into the desert) for their food and ●●e provision for their belly, longing still ●●ter flesh meat, and their old good fare 〈◊〉 Egypt: they died in the wilderness, and ●euer obtained their desire in the entering ●●to the rich fruitful land which was promised them.  
Labour thou not for temporal things, ●nd thou shalt win erernal things. And ●oe not seek too greedily after these ●●sible things, lest that thou do lose the ●●inges invisible.  
Unto certain men, (that had so much ●●re of their own matters, that they for●●t gods causes,) God himself said: because ye have attended with to much ●●re to your own houses, 
Ag. 1.  and have let ●●y house stand desert & forsaken, therefore shall not the heavens yield you any ●ater, nor the earth any fruit. It is but ●●eete & just they should want all things, ●hich forsake the maker of them, for their own worldly business.  
God compareth the life of the just, unto the birds of the air, aswell for th● little rest they have, and the small surety they find in the earth: As also because their ordinary abiding is aloft in high places. Hereof it is, that Christ reprehe●●dinge the careful life of worldly fo●●● reproveth them by the example of th● bird saying. Behold the birds of th● air, 
Mat. 6.  they neither sow, nor reap, no● gather into their barn, and yet our Lord● feedeth them, A fowl shame it were 〈◊〉 thee, to consume thyself with the care 〈◊〉 travailing after this fowl earthly muc●● when thou mayest with the same care g●● the sweet flowers of Paradis. Wh●● wrong dost thou unto thyself, to wea●● out & to tier thyself in seeking after thi● world, when thou mightest with as little travail find out heaven itself? Even fo● the very honour of thine heavenly father thou owghtest not so to do. For this ou●● great diligence and carefulness of th● son, doth as it were privily reprehend the necgligence & carelessness of the father about the provision of things necessary for his child. For when the child doth ta●● so much care, it argueth little care in th● father.  
Thou canst not therefore without so●● reproof to thy heavenly father, set thy care, & thy mind altogether about the●● temporal things, as though he had 〈◊〉 care at all to provide necessaries for hi● children. The birds of the air tarry n● ●●nger upon the earth, them their necessity ●●forceth them, the most of their life they ●●e spend ordinarily in the air above: ●nd if thou wilt escape the dangers of ●is life; thou must fly from the earth as ●●rre as thou canst. Thou must seek by ●●templation to get up to heaven, if thou ●ilt keep thee safe from taking harm on ●●e earth.  
When God created the birds and ●●e fishes, 
Gene. 1.  he gave unto them his benediction, but unto the brute beasts of the ●●rth he gave not his blessing at all: and he ●●at will get that blessing, which god doth ●●ue unto good men, must do his best to ●●e from all those dangers which he ●●ethe others to perish in. For unto those ●hich live disordynatlie on the earth, delighting in all earthly pleasures like unto ●●ute beasts, God will not give his blessing at all, but rather his malediction say●●ge, 
Mat. 25.  Go ye cursed of my father into ●●erlasting fire, which is prepared for ●●e devil and his angels.  
Seek to live like a bird on high prayer and contemplation, putting all ●●y care upon God, according to the saying, of the Apostle saint Peter. 
1. Pet. 5.  Put all your ●●●e upon God for he it is, that taketh care 〈◊〉 you all. So said the prophet. 
Psal. 93.  I am po●●e and needy, but our lord hath care of 〈◊〉.  
And if our lord have care of thee, ●ake 〈◊〉 thou too much thought & carefulness for these temporal things, which se●● for nothing, but to extinguysh in thy● heart the love of God. 
Luc. 8.  The carefulness 〈◊〉 riches doth suffocate the word of God 〈◊〉 thee. It is no marvel though the ge●●tiles & infidels lived still in care, beleui●● and trusting in fortune as they did: 〈◊〉 thou, which art a christian, & believest 〈◊〉 providence of God, oughtest not to be 〈◊〉 refull about temporal things: for th●● knowest that if thou dost that which longeth for thee to do, God will promi●● all that which is necessary for thy life.  
And if he maintain the birds whic● he created for man's use, will he not may●●teyne man also, which he made for hy● self.  
Make thine heart clean, and discharge it of all carefulness and exteriors business that thou mayest the easilier li●● it up to heaven. 
Io. 19  The distraction of th● heart cooleth the affection of love, & putte●● man into many temptations and danger of the devil. Our sensual part is ve●● strong, and must well be looked unto for it desireth by all means to satisfie● self in the vanities▪ and pleasures of 〈◊〉 world, whereby the understanding 〈◊〉 darkened, and the spiritie become● insensible, and every spiritual excercise unsavoury and without taste.  
Much business and occupations (although it be in things lawful) do bri●● a great distraction to the mind, whi●● ●ill hinder much, thy praying and devotion. For they will not suffer the most in●●arde parts of thy soul to gather them values together into any quiet, unity, ●nd accord.  
Exterior occupations do blind ●●e sight of our understanding, and do ●epriue us of our true light: he that will ●●yue himself wholly unto God, must separate himself from every worldly care, ●nd exterior occupation.   

HOW DECEIVABLE AND false the wisdom of the world is, which judgeth only by those things which appear good to the would, not considering how acceptable to God they be, and what reward they do deserve, which for the love of God despise all those things, which the world holdeth most dear. CHAP. 33.  
THAT which is foolishness before God, 
1 Cor. 3.  the men of the world esteem for high wisdom, sayeth the Apostle. The world accounteth him for a wise man, which best can cloak his own vices here amongst men, and so behave himself 〈◊〉 he can get the dignities and honours of th●● world, and those it holdeth no better th●● for very fools which despise all such va●nities.  

Srp. 5.  The wise man said in the person 〈◊〉 worldly folk. We have taken the 〈◊〉 of just men to be dishonourable and full 〈◊〉 folly. The world calleth them wise 〈◊〉 which desire these false honours, and be●stowe all their travail and labour in 〈◊〉 getting of them. And those that live 〈◊〉 to this world, the fond wisdom of 〈◊〉 world reputeth as dead folk: they are laughed to scorn of worldly men, although they had no wit in their heade●▪ The foolish wisdom of the world, knoweth not that the servants of Christ be like unto ●●ndles that be lighted, the which this world like a boisterous wind bloweth and putteth out: and therefore they that be good in it, do seek to hide themselves out of the way to be in the more safety: they care not for to show their holiness, but unto him whom they seek to please who is God himself, who beholdeth not the out side but looketh what is within.  
The wisdom of God is clean contrary to the wisdom of the world: Good men are little esteemed of worldly folk, & are much esteemed of God. The judgements of God be very far differing from the judgements of men. The world ●ooking only to that which appeareth on ●●e out side, taketh him only for happy ●hich is mighty and rich.  
When Samuel went about to anoint ●ne of the sons of isaiah to be king of Is●aell, 
1. Re 3.  he refused him whom the father esteemed most likely, and anointed David ●ing who was thought most unlikely ●mongest them all: and the other children of isaiah that most were esteemed of men, were rejected in the sight of God. They ●hat were accounted wisest amongst men, were taken for most ignorant before God, and he whom the world esteemed ●east, him did God choose to be king.  
He that hath a cause to plead before learned judges that can skill of justice, careth not much though he be first condemned by some ignorant judge before, because he knoweth that he shall after appeal before a learned judge, whose sentence he knoweth to be of force and available. Worldly men be such judges ●here of the good, and do condemn them for very fools and people of no value: and this sentence holdeth for good while this life lasteth, by which they be all condemned, and so do live here in this world like persons condemned and despised. The Princes of the world had never any better opinion of our holy Martyrs, seeing them die so willingly for their faith: and many wise men of the world esteemed for very madness, the wilful poverty and beggary which they saw ●●●ny good men sustain for the service 〈◊〉 Christ their master, who had suffered 〈◊〉 them so great and extreme poverty before.  

Act. 26.  A worldly wise man said unto S. Paul the Apostle. Thy much lerning● hath made thee mad. S. Paul made an●swere, I am not mad, I speak the word● of truth. And because that Festus did not understand the mysteries of the Apostle doctrine, he reputed him for a fool, as th● world doth now esteem all that for foolishness, which it neither comprehendeth▪ nor understandeth, for want of knowledge and practise therein. This is that judgement which the world giveth like a blind● and an ignorant judge, upon those which be good and just in the world. But when death cometh, the seruant●s of Christ shall appeal to God, that great learned and skilful judge, who knoweth well all their whole cause, And then shall he condemn that former false sentence of the world for unjust, & shall give himself a clean contrary sentence, which shallbe irrevocable, and never called back again▪ wherein he will pronounce, that the worldly men which flourished in this life, were vain and foolish: And those good 〈◊〉 which the world condemned, were 〈◊〉 wise and discrete.  
Therefore let it never grieve thee, that the world condemneth thy life, for thou ●●st thy remedy of appellation where ●●ou shalt have full restitution again. ●he day is at hand, in which the chief ●dge of all, will approve that, which the ●orld hath reproved.  
Do not thou therefore care for the worlds' condemnation. The redeemer of ●●e world was esteemed of worldly folk 〈◊〉 a fool, and for such a one they appalled him in Herodes house. The deep ●●d high wisdom of God, 
Luc. 23.  is reproved by ●●e world, as that which their blind eyes ●●ll not serve them to look upon. They condemn at their pleasure the good and ●●rtuous men of the world, but of their opinions take thou no regard, for soon all their vain judgements be confounded, and the true virtue made manifest.   

●HE WISDOM OF GOD exceedeth all the depth of man's wisdom, the wisdom of the world being foolishenes before God, and by the contemning of the world is that other wisdom gotten. CHAP. 34.  
IF any be wise amongst you, 
1. Cor. 3.  let him be as a fool, to the intent he may be wise, this sayeth the Apostle. There is not a higher point of wisdom then to become a fool for Christ. The wisdom of God which consisteth in true mortification and denying of ourselves, the world taketh for foolishness.  
The wise man sayeth, I am the most fool of all, 
Pro. 10. Luc. 16  and the wisdom of men is not with me. The children of this world be wiser than the children of light. And therefore said the wise man, that the wisdom of men was not with him, but the wisdom of Christ which the world esteemeth folly.  
The wisdom of Christ exceedeth all our understanding, and therefore the world calleth it folly, as we call commonly all that folly which exceedeth our capacity.  
The Captain in the field sometime so o●dreth his army, and setteth so his battle in array, contrary to the common custom, that the soldiers understanding nothing thereof, do take the enterprise for vain, and the Captain for a fool. And because the wisdom of God exceedeth all our capacities, it is called folly.  
As the wise man said in the person of worldly folk. The son of justice hath not shined upon us. 
Sapi. 5.  He speaketh not here of this material son, which shineth both alike, aswell upon the justice unjust: But they were not lightened from above, with the light of his high celestial wisdom, because the weak eyes of man's understanding, can not endure to behold the great light of god's wisdom. All the while that Moses was in egypt, 
Exo. 4.  he was both wise and eloquent with all, but when he was to speak unto God himself, he confessed his insufficiency of speech, for before God, the wisdom of man becometh stark dumb.  
Solomon was a vearie wise man, 
Prou. 3.  but comparing his wisdom with the wisdom of God, he called himself the most fool of all others.  
This is great wisdom in us, to despise the world for god. He knoweth much that knoweth how to save his own soul: and he his only wise, for all other are but foolish and ignorant. In the true despising of ourselves consisteth the altitude of Christian wisdom, And before this high wisdom, is every great knowledge very perfect ignorance.  
All though thou wert never so perfect in all the liberal sciences, what profiteth it thee, if thou be ignorant in thine own estate? That exterior knowledge, is to be accounted no knowledge in deed.  
Happy is that soul that is replenished with the wisdom of God, and perfect happy is he that seeketh to be wise before God, and maketh no account of the wisdom of this world. One drop of this wisdom of God is more worth, than all the huge Seas of worldly wisdom. In this school must thou study day and night, seeking for true mortification. The more that thou hast of true perfect knowledge the more ignorant thou shalt be towards the world, and as it were one dead in it.  

Gen. 32.  jacob after he had wrestled with the Angel, remained lame of one of his legs, and was after called Israel, which is as much to say as man that seethe God, and so he that seethe & knoweth God, must be lame outward to the world.  
If thou do see therefore worldly men going carefully, and diligently to get honour and worldly riches, do not thou marvel thereat, if they go not lamelie, nor haltinglie about that business, for they have but a small knowledge of God. The just men that do see God, as jacob did, through the knowledge that they have of our Lord, are as it were lame in the knowledge of earthly things, And those doth the world think fools, because they be wise before God.  
When the superior and chief part of thy soul, is full of the wisdom of God, by thy firm fixing of thy mind thereupon, it fareth by it, as by the moon, which in the conjunction thereof with the son, is so fully possessed with the beams and light thereof, that it casteth no part of her own light toward the earth. No more the soul of man, being fixed upon the love of God, and fast joined thereunto can have any light left in it, to cast or to bestow upon the earth, or earthly things, but hath that part clean empty, that should look that way. The fool (saith Ecclesiasticus) changeth like the moon, for leving the divine light, 
Eccl. 27.  and the clear shining of the son of justice, doth wholly convert himself, to the inferior things of the earth.  
This worldly wisdom is comfounded by the wisdom of Christ. 
Exod. 7.  The serpent of Moses devoured all the serpents of Pharaos' magitioners: So doth the wisdom of God swallow up and consume all the wisdom of the world.  
In the old law God promised riches and such things as men naturally do desire in the world, but there were at that time very few that would turn to the jewish religion, & the very true worship of god. 
1. Cor. 1.  But when our saviour of the world came, & promised unto men persecution & affliction (which men do naturally hate) all the world was converted unto God.  
The wisdom of God is of that force that it took the vearie weaklings of the world to convince the strong, and the ignorant to confute the greatest learned: 
Rom. 1.  unto the wisdom of God all things are subject. And they that called themselves wise, were the most fools of all, saith the Apostle.  
This wisdom would the devil take from thine understanding, 
1▪ Reg. 11.  as Amon would pulck out the right eyes of the Israelites which is the knowledge of heavenly things. The eyes of a wiseman be in his head, which is Christ himself, for the wiseman seeketh to know God, and in that knowledge doth exercise himself and take delight, according to the saying of Saint Paul: 
1. Cor. 2.  I confess that I know nothing but jesus Christ, and him crucified. Behold and read in that book, and let all thy exercise be in the reading of the Passion of jesus Christ, to the intent that by thy knowing of him here in earth, thou mayest afterward perfectly know him in heaven.   

OUR LIFE IS SHORT, AND passeth away like a wind, And it is less also than it seemeth to be, for it is no perfect life, but a shadow of the life to come. CHAP. 35.  

job. 14.  THE days of our life be short, (saith job) they pass away like flowers, and our years consume away like dew upon the face of the earth. 
jam. 4.  And S. james saith. That our life is but a vapour, which soon appeareth, and in a moment is gone again, And like a cloud in the air, which as soon as the sun shineth, is dispersed. This life so much esteemed amongst men seemeth for a time to make a stately show, and to carry great countenance in the world abroad, but what it is in truth, may easily appear by the casualties which it is subject unto. By how many infinite ways, is our life taken away from us: by any light distemperature casting us in some fever, or other infirmity, it is gone in an instant, and into Ashes soon is tha● converted, which was so highly esteemed of men before.  
What is the time of our life, 
job. 7.  but even a pufte of wind? It passeth like a post, and as a jest that never returneth again.  
Even as a lightning in the air, that in the twinkling of an eye is vanished away, so passeth away both the life & the glory of this world: 
Eccl. 3.  Unto vanity is every creature subject.  
Reckon up all the days, the months, and the years, of your life, and tell me where they be now? They are all passed away like a shadow, and like a spider's web, that is blown away with the wind so is all thy work perished. There is nothing stable here upon the earth, of which Adam, & all his progeny are form.  
There is nothing shorter than life, which carrieth death about with it, It is both short and miserable, which goodmen do sustain with patience, and wicked men do love with delight. But for all their much loving of it, they cannot enjoy it, any long tyme. We do all die, 
2 Re. 14.  and as water that runneth and never returneth again, so run our days away, saith the scripture.  
There is no stream that runneth so fast away as the life of man doth: the water streams never turn back again, and the days which are passed are not to be called again, the time that thou hast lost is unrecoverable.  
Thou mayest sit like another Toby upon the river bank of Tigris, 
Tob. 6.  and by the fierce running of that swift stream thou mayest well consider the swift running of thine own life away. That river hath his name of his swift running, and yet is not the course thereof so swift as is the course of thy life, which hasteneth thee on so fast to thy grave.  
In the consideration of this fast running stream mayest thou well wash the feet of thy soul's affections. In this contemplation mayest thou wipe away the filth of this earthly love, that so cleaveth unto thee by means of thy worldly business.  
The life of man is but a deceivable dream. 
Psal. 115  The prophet sayeth▪ I said in my spirit that every man is a liar. And according to the translation of the seventy interpreters, 
Psal. 38.  David said not: That every man is a liar, but that every man is a lie: the very life of man is a lie: It is not that in deed which it seemeth to be, it seemeth long, and is very short. Because I believed, I had knowledge of myself, and was humbled.  
In an image doth man pass away. An image is but a figure of the truth, and this life is not a true life, it is but a figure of life, and a shadow of death: it is not that which it seemeth, it is but only a shadow of the truth: It is an appearance of life▪ which runneth in such haste, that it is unpossible to be restrained or held back. And as our life runneth daily away from us toward our end, so with our life runneth also away all our honours, riches, and pleasures, which waited on our life, like an unseparable shadow. The sinful delight which was taken in them, is then at an end, but then begin the torments due for the sins committed by them, which never shall have end. The odds whereof is very great: the delight but short▪ and the torment everlasting.  
What thing is their in this world stable and permanent? Riches, honours, and pleasures, how soon be they gone? Hear what holy job saith. My life is short, 
Io●. 9  and my days pass like a post away. For as a post is no sooner comen, but that he is strait gone again, so is our life soon come, and soon gone again. With our youth, doth all our beauty pass away, and shortly after passeth away and perisheth all that ever we delighted in beside.   

SO GREAT IS THE LOVE OF God toward us, that this life here being full of sorrows and afflictions, He of his goodness hath shortened it, that we may soon be rid of these infelicities and miseries. CHAP. 36.  
MAN is borne to travail, (saith job. 
job. 5. ) In weeping we begin our life: in travail do we continue it: and in pain do we part with it. That sentence was given by God upon our father Adam, 
Gene. 3. job. 7.  that in the sweat of our brows, we should eat our bread. And since the whole life of a man is nothing but a continual travail and labour upon the earth, God of his great love toward man hath so appointed it, that the time thereof is much shortened and abridged, to the end that we may labour but for a short tyme.  
The mercy of God is such, as he will not have our labours and travails to endure for any long time, neither consenteth he to any great continuance of them. And where as we live like banished men in this life, he condescended of his great goodness towards us, to make short the time of our bannyshement. And whereas he hath made us, to be partakers of his joy with him, And that our glory and proper country is in heaven above, he would not have us to be long from him, but is as desirous to have us with him, as some one man that is so far in love with another, that he can not live one hour without the sight of him. In the shortening of our life, he hath showed how much he hath loved us.  
Also he would that for our benefit, our life should be shortened, because that men should despise this short life, & love the life eternal: job said unto God: 
job. 7.  Pardon me (O lord) for my days be nothing. Because job saw that his days were nothing in deed, he began to ask pardon of God, and to do penance.  
Many live so, as they should never lie, being so occupied in the vanities of this life, as though it were given them to do nothing else in. Whereas it is given in deed by God, to be well employed, and to be spent about his business, and in providing for the life to come. He is worthy surly of just reproof, that thinketh here of any other thing, than the getting of that life which endureth for ever.  
If thou but considerest the shortness of this life, and weigh'st withal the eternity of the other, thou wilt easily be led to despise this present life. God seeing how the malice and naughtiness of men increased, and that many took courage to offend him, upon the confidence of long life and time of repentance: he determined to cut it shorter, because they should not grow to bold in sinning upon trust of their long life. And because the long time which he had granted man to live, and to do penance in was abused, he abridged i●, for he saw well, that it served to no other end (as it was used by man) but for the multipliing and increase of sin.  
When men lived more simply in the beginning of the world, God granted them long life, but when he saw them use it evil, and that iniquity increased thereby, he made there time shorter. The Prophet saith talking with God. 
Psal. 89.  Thou hast set our iniquities in thy presence, and our age before the light of thy countenance. All our days were shortened, and in thine anger were we brought low. After seventy years be past, our days shallbe but even like unto a spider's web.  
The Prophet saith, that for our sins God shortened our life. The misery and brevity of our life, doth the Prophet here express, by the comparaison of the spider, which with great travail and pain, weaveth a fine & a delicate web, which afterward a small blast of wind breaketh, and taketh quite away. And so our life which is with so much labour sustained, as soon as any blast of sickness or infirmity cometh, is strait taken away from us, and therefore so short and so transitory a thing as that is, is not inordinately to be loved or esteemed.  
This life is not heavenly, but earthly, it is not our country, but our bannyshement, God will not suffer it to be perpetual, but vearie short. This life hath an end, but that life where God inhabiteth with his elect, hath no end.  
A fond fellow were he, that would not have his journey soon at an end, to be at rest in his own country: and he that taketh pain, and laboureth hard here in this present life, is very vain and foolish if he desire not to be at quiet rest for ever with Christ, in the most joyful dwelling place of heaven.  
What slave is there any where so much made of, but that he would yet gladly be at his own home? And who is he that liveth in a dark dungeon, but would willingly be where he might see light? This world is not our country, but a Babylonical prison, and who so desireth long life, desireth a long imprisonment. And he that desireth old age, desireth a long infirmity, and where no true life is, there oughtest thou to long for death. Death serveth us as a medicine for the travails sustained in this life, which never have end, but when our life endeth: and he that must needs depart hence, better it is that he go betime then tarry to long.  
Happy is he that beareth this life with patience, and desireth, by death 〈◊〉 come unto a better. And happy is that soul, unto which God granteth rest in the life perdurable. God is good in all his works, who hath here shortened this life, for thine own good and commodity, that thou mayest the sooner come to the life eternal.   

INNUMERABLE BE THE dangers, unto which this life of man is subject, and in how much higher state he liveth here, into so many more trowbles and dangers is he brought by means of them. CHAP. 37.  

Psa. 102.  HIS days flourished like the flower in the field: sayeth the prophet David, speaking of the life of man. To how many dangers is the flower in the field subject unto? The son burneth it: the wind drieth it up: man treadeth it down: the beast eateth it up: the water overfloweth it: the heat withereth it away.  
What tongue can declare the dangers that man is subject unto and the perils that his life daily runneth in. A little ●●row consumeth him, Sickness maketh 〈◊〉 end of him, The Sea drowneth him: ●●finite be the inconveniences, and innumerable be the means, by which his life ●ay be taken away from him when he ●●ast thinketh thereon.  
job said: My days do pass away as ship laden with apples, 
job. 9  & more lightly ●oe they go away, than the post that traveleth by the way: they fled apace away, ●nd saw not any good at all. He said tru●y that his days passed faster away than the ●ost, for run the post never so fast, yet ●ust he stay sometime by the way to take ●is repast in eating and drinking, and ●ome time must he bestow also in slee●ing. But the days of man are always ●n their course, and never stay one whit, ●ut always run on a pace toward d●●th: ●hen thou sleepest, when thou wakest: all ●he times, hours, and moments of thy ●●fe, thou runnest with all speed toward ●eath.  
job likeneth also his life to a ship. The ship was not made to lie still at an ●●cker, but to sail, and to travail from port, to port: no more waist thou made to continue still in pleasures and delight, ●ut to the end that by thy travail and pain taking, thou mayest at last come unto the quiet port of salvation. And as the ship saileth with great swiftness, and ●ea●eth no print of the place which she passeth by: so passeth our life away without any stay at all and leaveth no memo●● of us after we be gone.  
What is become of all the kings 〈◊〉 princes that have lived in the world. 〈◊〉 paste lightly away, and left no token behind them of their being here at all.  
The dangers also of a ship sailing in the sea be not few nor small: she stry●keth against the rock & spliteth asunder The tempest cometh and overwhelmeth her, The Rovers come and spoil 〈◊〉 And lastly set her on fire. But if thou co●●sider now the dangers in which tho● livest, thou shalt find thyself enuiron●● with many more sorts of infirmities an● dangers, than the ship is. The ship parte●● from the haven with a prosperous wind setting up her sails, and all her streamers with great jollity & mirth. But after 〈◊〉 hath sailed a while, she striketh upon 〈◊〉 rock, and then is all the mirth turned in●● mourning. So when man is borne, an● entereth first into the world, the friends 〈◊〉 parents make a great feast & solemnity thereat, but all is in vain: For when by some chance or infirmity he dieth th●● doth all the mirth and joy determine 〈◊〉 take end again, by sorrow & lamentation▪ In the mornying (saith David) he flor●●shed, 
Psal. 89.  and withereth again at night.  
The ship sayeth job is laden wi●● apples, and not with iron or lead, 〈◊〉 any other ware of weight. The days 〈◊〉 man be freight likewise with much 〈◊〉 vain stuff, which is of no value, neither leaveth any good memory behind, but a small smell of fame, like unto rotten Apples, whose scent is soon gone, and quickly forgotten.  
From the dangers and mishaps of this miserable short life, can no man scape, be he never so great. But rather they which carry the greatest ports, and be of highest degrees in this world, do suffer most dangers, and endure most sorrows in it. The hearts of Princes & great men, have many a thorn in them, which are covered upon with very rich array and costly apparel.  
Their life is full of heaviness and care. And the mighty men of the world, lie they never so soft in their delicate dainty beds, yet carry they oft to bed with them, an heavy heart, and a suspicious mind: Neither much delight or favour can they take in their ordinary pleasures, they be so cloyed with the common use of them: But when troub●es and misfortunes do come, their part is greater in them then other men's is, because they have been always now sealed in pleasures and delights, and through the long lordly liberty which they have lived in, they think that they were not borne for those adversities.  
The mean sort of people, may better abide tribulation when it cometh & take more comfort therein, because they are more enured with affliction. And great men do as little escape dangers, as the other, but rather of the two do taste of them more often than they. But unto all sorts of men in general, God would that this life should be troublesome & dangerous, because they should seek after the life that he hath created them for, which is the eternal life of heaven.   

THE TIME OF OUR LIFE being short & uncertain, we ought not to prolong our penance, lest we be taken by death unprovyded, and so swallowed up by the devil in to hell. CHAP. 38.  

Ec●l. 5.  BE not slack in turning unto our Lord, neither defer penance from day to day, for suddenly shall the anger of God fall upon thee, and in the day of vengeance shall it destroy thee: sayeth Ecclesiasticus. Thou oughtest to do thy penance quickly, seeing thou hast not one hour of life sure for thee to live 〈◊〉. God sayeth: I will not the death of a sinner, 
Ezech 33.  but that he should be converted and live. God doth here promise thee pardon, when thou dost ask it, but he promiseth thee not, to morrow to ask it in: why puttest thou of thy penance for a time, which perhaps thou shalt never live to see.  
He that is of great wealth, and hath fair inheritance of his own, what matter is it though he do spend some of his movable goods? But he that hath no more than he getteth day by day▪ and must also give a reckoning to his master of that: to what purpose should he be lavish in spending? Wilt thou then, that hast not one day certain to live, expect for the year that is yet coming to make thy penance in? Thou which art so poor of time, that thou hast not one hours life of certainty to reckon upon, wilt thou so liberally promise to thyself many year to live? Cast not the time away which i● given thee: make not thou to light account thereof: remember that thou art but poor and miserable, And it may chance that even this day there shall a strait account be asked of thee how thou hast spent the time which hath been given thee for to do thy penance in.  
Thy life is in the same danger that the sheeps life is in, which is in the wolves mouth, and all the help thou hast, is to bleat for Christ the true shepherd, except thou wilt strait ways be swallowed up by death. Do not promise unto thyself any long life. The wiseman saith, 
Eccl. 2.  An unjust promise hath undone many that have put trust therein. 
Act. 1.  Do not ye know how our lord saith, That the father hath put all time in his sons power God hath not put the time into thy power but into his. The prophet saith in the psalm. The time is for thee to work (O lord) for they have destroyed thy law. 
Psa. 118.  Except thou do use well this time, God will shorten the days of thy life. At noah's time God granted unto man, 
Gene. 6.  an hundred and twenty years to do his penance in, but because he used the time that he gave him so evil, at the fludd he cut twenty of them clean away.  
So shalt thou be cut of quickly to, if thou usest thy time evil.  
The health of the body is gotten by little, and little, because it is not of any necessity that health should come upon a sudden unto any man: But the health of the soul, which is a thing of necessity unto man, may be gotten at an instant, and of the time thou hast but only an instant, which shall yet suffice thee for thy conversion unto God.  
Defer not thou thy penance for many years, since it is gods will that thou shouldest be converted in a moment. Prolong not that work, which God would have done, lest there may happen some impediment to thee, that may keep the altogether from the doing of it. Tarry not until to morrow, for it may be, he will call to day for an account. Be diligent then, to do well, since thou art so near unto death. This life was given thee to the end, that with these troubles thou mightest buy eternal rest.  
He that taketh any work to do in haste, and bindeth himself to the doing of it by a certain day, he dispatcheth his hands of all other business, until that which he hath undertaken be done, for the keeping of his credit.  
The time of this present life our Saviour calleth the day in which we have to work, 
john. 9  for when the night of our death doth once come on, there can no man work any longer, he can then neither gain, neither lose: This life is the time that thou receivedst of God to merit the other in. Have thine eye unto this work, which is now in thine hand, and if the world call on thee, and would have thee go about any other work, thou must not hearken thereunto: and if it bid thee forsake this work, and take his work in hand, promising thee for thy labour, honours, riches, and pleasures: tell him again that thou canst not, for thou knowest not when the time of thy life shall have an end. Make haste and leave not one jot of thy business to do, because the time draweth on in which thy life shall be examined, and according to thy work shalt thou receive thy payment.  
The falcons toward night be greedy, and labour hard to get their proye, for that the time of proyeng is paste with them when night cometh. Thou must remember also, that the time of thy working here is but short, and that it is meet for thee to use all careful diligence to get heaven, by sighing, sorrowing, and praying, and all the means that thou canst use.  
There be very many that do but little consider, that the days of our penance do pass away a pace, neither do bethink them that the time of their salvation slippeth even through their fingers. A wonderful thing it is to see any man so negligent, going in such haste toward his grave.  
If thou be negligent in seeking the salvation of thy soul, thou mayest hap to be handled as that Levite was, 
judg. 19  which at the intercession of his father in law departed late to his house, and not coming home in due time, was by means thereof grievously abused and injuried. Thou owghtest strait way to do thy penance, and not hearken to any that would withhold thee, or detain thee: lest when thou art going onward in thy way, thou be overtaken with the dark night of death, and then thou be forced to take up thy lodging in hell, and so canst not come at all to rest thee in thine own lodging, which is heaven, toward which thou wert walking.  
Get thee therefore about thy business betime, & do thy penance here, whilst thou hast time and place, that thou mayest after rest at ease in thine own house, and not be taken tardy by the way as thou art going.   

A MAN ought TO convert himself to God, and to do penance, while he is in health, and not differre the doing of it until the hour of death, for at that time penance is many times unprofitable. CHAP. 39  
THIS is the time that is acceptable to God: 
1. Cor. 6.  these be the days of salvation: In all things let us behave ourselves as the servants of God, in much patience in tribulation, necessities, and afflictions: This said the Apostle to the Corinthians. In the time therefore of thine health and best lust, turn thyself unto God: for when the great floodds of water do compass thee about on every side, that is to say, 
Psal. 31.  when the storms of great sorrows shall come upon thee, and the fear of death be present with thee, thou shalt not for fear be able to make thy conversion perfect. The prophet saith, They that have in their life time gone far of, from God, shall not at their death, draw near unto him.  
And the Prophet isaiah saith, In the time that was acceptable to me, 
Esa. 49.  I have heard thee, and in the time that thou wast to work thy salvation in, I have given thee my help. The time of working of thy salvation, is here in the state of this present life: Which time thou must not let pass away from thee: for though it be short, yet mayest thou merit eternal rest thereby: every thing hath his tyme. There is a time to laugh, 
Eccl. 3.  and a time to weep. The time of weeping and doing of penance, is here in this life: The time of joy cometh after this life, which thou dost seek after: and contrition of thy sins which thou knowest to be a thing so necessary to get thy salvation by, proceedeth from the love of God, which thou mayest not well look for at the hour of thy death, if thou have offended God all the time of thy life. although that a man at that time, do weep never so much, it is to be thought, that he doth it rather for the fear of hell, then for the love of God: which fear is not enough to justify a sinner, and therefore is penance at that time for the most part unprofitable. He that loved not God, when he had his own free disposition of himself to love him: much less will he love bym, when he is in great sorrow and affliction, & hath the fear of death and hell still present with him.  
The passions of melancholy do more strongly work in the mind of a man, then do those which do come of any pleasant or delectable cause. Now if a short delectation doth hinder the use of reason, much more will then an extreme sorrow confound the judgement: and amongst all other sorrows, the sorrow of death is most strong & terrible, the fear whereof will so darken reason within thee, that thou shalt not then turn thee unto God, when thou hast served the world all thy life before. Thine understanding can never behold two objects perfectly at one time, and then shall sorrow so make thee to shake & to tremble, that thou shalt scarce once lift up thine heart to God. 
Eccl. 8.   
The wiseman saith, It is not in man's power to retain his spirit within him, neither hath he the day of his death in his own hands. The habit or custom of a thing, is such a kind of quality, as hardly is put away from a man. And then shall thine evil custom draw thee on the one side, and grievous temptations shall move thee on the other side, and then shall thine adversary be most busy about thee, knowing well that if he lose thee at that time, he is never like to lay hold on thee again. And therefore maketh he his fiersest assaults at that time, so as those whom he hath often given over in their life time, he hath sought earnestly to win again at the hour of their death: whom if he do gain then, he is ●uer of the● for ever after. And such kind of of temptations seemed in comparaison nothing at all.  
And if thou couldst not in the time of thy best health and strength, resist his small temptations: how wilt thou being weak and feeble, withstand so fierce & grievous temptations? What hope mayest thou have of winning, when thyself art most weak, and thine enemy most strong? When thou art in health and in good state of body wilt thou refuse to enter into the field against thine enemy, and after come to offer thyself into the lists against him, being all feeble, and full of sorrow and heaviness?  
Now, since thou knowest not but that thou mayest be brought into that case to morrow, follow my council, and strait ways without delay, go about to do penance, and to be sorry for thy sins. King David said to God himself: In death who shall remember thee (O lord▪) He answereth again saying. He that liveth shall confess & praise thee (O lord:) not he that is dying, but he that is living shall remember thee (O my God. 
Eccl. 12. ) Hear what the wiseman sayeth: Remember thy creator in the time of thy youth, before that the son of thine understanding be darkened, and the stars of thy senses be decayed.  
It seemeth often, that such men's penance is but false and feigned, for that they be seen soon after their recovery, to return to those faults, which they were accustomed to before: And to revenge them of such injuries and offences as they have pardoned and forgiven before. And if the intent of their penance had been perfect and good, they would never have returned so easily to their evil customs again. Necessity enforceth such unto virtue. If thou forsake not sin, until thou canst sin no longer, then doth sin forsake thee, and not thou it.  
When the merchant throweth his goods over board into the Sea, he throweth them away of necessity to save himself: but when the storm is past, he seeketh how to get his goods again: Neither would he ever have cast them away if he had not been endangered by them. Suc● kind of noble liberality, have those men been likewise constrained to use at their death: who have had their heart in servile subjection unto the world all their whole life.  
It seemeth a thing half impossible, that a worldly man standing upon the point to die, should more think upon God, the● upon hell. If thou have judgement, thou wilt soon perceive the error wherein thou livest by prolonging of thy penance.  
Amongst all vanities, that is one of the greatest, to differre penance unto the vearie last hour: And he that doth not his penance forthwith doth put it of, unto the last hour, for what knoweth he, but that his last hour may be before to morrow come. And since thou knowest not whether thou shalt live until to morrow or no▪ thine hour being ●o uncertain, turn thee betime to amendment of thy life, lest by deferring of it until the end, thou mayest be suddenly taken with death when thou wouldest seek for time & place to do thy penance in, and canst after find none.   

A DISCOURSE HOW NO man ought in this life to put trust in any worldly thing, shewing that there is no assurance or stability in any worldly thing, but all things in this world are unstable, and full of vanity. CHAP. 40.  

Psal. 145.  PUT not thy trust in Princes, nor in the sons of men▪ for there is no safety to be found in them, saith the prophet: In no lively creature, nor noble parentage, or other dignity owghtest thou to put any trust, unless thou wilt be deceived, troubled, and disquieted, for all is full of vanity.  
Wherein trustest thou, o thou worldly man? Trust not in thy great force, since there have been so many valiant captains in the world, of whom we have now scarce any memory left to us. The scripture saith: That the mighty men, 
Sap. 6.  shall suffer mighty punishment. Vaunt not thyself in the vanity of thy great acts, and worthy deeds done by thee.  
It is a vearie folly, (thy life being so short as it is) to make stately palaces, when as our forefathers lived many years in simple and mean cottages. Iheremy saith, 
Iher. 2.  woe be unto him that buildeth his house upon unrighteousness.  
Esteem not of thy horses well set out and furnished, 
Amos. 6.  nor the vain pomps of this world, since God saith, woe be unto you that be rich in Zion, and do put your trust upon the hill of Samari●, and do enter so gloriously into the house of Israel.  
Set not your hearts upon banqueting and feasting, as many vain folk do, which do spend their days therein, and have no regard to the sentence that God pronounced upon Balthasar king of Babylon, nor remembreth not his words, 
Dan. 5.  saying, woe be unto you that rise up early to eat and drink, and to have pleasant music in your houses, and have no regard unto the works of our Lord.  
Trust not upon the nobility of thy kindred nor in the vanity of thy bodily beauty, since it is written: All outward grace, vanity and beauty, are deceitful. Do not put any confidence in the nimbleness and agility of thy body, nor in any other external thing, for in these things, the vearie brute beasts do go beyond thee, and exceed thee.  

2. Re. 2.  Asael, which ran like unto a wild dear of the wood, was slain in the following of Abner: And these outward graces and qualities of the body, have been to many men cause of their destruction and death.  
Make not any great account of thy learning and knowledge, for since no man living is comparable therein with the vearie devils themselves: who for all that their knowledge, cannot deliver themselves from the pains of hell. In nothing of this miserable world, do thou put any trust, for all is vanity and vearie mere folly.  
It is a great want of wisdom, to give judgement before thou dost hear both parties: And if thou do reckon all these wordly things for good, why thinkest not thou the things pertening to God, to be as good? Worldly men do give their sentence in favour of the world, approving and esteeming much of the muck of this earth, because they never hard that part which longeth to the spirit, once speak on god's behalf. They think the world to be good, neither hearing nor seeing any thing for gods part. saint Paul said, If thou didst: taste the sweetness of the spirit, 
Rom 8.  thou wouldest abhor all fleshly taste. And if thou didst but taste likewise of God, thou wouldst condemn, and utterly defy all the sin and the vanity in the which thou hast been content to lead thy life hitherto: And because thou knowest not the taste of gods dainty meats nor of his favorie food, thou takest liking in the bitter and harsh taste of this miserable world.  
Despise these vanities, and put thou no trust in the lying, nor in the deceit of this present world, that thou mayest get the eternal and true joys of heaven.   
The end of the first part.   

OF THE Contemning of the vanities of the world. The second part. Wherein is contained how perverse the worldly customs are.  

He showeth first the world to be full of deceit, false shows, and lying: and how it is enemy to all that love it, lading all those that do esteem it, with infinite miseries and calamities. CHAP. 1.  

1 Io. 1.  DO not love the world, neither the things that be of the world saith Saint john. He that knoweth not the malice of any thing, liveth in so much more security, as he feareth less the harms that thereby may come unto him. Therefore it is meet that thou shouldest know the conditions of the world, to the end that when thou knowest it, thou mayest the better beware of it.  
The deceits thereof be vearie manifest and the evil qualities that it hath, cry out to all the world. How little ought that to be esteemed, which giveth poison to all those that enter into amity with it: And all those that do join themselves unto it, it infecteth with contagious pestilence. How many doth it deceive, & how many infinite people, doth it make quite blind? When it flieth away it is nothing, when it is seen it is but a shadow, and when it ascendeth upward it is but a smoke.  
Unto fools it is sweet, and to them that be wise and discreet, it is vearie bitter. They that do love it, know not what it is: And they that do hate it, do see throughly into it. To know it well as it ought to be known, one must stand far of from it, for they that draw to near unto it, neither do know it, nor themselves.  
It bringeth forth much mischief, and is cause of infinite miseries. It blindeth those that draw near unto it, and unto him that is not well aware of it, it ministereth matter of much heavy care.  
It hateth those that do love it: It deceiveth those that do trust it: It persecuteth those that do serve it: It afflicteth those that be friends unto it: It doth shame to those that do honour it: And it forgetteth those that be mindful of it. More cause have we to hate it when it most loveth us, then when it openly persecuteth us.  
The more familiar that it is: the more dangerous: And much worse is it, when it fawneth upon us, then when it flieth away from us. Either must we laugh at the world, or the world laugh at us: And they that contemn not the world, shallbe contemned of the world.  
Woe be unto them that do trust it, & happy be they that do despise i●: It is both to be feared, & to be fled from. The life thereof is deceitful, the travail unprofitable, the fear continual, and the honour most perilous. The beginning without prudence, & the end without repentance. It promiseth liberally: It performeth slowly: and an unpossible thing it is, for a man that liveth to the world, to want either fear, sorrow, trouble, o● danger. It draweth men into bonds, and never suffereth them to be at rest, and gladly would give them all there have. He that trusteth it too much, is but a fool: It is impossible to love it, and not to run headlong into danger by the loving of it.  
What canst thou desire in the world, that is not full of uncleanness? At every step it is ready to change, and by often changing, it declareth itself to be corruptible. It is desirous to have all me● catch after the false pleasures thereof, & as soon as they have begun a little to taste of them, it laugheth them all to sco●●●▪ The fruit that it offereth to the followers thereof is vearie fair, and pleasant to the show, but when they come to the opening of it, they shall find nothing within i● but worms and fowl stinking savours. The glory thereof is so fickle, that it forsaketh them that be living, and never followeth those that be dead.  
In the promises that the world maketh, is falsehood and disobeyed: In the conversation thereof, is lothsomeness: In mirth heaviness: his pleasures breed remorse: his comforts bring scrupulosity: and his prosperities breed doubtfulness. In it, there is neither stability nor assurance. It hath nothing but a show, and an appearance of good, and a false flourish of fond affection, with which it deceiveth the simple that know it not, who being once entered within the gulf of his bitter waters, (which they take to be sweet,) they are plunged & drowned in the bottomless Sea of perdition, being beaten down with the waves of his stormy tempests.  
I do therefore here advise you, that when the world, like a crafty merchant doth offer to show you a vearie fine cloth to the sale, you be not too hasty to bestow your money on it, until you have viewed the cloth all throughout, for his manner is to present you with that which is fair & fine in the first unfolding, but after being laid all forth to the eye, It appeareth plainly to be vearie course and stark nought. Such sl●pper parts doth the world daily play with us, in uttering to us false ware for good and true stuff. There be many that for a shadow of honour, or some pleasure which the world doth offer them, do buy in deed much shame and dishonour, and some sorrow and troubles withal, and have paid so dearly for that false ware, that they have thereby made themselves slaves and bondmen unto the world. They think that every thing is as good as it beareth show for, and that the whole pack of cloth is as good within, as it maketh show on the out side.  
But beware lest that the world do deceive thee: stop thine ears when it beginneth to speak unto thee: sleep not at the sound of his melody, for it is like unto the mairemayds' music, which with her sweet songs doth seek to draw thee on the rocks, and cast thy soul and body away for ever.   

IT BEHOVETH THEE TO BE wise and wary, in knowing of the deceits of the world, lest thou be taken by the false shows thereof. CHAP. 2.  

Colo. 2.  BEWARE that you be not taken with false deceits: saith the Apostle. He which liveth in this false world, hath great need continnually to take heed that he be not deceived by it. Thou hadst need to go very warely and well provided, if thou wilt avoid falling. It hath this condition with it to entertain men, and delight them with the outward show, that there may be no regard had unto the inward parts thereof.  
It setteh out all his pleasures & delights unto the sensual part of man, that the filth which is within may not be perceived. Unto the covetous man it showeth only the glorious glittering of gold, but it showeth not withal, the cares that rich men have, both in the getting and keeping of their riches. It inviteh us unto honourable rooms and dignities in the world, but it concealeth the troubles which commonly do accompany great men.  
Our adversary the devil never brought our saviour to the sanctuary which was in the inward part of the temple, 
Mat. 4.  but he led him up to the pinnacle, which was a little round tower, made in the top of the Church, rather for pleasure to look abroad, and for some ornament sake, then for any necessity thereof at all.  
The devil and the world do never use to draw men unto them, by putting any remorse into their consciences, or by inviting them to the perfect knowledge of themselves, but by the daselinge of their eyes with the beautiful shows of vain exterior & superfluous things. To outward things it inviteth thee willingly, but unto inward things nothing at all. God commanded that the beasts which should be offered unto him in sacrifice▪ 
Exo 3. Leu. 1.  should have their skins first taken of from them: But contrary the world will that all the service which thou off●est unto it, should be covered with the coverings, as it were skinnnes of pleasures, honour, and commodity, to the intent that the interior parts of malignity and vice which is within may not be seen: therefore must thou do as God hath commanded thee, which is to take of the outward skins of delight, that thou mayest perfectly behold the deceits, the scruples, and filthiness which lie hidden under those external things which the world offereth thee. Truly all thy harm proceedeth of this, that thou dost not take away the outward bark from sin. But if thou wilt once take hold of the out side, and look well into it, and consider the inward part of sin, thou shalt find much falsehood hidden within, and thou shalt know the vanity & the mischief of that which thou dost now esteem so much.  
Behold the deceit wherein thou livest by giving credit unto the world: thou shalt see how great things seemed unto thee but little, and how thou esteemedst very dearly things of vile account▪ God himself being infinite great, thou accountest but little, because thou 〈◊〉 far of from him: and the smallest things of the world unto thee seem great, because that thy love and affection hath joined thee unto them, which S. Paul the holy Apostle esteemed but as filthy mire. 
Phi. 4.   
The lovers and friends of God, because they were full of divine light, knew well the deceits of the world. If thou wouldest but sometime consider with thyself, what time thou spendest about these worldly things, and how little time they ●hall continue with thee, and then reckon withal what pains and travail thou hast bestowed about them: it cold not be ●ut that thou wouldest with great care and diligence look well about thee, and walk from thence forth more advisedly in thy ●ourney.  
Thou must stand long about the beholding of the vanities and pleasures of ●he world, lest the pleasant and gorgeous ●hewes thereof, so glitter in thine eyes to ●ake thee blind, that it bring thee thereby at the last unto destruction. There is ●othing in thine understanding, but that was before in thy senses: and when thine understanding cometh to drink at the ●esterne of thy senses, the world playeth ●acobs part, 
Gene. 30.  and sticketh there down certain white popular tree wands, of fair pleasant delights to beguile thee withal, ●nd to infect thereby thine understanding.  
The honours and delights of this world ●e but like unto flowers, that soon fade ●nd are gone: and do not thou think, that in the world which thou seest with thine eyes, there is any fruit or commodity, it is all but vain fruitless leaves 〈◊〉 the popular tree, which never bear fruit● at all. Those fruitless vanities doth th● world offer unto thy senses, and although thine understanding be well purged, yo● will thy senses earnestly labour to spo●● 〈◊〉 and defile it again. And as a fair looking glass doth easily by often looking in 〈◊〉 gather spots: so doth our understanding by evil imaginations gather errors. 
Gen. 39  And when our understanding is watered at th●●enses with earnest imaginations of vani●●ies & deceits which the world offered ●s, It beginneth to conceive, as Iacob●●heepe did, spotted lambs which be ou●●orldlie desires, which bring fo●●●●ft●rward unjust works.  
Do not thou therefore behold, 〈◊〉 set thine eyes upon such variety of imaginations as the world doth make show 〈◊〉 unto thee, for it is but an exterior app●●●rance, without any sound substance● deceiveth them that are delighted 〈◊〉 it, as little children are deceived with●● candle that is lighted, which when th● see and earnestly behold, they will 〈◊〉 their fingers into it, until they have b●●●ned them in the flame, And then they 〈◊〉 out, and no body can still them: Evil are worldly men without judgement 〈◊〉 understanding deceived with the appearance of worldly beauty, casting th●●●selues into the fiery flame of the vices ●nd fowl sins thereof, finding their hands empty, and their consciences burnt.   

THERE IS NO CREDIT TO be given to the world in any thing, for all the fair show that it maketh, tendeth but to falsehood, and feigned flattery, which do draw a man from God, & do throw him down headlong into the depth of all miseries. CHAP. 3.  
HE doth feignedly humbl● himself, 
Eccl. 19  and his inward parts be full of deceit: sayeth the wise man. Do not believe that which the world doth ●ell thee, nor do not thou think, that it feareth any perfect good will unto thee: ●nder the colour of good wholesome victual, it giveth unto thee poison to destroy ●hee.  
Do not thou give any trust unto the world, neither believe it to be thy friend, ●or if thou dost give it credit, and com●it thyself into his hands, it will do ●y thee, as joab, the chief captain of ●auid, did by Amazias, 
2. Reg. 3.  who embraced him friendly in his arms and kissed him, and secretly the while did kill him with his dagger. Let it say unto thee what it will, let it give thee the counsel that shall best like thee for the time, yet shalt thou find all false and full of lies, what so ever it hath told thee. There were no less than four hundredth false prophets which flattered Achab, 
3. Re. 22.  promising him both life and victory, if he should go to the war: And all this was but to please his fantasy, and satisfy his mind. All that the world doth advise thee to, and what so ever thy false appetites do give thee counsel to, be but mere deceits to abuse thee withal. They would have thee to think by their false persuasions, that in living after their counsel, and continuing the evil trade that thou art entered into, thou shalt have a solemn victory here, live in triumph in this world, end thy days in peace, and after enjoy the life everlasting.  
But if thou dost believe these lying prophets, thou shalt die as Achab did most miserably. But thou must hearken unto the Prophet Micheas, (which must be thine own conscience) it is that which must tell thee the truth, and discover unto thee all their false lying and deceits. But thou hast no liking to give any ear thereunto, no more than Achab had unto Micheas, because he told him that which was not agreeable to his own appetite: And thou hast no regard unto thine own conscience, because it telleth thee nothing but the truth which thou art not willing to know. It seeketh thy profit, but thou hast no delight to hear thereof. Thou hadst rather go out of thy way by following of liars, to the loss of thy life: 
1. Reg. 21.  then to do well with the prophet of God, and live without deceits. Thou followest the world, and thine own appetites, and so goest forth to the battle, & there art overthrown, & losest thy life. These be also those false witnesses which jesabel brought forth, who (because they be believed) do kill thy soul. give no ear unto their dying, except thou mean to be taken captive in the nets of their false deceits.  
All the fair words of this world, be but false fictions to deceive thee, and to take thee unprovided. although that for the present time, it showeth a friendly face, yet in time of necessity, thou shalt find a bitter enemy of it. It will do by thee as quicksilver doth by gold, which although it be never so fast joined unto it, as soon as it cometh to the fire, it goeth strait away from it, and forsaketh it. And so will this world play by thee when thou comest into any straight, and that the fire of tribulation beginneth to catch hold of thee, it will strait way forsake thee, And then shalt thou easily see what all the vain glory of the world is, that doth so suddenly fail thee. The friendship that the world showeth thee, is but of purpose with his fair shows & good countenance to deceive thee. And although it pretend thy good never so much for the time, it seeketh but thereby occasion the better to overthrow thee.  
Drink not thou of the sweet milk of his deceits, neither seek thou to sleep in the confidence of his friendship, unless thou wilt perish, and die an evil death, as Sisara did, who committing trust unto jahel, 
jud. 4.  and feeding of her dainty fare, was miserably put unto death by her.  
God sayeth, O my people, they which do say unto thee, 
Esa. 4.  thou art happy: be they which do deceive thee. If the world will bid thee unto a feast, and tell thee that those honours, riches, and pleasures which it proffereth thee, and setteth before thee, be very good and savoury meat for thee to feed upon: 
3. Reg. 13.  yet do not thou believe it, except thou wilt die an evil death, as that prophet did, which for the giving of over light credit unto the words of a false prophet, was killed with a lion going by the way. Although it say unto thee, that God commandeth it, and that there is no sin at all in it: never yet make thou any account of his words, for although it be true; that there is no sin to live in high degree and stately honour, yet do they live in great danger of falling into the fowl sin of pride, which do live in the prosperity and jollity of the world.  
The world seemeth goodly and fair to the eye, being in deed fowl & filthy, like an image made of a piece of wood, which is set out well, and fair painted to the sight, and within is there nothing but a piece of old rotten timber.  
The fisher useth to cover his hooks with bait, to catch and kill his fish withal. All this worldly flattering is but to do thee harm with all: And under the green grass doth the serpent lurk, and hide herself.  
The woman mentioned in the apocalypse, 
Apo. 17.  gave poison to drink in a cup of gold. O how many hath the world slain with the poison of his deceits? And how many do drink their own death out of the cup of honours, riches, and vanity? with this golden cup he deceiveth the simple, which know not the poison that is contained therein: fly from his deceits if thou wilt escape death.   

THE FALSE PROMISES OF the world are not to be trusted unto, for it giveth the clean contrary of that which in show it pretendeth. CHAP. 4.  
MANY have been cast away through unjust promises, 
Eccl. 26.  sayeth Ecclesiasticus. Let every man be well examined, and let them declare the truth of their own knowledge, and they will say that in all their life they never saw joy without some sorrow, Peace without discord, Rest without fear, Health without infirmity, nor mirth without mourning.  
The world maketh still his promises of all good and prosperous things, but in performance they prove all contrary. It promiseth joy, but it cometh accompanied with sorrow: It promiseth to abide still with thee, but when thou hast most need of his help, it willbe furthest from thee. It promiseth quietness, and it giveth perturbations and troubles: It promiseth mirth, and performeth mourning: And when it promiseth honour, it bringeth shame: Finally it promiseth long life, when their followeth a short life, & a miserable, and subject to much evil. That life which it promiseth, rather seemeth a life, then is in deed a true life.  
To some it maketh a show of a long life, for to deceive them in the end. It shorteneth again the lives of some others, to the end that though they would convert them to God, yet shall they have no time thereunto.  
To others it promiseth length of life, because they should do what they listed, & be made worse thereby. And unto other it sendeth a short life, that they should have no time to do good. All these doth it deceive, depriving them of the knowledge which they ought to have of God, of the world, and of themselves.  
jacob served Laban seven years to have his daughter Rachel to his wife, 
Gene. 29  but his deceitful father in law, in the dark night gave him Lia to wife. So playeth the world with thee: It promiseth thee one thing, and intendeth an other.  
These worldly men do never take knowledge of these things, until the morning come and that the darkness of this present life be passed away and gone: that is, until death do come, which doth open the eyes of our understanding, and maketh us to behold the falsehood of the world, as jacob in the morning perceived the guile of his false father in law. Then shall they perceive the bitter end, that the honours and pleasures of this world do bring with them, and then shall they see, how much time they have lost in the service of this false lying world.  
Many although, they see well enough the falsehood of the world, yet are they contented to be deceived thereby: As Baalan did who fell down at noon days when his eyes were open. 
Num. 22.  The three friends of job, 
job. 2.  drew near unto him like friends to give, him comfort at the first, but afterward they injuried him, & gave him many fowl words of reproach. So doth the world draw near unto thee at the first with fair words like a friend, but afterward thou shalt well perceive him to be an hard adversary against thee. It cometh flattering with pleasant speeches unto thee, to offer thee friendship, but shortly after y● becometh thy cruel enemy.  
Let not his sweet words enter within thine ears, for thou shalt shortly after find a fowl change: yet are there many for all that which do give it credit, and hold all that for true that it telleth them: and by believing his false promises they defer their penance, persuading themselves that they shall live many years, and then cometh he suddenly and taketh their life away from them.  
They live so carelessly, and upon such trust of those false promises, as though they were very sure that the world told them nothing but truth. But thou must not believe his words, nor what so ever it shall tell thee, for thou shalt find in the end that all his promises are false.   

THE MEMORY OF THEM that have despised the world continueth: but of those that have been lovers of the world, the remembrance is soon gone away. CHAP. 5.  
THE memory of these wicked worldly folk perisheth like the sound of a voice in the air, 
Psal. 9  sayeth the prophet. Make not any account of this world▪ who soon forgetteth his friends, and of his enemies keepeth a perpetual memory.  
If thou wilt that the world shall have thee still in remembrance, thou must despise it, and so it will remember thee. And who be they (think you) that the world remembreth most? Good S. Jerome, and others like unto him, that fled from all the pleasures of this world, and lived alone in deserts. Of these who were enemies unto it, and set nothing at all by it, the world hath yet as fresh a memory as if they were living still. That is most true which the holy prophet telleth: 
Psal. 111.  The just man shall be had in memory for ever. The world hath yet in good memory S. Paul the eremite, that was fast shut up in a cave ninety years together.  
Whom hath Rome chiefly in remembrance at this day? Not the famous princes and great men which flourished so much there, but the poor fisher S. Peter, whom the world despised, and made no reckoning of. The kings and emperors of the world, do adore and have in reverence those most of all, that fled from and forsook those great honours and riches which themselves do live in.  
They be more honoured of the world which do hate it, than they which do esteem it. They which hate the world, those doth God love: and they that forsake the world, God receiveth: and he honoureth those that despise it, & here in the world doth he make also an everlasting memory of them.  
It is a notable thing that the servant of God, living in a cave, far from the company of men, should have his glory manifested throughout all the world, by God his own holy appointment. There had never such memory been made in the world of S. Marry the Egyptian, if she had remained still in the world, and never had gone into the wilderness at all. If she had served the world, she had been forgotten long ago: but flying from the world, God had care of her to make her glory known: and published over all the world the honour of her who lived always hidden in a hole. She gained more by flying from it, than ever she could have done, by being herself present in it.  
O how much are we deceived, who by our seeking of honour do lose it, by desiring to have our name kept in perpetual memory, we are quickly forgotten: And having a will to be great, we are brought to be low, and of little account: And the things which we do take to preserve us, be made the means to undo us, and to overthrow us: And ever we lose, where we do think to gain.  
O what folly is this of ours, and what terrible blindness, to desire still such greatness in this world, seeing before our eyes, those only to be great in the world, which desired to be little and of no account. We would that men should remember us, and we are straight ways forgotten: there is none so much honoured in deed as he that flieth from honour.  
No man is more rich, than he that is contented with a little: No man so great as he that seeketh to be little: And none so soon forgotten, as he that desireth to be had in remembrance of the world. And all those of whom the world maketh so much feast, and so much joyful memory, I see & find, that they were all enemies unto the world.  
Mathathias said unto his sons, give your lives for the testament of your fathers, & remember the works that they wrought in their generations, and you shall get great glory and a name for ever. The providence of God hath so ordained that there should be a perpetual memory made of the enemies of the world, and that the friends thereof, should be forgotten.  
The Gospel in rehearsing of the genealogy of Christ, 
Mat. 1.  leaveth out the memory of jesabel unto the fourth generation: although it had fitly served the turn to have brought it in. The memory of Amaleck God clean took away from the earth, 
Exo. 17.  but the memory of the just shall remain with our Lord for ever: And the memo●●e of worldly men shall perish with the world.  
It is a fowl vanity to offend God, for the leaving of a memory behind thee in this miserable world: If thou dost desire a memory to be had of thee, thou shalt be sure to lose it. And because the world is so forgetful of his friends, put all thy trust in God, who is a most faithful and ●uer friend.   

THE WORLD EXALTETH his friends while they do live, but when their life is ended, time taketh away all the memory of them, as though there had been none such. CHAP. 6.  
JOB saith of worldly folk, that the memory of them should be likened unto ashes. 
job. 13.  The wind never ceaseth to blow in this life, which doth scatter the ashes, that is the fame and the memory that worldly men do seek in this world. The Prophet saith: They are like unto dust, which the wind bloweth up from the earth. 
Psal. 1.  The vanity of men is great, who knowing that they shallbe converted into ashes, which the wind of this world doth soon blow away, do yet think that their memory may continue long in the world. And although it were so that the memory of thee should never perish here, what wert thou the better if thou shouldest remain continually in hell▪ would that deliver the thence, or diminish thy pain there▪  
It is a great vanity for thee to desire to be had in memory of the world, if thou haste a spotted conscience: and a very vain desire it is of any man to fly abroad in the mouths of men. How much so ever thou art desirous to be praised of men, and to have thy memory preserved, yet must not thou look to be better remembered then those that are passed out of this world before thee. The world is contented for the time present here, to give some show and signification of his favour, but as soon as one is gone hence, he is forgotten, as though he had never been.  

Prou. 10.  The memory of the just man shallbe with praise, saith the wise man: but the wicked man's memory shall soon perish. And of the good men shall there be a sweet mention made, 
Eccl. 49.  according as Ecclesiasticus said of king josias: The memory of josias shallbe sweet in every man● mouth.  
The memory of all worldly folk cometh soon to an end, and vanisheth away. What is now become of all the honours, riches, and possessions of worldly men? where is all the beauty of this world? the men be gone and all that longed to them, and time hath clean consumed the memory of them: all their goodly great palaces are made even with the ground: their costly tombs wherein their bodies lay be all defaced, and no monument left behind, so much as of the place where they were.  
Our life passeth away like a flower, and the delights thereof be short, and that which the world yieldeth us here, is dearly paid for again: the pleasures thereof be but for a short time, but the sorrows be perpetual. The glory and delight of this world is but a pufte: but the torments that follow thereof, be without end: many do never think of them, until they fall upon their backs, and with a vearie little pleasure, they buy a great deal of pain and travail. And for the maintaining of a little honour here, what infinite torments are sustained, which for all that, within a little while after vanisheth away like a smoke, and they are forgotten as though that they had never been. To this point cometh at the last, all that peevish praise which is so greedily sought for by men in this world.  
How many notable learned men hath there been in this world, whose learning was followed with great affection of men, and were therefore called into great dignity and honour here, of whom yet at this day, there is no memory left, no not so much as their names known. Their life was but short, with death it had end, and strait ways they were forgotten for ever. What is become of so many Princes, kings and great estates, and all their great port and Princely Majesty? their friendship, riches, and jollity? What is become of all this gear now? There is now no memory left thereof: It is passed like a shadow, and as though it had never been.  
How many have we known, and been familiar withal, and in whose company we have been full merry together, that now do lie full low under our feet, and are almost forgotten, as though they had never been? 
2▪ Re. 1.  They are all dead, they shall not return unto us again, but we shall rather go unto them. They were pilgrims and strangers here on the earth, as we are now. All that they had, they have left behind them, and so shall we do also. They are gone and passed away like a shadow, & so shall we pass away also. O how soon each thing passeth away. There is scarcely any memory left of any of the great men of the world: every thing is consumed by tyme. God is he that only is stable & permanent: all other things, as friends, companions, pleasures, and pastimes, have soon an end. All these do soon fail, & within a while shall one of us be separated from another. And the time is not long to, in which we shall be eaten up by worms, and turned into dust and ashes.  
Each thing passeth and consumeth away with tyme. It is vearie vanity to esteem of these soon sliding things of the world, as if they should have any long continuance here. Shall we happily be better remembered, than those that are gone hence before us? Are we better than they?  
It were surly small wisdom for any of us to think, that there should any better memory be made of us, then of those that are gone hence before us. Open then thine eyes, thou that puttest thy confidence in the world: And behold both greater, richer, and more noble than thou art, of whom there is not now any memory left.  
It is vanity then, to make any account of the memory of this transitory world. Every thing hath an end: Every thing passeth away with time: every thing hasteneth toward his end, and tendeth toward his consummation: & every thing is full of vanity and corruption. The love of God is that which only lasteth and endureth for ever, for the glory of this world endureth but for a blast   

HOW GOOD AND DILIgent service so ever a man doth unto th● world, yet doth the world never remember it, neither will it know hy● that served it: But will call well to mind, and have in remembrance, th●se that misused, and evil entreated it. CHAP. 7.  
THE fool knoweth nothing▪ saith the wise man: 
Psal. 91.  the wordly men travail to get the honour of this world, which when it hath forsaken them again, it will scarcely know them.  

1. Re. 25.  A great friend was David to nabal, and much had he done for him in the time of his good estate: But when David was after fallen into necessity, he would not so much as know him: But answered David's servants when they came unto him, who is David? Or who is Isais son▪ Shall I bestow my sheep and my goods upon one whom I know not?  
Many a day had David conversed before with nabal, whereof he was now so forgetful, that he asked who he was. nabal signifieth as much as fool, as the story telleth, and it is a very plain figure ●f this vain and foolish world, which is subject to so much vanity and mutability. ●or after much labour bestowed in the service of the world, by the faithful servantes and followers thereof, when they ●ooke again for any reward of their service: it refuseth quite the knowledge of ●hem, and plainly sayeth that it knoweth ●hem not. They bestow great travail in ●he service of it, both day and night, and ●et must forgetfulness be all their reward ●t the last.  
This unthankful world is like vn●o an inn keeper, whom his geste goeth ●bout to take acquaintance of, telling him ●hat he hath been long his gest, and hath ●odged many a night in his house: but he ●efuseth his acquaintance, and telleth him again that he knoweth him not, neither ●an he keep any reckoning of so many as ●oe pass by that way.  
Men spend all their time in serving ●he world, and at the last they are demanded who they be, as though they had ne●er seen them before: we do all both good and bad pass through this world ●●ke pilgrims and travailers, and commonly most men do use to invite strangers as they pass by the way: And even so doth the world play by them, he giveth ●hem courteous words, and good entertainment to make them delight in his company, and to serve him diligently in ●ll kinds of vanity, & after that he laugheth them to scorn, and shaketh them 〈◊〉 as though he had never been acquainted with them before.  
It were good for every man to e●●ter into an account with himself, a●● see whether he have not bestowed mo●● upon the world then upon jesus Chri●● What so ever thou haste bestowed vpo● the world, thou mayest well think it le●● for after a short space being past, tho● shalt find how thou art clean forgot●●● and out of mind: and if thou wilt need●● be remembered at his hands, and have i● to know thee again, thou were best 〈◊〉 handle it hardly and set nothing by it. 〈◊〉 thou beatest thine host well favoredly as thou passest by the way, he will not fo●●get thee again in twenty years after▪ And that is all the cause, why the world forgetteth not good and holy men, whic● lived here in the world, because that th● set nothing by it, nor cared not for i●▪ Those that make much of it, It forgetteth and remembreth only those which con●temned it: Handle it hardly, and it wi●● never forget thee. And the less that tho● lovest it, the more shalt thou be beloue● of it. Of his friends it is forgetful, and 〈◊〉 faithful followers will it not know at al●▪  
O how many have passed through th●● world with great triumph and honour the names of whom be scant known 〈◊〉 this day, neither is there any more men●tion made of them, then if they had neu●● ●●ne borne: and no more are they known 〈◊〉 the world, then if they had never been 〈◊〉 the world.  
Let all thy care be to love God only ●●d to serve him, for he knoweth well all ●●s own sheep whom he meaneth to conduct to his pleasant pastures of Pa●●dis and everlasting glory.   

THIS WORLD IS LIKENED to a tempestuous Sea, in the which our Souls are tossed and turmoiled with infinite dangers, from the which there is no way to scape, but by retiring into the harborowgh of penance. CHAP. 8.  
THOSE which sail on the seas, 
Eccl. 43.  do tell of many dangers that they have passed: sayeth the wise man. The dangers of the seas be so great and so many, that no man is able to report them but he that hath proved them.  
The navigation which we make through the tempestuous waves of this world, is so much more dangerous than the other, as it giveth greater impediments to the sure rest of our soul which it expecteth in heaven, than the other doth or can do●▪ to the obtaining of a sure●porte in earth▪  
The waters of this world be bitter, so are all worldly consolations. In this sea, do the great men (like unto great fishes) eat up and devour the little: the waue● thereof be never at any rest, but always moving and working, unto the which the servants of the world be always subject, having their hearts beaten and all to tossed with the heavy thoughts & cares of this world.  
The sentence of our saviour is most true, 
Io. 16.  that said. That in the world we should have oppressions, the which by afflicting of our hearts should verify that which the Prophet Esay saith: the wicked man's heart is like unto the sea, 
Esa 57  which worketh and will never be at rest. Daniel saw in his vision how the hearts of men be tormented with so many sundry passions, 
Dan. 7.  as it were with the contrary force and vehemency of so many winds.  
Cares and riches go still coupled together, and amongst the honours and prosperities of this tempestuous world●, doth pride and arrogancy of heart bear a vearie great sway, and dominion: In the which they are first engendered, and from which they do proceed: and vearie few are their of them, which living in continual rest and prosperity do not fall into sin: and hardly are any of them to be found, which in high degree, and lofty estate do keep and preserve true humi●●tie of heart.  
It is is half a miracle to see a man live 〈◊〉 the pleasures of this life, and to be free ●●om sin. And how can a man put all his ●●re upon God, that is so compassed about ●ith the cares and unquietness which do ●●rowe of these temporal pleasures in ●hich we live.  
Happy is he that doth voluntarily for●●ke the pleasures of the earth, where all 〈◊〉 full of dangers and snares: and happy 〈◊〉 he▪ that in this world seeketh to avoid ●ll occasions which may draw him into ●●nne. 
3. Re. 19  He that flieth as Elias did into the desert of penance, is most likely to fly from all those dangers, that do lead a ●an unwares into hell.  
Learn thou to know the dangers ●f this world, for by the knowing of them groweth the skill to avoid them, and to vanquish them. He that doth not fear ●hem, but boldly incountreth them, is ●ot to be accounted valiant, but rash. There ●aue heretofore been some perfect men, that have lived in the honour and wealth of this world, and yet have lived with all in the fear of God, and served him truly: But there is respect to be had unto the times of the former age, and this that is now present, and therefore thou must now ●ake an other trade of life in hand.  
When there cometh a great calm in the sea, the sailors be in good safety: but when the storm doth come, than they use for their remedy to disburden the ship, and to cast their goods into th● sea, for saving of themselves.  
The sea of this world was well in quietness in those days: 
Gene. 18.  When Abraham, (who was a very rich and wealthy man) would with his own hands wash the feet of those strangers which came unto him: & Sara his wife did the works of like humility. Our forefathers then were served but with a few dishes at their tables: they went apparelled very meanly: they rid but upon simple beasts, and all their riches they used as servants to serve them: But now that the sea is so swollen, & that malice and sin be so increased, honour and riches serve now for no other purpose, but to give a colour unto vicious living. All the remedy thou haste now is to despise them, since that they do so manifestly prejudice thy soul.  
There is no man but will be content for the saving of his bodily life, to forego all his temporal goods: but there be but a few, that for the saving of their souls will despise these false counterfeit goods of the earth. The high estates and dignities of this world, be no less dangerous to the life of the soul, in the time of perilous tempests: then the goods and merchandise of the ship, be dangerous for the lives of them that be in the ship: and is it not reason them, (that those same goods, which thou canst be contented to throw away from thee, for the saving of thy bodily life) that thou shouldest likewise be as well contented to throw away for the saving of the life of thy soul? Do never prefer temporal and transitory goods, before true and eternal goods. But (because it is natural for every man to fly dangers,) it is convenient, that thou shouldest fly out of the world that is so dangerous.  
In this Sea then where danger is so certain, and salvation so doubtful: take this good counsel with thee, lest thou be drowned in the Sea, as king Pharaoh was. 
Exo. 14.  Place thine heart in the land of promise, toward which thou art sailing, and fly from so many dangers by despising of this world, that so thou mayest merit to come unto thy desired port of salvation, where thou shalt be certain to find sure rest and perfect security.   

THE FAVOURS OF THIS world be but as a shadow that soo●● passeth away, And therefore they that do trust in them without thinking of their soul's salvation, at the last are likely to rest in the fire of hell. CHAP. 9  
ELIAS lay sleeping under the shadow of a Geneper tree, 
●. Re. 19  having many mighty enemies: (saith the scripture:) travailing men, do use to rest them, & to sleep under the shadow of a tree, as they journey by the way, And when the shadow is passed away and gone, and they begin to wake again, they find themselves all sweeting in the open son shine.  
What be all the things of this world but a shadow (saith job) under the which the servants of this world lie sleeping, forgetting their own good, & neglecting their salvation, and put their trust in the favours and vain honours of this world.  
If thou do put thy confidence in princes, and great men, thou sleepest under ● shadow that soon passeth away. Thou mayest fall into disgrace of thy prince, as many have done which were at the first in great favour with them, which after fell out of their favour again: and if that happen not, yet may he die, and then he in whom rested all thy hope is gone, and therewith also is thy hope gone, and thou clean forsaken and left alone.  
Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man: sayeth the scripture. 
jer. 1●.  And cursed is he that putteth his confidence in princes: whose prosperities do pass away, whose favours are soon finished, whose good wills be mutable, and are wont often to hate those whom they have most loved. See what a folly it is to sleep so necgligently under a shadow. Sleep not under the shield of thy friends and of thy riches, for this vanity soon passeth away again  
Trust not in thy beauty, for by every light occasion it vanisheth soon away. In any thing of this present world put thou no trust at all, for the glory and pleasures thereof, pass away like a wind. And straight way shalt thou be assaulted by death. And such hath been the end of all the honours that have passed here before us, they were but vanities, And so have they passed away again.  
Saul slept carelessly, 
1. Re. 26.  and put himself into very great danger having his enemy ready at hand to kill him, In so much that Abisai wo●d have thrust him through with his spear if David had not stayed him: And all this was, because he put his trust in his great force of men and weapon that he had about him. Many putting trust in their courage and their youth, have stayed from doing of penance, and slept without taking any care for their souls: But they sleep under the shadow of this miserable life, being always at the point of losing it.  
Thou art more to be blamed than ever was Isboseth, 
2. Re. 4.  that having thine enemies still about thee, & being compassed about with so many dangers, thou dost sleep in a careless dream, trusting always in thy vain desires. But death shall come upon thee, and awake thee, and then shalt thou know that thou wert all that while but under a shadow, and that at last thou shalt find thyself to be set down at the hot fire of hell, where worldly men shallbe burned and tormented for ever.  
Oh how much shalt thou find thyself then, at that painful time of thy passage to have been mocked and deceived, when thou shalt see before thy face, all those vain pleasures and worldly delights in which thou didst put so much affiance while thou livedst here, clean vanished away and turned into a smoke? Sleep not under the shadow of these worldly vanities, lest when death cometh to awake thee thou be found compassed about with miserable troubles, and painful torments.   

HE THAT SERVETH THE world, not only hath no reward of it, but also is kept by it in continual broils & troubles, and at last brought to a miserable end. CHAP. 10.  
YE shall serve strange gods, which shall give ye no rest, 
H●er. 16.  neither day nor night: sayeth God unto worldly folk. They which do love the world, do serve their own passions, and do continually suffer intolerable torment by them.  
The feigned flattery of Dalida drew Samson to his death, 
Iu. 16:  whom the Philistines did first make blind, and after set him to grind in a mill wheel: Even so thou that art a servant of this world, and seekest by all means to please thine inordinate appetites, and to get the riches and honours thereof, thou shalt find at the last that thou haste but gone round about in the wheel as Samson did.  
The prophet sayeth, that the wicked go always compassing about, 
Psal. 11.  for sinners do never go the direct way, by which the just do walk: As the wise man sayeth: Worldly men going still about their worldly business with much travail, 
Sap. 10. Prou. ●9.  are much like unto a door going about upon hinges, which do never move out of their place, but do stay themselves upon sin, as upon their sure platform and foundation.: they go to and fro, and labour up and down, but from their sin they will not depart, they be so cawght up with their own passions: they go about still following their own vanities, and seeking after their pleasures, like men that had but little brain in their heads, still travailing without any profit or commodity.  

Sap. 5.  We travail through many hard and sharp passages, and we are even tired in the way of wickedness, sayeth Solomon speaking in the person of worldly folk. If thou dost serve the world, thou mayest labour and toil thyself to death: but of all thy pains and thy travails, thou shalt be sure to get no more in the end than Samson did, for all his pains taken for the Philstines: no more do thou look for any reward for all thy pains taken in the service of the world.  

Gen▪ 31.  jacob served Laban many years with great trayvayle and pain, and yet ten times did he deceive him, by changing of the reward which he had promised him. And many do serve the world with like travail that jacob served Laban, moved with desire to increase their wealth and their honour, but the world playeth Laban with them, It changeth their reward, denying that which it agreed with them for. The burden of their travails be heavy, and their pains be vearie unprofitable.  
The deceits of Laban, be not comparable with those which the world doth proffer to his servants. The world can not complain, that we do not our true service to it, but we may well complain that we have not our just reward for our pains of it again. And allthowghe that worldly men, do suffer much in this miserable servitude, yet how many be there, that will suffer any pain most willingly, how sharp so ever it were for the world, which will not suffer a little trouble for jesus Christ's sake to gain thereby eternal glory for ever: we will in no wise change these present things, for things to come.  
The jews were many of them at that pass, 
Num. 1.  that they had rather have lived under the tyranny of Pharaoh still in egypt, then by a little travail of their passage thence, gain unto themselves, the fruitful land of promise.  
Those which were invited to the marriage feast in the Gospel, thought it better for them to travail about their business with pain, then to be partakers in peace of the solemn feast of the eternal king: If the king of heaven had invited them to travail, and the world unto pleasure and ease, they might well have been excused. But when it is all contrary, then is the error to manifest, if thou shouldest despise the sweet service of Christ, for the displeasant servitude of the devil.  
Think it not better for thee, to bear the heavy yoke of the world, then to suffer a little for gods sake, and thereby to live after in happiness for ever. He is a fool that passeth many a day in pain, & many a night without rest, through the continual pain of his teeth rather than he will abide a short pain in the taking out of the rotten tooth that grieveth him, and so to be after at quiet rest and free from all his former pain.  
There be many that will rather lead a painful life in consenting to their own appetites, then by withstanding their passions for a short time enjoy the pleasant sweetness of the spirit for a long space after. You shall see sometime a free man that is in perfect liberty which will for a little fond love which he hath cast upon some bondwoman, be content for the satisfying of his fantasy to marry the woman, and thereby cast himself into wilful bondage for ever: So doth the will of man, (losing the love of God,) for his own fond affection cast upon a creature, think it nothing to put itself into the bondage and servitude of the world.  

jud. 16.  Although that Samson knew well by the often guileful deceits which Dalida had used, she could not have any other meaning in her earnest desire to know the secret wherein his strength did consist, than thereby to sell him to the Philistines, yet was his affection such unto her, and so much did he love her, that rather than he would displease her, he would be taken and made a servile prisoner for ever. And so was his fond love, the cause of his fowl fall, by means whereof he was led shortly after to his death, and so was his light crediting of false lying words, made his confusion.  
Who doth hold thee now in the service and bondage of this world, but thy light crediting of his false lies and flattering words, whereby at the first thou wert brought unto this estate, which if thou hast not good regard unto 〈◊〉 thou mayest happily be used at the last, as Samson was by that false lying Dalida.  
Doth it not appear in the story, how the first thing that they did unto Samson after his taking, was the plucking out of his eyes? And thou which the world taketh into his service, what art thou but made blind thereby: As it maketh all those blind which do give credit to his deceyfull words which he abuseth them with, to the end that they may not perceive the painful state in which they live, nor know how sweet the yoke of Christ is.  
Oh how much is it better for thee to reign with God by serving of him, then to live in the world, and suffer extreme bondage. Thou mayest well see here now, how the world doth use all those which do serve it: shake of therefore from thy neck the most heavy yoke thereof, and put on, the most sweet and easy yoke of jesus Christ.   

THE CONSIDERATION OF much bitterness that we find in the world, (wherein so little sweetness is to be found, and that but only in appearance) doth give us easily to understand, how heavy the yoke of his bondage is, and how much it is to be eschewed, CHAP. 11.  

Mat. 11.  COME unto me all ye that do travail and be laden, & I will refresh you, sayeth our lord. The lovers of this world sayeth God almighty do go about like men that are laden, and carry heavy burdens about them.  
The world doth get all that which it ●rauayleth for, with trouble and business and with fear doth enjoy it, & with grief forego it again. 
Apo. 24.  It is written in the apocalypse, That they which had adored the beast never had rest, which they in deed can never obtain which do adore their beastly appetites.  
Little children do run up and down all day blowing of a feather in the air, and sometime they hurt themselves by falling, but they are to be pardoned because they be without judgement. But thou that art a man of reason, and of perfect age, art worthy of much reprehension, if thou shouldest run and take pain after the vanity of this world, & the vain blasts of false honours and riches.  
Thou seest not where thou settest thy feet, Thou knowest not the danger in which thou livest: Thou considerest not the travail that thou endurest, nor wherefore thou dost endure it, which if thou didst weigh well, thou shouldest find all that thou seekest and labourest for here, to be in effect nothing. What profit do the little children get in running all day after a feather? they are well wearied for their labour, And profit or commodity have they none, but sometime perhaps a good knock on their head, by reason of some fawle that they take. And when death cometh, that must make an end of thy painful life, wherein thou hast served the world: thou shalt have no other reward for thy pains, but new sorrows again.  
Whosoever will lay siege to a town, will first look well, that the expenses of the siege exceed not the commodity, that he shall get by winning of the town. And if thou wouldest but consider what the service of the world doth cost thee, thou wouldest soon leave of thine enterprise. If in thy worldly consolations thou findest sorrow, thou must not marvel thereat: for it is a sour crab & therefore no marvel that it setteth thy teeth on edge. 
Ose. 2.  God saith, I will compass thy way about with thorns. The pleasant orchards be set about with sharp thorns, because no man should come at the fruit. These thorns, saith our lord, be the cares and longinge after riches. 
Luc. 8.  These hath God laid in our way to the intent, that when we should see with what pain those fruits be gotten, we should be afraid to meddle with them.  
Among all our pleasures here, God hath planted sorrow and remorse of conscience, because we should not have any earnest desire or longing after them. Among our prosperities hath he put much bitterness, because we should not love them. And sin is always the torment of him that committeth it. The griefs and the felicities of this present world do go always accompanied together. If thou dost love the goods of this world, thou must needs be subject unto much travail & care for them, for when thou hast th●m, thou wilt be afraid to lose them. But if thou be disturbed in the quiet possession of them, than dost thou suffer some trouble presently by them, which God doth suffer always to fall unto thee, that thou mayest set thine whole love upon him, & remove it clean away from these vanities of the world.  
God hath appointed this for a medicine to temper our disordinate appetites withal: But this world hath such a greedy sort of servants following it, that they will not stick to run through the thorns all embrewed with their own blood, for to gather of this fruit. Oh how many are there at this day like unto those, who for the satisfying of their unruly appetites and for the winning of some fond pleasure, do suffer great grief and remorse of conscience, and do bring their lewd desires to effect, although it be with never so much loss and hindrance to their soul. And all this labour do they take for to please their senses without any recompense at all again for their pains.  
If thou didst but consider, with what prejudice to thy conscience, thou didst buy all this short delight, thou wouldest not be so much a fool as to thrust thyself into so many dangers of the world. The service of the world is a dear service, It is an hard yoke, and an importable burden. Christ calleth all those unto him that are wearied with carrying so heavy a burden on their back, as the heavy yoke of the world is. And when he findeth that thou art wearied with serving of the world, and that thou dost plainly perceive all thine own defects: Then doth jesus Christ call thee, as one being then best disposed to come unto him. He that doth not first hate the vanity of this life, will never lay hand upon the cross of Christ. And until thou think all this whole life, to be but a vearie vain folly, thou art not meet to follow Christ.  
Therefore Christ our redeemer calleth not those that do think this worldly yoke sweet, but those that do take it as an heavy burden, & are grown weary of it. And so much less pain as thou findest in bearing this heavy yoke of the world so much more art thou in danger to be lost and to perish.  
It is good for thee to know, what a heavy burden thou carriest, that thou mayest cast it of, and take upon thee the sweet yoke of jesus Christ.   

HE SHOWETH HOW there is no pleasanter nor sweeter thing, than the yoke of jesus Christ, and that it is easy and light of carriage to those that do love him, because he helpeth to bear part of the burden with them. CHAP. 12.  
MY yoke is sweet, and my burden easy and light: 
Mat. 11.  saith our lord. The yoke of Christ is sweet unto them that do love him: It is heavy to them that be but luke warm: and vearie bitter it is to them that are proud of heart. But it is easy to them that are meek, and pleasant to those that are humble.  
Our sweet jesus worketh all things sweetly, and every virtue hath his good and commodity, joined unto it, which doth comfort him that doth exercise it. And in every adversity it is comfort to have company. And to the afflicted, jesus christ is always a present companion. And he that taketh his yoke on his shoulders, can never live without comforts.  
The holy law of our Lord is called a yoke, because a yoke is always carried by two, and if thou do willingly submit thyself to the yoke of Christ thou go●●● not alone, for Christ himself goeth with thee, and helpeth thee to bear a part of thy burden. In all afflictions that thou bearest for Christ, thou shalt be sure to have him present with thee to help thee.  

3. Re. 22.  The lesser ox beareth always the heaviest end of the yoke. Now than Christ being the least and the most humble of all men, the yoke must needs lie heaviest upon him, and then must thy part be the lighter, in as much as Christ taketh upon him the heavier part. The yoke that himself bare, was vearie heavy to him, whereby ours is made much the easier, and through his great burden groweth our great ease. What couldst thou devise to do for Christ, but that he hath done much more for thee? And that much easeth the burden of the servant, when he considereth how much his innocent master Christ did bear before for him.  
As much as the mercy and benignity of Christ exceedeth all other men's, so much is the burden of Christ lighter than any other man's: it is a burden to a man to be without this yoke, and an ease for to have it.  
The yoke of Christ doth not only, not lad a man, but maketh him the more light. Although that the bird having her wings upon her, hath by so much as the weight of her feathers doth come unto a burden of them, yet these wings of hers make her nothing the heavier, but she is made lighter by them, then if she were without them. The weight of the holy yoke of our Lord, maketh that a man is not slothful, but diligent: it maketh not ● man dull, heavy, nor dampish, but light, ●oyfull, and quick. They be neither slaves nor bondmen, which be under that yoke, seeing they that do submit themselves thereunto, be they only which do get the true liberty and dominion of spirit.  
The painful way of penance is made sweet and easy, by going in the company of jesus Christ. In the tribulations which thou shalt suffer for Christ, thou shalt be sure to find comfortable consolations. The prophet sayeth. 
Psa. 127.  Thou shalt eat the labours of thy hands. He saith not that thou shalt eat the fruit of thy labours, but the labours themselves: for the servant of God shall not only enjoy felicity, which is the fruit of his labours, but he shall also in his labours maintain himself in this life, with the pleasant taste, and sweet savour that his soul shall receive in those tribulations which he suffereth for Christ's sake.  
God's goodness is great, which sen●eth unto his which live here in this place of bannyshement amongst so many troubles and adversities, quietness and comfort. The tears of those which do pray, are more pleasant & sweet, than the lawghers of worldly folk, and one drop of the sweetness of this spirit, is more delectable, than all the pleasures and consolations of this world.  
The soul is more fed with the comforts of heaven, then with all the pleasures that the world can give.  
The delights be infinite and unspeakable, which the servants of jesus Christ, do find in their sharp afflictions. Sweet flowers do oft grow amongst thorns.  
wordly men have an evil opinion of the yoke of Christ, and do take the way to heaven to be very noisome. They give witness of that which they know not, And condemn the way that they never walked in.  
A blind man may evil judge of colours. All holy men before us have gy●●● us advise, and by their written books have commended unto us, how pleasan●● and delectable a work it is for to serve Christ. And better credit is herein to be given to those which have carried the yoke themselves, then unto those which never took it in hand. Never any ma● yet took this yoke upon him, but that 〈◊〉 spoke well of it, and he that hath been laden with the burden of sin on hi● back, will think this burden of Chri●● to be very easy, be it never so sharp i● show.  
Haste thou never perceived ere thi● how light thine heart hath been, aft●● thou hast disburdened thy soul by confession of thy sins? If the● thou haste found so great comfort in thy first entry of thy way, which is the casting away of sin, and separating thy soul from it, thou mayest easily judge by the taste thereof, what thou wert like to find in the rest of thy journey, when thou wert well entered in the exercise of virtues.  
Thou must not think that by the exercise of one virtue, thou art made virtuous. Thou must multiply and frequent the doing of good works, for when thou hast once gotten the habit of a virtuous life, thou shalt labour with great felicity, and much ease. And leaving now that which is nought, and following still that which is good, thou shalt find full con●entation of thy labours at last. And ●hey ●hat proceed on a pace in the way of ver●ue, and go on forward well, shall find how full of spiritual comfort the yoke of Christ is.  
They which do serve the world, ●oe deprive themselves of many benefits. They know not themselves what they do ●oose, & therefore they do not esteem it: ●nd because they never tasted of God, ●herefore do they find savour in tasting ●f the vanity of this life. If thou wilt but ● little begin to taste of the consolations ●f God, It willbe sufficient for thee, to make he to know many things to be full ●●tter, which do now seem very pleasant to thy taste.  
Since the yoke of jesus Christ, is so sweet and easy, & the yoke of the world so heavy and burdenous, take upon thy shoulders willingly the yoke of our lord, and thou shalt live ever after contented in this life, and in the other life shalt thou be comforted for ever.   

IN ALL OUR TRAVAYLES and troubles, we must have our recourse unto God, with full hope and trust to be helped by him, and not have any confidence in worldly help, which is such as we can have no comfort by. CHAP. 13.  

Mat. 11.  COME unto me all ye that travail and be laden, and I will refresh you, saith our Lord. Because thou forsakest God, and takest counsel of the world, thou findest no remedy in thy greatest distresses: whilst thou folowe● thine own passions, thou canst never have comfort here: whilst thou obeyest the world, the true comfort doth clean ●lie from thee.  

Psal. 76.  King David was without comfort when he said, my soul refuseth to be comforted. So much was he discomforted, that he refused all things that might do him any comfort. But when he returned unto God, he was strait ways filled again with comfort, as he said himself in the same psalm. I remembered me of God, and I was comforted.  
That glorious Marie Magdalene, 
Luc. 7.  when she saw herself over whelmed with sin, she ran unto jesus Christ in the house of the Pharisey and she found pardon. judas, 
Mat. 27.  when he saw himself fallen into the danger of perdition, fled unto the help of man, & he was cast away for ever. Here you may see, how much wiser that sinful woman was, then was that false disciple of Christ. They were both sinners, and both of them knew well their faults: but a far better advise did she take, that went to seek comfort at the well of life, than that fond disciple did, which went unto death for to seek life.  
If there were an Image which once was very perfect, and is now somewhat out of order, who can better mend it again, than he which first made the same? Now if thou haste defiled thy soul by some sin, who may better repair the same, and amend it again, then may that excellent painter which first made man after his own image? never commit it to the hands of so evil a workman as the world is, lest he do utterly deface and mar it. Go not after lies and the vanity of this false world, 
Gene. 1.  but convert thee unto thy God that is the fountain of mercy.  
It is a very folly for thee to demand alms of a poor man, when there is a rich man by that would have thee to demand it of him. Every creature is but poor for to comfort thee: but God is rich in all grace, who giveth to all men his good gifts most abundantly. Turn thee then unto him for the getting of thy quiet rest. Convert thyself wholly unto him, 
Psa. 114.  for in him shalt thou find quietness and most sweet comfort.  
Seek thou unto jesus Christ with all thine heart, as the dove sought unto the Ark of Noe. Do not hang upon this world, as a crow doth hang upon carrion. The dove never found rest, until she returned unto the Ark again. 
Gene. 8.  No more do thou think to find any rest but in Christ jesus: thou shalt not find rest nor comfort in the things of the world.  
Fly from external comfort, if thou look to be comforted within. If thou be hungry, turn unto Christ, and he will satisfy thee with bread from heaven▪ Happy is he that seeketh not for comfort in creatures, 
Psa. 104.  but putteth all his trust in God. Happy is he that flieth all exterior and temporal rest, and embraceth the tra●ailes of Christ. Happy is he that goeth ●●r of from all these temporal things, & offereth up all his works unto God.  
Refrain thy desire from having of many things, and join thyself unto one ●one, and draw near unto him, for in that ●ne consisteth all. Let others seek after exterior things, seek thou only after ●he interior good, & that shall suffice thee.  
Is it not better for thee to draw near ●nto one thing, then unto many? while ●hou art seeking for these visible things, ●nd thinkest to find rest in them, the vea●ie true good and invisible things be utterly lost. Thou goest after these moral things, seeking contentment in them, ●nd thou dost lose better things whereby ●hou art made miserable, and full of sorrows and bitter cares.  
Where so ever thou turnest thee, thou ●halt find much grief & discontentment, except thou do turn thee unto God, which is thy true place & sure rest. There ●oe thou seek to rest thee, where the fullness of all perfection is. Seek for the ly●elie water in the fountain that can never ●e dried up, to refresh and to comfort ●hy soul withal, for one drop of divine comfort is more worth, than the large rivers & abundant floods of humane comforts. And he must needs want the true comfort which followeth the false ●oue of this world.  
Worldly men would be quiet in unquiet things, and in things most vnsta●●● will they look for stability. If thou w●●● have true rest and felicity, thou must p●●● away all the trust which thou haste 〈◊〉 things mortal and transitory. Let fo●● take riches for their shield, and other take honours for theirs, but do thou dr●● unto God, and put all thy trust in him.   

THE THINGS OF THI● world do pass away in that haste 〈◊〉 quickness that the vearie considerat●●● thereof might make a man to desp●●● them, And seek to get things of 〈◊〉 stability and continuance. CHAP. 14.  

1▪ Cor. 7.  THE figure of this worl● doth soon pass away▪ saileth the Apostle. The glo●● thereof is unconstant, a●● all the good that it hath 〈◊〉 it, is but transitory and ●●●●perie. 
job. 20.  job sayeth: This know I, that 〈◊〉 the beginning that man was placed 〈◊〉 the earth, that the praise of wicked 〈◊〉 is but short, and the joy of an Hypocrite but like unto a point. If his pride 〈◊〉 ascend up into heaven, and his head 〈◊〉 touch the clouds, yet shall he vannishe away like a bubble in the water, and they that shall see him, shall ask: where is he? ●●ke a dream which passeth away, even so shall he be, and like a vision in the night.  
All that which appeareth both goodly and fair to the eye runneth swiftly away toward his end and stayeth not. 
job. 20.  job cold not compare the swiftness with which these worldly vanities do pass away unto any thing more aptly, then to a bubble of the water. All the consolations that do come of the world, be soon dried up & gone. The consideration only of the little continuance of these worldly things with us, and their quick passing away from us, aught to be sufficient to make us to set nought by them, beside all the other causes which might▪ and in reason ought, to make us despise them.  
In the winter it appeareth that the trees be dead, because their leaves and fruit be gone, but yet the life remaineth in the root, where all the virtue and strength of them is preserved and maintained, but then are all the fields & meadows fresh and green, & when summer cometh the heat of the son drieth up & withereth away the greens of the fields, and then be the trees in their chief beauty▪ all fresh and florisshing with their green leaves, and their fruit upon them.  
This miserable life of ours, is nothing else but a sharp & a hard winter, in which worldly men be fresh and galant like the green fields, enjoying all the glory and pleasure of this world? But let them n●● put any trust therein, for when the pleasant summer cometh of the next life, which shall last and continue for ever, they shallbe dried up, and quite consumed away. Death will mow down all their grass, and make therewith matter to increase the flame of the fiery furnace of hell. I saw (saith David) the wicked man exalted, 
Psal. 36.  above the high trees of libanus, and a little after I looked again, and behold there was not any such.  
The just men were accounted and held for dead, like unto the trees in winter, whose true virtue remaineth hidden in the root, which made them to be counted of the world for unprofitable and nothing worth. But the summer cometh and their virtue flourisheth, and then shall they appear in their glorious array. 
Can. 2.  The just shall say the winter (of our tribulation) is passed, and now do the flowers shoot up in our land, 
Mat. 13.  which shall shine like the son and so be presented before the face of our God.  

I●c. 4.  Put not thy trust in the green and glorious show of this worldly vanity, for all this freshness is soon gone, & in an instant is quite consumed. Love not the world which thou seest slide so fast away, for the love and friendship of this world is enemy unto God.  
Solomon saith, that the world shall pass away like a sudden tempest, 
Prou. 10.  as a thunder clap which maketh a great noise in the air, and like a sudden shower of rain, which soon passeth away and by and by cometh fair weather again: so is all the pomp and glory of this world which no sooner cometh, but it is gone again.  
Love thou the life eternal, which shall for ever endure: be careful to get that life which lasteth ever, where thou mayest always live without fear of falling into death. And if thou canst love this life wherein thou findest so much trouble and business, how much more oughtest thou to esteem that life in which there is all rest and quietness. Remember that thou ●rt but a pilgrim in this world, be diligent therefore to get the a sure resting place in heaven.  
All things in this world pass like a shadow away, And as worthy of praise be they that will not flourish with the world that flourisheth, as they be worthy of reprehension, which do delight to perish, with them that do perish.  
That pain which thou takest here to defer death, and to prolong this transitory life of thine, thou mightest do well to bestow upon the getting of the life eternal which can never perish.   

THE DESIRE THAT MAN hath to content his own will, and to abound in the things of this world, doth cause him to have much care & trouble of mind, which never will let him be quiet, but doth put him still into new thowghtes, & more anguish of mind. CHAP. 15.  
You shall serve strange gods which will never let you have rest neither by day nor night, 
Hier. 16.  saith God almighty. The world will not give thee any rest at all. If thou dost follow thine own appetite, thou shalt never want trouble and disquietness. In the things of this life, thou must never look for quietness. And greater disquietness can no man have, then in serving his own passions.  
Thou which dost serve the world, art in as much unquietness, as the wheels of a clock, by means of thy continual carefulness and taking of thought, which do grow in thee by occasion of the counterpeases of worldly love, which do hang upon thy will. This is that which turneth the wheels about. This is that which maketh thee lead so evil a life. This is that which never suffereth thee to have rest but doth keep thee in a continual motion.  
There was great strife and contention betwixt the shepherds of lot and the shepherds of Abraham, 
Gene. 13.  and the cause thereof grew by no other thing, but by their wealth, and their abundance of riches. They were both vearie wealthy in worldly substance, but what else did it, but minister unto them matter of trouble and disquietness? And it was the cause that these two great friends and near kinsmen were driven to divide, and separate themselves one from another. This is the good that groweth by much riches.  
One of the great plagues that God visited Egypt with all was the little busy flies, 
Exod. 8.  whose properties are always to be buzzing about men to molest & to vex them And if they be driven away from one place of a man's body, they will get unto an other. And like unto these be the cares of worldly men, which will never suffer them to rest nor be in quietness. And these cares be sent by God to vex the rich & ambitious man, as the flies were sent to vex the Egyptians.  
Esay saith of wordly men. They have weyved the spider's web. 
Esa. 59  The spiders do consume themselves with much travail and pain in making of their fine webs to catch flies, And so do worldly men consume themselves, with much ●●omaginge of their consciences for the getting of riches and honours, which do after work their own overthrow & undoing. What profit and commodity do they get by all their travails sustained for the winning of worldly honour and riches? They get nothing at the last, but care and trouble. And is not this a great infelicity for a man to travail long and take great pains, and to have therefore nothing but care and unquietness in the end? And in the same chapter the prophet isaiah sayeth further: They have put their trust in nothing.  
Thou art much deceived if thou thinkest that thou canst have any true rest in the goods of this world: 
job. 8.  their trust is like unto a spider's cobweb, sayeth job. All is with them but travail and care, and affliction of spirit: and if it were but for the unquietness that these worldly folk are subject to, thou oughtest to fly the vanities of this world.  
For two causes did the children of Israel desire to depart out of Egipte, the one was for the great torment which they sustained by the tyranny of Pharaoh: 
Psal. 14 1  the other was for the goodness and happiness of the land of promise. The trouble which thou sufferest in the world doth enforce thee to forsake the world: 
Num. 11.  let the goodness and happiness of the land of the living which is promised thee, invite thee as well to leave all these false goods of the world.  
Be not as a number of those Israelites were, 
Num. 21.  which would rather suffer the untolerable servitude of Pharaoh, then enjoy the pleasant land of promise. Thou must not let thy judgement be so much corrupted, as to choose rather a miserable life in the perturbations and remorses of conscience, then to enjoy a most quiet and peaceable life in Christ jesu.  
Walk on toward that celestial Jerusalem your free mother: 
Gal. 4.  their shalt thou find perpetual rest saith the Apostle. Abhor with all thine heart such unquiet trouble and affliction of thy soul. The vearie misery of thy life itself biddeth thee to forsake it. The world itself crieth out upon thee not to esteem it.  
Be not like unto the children of Gad, which willingly refused the land of promise for the liking that they took unto the hill of Galaad, 
Num. 34.  where they meant to make their perpetual habitation. In like manner are their divers that care not for the glory eternal, contenting themselves with the goods of this miserable world.  
Thou must not think to find rest there, 
Gene. 11.  where all is in a confusion and alteration. The worldly men be amazed and confounded, they know not themselves what they do, nor whether they do intent to go, no more than did the builders of the tower of Babylon.   

BECAUSE THAT ALL THE consolations of this false world be accompanied with so many infinite sorrows and troubles, and are full of bitterness and grief we ought only to love God, and his eternal beatitudes. CHAP. 16.  
GOD granteth not that my spirit should have rest, 
job. 9  and hath filled me full of bitterness, saith job. Thou canst not in the world enjoy any perfect rest, nor receive any true joy, where all is bitterness and sorrow. Consider what sharpness is found hidden under that which appeareth sweet.  
First consider the pleasure of sin, And after weigh withal, the pain that succeedeth it. Vices do always apparel themselves after the best and finest fashion being of themselves miserable filthy bondslaves. Let not the pleasure of these worldly shows deceive thee for all that is within it, is nothing but affliction and bitterness.  
By this thou mayest perceive what an evil thing vice is, that going so well & galantlie appareled is in deed all horrible and loathsome. And contrariwise thou shalt konwe the goodness of virtue, who always goeth poorly and barely clothed, and yet is in deed, all fair and gracious. In all wordly things thou shalt find great trouble and grief.  
Christ our saviour being in the glory of his transfiguration, 
Mat. 17.  made mention of his holy passion, to teach us, that the felicity and prosperity of this world is full of bitterness and vexation.  
If the world (being so full of bitterness as it is) be yet so much beloved and esteemed, how would men have loved and esteemed it, if it had been all sweet and pleasant? God hath mingled sorrows among our consolations here in this world, because we should hate this life, and love the life to come.  
A man that was such a lover of worldly honour, 
Est. 5.  was very joyful to see how he was invited to the feast of queen Hester, but his great joy was turned into bitter mourning, when he saw that Mardocheus would give him no reverence. Sorrow doth always go accompanied with worldly joy, and to them that live in continual prosperity▪ every small grief doth much annoyance.  
It is marvelous to behold, that all things in this life should be so full of bitterness, and yet that they should be esteemed of so many men for sweet and savoury. Great is thy danger, if thou canst not only be contented to live amongst so great sorrows, but also to take pleasure and delght in them. That sick man is in great danger whose stomach refuseth good and wholesome meat, and can eat nothing but that which is hurtful and evil for him: and as little hope is there to be had of that man which leaveth th● sweet conversation of Christ jesus, and casteth his affection to like of the poisoned meats which this world doth offer him.  
When God fed the Israelites wi●● bread from heaven, 
Exo. 10.  yet murmured they against Moses, and wished to have again their old gross diet of Egipte. Their souls loathed every kind of meat (saith the prophet David.) The only consideration of the bitterness that is in all these worldly pleasures is sufficient to move us to the detesting of all earthly comforts. 
Psa. 106.   
David being in his great triumph, and dividing of his prey amongst hi● soldiers after his victory, 
2. Reg. 1.  received the woeful message of the death of Saul, & th● overthrow of all the Israelites army, whic● turned his joyful victory, into a sorrowful heaviness, and made both himself, & all that were present with him to chaung● their mirth into mourning, and the joyful feast of their triumphant victory, di● they convert into a long lamenting, both for the death of Saul and jonathas, & th● great slaughter of the people of Israel Here may you see how all upon a sudden sorrow overtaketh joy.  
Do not thou therefore love the glory of this present world, except thou dost delight to live in sorrow and disquietness. For when thou art once entered into the delight of those false alluring pleasures, & art parting the prey of thy pleasures amongst thy senses, (As David divided his booty amongst his soldiers,) thou shalt strait ways be overtaken with the messenger of death, which is a troubled conscience, & fearful scruples which be always joined unto sin. This is that uncomfortable messenger, which will never suffer thee to enjoy long, any pleasure of this world. This is he which disquyeteth all thy joys, and turneth all thy worldly comforts into bitter sorrows.  
O open thine eyes, and consider what thou hast lost by thy loving of the world. Lament upon thine own soul (o miserable man,) and behold how the noble men of Israel be slain, when the light of grace is gone from the, and that thy noble virtues be wounded within thee. The people is also destroyed when the merits of thy good works be lost. Shut thou the gate of thy soul never so close, thou canst not keep out this messenger from entering in.  
Now since this evil news may so easily come unto thee, when thou thinkest lest thereof, the sure way is for thee to love God, and his eternal and true felicities, and so mayest thou live contentedly for this present time, and enjoy the endless comfort of heaven, when this life is past.   

THE WORLD DOTH SO blind his servants with the smoke of honours, and with the sweetness of his delights, that they setting their whole minds thereupon, can not perceive the deceits thereof, nor the foul filthiness of sin, which they are drowned in. CHAP. 17.  

Psal. 37.  MY virtue hath forsaken me, and the light of mine eyes is not with me, (saith the Prophet David. Thou art surely blind, if thou perceivest not the unhappy state that thou livest in by serving of the world. Thinkest thou that the falconer can keep his hawk quiet upon the perch, except he put her hood upon her head to cover her eyes? The world could never keep thee in the subjection of his miserable bondage except it first deprived thee of thy sight.  
Thou wouldest not be so tied unto these earthly things, which thou lovest so much, if thou didst but know their vanity and their fowl corruption. But because thou art blind and knowest not the filthiness of sin in which thou livest, therefore art thou made a slave, and a bond man unto sin, and to thine own sensual appetites. Open thine eyes, & look into the unhappy state into which thou art fallen.  
The dung of the swallow which 〈◊〉 upon Tobies' eyes being a sleep, 
〈◊〉. 2.  ma●● him to lose his sight. And the Aopstle saith, that the goods of this earth be but dung▪ which we find also by experience to have that quality of making men blind, as had the dung of Tobies swallow. The property of the swallow is to sing at the beginning of the summer, but suddenly afterward she stayeth her singing again. That condition hath the world also, first with a little delicate harmony to lull his lovers asleep, and after to make them blind with the vain delight of this earthly muck and worldly honours.  
These worldly men have not eyes to see the light of God, nor the good which they do lose by having their eyes closed up, with the pleasures of those vanities which they so earnestly do love. They be like unto Ely the priest, 
1. Re. 3.  which had his eye sight so weak, that he cold not see the lamp of God which hang continually light in the temple. Although they seem wise and of good understanding, yet are they not such in deed, saving only in worldly matters: they be like moles which live under the earth, which when they come abroad into the light, to deal in matters touching the soul, they show themselves to be both blind and ignorant.  
Open the eyes of thy soul, that thou mayest espy the vanities of these corruptible goods, & behold that divine light with which our Lord doth lighten his servants.  
Go not thou like a blind man falling from one sin unto a nother, according to that which the prophet Sophonias spoke, of worldly men. They went about like blind men, 
Soph. 1. john. 11.  for they sinned against God. Walk in the day saith our lord, that thou be not overtaken with darkness If sinners do walk by night and in the darkness of their own ignorance, it is no marvel though they do fall and hurt themselves.  
The eyes which are accustomed to behold these worldly vanities, when they be once withdrawn from the love & pleasure of the world, they be waxen blind to behold the true light, and are fallen into that blindness which God strake the Egyptians withal, which was such, (as the scripture saith,) That one man saw not an other in three days together, nor was once able to move out of his place where the darkness took him.  
If thou hadst eyes to behold the misery in which thou livest, thou wouldest not stand still as they of Egipte did, without moving thy foot, or forsaking thy vices. But thy blindness doth hold thee fast. The love of the glistering shows of worldly vanities doth take away thy sight, as the sight of a bear is taken away with the beholding of the glistering beams of an hot burning basin, shining upon him.  
If worldly men had not been blind, Saint john would never have said, that the world knew not jesus Christ. 
john. 1. Thren 4.  It was no great marvel, that they were blind and knew him not, having upon their eyes so much earth as they had. They went out of their way like blind men, saith the prophet Iheremy, and so blind that they would not take▪ any for their guide; but such other as were blind also. (Which is the very trade of sinners.) Blind folks do yet know that they be blind, but worldly men be blind, and yet they laugh and jest at all those which are not blind, according to the saying of the wise man: The wicked men fly from all those that run by the right way.  
Our lord said unto certain sinners, 
Prou. 19 john. 9  why say you that you do see being blind? your sin is therefore the greater. And because that they do not see themselves, they think that other men do not see them, and therefore they do presume to offend God, like unto the seventy old men of Israel, which God showed unto the prophet ezechiel.  
Beware of this blindness except you be willing to fall into the worst and most dangerous errors of all.   

THE DEPARTING FROM this present life is a most terrible and sharp thing to the lovers of this world, aswell for their riches & honours which they leave behind them, as for the pains which they know that they shall sustain when they be gone hence. CHAP. 18.  
THE travail of fools will grievously afflict them: 
Eccl. 10.  saith the wise man. When death cometh, the departing of this life will be very painful unto worldly men, for that can not be departed from without sorrow, which was loved without measure.  
Death unto a poor man will be less trouble (that hath not any thing to leave behind him) then to the wealthy man, which hath great riches to forego, & then to the lover of these corruptible worldly goods. The troubles of them which despise the world, shall take end by death, and then shall the torments of worldly men begin a new again.  
A terrible time shall that be, when the body of the worldly man, which hath been brought up in delicacy and tenderness, shallbe separated from the soul, to be consumed shortly after with worms. It willbe a grievous departing, that the rich man shall make from his riches, which he hath always disordinatelie loved, and a ●earie hard thing it willbe unto the lover of worldly honour, to see himself so suddenly spoiled of them.  
The horses of great men, go covered ●ll day with costly furniture, and with many men attending upon them: but when they come into the stable at night, they have all their fresh furniture taken of ●heir backs, and then remaineth nothing ●pon them, but the blows which their masters have bestowed on them, with the sweat and weariness of their travail. The rich and the mighty man likewise, that maketh his journey through this world, is of all men commended, honoured, & served, ●ut when the hour of death doth come, all ●is honours and riches be taken away, and ●othing remaineth behind but the blows which he received by his sins & vices, which mastered him, and kept him under. princes and kings shall not carry their gold and silver with them, when they depart this world, but only their necgligences and errors committed in their government and charge.  
Consider how grievous it will be for thee to depart from those vanities which thou hast so much esteemed, And learn t● leave the world before it leave thee. Tak● thou some good sure handefast betime, that thou fall not into all those miseries which then do accompany death. Although that the world doth much torment thee now, and that thou goest heavily l●●●den with his untolerable yoke, Yet maye●● thou shake it of here betime, that it do● not more cruelly torment thee her easier. When the Israelites would have departed out of Egypt, 
Exod. 10.  Pharaoh the Prince of darkness increased their tributes & payemēte● and used them more cruelly than before▪  
To serve the world is a painful thing, and his conversation is full of 〈◊〉 and trouble, but most displeasant of all 〈◊〉 it, when thou art about to depart from it, and leave it altogether. It is an evil thing to carry the burden of worldly 〈◊〉 nor upon thy back, and to leave it by death is worse. the sure and the best way therefore is for thee to despise it in 〈◊〉 life. Thou canst not here in these world●● kingdoms transport any ware from o●● kingdom to a nother without forfeiture if the ware be forbidden to be carried by the laws and customs of the country●▪ And because that riches, honours and variety's, be wares prohibited, thou must 〈◊〉 presume to carry them with thee, into thy heavenly region, lest thou fall into danger of the penalty provided and appointed by the great king of heaven. It is best therefore for thee to resign them up, and to forsake them.  
The great and mighty men of the world ought much to fear that rigorous examination, which they shallbe brought unto, when they shallbe spoiled of all that they loved so dearly here. job saith: 
job. 24.  They are exalted a little while, but they shall reign no longer, & they shallbe brought low again, and taken away with all that they had, and they shallbe cut down like the cares of corn.  
They be exalted unto honours & dignities, but how endureth that glory, which is so soon gone away again? when death shall come who with his cruel hook (as job saith) shall cut them down as corn is cut in the field. The grain that is good shallbe saved and brought into the granier of heaven, & the chaff (which be the wicked men, and is nothing worth,) after it is well fanned and tried from the corn, shallbe cast away into the furnace of hell. No man can tell what the sorrow of worldly men shallbe, when they shall forsake the world.  
If such then, shallbe their pain & trouble, leave thou the vanities of this world with a good will, & do away from the all worldly affection, & so shalt thou cut frō●hee many troubles and vexations.   

THE WORLD USETH TO give in recompense of long painful service, short and false joys, and at las● rewardeth them with the fire of hell, and therefore it ought to be fled fro●, and God almighty to be followed, who for small service, and little travail, will give good and everlastings rewards. CHAP. 19  
THEY rendered me, eui● for good, 
Psal. 34.  & made my so●● barren, (saith David.) 〈◊〉 is a most miserable and dolorous life, to serve the world which is so ungrateful and forgetful. And it is a wretch●● estate that a man is in, when he forsakest the truth, and followeth after falsehood▪ And doth choose short transitory things and leaveth those things which be d●●●ble and permanent. The world doth use 〈◊〉 give for things only appearing goo● the everlasting pains of hell, And Go● for small pains, doth give glory everlasting.  
For a short and a false joy the ●o●● rewardeth his servants with intollerabl● torments: and God for small pains taken for his sake here in this life, maketh his servants partakers of joy which never shall have end.  
For a little wealth and honour which the world doth lend unto his servants here for a short time, it rewardeth them with poverty and shame perpetual for ever: and God for a few days well and painfully spent in his service here, doth give in full satisfaction to his servants therefore, infinite joy and treasure, and honour that ever shall endure. Is it not better then, to serve God and to enjoy afterward eternal bliss, then to serve this corruptible world, and after be tormented for ever.  
It is better (surely) in this life, never to taste of these short delights of the world, then by carrying of them hence, to burn with them everlastingly in hell. It is better to live well here in the obedience of God, then to lead an evil life in serving of the world, who will shamefully afterward, lay in thy dish, the small apparent pleasures which it bestowed on thee here, that it may with the better colour cast thee after into hell fire.  
God commandeth things that be most easy, and the world never commandeth any thing, but that which is most difficult and hard. God commandeth us to forgive injuries, & the world biddeth us to revenge them. Much pain do we take in revenging us of our enemies, whereas in the following of Christ we should save all that pain. Why then hadst thou rather serve the world with pain and labour, then serve God with eas● and pleasure?  
By serving of God thou hast two glories, and by serving the world thou hast two hells. When the world telleth thee, that thou must seek out for riches and honour, doth it not invite thee unto great trouble? If the pain which thou bestowest for the world, thou wouldest willingly bestow for Christ's sake, thou shouldest live pleasantly and contentedly here in this life, and in the other thou shouldest live blessedly for ever.  
No one man will serve another without reward, but will first agree with his master before he enter into his house to serve him. Before thou dost enter into the service of the world, and takest his heavy burden on thy shoulders, make first thy bargain with it, and see what thou shalt have for thy pains. Thou shouldest ask the devil, the world, and the flesh, the reward that they will give thee in recompense of all thy pains taking in their service, seeing thou determinest to forsake heaven for them: thou must not leave a great reward, except thou mayest be sure of a greater.  

Gal. 6.  Of the flesh (sayeth S. Paul,) thou shalt reap nothing but corruption. If thou lookest to the payment that the devil maketh to those that be his, thou shalt find ●t to be nothing but torments. And if thou makest reckoning with the world, thou ●halt find that his servants be soon forgotten.  
Truly all thy harm groweth of this, ●hat thou wilt not make thy bargain well ●eforehande with these tyrants which use ●o promise much, and to perform little. Meddle not with them, before thou hast ●greed with them, see first what payment ●hou shalt have. There did never yet any derue the world, but that was sorry therefore at last. It would be continually served ●ere, and yet after all the service done, it maketh his servants either starve for hunger, or else with stripes, driveth them naked ●ut of his doors. If thou dost serve it, ●hou shalt be sure of grievous passions here, ●nd no comfort when thou art hence.  
And if thou dost serve jesus Christ, ●hou shalt find in all thy labours inward comfort and sweet consolations: and if happily thou shouldest fail of those inward comforts here, yet (since death maketh an end of all thy pains) thou oughtest to take comfort of that, and of thy comforts to come after death.  
It is not to be accounted travail which lasteth so little a while. 
job. 14.  The life of man is but short, and the pains of the saints and holy men be paste, and all forgotten, but the sorrows of worldly men shall endure for ever. It were better for thee to obey God (although he should command thee to burn in the fire) fo● the time thou livest here, then to enjoy the pleasures of this world, and burn afterward in the fire of hell everlastingly▪  
Fear not the travails that are to take an end with this life, but fear those, that when death cometh begin a new again, and never take end after: thy friends shall not save thee from those pains, neither thy riches, honour, or worldly favour: no there shall not any thing at all redeem thee from them: the world shall have an end, but God endureth for ever.  
give not ear unto the false lying deceits of the world, for it playeth the hangman with thee, which first conducteth thee by a fair green path, (which be the counterfeit comforts and pleasures of this life) and strait ways after dispatcheth thee toward the place of thy punishment, which is the everlasting torments of hell: but an evil reward for so good service.   

THE WORLD HATH NO sooner advanced those which do serve it unto preferment, but that it doth strait ways again forsake them, and so much as it exalteth them higher, so much the sorer fall doth it give them, and maketh them in a moment to vanish away with all the riches & honours that they have gotten. CHAP. 20.  
I SEE the wicked man exalted above the high trees of Libanus, 
Psal. 36:  and within a while I passed that way again, and behold he was not to be found saith the prophet. The world doth highly advance those which do serve it, but when they have well tasted of his pleasures it forsaketh them, and forgetteth them.  
The prophet Baruck was well aware hereof, 
Bar. 3.  when he cried out aloud saying where be the Princes of the people, and those which have subdued the mightiest beasts of the earth, and have spent their days in hawking after the birds of the air? And those which do hoard up gold and silver, and those things in which men do commit trust, and yet never do attain to the end, nor do satisfy their desires. They were devoured by the earth and are descended down into hell. The glory of this world soon passed away from them, and all their comforts ended in a moment. The pleasures of the ungodly do soon come to nought.  
It is a vanity to trust in the honours of this world, seeing they never remain with them long that do possess them, The wicked man enjoyeth that which the world doth give him but for a short time and yet many a mock hath he therewithal. The world hath played with Princes & great men for a little while, And after that they had well tasted of his pleasures for a space, he suffered them to perish, and to be lost for ever.  
What were their honours and their high estates unto them, but only ministers of matter, which caused their more dolorous death, and more infamous fall? To what end served all that vain ware, but to give them the more pain in the parting from it again? If thou be exalted on high unto any great glory, beware that thou sleep not there the while, for the world watcheth always occasion to pluck thee down, and to give thee a fall.  
The glory of this world soon vanisheth away, and all the pleasures thereof be false and deceitful: they be flowers which soon do fade away, and little trust to be had in them, for when worldly men do think themselves most sure of them, then do they soon forsake they  
The hangman bringeth the guilty person to the top of the ladder, and ●hen throweth he him most cruelly down, ●nd with much shame doth make an end of him: So doth the world exalt his servants entangling them in all kind of vices, to give them after the more shameful fall.  
That great Babylon mentioned in the apocalypse vaunted of the great prosperity, 
Apo. 18.  which she had here in the world, but the more sure that she thought herself to stand, the greater fall she after received in the end?  
That covetous rich man, of whom S. Luke maketh mention, boasted of his great riches and power, but it was strait ways told him: thou fool this night shall ●hy soul be taken from thee, 
Luc. 12.  and then the riches that thou haste gathered together, whose shall they be?  
The Children of Israel were scattered abroad to seek straw and stubble. 
Exod. 5.  There is no scattering abroad to seek things that are precious, but men must scatter abroad to seek straw, and such like light stuff. All men do seek after riches, for all things are obedient unto money. And they that be seekers thereof, do go all scattering one from another, because covetousness knoweth no friend, neither remembreth any kindred. The little value of honours & riches is noted in this saying, that they sought all abroad for straw, but the worst of all is this, that after they had sought it, and found it to, yet were they well beaten for all that. Which doth signify unto us, that the vanities which we do seek with so much trouble and business, doth give us much sorrow, both in the getting, and the keeping. And often times it happeneth, that the things which are earnestly sought, do serve also for straw to make a fire in hell, for the busy seekers thereof.  
Those poor afflicted Israelites travailed about all the land of egypt to seek out straw, and at the end of all their travail, they were all beaten for their labour. And so falleth it out by those, which when they offend God by their busy pain taking here in this life shall after for their labour be punished for ever in the next. Malice & naughtiness is a punishment of itself. For although that a● evil conscience be some times at rest, yet is it never in perfect surety. And therefore seeing the world so soon forsakes them that love it, and leaveth them destitute of all such pleasures as it was wont 〈◊〉 yield them, be thou no longer in danger unto it, but prevent it first, and forsake it, before it forsake thee, And so shalt thou gain honour and credit by it.   

THE HEARTS OF Worldly men be so vexed with the insatiable desire of the riches, honours and solace of this world, that either they perceive not, or will not perceive, the holy inspirations of God, by which he calleth on them to seek their own salvation. CHAP. 21.  
I STAND knocking at the door, (saith God, 
Apo. 3. ) if any will hear my voice, and let me in, I will enter and sup with him, and he shall sup with me likewise. With such like words doth God provoke the sinner knocking at the door of his soul. Here doth small courtesy appear, if our Lord shall knock at our heart, and not be suffered to enter, And when he desireth but the consent of our heart, it will not be granted unto him.  
If it do seem small good manner unto thee, to let thy friend tarry long at thy door knocking before he be let into thy house: how much more worthy of blame art thou if thou let God almighty stand knocking at the door of thy soul, and givest him no entrance in. He speaketh here conditionally, saying, If any man will let me in, by the work of his free will, whereby it lieth in his hands, either to consent or not to consent. And if he do enter, and come in unto thee, it is but for thy help and benefit, since he sayeth that he will sup and rest with thee. He bringeth the meat with him, & will not sup with thee at thy charge.  
He doth not by thee, as the poor sowler doth by the partridge, who inviteth him to supper, because he may feed on him, which is the vearie property of the devil, 
Gene. 3.  who invited poor father Adam with the fruit of the forbidden tree, to make a pray of him afterward, according to the saying of Iheremy the proph●t. 
Trens. 3.  Mine enemies have hunted after me, and at last have taken me as if I had b●ne a bird. What are worldly pleasures, abundance of riches, and desire of honours, but a bait laid by the devil to bring us into his snares? When he maketh much of thee, then doth he hunt after thee, If thou be not wary and considerate in taking any thing at his hands, thou wilt soon be taken up in the nets of his deceits.  
But contrariwise, God inviteth us, intending nothing, nor seeking any thing of us, but to do us good, and to help us. And although that the voice of his call be sweet and pleasant, yet is not he hearkened unto, nor any answer of admyttance given unto him, because the love of the world hath closed up the doors of our hearts.  
The noise that the world maketh in the soul of a sinner, is vearie loud and shirle, And when there is much noise within the house, he which knocketh at the door, cannot be heard. The spiritual crying, is the earnest desire of the soul, and the prayer that is made with effect, & force of the mind.  
Moses' prayed and never moved his lips, 
Exod. 14.  and God asked him wherefore he cried. 
1. Reg. 1.  Anna the mother of Samuel the prophet, prayed in the temple, and never opened her mouth, and yet sent she most effectual prayers unto God almighty. 
Psal. 9  Our lord heareth the desire of the poor, and his ear hath hearkened to their prepared petitions, (saith the prophet David.)  
The love which is borne to the things of this world, doth make a great stir and noise within the inward parts of the heart. The desires of honour do never cease crying out. The appetite of revenge, and the greedy desire of money, do make a continual clamour within the heart of man. It is no marueyll then that God is not heard in that house where so many cryings out be of all disordinate appetites. And one great inconvenience is this, that when thou hast once given thy consent, to all thy vain desires, and let them have all their own will, yet will they never consent to let thee be quiet, but will still be ask and craving for more, as if they had never had any thing of their desire before. The covetous worldly men, although they do get that which they do desire, yet are they never contented therewith.  
The remedy then, that thou hast for to hear him which knocketh without, is first to quiet all that troublesome people that do disquiet thee within, Let not thine appetites have their will, for then shalt thou never be quiet, nor have any rest. Resign up thine own will, and do away thine affections, and then shalt thou soon have silence.  
Content thyself with that which thou hast, considering the shortness of this life, and the great poverty and humility of jesus Christ, and so shalt thou make all thy disordinate appetites to be in peace and tranquility.  
drive from thine heart the love of the world, and reduce thyself to a quietness, and then shalt thou hear the sweet inspiration and pleasant voice of Christ jesus. Put from thine heart the cares of this world, and then mayest thou say unto God with holy job. 
job. 14.  Thou wilt call, me and then will I make answer unto thee.   

HE SHOWETH HERE BY sundry examples out of the old testament, and many authorities of the old and new testament both, how the good are always persecuted, and the wicked are favoured & esteemed. CHAP. 22.  
IF ye were of the world, 
Io. 15.  the world would love you, as those which were his, but because you be not of the world, the world careth not for you: saith our Lord. It is no new thing that the wicked should persecute the good and the servants of the world the servants of Christ. 
Gene. 4. Gene. 21. Gene. 27. Gene. 37. 1. Re. 1. 1 Re. 18. 3. Re. 19  So did Cain persecute Abel, Ishmael Isaac, Esau jacob: The brethren of joseph persecuted joseph: Phenenna Anna, Saul persecuted David, jesabel Elias. Because the life of good men, is as it were a secret reprehension of the evil doing of those that be nought: It is a natural and an ordinary thing in this life that wicked men and sinners should persecute those that are just and good. job saith that the holy men in this life, be like children that be borne before their time, because they be suddenly as it were secretly hidden and buried out of the way, for because they do not meddle nor busy themselves with the things of this world, But the wicked be the lively children of this world, and for such they do show themselves by their dealing in the world.  
The thieves which do break by night into the house to rob, the first thing that they do after they be entered the house, is to put out the candle, to the end that they may rob without being seen. Even so play the wicked in seeking to darken the fame of those that by their virtue and justice, do shine like bright candles in the world: for they which do evil do always hate the light. 
job. 3. 2. Re. 6.   
David rejoiced in spirit, and danced be●ore the Ark of our Lord, and straight way Nicholl his wife began to scorn at him therefore: for it is always the custom of the wicked to scorn at the works of those which be virtuous.  

1. Esdr.  The people which inhabited within the country of jury, after the transmigration of the jews thence, upon their return thither again, would not suffer them to reedify the temple, but gave them all the impediments they might, to hinder their work: which is the very fashion of worldly men at this day, to hinder all those good men, that go about to build up the holy edifice of the heavenly Jerusalem: But the very natural and true Israelites, with one of their hands framed up their building, and with the other hand defended themselves from their enemies. And the like must thou do also: thou must not leave the good work which thou haste begun and taken in hand, but still following of thy labour, and going about thy good and virtuous business, thou must defend thyself by patience from the malice of thine enemies.  
It is a great token that thou art not good, when thou canst not bear well the injuries of evil men, and he that through his impatience can not suffer the wrongs of the unjust, doth give testimony against himself that he is not yet a good man. Thou oughtest courageously to bear, and willingly to suffer the persecutions of worldly men, for it is not only no shame to thee, to bear them, but rather a great praise and glory unto thee.  
It were a shame for thee to be praised of such as are nought, and it is all one thing, to be flattered of them that are nought, and to be praised for doing of that which is nought. And as it is all one thing, to be injuried of the wicked, and to be praised for doing good deeds: so is it a very madness to do any thing that may make thee famous amongst infamous persons. For when wicked men do find fault with our life, then in truth is our life approved, and that life is approved, which the wicked do reprove. Thou showest some part of justice to be in thee, when thou beginnest to be a trouble unto the enemies of justice.  
It is no reproach unto the light, that the bats can not away with it, but it is a commendation unto it that they do fly from it. 
1. Thess. 5.  Ye be the children of light (sayeth the Apostle) unto good men. The same Apostle sayeth, 
2 Cor. 6 Prou. 1.  what hath light to do with darkness? Wisdom is persecuted by the ignorant, and fools do always despise those that be learned: and therefore ought not the children of light to be grieved, that they be injuried by the children of darkness.  
If blind men do not judge rightly of colours, the fault is not to be attributed to the colours, which be nevertheless beautiful and fair. To be praised of such is a great dispraise, and an honour it is to be dispraised by them. It is always a sign of great courage to despise injuries and offences. 
Prou. 16.  Solomon sayeth: That a patient man is more worth than a strong man, and he that can conquer himself, of greater value, than he that conquereth great cities: virtue withereth away if it have no adversaries.  
It is not for any man to stop the mouths of all men. Although the dogs do bark at us, that can not let, but that we be men endued with reason, and they beasts still. And although the wicked do murmur against thee, and do persecute thee, that can never make, but that thou art still virtuous, and they sinners, and enemies of God.  
And if worldly men do learn means how to persecute thee, thou must also learn patience how to withstand them: & this is that wisdom which thou oughtest to study for in the school of jesus Christ.  
Ecclesiasticus sayeth: 
Eccl. 33.  Against good is evil, and against life is death. So is the sinner ever against the just man. And since that worldly men do always persecute the servants of Christ, thou must seek to overcome by silence and patience, And so shalt thou get a glorious crown at the last.   

HOW INJURIES OWHGT patiently to be borne and not to be revenged, but the revenge to be committed into god's hand, for whose sake thou oughtest to forgive all wrongs that be done unto thee. CHAP. 23.  
LEAVE unto me revengement, and I will pay it for you, saith our lord. 
Rom. 12,  If thou dost revenge thee of the offences committed against thee, what shall God have to revenge for thee. The greatest revenge, that thou canst take of thine enemy, is not to be revenged on him at all, for thou canst not hurt him, but that thou must first begin with the hurting of thyself.  
Leave unto God the punnyshement, for he will take revengement for thee, much better than thou canst do for thyself. If thou dost hold thy peace, God speaketh for thee, And if thou speakest, God will hold his peace. It will be much honour for thee, that God doth make answer for thee. 
Luke. 7,  S. Marry Magdalene being condemned and despised by the Pharisey, held her peace, and our lord made answer for her and became her advocate, & the setter fourth of her praise and well-doing. Thou shalt get more honour by holding of thy peace, than thou shalt do by thine answering: Do not render evil, but overcome evil with doing well.  

Rom. 12.  So much of a wise man hast thou in thee, as thou hast patience in thee. And so much of a fool hast thou in thee as thou hast impatient passions in thee. Virtue without patience is a widow, and patience is the preserver of all virtue. Patience enjoyeth well the sharpest storms of tribulation. And the greatest token by which a just and a good man may be known, is with good courage and fortitude to bear the assault of adversities and affliction. By adversity it is made manifest to the world, what love a man doth bear to God, and to a virtuous life, And he that hath patience overcometh himself.  
If thou didst consider with what love God doth send thee tribulations, thou wouldest willingly receive them, and give him thanks for them. Adversities be the gracious gifts which God bestoweth upon his friends and familiars, to set out, and to bewtefie their souls withal.  
An impatient sick man maketh the physician cruel. If thou be grieved at the bitterness of thy medicine, thou dost but increase thine own pains the more, for that which is taken with good will, can never offend, nor displease thee. The greatest part of discretion is to use patience. The punishment and afflictions of God, be like unto the surgeon's lancers and razors, which who so in time of need repelleth and putteth away from him, is the causer of his own woe and misery. God useth afflictions for our remedies, which who so necglecteth, neclecteth God also, who for our good did send them to us. But God knowing our weakness & frailty, doth sometime bind us hand and foot, (As the surgeon doth an impatient sickman) that so he may make us to recover again the health of our souls, impaired by our own impatience. The best way therefore for thee to be made whole, is to take patiently all adversities.  
Christ and his disciples sailed with a contrary wind: 
Mar. 8.  Contrary to malediction is benediction, and contrary to hate is love. If thou dost offend him that offendeth thee, thou dost not sail with a contrary wind. Bless him that curseth thee love him that hateth thee, and that is the ready way for thee to heaven. The Apostle sayeth: 
Rom. 12.  Bless ye all those that do persecute you: bless but curse not at all. And in an other place he sayeth: Let us bless, 
1. Cor. 4.  when we be cursed, if persecutions do fall to us, let us bear them.  
He saileth with a contrary wind as Christ sailed on the ship of the cross, that prayeth for his enemies, and doth good to them that do persecute him. The wicked do also many times suffer persecutions and sickness as well as the good, for that God will, that they shall in this life begin to feel of the torments which they must suffer after in hell. But by the adversities themselves, it is easily known, which be they that be given for to gain by them life everlasting: And which be they, which are given to begin everlasting death by.  
If thou shalt see any man which in his sickness shall blaspheme or grievously offend God, thou mayest perceive, how that tribulation is given him for his punishment, and for to begin to feel his hell here. But if he have patience, and do give God thanks in his punnyshement, then mayest thou be sure, that God hath sent that infirmity unto him for his good and benefit, to cleanse him from his former faults, and to augment his glory in heaven.  
Thou must have patience in adversity, if thou lookest to be of the number of the elect. Patience in adversity and tribulation, is to God a most acceptable sacrifice. In patience there be many good things. Do but hold thy peace, and thou shalt overcome, And if thou be sorry to day, thou shalt be glad to morrow. If thou be to day discontented, thou shalt to morrow be comforted. For so small a time then, temper thy sudden motions, and refrain thy tongue. Do not afflict thyself, neither do thou drown thyself in a small water.  
In good works, as fasting, alms, and penitence, thou art so pursued with human praises, that thou dost often lose a great part of thy merit, but patience is a secret treasure. 
Mat. 13.  For men can not see what thou sufferest, neither can they perceive the injuries done unto thee, because they touch not them. If thou have patience and dost hold thy peace, thou art not praised: because in suffering, silence beareth the sway, and hath the domination, but if thou be impatient, then do many words bear all the rule. If thou be impatient, then do all men find fault with thee, but if thou have patience, then will no man say aught of thee, for men do hear well thine impatient words, but of thy patience being done, & saying nothing▪ they have no consideration at all.  
The more that thine heart is sacrificed unto God, the more is all the work that thou workest acceptable unto him: and so much as thy works be less noted and commended of men, so much be they the more perfect, and better accepted of God.  
Suffer then and have patience a while, for time cureth all things: if thou be faithful unto death, thou shalt receive the crown of life.   

BECAUSE THE WORLD IS f●ll of confusion, disorder and misery▪ it ought to be fled from, of him that is desirous to find the treasure of heavenly riches. CHAP. 24.  
FLY from the midst of Babylon: 
jer. 10.  (sayeth God.) The world is full of confusion, where no order is but everlasting horror. Gold is more esteemed than virtue, transitory goods be preferred before spiritual and true goods: the world is so full of confusion, that he which hath a soul, hath not a true life: it exalteth them that be evil, and it subdueth those that be good.  
Our Saviour brought three of the perfectest disciples which he had unto the top of an hill, 
Mat. 17.  for to transfigure himself before them. The world exalteth judas unto honours and high estates, leaving those that be good under the foot: it is good for thee not to inhabit where so little order, and so great confusion is.  
isaiah speaking of the great mischeee that reigned in Babylon, 
Esa. 13.  said that the Arabians would not pitch their tents in that place. And he that considereth the confusion and disorder of the world, will never set his affection thereupon.  
When a sick man findeth not health in one place, he changeth his dwelling and goeth to another. This world is full of sickness, & vearie dangerous for thee to recover thy health in. Thou wilt never get thy perfect health whilst thou dost abide with it. Change it and thou shalt find health, forsake it and thou shalt find life, fly from it betime, if thou wilt escape death. Separate thyself from the noise of this world if thou dost mean to live in rest and quietness.  
The pleasures and the consolations thereof be more bitter than the waters of Iherico, and they be as mutable as the moon. 
4. Reg. 2.  Thou canst not find so evil waters again upon the whole earth. Little shalt thou profit in virtue, in so barren and hungry a soil.  

Gene. 19  Abraham looked toward Sodom, and he beheld all the land smoking and flaming as it had been a fiery furnace. And he that will consider this world well, shall find in it nothing but the smoke of pride, and vanity, and the flame of disordinate desires. He doth well that forsaketh all worldly things, flying from the ways of sinners, and hideth himself far of from all the business and dangers of this world. That servant is wise, which knowing that his master whom he serveth. intendeth to put him away, doth determine to forsake him first, and take his leave of him. And since the world is such as doth forsake his friends in their chief time o● need, the best is for thee to forsake it, before it do forsake thee.  

Gene. 21.  When Isaac was borne, Abraham made no feast at all, but when he took him from nourrisse and waned him, than he made a great feast. When man is first borne there is no cause of feast, because a man knoweth not what will become of him, but when he is separated from this world, and waned from all his pleasures and delights, than ought we to make a feast for him.  

Mat. 13,  Fly from the world and thou shalt find the treasure hidden in the field. He which diggeth after any treasure, the nearer that he cometh unto it▪ so much the more withdraweth he himself from the conversation and company of men, and the nearer that he approacheth it, so much more haste doth he make in his work. So do the holy and good men, the nearer that they draw unto death, the more earnest they be about all good works, as though they began but even then to labour.  
He that did eat of the paschal lamb, 
Exo. 12.  was first circumcised. And if thou dost not first circumcise thyself, by driving from thee the love of this world, and spoiling thine heart of all sensual desires, thou shalt never taste of the spiritual food of the soul.  
If thou hadst a great deal of good grain in a low bottom, and one should tell thee that it marreth and corrupteth in that place, thou wouldest straight way remove it thence, and carry it up to some higher room. But God himself telleth thee, that thine heart is corrupted and cast away here in these low & base things of this world, and therefore would have thee to life it up toward heaven, and yet art thou unwilling to do it. Fly from this unwholesome and contagious place, that thou mayest live for ever in the land of the living.   

IN NOTHING DOTH THE world keep any assured stay, but contynuallie in every thing maketh new alterations and changes, & therefore ought not any man to put any trust in it, but only to place all his confidence in God. CHAP. 25.  
THOU hast moved the earth, and it was troubled, close thou up the ruptures thereof, 
Psal. 59  because it is so sore moved and shaken: saith the Prophet David. The mutation & change which the world maketh so often, were sufficient to make it break in pieces.  

Luc. 21.  If a cunning carpenter or mason would tell thee, that the house where thou dwellest were like to fall down, wouldest not thou quickly get thee out of it? But God himself who is the chief workman of all, doth tell thee that both heaven and earth shall pass away. 
1 john. 2.  And S. john saith: This world doth pass away and the concupiscence thereof. The three pillars, upon which the world is borne up (saith S. john) are pride, covetousness, & concupiscence of the flesh. Dost not thou see ●owe these three pillars on which the world standeth, do tremble and shake? And yet wilt thou stand still and not fly ●way?  
Honours and vanities do fall away, ●nd are moved and removed every day. ●arke how many changes and variations ●here have happened in these honours of ●he world: first the monarchy of the world ●egan with the Assyrians, but it stayed not ●here long, but passed thence to the Permians, from them again it went to the Greeks, and continuing still in change ●nd alteration, came at last unto the Romans, and at this present the Empire is ●mongest the almains. Now if the whole Empire which standeth upon the highest ●oppe of worldly honour, hath gone so often about, what thing is there i● this world that a man may account to be stable and firm.  
Riches and all sensual delights be much more subject to mutability, and do sooner pass away: Seeing than that the pillars of the world do tremble and ●hake, and be so frail and movable, it is ● dangerous thing for to live in a world that is so mutable, and so ready to move continually: thou must fly away, except ●hou be contented that it should fall upon thee and kill thee.  
If the world which is always in readiness of falling be so much beloved, what should it then be, if it were quiet and sta●ble? How wouldest thou forsake it, if it we●● fair and beautiful, if thou dost now 〈◊〉 much esteem it, being foul and filthier▪ What pleasure wouldest thou take in it, if it should bring thee fourth sweet flowers, that takest such delight in these thorns and brambles? Thou wilt not forsake the world, but continually follow it, and yet doth the world still forsake thee: put not thy trust in these present things, which in truth can not well be called present, being in continual motion and never standing still.  
Do not thou take that for good quietness wherein there is not any perfec●● rest at all: if thou dost love those things that be movable, thou must not look 〈◊〉 be thyself immovable. The sailor whether he will or no●, must needs move when the ship moveth: all things i● this life be movable and not permanent▪ to day they be, to morrow they be not, so that thou canst not have any perfect and assured contentment in them.  
The name that doth most aptly express almighty God is this word, Esse, to be. He that is (said Moses) hath sent me unto you, speaking of God who sent him to king Pharo. 
Exod. 3.  Of a mutable ma●▪ the common use is to say, that he hath not the being of a man, and therefore men will avoid to have any dealing with him. And even so is the world, It were good for ●●ee therefore not to have any thing to ●●e therewith, or to enter in to any frend●●ipp with it. Love those things that are ●f continuance and being, and not those ●●inges which for their variation & chaun●ing have no perfect being at all.  
It is a dangerous thing for thee to ●yue where continual earthquakes be, ●oe not build thy house, where Cities do ●●se to fall, and kill the inhabitants. buyld upon a sure ground, where thou ●ayest live quietly, and in good safety. ●et thy care be, to build thy house in ●eauen, which thou mayest be sure is always firm and quiet. The wind of flanerie, which is enclosed within the bowels of the earth, (which be the Palaces of Princes and the houses of great men,) when it seeketh to break out, & to ascend ●o honour and high dignities, is the cause of these great earthquakes in the world. Make not thou thine habitation in so dangerous a place. Seek not to dwell in the Palaces of kings and Princes, for there are continual earthquakes, by reason of the great winds of ambition that are there kept under, and covered with hypocrisy, which breaking out at the last, do cause great disorders, and unreasonable turmoils.  
Thou shalt daily see in the world continual alterations, and almost every hour new changes: some thou shalt see rich to day, that were poor yesterday, and some as poor again, that were b●fore very rich: if thou dost laugh to day make no great reckoning thereof, for th●● mayest happily weep to morrow, so mu●table is the world, that it will this day show thee a good countenance, and 〈◊〉 morrow again not once look upon thee▪ The sun shineth bright and clear i● the morning, but straight way cometh there a cloud, and turneth all the fay●● wether into a tempest. What is all this, but for our instruction, to teach us that i● this world there is no stability, but grea● change & alteration in all things of this world? All hangeth in doubtful balance, and such intermeddling is there in it, that pleasure is no sooner passed, but straight way entereth sorrow and displeasure.  
The mutability that is in the world, is i● nothing better expressed then in the usage and handling of our blessed Saviour, whom the people received in the morning with great feast and joy, and in the evening following, was forsaken of them all. They went with green bows to receive him, and to welcome him in, and within four days after, with dried bows they knocked him on the head. They took of their garments, and strawed his way with them, as he should pass by, and shortly after they spoiled him of his own clothes, both to beat him, and to crucify him. They said first, blessed be he that cometh in the name of our Lord. 
job. 19  And suddenly after they changed their voice, and cried out aloud to Pilate, that he should crucify him, for he was worthy of death. And at the same gate that he enured in with so much honour he went out again not long after with much dishonour. Dost not thou consider well this great and sudden change and alteration? This is the end that those worldly honours do come unto.  
If thou dost now laugh, and pass ●hy life in pleasure, thou hast much cause ●o fear, and to expect some evil to forow soon after. although the world do show thee a fair face now at this present, yet trust thou not in it, for it is mutable, light, and inconstant, without friendship or fidelity. But put thy trust & confidence in God alone, for he is a sure and a firm friend, and deal with no such fickle friend as this present world is.   

HOW EVERY SIN BE IT never so small, aught to be avoided, & every occasion eschewed, that may draw a man into it, for one sin ever draweth on an other, And bringeth still more danger withal, to cast the soul away at the last into eternal damnation. CHAP. 26.  
FLEE from sin, as thou wouldest from a serpent, 
Eccl. 21.  saith the scripture. The friendship of this world is so prejudicial to the integrity of a good conscience: that thou oughtest in no wise to conform thyself unto it. For all that is in the world, is full of sin and vice, from which it is good for thee, to withdraw thyself, as far of as thou canst.  
Ecclesiasticus likeneth the malice of sin unto a serpent. Which comparison, (if the malice of sin be throughly considered,) will scarce be found equal, when the malice of the serpent may easily be avoided of any man, but the malice of sin is hardly of any to be eschewed, and few there be that do avoid it.  
Seek to avoid not only great sins, but the small also. 
Esa. 14.  For as the prophet Esay saith, from the root of the serpent, cometh fourth the Basilisk. That fearful basilisk, which of all venomous beasts is the chief, doth proceed from the small serpent, which is always verified, when the great sin doth grow of the little sin: And if thou dost not avoid that small serpent, that other great monstrous serpent the Basilisk will kill thee, and utterly destroy thee. Except thou dost separate thyself from small sins, thou wilt easily fall into greater. And because thou shouldest fly from every small sin therefore art thou willed to fly from sin as from a serpent.  
In the ship that thou sailest in, if thou dost leave but a small hole for the water to enter, by little and little the ship will at the last be overwhelmed with water, and thyself drowned therewith. Take away first small inconveniences, that thou fall not after into great mischiefs and dangers.  
How small soever the sin seemeth, yet do thy best to avoid it, renounce the world, and all that may conjoin thee to the world, fly much worldly conversation, for though it seem to carry no sin with it, yet ministereth it great occasion of sin. Avoid all unnecessary practices, & idle jesting for thereof groweth indevotion, And when devotion is lost, how easy is it to slip into the danger of any sin? Think not these to be small things, for though that thou do so esteem them, yet if thou let them grow & increase upon thee, they will go near to kill thy soul at the last. Kill thine enemy when he is yet but little, for when he is grown up to his full bigness, he will put thy life in hazard.  
It is every wise man's part to stand in some fear of his enemy, although his force be but feeble. Hereof mayest thou take example by Cain, who because he had no regard to a little discontentment of his brother's welfare, 
G●ne. 4.  at the first, suffered it so to grow and increase, that at the last it turned into an extreme envy, which caused him to kill his brother. After which murder committed, he fell into an error of faith, believing that God knew nothing of his offence. And so last of all he fell into an utter desperation. Abissus Abissum invocat, one sin draweth an other after, & of the small sin groweth the greater.  
Be not thou therefore necgligent in looking well to the avoiding of every small sin. Thou hadst need to live warely and vigilantly, for all will be little enough, when thou must live in a world so full of dangers. They that are found unprovided, are soonest overcome. From every evil custom of sin thou oughtest to fly, as from a pestilence, for death standeth fast by: And if thou give access unto his messenger which cometh before him, he will follow soon after himself, and destroy thee.  
One of the plagues of Egypt, was certain small flies, which troubled them with sucking of their blood. This was but a small plague, but by and by after followed an other plague, which were great flies, which cruelly tormented the Egyptians. After the less plague came still the greater, and after a small temptation followeth a greater. Except thou take heed by the first thou shalt be tormented with the second, as king Pharaoh was, And so infinitely one following an other, until utter destruction made an end of all.  
Ecclesiasticus saith, He that necglecteth small matters shall fall at last into great dangers. 
Eccl. 19  When thou thinkest a thing to be small, thou makest no account thereof, and thy little esteeming of it, maketh it the more dangerous unto thee. He that hath in use not to esteem of light harms, perceiveth not the greater, when they do fall. And in great faults must he needs fear the less, that used in small faults to fear nothing at all.  
The Apostle lest the Corinthians should fall into great offences, by setting nothing by the less, saith unto them. Be not ye Idolaters, as some of them have been which fell first to eating, and drinking, 
1. Cor. 10  and after fell to commit Idolatry. Because they did not keep (them selves from surfeyting and bibbing, they fell into the greater offence of adoring Idols.  
Have in hatred all small sins, fly from all that which may bring thee into the way of danger, and destruction, for he which despiseth his enemy, and setteth nothing by him, is the more likely to be destroyed by him.   

THE COMPANY AND Conversation of evil men, is to be fled from, for the great danger that good men do stand in thereby. CHAP. 27.  
HE that toucheth pitch shallbe defiled therewithal, 
Eccl. 13.  And he that keepeth company with a proud man, will wax proud himself saith God. There is no disease be it never so infective, that will so soon catch hold of a man, as evil customs will do, through the conversation of evil men. Fly the company of evil men, if thou wilt be ●he servant of jesus Christ.  
There be many noughty men which the devil useth as his ministers, and sendeth them about to hunt after good men: and many wicked men do more harm by their evil examples, than some thieves and murderers do. thieves do take away our bodily goods, but the wicked do rob our souls of the treasure of virtue: so much as the soul is more noble than the body, so much more oughtest thou to eschew the company of evil men, than the company of those that be infected with contagious diseases.  
Worldly men with their evil company do move the ha●● of man to follow their vices, and although their works be no persuasions, nor enforcements to sin, yet be they shrewd temptations to move thereunto: for the good man seeing the wicked man do evil, is stirred thereby to follow him.  
God commanded the Israelites that they should not marry with the Gentiles, 
Deu. 7.  to the intent they should not learn their evil customs by keeping company with them. The children of Seth, which were good, because they joined themselves to the children of Cain which were nought became also vicious like unto them, for which cause God sent after the great water of the flood.  
That holy prophet whom God sent unto Samaria, 
3▪ Re▪ 13.  was slain of a lion by the way, because he did eat and drink in the company of the false lying prophet. josaphat the good king of juda being but in the company of Achab that was bad, 
3 Re. 22.  was well-near slain for his labour, and he was bitterly rebuked therefore by the prophet of God: vices be sooner learned than virtues, and therefore beware of the company of the wicked which is most pernicious.  
The jews which were the elect people of God, because that they conversed, and kept company with the Gentiles, they were reprehended by the prophet Esay, 
Esa. 1.  saying: Thy wine is mingled with water: wine being mingled with water doth lose his strength and virtue. So if one be good and do practise and keep company with those which be nought, he looseth part of his spiritual force. And by little and little, the fervour of his devotion waxeth cold in him.  
although thou dost not lose the virtue (which thou puttest in great adventure) yet to grow slack in the service of God, is a fault not to be neglected. And yet if that should not happen, which were almost impossible, yet shalt thou lose at the least thy good name, for though the wine being mingled with water, do not utterly lose his force and virtue, yet must it needs lose the colour. And so shalt thou lose the good opinion that men had of thee. For if men do see thee converse with those that be vicious, they will take thee for such as those be, with whom thou dost converse. For if thou wilt thoroughly know a man what he is, do but mark what his friends be, with whom he keepeth company, for every like doth delight to be with his like. And he that once knoweth with whom thou usest to keep company, will quickly after know thee also.  
For that cause did Elin reprehend job saying, 
job. 34.  who is job that walketh with those which do evil, and keepeth company with those that be lewd? It is a great sign that he is nought, which keepeth continual company with those which be nought. To be good amongst those which be nought is as hard a thing as to swim against the stream.  
It is a vearie hard thing to live innocently amongst those that be bad. 
Gene. 19  There were but a few that lived as loath did, in the midst of Sodom, whom God sent his holy Angel to deliver out of that lewd City, that he should not perish amongst the wicked there. And job of all other is highly to be commended, who living amongst sinners, continued for all that good stil. 
Phi. 2.  The Apostle praised the Philippians, because they shined like bright lamps, dwelling amongst wicked people. It is a praise proper to the Church of God that it still flourisheth like a lily amongst thorns. 
Can. 2.   
It is a vearie hard thing, that the tender and delicate lily should save itself whole and perfect amongst the sharp & pricking thorns. God said unto ezechiel. 
●ze. 2.  The destroyers & unbelieving people do abide with thee, and with the scorpions is thine habitation.  
Now if it be so hard a thing to live well amongst the wicked, It followeth that it is great danger to have conversation and friendship with them.  
If thou wilt save thy soul, fly with Loath from the cursed Sodom, which is this world, and the inhabitants thereof, and save thyself upon the top of the hill keeping company with the servants of jesus Christ.   

THE COMMODITIES AND comforts that are found by them that keep company with those which be good, be great & many, as is proved by sundry examples, out of the old and new testament. CHAP. 28.  
WITH the holy thou shalt be holy, 
Psal. 17.  and with the innocent thou shalt be innocent: (sayeth the prophet David.) If thou keepest company with the good, thou shalt not know how nor when thou profitest, but yet thou shalt find well that thou hast profited by them: draw near to the good and thou shalt be one of them.  
Saul being amongst the prophets became a prophet, and did prophesy, 
1. Re. 10.  and amongst fools he became a fool. 
Mat. 26.  S. Peter being amongst the Apostles which were good men, confessed Christ to be the son of God, but after in Cayfas his house where he was with the wicked assembled together, there did he deny him. It seemeth hereby, that a great alteration was made in the man, by reason of the company that he was withal: then mayest thou think, and be well assured that they with whom thou usest to keep company, may well work as great effect in thee.  
With the good thou shalt be good, and with the bad thou shalt be like unto them. If thou puttest dead coals amongst the quick burning coals, they will soon be on a fire. Draw thou near unto the burning coals, which be the virtues of good men, for though thou be never so much wasted and consumed, by thine own evil life, yet the good men with their virtues, will revive thee, and quicken thee again.  
God did make Laban to prosper well because that jacob was in his house, which jacob told him saying. 
Gene. 31.  Thou hadst but little before that I came unto thee, & now hath God enriched thee by my coming. 
Gene. 39   
God blessed the house of Pharaoh the Egyptian king, and multiplied it exceedingly, because of that virtuous young man joseph that was in it. For the love of good king josaphat Elizeus the Prophet did miraculously give water unto the Armies of two noughty kings that were in his company. 
4. Reg. 3.  The scripture is full of many such miraculous examples, by which it is evident what they have gained and gotten that have kept company, with good and virtuous men.  
S. Thomas because he did separate himself from the rest of his fellows▪ 
Io. 2.  did not see Christ when he rose again. And when he joined himself in company with them again, our redeemer appeared unto him, and so of an unbelieving disciple, was made a faithful and true disciple. And as much as he lost by dividing himself from the good, so much did he get and recover again by uniting himself unto them. It is a dangerous thing to forsake the company of them that do fear God. And it is a thing of wonderful profit to be conversant amongst spiritual men.  
The holy Ghost descended upon Whitsonday where the disciples were gathered together. 
Act. 1.  And if thou wilt continue amongst good men, thou shalt receive the holy Ghost as they did: thou shalt deliver thyself from the danger of evil company, if thou wilt join thyself to those which be good: with their wholesome admonitions they do keep thee from many evil attempts, and with their virtuous examples do they excite thee to do good works. Choose those for thy companions to walk withal, to talk unto, and to imitate, by whose sweet conversation, and fruitful communication, thou mayest be brought unto the love of God. For evil speeches do corrupt good manners. 
1. Cor. 15.   
As necessary and as profitable as it is for the health of thy body to have a good air, and an wholesome situation, so necessary is it for the health of thy soul, to have conference and conversation with the servants of God. And since thou fliest from unsound and unwholesome places, for the conservation of thy corporal health why dost not thou likewise, for the may●enance of thy soul's health?  
Fly from all worldly company and seek out for the friendship and conversation of those which are good and just: Fly worldly company as thou wouldest fly hell fire, and converse with the friends of God, for at the end of thy journey thou shalt get more by it, than thou canst now well imagine.   

ONLY FOR THE LOVE OF God, and for the desire of obeying his holy will, ought man to despise the world, and the vanities therefore, if he will that the despising of them shall serve him for the getting of heavenly glory. CHAP. 29.  
HE that leaveth his house, his father & mother, and his brothers for my sake, 
Mat. 19  shall receive a hundred times as much again (sayeth our Lord.) Many have forsaken their possessions, and never received reward therefore, because they despised not the world for Christ's sake. They seek themselves, they love their own glory and desire to be talked of in other men's mouths. So much shall thy work be meritorious, as it shall be found to bear just weight with it, i● the balance of God his love.  

1. Cor. 13.  The Apostle sayeth: If I shall give all that I have to the poor, & have no charity, it profiteth me nothing. Let all thy desire & pleasure be to content & to please God, and let his love only move thee to the service of him, despising wholly this world, and pretending to thyself no profit or commodity thereby.  
God praised job, and the devil replied again, saying. 
job. 1.  Happily doth job serve thee for nothing? This devil pleaded his cause subtly with almighty God, for he denied not the works of job to be good, but he argued upon his intent, saying that happily he did them for his own commodity, and not freely of good will. For if job had been moved to do those works which he did for his own interest and profit, and not for the love and glory of God, he had proved by good reason to God almighty, that job had been neither a just man, nor a good man.  
The servant of God ought in all that he doth, to have no other respect principally, but unto the service and honour of God, if he will that his work shallbe meritorious unto him, for the wicked men do many good moral works, but the difference is, that good men do their works in the faith of God for his love. It is against all reason that the goods of the earth should be preferred before God. Art thou better than he, that thou dost esteem thyself more than his divine Majesty?  
If thou dost forsake sin, either only or principally because God should give thee glory therefore, thou shalt never enter into that glory. Or if thou despisest the world, and leavest sin only or chiefly, because thou wouldest not come in hell, thou hast taken even thereby a ready way thither. For if thou considerest all this well, thou shalt find that it proceedeth from the love of thyself, and if thou dost examine well thine own intention and meaning herein, thou shalt see how the love that thou haste to thyself, doth invite thee and move thee thereunto: and then art not thou full lord of thyself, neither art thou thoroughly mortified, neither canst thou yet tell what thing it is to serve God.  
Do not thou think, that all they which have forsaken their temporal goods, have therewith also forsaken themselves: nor that all they be the friends of God that do despise the world. But who is the friend of God in deed? Even he that doth forsake the world for God. And who is the servant of jesus Christ. Even he that hath no will in this world, but to fulfil the will of Christ.  
The Prophet David said, I have inclined my heart to do thy commandments for a reward. 
Psa. 118.  The reward that moved that holy man David, was God himself: According unto that which God himself had told the Patriarch Abraham long before saying, 
Gene. 15  I am thy great, and thine abundant reward. God ought only to move thee principally, & thy will ought to be chiefly to have him for the reward of all that thou shalt do. Let all thine intention be only to please God, and thou shalt merit much, 
1. Cor. 10.  even by the smallest works that thou dost, which ought not yet to be called small, when they do proceed out of that root.  
Seek only the glory of God, and follow the counsel of the Apostle which sayeth. 
1. Cor. 10.  Do all that thou dost for the glory of God. The perfect true lover seeketh God in all that he doth, and despiseth himself, for charity is a bond of love, by the which we be united unto God, renouncing ourselves.  
Although that natural love, and divine love, be like in their outward working, yet be they far differing in the intention, for charity doth not in any ●hing love itself, and natural love doth ●n all things seek his own good, only for itself: He may well and aught to be esteemed an evil man, that is good only for his own pleasure and delight. Let Christ be the cause and the end of all thine actions, if thou wilt not lose thy time in the poing of them.   

THE CONTINVAL REMEMbrance of death, and that our bodies must be turned into Ashes, is the perfectest, and the best remedy against the temptation of sin. CHAP. 30.  
REMEMBER the last things and thou shalt not sin for ever. 
Eccl. 7.  The memory of death helpeth much, to make us lightly to esteem the vanity of this world. He will easily despise all things, that remembreth he must die.  

Gene. 3.  God apparelled our father Adam with the skins of dead beasts, because he should have ever in his memory the sentence of death, which he fell into by his sin Seek not thou to live in pleasure, since that thou seest all pleasant things contemned and abhorred of them▪ that are condemned to die, and thyself carrying the sentence of death about thee, & drawing daily toward thy grave, thou oughtest to spend this short time of thy life in continual sorrow, and sighing for thy sins.  
It is a sovereign medicine for to refrain thy sensual appetites withal, 〈◊〉 have in thy mind, the consideration of th● ●mall time that thou hast to remain here, And in how short space thy body shall af●er be eaten with worms, and converted ●nto dust. This remembrance of death doth ●s it were throw water into the furnace of our hot fiery appetites and desires.  
Death is the clock by which we set our life in an order, and the memory thereof doth choke up all that earnest love that we do bear unto the world.  
As Daniel with throwing of ashes in the flore, 
Dan. 14.  discovered by the print of the feet the deceit of the false priests of Babylon. So if thou wilt sprinkle thy memory a little with those wholesome ashes into which thou must within a while be converted, thou shalt likewise discover the deceits of the world, the craft and subtlety of the devil, & the secret temptations, with which the enemies of thy soul do seek to undermine thy salvation.  
O that this thought would never fall out of thy remembrance with what cleanness of conscience shouldest thou live, what bitterness shouldest thou then find in those things which now do seem so sweet unto thee, and how warely then wouldest thou walk in the way of this miserable life, which thou dost now so inordinately love.  
At that straight passage of death shalt thou know how much it had been better for thee to have served God, then to have consumed and spent out thy time, which is so precious a thing in vanities and idle business, which at that time will do the no good. Thy friends and kinsfolks, thy riches, & temporal goods, of which thou makest now so great account: O how little good shall all these do thee then, when as a pure conscience at that time▪ shall stand thee in better stead, then to have had the whole world under thine obedience. The travail of that hard passage▪ with tongue cannot be expressed, nor by any means escaped.  
The mariner, that guideth the ship, sitteth always at the stern, so must thou, that wilt sail in the tempestuous Sea of this world▪ seek for thy assurance in the end of thy life, where thou must stand as it were at the stern of the ship and there by contemplation of death, consider well how thou mayest govern the course of thy whole life.  
Ashes do preserve, and keep in the fire, And the memory of Ashes into which thou art to be converted, preserveth grace. Great folly is it then, for a mortal man, that is daily dying, to forget death. It is wisdom for every man to have it always in his mind. But worldly men have always life in their remembrance, and put death clean out of their mind, and yet nothing driveth sin away from man so much as the continual remembrance of death. Happy is he▪ that carrieth daily before his eyes the remembrance of ●eath, and continually disposeth himself to die.  
Happy is he, that thinketh in the morning that he shall not live till night, and at night thinketh likewise that he shall die before the morning come: happy is he, that is so prepared, as death doth never find him unprepared: happy is he, that seeketh to be such in this life, as he would be found when death cometh.  
It is reason that thou shouldest believe the thing, which thou seest daily before thy face. At all hours and times of thy life, let that dreadful sound of the trumpet ring in thy ear, which will call ●lowd: Rise up all ye that be dead, 
Mat. 24.  & come unto judgement. The memory of death, doth cleanse and purify all▪ that passeth through it, as a strainer cleanseth all the liquor, that is powered into it. drive not from thee the memory of death: which many ways doth thee great good: it maketh thee to refrain from the revenge of those injures, which thou thoughtest to have revenged. And it keepeth the from the following of the pleasures and vanities of this world.  
Do, as the servant of God ought to do, that is, forget all such like vanities, & have the hour of thy death fixed in thy memory, to the intent that thou mayest get that true life eternal, whereby thou mayest live in bliss for ever.   

WHEN EACH MAN LABOVreth so earnestly to bring any worldly business to pass by some certain ty●● appointed him, much more ought 〈◊〉 to labour earnestly about his soul's business, and do penance for his sins, life being so short, and the hour of death so uncertain. CHAP. 31.  

Mat. 25.  WATCH (saith our Lord) because ye know, neither the day nor the hour. Death being so certain, 〈◊〉 the time so uncertain, thou oughtest to watch continually: for when thy life is ended, tho● canst not change that state in which death did find thee: thou oughtest so to or●dayne every day, as though that day sho●● be thy last.  
Many do build houses, not knowing whether they shall dwell in them after they be made. Many do make great pro●uision for victual for the year that ●●●eth, and happily they do not live to 〈◊〉 it: they prepare for a life which is altogy●ther uncertain, and have no care of dea●● which is most certain: they seek 〈◊〉 ●ll care and diligence for that time which ●hey know not whether it shall come or ●o, and be altogether necgligent in prepa●ing for death, which they know shall ●urely come. And seeing thou providest ●or uncertain things with so much care, ●hat is the cause that thou makest not provision for death, that is so certain to ●ome? It is not meet nor convenient that ●hou shouldest leave the certainty for the ●ncertainetie.  
The days that we have to live be vn●erteine, and very sure it is, that they must ●ll needs shortly have an end. Never ●aue thou any great care of such things ●s thou art uncertain whether they shall●e or no? But let thy care and diligence be ●o provide for thyself, & to prepare for ●hat hour which thou art vearie sure will shortly come. No man knoweth his end, 〈◊〉 therefore the wise man saith. 
Eccl. 19  As fishes ●e taken with the hook, and birds with ●he net, so shall sinners be taken in the day of vengeance. When a thing is near at ●and and certain to come, thou dost account of it, as of a thing already past, ●hat cause is there then, but that thou shouldst so think of death also, which standeth ●till ready at thy door to lay hold on thee, And to prepare for it, as for a thing rather present with thee, then far of from thee!  
If a king should give thee his grant of some great city or town of his kingdom, And should but allow thee one hour to get thy conveyance thereof to 〈◊〉 assigned unto thee: O with what dilig●●●● wouldest thou go about, to get it drawe● & written out fair for the king to sign●▪ lest the time should overpass thee, and so thou shouldest lose so great a grace a● the kings hand. No other business should let thee, nor occasion stay thee, but tha● thou wouldest only apply thyself to get the confirmation of thy grant. But the heavenly city of Jerusalem, which the great king of heaven hath promised us, is a far greater, and better City, than all the Cities, and kingdoms of the world b● beside. The glory of this City and the eternal felicity thereof, unto the which we labour to come, far exceedeth all the principalities & empires of the whole world. This notable kingdom is that which God of his bountiful liberality doth grant unto thee. And this short space of this present life, is the time, that is given thee to deserve it in. The night of death draweth on, 
Io. 9  when no man shallbe able to work.  
No man hath one hour sure of his life, the time whereof being so short, and the promises of God being so large and liberal, how happeneth it, that so many do spend their days in idleness and vanities, as though they were sure to ly●● an hundredth years, and that after this life, there were no other to be looked for▪  
If thou dost so toil thyself here by ●osinge of so many nights sleeps, forbearing thy meat & drink so many meals, ●y foregoing of all thy other pleasures, and ●ll to make haste for the gaining of a temporal commodity, which else thou mightest forego: why dost thou not (in this short space that is granted thee to live) ●eaue all worldly business and occupations, ●nd bestow all the whole time of thy life, ●n getting that durable and everlasting ●yfe? Be not thou idle, nor live not like one that were blind, neither deceive ●hou thyself with the vain hope of to morrow, which perhaps thou shalt never see  
Those five foolish Virgins, 
Mat. 25.  that had time given them to make provision for themselves would not, but did put of their ●are still until the time were passed, would gladly after have had time, and earnestly sought for it, but none would be granted them.  
Put not any trust in the time that is to come. Thou hast not to take care for a ●onge life, but for a good life, neither aught thy travail be to live many years but to bestow well those years which thou dost live.  
Saul reigned twenty years in Israel, 
3. Re. 13.  but the scripture in the account of the years of his reign setteth down but two: For God accounteth not the yeare● that be evil spent, but those which be spent only in his service. Thy labour had need to be greater in taking pain to live well, then to live long. Spend not thy time still in proposing and determining with thyself to live well, but put thy determinations into practice, and see that thou livest well in deed.  
There be many in hell, which deferring still their penance, were at the last overtaken with death, and so their cold determynations with out executions were buried up in the hot fire of hell.  
The hour of death is uncertain, & the consideration thereof alone is sufficient to make thee live still in care, that thou be never taken unprovided.  
It were madness for thee to live i● that state, in which thou wouldest not that death should find thee. And because that this may happen unto thee at any hour, reason alone may teach thee to live well, for the doubt which thou hast of the uncertain hour of thy death.   

BECAUSE THAT EVERY man should still be prepared, and that no man should take licence to sin, our Lord will not that the hour of our death should be known unto us. CHAP. 32.  
THE days of man's life be short, 
job. 14.  and God knoweth only the number of the months: sayeth job. Nothing is more sure than death, nor any thing more unsure than the hour of death. Thou knowest not at what hour of the watch our Lord will call.  
In concealing from us the hour of death, 
Mat. 23.  God hath thereby taught us that we should not presume of any long life, but that we should in this short space of our tarrying here, look that every hour should be our last. And in this, as in all other things beside, God hath dealt most mercifully with us, in keeping from our knowledge the hour of death, to the intent that we should live with more purity & cleanness of heart.  
Such as we shall be found at the hour of death, for such shall we be judged at the hands of almighty God: and since experience doth daily teach us, that we may die in every moment, let us live innocently, that we may be found in no arrearages at our counting day. And so much more fervent oughtest thou to be in thy doing of good deeds, as thou art uncertain of the hour when thou shalt be called: & since the time when thou shalt die is uncertain, thou oughtest always to be ready and prepared, for to receive death. If there be many now which do live in the offence of God, having the day of their death uncertain, how many more would there be much worse, if they should know certainly the end of their life? They would defer their penance, and commit many more offences upon that assurance.  
If men do live lewdelie now, being not sure to continue until to morrow, in what sort would they live, if they might be sure to live here an hundredth years?  
The ignorance of the last hour, maketh many to abstain from sin: And if some men do happily give themselves a little to the world, yet do they not wholly addict themselves thereunto, for the fear that they have of the sudden coming of death upon them, which they would not do, if they knew they should live many years: for than it is most manifest that they would with more negligence, and forgetfulness of God, give themselves unto vice. And although that the uncertainty of death doth not keep a man all together from sin, at the leastwise, yet it maketh him not to continue therein, so long as else he would.  
If wicked men knew the hour of their death, they would be much worse than they be. Many dare not sin, lest death should take them whilst they be doing it.  
If a man might know surely the hour of his death, yet is it plain that he cold not know it, but under one of these two conditions, that is to say, either that he should die very suddenly, or else have some certain time after appointed and prefixed him to die in: and if he should know that he should die suddenly, his penance being upon a sudden, were like to be very dangerous and doubtful: and if on the other side, he should know his time to be lengthened for a longer space, than would he take more occasion to sin, deferring his penance until the very last day, both which ways would be very dangerous and inconvenient for his salvation.  
An hasty penance, and a vain deferring of penance are both very hurtful to a man's conscience: to deliver thee from both these inconveniences, the providence of God hath so ordained, that the hour of thy death should not be made known unto thee, but kept secret from the, and that thou shouldest always stand in some awe of death, because thou shouldest still seek how to live a virtuous life▪ thou art much bound unto God, that by keeping secret from thee, the hour of thy death, hath given thee thereby, a singular occasion to live well and to work thine own salvation. And in that point showeth be his mercy vearie much, that by keeping thee from the certainty of death, doth give thee occasion daily to convert thee unto him, lest thou shouldest be taken unprovided, for if the day had been set down certain unto thee, thou wouldest have multiplied and increased thy sins vearie much? Also God would not that thou shouldest know the day of thy death, because he would have thee for to live for the profit and commodity of other and not for thine proper benefit only.  
The common commodity is to be preferred, before the private and particular. And if thou knewest that thou shouldest die shortly, thou wouldest leave many good works to do, which should redound to the benefit of others, and only occupying thyself about thine own proper commodity, thou wouldest have care of none, but of thyself, and so wholly forget thy neighbours.  
And if again on the other side: when a man is sick, if he should know surely that that sickness should not be his last sickness, he would neither confess himself, nor receive any of the sacraments, neither call on God and his Saints, nor procure the prayers of his friends, nor the common suffrages of the Church to be said for him. All these good works with many more would he omit, if he should know for certainty, that he should then recover and not die.  
Many in their sickness do turn unto God, thinking that they shall die, which they would not do, if they knew surely that they should live. Further also did God provide, and most wyse●ie ordain, that men should not know the end of their life, both for human conversation, and also for a quiet and peaceable trade of living amongst men. For if men did know that they should live many years, they would seek to revenge them of all their injuries, and grow full of hatred and malice. And again if they should know, that they should quickly die, they would go up and down all heavy and discontented, and would in all company and conversation, be vearie unpleasant and noisome to their neighbours, & those that must keep them company and live with them. And so by both those means, they should disturb the common peace and ci●ill conversation of men.  
All this hath God done for our profit and commodity, whom we have always just cause in all his doings to praise, to love, and to serve for ever.   

THERE IS NO OTHER Medicine so good against death, as the often meditation of death, for it causeth a man so to live, as at the hour of his death he overcometh death and beginneth a happy and a perpetual life. CHAP. 33.  
ALTHOUGH thou dost live many years in joy and gladness, 
Eccl. 11.  yet must thou have always in thy mind the dark day of death: sayeth the wise man. Death would be vanquished as soon as he should come, if it were well thought on before it come.  
No weapon will so well defend thee from death, as the very memory of death itself: nothing shall so easily deliver thee from death as the often meditating thereon. A wise man's life is the meditation of death: he is unworthy of comfort in his death, that in his life was clean forgetful of death.  

Mat. 17.  Christ in his glorious transfiguration, took with him Moses, who was dead, because that in our temporal glory we should have always death before our eyes: death which we see to be so contrary to life, almighty God himself took as a means to gain us life by.  
jesus Christ hath by his blessed death, so qualified and tempered death unto us, that it is now no longer death, but an instrument for us to attain everlasting life by, for by death we do gain eternal life. So as that which before his glorious death, was vearie death in deed, is now become life to all good men, and to all wicked men it is a sure port of everlasting death. It is the table of account, or the place of payment, where the true knight, and the faithful soldier is paid his wages, and the faint hearted coward turned out of pay and discharged. Death doth give his hire diversly, according to the diversity of men's lives. Seek to be of the Number of those, which shallbe well rewarded. Thou shalt not fall on the right hand of death, if thou dost not forget death in thy life tyme.  
It is the chief point of philosophy, to be exercised still in the contemplation of death. The father of the household commanded his servants to go seek out in the ways for geastes to come unto his feast, 
Mat. 22.  & that they should watch at the ends and corners or angles of the high ways, to bring them unto him. And for as much as we be all travailers and wanderers in this world, God would that we should consider well the end of our way which is death. Carry always before thynes eyes the consideration thereof, & do not live in blindness.  
The Ninivites hearing the sentence of death pronounced against them by jonas the Prophet, they strait ways fell to penance. Behold how much good the memory of death doth work in man, when it made so sudden, and so great an alteration in those sinner's hearts. If thou dost meditate well of death, temptation shall never overcome thee. Beware that thou love not so this life, that thou dost thereby forget death, for then dost thou die most of all, when thou hast best good will, and most desire to live.  
The memory of death keepeth a man from being to high minded in prosperity. It is a good thing to be ready to welcome death before he come, and to expect with good will the time that is to follow after death.  
If thou dost see others die before thee, thou mayest well know that thou art walking that same way, although for the present time thou thinkest thyself to stand still and move not.  
When two ships meet upon the Sea together, they that be in the one ship do think, that they which be in the other, do sail exceeding fast, and that themselves go but fair and softelie, or rather stand still, although in truth they sail as fast as the others do which they see pass by them. So many which do see others die daily before their face, do think that themselves be immortal, and that they do stand stock still, whilst others do go on a pace towards death.  
If death do come upon a sudden, and do carry any man away with him, never say that he playeth the traitor with him, since that he hath long ago proclaimed himself for an open enemy to us all. And it is a plain token that he never meaneth to make a perfect peace, that every day is killing some one or other. So that if he do take thee unprovided, the fault must needs be thine, seeing he threateneth thee daily, and thou wilt never beware. Thou must still look for him, and think of him, as of one that were present with thee, and so shall he never catch thee like a traitor by treason. If thou considerest well of death, thou wilt live with some fear in thy life.  
They which go through the fields when they be covered with snow, their eyes do so dazzle, that they can scant see any thing when they be entered into their house, and therefore were it great peril for them to come into any place where danger were: Even so the glistering brightness of this worldly prosperity, doth so dim the eyes of worldly men that have passed through it, that when they once enter into the next life, through the passage of death, they can see nothing, but blindly run into the pit of perdition. Into such confusion do these worldlings run, through their overmuch delighting in worldly pleasures, and the little consideration of their own estates and conditions: and no marvel is it that they do then feel poverty, which lived before in wealth over wanton, and that they do taste of sorrow after they be dead, which in their life, took all their fill of pleasure and worldly vanity.  
It is but meet, that he which in his life forgetteth himself, should when he dieth forget God also: at that time the worldly man can have no full sight of his own salvation, by reason of the glistering light of this false deceivable world which doth so dim his eyes.  
The remedy that such a one hath, is first to sit without at the door of his house, and there look well about him, and settle firmly his eye sight again. And when he hath shaken of the dimness of his sight, which the earnest beholding of those shining visible things did dazzle his eyes withal, then may he safely enter into his house, & never endanger himself at all. After this manner in this life, must thou behold death considering what the glory of this world is worth, and the vain honours and riches thereof.  

3 Re. 19  Elias stood at the door of his little cabin, where he did still meditate and contemplate upon celestial things. And here in the contemplation of death shalt thou see like an other Elias, how the fury of god's wrath doth consume all these worldly things, and bringeth them to an end. And here shalt thou further see also as Elias did, how that God is not in the flaming fire of these disordinate desires of the world, neither in the honours, nor the stately dignities thereof. The fire and the wind also passed away a pace before Elias, and so do all worldly honours, pleasure, and prosperity pass away in haste, and do never stay.  
Think earnestly on death, and consider the vanities of this life, that by, the despising of this short and deceivable life, thou mayest get the eternal and true happy life.   

HOW GOD SENDETH tribulation unto man, to conquer pride in him, which is the beginning and root of all his misery, and doth accompany him that is subject, unto it i● 〈◊〉 his actions and thoughts. CHAP. 34.  
ALL that is in the wor●● (saith Saint john) either it is the desire or longing 〈◊〉 the eyes, 
1. Io. 2.  or the concupiscē●● of the flesh, or pride of lyf●▪ These be the three square battles wi●● the which the world doth fight against v●▪ These be the three armies that the Chaldeans made for the overthrowing of ho●y job. With honours, riches, and with plea●sures, doth the world assault all thos● which are borne to be soldiers in th● field of this life: but pride amongst th● rest doth rush in with most violence an● endanger most the soul of man. 
Eccl. 10.  For th● root of all evil is pride, saith the wise ma●▪  
If thou wilt give thyself unto God fly from the pride of the heart, 
ja. 4.  for Go● resisteth the proud hearted, and unto th● humble doth he give his grace. Th● waters of gods grace, do pass away fro● ●he mountains of the vain and high minded people▪ and doth run into the valleys of them that be humble and meek spirited.  
Do but consider who thou art, and ●hou shalt see how little cause thou hast to ●e proud. Thou shalt find thy concep●ion to be sin, thy birth misery, thy ●yfe pain, and thy death anguysh and tor●ent.  
Almighty God to tame and subdue ●y pride withal hath so ordained, that ●●ou shouldest be vexed here in this life, ●ith the most vile and simple creatures of ●is making, such as he sent to plague the egyptians withal, as gnats, and frogs, ●●d other small vermin, to the end that ●●ou mightest know how much without 〈◊〉 reason thou art proud, when thou art ●biect to the molestation and offence of 〈◊〉 small and simple things.  
Do not thou proudly esteem, and ●ake account of thy virtues, by comparing and conferring them with the defects 〈◊〉 faults of other men, but humbly look ●●on thine own defects, and consider withal the virtues of thy neighbours. If ●●ou dost lay thine own faults before ●●yne eyes, and the virtues of thy neighbour's withal, thou shalt happily find ●y self to be a sinner, & thy neighbour Saint. 
Luc. 18.  Be not like unto the proud ●aris●y, that reckoned up his own ver●es, and the Publicans faults? Tell rather thine own faults, & let other men ha● the care to tell of thy virtues.  
Be not proud nor high minded▪ lest thou do fall into the most rigorous punnyshement of God for the same. 
Num 6.  Mo●● is waxed proud (saith God). Thou hast not in thee, whereof to be proud, but rather deservest shame and confusion▪ Look a little into thyself, and behold within thee what thou art. Thou arte● vile worm of the earth, and a de●●● full of filth and abomination. Remember that thou art but earth, & shalt turn into Ashes. 
Exod. 9  Moses' threw up ashes into the air, and there followed after it a grea●● plague amongst the Egyptians. And y● thou being but ashes, dost lift up and extol thyself by pride, thou shalt be pu●●nished also as they were. Because that Na●buchodonoser did advance himself by pride, he was deprived of his kingdom.  
Thou canst not by any fault so much resemble the devil, as by pride. The de●uill hath a particular dominion over th● proud man, according to the saying o● job. 
job. 41.  There is he prince over the childre● of pride. To cure this great sin of prid● God himself came humbly hither 〈◊〉 the earth.  

Eccl. 10.  Pride is the beginning of every sin. All other sins do separate 〈◊〉 from God, by certain means, as pleasure profit, or commodity. But the curse● proud man is so shameless and impudent ●●at he even face to face refuseth God, and ●eparteth away from him. Other vices do ●ot show themselves at all times, for at ●any times they which have them, be without the disordinate thirst of their desire's. The sensual man is some times ●ee from his passions, and the glutton ●hen his belly is full desireth no more ●eate, but pride showeth itself in the ●roude man in all things that he doth. when he speaketh, worketh, appareleth, ●uyldeth, eateth, or sleepeth, he is always ●roude still. He showeth his pride in his sumptuous tables whereat he sitteth: In ●is costly beds wherein he lieth, in his ●●rmentes wherewith he appareleth. No ●●ce is so apparent as pride. It is a continual ague that lasteth still, and followeth ● man often, yea even when he is dead. whereof are witnesses the proud state●●e monuments and tombs, which they ●●use to be set up and erected for them, ●●ter they be laid in their graves.  
Sometime for the avoiding of pride, ●●od permitteth a man to fall into other ●●nnes, so as that maketh clear proof, ●●at it is of all other sins the vearie ●●eatest, for great sins be never suffered, ●ut only for the avoiding of other that ●●e greater. 
Prou. 8.  Pride and arrogancy of heart ●●e always most detestable before God.  
The proud man,) saith job) stretched ●ut his hand against God, and laboured ●gainst the almighty. And it is written in the proverbs of Solomon: That amongst proud men there is always strife an● contention. With other sinners there i● some conversation to be had, but with the proud man, 
Prou 13.  there is none at all, for he loveth to be singular, and will be always contentious, and may abide no company but himself. The Prophet Samuel said unto Saul. When thou wast little in thine own sight, 
Reg. 15.  thou wast chief amongst all the tribes of Israel. Pride is the root of all vice, and the destruction of all virtue.  
The trees that be planted upon high● places, be soon blown down with the wind. Love well to be little, and esteem of humility, for therein shalt thou find most safety.   

OUR GREAT AND MIGHTY God, doth love humility in man, and therefore in all ages the humble be most advanced, and the more that one doth humble himself, the more nigh doth he draw to God. CHAP. 35.  
HE that humbleth himself shall be exalted: 
Luc. 18.  (saith God) Fly from the cursed vice of pride, unto which the world doth invite thee, and take humility for thy refuge: as much as pride ●s hateful to God, so much is humility acceptable unto him: This is the sweet spouse of jesus Christ, so dearly beloved of him, that he never suffered it to depart from him: he came into the world with it, 
Mat. 7.  he lived in the world with it, and he carried it with him up to the cross, and died with it. He that will go in at a low door, had need to stoop and bow down himself: if thou dost not humble thyself, thou shalt never enter into heaven.  
He that humbleth not himself like unto a little child, 
Mat. 1●.  shall not enter into heaven. Learn of me that am humble of heart, sayeth our Saviour: 
Mat. 11.  Many are humble in their understanding, but few 〈◊〉 humble in their will.  
Many do know themselves to be frail sinners, but there are few that wold● be so accounted. But be thou humble of will, and be contented to be as slenderly accounted of by other men, as thou knowest well thyself to be worthy: and thi● is to be humble of heart.  

Mat. 17.  jesus Christ our blessed redeemer, di● show himself in the glory of his transfiguration, but only unto three of his disciples, but the shame of his reproachful death he made open to all the world, dying upon a cross publicly, in the gre● city of Jerusalem in the time of the solemn feast of Easter. Most men wold● have their virtues known to all men, but no man would have his faults and defects made known to any man.  
Our Saviour did use most of all to preach of humility, because he would have that lesson to be perfectly learned of 〈◊〉 all: that blessed doctrine of humility 〈◊〉 often repeated and pronounced to the people as a most fruitful thing, and grea●● favour doth our Lord show always unto those that be humble. 
Mat. 8.  The Centurion saying that he was not worthy to have Christ enter into his house; was preferred before all the jews. S. Paul that said he was not worthy to be called the Apostle of Gl●●●●● was the chief preacher of the Gospel amongst all the Apostles. 
1. Cor. 15  S. Peter 〈◊〉 ●ought not himself worthy to tarry ●●th Christ, was appointed by him to be ●ead of his Church. 
Luc. 5.  S. john Baptist that ●as so full of humility that he thought ●●m self unworthy to lose the lachet 〈◊〉 Christ's shoe was made the friend of ●●e spouse, and he that thought not him ●●lfe worthy to unloose the shoes of our ●●uiour, 
Luc. 2.  laid after his hands on his ●ead, when he was baptised in the river 〈◊〉 jordan.  
God did always from the beginning 〈◊〉 the world, choose out for himself, 
Mat. 3. Io. 1.  ●●e least and the simplest in show. Of the ●●st two brothers that were borne in the world Cain, and Abel, 
Gene. 4.25.41.  he chose Abel ●●at was the younger. Of the children of ●braham he chose Isaac, that was younger ●●en Ishmael. Of the children of Isaac, 〈◊〉 chose jacob, that was the younger bro●●er. 
2. Re. 16.  And of the twelve sons of Ia●●b, he chose joseph, one of the youngest 〈◊〉 make him prince and ruler of all Egypt. ●mongest the sons of isaiah, he chose ●auid, 
1. Re. 10.  that was the youngest and the least ●teemed of them all, and made him both king and a Prophet. He made Saul king ●f Israel being of the least tribe, and the ●●eanest family of all the jews.  
And when this great lover of humi●●tie came himself into the world, he ●hose for his companions none of the greatest and mightiest princes, but the ●oore and simple fishers. 
Mat. 4.   
Amongst all his unreasonable c●●●●tures, he hath planted in the vearie ●●●●nest, and in the least of them all, as 〈◊〉 Ants, and the Bees, such knowledge as chooseth admiration in man to behold in th●●▪ And in the creation of the world, of ●●●teria prima, or the first matter (as the Ph●●losophers do term it,) which is of lea●● account, and most vile of all, hath he ma●● all things. And amongst all his wor●● wrought for us here on the earth, in 〈◊〉 one of them did his humility more gl●●riouslie appear, then in his blessed dea●● and passion. Who humbled him se●● with all obedience to the death of 〈◊〉 cross as the Apostle saith.  

Phil. 2.  So great a friend did our Lord always show himself unto the simple and mea●● people, that calling a little child unto hi● he said, 
Mat. 19  Let these little ones come vn●● me, for unto these pertaineth the king●●dome of heaven. And afterward blaming and finding fault with the pride of Ca●pernahum, as a thing that so much offende● him, he gave his curse unto it sayings▪ Woe be unto thee, 
Mat. 11.  O thou city of Cape●●nahum, that dost exalt thyself up vn●● the heavens, thou shalt descend dow● unto the bottom of hell.  
The glory of the proud man, do●● soon turn to confusion, and as pride 〈◊〉 hateful to God and man, so is humili●●● gracious unto all folks. As ashes do● keep and preserve the fire, so doth humility preserve the grace of the holy ●●ost.  
Abraham said unto God, shall I speak ●●to my Lord being but dust and ashes? 
Gene. 18.  ●he deeper that the well is the sweeter is ●●e water thereof, and the more humble ●●at thou art, the more art thou beloved of ●od. Esteem not of high estates and dignities in the world, for all these shall shortly come unto an end. There be no estates so great amongst men, but that ●●en are able to overthrow them again. ●nd all that man setteth up, and by labour ●ringeth to pass, doth quickly pass ●way again, and cometh to an end. Con●●der but the end that proud men do ●ome unto, and thou wilt have a great de●●re to be humble.  
When corn is cut in the field, all byeth a like on the ground together and ●o man can discern which were the highest ●ares, although that in the growing, one ●●are did much overgrow another: so likewise in the field of this world although ●hat some be higher than other, and that 〈◊〉 few do exceed the residue, in learning, honours, wealth, and worldly dignities, yet when death cometh with is hook, and cutteth us all down, and bereaveth us of our lives, then shall we be all equal, and no difference made between one and another of us.  
If thou openest their graves and lookest in them, thou shalt not be able to discern who was the rich man, or who 〈◊〉 poor man, who was in honour, & who wa● in none, no difference shalt thou find th●● betwixt a king and a shepherd▪ neither shalt thou know who were honora●●● and much esteemed, and who were dishonourable and little regarded.  
And then (if all the greatness and honours of this world do come to nothing in the end, but that all estates and conditions of men do conclude a like at the last) it is mere vanity to desire to be a loft in this world: have an humble opinion of thyself, and thou shalt find favour at God's hand, desire to be low and little in the world, that thou mayest be exalted and made great in an other world.   

THERE IS NOT AMONGST all the sins which do reign in the world a vice more hurtful to mankind, than covetousness. The covetous man being cruel to all sorts of persons, and chiefly to his own body and his soul, and is of all men hated and abhorred, and doth neither enjoy this world, nor the world to come. CHAP. 36.  
THE covetous man shall have no inheritance with Christ: 
Eph. 5.  (sayeth the Apostle.) This is the second battle with which the world doth assault us, and set upon us, ●hich thou oughtest to encounter and to ●esist with remembering thyself that thou ●●mest into this world naked, and that all ●●ese temporal riches be but the muck ●f the earth, and that they must be all left ●ere in this world behind thee, when thou ●●est out of it.  
Amongst all vices there is none so ●●ll of inhumanity and cruelty as covetousness is. The covetous man hath no charity in him, he neither knoweth father ●or mother, nor brother nor sister, and his nearest kin be all as they were straunge●● to him. Ecclesiasticus sayeth: He that 〈◊〉 evil to himself, 
Eccl. 14.  unto whom will he 〈◊〉 good.  
No good can be looked for at the c●●uetous man's hand, because he is cr●●● unto himself, he is good to none, 〈◊〉 worst to himself: he never doth g●●● until he dieth. He that 〈◊〉 covetous 〈◊〉 sparing of his goods, is of his honour 〈◊〉 credit over lavish and prodigal: and 〈◊〉 that maketh the straytest account of 〈◊〉 money, of truth yet maketh he a right ●●●●der reckoning. No sin ought so much 〈◊〉 be hated, as that cursed vice of covetousness, which causeth that he which is cre●●ted for to love and honour God, maketh 〈◊〉 self servant and bondslave to the 〈◊〉 riches and muck of the earth.  

Eccl. 10.  Ecclesiasticus sayeth: There is not 〈◊〉 worse thing than the covetous man is, ●●●●ther in the earth, in heaven, nor in 〈◊〉 Other sins although that they be the●●selues vearie nought yet they be in so●● sort and degree profitable unto other But the covetous man is hurtful and v●●profitable to the common wealth, for 〈◊〉 hourding and keeping up still all that 〈◊〉 getteth he causeth a dearth and scars●●● of things.  
None is so poor as he which is c●●uetous, he is cause of his own misery, 〈◊〉 greater poverty or misery there can●●● be, then to have nothing. Unto the co●●●●●us man all things be wanting, he wants as well that which he hath, as that ●hich he hath not. He can not possess ●hat which he hath not, and of that which ●e hath he is not master but servant. ●nto poverty a few things do suffice, but covetousness can not with any thing be satisfied. The greediness of riches, is a dishonourable honour. Other worldly men, although they enjoy not the next world ●et do they enjoy this world, which is present: But the covetous man, neither enjoyeth this world, nor the next. So as amongst all worldly folk he is the most miserable, and unhappy. He that putteth his ●rust in his money, hath his mind void of all wisdom. It is a greater honour, (than to win a kingdom,) to conquer a man's own unordinate desires. The covetous man hath a great conquest to make in subduing his unsatiable love of money.  
The Devil when God asked of him whence he came, made answer, 
job. 1.  that he had gone round about the earth. So do all covetous men, they wander about the earth, as the Devil did, but toward heaven they never look: they seek not to walk that way: The rich man is a pray for his prince, a mark for thieves to shoot at, & a cause of quarrel amongst his kinsfolk and friends. His own children do desire his death, because they may have the spoil of him after his death.  
He is not worthy of the company of the Angels in heaven, nor meet for the conversation amongst men here on the earth, he best deserveth therefore to have his habitation in the air amongst the damned spirits, like an other judas, that for covetousness of money sold our lord, and hung himself up in the air when he had done. The covetous man before that he do win any thing here, he is won himself. And before he can take any thing of any other man, he is first taken himself by his own unordinate desires, and his unbridled appetites. He burneth here in the flame of his own desires and shall burn after in the fiery flame of hell.  

L●c. 16.  The covetous rich man that was buried in hell, desired but one drop of water to cool 〈◊〉 thirst withal, as though that one drop of water, had been able to quench all that hot fire. The true signification whereof is, that all the riches in the world, be but as it were one drop of water in comparison of that great greedy desire that the covetous man doth burn withal. For although he get that which he desireth yet is his burning desire thereby nothing quenched or abated at all.  

Exod. 15.  Every thing that is heavy doth naturally incline and draw to his Centre. Nothing doth so charged and burden the heart, as doth that fowl sin of covetousness. They descended into hell like heavy stones, saith the scripture of Pharaoh ●nd his company: Only covetousness ●mongest all other vices is fresh in a man's ●lde age. If thou dost lie upon the earth ●ith thy breast, and drink of the running ●aters of these worldly riches, thou ●halt be discharged from the service of God. 
Iu. 7.  As Gedeon for the same cause discharged those out of his service, that went ●o fight against the Madianites.  
This greedy thirst deceiveth many 〈◊〉 man. Acham was stoned to death for it. 
I●s. 7.  G●esie was stricken with leprosy. judas was hanged: 
4. Reg. 5.  Ananias and Saphira died suddenly: and all this was through their covetousness: beware thou therefore of it. He is rather to be counted a valiant man, 
Mat. 27.  that conquereth his desires, than he that overcometh his enemies.  
If thou dost heap and set riches together, thou makest a heap of wood, 
Act. 5.  with which thyself shall be set a fire, like as the phoenix is. If the physician forbidden the sick man to eat of that which he most earnestly desireth, he will be contented to forbear the same for his healths sake, although he can not certainly tell that he shall recover his health thereby or no: why wilt not thou then give credit unto almighty God, which biddeth thee to beware of covetousness.  
God like a good physician prescribed a diet unto our father Adam, 
Gene. ●.  but because he would not observe it, nor obey him, he lost much good, and fell into much evil: Obey God who hath care to save thee, and warneth thee to fly away from covetousness.   

HE THAT WILL BE Liberal unto our Lord jesus Christ, in the person of his poor people, shall always abound, & no necessary thing shallbe wanting unto him in this life, and in the next life he shall find, that he hath changed his noughty money for good. CHAP. 37.  
GEVE and you shall have given unto you again: 
Luc. 6.  sayeth our Lord. Christ compareth riches unto thorns, which when they be laid upon a man's bare hand they will not hurt him, but if he shut his hand together, they will hurt him and draw blood of him, and the faster that his hand is shut, so much more is the harm that he shall take thereby. Riches being in the open hand of the liberal man never doth any harm, but contrariwise, being in the hand of him that shutteth his fist, and will never open it to the poor and needy, it doth much hurt. Happy is he of whom that may be said which the scripture reporteth: He opened his hand to the needy, and to the poor he did not shut his fist  
In giving to the poor, 
Pro. 31.  thou dost exchange thy bad money for good: If thou dost cut that away from thee, which thou hast more than may suffice thee, thou shalt grow and increase in virtue, like unto the tree that hath his superfluous bows and sciences cut away.  
He shall never want, that giveth his goods for God's sake, 
3. Reg. 17  no more than the meal, and the oil, were wanting to the poor widow that gave Elias to eat at his need, and relieved him when he was almost dead for hunger. Many do say, if I might find such a one as Elias was, I cold willingly bestow mine alms upon him: but such men do much deceive themselves, for since they will not give unto Elias master, much less will they give unto Elias, for he that giveth unto the poor, doth give unto jesus Christ, who sayeth himself: That which you have done unto the least of them that have believed in me, 
Mat. 25.  you have done unto me also. And if thou wilt give no succour unto Elias master, how wilt thou give it unto Elias.  
Happy is he that hath consideration upon the poor and needy, 
Psal. 40.  for our Lord shall deliver him in the day of danger. In the day of judgement thou shalt be examined of thy works of mercy.  
The poor man God hath provided to be the medicine of the rich man: but the covetous man will none of that medicine to cure his wounds withal. Many do spend their goods and their wealth in making of fair houses, in buying of rich tapestry and Arras clothes, and providing them of goodly brave horses for ostentation sake, and by this means do they think to get themselves fame and renown. But they are much deceived therein, for if they desire to be magnified and extolled, men are more likely to spread their fame and glory abroad, than walls hangings, or unreasonable beasts which have no tongues to speak withal. That which thou spendest in setting out of unreasonable creatures, for to be commended therefore amongst men, give it away to the poor, and thou shalt be both praised therefore, and loved also: For horses and houses can not set forth thy praise, but poor men may well extol thy name. Be thou liberal and thou shalt be gracious to God, and acceptable amongst men.  
The liberal man hath many friends, and although there be some which be unthankful, yet he that giveth unto many must needs have many friends? The covetous man is hated of all men, The poor men do curse him, and his own adherents do desire his death. And if he have any other vice joined unto his covetousness, O how much is he maligned and spoke● 〈…〉 all men? But if the liberal man be in any blame every man will be glad to cover his fault, and to reprehend th●● that do● find fault with him.  
The liberal man doth stand in a noble state and condition. And many good turns doth he receive, that is contented himself to do many. He may well be called a happy man on the earth▪ And a much happier thing it is to give, then to take. It is so much better to give, than to be given unto, as it is better to love, than to be loved. To love is an action and power of the mind, whence all virtue floweth, but to be loved is no action not commendation of the party that is beloved. For it happeneth often, that many be beloved which deserve it not. God giveth unto all folk, and receiveth again of none, and therefore he that giveth is most like unto god. The son is the most excellent of all the o●●●r planet●es, because it giveth light to all 〈…〉▪  
He that giveth, is liberal, pitiful, a●d just▪ and as the covetous man is vile and niggish, so contrariwise, is the liberal man noble and generous.  
Riches to a wise man is a burden and a bondage, and to a fool it is a reproach & a 〈◊〉: & although that prodigality be a ●yce, y●● covetousness is a worse vice: for the prodigal man doth good to many, but ●he covetous person doth good to none.   

THE GREATEST MISERIES and calamities that the world hath ever received, hath been caused by the abominable vice of lechery & fleshly lusts, from which whosoever desireth to be kept free, and clean, must fly all occasions of striving therewithal. CHAP. 38.  
DO not you know, (saith the Apostle) that your bodies be the temples of the holy ghost? 
●. Cor. 6.  Who soever doth violate this temple, God will destroy him. This is the third battle, that the world doth fight against thee withal.  
Other vices do defile only the soul of man, but this most odious sin, defileth the whole man. Thou canst not avoid the most rigorous punishment of God, if thou wilt shamefully defile the temple of the holy ghost.  
For this cursed crime, God destroyed the whole world with the flood, 
Gene. 17.19.38.34.  he sent down fire from heaven, and consumed therewith five cities: for this sin was Hemor suddenly slain. The city of Sichem was brought to desolation, the whole tribe of ●●●i●myn, was almost all rooted out.  
It procured the death of Amon, And it caused Solomon to commit Idolatry. 
Iu. 20. 2. Re. 13. Tob. 8. jud. 16. 2. Re. 12.  It was the ●ause of the death of Sarais husbands, and made Samson blind. It did great d●mage and harm to king David, and it was the overthrow of the old judges that accused Susanna, By reason of that, also did God slay in one day three and twenty thousand of his own people the Israelites. The greatest and sharpest corrections that we do read that God hath inflicted unto people at any time, hath been for this fowl offence of the flesh.  
Fly from this pestilence, and the comfort of the holy Ghost will light upon thee. Have always in thy memory death, 
Dan. 18. N●m. 28. 1. Cor. 10.  and thou wilt then keep with gladness that which thou thinkest now to be so hard and difficult.  
Fly from idleness, and thou shalt cut of many of thy temptations. Remember thee of the fire of hell, where fleshly men shall dwell for ever, and thou shalt find all those affections to fail thee, that do now so much torment thee.  
It seemed to thee an hard matter to resist temptation, but an harder matter it is for thee to be tormented in hell. He that doth not defend himself from the first fire, shall not escape from the second: let one heat put out an other. Let the remembrance of the hot fire of hell, quench this hot fire of thy flesh. If the earnest love of God doth once take hold of thee, all these vanities will fly far of from thee. He is the servant of the devil that consenteth unto sin and taketh delight in wicked imaginations.  
Of this sin spoke the Apostle when he said, 
Gal. 5.  that they which did such things, should not enter into the kingdom of God. The sin of the flesh is a fire infernal, and the maintainer thereof is the sin of gluttony. The flame thereof is filthiness, the Ashes is uncleanness. The smoke is infamy, the end torment. It is the destruction of the body, The abridger of thy life, The corruption of virtue, And the transgression of the law. They that offend God, by delighting in so vile a vice do show themselves to be very desperate wretches. If thou wilt conquer this sin thou must fly away from it, as the Apostle doth give thee council. 
1 Cor. 6  This victory is gotten rather by flying, than fighting.  
And if thou wilt have the fire to aba●e, thou must take away the wood from it, that is the delicate fare wherewith thou hast fostered and fed thyself over much. For it will be an easy matter for thee to be chaste, if thou wilt live with a mean diet, and keep thyself occupied in good exercises. And great wonder it were that thou shouldest escape the danger of that fire, if thou dost feed dayntelie and live ydlye.  
With the water of thy tears shalt thou best quench the fire of the flesh: If thou wilt not fly from the occasion, and remove thyself from the danger of evil company, either first or last thou must needs be overcome. There be few, but that either young or old, they do pay some tribute to this idol of the devil, because there be but few that will firmly resolve with themselves, to keep them out of danger, and abandon all worldly delights. They desire to be chaste, and are content to commend it in other, but they will do but little themselves to the preserving of their chastity: they will be honest and yet will they not leave of their trade and intercourse with the world. They have a good meaning, but they have not a provident care. It is necessary for him that will not fall into this vice, to live very warely. And although that thou shouldest be taken amongst worldly men, to be a man of small good manner, and little nurture, to refuse such company and occasions as daily thou shouldest be offered, yet thereof take thou no care for so must thou do, that wilt live in a world so dangerous as this is.  
Happy is that chaste soul, which in a clean and pure body, doth service unto her spouse jesus Christ. Happy is he that prepareth in his heart, a clean hahitation for the holy ghost to dwell in. Happy is he that so cleanseth, and purifieth the temple of the holy ghost, that he maketh him therein a meet habitation.  
Remember thy death and what end our bodies must come unto, and into what corruption they be to be resolved. Revolving these things well in thy mind, thou wilt be moved to serve God in all cleanness, that so thou mayest enjoy him for ever, and so deliver thyself from those infernal fires, where those men shall be burnt for ever that in this world have followed their appetites and have gone after their carnal desires.   

CHASTITY MAKETH A man to be beloved of God, and he hath always had those in great estimation, which have led a chaste life, which is gotten by chastening of the flesh, and flying from dangerous company. CHAP. 39  

Sap. 1.  INTO a malignant mind, there shall no wisdom enter, neither shall it dwell in a body that is subject unto sin: sayeth the wise man. Before that God would declare unto ezechiel the Prophet, 
Eze. 24.  what he had in his behalf to show unto the children of Amon, he first slew his wife, And when his wife was dead he was better disposed to give care unto gods secrets, for before he was entangled in the snares of fleshly love.  
Amongst the Apostles, S. john the Evangelist, and S. Paul were the only known virgins: Of which the one was rapt up into the third heaven, & there saw god himself, and the other had his resting place in the bosom of our Lord, where he had his heavenly secrets revealed unto him. And after in the Isle of Pathmos, 
Apo. 1.  he revealed unto him also the whole state of the church militant. By this singular prerogative of their chastity, they were more purified, & had the more exquisite knowledge of divine things, as appeareth in the scriptures.  
Thomas of Aquine, being endued with this singular virtue, did shine by his wonderful wisdom in the Church of God. He that is free from all earthly cares, may well contemplate the heavenly secrets. Gather thy senses together, and refrain thy appetites, and so shalt thou keep chastity.  
Iheremy saith, 
Iher. 9  Death entereth in at our windows. Unless thou settest a watch over thy senses, thy soul is in danger to die of an evil death.  
Isboseth lost his life, 
2. Re. 4.  because the doors of his house were not well guarded and kept. If thou takest no care about the keeping of thy senses, thou shalt not be able to keep this precious treasure. Do but consider what harm hath happened to the world by reason of Eva her over earnest settling of her eyes upon the beauty of the forbidden tree. It is not lawful for thee over curioustie to behold that, which is not lawful for thee to desire. If David had not so intentivelie beholden Bersabe as he did, 
2 Re. 11.  he had never lost so much good as he did lose, neither had he fallen into so much evil, as he fell into. Be thou vigilant & careful in the keeping of thy senses: The scripture saith, mine eye hath taken away my soul. This caused the death of Holofernes. 
jud. 13.   
Lay chastity for thy foundation, and thereupon mayest thou build up other virtues. As among all vices, none so much troubleth the understanding, nor darkeneth reason, as the sin of the flesh doth, so likewise by the contrary, chastity setteth man at liberty, and submitteth the sense unto reason. Of God (that is of his own nature, most pure and clean) the scripture saith, that he feedeth among the lilies, because that he taketh delight in the cleanness and brightness of chastity. Every thing delighteth in his like. The purity that is in a reasonable creature, is most acceptable to God, wherein as in a thing most conformable to his own nature, his pleasure is chiefly to rest.  

Apo. 21.  It is written. No unclean thing shall enter into the heavenly city. The spiritual beauty of our soul is principally attributed unto chastity, because it maketh a consonance, and a proportionable agreement betwixt the soul and the body, by subduing the flesh unto the soul.  
The wise man saith, 
Sap. 4.  O how beautiful is the chaste generation with cleanness, The memory thereof is immortal, and it is well known both to God and man. 
Eccl. 9  It is likened in scripture unto a rose, as well for the beauty thereof, as also because it groweth and continueth amongst sharp prickels: for chastity neither groweth nor continueth, but where there is sharpness and austerity of life, and mortification of the flesh▪ Chastity is always in danger, being among pleasures and delights: Chastity dieth without it be maintained by fasting and temperance: And being upholden by these two, it liveth and reigneth gloriously, and is crowned at last immortally. It is as great a miracle to raise a dead man to life, as it is to be chaste without abstinence.  
Thou must not be idle, if thou wilt have this virtue: Fly from the company & conversation of all those that be dissolutely disposed, and by this means preparing thy body, thou shalt make it a meet dwelling, for the holy Ghost.  
The Dove flying out of the Ark of Noah, 
Gene. 2.  never found where to rest but upon dead bodies, and therefore returned she back to the Ark again. The spirit of our lord doth not inhabit in unclean bodies, but in those that be pure and chaste. This chastity is a glorious, and an Angelical virtue. Fly from the pestilence of carnal vices, that thy soul may be the true and faithful spouse of jesus Christ.   

THOSE THINGS WHICH seem most goodly to the world, being compared with heavenly things, be as it were nothing, And therefore happy are they that do consider it, And do despise the world with all the vanities thereof, and join themselves unto Christ, of whom they may af●er receive the reward of eternal life. CHAP. 40.  

Psal. 150.  THEY set nothing by the land that most was to be desired: said the prophet of worldly men. It is a wonderful matter, that the thing which we most of all desire, and lest make reckoning of is glory. We do not naturally love any thing so much, neither do we lose any thing more easily: but yet for glory will no man be content to venture the loss of all he hath or may have. And he that seeketh ambitiously after this worldly glory, doth lose in this life the comfort of the spirit, and in the other, eternal felicity.  
The servants of this world, do deprive themselves of much good, & great consolation. And for the great love they do bear to those corruptible goods▪ they never come to taste of the sweet conversation of jesus Christ. It is much to be lamented, to see in what things men do receive: their chief delight, and that they have so corrupted their taste, that the sweet comforts of God do grow unto them noisome and unsavoury: And the contemplation of God, and devout praying, do seem unpleasant: And all the bitter & unsavoury pleasures of this world do only seem sweet & pleasant unto them.  
The taste of god's love is so delicate & sweet, that they only may taste thereof, that have no taste in any of the vain pleasures of this world. Fly away from the vanities of this world, for so much the further as thou goest from them, so much the nearer shalt thou come unto God, And be made partaker of his heavenly consolations. And the less that thou dost converse with the world so much shalt thou enjoy the more of god's love.  
If they which do contemn the vanity of this world, & do give themselves to the service of God, be so filled with so many and so great spiritual comforts: why dost not thou also make haste to go toward him, how long wilt thou stay? Thy loss & thy ruin, must needs be great, since the love of such base stuff as this world doth yield thee, is able to withhold and keep thee from him. Let not the bitter pleasures of this life deprive thee of the sweet and perfect pleasures of the other life. Consume not thy days in the love of such vile things, and of so little estimation.  
Consider with thyself, both what it is that thou losest, and for what thou losest it: that which thou lovest in this world is nothing, and that which God hath prepared for them that do love him, is infinite, as he himself is infinite: happy is that soul that is fed only with the love of God, and is nourished with the odor of his holy virtues.  
Happy is he whose determination is fully set to get the invisible things, and to despise these visible things. It is most clear that such a one, is both a good and a wise man, for he buyeth for small things, things without measure, and for things transitory, things that be everlasting: and for vile things and of no price, things that be of infinite value: he buyeth fair things for soul, pleasant things, for things most miserable, sweet things for bitter, and that which is most of all, he buyeth all things for nothing. If thou wilt, come unto him, thou must love him alone for thou canst not love him perfectly as thou oughtest to do, if thou dost love anything beside him or with him.  
Let not the appearance of these corruptible things deceive thee: let not the vanity of these honours, nor the pleasures of this present life blind thine understanding: In despising of the vanity of this world, thou shalt win the love of God. Consider how little God doth command thee, and how much he doth promise thee. Resign up the vile things of this world, that thou mayest get the most precious pearl of infinite value, which is the life everlasting, for this present life is in effect but a moment in comparison of that perpetual life which is to come. Despise this short and corruptible life, that ●hou mayest win the eternal and happy life.  
He were to be accounted but for a fool, that having goodly Palaces, & fair cities of his own, would go dwell in a sta●le: Such is this miserable world in respect of the celestial city. Make then but little account of that which appeareth somewhat▪ and is in deed little or nothing at all. And look unto our Lord, who is he that doth invite thee with his holy love, & doth set open unto thee the gates of heaven. Cut away the root of evil thoughts which the devil and the world have planted in thy fantasy.  
Enforce thy spirit to despise the●● corruptible and transitory things, and to lo●●e the durable and eternal things for the which thou wast made, To the intent that thou mayest live here in this life, ●s in the w●y, and in the next thou mayest reign as in thy proper Country. Amen.   
The end of the second book.   

THE THIRD BOOK of despising the world. Which teacheth how by despising these vanities we may serve jesus Christ. The third part.  

All things of this world be false and vain, and therefore they can not satiate our souls, but God only, who is our chief good of all, doth perfectly satiate and fall all those that do feed 〈◊〉 ●ym. CHAP. 1.  
THE rich men (sayeth the psalm) were hungry and suffered necessity, 
Psal. 33  but to them that do seek God all goodness shall abound. He that hath God hath all goodness, and every thing shall abound unto him: and he▪ that hath not God hath nothing: without God every delectation is sorrowful▪ every joy is vain, and all abundance is poverty and necessity: it is great liberty of soul not to desire any thing in this world.  
God only▪ who hath created ou● soul, doth fulfil our desires, and satisfy our appetites they be very vain that do think to find true contentment in things of this life.  
There is nothing so sweet in this life, but that it is full of bitterness: there is nothing so precious, so good, or so delectable, that can make a man thoroughly happy, either by delivering him from evil, or by giving him joy everlasting, but only God, who is our chief good, and our felicity: what so ever is not of God is poverty.  
God shall feed me, and nothing shall be wanting unto me: 
Psal. 22.  sayeth the prophet. The kings and princes of the earth can not say so much, for the greater that they be, so much the more do they suffer necessity: they have greater care to maintain their honour, and to provide for their house, and to govern that, which is under their charge. Only the servant of jesus Christ can say, that nothing shall be wanting unto him: he that is fed at God's hand is sure to be satiate and contented.  
The world doth feed his sheep with withered grass, and keepeth them amongst the briars and thorns, their water is poisoned, and under the grass doth death lie lurking. 
Gene. ●.  The devil gave meat to our first forefathers, and after they had eaten they were poisoned. The worldly man doth eat the herbs of deli●●●, and suddenly after he hath eaten dy 〈…〉 withal. He is trained with the 〈◊〉▪ of honours and ●iches, and is after taken and caught fa●● by them.  
The ●oly Prophet: 
Psa. 141.  sayeth thou art my God, 〈◊〉 art my portion in the land of the living. Happy is he that is fed at 〈◊〉 own hand: and putteth not his 〈◊〉 in men. Happy is he that seeketh God ●ith his whole heart, and desireth to be comforted by him.  
Drink thou never so much of the 〈◊〉 of these worldly honours and vanities▪ 〈◊〉 thy thirst shalt never be quenched, burt●●● shalt still be like to one that is in a dropsy, who the more that he drinketh, the more he may still drink. All things d●●trust in our Lord, 
Psa. 103.  and he giveth them meat in their due tyme.  
The prodigal son after he had o●● separated himself from God, 
L●●. 15.  confessed strait ways that he was almost dead for hunger. Vice doth always cause family and much trouble in the will of 〈◊〉 which virtue doth not, but doth still minister unto it much joy and comfort. The wise man saith, 
Prou. 23.  do not thou taste of th● pleasant dishes that the world setteth bes● thee, for his bread is full of lying and falsehood. Although it telleth thee, that thou shalt find in vice and in sins good nourishment and satiety, yet do not thou believe it.  
The Nigremanciers and enchanters will make a show to thine eye of pleasant Gardens and fruitful trees, but if thou dost gather 〈◊〉 of the frayed thereof thou shalt fin 〈…〉ge at all therein: so doth the world 〈◊〉 men believe that whatsoever it offereth unto them, is of good substance, and may well suffice to satisfy their hunger, but in truth when trial is made there is nothing found, but that which is vain and full of wind. And this is the cause why they are never satisfied, nor do live contented.  
Our soul is no Chameleon, that it can live by wind alone. David saith in the person of the world, 
Psa. 118.  I opened my mouth, and drew in the air. The world openeth his delights, & layeth abroad his will and pleasure, and thinketh to feed men with wind.  

Ose. 12.  Ephraim (saith Osee) feedeth the wind. A very vain thing is that which filleth not the place where it is. The things of this world do not fill our soul, but only puff it up and make it swell. wouldest not thou take him for a fool, that when he were hungry would open his mouth and take in the air to satisfy his hunger withal? The folly is nothing less if thou thinkest to satisfy thine appetite with the wind of this worldly vanity.  

Psal. 16.  The Prophet said unto God of w●●rldlie men, their belly is filled with ●hose things which thou keepest most secret. Lords and great men use to set out the best things in their house to the most 〈…〉 of the eye. They hang up their hangings of silk and Arras in their 〈◊〉 and chiefest chambers of resort, 〈◊〉 the most base & vile things of their 〈…〉 they bestow in the corners and 〈…〉 of the house: Even so doth 〈…〉 the riches of his glory, & of his 〈…〉 the open market, affording 〈…〉 pennyworth thereof, to as many as 〈◊〉 buy of it. But the gold and silver 〈…〉 worthy to be esteemed, and 〈…〉 the very sweeping and 〈…〉 house, he hath hid under the 〈…〉, and set them out of sight. Of 〈◊〉 secret things then, which in gods 〈…〉 nought worth, nor reputed for 〈…〉 David saith) The belly of these ●●●●dlie men is full, They fill themselves with air, & gather together the most vile things of gods house, to make their ●●●●sor of.  
These worldly things be like unto a sharp liquore, which never satisfieth, 〈◊〉 provoketh the appetite to take more 〈◊〉 they shall suffer hunger like dogs and shall go round about the city saith the Prophet David. 
Psa. 58.  They go round about the earth to get honours and riches, but for all that their hunger will not be satisfied. The Prophet Aggeus saith unto worldly men. Thou hast eaten but thou hast not satisfied thyself, 
Agge. 1.  & thou hast put on thy clothes and art never the warme●.  
The more worldly things that thou hast, the more shalt thou desire of them, & the vehemency of thy thirst shallbe the greater. Thou art like one that eateth sal●● And as he that throweth oil into the 〈◊〉 to quench it. Labour not to seek 〈◊〉 the vanities of this world, for thou shalt never quench therewith the thirst of th●● soul although thou gettest that whi●●● thou dost desire.   

THE SOUL BEING endued with reason, and created after the image of God, aught to delight and rejoice only in him, and of him receive perfect comfort. CHAP. 2.  
OPEN thy mouth and I will fill it (saith God. 
Psa. 18. ) After that our Lord had recommended unto his people the observing of his commandments. In reward thereof he told them, that if they would open their mouths, he would fill them. Thou must not understand this by our bodily mouth, which being of so small a quantity, is soon filled, but of the mouth of the soul which as our desire and our longing.  
The whole world is not able to satisfy the great desire of our soul, but only God which created our soul after his own Image and likeness, who is he that said: Put forth thy petition and extend thy desire, for I am he that must satisfy & fulfil it, and none other beside me.  
The reasonable soul which is created after the image and likeness of God, may well be occupied about many things, but it shall never be satisfied nor filled, but with God himself. In him it is at rest & quietness, and by him it receiveth perfect joy, and felicity. Happy is that soul unto the which God is all things, and nothing is pleasant unto it but God alone, & beside him all things are bitter & grievous. Our soul shall never find rest, if it seek for comfort in earthly things.  
The vessel whilst it is in the water seemeth not heavy, but as soon as it cometh out of the water, the heaviness and weight thereof appeareth. The reason is, because the substance thereof being earth or that which is nearest unto earth: it hath most agreement and convenience with the element of water, when it is upon the water. So when thou art with God in heart by faithful love, thou art in the element that is most proper, and proportionate unto thee, and remaining there with him, thou goest away merely & with good contentment. But when thou dost love the world, thou goest clean out of thine own proper element which is God, and therefore every thing than seemeth painful and heavy unto thee.  
The wicked men find much trouble & business even in the midst of their honours, and good men find comfort and quietness in all reproaches that can be given them. Only in God is true joy of heart. And out of God is there neither peace nor pleasure. As thy body can never take rest being laid upon a narrow piece of wood, so shall thy soul never find any rest in things of this world. All that (which is not God himself) doth no more good unto the soul: than it doth ease to the body to sleep upon a board that is not three fingers broad. Thou oughtest to consider, that thou canst g●t no rest by loving the things of the earth, and for that cause thou oughtest to turn thee unto God alone, if thou wilt get a quiet life.  
When God created man, the scripture saith that he rested him: 
e'en. 1.  which he said not when he had created other things, for man can only rest in God. God is said to rest in man only, when man receiveth his only rest in God himself.  

●sa. 102.  God filleth thy desire with good things, saith the prophet. Our appetite will never rest until it come unto the end it seeketh. Our soul is of that noble nature, that nothing can satisfy it, but the chief good of all which is god. Which appeared by the earnest crying out of David saying: 
Psal. 41.  As the heart desireth the fountain of water, so longeth my soul after thee (O my God) my soul hath thirsted after thee, the fountain of lively water: when shall I come, and appear before thy presence? My tears were my food both day & night, when they asked of me where is now thy God? When he was from god, he wept to see himself in that thirst, and in that necessity: And therefore he desired god to give him his full and perfect contentation.  
The world cannot quench the thirst of thy desire, therefore oughtest thou to go unto Christ who sayeth, whosoever thirsteth, le● him come unto me. Set not thine heart upon the vanities of this present world, unless thou dost mean to be vexed with unquietness and affliction. Do not thou love this temporal glory, and thou shalt have the eternal glory.  
If thou dost look to obtain whatsoever thou desirest, take the council of that holy Prophet David that saith, 
Psal. 36.  Delight in our Lord, and he will give thee the petitions of thine heart. Him only oughtest thou to love, and so in this life thou shalt be glad and rejoice, and in the other live in bliss everlasting.   

GOD IS ONLY THE FOOD of our soul, for he hath made us only for himself: and our soul being a spirit, it is unpossible to satiate it with corporal things, because there is no conformity betwixt them and it. CHAP. 3.  
I SHALL then be satisfied when I shall see thy glory, 
Psal. 16.  (saith the Prophet unto God) do not thou seek for contentment in things that be created, for in them shalt thou never find it. All that is in the whole world, is but little for our reasonable soul. That vessel which is able to contain God himself, can never be full, until that God himself do fill it. The cause whereof is the vanity of these worldly things.  
The things that be of their own nature vain, (as all these worldly things be) do so occupy the place wherein they be, that for all their being there, the place remaineth empty still, and gold doth no more satisfy the soul, than wind doth satisfy the body. The desires of our soul can be but little satisfied, with all that is on the earth to be desired, because the desires thereof be infinite, and without the compass of any measure or bounds. Therefore in this life we have no other remedy, but to take away the desire of the things of this world.  
If a man were so mad, that he would needs fly up into heaven, it were but an evil remedy to devise for him all such things, as were necessary to further his enterprise forward. It were much better to consider the means how to make him leave it of, and to put that imagination out of his head, since it is a thing impossible to be brought to pass. After this manner must thou apply the remedy to all thy greedy desires, and thirsting after honours and riches, always persuading thyself, that it is unpossible for thy soul to be satiate with any thing that is contained under thee cope of heaven. This is all the remedy that thou hast to take away these vain desires of thine, for it is more easy for a man to have wings, and to fly above the clouds, then to have thy desires fully satisfied with the pleasures of this life.  
These temporal goods, be but as an 〈◊〉 matter, to set our desires on a fire. As it were a madness to add more wood to the ●●re for to put it out withal, so is it as great madness for us to think, that we can put out the fire of our desires, with the dry wood of these worldly delights. The principal cause and reason thereof is because that none of the goods of this life, can have any conformity or agreement with the nature of our soul.  
God hath made us for himself, and our heart is never settled in full quietness, until that it rest wholly in him. God hath given unto all things certain prescribed rules, answerable unto their own natures. It were against all rule of reason to feed an horse with flesh, and a lion with grass, because it is not agreeable with their natures. And our soul being a spirit, how shall it be satisfied with corporal things? Gold and our spirit be nothing like together, neither any thing that the world bringeth forth or giveth, hath conformity with the nature of the soul. Unto some creatures as unto the Chameleons, it giveth air to maintain them withal, wherewith the proud men do seem to be maintained also, but yet the soul is no Chameleon.  
Unto some other it giveth Iron to live withal, as the Oysteriges, unto which it seemeth that covetous men have some conformity. Some be fed with filthiness, as the fleshly and carnal folk, and to some it giveth poison for their food, as unto the envious persons. But because all these things be earthly and have no agreement with our soul, it can not b●● sustained with earthly things: only g●ace and the gifts of the holy Ghost (as things spiritual) can give sustenance & strength to our soul. And although that pride, and envy, and all other vices, be things in their kind spiritual, yet followeth it not thereon that they be the food of our spirit, for their be many corporal things which be not the sustenance or food of our bodies. The reason is, for that God is only the food of our soul, and not any other thing in the world beside. He having so ordained it in our creation, that our soul should not be satisfied with any thing but himself.  
If thou shouldest curiously ask why bread doth nourish our bodies & not poison, there is no other reason to be given thee therefore, but that bread is agreeable to the nature of the body and not poison: And even so is it by our soul, for as much as God is the natural food thereof: if it be fed or nourished with any other thing but God, it is enough to make it to starve for hunger.  
This spiritual food hath also this advantage, which our bodily nourishment hath not, for that our bodily sustenance engendereth still a satiety and loathing in them that do take of it, but the soul enjoying once heaven, and having the fruition of God, may both have satiety without loathsomeness, and yet have withal an hunger unto God, so as the satiety or fullness quencheth not the desire, neither letteth the soul from desiring still.  
Make not much a do in afflicting of thyself, to win authority or credit in the world, for all is but affliction and torment of the spirit: seek not after the riches and honours of this miserable world, for in them shalt thou find nothing but charge and care, but turn thyself wholly unto God, for he is thy true food, and sustenance of thy soul, that maintaineth it, and enricheth it.   

WHOSOEVER DESIRETH to find rest let him not seek it in things of this world, for they be all full of trouble and turmoil, but let him turn him unto God, and he shall enjoy quietness, and most happy tranquility. CHAP. 4.  
return (O my soul) unto thy rest: 
●sa 1●4.  (saith the prophet) The sick man although he do change his beds never so often, yet shall he never find ease, until his pain be taken away, that caused his unquietness. Thou dost carry about with thee the infirmity of worldly love, but until thou cast it clean away from thee, thou shalt never find any ease in all the delicate beds of honours, riches, or delights. In God only thou shalt find rest: love God and thou shalt find quietness, turn thee unto him and thou shalt enjoy a most perfect contentment.  
jonas the prophet, after he was gone away from God never found rest, 
jon. 1.2.  he was disquieted upon every place on the land, he fled after to the sea, and being in a ship the tempest overtook him and disquyeted him, but where God is, there is no tempest: he called unto God in the whales belly, and made his prayers unto him, and so when he turned unto him he was discharged of all his former troubles.  
Seek not for any rest in things of this life, think not to find any perfect joy in this world, for where so ever thou becomest, thou shalt be beaten with many afflictions: thou carriest thy infirmity with thee, thou shalt not find quietness in any thing that thou lovest here: change not thy place but change thine affection: turn unto God and thou shalt be in rest and quietness: this is the readiest way to find that comfort which thy soul seeketh after.  
When temporal goods be once gotten, they be but little esteemed: but things eternal which be gotten with less travail than the other, be much esteemed, because they give perfect contentment.  
All the time that jacob continued in Laban's house, 
Gene. 32.  he never had any thing but displeasures and disquyetnes, but as soon as he was gone from him, he met straight way with an whole host of angels. They which do serve the world, never find out any thing but trouble and travail as jacob did when he served Laban: therefore the servant of jesus Christ ought to turn toward his father's house, which is God himself, and there shall he find divine consolations: as in all mischiefs, the remedy that we have, is to go out of them, the same way that we came into the so the remedy to make us perfect, is to return thither, from whence we were departed: and it is natural for every thing to return unto that from whence it first came, & in this consisteth our perfection.  
The bull when he is well baited in the market place, goeth over out again at the same door that he came in at, for natural instinct did teach him to seek to avoid danger the same way he entered into it: and thou when thou art well baited and hunted up and down here in the world, endeavour thou to go out again the very same way that thou camest in, for it is the only remedy to get perfection of bliss, to enter thither again from whence we first departed.  
God being then the only beginning from whence all our good proceedeth: since every good and perfect gift proceedeth from above: as S james sayeth. 
jac. 1.  If thou wilt find rest, and true joy, it is necessary for thee to turn thee unto god. Nothing doth at any time receive the perfection of his own nature, unless it be reduced to the general original of the same. And because that God is the general original from whence all our good proceedeth, therefore desireth our soul so earnestly after god, because that getting once him, he getteth all that is good, for all that is good, either it is God himself, or else it cometh from God.  
When a great worldly Prince goeth ●o make his abiding in a country that is ●ut barren and poor, yet all manner of victuals be found there abundantly, ●nd when he departeth thence again, it ●hall remain barren & poor, as it was before. So when God abideth in our soul, every good thing is there abundantly, ●nd when he departeth thence again, it waxeth all barren and dry. With god's presence all good things do come to ●hee, and in him shalt thou find rest, and ●ut of him, there is nothing but trouble ●nd disquietness.  
The Egyptians had among them for ●ne of their plagues, 
Exod. 8.  the busy unquiet ●i●s, which be the troublesome cares of ●he mind, but Israel which is the true people of God, had the sweet Sabaoth of ●est and pleasure.  
It is a great torment to burn in the desire of earthly things: and greet comfort it is, not to have any longing after any thing in this world. He only th●● hath his sure hold fast upon god almighty is merry and joyful, whilst other live i● in torment and heaviness.   

THERE IS NO trust TO be had in things of this world, f●● at our most need, they be gone aw●● from us, only God is to be loved: a●● in him is our trust to be placed, for ●● never forsaketh them that trust in him but is always a ready help for th●● in all their afflictions. CHAP. 5.  
trust in God, and do w●● (saith the Prophet. 
Psal. 36. ) A●● things that be created, d●● fail us at our most need●● and for that cause it is vanity to put any trust in them▪ If thou dost trust in men thou shalt ofte● be deceived. After good service, th●● give but slender rewards: if thou do entrust in them thou shalt find discomfort thereby, for it is written, cursed is he th●● putteth his trust in man. 
Iher. 17   
Trust not in princes, 
Psa. 117. Hest. 7  nor in the sons of men, in which there is no salvation, saith David the Prophet. Amon did put great confidence's in the favour that he found ●t king Assuerus hand, but at last he came ●hereby unto a miserable end. They that ●yue in most favour of the world, they commonly lose all their favour again at the ●●st, and they which were most beloved, become to be after as much hated, according to the common course of the world. ●he world doth always turn about, & ●●oughe a man were so fortunate to con●●nue all his life in good grace and favour, ●hat good will▪ that do him, when death ●●meth and catcheth him. Think not ●●ou to have any sure stay in a staff that made of reed, 
1. Re. 18.  & no better trust is there 〈◊〉 be had in any mortal man.  
In the psalm it is written: happy is 〈◊〉 that putteth his trust in our Lord: 
Psa. 38. Prou. 10.  hap●●e is he that loveth God with his whole ●●rt, and putteth his trust in him, for he ●●il deliver him in the time of his distress. ●●t because that true hope is founded ●●on a good conscience the Prophet saith. ●●at he should not only trust in God, but ●●so do well.  
The hope of the wicked (saith the ●yse man) shall perish, 
Prou. 16.  because it is not ●●unded upon good works. They live rudely, and yet hope that God will give ●●em glory. If thou hopest that God will ●●ue thee his bliss, when thou daily offendest him, it is rather rash presumption i● thee, than any well ordered hope. Trus● thou in God, for in fulfilling on thy part that which longeth unto thee, God of h●● infinite mercy, will not fail to give the● glory, since he never forsaketh them th●● do put their trust in him.  
Solomon saith of a diligent Christia● thus: 
Pro. 31.  He putteth his hands unto strong labours, & his fingers have not refused th● spindle. Upon the distaff doth remain that which is to be spun, and that whic● is already spun, is upon the spind●● and so that which we have laboured fo● and travailed to get, is now upon the spi●●dle, and that which hangeth still on th● distaff, remaineth yet to be wrought an● laboured. He setteth his fingers to the spi●●dle, that trusteth in God upon that whic● he hath done already, and he taketh th● distaff in hand, that is in good hope vpo● that which is yet to be done.  
It is a very vain thing for thee 〈◊〉 lead an evil life, and then to trust vpo● penance to be made after at leisure, w●●● thou knowest not surely whether th●● shalt live until to morrow. These ha●● in their hands their distafes, where●● hangeth that which they have to work● which they never go about to make a● end of.  
Thou oughtest by and by to reform●● thy life, and to have good hope that Go● will give thee of his glory, since it is 〈◊〉 sure, that he never denieth it to any which do that which he commandeth. So in fulfilling of the commandments of God, ●hou mayest make full account that he will give himself unto thee, to the end ●hat by thine enjoying of him, thou mayest always be happy. 
Ose, 12.  Trust always in God sayeth the scripture) and he will deliver ●hee from all thy temptations: saying by ●he mouth of Solomon. 
Pro. 3.  That he is the shield ●f them that put their trust in him. David ●ut his trust in God, and he was helped.  
Happy is he that putteth his trust in God, 
Psal. 2.  and feareth nothing the malice of men. 
Eccl. 1.  Happy is he that had no fear in his mind, neither fell from his hope at all. Happy is he whose strength is God him ●elfe, for in the time of tribulation, 
Isa. 25.  his ●ope shall not be vain. 
Eccl. 2.  Ecclesiasticus ●aith, consider o ye mortal men, and know 〈◊〉 for certain, that never any trusted in ●ur Lord and was confounded, nor persevered in his commandments and was forsaken.  
The sick man hath good cause to trust ●n that Physician for his health, that cureth ●ll diseases: 
Psa. 145.144.  Our Lord (saith the Prophet) is he which healeth all thy sickness, and saveth thy life from death. He is near unto all those that call upon him.   

AS GOD DOTH IN Goodness exceed all other things, so ought man to love him incomparably abou● all other things, which if they have any jot of goodness in them, they have it by participation of some piece of gods infinite goodness. CHAP. 6.  

Luc. 10.  THOU shalt love God, with all thine heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy force, (saith our Lord) for it sufficeth not to tell thee only of the dangerous way of the world which thou must forsake, but also to instruct thee withal of the good way that thou hast to follow in hating the vanities of this world.  
Place thy love in God only: with out loving thou canst not live. And seeing then, that thou must needs love, bestow thy love there where thou mayest find most sweetness & delight. Thou oughtest not to commit so great an offence against the high majesty of God, as to couple together his divine love, with the love of these most base and beggarly things of the world.  
As God doth infinitely exceed all 〈◊〉 creatures, so ought our love to him ●●comparablie exceed the love of all ●●her things. Who ought to gather the ●●●te, but he that planted the tree? saith ●●e Apostle. Who planteth a Vine, 
1. Cor 9  and ●●th not of the fruit thereof? And ●●om oughtest thou to love, but him that ●●de thee able to love? In him alone ●●ghtest thou to put thy love, of whom ●●ou rceivedst thy power to love. Fly ●●e corruption of the world, make not thy ●●rt thrawle to the vanity thereof. Take ●●e love of God for thy refuge & defence. 
Gene. 19   
This is the very mountain that God ●●d Lot to save himself a●, unless he ●●●d be burned up, with the fire of Socome. So thou (O Christian soul) fly ●●om the malediction of this world, unless ●●ou wilt be burned up in the flame of worldly passions.  
Nothing will so easily make thee 〈◊〉 despise the vanity of the world, as the ●●ne of God. And because thy heart was ●uer throughly touched with the fire of ●●ds love, thereof groweth it, that thou art ●llen so in love, and hast so great a savour 〈◊〉 the corruptible goods of this unhappy world. All the troubles and cares ●●at thou art vexed with, proceed here●●, that thou lovest not God, as thou oughtest to do.  
O that thou mightest but taste a little of ●●e sweetness of god's spirit. O how easily wouldest thou then despise that whic● thou now settest so much by? Thou sho●●●dest not then have so many cares, for vn●● the servant of God one care is sufficient  
The nature and property of lo●● is, to have no care about any thing 〈◊〉 that which he loveth. That is well ●●●fied here in this worldly love, where 〈◊〉 shall often see that some one man for 〈◊〉 obtaining of that thing which he earnestly loveth, maketh no reckoning 〈◊〉 either goods, honour, or fame, and oftentimes hasardeth his life therefore 〈◊〉▪ He putteth all things in adventure to ha●● his will. He forgetteth himself, and eue● other thing, for that which he dearest loveth. Now if this fond love of things so little worth the loving, be of su●● force, that it taketh from a man the lou●● the care of every other thing, how mu●● more should the love of God, make him 〈◊〉 be free from all other care, either of hy● self, or any thing else.  
These superfluous cares which tho● takest, and the much caring for thyself maketh it to appear plain, that tho● lovest not God at all. For if thou didst love God, the only care that thou shoulders have about the serving of him, wouldst occupy thee, that thou shouldest have 〈◊〉 time left, to bestow in loving any thing beside him.  
After this manner did the old father in time past, transform them selue● ●nto God, that they forget themselves, & ●ll other worldly things, so as they were ●eputed of worldly men to be no better ●hen careless idiots utterly void of reason and sense.  
Let it be thy principal exercise to ●ake thine account with God, and with thine own soul, so as if there were ●ot any other thing in the world for thee ●o do besides. Thou oughtest to love God so, as if it might be possible thou ●oldest forget thyself, in such sort, as ●●at thou mightest truly say as the Apostle did. I live not, 
Gal. 2.  but jesus Christ liveth 〈◊〉 me.  
Love not the things of this world ●o, as to make them the end of thy love, since all that thou canst love in this world ●hou shalt find to be much more perfectly in God, then in the world. If thou ●oest love any thing because it is beautiful: why dost not thou love God, who is ●he fountain of all beauty? And if goodies be the thing that our will is fixed on, who is better than God? 
Luc 18.  There is none good but God alone, in his own nature & substance.  
The goodness of a creature, is so far forth good, as it doth participate with some drop of that great Sea of gods infinite goodness. Now if thou dost so much love any creature, for some show of goodness that thou perceivest therein, although there be in deed infinite imperfections in it, why dost not thou love God who is essentially good of himself, and the perfection of all goodness?  
The less material substance that there is in bodies, so much lighter they be, and so much the better disposed to ascend upward. Therefore if our souls be laden with the love of earthly things, they shall the less be able to ascend up by charity to God. There is perfect love, where there is no disordinate passion, and he that doth perfectly love God, will nothing esteem the vanities of the earth.   

THE LOVE OF THY NEIGHbour is so joined unto the love of God, that it is unpossible for thee to love the one, and to hate the other, And therefore it is a most sure thing, that he which loveth not his neighbour, is condemned to perpetual pain of hell. CHAP. 7.  

Mar. 12.  THOU shalt love thy neighbour as thyself (saith god) The honest love of thy neighbour is so joined unto the love of God, that with the vearie same love that thou lovest God, thou mayest love thy neighbour also. They proceed both out of one root, and the love of God and of our neighbour, be unseparable: with the same habitual charity, that thou lovest God, thou lovest thy neighbour.  
The Apostle saith: 
Rom. 13.  he that loveth his neighbour fulfilleth the law. Thou canst not divide thyself from thy neighbour, but that thou must withal divide thyself from God also. All the lines that be made from the uttermost part of a circle unto the Centre, which is the middle point, must needs join together in the Centre. And the further that any of those lines is drawn from the Centre, the further doth it go from the other lines, and the further that one line is drawn from an other, the further doth it go from the Centre.  
Thou canst not by any means separate thyself from thy neighbour, either by loving of him little, or by hating of him, but that thou must separate thyself also from God: thou must needs feel somewhat of thy neighbour's harms, and ●eare a part with him in all his afflictions. job never tore his garments, 
job. 1.  nor gave ●ny signification of sorrow, for the loss of his goods and substance, but only when word was brought him of the death of his children. But many feel more grief of the loss of their temporal substance, ●hen of any harm that happeneth to any of their neighbours, were it never so great.  
Let it not grieve thee, to lose these corruptible goods, which God doth suffer oft to be taken from thee, for thine own greater good and benefit, but let thy neighbour's harms, pierce thine heart, and let his hurt be thine.  
When God created the world, of all such things as he made therein, he created of every sort of the things that he made, many, as trees, plants, beasts, & all other living creatures, which should multiply and increase every one of them in their kinds, yet made he but one man, and one woman, of which all the rest of the men in the world should descend, to the end that when they should see how that they were all descended from one, they might be provoked thereby one to love another with more earnest affection and good will.  
God praised the first day that he created, and all that he made in it, but not the second day, unto the which he gave no praise at all, neither called he it good, as he did all the other beside that. The cause whereof was, for that it was the first day that did separate and divide itself from the unity, which separation God abhorreth, and therefore had that day, amongst all the residue no praise at all.  
Make thou no parts, nor divisions, lest thou be grievously punished therefore at god's hand, let it not seem any hard thing unto thee, to love thy neighbour, for although to some folks at some times it seemeth so, yet if thou consider it well, it had been a much more hard precept for thee to have kept, if God should have commanded thee to hate him. For to love, doth agree with our nature, but to hate is clean contrary unto it.  
God commandeth us always such things as our natures be most prone unto, and as much against the nature of man it is for to hate one another, as it is against the nature of water to ascend upward. And albeit that by the means of thy corrupted mind, it might seem unto thee some pleasure for to hate thy neighbour, yet can it not seem any pleasure to thee at all to burn therefore for ever in hell fire. Choose therefore which of the two thou likest best, for if thou hatest thy neighbour, thou shalt surely therefore be condemned to hell fire.  
Unhappy is he, that had rather burn, than love, for if he had loved charitably his neighbour, he had not been burned in hell at all. An evil choice makest thou, if thou hadst rather be damned, then love thy neighbour. Remember that to love thy neighbour, is commanded thee by God himself, and it is also conformable to reason, and to the law of nature.  
Love thou therefore thy neighbour, although he love not thee, but persecute thee, and then shalt thou be the vearie child of God. 
Mat. 5. Rom. 8.  And if that thou be his child, thou shalt be also fellow heir with him of the celestial kingdom, where thou shalt rest in peace with him for ever.   

FOR THE RARE AND great spiritual profits, that are gotten by loving of our enemies, every good christian aught with all his heart to love them, especially for that it is the proper quality of Christian perfection. CHAP. 8.  
LOVE your enemies, and do well to them that hate you (saith our lord) that you may be the very children of your father which is in heaven. 
Mat. 5.  The children of Princes & great men, are always brought up under masters which may teach them, and reprehend such faults as they find in them. There is no better Schoolmaster than an enemy, which giveth diligent attendance upon thee, and observeth thy life, and as soon as he can find any fault in thee, thou shalt be sure to hear of it.  
If thou wilt be vigilant about thy life, pray unto god to give thee some enemy, for that will make thee best to look about thee, and to have due regard to thy life and conversation, And if thou dost get such a one, what hast thou else of him but a master that will well look unto thee, and have diligent watch over thee, to whom thou shalt need to give no fee in recompense of his pains and travail had about thee. Other men seek them out masters with care, and some expense withal, and yet have much a do to find them out, and thou hast gotten thee one, without any trouble at all, which shall cost thee never a penny.  
And if thou wilt be the child of the king of glory, it behoveth that thou be brought up under some good master, who may teach thee to live well, and to have care over thyself. Before thine enemy thou wilt take good heed what thou sayest, for thou knowest well if thou dost commit any error, he will murmur against thee for it, thou wilt also beware how thou livest, for if thou dost any evil, thou shalt be sure to have it soon published abroad. If thou goest but a little out of the way, thou shalt be quickly reprehended for it. All these good turns dost thou get at thine enemies hand.  
When thou livest amongst thy friends, thou art bold to speak, & to do at thy pleasure what thou thinkest best whereby thou dost often offend god, and takest much occasion of sinful living, but when thou art before thine enemies, thou wilt take good heed, both what thou speakest, and what thou dost, lest thou be reprehended therefore to thy shame. Thy friends be a cover to thy sin, and thine enemies be a bridle to thy vices: with thy friend thou offendest God, and with thine enemy, thou dost that which thou oughtest to do. Thine enemy is as it were a clock for thee to set thy life in an order by. Thou receivest better turns at thine enemies hand, than thou dost at thy frenndes. It is reason them, that thou shouldest love him, & honour him, that doth thee so many benefits. He maketh thee virtuous, wise, discreet, and wary: Now if the law of nature bindeth thee to love him that doth thee good, it is reason also, that thou shouldest love thine enemy, and be kind unto him.  
If thou dost set by and esteem a little stafe or a wand, for that it serveth thee to beat of the dust from thy garments: why wilt not thou esteem of thine enemies and set much by them, that do wipe away the dust of thy defects, by reprehending thy faults? Assur is the staff of my fury: 
Es. 10.  sayeth God by the mouth of the prophet Isay.  
God used Assur that was enemy to the Israelites, as a staff to beat his people withal, that by the persecution of their enemies, they might be both cleansed and sanctified. Thou must neither mar nor burn this staff in the fire. Thou must not more esteem thy goods, than thy soul.  
When our friends do extol us & magnify us, our enemies do humble us, ●nd keep us under, that we wax not ●roude and insolent. When our friends ●●y to much making of us, do make us blind, our enemies by persecuting us ●oe make us to receive our sight again. Our enemies are to be esteemed and loved of us, for if they were not, we should be much worse than we be: and for the preservation of virtue, it is needful either ●o have a true friend or a sharp enemy.  
Our enemies will tell us true, when our friends dare not: for many will not receive admonition at their friends hands, and therefore God sendeth us enemies, because they may tell us that which our friends dare not: And as much good as ●hyne enemy doth unto thee, so much harm doth he unto himself: for he killeth his own soul, and perisheth his conscience: wher●fore when thou seest him in so evil plight, that did thee so much good, thou oughtest to take pity on him.  
The prophet David sayeth: They have persecuted him, 
Psal. 68  whom thou hast persecuted, and they have added sorrow unto his wounds. He doth join one wound unto another, and add sorrow unto sorrow, that doth hurt unto him that he receiveth wrong of: thou canst not do thine enemy so much harm by any froward answer that thou canst give him, as he did harm unto himself by speaking evil against thee: he that hateth his enemy doth in effect as much, as if he should go about to bereave a dead man of his life.  
In no one thing canst thou better show thyself to be a true christian, then in loving thine enemies. If thou dost love him that loveth thee: 
Mat. 5.  do not the Infidels as much? To love thine enemy is the very true property of a christian.  
In this doth the gospel of Christ far exceed all other laws that be written. The malice of thine enemy is very poison, but yet of poison is the fine treacle made: and so mayest thou make of the malice of thine enemy a good medicine for thine own soul.  
Thou must put unto this poison other things of good substance, as to give thine enemy's meat when they be hungry: to clothe them when they be naked: to give them alms when they be poor, and so shalt thou make of this poison compounded with these other good receits, an wholesome medicine to cure all spiritual diseases.   

THE LOVE OF A MANS own self, doth so occupy his understanding, that it taketh away clean the knowledge of God, and of his neighbour, and shutteth unto him the gate of everlasting salvation. CHAP. 9  
GO out of thine own country, and from thy kindred, 
Gene. 12.  & forsake the dwelling of thy father and thy mother: said God unto Abraham the patriarch. Thou must depart from all thy earthly affections, lest thou fall in love with the things of this world, and forget jesus Christ: forsake the love of these visible things, for the love of invisible and heavenly things.  
Thou must pluck up thine affections by the root, that they do not grow up and spring again. The over loving of a man's self, is the cause of all his woe: self love perverteth judgement, it darkeneth the understanding, it destroyeth our will, and shutteth the gate of salvation, it neither knoweth God nor his neighbour, it banisheth away virtue, it seeketh after honours and delighteth in the love of the world. He that so loveth his life (sayeth our Lord) doth lose his life. 
Io. 12.   
The root of all iniquity is self love: Esau, 
Heb. 12. 1 Re. 15. 2. Mac. 9  Saul, and Antiochus, never obtained pardon of their sins, although that with sorrow and tears, they sought it at gods hand, because that all their sorrow was for themselves, and their own harms & losses, and not for that they had offended god, They sought themselves, they sought not god. But thou must seek God in all thine actions, & bend thyself, only unto him.  
The love of a man's self, is like unto the heart in the body of man, that commandeth and ruleth the flesh, veins and finewes. Self love doth guide and direct a sinner, to all mischiefs & harms. Why dost thou desire honour, riches, or pleasure, but because thou lovest thyself too much? But the little esteeming of a man's own self, maketh him acceptable both unto God and man. The love of a man's self, is like unto a treason, that deserveth both loss of goods and of life.  
If self love reign in thee: thou mayest well know what thou desirest, but thou seest not what will do thee good. Thou art blind, and therefore thou deservest not to be believed: unto a passionate mind, there is no credit to be given. Never take thy will for reason, which is an enemy unto God.  
O how great a punnishement is a man's own will unto himself: If that would cease, hell would soon cease also. Whereupon doth the fire of hell work, but upon the will of man? And if any persecution or trouble afflict thee, what is the cause of thine affliction, but thine own proper will. Of that cometh all thy grief, and all thy torment, take away thy will, and there will remain no matter of torment, and until that be gone, thy pain shall never cease. It is not possible for thee to love God as thou shouldest do, and not to take away thine own proper love.  
There be certain precious stones, which if they touch some kind of mettle, they lose their virtue, and by some other again they increase it. And love being a most precious stone, doth lose his virtue being put upon thyself, but if that thou puttest it upon God it groweth and increaseth.  
Of thy great conversing with thyself, groweth thy much loving of thyself: and so if thou wouldest converse with God, thy love to him would increase. A man that is all his life long brought up in a feelie sheep cote, waxeth so blind in the liking thereof, that he thinketh that place to be better than all other places in the world beside: In like manner, by thy much conversing with thyself, thou growest in love and liking with thyself.  
Thou never intreatest of any thing, but that which toucheth thy profit: thou meddlest not with any matter, but that which concerneth thy commodity. And thus being always busied about thyself, & thine own matters, thou growest into an over great liking, and love with thyself. If the Apostle did so much love God, that he said, nothing could separate him from Christ, do not thou marvel thereat, when himself said also, our conversation is in heaven. 
Rom. 8.   
The holy Apostle conversed much with God, and little with himself, and therefore he loved God much, and himself but a little. Let thy mind run still upon God, be thou always occupied in thinking of him by some deuow●e prayer, or holy meditation, and by the means of such good exercises, it is impossible, but that thou shalt love God, being such, as he is, when thou didst by much exercises bestowed about thyself, and conversing with thyself, fall in love with thyself, being such as thou art.  
By these two loves, there are two cities builded. The love of God with the despising of thyself, is the one, and the love of thyself with despising of God, is the other: And between both these, that is betwixt God and thyself standeth thy will, which the nearer that it draweth unto thee, so much goeth it further from God. And so much as it draweth nearer unto God, so much goeth it further from thee, by the despising of thyself. And contrariwise, it may grow so near unto thee by the great love that thou bearest unto thyself, that it may grow unto the despising of God.  
Had not these two pronownes so much rained meum▪ & tuum, mine and thine there had not been so great discord and disagreement in the world, as there is. Self love is cause of all debate and discord in Cities and civil places. And because many love their own proper commodity, more than thee common profit of others, therefore be there so many defects, and so great decay in the common wealth.  
The Apostle saith, 
2. Tim. 3.  that in the latter days, there shall come men, which shallbe great lovers of themselves, covetous, proud, blasphemous persons and full of ●ice. And of all this mischief, whereof the Apostle speaketh, self love is the ●earie cause, & chief ground: and therefore he set it in the first place, as the vearie foundation, whereupon all the rest did stand.  
Nothing doth a man so much harm ●s to have his own will. That is the foundation whereon resteth the whole disorder of sin, and whereupon the ●oue of the world doth settle and stay. Take away that foundation of self love, ●nd down will all the walls of jerico fall which be the vanities of this world, 
jos. 6.  and the follies which thou hast so much esteemed.   

THE TRUE PERFECTION of a Christian, consisteth not only in despising of temporal things: but he must also despise himself, and wholly deny his own proper will. CHAP. 10.  
HE that will follow me (sayeth Christ) let him deny himself. 
Luc. 9  The vearie way to come unto Christ, is to conquer thine own will: To suffer necessity with patience, and not to seek thine own proper commodity.  
The very true servant of God seeketh not his own interest, but the glory and honour of God. In all thy good deeds thou must seek to please God, and thou shalt receive therefore greater benefits at his hand: let him be the beginning and end of all thy works, to the end thou mayest not lose the fruit of all thy travails.  
It is a dangerous disease to have to great a love to thyself, he that seeketh himself, is sure to find himself: good works which be done for gods sake do glade the conscience, illuminate the understanding, and deserve increase of grace. Many do despise the exterior things which they have, but for all that, they come not unto the perfection which the gospel requireth, which is the denying of themselves, whereby it appeareth that ●hey have not yet cast away their own will, because they do keep still with them some of that self love which made the snare, wherewith they were first taken.  
The true servant of jesus Christ, must not only make small account of ●is temporal goods, but he must also set ●ittle by himself, that he be not hindered ●hereby in his way toward heaven.  
Let him learn now by the grace of ●he holy Ghost to overcome himself, ●hat hath learned before to despise all worldly things. This is the perfect re●ouncinge of a man's will, when he is with ●art contented to despise himself, and ●ot seek for any comfort in any thing ●f this world. If thou dost seek thine ●wne profit, or temporal commodity, ●hou art not yet perfectly mortified: vn●●ll the servant of jesus Christ, doth throughly deny himself, he deserveth ●ot to receive the heavenly comfort.  
Many that have had at the first, some devotion, and spiritual consolation, have ●herein continued for a short time, but ●fter when they perceived their deuotiō●n prayer to have failed them, and therewithal their spiritual consolation, (which ●hey sought after,) to have decayed in them, as men not contented therewith have given themselves to the world again which they had before cast of. And th●● they took no profit by all that they did because they had not gotten the perfect● victory of themselves, nor throughly mortified themselves, they would not b● contented wholly to forsake them selue●▪  
Set only before thine eyes, the se●●uice of god▪ And then though thou doe●● not sensibly perceive any present cōfo●● in that which thou dost, yet ought it 〈◊〉 be a sufficient comfort unto thee to know and to remember, that thou art occupie● in his service, and that it is his will tha● thou shouldest have no further comfort thereby, than he should think expedient for thee. Thou must utterly deny th●● self, in all things that thou goest abou●● if thou wilt throughly profit in the ser●uice of God. Many willbe well contented to deny themselves in certain thinger but not in all. They willbe obedient in a●● things that shall like them, but in thos● things which stand not with their likin● there they will stagger at it, and will no● cast of themselves, nor deny them selue● as they ought to do. But thou must in a●● things be ready to yield unto god's wi●● and utterly forsake thyself, and thy●● own will.  

Mat. 13.  That careful marchante which th● gospel speaketh of was well contented to sell all that he had, leaving himself nothing to buy the precious pearl with●●. Ananias and Saphira, 
Act. 5  were punished ●●th sudden death, because they gave but ●●●te of the price of the field which they ●●de, unto God, and kept part still unto ●●em selves. If thou wilt serve God, thou ●●st be contented to sell all without kee●●nge any part at all unto thyself. And 〈◊〉 thou wilt get this most precious pearl, ●●ou must first throughly conquer thy ●●fe. By the full denying of our own ●●ll, the will of God hath full dominion in 〈◊〉 and the will of man is so transformed ●o the will of God, that he suffereth willingly any adversity for him. If thou ●●●test perfect victory of thyself, in a ●●●rt time thou shalt much profit.  
Our Saviour jesus Christ sought 〈◊〉 his own glory, but thine, 
Io. 8.  he came 〈◊〉 hither for his own commodity, but 〈◊〉 thine. And why dost not thou forget 〈◊〉 self and seek him, that was contented 〈◊〉 much to forget himself and his own ●●●rie, as to give himself wholly for ●●●ee?  
A good wife is she, that seeketh to ●●ase none but her husband, and happy is ●●●t chaste soul, that goeth not about to ●●ase any but her spouse jesus Christ. ●●d blessed is that soul, which seeketh to ●ntent God, and esteemeth no other love ●●the world, besides the love of him. ●●ou mayest be sure, that thy spouse is ●●od, & well worthy to be beloved for him self. And therefore thou must be contented, to forget every thing for his love.  
Thou oughtest to forsake every thing, and to deny thyself, and all th●● thou hast, for to obtain the sweet com●forte of the love of jesus Christ.   

A PERFECT CHRISTIAN doth not only despise honour, riches, an● every other commodity of this world● but desireth also for the love of Chri●● to be despised and contemned, and th●● good which he doth, he doth it not f●● his own spiritual comfort, but for th●● love of God, and for to do him serui●● CHAP. 11.  
LET us not refuse the batayle which is offered us, 
Heb. 12.  always having jesus Christ in o●● eye, who suffered upon th●● Cross all the despite an● shame that might be done 〈◊〉 him, and regarded it not: sayeth the Apostle. So must thou despise all inord●●nate affection of human praise, hono●● and favour, and desire for God his sake 〈◊〉 suffer all despite and confusion.  
There be but few which seek aft●● ●●ese virtues: Although there be some ●ot desirous of honour, yet be there but ●ery few, which from the bottom of their ●●rte, desire to be despised and contemned: and if thou dost desire these things ●ith thine heart, God will grant them ●nto thee: and if he doth not send thee ●●uersitie, it is because he knoweth that ●●ou art not strong enough to bear it, ●●or art yet sufficiently mortified.  
God is not more ready to do any thing, ●●en to send affliction and tribulation ●nto one that is meet to receive it, which 〈◊〉 the mortified man, because he knoweth ●●erein to consist his chief merit, to ●hich he desireth to bring his best belo●ed friends.  
All things that thou dost ask of ●od, and wouldest have of him, which perteyne not to the due mortification and despising of thyself for gods sake, have ●●mewhat contained in them, that is tempered with thy natural passions, and thine ●wne self love: and although in part ●hou haste put away from thee the love of ●hy self, yet secretly returneth it to thee again, by seeking somewhat of thyself ●nd thine own commodity, which thou ●ast not ware of: and so many times when ●e think that we are far from ourselves, ●e find at last ourselves to be to near ●nto ourselves, whereof it cometh that ●hou which wishedst for great adversity, ●oest find thyself to faint at a little which happeneth thee because thou doe●● not perfectly despise thyself. The lou● of thyself was hidden for a time, bu● when it was touched a little, it began 〈◊〉 show itself again, although it do lie●● sleep for a while, thou must not thinks therefore that it is dead: but he is happy in deed, which is so dead to himself that he desireth to be of all folks despi●sed.  
Our Lord gave us a wonderful example of perfect mortification, when 〈◊〉 said upon the cross. O my God why 〈◊〉 thou forsaken me? 
Mat. 27.  The perfect servant 〈◊〉 jesus Christ, ought so to content himself when he is forsaken, that yet he faint 〈◊〉 therein albeit he be deprived of all sens●●ble spiritual consolation for a time, as ou● redeemer was upon the cross.  
Many commit spiritual adultery, 〈◊〉 appointing with themselves to make sen●sible devotion, the uttermost end of th●● which they seek for, and for that end● either only, or chiefly do seek out 〈◊〉 the comfort of mental prayer. Thou must not desire thine own consolation, although it be spiritual, but only the service of God.  
Thy perfection consisteth not 〈◊〉 these gifts of sensible love, but in th●● essential and true love of God, & having 〈◊〉 of a sound conscience, and fulfilling his will in all things. The servant of jesus Christ must not seek▪ for the sweetene● 〈◊〉 sensible devotion, nor often consolation, 〈◊〉 of true mortification and despising of ●●m self, and for a right and well ordered ●●●ention only toward God, who discer●●th betwixt the true, and the counterfeit servant of jesus Christ.  
Happy is he which is so mortified, ●●●t he is prepared to suffer even the ●●●y pains of hell for God's sake and his conscience.  
Happy is he that is as well disposed ●●●e without these gifts of inward com●●●e and sensible devotion, as to have ●●●m.  
Happy is he that is so inflamed with 〈◊〉 fire of the essential, and very perfect ●●●e of God, that he is well contented, e●●● from the bottom of his heart, to be ●●●ryued all his life long, of all sensible ●●●e, satisfienge himself with the bare identical love of God only, not esteeming 〈◊〉 regarding at all the inward spiritual ●●●●ort, although it be never so grievous ●●to him to forbear it.  
Happy is he that earnestly desireth 〈◊〉 follow his master jesus Christ, that was forsaken on the cross of all his temporal ●●●odes and honours, and also of all spiritual comfort. But there be many which ●●●en they find themselves naked and ●●●ren of all spiritual comfort, they be●●me all dull, slothful, and melancolique. 〈◊〉 to rejoice when a man is void of all ●●ese inward spiritual comforts and sweetness, is a sure token of pure and pe●●fect love to God.  
Happy is that soul, that is so dea●● to it self and the world, that it lyves only to God, without the help of 〈◊〉 other external or internal affection whatsoever. So shall it be pure without sin, quiet without disturbance, 〈◊〉 without fear, adorned with virtue, lightened in understanding, lifted up in spiri●● united unto God, and eternally beatifie●●   

OUR SOUL AND BODI● have continual battle together, 〈◊〉 if the victory happen upon the bo●● behalf, then are both body and so●● subject to the condemnation of hell fi●● but if the soul obtain the victory, b●●● of them are crowned with heauen●● glory for ever. CHAP. 12.  
THE life of man is a con●●●nual war upon the ear●● saith holy job. 
job. 7.  Thou ca●●not live without battle and wheresoever thou 〈◊〉 thou shalt find war, 〈◊〉 thou shalt always find within thee, 〈◊〉 that is ever against thee.  
In one man doth the Apostle set down unto us two men, 
2. Cor. ●  so joined together and ●o compact, that the one cannot be without the other, neither can they divide themselves in participating either of pain, or of glory. And yet is there such diversity betwixt them in their affections & appe●●its, that the life of the one, is the death of ●he other. They be so linked & annexed together, that being two they be yet but ●ne, & being one, they be nevertheless too: Betwixt these two passeth the whole ●ate and course of our life, wherefore the apostle hath attributed unto them both, sundry titles & names, calling the one the spirit, the other the flesh the one the soul, ●he other the body: the one the law of the ●oule, the other the law of the members. The one the inward man, the other ●he outward man. Walk according to ●he spirit (saith the Apostle) & you shall ●ot do the works of the flesh. You shall ●ye, if you live according to the flesh, ●nd you shall live, if with the spirit you ●ill mortify the flesh. The flesh coveteth ●gainst the spirit, and the spirit against ●he flesh.  
This is a strange kind of warfare, ●hat in the battle is peace sought, and in ●eace is battle desired. In death is life, & 〈◊〉 life death, In bondage is liberty▪ In liberty bondage. The liberty and power of a good man is showed in overcoming himself, and subduing of his passions.  
To refrain thine appetites is very fortitude of the mind, and in following them the weakness thereof is bewrayed▪ He is rather to be accounted a strong ma●● that conquereth his appetites then he tha● conquereth his enemies. If thou seeker for a great dominion, learn to reigns over thyself, for Solomon saith: He tha● overcometh himself is better than 〈◊〉 that conquereth great towns. 
Pro. 16  There 〈◊〉 many that do conquer cities, but the●● are but few that can conquer them selue●  
To be lord and ruler of a man's self, 〈◊〉 a very large empire: If thou canst perfec●●lie overcome thyself, thou shalt easily overcome every other thing. He is to b● called a perfect good soldier, that ha●● throughly overcomen himself. H● is the true servant of jesus Christ, whic● maketh the flesh subject to the spirit● which subdueth sensuality unto reason's and if thou be overcomen, thou art b● thine own fault overcomen. 
1. Cor. 10.  For th●● blessed Apostle saith: God is faithful, an● will not suffer you to be tempted, abou● that which you be able to bear.  
It is the manner of those which 〈◊〉 judges in combattes, to measure the wea●pons of those that are to fight together 〈◊〉 the lists. So God that is the judge of th●● world, doth take the just measure of o●● weapons, and will not suffer that our ene●my shall fight against us with greater temp●●ations, than we be able to bear.  
And if true men be entered the field to ●●ght, they being both equal in all points ●e must needs carry away the victory, ●●at his helped by an other.  
If thou wilt favour thy body with ●dlenes & overmuch eating and drinking ●●y body shallbe victorious and thy soul ●halbe overcomen. But if thy soul be helped with fasting, watching, and praying ●●y soul shall win the victory, and thy ●odie shall be overcomen.  
It is far more fit and convenient for he to give thine aid and favour unto ●hy soul, then to thy body, for if the victory fall unto the soul, then is the ●oule and body both saved thereby. But ●f the victory remain to the body, than ●re soul & body both cast away for ever.  
The body looseth by victory, and ●ynneth when it is overcomen, If the ●ody do overcome, it shall be perpetually tormented with the soul for ever: and ●eing conquered, it shall live with the ●●ule for ever with Christ. The victory ●f the body is shameful, & approbrious, ●ut to be overcomen is an honour unto it. The conquering of it, is glorious unto it ●elfe, and the triumph thereof is infamous.  
If that thou dost love thy flesh, thou ●anst not do more for it then make it sub●ect unto reason, & then dost thou most of all ●ate it, when thou makest most of it. He that hateth it, loveth it  
jesus Christ saith, He that hateth this sensual life in this world, 
Io. 12.  he keepeth it for everlasting life: And he shall lose it that for the keeping of it in this world, doth set to much by it. Now behold how glorious the victory of thy soul is, and how much thou dost get by subduing of thy passions.  
Let thy soul be favoured and succoured by reducing sensuality unto the obedience of the spirit, for the battle is shorter, th● victory more glorious, and the crown● more triumphant. Thou must not spa●● thy labour if thou wilt have a reward. Fo● reward is given to none, 
Apoc. 2.  but to them that do take pain for it. Be thou faithful unto the end (for our lord saith) that he will give thee the crown of life.   

A GODLY INSTRUCTION to teach thee to know thyself, of which knowledge doth after grow unto thee, the knowledge of our Lord God. CHAP. 13.  
THE invisible things of God (saith the Apostle) are seen and perceived by his visible creatures. 
Rom. 1.  If any creature in this world, doth by the creation thereof, declare unto us, the great wisdom and the omnipotency of God, no other creature showeth it so much, 
Gene. 2.  or giveth so great manyfestation thereof unto us, as man which is made to the Image, and likeness of God himself,  
Many know many things and know nothing of themselves: they see other men but they see not themselves: they seek God by exterior things, leaving the inward things by which God is found in deed: descend down into the interior part of thine heart, for so much as thou dost profit in learning to know thyself, so much proceedest thou also in learning to know who God is: and although that by the knowledge of the noble state of the mind, the true and perfect knowledge of God's greatness is best and most plainly showed, yet to abase thy pride withal, thou haste always before thine eyes the misery of the body, and the shortness of thy life, that thou mayest come by that way unto God.  

Prou. 1.  In knowing of thyself thou wilt humble thyself, and in humbling thyself thou wilt fear God: and because the fear of God is the beginning of thy salvation, thou must begin first with the knowledge of thyself.  
If thou wilt see thyself and know who thou art, thou must take a glass and behold thyself in it: the glass that a man may best behold himself in, is an other man: and if the other man that thou beholdest be but earth, worms, and ashes, thou mayest well account thyself for such a one also, be thine estate, riches or dignity never so great, whereunto thou art exalted in this world: and yet because thou mayest not be deceived by the glass, see that thou takest not a glass that is hollow within, for that showeth the thing that is represented therein, contrary to that which it is in deed, but thou must look in a plain glass, which showeth thee the very truth what man is: If thou beholdest thyself in the inside of a silver spoon that is clean and clear, thou shalt see thy face with the wrong end turned upward, thy beard to stand upward, and ●●y forehead downward. So there are in ●●an two glasses, which be the two slate's 〈◊〉 which thou mayest behold thyself: ●●●e is life, the other is death.  
Life is the hollow glass, which shew●●th thy face clean contrary to that it is in ●●eede: it showeth thee to be sound, strong, ●nd lusty, and that thou shalt live many ●●eares, and all is but vanity and lies. If ●hou espiest therein fresh lusty youth, do ●ot thou trust therein, for it is very de●eytfull. Beauty is also very deceitful: ●hou seemest strong when thou art but weak: this false life seemeth unto man to ●e some great thing, but it is in deed contrary to that which it seemeth and re●resenteth. But the state of death is the very plain and true glass, which showeth things truly as they are in deed, without ●ny deceit at all.  
If thou wilt therefore (O man) know ●ruly who thou art, behold an other man, not a quick living man, but one that is dead: and there shalt thou see how that thou art earth and ashes, a very cave of filth and uncleanness, a little set out and beautified on the out side, by the lively hue that life hath lent thee: there shalt thou see the foundation of thy parentage, there shalt thou know how large thy dominon is, that which thou art they were, and that which they are, thou shalt be.  
If thou wilt well behold thyself, thou shalt find small cause why thou shouldest make any great account of thyself: what is man in respect of his body, but a vessel fraught full of corruption? And what is he in respect of his soul, (setting a side the grace of God) but an enemy unto justice, an heir of hell, a friend of vanity, a worker of iniquity, a despiser of God, a creature most apt to all evil, and most unable to do good▪ What art thou but a most miserable creature, in all things that do appertain unto thee? In thy counsels thou art blind, in thy ways ignorant, in thy word● vain, in thy works faulty, in thine appetites filthy, and finally in all thy doings vile, and only great in thine own estimation: it is a noble exercise to learn well to know thyself.  
Seek to know thyself, and thou shalt cut of much mischief: thou shalt not be proud nor ambitious: thou shalt not be a despiser of others: thou shalt suffer all injuries with patience, knowing thyself to be a miserable sinner, and well worthy of all creatures to be despised.  
This singular saying (know thyself) is a word descended from heaven above for what good doth it thee to know all the seven liberal sciences, and to be a Doctor in all faculties, and not to know● thyself at all? The humble knowing 〈◊〉 thyself is more worth, then to know a●● much as is written in the world: know first who thou art, whence thou camest, where 〈◊〉 thou art, and whether thou art going: thou art a mortal man, a little earth, a vessel of corruption, and full of much misery and necessity: thou camest crying from thy mother's belly, thou art concey●ed in sin, environed about with all dangers, and going toward thy grave. 
job. 30.   
job sayeth: I am likened unto mire, ●nd to the snuff of a candle. Let the light ●f God's grace shine upon thee, and then ●halt thou know who thou art: thou sayest ●hou art rich, and hast need of nothing, but in truth thou art poor and beggarly, although thou knowest it not.   

THERE IS NOT ANY CREAture in this world more poor and miserable than man, who can not get his living, nor any thing pertaining toward it, without pain and travail, and that whereon he liveth must be had of creatures much inferior to himself. CHAP. 14.  
A MAN that is, borne of a woman, 
job. 4.  liveth but a short time, and is full of many miseries, saith holy job, What thing is so miserable as man? This body which thou so ●uch esteemest, in the grave must lie a rotting. And what thing is more horrible than a dead man? He may not remain among his friends one day above the ground after he is dead. How much so ever they loved him when he was a live▪ yet when he is dead they may not abide him.  
The state wherein thou livest, is an unhappy servitude: It is a miserable life to be borne a slave, to live one and to die one, David saith, In iniquity was I conceived▪ A life that is so compassed about with travail, 
Psal. 50.  pain and sorrow as ours is, which for one pleasure receiveth 〈◊〉 thousand sorrows, may well be accounted, rather a death, than a life.  
There is no creature more poorer than a man, he is so needy of all things that he is fain to borrow his very garments that he is clothed withal, even from the silly beasts backs. And that which he liveth on, his vearie meat, must he begge●● of the birds of the air, and beasts of the field, And the bread that is his chief food, he must get with the sweat of his brows: All which for the most part, the birds & brute beasts have of themselves, and have no need to beg, or to ask of any other.  
Some living creatures have wings to fly withal, others have nails and ●●eth▪ both to defend themselves, and to offend and hurt others, And others have lightness and swiftness to fly & escape those dangers which they be subject too. Of all which things the poor miserable man is void, for of himself he hath nothing, and that which he hath he hath taken it from some other creatures, that be inferior and of less force than himself. By this ●e may learn to humble himself, and to abate the pride and the arrogancy, which he is holden withal.  
He can not have any continual peace ●or quietness, for he can not continually stand still, nor always walk, nor always ●leepe or watch: when a man is best in health, ●e hath a thousand infirmities, which be ●unger, thirst, sleep, weariness, and other necessity's, wherewith he aboundeth, as ●olde, heat, tempests, lightnings, thunder's, pestilences, poison, serpents, dangers by sea, dangers by land, sorrows, sickness, and death.  
Who could be in more safety then ●●ly the Priest of God was, and yet sitting ●uyetlie in a chair in his own house, he ●●ll and broke his neck. So little surety ●s the●e any where to be found.  
The sleep which thou takest for thy chiefest quiet and repose, is full of false imagination's, and vain dreams whereby ●hou art often times molested. It is an ●nmeasurable blindness, and A vearie extreme folly, to love this vile miserable world, so full of many miseries, where if ●ny good be it is mingled with infirmity sorrows and calamities which are to those that take delight therein, the vearie beginnings of the perpetual great miseries and pains of hell.  
It is an easier thing to suffer any misery, than still to look for it, and expect it: And seeing that thou lookest every day for the sentence of death, thou must needs perceive thereby, the misery of this pre●ent life which thou now enjoyest. So in scripture, this life is not properly called life, nor this corporal death, is called death, 
3. Reg. 2.11.14.15  but sleep. God ordained that this life should be so painful, to the end that thou mightest take a love to the other life which is to come.  
Consider how this life was given thee, as it were a ship, for to carry thee like a travayllour through the tempestuous seas of this world, wherein thou wert to endure many dangers, to the intent that thou mightest more earnestly desire the other life, which is the sure harborowgh and glorious haven of heaven.  
If this life should have been all prosperous & pleasant, it would so have draw●● a man to the love and liking thereof, that he would quite have forgotten the vearie true life, for the which he was in deed● created. But the miseries which thou sufferest, and the difficulties which thou endurest, and ar● compassed about withal do invite thee to the love of heaven▪ The pains which thou abidest here, compel thee to make haste unto God. The afflictions which thou dost here suffer, what do they seem to cry and call upon thee, but that thou shouldest not love this miserable life?  
Cast not the anchor of thine heart upon such movable and uncertain commodities as this life bringeth forth. It is for thy benfite that God doth compass thee about, with so many miseries, to the end that thou shouldest keep in memory, and have always in thy mind, that this is not the life, which thou wast created for. Here art thou made subject to continual contention & trouble, to the end that by thy conquering of them thou mayest get a crown of glory: He would have that this life should be painful unto thee, and full of business, for as much as thou being by nature a friend and a lover of rest and quietness, thou shouldest take pleasure and delight in the true rest of heaven.   

IT IS NOT SUFFICIENT only to know that there is a God, but requisite also for us to understand all such particularities, as his divine Majesty, will give us leave to know. CHAP. 15.  
MINE eyes do now behold thee, and I do penance in ashes, 
job. 42.  (saith holy job unto God). Since thou wast made to know God, open thine eyes, to the end thou mayest know him.  
Of the knowledge of God, cometh the knowledge of thyself, and by the knowing of thyself, groweth the knowledge of God: and therefore said job: Mine eyes do behold thee, and for that cause in ashes I will do penance.  
By thy knowing God, thou art moved to reverence him, and if thou knowest him not, thou dost a● he doth that passeth by a great Prince, and for want of knowing him, passeth by him without any reverence given him. The poor country man meeteth with the King in the field, and talketh with him, and doth no duty unto him, because he knoweth him not. Marvel not that the holy men of old time did so humble themselves when they came before the presence of God, 
Leu. 11.  for they knew him to be the King of heaven, and therefore they fell flat prostrate on the ground before him: and do thou most heartily pray unto God with tears, that he will give thee the grace to know thyself.  
Do not thou deceive thyself, by thinking that thou dost fully know God, when thou dost but know only that ●here is a God, and believest that which holy Church believeth. A rude rustical shepherd that never went further than his flock and his sheep cote, may have 〈◊〉 certain gross knowledge of the king, when he heareth other men report of him, that he is rich and mighty, and hath ●ower to punish others, whereby he conceiveth some reverence ought to be given him.  
If thou dost know no more but that he is God, thou wilt make but small account of him, but thou must know also that it is he which doth minister justice, and that doth punish thee when thou offendest, to the end thou mayest fear him: ●hou must know his great mercies, to the ●ntent thou mayest put thy confidence in ●hem: thou must learn to know the great ●reasures which he hath in store for his friends, that thou mayest thereby the rather fulfil his will.  
Thou must further also consider his great goodness, that without any merit or desert of thine, or without any need that himself had of thee, came of his own voluntary good will to seek thee, and with his infinite grief and pains to redeem thee, because he did so dearly love thee.  
Consider also his great power, his wisdom, and his infinite greatness, by all which thou mayest gather occasion to reverence him, 
Psa. 114.  to fear him, and to serve him: If thou believest God to be good, seek with all diligence after that goodness, and all that which thou knowest to be in him.  

Deu. 14.  God would not have any other beast's offered up in sacrifice to him, than such a● did ruminate or chue their cud, which is mente by such men as do continnually meditate in their mind, and revolve by contemplation the perticularities of such things as God hath created, that by those means they may come to the more particular understanding and distinct knowledge of our Lord.  

Eccl. 2.  Labour to know thy God and thy Lord. It is written, that the eyes of a wise man do stand in his head. Which is not meant by the bodily eyes, for both the eyes of the wise man, and of the fool too, do stand in their head, but it is meant, by the eyes of our understanding, which the wise man hath always fast fixed in that head ●hich is by the Apostle said, 
Eph. 4.  to be jesus ●hrist himself.  
Wilt thou know who God is? behold who thou art by him, and behold ●ho he is by thyself. Thou must take ●way the earth which the love of the ●orld, hath set before the eyes of thine ●nderstandinge, if thou wilt know him.  
Before that God made himself known unto Moses, 
Exod. 3.  he commanded ●ym to pluck of his shoes, God will never ●t thee know who he is, except thou first remove away from thee all thy worldly affection's.  
When our redeemer did reveal his glory unto his three disciples, he made ●hem go up from the valley to the top ●f the mount Thabour, 
Mat. 17.  where they saw ●ym transfigured.  
When thou wilt likewise ascend to ●e deep knowledge and contemplation of God thou must despise with all thine heart, the low baseness of this world.   

WITH THE WINGS OF meditation and contemplation a man ought to lift up his heart to love the infinite goodness of God, for perfection consisteth in love, and not in contemplation. CHAP. 16.  

Psal. 38.  IN my meditation is th● fire kindled, saith the Prophet David. For to kindle the fire of gods love in thy will, and to have the mo●● perfect knowledge of God▪ meditation, and Contemplation, be both most necessary: Betwixt both which there is no other difference, but that meditation is an exercise more painful & difficult in the matters pertaining to God: And contemplation is more easy and swee● to them that have had the exercise thereof. But neither in the one, nor in the other of them, consisteth our perfection, but i● the love of God only. Contemplation i● the work of our understanding, and a wa● and a mean unto our perfection, but i● lifting up our will unto God, by uniting our will unto his will, and by pure louin● of him consisteth our perfection.  
The sweetness of our delight is not in contemplation but in hearty loving. The understanding doth not give sustenance unto our soul, but only prepareth the meat that our soul is fed withal. But ●he understanding and the will together, ●oe minister food to the soul: there is no pleasant taste nor savour, in preparing that ●hich must be eaten, but in eating of that ●hich is prepared.  
seeing that the object of our will, or ●hat thing which our will doth tend unto, 〈◊〉 always that which is good, so that nothing can be beloved, but that which is ●ood, or else taken for good, under the co●●r of some thing that is good. If then ●ur understanding doth show forth and ●emonstrate unto our will, the bottomless 〈◊〉 of gods infinite goodness, that will ●olde appear to be but vearie cold, ●hich would not strait ways burn like ●●to another phoenix, with the love of God, ●hen by contemplation the bright beams 〈◊〉 the son of justice should shine in upon 〈◊〉▪ Let the wings of good and devout meditation, blow the fire of earnest love 〈◊〉 thine heart, that thou mayest be renewed 〈◊〉 the flame of that fire, as the phoenix is, ●●d thereby acknowledging thyself for 〈◊〉 better than ashes and worms meat, ●eaue wholly unto God, and love him, ●●d to his infinite goodness refer thy ●●●fe, by yielding thy will unto his almigh●●e will and pleasure.  
If thou wilt have the sweetness of prayer, and be comforted and refreshed therein by contemplation, then must thou lift up thy will wholly unto God, that thou mayest thereby get the full fruit of thy contemplation.  
Some are exercised only in the intellectual part, and not in the affectual part of their will, and their end is not to be kindled with the love of God, but only to have a curious knowledge of God▪ by means whereof they be still thinking how our Lord was borne, how he lived, how he suffered, and how he rose again and other such like things of him, supposing the contemplative life to consis●● only in that: but they are far from th● true contemplative life in deed, if they fix their felicity in the knowledge and pure speculation of such mysteries: for th● true contemplation must be fastened an● grounded in the most effectual and bur●ning love of God, unto which thou mu●● join and unite thine own will and affection: so as all the imperfection of thin● own mortification, may be made perfect and pure through him and his love.  
All thine exercises, and thine actions must be ordained for the true love o● God, and not to get the knowledge o● God, making that the only end of all thy labour: If thou haste gotten any knowledge of God, thou must not stay there, but tho● must proceed on therewithal, to g● ●●ereby the love of God.  
The contemplative persons, because ●hey know the secrets of God, (as those ●hat enter into his privy chamber) are ●alled his friends, as the holy Apostles ●ere, unto whom our Lord said: 
Io.  I do ●●all you my friends, because I have declared unto you all those things which I ●aue heard of my Father. But those that ●re exercised in the active life are called ●is servants.  
Contemplation is the beginning of ●lory, whereby a man first beginneth to ●nowe God and himself: which being once gotten, he falleth out of love with this world, and thereby getteh great force toward the serving of God.   

HE THAT WILL LIVE with Christ, must first die to the world, the flesh, and his own disordinate appetites and desires. CHAP. 17.  
FOR thy love are we mortified all day, 
Psal. 43.  (saith the Prophet,) speaking unto God. Happy is that soul whose life is jesus Christ. To die to Christ is gain, 
Phil. 1.  but he must first die to himself, that will live unto jesus Christ whilst thou livest in this flesh, thou must die to the world, to the end that after thy death, thou mayest live for ever with Christ.  
Thou shalt be quiet within, if thou goest not wandering too far abroad. He that to fervently followeth outward things, must needs wax cold in the inward things which tend toward the love of God. 
Gene. 21.  Sara being so old a woman, that all fleshly appetites were dead in her, yet brought forth Isacke that was the joy and the gladness of his father. And if all thy disordinate appetites, and the desires of this world, be not dead in thee, thou shalt ●euer obtain the true joy of the spirit. ●or after that Sara was full mortified in ●●esh, she brought forth the son of the spirit.  
Christ died to the end that they which ●iue might not live unto themselves, 
1 Cor. 5.  but ●nto him that died for them and rose again.  
Abraham received not the circumcision, 
Gene. 17.  until his going out of his own country. I live, 
Gal. 2. Mat. 2.  (saith the Apostle) but ●ot I, it is Christ that liveth in me. When ●erode was dead Christ returned from ●gypte to Israel again: until that you be ●ortified, Christ will not come unto the ●oule.  
And to the end that Christ may enter ●nto your souls▪ it is necessary first that ●●nne be dead in you, & that the outward ●an may live, the inward man must be mortified. If thou dost kill Herode, jesus Christ will come to thee. 
Col. 3.  The Apostle ●ayth, you be dead, and your life is laid ●p with Christ. Thou diest, when thou forsakest to be such as thou wast. If we ●oe live to the spirit, let us walk according to the spirit, saith the Apostle. And ●f you live according to the flesh, 
Gal. 5. Col. 3.  you shall ●ie, and if you will live according to the spirit, you must mortify the works of ●he flesh saith the same Apostle in another ●lace.  
Saul did put agag in prison, 
1. Re. 15.  when God commanded him to kill him, as many do which put their own passions in pris●● for a while, but they will not kill th●● forthwith. It is not sufficient for the, 〈◊〉 imprison thy passions, in keeping th●● from going out, but thou must kill them, as all concupiscence and worldly desi●● may utterly die in thee.  
Many be like the trees in winter which seem dead to the world in 〈◊〉 outward show, but when they be stur●● up, and moved a little, than they show th●● selves by their words and answers, 〈◊〉 be such as have their passions still quick and lively in them. But because that 〈◊〉 roots within were left a live, they begin● to spring forth again, assoon as the temp●tation of summer cometh upon them. Go● said unto Saul, 
3▪ Re. 20.  because thou hast let hi● live, that was worthy to die, thy life sha●● go for his. Thy soul shall die, by mean●● of the life which thou gavest unto th● body.  
Make reckoning with thyself, an● see who it is that liveth in thee. If the fle●● do live, then is the spirit dead. Th●● canst not give thyself to prayer and co●●templation, without that thou be first mo●●tified, before all other things, thou mu●● give thyself unto mortification. 
Exo. 19   
God commanded that all tho●● beasts should be stoned unto death, th●● drew near unto the hill where God himself appeared, and why deserveth not 〈◊〉 the same punishment, that having hi● ●●astly passions still abiding in him, will nevertheless approach unto the high hill 〈◊〉 contemplation? Whilst our sensual ●●ssions reign in us, then is little difference betwixt us and beasts.  
Thou canst not come to the contemplative life, but that thou must first begin with the active life, 
Gene. 25.  jacob was ●●st called jacob, which is as much to say, 〈◊〉 a subplanter, or one that holdeth an●●her by the heel, before that he was cal●●d Israel, which signifieth one that seethe ●od. For thou canst not see God by contemplation, but if thou dost first pluck ●●●ce out of thee by the heels, and cast ●●●m clean away by mortification of thy ●●lfe.  
Mortification pertaineth to the life ●●iue. First was Lia, given unto jacob, 
Gene. 29.  ●hich representeth the active life, after ●●at he had served many years for Ra●●ell, which signified the contemplative ●●fe, and although that Rachel be first 〈◊〉 Nobility and perfection, yet is she ●●●t in generation and knowledge. Al●●ough that the contemplative life be ●●tter than the active, yet first thou must ●●ceyue and take hold of the active life. ●hou must first be married unto Lia, before ●●ou comest unto Rachel. Mortify first ●●y sensuality, and exercise thyself in corks of humility. Learn to conquer ●●y self, and to be abstinent and patiented, ●●d to bear all injuries, and so shalt thou come unto contemplation.  
Daniel and his companions were great absteiners and fasters, 
Dan. 2.  and very chast● withal, and by that means were the● made capable of Gods divine revelations Many will fly without wings, but the● profit little, because they are not mort●●fied. Thou shalt never come to the height of contemplation, if thine affection 〈◊〉 not free from all things that are vnde● heaven, and so ravished with the love o● God, that thou hast gotten the perfect knowledge how to despise thyself f●● God.  
The pure love of God, maketh 〈◊〉 spirit simple, and so free from all worl●●lie things, that it may without all pay●● and labour fly up unto God.  
If thou wert dead to the world, th● world would be dead to thee also, as i● was unto the Apostle. 
Gal. 6.  Even as the sea re●teyneth those men that be living in it, an● casteth away those out of it to the sh●● which are dead, so doth the world honour those that live to the world, and doth those away from it that mortify themselves for Christ.   

IT IS MEET FOR US TO mortify and chasten our flesh, by abstaining from meat, to the end, that when our sensual appetites be tamed, we may with more ease obey the spirit. CHAP. 18.  
YOU shall die if you will live according to the flesh, 
Rom. 8.  saith the Apostle. Thou shalt never be able to serve the spirit, except thou wilt be abstinent and penitent in thy ●yfe. The ship that carrieth to great a ●urthen sinketh therewithal into the bottom of the sea, & if thou dost charge 〈◊〉 body with to much meat, thou wilt ●●owne thy soul in the sea of sin.  
The devil by eating overcame our ●●rst forefathers. 
Gene. 3.  And the first temptation ●●at ever he gave unto job was whilst his ●●ildren were feasting together. 
job. 1.  Abstinence and austerity of life, be both necessary for our mortification.  
God provided meat for all other ●yuinge creatures, 
Gene. 1.  before he provided any ●●or man, to teach us how little care we ●●olde take in providing for our belly.  

Act 9 1. Cor. 9  Saint Paul knowing himself to be an elect vessel, chastened his body, and yet we that have no certainty thereof at all, but do only know ourselves to be sinners, live in pleasure and delight. Beware you overlade not yourselves by over much eating and drinking saith our Lord. 
Luc. 12.   

Dan. 10.  Daniel to be the better prepared to receive the heavenly consolations, fasted three whole weeks together, and neither eat bread nor flesh, nor drank wine, whereby he was made worthy to see many visions and revelations.  
If thou wilt overcome thine enemy, the best way for thee is to take his weapons away: the weapons that the devil useth against thee is thine own proper flesh: whosoever giveth himself to the pleasure and delight of the body, will fall soon into subjection of the devil.  

Dan. 14.  Daniel did first destroy the idol Bell, and after the Dragon that was within the idol. Be thou an adversary unto the idol of the flesh, and labour against it by abstinence, fasting, and prayer, and thou shalt carry away the victory from the devil: nothing doth fear the devil more nor maketh him faster to fly away from thee, than abstinence and austerity of life, and nothing doth give him greater courage, nor maketh him more bold to tempt thee, than thine own flattering and overmuch fostering of thy body.  
It is a very folly for thee to think that thou shalt live chaste, if thou leadest thy life in wantonness and delicacy: take away the superfluity of thy bodily sustenance, which serveth in steed of wood to make the fire withal, and thou shalt easily quench the fire of thy sensual desires.  
Loth who lived chaste in Sodom, and was thereby delivered from the fire that consumed the City, 
Gene. 19  yet after because he kept not well this virtue of temperance, but fell to drinking of wine out of measure, he committed incest on the hill with his own daughters. A man shall not be overcomen by temptations, nor burnt in the fire of sensuality, if he will defend himself with the shield of abstinence: and although that he ascend up to the hill of contemplation, and be fled from the world, yet if he be not abstinent, he may fall foully as Loth did.  
It is great danger to ride a colt without a bridle. Hold him in with the bridle of abstinence, lest that he do throw thee down under his feet and maim thee, according to the saying of the psalm. 
Psal. 31.  Keep in their jaws with the bit, and their teeth hold back with the snaffle.  
Enter not violently, into the waters of these worldly delights, unless thou wilt be drowned as Pharaoh was, 
Exod. 14.  and all his host with him: they descended down like stones into the bottom, and so shalt thou both soul and body descend into the bottomless pit of hell, unless thou wilt tame it, and subdue the flesh with the bridle of abstinence.  
Abstinence is the death of sin, the bannisher of all vice, the means to salvation, the root of grace, and the foundation of chastity: It were a great shame for thee to be overruled and mastered by thy servant.  
Ishmael that was the son of the bondwoman, persecuteth the son of the free woman. 
Gene. 21.  The hand maiden Agar, despiseth her mistress Sara, thou must afflict and punish thy flesh, as Sara did Agar, except thou wilt have it proudly to rebel against the spirit. 
Psal. 8.   
It is a foul shame for thee, being a great Prince, (whom God hath not made much inferior unto Angels) to fulfil the will of so vile a servant as the body is. This was the thing that Iheremy the Prophet lamented saying, 
Iher. 5.  the servants became Lords over their masters.   

OUR EARNEST LABOURING about earthly affairs, doth turn away our minds from devotion and the service of God, therefore ought we to with draw ourselves unto quietness and solitariness, the better to attend the salvation of our souls. CHAP. 19  
I will lead her up into the wilderness, 
Ose. 2.  and I will speak secretly to her heart sayeth God. God hath no need of any witnesses when he speaketh unto our soul.  
When his will was that Abraham yholde have the executing of certain things which he had appointed for him, 
Gene. 1●.  ●e caused him first to remove out of his country, and separate himself from the company of men.  
He took Moses up unto the top of the hill Zion, and commanded that none ●hold come near unto the hill: 
Gene. 21. ● ●e. 19  in the solitary wilderness did the Angel appear unto Agar. And Elias was far from his own habitation and the company of men, when the Angel spoke unto him.  
When God findeth our heart all alone, then cometh he straight way to re●● in it: when our Lord perceiveth our soul to be sequestered from the cares of this world, he openeth and revealeth many things unto it, which he will not do, when he findeth it occupied in the care● and troubles of worldly business: God is a spirit, and therefore desireth not only to have the body to be solitary and at quiet, but the soul also: this solitariness o● mind is very necessary for thee.  
He may best be said to be alone that thinketh not of things of the world▪ It were good that thou diddest leave all these false dreams, and idle occupations, wherein thou spendest overmuch time, & wholly commit thyself both body and soul, in to the hands of jesus Christ, for then shouldest thou find many a comfort▪ which now thou art without, and clea●● deprived of. If thou knewest how much thou diddest lose, by the vain occupations and worldly business, thou wouldest not think it any pain for thee at all to yield thyself wholly unto God alone. And if thou wilt put away from thee all worldly conversation, thou shal● find the most comfortable company of God himself. love solitariness, and thou shal● preserve the grace which thou hast already received, and because thou hast not forsaken thine accustomed conversation, thou hast lost the spirit, by the which thou begannest first to serve God.  
Silence and solitariness, be the two walls of devotion. If thou wilt keep the devotion which thou hast once conceived, thou must delight to be alone, and to lead a solitary life. God would that our hearts should be withdrawn from all worldly tumults and company.  
God commanded Abraham to drive out of his house Agar, and her son, 
Gene. 21.  which were causers of his carefulness, to the intent, he might without all disturbance of other company, enjoy the full fruition of spirit, which was represented by Isaac his heir, & the child of promise. The woman mentioned in the gospel, 
Mat. 9  which was vexed with so many grievous infirmities, came secretly, and touched the vesture of our Lord, and strait ways she was cured of them all. Let every Christian soul, that is wounded & weak, draw near secretly unto her spouse jesus Christ, for in him shall it find perfect salvation, and very true consolation: Thou shalt sooner be cured, if thou dost lift up secretly thine heart to God almighty in a corner, then if thou goest up and down all day in the market place, and in the palaces of kings and princes.  
The sweetness of prayer, and the pleasure of a solitaire life, can hardly be expressed with tongue.  
Think not that thou art alone, for thou mayest say as the Prophet Elizeus said, 
4. Reg. 6.  that he being alone had yet a greater company with him, than all the great huge army of the Syrians. And further think that thou hast more with thee, than all the world is beside, and that thou art never better accompanied, then when thou art alone. The company of jesus Christ, and all his holy Angels, is no small company, and their conversation is always pleasant and comfortable.  
Read the lives of the holy fathers, the hermits, and of the perfect religious men, and thou shalt find how much the love of the wilderness and desert did shine in them. 
Mat. 7.  Think not thou to gather figged of thorns, neither do thou believe, that living amongst the honours and vanities of this life, thou canst gather the fruit and comfort of the spirit. When thou makest thy prayer, enter into thy secret chamber, saith our Lord, & if thou finde●● than any sweetness of the spirit, thou canst not deny, but that thou hast be●● helped therein, by thy solitary being's alone, whereby thou mayest perceive▪ how necessary solitariness is, to further prayer withal. Thou shalt not serve Go● so much at thine own will, as in plac●● that be solitary, and far from all company.  
It is the nature of all them that lou● to delight in solitariness. And if thou e●●tierlie love thy creator, thy delight will● but small to be in the company, of other creatures, and all worldly company, wi●● be to thee unpleasant, if the sweet love of jesus Christ do rest in thine heart. Unto a spiritual mind much company is always noisome, when thou art alone thou dost often in thy prayer, with some one word or other uterred aloud, stir up thy soul, as if it were waked out of sleep which thou canst not do, but when thou art without company, whereby thou mayest judge how necessary it is for thee to be solitary.  
Our Saviour did separate himself from his disciples, 
Mat. 26.  when he went to pray to his Father in the garden, and at many other times the Evangelists do tell how he went alone for to pray: the conversation of many is noisome, and therefore must thou fly from the tumult and stir of much people.  
When Adam was alone in Paradise he was grateful to God, 
Gene. 1.  and to all his Angels, and fearful to the devil: but after ●hat he was accompanied, he lost many a benefit, whereof company ministered the ●ccasion. The prophet David sayeth: 
Psal. 54.  I separated myself by flying away, and I remained in the wilderness.  
Elias being alone was fed with bread from heaven, 
3. Reg. 5. 3. Re. 17.  and being amongst a great company he cold scarce get whereof to ●ate. When man is alone he findeth heavenly consolation, but in the company of men he looseth the bread of heaven. 
Exod. 16.  ●he Children of Israel did never eat Manna, until that they were passed th● red sea, 
Exod. 14.  which be the perturbations o● this present world.  
And if thou covetest much the company of men, thou mayest happily thereby lose God: make not thou so little account of God, as to lose him for so small a commodity, as the company of this world● doth yield thee.   

SILENCE IS A GREAT● keeper and maintainer of devotion ● religion, and therefore, they that ob●serue it not, but are full of words, d● make away for the devil to h●● them, and can by no means be perfect religious men. CHAP. 20.  
SILENCE is the best keep●● of justice saith Esay. 
Esd. 32.  He th●● is not a lover of silence a●● solitariness shall never be 〈◊〉 perfect religious man.  

jam. 1.  Saint james saith, th●● whosoever thinketh to be a religious ma●● and refraineth not his tongue, his relig●●● will be to him but vain, and of no effe●● for whatsoever is gotten by prayer, is 〈◊〉 again by babbling and much speaking.  
Silence is the best keeper and maintainer of devotion: do not marvel if thou dost find thyself often times, cold in thy devotions, if thou dost use to spend much time in superfluous talk and idle words. Thou must learn to hold thy peace, if thou wilt look to profit, for why did God almighty bestow on thee but one tongue & two hands, but because thou shouldest speak little, and do much.  
God hath ordained for thy tongue, two doors to keep it in with, the one is of flesh which be thy lips, the other is of harder substance & more strong, as bone, which be thy teeth, to the intent that being so kept, it should never speak upon any superfluous cause, but only when necessity enforceth and giveth occasion.  
If thou be a busy talker, and full of words, what else art thou, but a city without a wall, a house wiihout a door, a ship without a stern, a vessel without a cover, and a horse without a bridle? What hast thou gotten, or what canst thou keep, if thy tongue be always loosely walking? And if that part be no better guarded, the devils who are thy mortal enemies will easily enter into thee, and rob away from thee all the good that thou hast gotten together. Thy death and thy life, do both stand in the hands of thy tongue. 
Prou 18   
Holy religious men, have always highly esteemed silence, and have taken great pains to maintain it in them, as the vearie key of religion, lest they should have lost with much talking, that which they had been long about in getting.  
Esay saith silence and hope shallbe your fortress: 
Es. 30.  silence giveth a great grace unto all manner of virtues: Zacharias after his long silence, received at god's hand S. john, which signifieth grace. If thou dost hold thy peace and keep silence, thou shalt the sooner receive the grace of God.  
As the pot that is covered will sooner be hot, & cause the liquor that is in it the sooner to boil, than that which is uncovered, by reason of keeping in the vapours, so if thou dost keep thy mouth shut up close by silence, thou shalt the sooner wa● warm and fervent in devotion and gods service. If thou wilt not learn to hold thy peace, thou shalt never learn how to speak.  
Of the good man the scripture saith thus: 
Thren. 3.  he willbe solitary and silent, and will have regard unto himself. He that holdeth his peace goeth alone, & bethinketh him of his own estate, and maketh his contemplation of heavenly things, and despiseth the things of the earth. He that keepeth silence, with more ease doth lists up his heart unto God.  

jam. 1.  Saint james saith let every man be slow to speak, and ready to hear. They fall quickly from the state of perfection, that break silence, and use many words.  
Even as when you shut a conduits mouth, where water passeth, the water will straight ways mount up on high, so if thou shuttest fast within thee the good spirit of devotion by silence, thy prayers shall the sooner ascend up on high unto God, and thou shalt the better feel within thee, what sweet taste, thy devout prayers do bring unto thee, and by as many idle words as thou spendest, thou dost as it were by so many small water streams send forth again the devotion which thou before rceivedst. And so many doors dost thou leave open to thine enemy, that giveth good watch upon thee, as thou usest to speak light words and vain.  
It is written: 
Prou. 25.  He is like unto a city that is unwalled, that can not refrain his spirit by keeping silence. The city of our soul must needs suffer many mortal wounds, when it is not defended by the walls of silence.  
Nabuzardam broke down & destroyed the walls of Jerusalem, 
4. Re. 25.  rob the temple, and carried the people captive to Babylon: which the devil attempteth to do by thee, as often as he seeketh to make thee break thy silence, that so he may rob thee, and make spoil of the temple of thy conscience, and bring thy soul prisoner into the confusion of Babylon, which is hell itself: Set then good watch abou● thy walls, lest thou be rob & spoiled by thine enemies.   

THE GOOD SERVANTES OF jesus Christ ought to fly idle talk● which breedeth much danger an● detriment to the spiritual life, and give themselves to the contynual● exercise of godliness and piety. CHAP. 21.  
OF every idle word shal● thou give a reckoning i● the day of judgement: 
Mat. 12.  sait● our Lord. Our heart is like unto a piece of wax, tha● with cold groweth to 〈◊〉 hard, and by heat, waxeth soft and tende● again, and when it is once soft, it receiveth the print of the kings own Image▪ Thou must stop thine ears, from hearing vain and idle words, for they cool an● harden thine heart. And if thou dost 〈◊〉 keep thyself well from hearing the● thou shalt not profit much in the service of God.  

Psa. 1●4.  Holy and spiritual words inflame the heart according unto the saying 〈◊〉 the prophet. Thy word O Lord is fiery. In the day of Christ's resurrection, the two disciples that went travailing by the way toward Emaus, talking with our Saviour, had their hearts inflamed within them, as ●hey did after tell one unto an other of ●hem saying: 
Luc. 24.  Did not our hearts burn within us, whilst he talked with us upon ●he way, and opened the scripture unto us? Thine heart will be well disposed within ●hee to receive the print of the image of ●he eternal King, if thou wilt warm it well, and soften it with the heat of Gods own word.  
With great diligence ought the servant of God to beware of id●e words, and to reprehend them in others that use ●hem. And if thou hast no care of that, it is ●ut in vain for thee to account thyself among the perfect sort. And in vain ●oest thou labour and take pain to profit ●n gods service, if thou dost not bridle well thy tongue, & order well thy words.  
The apostle saith, 
2. Tim. 2.  the servants of God, must not be wrangelers and contentious persons, nor troublesome one to ●n other by many words. Amongst men ●hat have had civil bringing up, it hath e'en taken always for a foul & a shameful thing, to use dishonest and ribald speech's although they be spoken but in ●est. How much more ought they then to ●e avoided, amongst the servants of God. ●e circumspect in all thy words. Let them be well weighed and considered, before thou utter them, as it is meet for such a courtier to be▪ that is brought up in the court of jesus Christ, wherein thou livest▪ much evil groweth of noughty words.  
The Apostle saith to the Corinthians, evil words corrupt good manners. From evil speeches men grow quickly to evil living. 
1. Cor. 15.  Many temperate men, and men of good life, by giving themselves first unto idle talking, have fallen after by little and little, in evil doing.  
As the ship goeth, according as the wind doth blow, so our soul sailing forward, with the prosperous wind o● good speech, shall happily come unto th● port of heaven. And contrariwise, if dissolute and wanton words shallbe blowe● into the sails of thine ears, they wi●● carry thy soul with a contrary wind into the large sea of the bottomless pit 〈◊〉 hell.  

Eccl. 9  Ecclesiasticus saith, let all thy practi●● be to talk of the commandments o● God. Good words inflame the heart, stir●● up thy will, edify thy neighbour, & aug●●ment the love of God in thee, and idle a●● vain words make a man unsteadfast quench the fervour of the spirit, ma●● devotion cold, and do scandalise a●● offend the hearers.  
metal is known by the sounde● gold have but an hollow sound, it is li●● to be no perfect gold, but rather so●● ●opper or brass: and by the sound of the words, is the soul known. If the words ●e clamorous, vain, and dissolute, they be ●opper and no gold, but if they be grave ●nd wise, then do they show themselves ●o be perfect gold.  
An empty vessel maketh a great and ●lowde sound, and if thou ringest loud 〈◊〉 is a sound thou art but empty. But if ●●ou be grave & prudent in thy speeches, ●●en shalt thou be known to be firm and ●f good substance.  
The scripture sayeth, 
2. Mac 15  that judas ●achabeus did arm his men with good ●ordes, & overcame with them the migh●●e army of Nicanor. Good words be a ●●●onge defence, and idle & lewd words 〈◊〉 vearie hurtful and prejudicial.  
If the clock have his wheels distempered within, the bell without will ●unde false, but if they go true and just ●●thin, then will the bell without, strike omelie the just hour of the day: By thy disordinate words, thy disordered con●●●ence appeareth, and is made manifest to ●●e world. By thy words, thou art con●●mned and blamed.  
The maid servant that kept the ●●re said to S. Peter. 
Luc. 19 Mat. 26.  Thou art one of ●●●ile to, thy speech bewrayeth thee: thou guest clear testimony of thyself to be ●●●ht, (to all them that hear thee,) when thy ●●rdes are of no substance that thou ●●akest, thy tongue showeth who thou art. There is no stranger borne in a●● country, but that his tongue will tell 〈◊〉 what nation he is. It willbe but slenderl●● believed that thou art virtuous, although that thou affirmest it never so much t●● self, If thy words and talk do sounds of dissoluteness and vanity.  
He that hath an ague, shallbe knowe● by his furred tongue, if the ague do● break away, it will appear by the bre●● king out of thy lips: In like man●●● will thy words show thee what thou ar●● Have thou therefore great care of the● and beware what thou sayest, because th● words be hard, when thy heart is n●● seen. By thy words thou art justified, by thy words thou art condemned,  
Be circumspect in all that thou sp●●●kest, for after they be once spoken, 〈◊〉 can not be called back again.  
Consider well before hand what th●● sayest, and then shalt thou not be confou●●ded and ashamed after. Never be th●● driven, to say that thou thoughtest not 〈◊〉 it, for it is not for a wise man to say or 〈◊〉 do any thing that he thought not of before.  
And to show thee briefly how necessary it is for thee to look well to 〈◊〉 words, this may suffice, that our Lord the last day will have thee to render a strait account of all thine idle words.   

●NE OF THE GREATEST mischiefs that reigns amongst men, is murmuring, the which spareth no man, neither good nor bad, neither those that are living, nor those that are dead, and to them that do use it, it is the cause of most harm of all, which is the loss of heaven. CHAP. 22.  
Murmur not as many of the jews did murmur, 
1 Cor. 10.  which caused their death by the biting of serpents: as the Apostle sayeth. The tongue of the murmurers is worse than hell, 〈◊〉 hell is hurtful only to those which 〈◊〉 nought, but the tongue of the murmurer hurteth both good and bad: and most 〈◊〉 all it is hurtful to them that be good ●●d virtuous.  
He that snuffeth the candle with his ●●re fingers, defileth his fingers, but the ●●ndle burneth the brighter thereby: and 〈◊〉 he which defameth the virtuous and ●●st man, defileth his own soul, and hur●●th his conscience, but he giveth occasi●● to the good man thereby of greater ●●●rite. The Pharisey that murmured against Marie Magdalen was greatly rebuked therefore of Christ himself, 
Luc. 7.  an● contrariwise she was highly commende● by him.  
Murmurers do always much mo●● harm unto themselves, then unto thos● that they murmur against: they kill thei● own souls, and do good to other men's. God never gave Moses a greater praise, 
●um. 12.  then at that time that Aron and Marie hi● sister did murmur against him: they wen● stricken with leprosy, and Moses was se●● forth with praise.  
The murmurer never careth against whom he murmureth, but how he may find matter whereon to murmur, for 〈◊〉 can always make matter enough of hi● self.  

Exod. 8.  One of the greatest plagues of Egipt● was the frogs, and one of the great●● mischiefs of the world is the murmu●rers: they sit like frogs all day in th● mire and uncleanness of their own sinn●● and wickedness, and never say word 〈◊〉 any man's virtue, nor speak any things of their neighbours good deeds, but 〈◊〉 the night when it waxeth dark, they mak● a loud and an evil noise, and do pub●lish (all that they can) their neighbours' fault● and defects.  

Prou. 22.  A good man is better than much richeses. He that taketh a man's tempor●●● goods from him, only bereaveth him 〈◊〉 some wealth, but the murmurer taketh from ●im his good name, which is far more ●orth: and he that doth murmur against ●●y man, doth more harm unto him, than ●hen he doth persecute him by strong ●●nde, by so much as the goods of the ●●ule, be better than the temporal goods ●f our body, the hands do only hurt ●●e body, but the tongue doth hurt unto ●●e soul: the hands can do no hurt to ●●em that be far of, but the tongue spares no man, neither far nor nigh: the ●●ndes do always spare those that be ●●ade, but an evil tongue spareth not e●●n those that lie buried in their graves.  
This vice is very dangerous, because it is without remedy: All other ●●rmes done unto man easily receive satisfaction, saving the harm that is recey●●d by infamy: that which is taken away 〈◊〉 theft from any man, may soon be re●●red him again, but not so of a man's ●●od name impaired by an evil tongue, 〈◊〉 although that the defamer do unsay ●●t again, which he did sclaunderouslie ●●porte before, yet is the nature of man so ●●ch the more inclined to hear evil thē●●od, that the first evil conceived opi●●●, will not be so rooted out of the mind, 〈◊〉 that there will some what thereof re●●yne behind still. All evil is so highly ●eleued, that what good soever is after ●●ported of him that was before defamed, ●●l scarce ever get any sufficient credit.  
The prophet sayeth: 
Psa. 139.  Their tongues were sharp as any adders, and the poyso● of serpents was under their lips. The● eat of the earth as serpents do, for the● do always maintain their poison 〈◊〉 the very basest and vilest things that the● can espy in their neighbours.  

Dan. 2.  The stone that fell from the hill, which Daniel speaketh of, strake the image o● king Nabucodonozer in the feet, whic● were made of clay, it never lighted o● the head which was made of gold, no● the arms which were of silver, but on th● feet which were made of earth, where●unto the murmurer may be well resem●bled, for he never findeth matter to talk● of, but of his neighbour's defects, and n●uer will speak word of any virtue, o● good gift that is in any of them.  

Psal. 33.  The prophet David asked this question, saying: What man is he that wold● have life, and desireth to see good daye●▪ And because that all men desired it, th● prophet sayeth immediately in the ne●● verse following: Keep thy tongue fro● speaking evil, and let not thy mouth vt●●● any falsehood.  
God made not thy tongue of bone▪ nor of any orher hard substance, but 〈◊〉 tender flesh, because thy words should b● tender and sweet, and not rough no● sharp.  
God did so sharply correct the murmurers, 
Num. 14.  that he said unto Moses: No●● of you that have murmured against me i● ●●e des●rt, shall ever enter into the land ●f promise. And so of six hundredth thou●●nd of them which came out of egypt, ●●eir entered into the land of promise, but only two persons: But into our land of promise which is heaven, there shall not ●he murmurer enter at all.   

WHERE THERE IS MUCH curiosity used of enquiring after other men's doings, there will never be good rest nor quietness, and of curiosity doth murmuring grow, and despising of our neighbour, and the curious person is of all men ever misliked. CHAP. 23.  
MY virtue had forsaken me, and the light of mine eyes is not with me, saith David. 
Psal. 37.  He saith not here, that he had lost his eye sight, but that the light of ●●s eyes was not with him, for that he had 〈◊〉 them abroad far of to see what other ●●en did. If thou hast any desire to profit in ●●e service of God, thou must take great ●eede, that thou makest not two earnest ●●quirie after other men's doings.  
And if thou desirest to live quietly and contentedly, be not two curious 〈◊〉 inquisitor after the lives and deeds 〈◊〉 others. Thou shalt never have peace 〈◊〉 mind, nor tranquility of heart, if the●● dost give thyself to behold and 〈◊〉 mark the lives of thy neighbours. And 〈◊〉 thou lookest not well to the avoiding 〈◊〉 this fault, thou wilt be evil thought 〈◊〉 of all men. Therefore as soon as the Pro●phet had said, that the light of his ey●● was not with him, he said by and by after in the same Psalm: My friends and 〈◊〉 neighbours did separate themselves fa●● of from me. And that for very grea● cause, and of good reason, for he that me●●●leth, and is busy in other men's matters, 〈◊〉 evil thought of, and hated of all folk●● And his vearie friends and kinsfolk w●● utterly forsake him. Of this fault 〈◊〉 murmuring grow, hereof cometh prid● for he despiseth others, and knoweth 〈◊〉 himself.  
The river that overfloweth his acc●●stomed bounds, doth wash the banc●● that it beateth against, whereby the ba●c●● be made more clean, and the water th●● washed them is made more foul & filthy And even so is it by thee, when thou go● beyond thine own bounds, in meddling with other men's matters wherewith the● haste nothing to do, thou dost de●● thine own consciene, and givest th●● occasion thereby of amendment, in 〈◊〉 much as they grow more wary and advise ●y thy words: they do gain by thy advertisements, and do merit by patient ●●ffring of thy injuries, where thou with 〈◊〉 troubled stream of a polluted conscience, runnest on still in thy furious course.  
It is a great error in any man to intermeddle himself with those things ●hat appertain not unto him: Art thou ●ither judge or magistrate, that the charge ●●ereof belongeth unto thee? we must all ●●ake our reckoning to God almighty of ●ur own works, but not of other men's. ●here is no marchante but will leave his ●●ade, if he perceive that he be a loser ●●ereby: and thou canst no way apply thy ●●lfe to any trade, that thou shalt either ●●yne less, or lose more, then by med●●●ng with the lives and delinges of other ●●●en, which be not of thy charge: leave of ●●d forsake so evil and so unprofitable a ●●ade as soon as thou canst.  
Happily thou haste need of so little ●●me to be bestowed upon thyself, that ●●ou haste enough in store to bestow on ●●her men: hast thou so little to do, as ●●at thou canst mark and consider what ●●her men do? In this short course of ●●y life, and in so great an account 〈◊〉 thou hast to make, it is half a marvel, ●●ow thou canst find time to busy thyself ●●oute the lives and doings of other ●en.  
He that neither careth for his own ●●ule, nor taketh regard of his conscience, may well be at leisure to attend what other men do. And in deed there are lightly none that more looketh into other men's lives, than they that make small account of their own, & there is none that will be more severe in the examyninge of other men's doings, than they that be most licentious in their own.  
There is none so much offended at small faults of other men, as they that commit great faults of their own. And finally no man judgeth so evil of his neighbours, as he that liveth most looseli● himself.  

Eccl. 29.  The wise man saith, He is in miserable estate, that goeth from house to house. When the master keepeth at home in hi● own house, all that be in the house do●● their duties there, but when he is go●● from home, they do what they will, and take their pleasure. When reason keepeth the house, and entereth into her own conscience, then be all the thoughts set 〈◊〉 good order, all the senses and affections be placed as they ought to be, but if that she●● go forth of the doors, & goeth wandering abroad from house to house prying what others do abroad, that while, be all the thoughts of the mind idly occupied, 〈◊〉 no good done at all.  

Gene. 25.  Esau went abroad in the fields and jacob still bode at home in the house, fo● it is the property of all good folks 〈◊〉 keep at home in their own consciences but the idle loiterer still wandereth abroad, perusing what other do. Be thou no examyner of other men's lives, neither do thou as the poor needy tailor doth, that maketh a garment for an other man, and goeth himself naked. And if thy neighbour be nought, he must give account thereof unto God.  
Thou shalt find for thyself enough to do, if thou wilt enter into thyself, consider well thine own life. But thou dost busy thyself to much about many things as Martha did, 
L●c. 10.  and because thou meddlest with many, thou art much troubled. But one, is necessary for thee, this one is God himself, deal thou with him only, and meddle not with to many matters, if thou dost intend to lead a quiet and a contented life.  
If thou wilt taste of the inward comfort of the spirit, thou must mislike with these outward & external business of the world: And thou must first despise these worldly offices and dignities, which worldly men do seek after, if thou wilt feel how sweet and comfortable the conversation of jesus Christ is.  
There needs no witnesses to prove against the, that thou bearest no love unto God, if thou dost occupy thyself about superfluous cares, and art a busy examiner of thy neighbour's lives, be ready to help them, in all that they have need of, and to secure them as thou art able, and never meddle further with than, nor seek to know more of them. Love them all and eschew all further busy doings with them, and then will God love thee, and all men will esteem of thee, and so shalt thou live in good quietness and contentment here in the world.   

THOU must NOT BE A rash and a rigorous judge of thy neighbour's deeds, but patiently bear with them, and take them all to the best, & if any amongst them be lewd, yet despise thou him not, cast him not of, for thou knowest not what shall be the end of him. CHAP. 24.  

Gal. 6.  LET every man bear one another's burden, saith the Apostle. And thou mayest well bear with thy neighbour a few things, when God beareth with thee so many. Be not thou a cause of offence unto thy neighbour, nor do not thou lightly reprehend him for every small offence: thou hast enough to do for thyself, without intermeddling much with thy neighbour's matters.  
If thou findest not all folks conformable to thy mind in all points, yet must ●ot thou be troublesome or grievous to ●hem in reprehending them, and finding fault with them. For albeit that thou art good and virtuous of thyself, yet may an other be as good and as virtuous as thou ●rte, and yet not in all points be like unto ●hee. If thou dost perceive any imperfections in thy neighbours, yet oughtest ●hou to think that under them be many good virtues hidden, which thou knowest not of, for thou art not a God that knoweth all things. And many good works do men unknown to thee. Condemn not thy neighbour, neither be thou angry with him, but call to thine own memory, thine own weakness, and thine own sins, & ever interpret thy neighbour's deeds unto the best. And when thou canst not excuse the deed itself, yet interpret favourably of the intention of the deed, which perhaps may be good, or else if any fault were committed, it was of ignorance. And when no reason will allow thee to give any excuse, neither of the deed, nor of the intent thereof, but that thy neighbour did trespass in the doing it, yet oughtest ●hou to think, that he was vehemently tempted to the doing of it, and that if thyself had been assaulted with so great temptation, thou shouldest have done much worse. And give thanks unto God that thou escapedst the like temptation, and with tender compassion, make thine earnest prayer unto God for thy neighbour that fell.  

1. Cor. 10.  The Apostle sayeth: Let him that standeth take heed that he fall not. If th●● wilt be rigorous, and a rash judge of other men's faults, God will suffer thee 〈◊〉 fall into the same faults that thou co●demnest thy poor brother for, and happily into some greater fault to, for the taming and subduing of thy pride.  

Mat. 26.  S. Peter thinking himself to ha●● a better courage than any of his fellows had, shortly after had a fowl fall. Thankss God that he hath upholden thee with hi● own hand: true perfect holiness neue● falleth into disdain, but into compassion▪  
The good and just man, hath compassi●on upon the sinner, and knoweth that h● may err as well as the other did. If thou be learned or wise, or have any other go●● gift or grace, that others do want, do n●● thou take any pride thereof, neither despise thou others that have them not, b●● rather reprehend and find fault with th● self, that having received more at God● hands than others have, yet thou serue● him and obeyest him less than they do▪ If the favours and the commodities, and a●● those good inspirations which God hat● given unto thee, to make thee for to ser●● him, had been given by him unto th● thieves and murderers that go wande●ringe about the world, they would neither have rob nor have murdered, but would happily have served God much better than thou dost serve him: and because that God hath been good unto thee, thou must not be evil unto an other: have always an humble opinion of thyself, and thou shalt receive greater favour and more abundant grace at God's hand.  
If thy brother do offend thee, thou must receive him again with mercy and with charity, according to the saying of the Apostle: 
Gal. 6.  Brethren if any of you shall be taken in any offence, you that be spiritual instruct you him amongst you, by the spirit of meekness, considering that any of you may also be tempted.  
Consider thyself sayeth S. Paul, for if thou wouldest consider thyself, and have respect unto thy own faults, thou wouldest never be proud, nor reprehend thy neighbour with any great indignation. And when thou hast cause to chasten any that is under thee, look that thou dost it with piety. When thou offendest? wouldest thou that God should straight ways send thee down into hell? And if thou wilt that God shall deal mercifully with thee, then must thou deal mercifully also with thy neighbours. And he that will chastise other men's offences with rigour and severity shall never deserve to have his own offences pardoned at god's hand.  
And if a man be never so bade, yet oughtest thou not clean to cast him of, because thou knowest not, what the end of that man may be, for he that is bad 〈◊〉 day, may to morrow amend and be better. Who would have thought, that the thief that spent all his life time in robbing and stealing, 
Luc. 23.  should have made so good an end, as that he should have been brought by our Saviour himself into perpetual glory? If any man had slain him, one year before, he had bereaved him of that happy end of his. How many great sinners have there been in the world, that have been afterward blessed Saints.  
No man ought to be utterly cast away, though he be never so great a sinner, for because he may be a Saint at the last. 
Es. 59  The hand of God is not shortened, thou must not give any bounds or limits unto his graces, nor measure his mercies. Those happily that thou seest now to have committed great crimes, God may choose to make his predestinates & elects of: What shall become of men in time to come, that canst not thou know: that which thou knowest, is that thou art thyself a sinner, and that thou art worthy to be despised of all men, and to be condemned to hell. If thy neighbour do offend, take thou heed, 
1 Cor. 12.  saith the Apostle for we be all members one of another.  
It is conformable to the law of nature, and to all common reason, that one member should help and secure another. Despise not thine own flesh, suffer with patience thy brother's offences and never be thou scandalised or offended thereat, but continue in thy good exercises of prayer and contemplation, whatsoever or how much soever thou seest amiss in other men. For the sorrow and the passion that thou dost often receive by these occasions, doth cool thy soul, and taketh away the fervency of thy spirit, and much harm doth the grief that groweth of these exterior things, unto the servant of God.  
Except thou dost discharge thy mind of these vain cares, and keep it from wandering abroad, thou shalt not much profit. But enter within thyself and have always in thy memory that thou art a sinner, and stand in fear and suspicion of thyself, for thou knowest not whether thou art acceptable unto God or no, neither if thou wert, how long thou shalt continue in the good course that thou hast begun.   

AS SOON AS ANY WICked thoughts do approach unto thy mind, they must strait ways be driven away and extynguished, for though they be never so small at the first, yet if they do continue, they will grow greater, and wax stronger, whereby they will be able to draw thee into destruction. CHAP. 25.  

Mich. 2.  WOE be unto you tha● think upon things unprofitable, 
Heb. 4.  saith God. Thy thoughts must not be idle, nor occupied about any evil thing, for even of th● very thoughts shalt thou be asked a reckoning in the latter day. If men should bu● behold the vanity of thy cogitations, i● what credit dost thou think that they would have thee? And yet thou knowe●●▪ that at the day of judgement the secrete● of all hearts shall be laid open.  
It will be a wonderful confusion an● shame unto thee, when all thy secret thoughts shall be made manifest unto th● whole world, whereof thou art no● ashamed to let thy chiefest and most secret friends to know any thing. If thou dost let evil thoughts harbour any while within thee, thou canst not escape, but that thou shalt thereby fall into the danger of death.  
Of thoughts first come words, and after of words follow deeds: Such corn as thou puttest into the mill, such meal shalt thou have thence again: thine imagination goeth always about like the wheel of a mill, and if thou dost put into it good thoughts, it will yield thee meal again of good works: but if thou dost put into it evil thoughts, conformable unto them shall thy works be also: Of barley corn will never good meal come, neither of idle thoughts will ever come good deeds.  
He that tarrieth long in any evil thought, putteth himself into danger of consenting unto it. The psalm sayeth: Happy is he that taketh the little children, 
Ps●. 13  and throweth them against the stone. And before that thy thoughts do grow to any greatness, beat them against that rock, which S. Paul speaketh of. The rock (sayeth he) is Christ. 
1. Cor.  And if they be agreeable unto his law, let them grow and increase, but if they be not, do them away betime, according to his commandment. Kill thine enemy when he is but young and little, for if thou lettest him grow until he be great, he will go near to kill thee.  
It is a wise man's part to stand in some fear of his enemy, although he be yet but little: Thy thoughts be like unto the root of a tree, if it be green it is good, and will cause the tree to bring forth fruit, but if it be dry and withered, it will bring forth no fruit at all. If the thought be good, it ministereth good matter unto the will to take hold of, which being maintained and helped forward with the intelligence, doth bring forth good desires, from which good works do proceed.  
In evil thoughts thou must not abide, for of this did God by the mouth of jeremy the prophet complain saying. How long will this people continue in their evil thoughts? 
Iher. 4.  God doth not here find fault with them for that they had evil thoughts, but because they persevered and continued in them.  
When the gentiles remained amongst the people of Israel, God did clean forsake his people, & would not once vouchsafe to speak unto them: and so shalt thou be also forsaken of him, if thou wilt let evil thoughts take up their dwelling with thee, God is with thee, when evil thoughts be away from thee, but when they come once in place, he departeth quite away from thy soul. Thou must shut the door of thy consent against them, that they may have no resting place with thee.  
It was lawful for the jews, to let the gentiles pass through their country, for thereof would no harm come unto them, if they passed by like strangers: but the fault is only in suffering them to tarry and abide there. Let them pass by hardly, but in no wise give them time to harbour with thee. When a little spark of an evil thought, doth catch hold in thy mind thou must not blow on it, to kindle it withal, left it grow unto a fire, that may after burn thy soul everlastingly in hell.  
The silk worms be at the first certain little grains, like unto Mustard seed, and by the carrying of them about in women's boosoms, they gather an heat, by which heat, they get life. And so do those little grains, come at last to be worms. Beware that thou dost not likewise sow certain seeds of sensuality in thy corrupted imagination, which by the heat that they do take within thy breast, the worm may get life, and after bite and gnaw thy conscience. That worm is it of which the Prophet Esay speaketh saying, their worm shall never die. 
Esa. 66.   
Nourish not thine evil thoughts with the heat of worldly love, nor let not thy consent yield unto them, lest thou be deceived, and so perish everlastingly.   

IDLENESS DOTH cause in man dishonest thoughts, & openeth the gate unto all vice, but the good exercise of virtues, doth shut up the way of temptation, that the devil can not get in. CHAP. 26.  

Eccl. 33.  Much evil hath idleness taugh▪ (saith the wise man.) Above all things fly idleness, the very mother of vice, and the stepmother of all virtue. It 〈◊〉 nothing in deed, but a vearie death, and the sepulchre of a man that i● yet living.  
If God would, that man which wa● created in original justice and endued with so many good gifts of perfection should not live idly, thou that lyves now so compassed about with so many enemies, how much hast thou cause 〈◊〉 avoid it, and to fly away from it.  
God placed Adam in Paradise, to th● end that he should labour and work there▪ and yet he for all his labour and travail sustained great loss and harm, and thinkest thou to gain by living at thy●● own will and pleasure? 
〈◊〉 5.  job saith that man ●s borne to travail, as the bird is to fly, ●nd therefore God hath given thee two ●andes to work withal, as he hath given ●he bird two wings to fly withal.  
He that goeth about to shoot at ●ny bird, will not shoot at him when he ●ieth, but will tarry and expect until he stand still. So the devil will never seek ●o shoot at thee, or hurt thee, when thou ●rte occupied, but waiteth the time until ●hat he may find thee idle, that he may ●hen strike thee, with his temptations, and ●ake from thee the life of thy soul.  
Thou must therefore always be occupied, that the devil may never find ●hee idle. The vessel that is occupied and ●ull already, can contain no more in it: & ●he mind that is full occupied about ●ood things, cannot admit any evil thought into it. But if the devil do find 〈◊〉 unoccupied, he will put what mischief ●●e list into it.  
The water which continually runneth, bringeth forth good fish, but the standing waters, as marrishes and lakes, ●●oe bring forth frogs, and serpents, & ●●at fish that is in them is unsavoury and dangerous to eat of: And what canst ●●ou bring forth, if thou be idle, but foul ●nd dishonest thoughts.  
drive away from thee all idleness, ●or if thou fliest not away from this plague, ●●ou canst not choose but be taken prisoner by a number of vices.  

1. Re. 19 2. Re. 11. 3. Re. 11.  When David was kept occupied with the continual persecutions of Saul, he fell not into sin, as he did afterwards when he was idle at home in his ow●e palace. And Solomon when he was occupied about his buildings, offended not God, but when his work was all at end, and that he gave himself unto idleness, he committed great offences.  

jud. 18.  The sons of Dan destroyed the city of Lachis, because the people thereof were idle and given to slowthfullnes.  
Idleness is the nourisher of all carnal vices: If thou wilt fly from idleness▪ thou shalt soon make all sin and vy●● to famish in thee, for thereby thou take●● away all the sustenance that mayntayne●● it. 
Sap. 10.  God brought the just man through th● right way, and adorned him with travail said the wise man. The way to heaven i● full of travail and continual occupations of holiness and virtuous exercises.  
If thou diddest but remember, that o● all the time which thou dost lose, th●● must render a straight reckoning to almigh●tie God, thou wouldest not lose one io●● thereof: the spirit of God doth shewe●● self where it is, for it will suffer no idl●●nes to rest where it remaineth.  

Prou. 31.  Of an holy soul it is written: He di● not eat his bread in idleness. When th●● art idle, thou dost lose the best thi●● which thou hast, which is tyme..  

Exod. 16.  Gather thy Manna together in th● ●●ue of the Sabaoth, that thou mayest rest ●hen the Sabaoth day cometh, that is to ●●y, take pains and travail whilst thou ●●te in this life, that thou mayest rest and ●●ke thine ease, when that great feast of ●●ernall bliss cometh.  
The slothful man will take no pains 〈◊〉 cold weather, 
Eccl. 16.  he will therefore beg ●●en summer cometh. If thou wilt let this ●●fe pass away in idleness, thou shalt starve ●●r famine, and be cast away into the fire 〈◊〉 hell.  
The idle persons that would not work ●●re reprehended in the Gospel. 
Mat. 20.  The ●●de that lieth idle and is not manured, ●●ingeth forth thistles and thorns: and if ●●ou dost not take heed of idleness, thou ●●st not choose but that thy heart will be ●●l of evil thoughts. Whilst thou lyrist (sayeth the Apostle) labour to live well. 
Gal. 5.  ●●ame not (saith jesus Christ) to call thee ●●to pleasures, but for to labour and take ●●yne.  
Occupy the land of thine heart in ●●od and holy exercises, to the intent that thou mayest do good works, and bring forth the fruits of well deserving.   

OUR LORD GOD MAKETH greater account of the fervour of spir●● wherewith he is served, then of l●●● service slackelie and slowly performed, and therefore all good work● ought to be done with fervour of spiri●● CHAP. 27.  

Rom. 12.  SERVE our Lord (sayeth th● Apostle) in fervency of th● spirit, with all carefullne●● and beware of sloth. Go● would have us to be fer●●● in all our good deeds: 〈◊〉 hour of fervent devotion doth plea●● God more, than an hundred hours spe●● in the slow and slack serving of hi● God maketh more account of the frequency of the spirit, then of the length●● the tyme.  
Thou mayest in short time me●●● much, and in a long space merit ve●● little before God. The thief that 〈◊〉 hang on the cross, served God, but a lit●●● space, but in that little time he meri● much.  

Luc. 23.  The father which the gospel mak● mention of representing God him se●●● when he received again his prodig● ●●nne made a great solemn feast for joy ●●ereof, in so much that his elder son ●●s angry at it, and complained to his ●●ther, saying that he had never done so ●uch for him, having served him always faithfully and obediently. The father did ●●stlie make so great a feast at his sons ●●turnynge, for that after his conversion 〈◊〉 served him with that fervent and ear●●st affection of heart, that in a short space 〈◊〉 merited more, than his other son did, ●●th all his long cold and slow service 〈◊〉 many years.  
Many young men that are entered in●● religion, will often merit more in a ●●orte space, than many old and ancient ●●en in much longer time: thou must not ●eade unto God thy long & thy ancient ●●●uice done unto him, as that good son ●●d unto his father, who recorded unto ●●m all that faithful and obedient service ●●at he had done many years, for it may be, ●●at he which came to serve him but yesterday, may be more acceptable unto him, ●●en he which had bestowed many years ●his service before: for God maketh no ●●compte of the time, but he esteemeth of ●●e spirit and fervour of mind.  
He that serveth God but coldly, is ●●ry near departing from him by sin. ●●●d sayeth: I would thou were either ●●de or hot, 
Apo. 3.  but because thou art but ●●ke warm, I must vomit thee out of my ●●uth. Of warmness there be two kinds, one which goeth from heat unto cold● which is nought, and the other which forsaketh the cold, and draweth towards heat, which is good.  
He that hath been nought, and b●●ginneth to draw near unto God, ought not to be reprehended for his warmest but rather commended, because he is c●●ming toward heat: but he that once wa● hot, and now beginneth to wax lu●● warm, he is very reprehensible, and 〈◊〉 need of good advise and help, for 〈◊〉 declineth a pace toward the coldness 〈◊〉 sin. This is that luke warmness, whi●● God almighty reprehendeth, and that 〈◊〉 very great reason, for it is not meet th● thou shouldest serve him, or seek af●● him, with any lukewarm love or affecti●● that served and sought the out with 〈◊〉 great fervency of love, and vehement affection.  

Io. 13.  He bad judas the traitor at his la●● supper to make haste with that which 〈◊〉 went about, as he that had an earnest d●●sire to die for us all. And thou mayest 〈◊〉 ashamed to serve that master, with any 〈◊〉 or slow affection, that with so fervent spiri● would suffer death for thy sake. It is vea●●● convenient, that thou shouldest unto such master as this is, offer all the service th●● thou canst with most earnest and burning love toward him.  

Luc. 1.  The glorious virgin mother unto o●● Saviour was vearie careful to visit. 〈◊〉 elizabeth in which act of hers, thou art 〈◊〉 consider the fervour of her tender love ●●d affection.  
God commanded that the paschal ●●n be should be eaten by the jews in haste, 
Exod. 12.  ●●cause he would have us to be quick and ●●●igent in doing of all good deeds, and ●●at in the serving of him we should not 〈◊〉 slack nor slow.  
Abraham ran in haste to receive the ●●●lie Angels that came unto him, 
Gene. 18.  and for 〈◊〉 do them service.  
If thou shouldest by promise receive ●reate some of money, after thou hadst performed such a journey, as should be ●●pointed thee, thou wouldest run a ●●ce, and never make stay in any place 〈◊〉 the way. And thou must remember, that ●●ou hast a great journey to make, and 〈◊〉 time of thy life is but short. And the ●●y somewhat long. Thy reward that is ●●●mised thee, being so great, and thy ●●●e of life here so short, it behoveth ●●●e to go no slow pace, nor to serve ●●●d with any dull affection.  
It were well for thee that thou diddest ●●ceede swiftelie in thy course, so as ●●●u mightest say with the Prophet. I have ●●ne (O Lord) the way of thy precepts. 
Psa. 118.  ●●at good holy king went not forward ●he way of God slowly as thou dost, 〈◊〉 served him after any dull manner, as ●●●u servest him: thou oughtest to make ●he hast thou canst, in doing of all good deeds, so as if thou haddest not one hour● to live.  
A cunning Doctor of Physic, reaso●ning of his art unto his disciples, told them: The life is short, the art is long and the experience is deceivable: but 〈◊〉 told them not this, because that his scholars should not study physic, but because they should study it the more earnestly and bind themselves to it, with the greater attention, since the life is but shor●● and the science difficult: So ought thou to be very diligent and careful to serve God, because that the life is short, and there is much work for thee to be done.   

BEFORE THAT ANY MAN doth bend himself toward any work that appertaineth to his salvation, it is good for him to consider the quality of the enterprise that he taketh in hand, and his own force in performing it, lest he should inconsiderately begin a thing, that he could not go through withal. CHAP. 28.  
Believe not every spirit, but prove first whether the spirit be of God or no: 
1. Io. 4.  sayeth S. john the Apostle. Before that thou dost resolve thyself upon any thing, consider first the work, and what thou art ●●le to do in it, and do not adventure ●●y self blindly, before thou knowest ●hat thou canst do.  
Many begin a work with great ●●ruor and little discretion, and in the end ●●ose all their labour, for when they should ●●ing it to perfection, they have fainted, ●●●d then have repent them, that ever ●●ey began therewithal.  
Look first whether thou be able, to persever in that thou goest about, fo● God favoureth not those works that an● begun without wisdom and good dis●cretion.  

job. 20.  S. Marry Magdalene continued sti●● at the sepulchre of our Saviour with gre●● earnest love and devotion, and yet wold● not Christ vowchesafe to let her touch him. after he had appeared unto her: b●● S. Thomas that was incredulous he commanded to touch him.  
Thou dost happily think th● Christ did against justice in this that 〈◊〉 should show favour unto the unbelieving disciple, and refuse his most loving an● obedient servant and scholar. But no● the reason, God misliketh inconsidera●●● and unadvised deeds. S. Thomas say●● that he would believe that he was rise● he might touch him, and in this opini●●● he continued firmly, eight days tog●●ther, for the which he found the be●● favour at Christ's hand: but Marry Ma●●dalene as soon as she saw our Saui●● after that he was risen she suddenly ●●●uentured for to touch him, without c●●●sideration at all, and therefore she 〈◊〉 worthily put back for her haste. G●● would not have us lightelie to determ●●● any great enterprise, but that we sh●●● with good consideration and disc●●● first bethink us well thereof, and 〈◊〉 after execute it.  
The blessed virgin Mary, mother of ●ur Saviour, being saluted by the Angel, 
Luc. 1.  ●ethought her well first, what the salutation should be, and wisely considered of it, ●efore that she would determine to set own her resolution, and give answer 〈◊〉 that most holy embassage.  
If thou dost not consider with prudence before hand, thou must needs ●●nne blindly in the dark, and then with ●●e greater force that thou runnest, in the ●●eater danger thou art: and if thou be ●●uowte and fervent, than hast thou the ●●re need of wisdom to direct it by. It written of the jews, that they were a ●●ople without council, 
Deu. 32.  and without visdome.  
David in giving to light credit the false reports of Siba, 
2 Re. 19  gave an unjust ●●●tence against Miphiboseth, which fault ●●●ers Princes and great men do fall ●●o, by believing over lightly that which ●●old them, whereby many honest men ●●vnd one, before their cause be heard, 〈◊〉 many a poor man suffereth extreme ●●onge, before he know who were cau●●● of his harm.  
Nathan the Prophet erred, when he ●●●e unadvised counsel unto David to ●●●ld the temple, 
2. Reg. 7.  never consulting there●● before with God almighty.  
Our Saviour being chosen to be ●●●ge in the cause of the adulteress, 
Io. 8.  su●●●nded his judgement, for a while, writing first with his finger in the earth.  
God would not have us to give se●●tence, 
Exod. 19  without that we do first look● well upon the matter, and as it were feel it with our fingers. When Moses' w●● was the friend of God, had heard the l●●mentations and complaints of the people he referred the matter first unto God, a●● than gave answer himself unto th● people after.  
Believe not lightly, for he that light of credit is light of mind also▪ thou be rash and hasty upon the sodeyn●● thou wilt be sorry & repent thee at leisure Move not after every wind, 
Eccl. 5. Eph. 5.  nor go a●●ter every way. The Apostle saith: Wa● warily and not like fools, but like 〈◊〉 and ware men, lest you fall into danger▪  
Our Lord said unto his disciple I have given you all an example, 
Io. 13.  that 〈◊〉 have done this work of humility▪ should you also do the same: That 〈◊〉 that himself took in doing well, 〈◊〉 would he that they should learn to do him, for even the work that is moral● good of his own nature may be made 〈◊〉 profitable through want of wisdom 〈◊〉 discrete ordering. Thou must learn 〈◊〉 jesus Christ the way to work well 〈◊〉 thou wilt have thy works to be acc●●●table unto him.  

Gene. 22.  Abraham is commended in script●● because he did that which God commanded him, with consideration 〈◊〉 ●udgement. God commanded him to sacrifice his son, and he for the better performing of that which was commanded him, took him away with him at ●ydnight, lest his wife should have interrupted him, and left his servants at the ●ill foot, because he would have no impediment given him, in the fulfilling of ●ods commandment. If he had at the ●irst, when he received the commandment, told how he went for to sacrifice ●ym, he had been like to have received ●any impediments, and scarce should he ●aue been able without great danger to ●aue performed that, which God had commanded him. But he so wisely and considerately handled every thing that pertained unto that matter, that gods commandment should have taken effect, if God by his holy Angel, had not made ●tay thereof himself.  
In all the service that pertaineth unto God, he looketh for a discreet, and an ●duysed consideration in the ordering thereof. For although that the meat be never so good, yet may it not be well eaten of, before that it be seasoned, as is needful for it. And God will not receive thy service, unless thou dost season it with the salt of a good conscience, and discreet usage.   

THE FEAR OF GOD driveth away from man, all kind of other fear, and maketh him bold against all force of man: but he that feareth not God, doth stand in fear of every thing. CHAP. 29.  

Psal. 2.  SERVE God in fear, and rejoice in him with trembling. (sayeth the prophet David.) He that feareth God feareth nothing beside him, and he that feareth not God is afraid of all things.  
Cain, when he had lost the fear of God, became so weak hearted, and so timorous, 
Gene. 4.  that he said. Every body that meeteth with me, will kill me. He that was of so great courage, that he durst kill his own brother, suddenly became so very a coward, that he stood in fear of every thing: Marvel thou not hereof at all, because he that hath lost the fear of God, which gave him strength, must needs become weak hearted and fear every thing: but contrariwise, he that feareth God is valiant, and beside him feareth nothing.  
This fear of God emboldened Moses to go unto king Pharaoh, 
Exod 5.  and boldly ●o bid him, to let the children of Israel depart away from him.  
Elias feared God, and that made him ●olde to say unto king Achab. 
●. Re 1●. 4. Reg. 3.  Thou hast troubled all Israel, because thou hast forsaken God, and followed Baalam.  
The authority was great where●ith Elizeus reprehended joram, 
Act. 4.  but much ●reater was that, wherewith S. Peter did ●●eake in the counsel of the jews. what wonderful stout answers did the ●oly Apostles and Martyrs give unto princes and kings.  
If thou dost fear God, thou needest ●ot to fear any man: he is more mighty ●hat defendeth thee, than he that doth persecute thee, how mighty soever he be▪ because that thou wantest the fear of God, thou art afraid of men, and every ●●all infirmity maketh thee to tremble.  
The king that goeth warded with ●is guard of armed men about him, ●andeth in no fear, and other meaner ●en also live without fear, that go well armed in the company of valiant men. ●nd how should these men than be afraid, ●●at have God for their safeguard? And if ●●e force of a guard, doth keep men without fear: how should they be afraid, ●●at have God for their shield & defence.  
Holy David saith, 
Psal. 26.  God is the pro●●ctor of my life, of whom should I then 〈◊〉 afraid, God is my light and my salvation, of whom then shall I stand in awe.  

Prou. 18.  The wise man saith, the wicked man flieth away, when no man persecuteth him, but the just man is bold like a lion. As the worldly men that do evil, do live full of fear and suspicion, so do good men put their trust in God, and are bold like lions, and stand not in any fear of men.  
He that feareth God, never feareth any man. Thou shalt have much good (saith Toby to his son) if thou wilt fear God. 
To. 4.  If thou dost not sustain thyself with the fear of God, all thy building will soon go to the ground. The fear of God helpeth us well, to make little account of the goods of this world.  
The marchante through the fear which he hath of loosing his life, is content to throw his goods which he so much esteemeth into the sea. And if thou fearest God, thou wilt easily despise the goods of the earth, for the saving of the life of thy soul.  
It is great folly to live without the fear of God, living amongst so many dangers as the Apostle maketh mention of in his Epistle to the Corithians.   

WE must BE OBEDIENT unto the commandments of God, without any great seeking to know the causes of them, we must also be content to yield our obedience to our superiors, although they be in divers respects inferior unto us, following the example of our Saviour, who was obedient for us unto the death. CHAP. 30.  
Who is this, 
Mat. 8.  unto whom both sea and winds be obedient? Said certain sailors that talked of jesus Christ. Here art thou taught ●o be obedient unto him, unto whom the ●nsensible creatures be obedient: It is marvel that man should not willingly obey him, whom the seas and winds obey.  
The greatest sign of true mortification, is obedience: the greatest despising of the world is this, to be ready for Christ ●o forsake wholly thine own will, it is the best thing that thou canst give unto him.  
Thou must not think much to be sub●ecte unto any body that is set o●e● thee, for the love of Christ, seeing it is written of himself: 
Luc. 2.  That he was subject unto joseph, and to his Mother.  
Think not the yoke of obedience to be any great burden, 
Phil. 2.  when the Son of God himself was obedient unto death.  
If thou dost but consider how much more mighty Christ was, than they unto whom he did obey, thou wilt not think it an hard thing for thee to obey them that be meaner than thyself. But because thou thinkest not of these things therefore thou art grieved to be obedient unto one that knoweth less than thyself, yet in deed it is nothing for thee, being but a man: to obey another man for gods sake, when God himself became obedient unto man for thy sake.  
If it seem a sharp thing unto thee, to obey him that is appointed ruler over thee, yet the love of God will convert all that sharpness into sweetness: If thou dost but anoint the hook of the door with a little oil, when 〈◊〉 maketh a noise in the opening and shutting, it would go easily, and make no noise at all: and i● thou dost murmur and grudge against thy governor, anoint thine heart with the holy Oil of God's love, and thou wil● be well contented in silence and with all sweetness of spirit to do all that shall be commanded thee.  

Luc. 10.  God sayeth to his holy Prelates. He that heareth you, heareth me, and he that despiseth you, despiseth me, and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me. So as the prelate is here in God's place, and that which he commandeth thee, God commandeth thee also, if it be not repugnant unto God's law, thou must re●erence God in him: and although that ●he person be many times bad, yet is his office and calling holy.  
David honoured Saul, 
1. Re. 24  because he was ●is king, and governor, although he knew ●im to be nought and rejected of God. God strake the heart of David with some compunction, when he had done no more ●ut cut a piece of his garment away. How 〈◊〉 it like that they shall escape the chase●●sement of God, that do rent all their ruler's garments in pieces, by their open murmuring and repining at them, when ●hey be as Saul was, sinners? Recommend ●●y ruler unto God, and obey him simply, ●●th it which he shall command thee.  
The obedience of Abraham is commended ●n scripture, because when God promised ●ym, that many people should descend from his son Isaac, yet he commanded ●im to offer him up to him in sacrifice, contrary to his former promise: Abraham ●ight have told him, that he cold not fulfil his commandment, because it was contrary to that which he had told him ●efore: but he held his peace, and was obedient, referring all to god's providence: ●or the good obedient person, a though that which his superiors commandeth, do seem unto him to be but some fond thing, yet if it imply no sin in it, he must with silence obey thereunto, subduing hi● own intelligence, and making it agreeable unto his superiors.  
Thou must not be judge unto thy governor, nor take on thee to know the cause, of that which is commanded thee, for God liketh better to have humble obeyers in his house, then busy inquirers. Be thou no curious disputer, of that which shallbe commanded thee.  
The beginning of all our misery was Euaes' curious disputing about the commandment of God, 
Gene. 3.  her supreme governor. The devil reasoned this with her, why did God command thee, that thou shouldest not eat of the tree of life▪ If she had been a good obedient person, she would straight ways have made answer. I know well it is commanded me, that I should not eat of it, and to me it appertaineth not to know the cause thereof, it is my duty to obey him, since he is my God, and my creator, and it sufficeth me that am but a subject, to know only that it is the will of my superior▪ But when Eva went about to dispute the matter at large, she utterly undid herself▪  
It is a subjects part to obey, and not to dispute, and argue the cause why. Hold thy peace and obey, give no answer 〈◊〉 thy adversary that asketh thee why: for if thou dost, thou wilt be soon overcome. Let thy will be all one, with thy superiors will, for though the man that commandeth thee, be but of mean goodness and capacity, yet the thing that he commandeth, being with good will obeyed on thy behalf, shall through thy obedience be cause of much profit, and merit unto thee. And if thou be obedient, it willbe great cause of thy quietness also. Take away thine own will, that is a burden and a trouble unto thee, and resign it in●o thy ruler's hand, and thou shalt be well ●eased thereby.  
It is a great quietness to have charge of nothing: The religious men have an nappy life, when the inferiors do lay all the burden of their bodily cares upon ●heir superiors backs, that they may the while give themselves more freely to the service of God, and the works of the spirit: But the prelate's themselves, that have ●he charge in their hand, can not enjoy ●he like prerogative and benefit. They ●hat wholly addict themselves to the world, understand not what this meaneth, neither do they taste any thing what sweetness there is in humble obedience.  
They that have not tasted, what pleasure it is to be obedient for Christ's sake, do love to be superiors themselves, and do fly away from all quietness of spirit, and fondly do think that they shall find quietness in the midst of all their cares and business. The obedient persons, be they only which do enjoy the liberty and freedom of the spirit and celestial consolation.  
Many do choose out places of consolation according to their own wills, supposing to find comfort and contentment there, but there they have found clean contrary, and have been much discomforted: and other good obedient persons, do willingly go to places void in them of all comfort or consolation, and yet there have they found comfort. But the truth is, that there is no comfort, bu● where God is, and God is never but with the obedient person.  
Be thou perfectly obedient, and th●● be where thou wilt, and thou shalt find comfort every where, because God 〈◊〉 with thee. But if thou wilt be governed after thine own will, and wilt ●lit from place to place, for thy own pleasure, believe me that where thou thinkest to find Paradise, thou shalt happily find ●ell itself. For there, will thine own will make open war against thee, there will thy passions assault thee both day and night, and never suffer thee to have rest.  

Prou. 21.  The wise man saith, the obedient person shall win the victory. By subjecting thyself unto other as thou oughtest, thou shalt make thyself a great Lord and ruler over all things.   

THE POVERTY WHICH the gospel's teacheth, is vearie great riches, for that it leadeth us the right way to heaven, and giveth us the means to help others thither. CHAP. 31.  
Happy be the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven: sayeth our Lord. 
Mat 5.  If any temporal prince should grant unto thee the keeping of one of his castles: a bill ●●at were subscribed with the king's hand ●ere more worth unto thee, than a great ●●ale of money, for upon the sight of the ●inges hand, thou shalt have the possession thereof delivered thee, which thou ●oldest not obtain for money.  
poverty is the same bill assigned of ●od our great king, by the which he ●●th granted unto the poor man Para●●ce, for as much as he hath said him ●●lfe: That unto the poor man pertaineth ●●e kingdom of God. This warrant of ●●s is more worth for to obtain heaven ●●y, than all the temporal riches of the world. It is a most true saying, that the ●●ore in spirit is happy, for if he be happy that nothing craveth, the rich man c●●●not be happy, that craveth after ma●● things.  
He that is poor in spirit, hath all t●●● he desireth: Unto such (sayeth Christ) be●longeth the kingdom of heaven. If th● rich man will have heaven, let him go bu● it at the poor man's house, for by alm●● given unto him for Gods sake, he ma● have it: for the poor man, hath not heaue● only for himself by Gods promise but he may also bring the rich man th● there by purchasing of it at his hand● where he may have it also vearie g●●● cheap.  
Rejoice that thou art poor, fin●● thou art yet so rich, that thou haste 〈◊〉 only the kingdom of God for thyself but mayest also make sale of it, to hy● that will by alms giving buy it of the● yet shalt thou have nevertheless there●● for thyself, & for thine inheritance to th● kingdom of heaven canst thou by 〈◊〉 means forego, except thou dost pu● away from thee this great treasure 〈◊〉 evangelical poverty, whereby thou a●●● made inheritor unto it.  
poverty is a riches that is ease●● kept, for no man will seek to take 〈◊〉 away from thee. No man will go to la●● with thee for it. It is a sure and a safe po●●session that no man will make claim v●●to get it from thee. poverty is discharged clean of that final sentence, whi●● ●●albe pronounced against rich men in ●●ese words. I was hungry, and thou guest me nothing to eat, 
Mat. 5.  I was naked ●●d thou clothedst me not. The poor man ●●at hath nothing to give, is not bound ●nto these works of mercy, nor many ●ther works of piety.  
If poverty had not been good, 
Luc. 2.  the ●ngel would never have told the sheepe●eardes so particularly, the several points ●f Christ's poverty, telling them how ●hrist our Saviour was borne in a stall, ●rapped up in poor clothes, and for ●ant of room, laid in a manger. For if ● man mean to sell his house, he will show ●he bier all the commodities thereof par●●culerlie.  
The Apostle saith of our Saviour, 
2. Cor. 2.  that ●e made himself poor, for to enrich ●s. He was poor at his birth, in his life, ●nd at his death. If the only begotten ●onne of god was made poor for thy sake, ●hy art thou ashamed to be poor for ●is sake?  
Holy poverty is a great riches: and ●or to be perfectly mortified, it is necessary for thee to despise all these false ●iches: and to sequester thine heart from ●he disordinate love of them, which is impossible for thee to do whilst thou hast ●hem.  
Take the surest way: thou shalt sooner ●ome unto God, being poor then being ●iche: the poor shepherds came but a little way of, for to adore Christ our redeemer in Bethelem, 
Luc 2. Mat. 2.  at the time of his birth, but the three kings came fro● far countries, a great long journey, 〈◊〉 show that rich men always take more pains to come unto God, than the poor needy souls.  
They which stand upon the ground are nearer unto heaven, than they which do live below in vaults under the ground: Even so are they nearer unto god, that have the world under their feet then the rich men which do serve th● world, and have made themselves sla●● unto it.  
Rejoice that thou mayest be here●● a companion unto our master and saviour Christ jesus, who hanged on t●● cross poor and naked, to the end, t●●● thou mayest hereafter be partaker with him of the blessed joys of heaven, and enjoy the riches of his celestial treasures.   

●OD WOULD HAVE US continually to be exercised in doing good deeds, for unto them that do them in the state of grace, they gain eternal life, and they do dispose them that are out of that state, the sooner to do penance. CHAP. 32.  
Never leave of doing well: 
2. The. 3.  sayeth S. Paul. For good works do never lose their merit. If thou dost live in the state of grace, thou shalt merit eternal life by them: and if ●●●t, yet shalt thou not fail of some benitone by them.  
The gold smith that maketh a piece 〈◊〉 work, either of silver or gold, if the ●●rke frame not after his fantasy, he beginneth to frame it a new again, and loo●●●h nothing of the stuff itself, but loo●●●h only the fashion. To work well is ●●●ayes good, for although it merit not ●●uen by means of the evil state, that ●●ou waist in when thou diddest them, yet 〈◊〉 continual use of them, will make thee, ●●●er thou haste attained unto the state of ●●●ce, to do them with the more ease. He that liveth evil and doth no goo● deeds, shall hardly after become a virtuous man: get therefore the custom of doing well, that by the use the thing ma● be made easy.  

Mat. 3.  They which were baptized by S. john Baptist, received not grace by the virtue of the baptism, but were the better disposed after to receive the baptism of Christ. So while thou art in sin, thou neither deservest grace nor glory, but thou dost get this good by the continual life 〈◊〉 virtuous deeds, that when the time 〈◊〉 grace cometh, thou mayest easily wood●● well, and therefore do thou never cea●● labouring to do well.  

Gal. 3  The Apostle saith, let us never 〈◊〉 slow nor slack in well doing, for in ty●● to come we shall gather the fruit there●● It is not good then to leave the doing 〈◊〉 good deeds, for although thou merit●● not heaven, by thy good deeds present●● done without the state of grace, yet m●● thou not faint in the doing of them, 〈◊〉 the time will come when thou shalt ha●● changed the state of thy life, that th● wilt rejoice of the doing of them.  

Mar. 11.  Christ passing by a fig tree, beca●● it had no fruit upon it, he cursed it, an● straight way it withered away. And albeit, it was not then the time of bearing fruit, yet for all that he gave it his cur●● God knoweth well that when man is 〈◊〉 sin, it is not his time of bearing fruit ●hich be the meritorious works of ●●ernall life, yet will he nevertheless that ●e should do them. This is to be vnder●●ode in Christ's cursing of the fig tree 〈◊〉 that time, that man ought never to be ●nfurnished of good deeds at any tyme.  
God would not that any unclean beast ●●olde be offered to him in sacrifice, 
Exod. 13.  and ●et he would not have the beast cast away, ●ut commanded to have it sold away, ●●d only the price thereof offered unto ●im. The works that be wrought in ●●nne, out of the state of grace, although ●●at they be morally good, yet are they but ●●ke unto the unclean beast, and God re●eyueth not the work, but only the price ●●ereof, being willing that thou shouldest exercise thyself in good works, to the ●●tent that by custom of doing them, and ●y the fulfilling of his commandments ●hich thou art bound unto, God may accept those works after in their due ●●me, although that presently those works ●oe merit nothing.  
That Doctor of the law, 
Mar. 12.  which demanded of Christ, which was the greatest commandment of the law, although ●●at he asked it of him to tempt him withal, and of an evil intent, yet in as much ●s the demand was good, he deserved ●y it, to have this much light given him ●t Gods hand, that he told him he was ●ot far of from the kingdom of God, ●or although that thou meritest not glory, yet dost thou merit temporal benefits thereby, and that the devil hath the less power to do thee harm: therefore it 〈◊〉 good at all times, that thou shouldest exer●cyse thyself in doing of good deeds, fr●● some good by them will redound unto▪ thee at the last.   

THE REWARD OF Eternal life, is not given unto them th●● begin to do well, and after leave it of again, but they are only crowne● with everlasting glory which do●● persever therein unto the end. CHAP. 33.  

Mat. 10.  HE that persevereth unto the end shallbe saved▪ saith jesus Christ. Ma●● begin with virtue, but few attain to the end● of it. It profiteth tho● nothing to have begun well, if tho● dost leave it of again. Take away perseverance, and thy virtue shall have no reward, nor thy good work any merit.  
Some do begin well, and for tha● they continue not in it, they do not only lose the merit of their work, but also ●●serue to be punished.  
The friends of job began well in ●●uing of him comfort, 
job. 2.  and continued in ●euen days together, who because that ●●ey persevered not in that good work, ●●ey deserved punishment at gods hand.  
The beginning of Saul was good: 
1. Re. 10.  ●●●t because he persevered not therein, he ●●ed and evil death. If thou dost despise ●●e vanity of the world, worldly men ●●ll begin to persecute thee. Return ●●●t again to that which thou hast once ●●ft, and quite forsaken.  
Many have had the world in contempt, ●●d yet because they have returned, and ●●oked back to the world again, like ●●tts wife, that looked back toward Socome, 
Gene. 19  they have received their punnishe●ent therefore, and do now burn in ●ll for ever.  
Many are now in hell, that once des●sed the vanities of the world, but they persevered not therein. And our goostlie ●●emy the devil, careth not how well ●●ou begynnest, so that thou perseverest ●●●t therein. Labour to continue in the good ●●●y wherein thou hast begun, and con●●●ue on thy course, if thou dost think ●●wynne the victory. 
Apoc. 2.  Be faithful unto 〈◊〉 death, and thou shalt get the crown of ●●fe.  
In the border of the chief priests ●●sture, 
Exod. 28.  there were wrought certain ●●und gernetts, which stood betwix●● the little bells of gold that hang at the 〈◊〉 of the vesture. Of all the fruit that gro●●eth, only the pounegarnet hath a crow● in the top, the which, because it is 〈◊〉 reward of virtue, is placed among g●● works, which are signified by the 〈◊〉 belles of gold: they are not set in 〈◊〉 highest part, nor in the midst of 〈◊〉 garment, because they are not given v●●to those that begin well, nor unto th●● that do come unto the midst of th● work: but they are set in the end or lo●●●est part of the vesture, because they o●●●● shall receive the crown, that do co●●●●nue unto the later end.  
The tree that is often removed ●●●uer taketh any sure rooting: and if th●● dost change and alter thy course, 〈◊〉 dost not continue in that thou haste 〈◊〉 begun, thou shalt never bring forth ●●●ny fruit of virtue: By the frequenting good works, and the multiplyeng of v●●●tuous deeds, the very habit of ver●● is fully grounded in thee.  

Eccl. 27.  Is there any thing better than Go● that thou wilt leave the service of hy● for any other thing? Solomon saith, th●● the wise man persevereth and abideth 〈◊〉 his wisdom firmly, like unto the sonn● but the fool changeth still like 〈◊〉 moon. Be not thou moved at every win●●▪  

Gene. 15.  The birds would have troubled Ab●●●ham in the offerringe of sacrifice to Go● almighty, but Abraham would not leaue● his sacrifice, for any trouble that they could give him. If thou dost give thyself unto prayer, take heed that thou be not molested with busy and importante cares, which will annoy thee and trouble thee, as the birds troubled Abraham, but thou must drive them away from thee, and con●inue earnest in that which thou goest a●out: for what good doth it to take great matters in hand, and bring none of them ●o a good end. Spend not all thy life in beginning to do well, for fear lest death ●ome upon thee, and find thee idle and ●ut of the way.  
In the psalm it is written: 
Psal. 38  Man passeth ●way like an image. A painted image of a man that is made sitting in a chair, giveth 〈◊〉 show to the eye, as though it would rise & stand up, but it never standeth, it seemeth ●s though it would go, but it never goeth: And so playeth many a man that is often determining to draw toward God, but yet ●e goeth not to him at all, he maketh ma●y proffers of going, and yet standeth still when he should go. Our Lord himself ●ayeth: 
Luc. 9  No man that putteth his h●nde to ●he plough and looketh back is meet for ●he kingdom of God.  
The four beasts mentioned in the apocalypse, never had rest day nor night. 
Apo. 4.  No more oughtest thou to take any rest, ●ntill the work that thou haste taken in ●ande be at an end.  
The kine which were yoked together▪ and brought back to the Ark from the Philistines, never declined neither to the right hand nor to the left, but kept the strait way on to Bethsamies, 
1. Re. 6  and although that the calves which were sh●● up the while, bleated after their dams, yet they never forsook their way, nor sought to go back again, but kept on still their way that they were entered in. And since that thou hast taken on thee to carry the yoke of our Lord, and to bea●● on thy back the burden of his most holi●●● law thou must not go out of the way, n●● leave it by any means although that th● sensual appetites, like natural children do seek to draw thee back again 〈◊〉 the world. But let virtue vanquish ●●●turall love, and do thou proceed in th● journey like one that were deaf, 〈◊〉 gave no ear unto the world, but hold 〈◊〉 thy way and give no answer at al● neither unto the world nor to the flesh until thou come to Bethsamies, which is as much to say as the house of the son, which is the eternal light, and infinite clearness, where thou shalt see God in his glory.   

OUR LORD GOD SUFFRETH us to be tempted dyverslie, to the intent, that when we have by his help overcome the sundry temptations of our spiritual enemy, we may receive the greater reward and glory at gods hand. CHAP. 34.  
MY son when thou dost put thyself to the serving of God, 
Eccl. 2.  prepare thy heart against temptation: sayeth the wise man. Thou must not marvel that thou art assaulted with temptations when thou beginnest to serve God, for thine armour of defence, was not bestowed upon thee, but to the intent that ●hou shouldest defend thyself therewith ●n time of battle. But if thou sufferest temptation's, do not thou take any discomfort therein at all, for the devil never tempteth those that be his already.  
Pharaoh the great king of egypt, 
Exod. 5.  did persecute the children of Israel, with more extremity when they were ready to depart away from him, then when he did peaceably possess them. 
Gene. 31.  Laban did never persecute jacob, but when he was going away from him, and so fareth our adversary with us. He vexeth him with greater storms of temptations, that is about to go from him, and to give himself to the service of God, then him whom he is presently in quiet possession of:  
Our Lord suffereth thee to be tempted, to the intent that he way prove thee, & see whether thou wilt perceiver in his service which thou hast taken in hand? The Angel said unto Tobias. 
Tob. 12.  Because thou wert acceptable to God, it was necessary that temptation should try thee. But beware that thou give no consent, unto temptation. For though that fire be strike out of a flint stone by force of the steel, yet if there be no apt matter under it, for the fire to take hold on, it serveth to no purpose. And so though that the devil with the steel of his temptation, do strick upon the stone of thy sensuality, yet shall he never strick any fire out of it, that shall do thee any harm except that thou dost join the consent of thy will thereunto. But if thou be not war●● and wise, thou wilt be often deceived, for the wolf doth often apparel himself in a lambs skin, the better to dissemble his malice withal, and this is the most dangerous temptation of all other● For vices when they come apparelled with the cloathinge of virtues, bear th● countenance of friends when they be i● deed our most extreme enemies.  
The rovers on the sea, do always carry in their ships with them, banners of peace, when they intent nothing but war, to make their enemies to take them for friends, and so with the more ease and safety, take them prisoners, and make them their slaves. The devil doth also spread forth the banners of such virtues as Christians have in reverence, to the end that he may be taken for a friend amongst them, and so the easilier bring them into his subjection. So deceiveth he many under the colour and show of virtue. He transfigureth himself into an Angel of light, and changeth his shape like as sheroboams wife did, 
3. Re. 14.  who sought by the height of counterfeytinge her attire, to deceive the Prophet Abias'.  
Let not thyself be carried away with every vain blast of wind that bloweth, but make trial first, and see whether the spirit be of God or no: according to the counsel of S. john, saying: 
1. Io. 4.  Believe not every spirit, but prove whether it be of God.  
The crafts and subtleties of the devil be infinite, he maketh show sometime to strike at one place, when he intendeth to hit an other: and some other times he feigneth as though he would run away from a man, when he maketh a short return again to find him the more unprovided, and so with more ease overcome him: and if that temptation do cease and forsake thee for a time, yet account not thyself in full assurance, but look to have him come the more fiercely upon thee again, and in time of peace, be more vigilant and watchful, than thou wouldest be in the time of war.  
The ship that saileth doth incur more dangers many times when the weather is calm, then when great storms do arise: for in the calm, the sailors go without care, and dread no danger, but in time of tempest they provide for every mischief that may fall. And one of the greatest mischiefs that may happen to any man, is never to be tempted at all: and thou oughtest never to think, that thou haste more temptations, then when thou perceivest them not.  
When thy meat first entereth into thy stomach, the natural heat beginneth (as it were) to make war with thy meat until that the substance thereof be altered and changed, and if when that is digested, there be not a new supply made of more sustenance again, for to make a new combat, then doth the stomach make war with itself, and without some other matter be given it to work upon, it consumeth itself, and killeth thee: So if there be no temptations outwardly given thee, there will happily some grow within thee, that may destroy thee.  
Be not much grieved, that thou art tempted, persecuted, and troubled, for ●hen will our Lord be at home with thee, ●o help thee most of all, except that thou ●oest fail on thine own part: and if ●hat temptations do fail thee without, ●hou shalt not fail of most grievous ●emptations within, which will make most ●ruell war against thee.  
God will that thou be tempted for ●hyne own profit, 
1. Cor. 10.  for it is necessary that temptation's do come, saith the Apostle, ●●ll they that will live godly in jesus Christ, do suffer persecution, and none ●hall receive the crown, but he that fights after the law of the game. And how sha●l any war be made, except there be some to fight, without victory there can be no glory, and how should there be any victory where no war is made.   

GOD SENDETH US Always temptations to amend us by them, and to make us better, and that we may be vanquishers of them, whereby we may be made worthy of the glory celestial. CHAP. 35.  

jac. 12.  HAPPY is that man which suffereth temptation, for after that he is full proved, he shall receive the crown of life, which God hath promised to all those that do love him. Thus sayeth the Apostle S. james, the time of temptation endureth not long, and the reward that thou gettest, if thou do overcome shall be infinite,  
Thou dost not love thyself so much as God doth love thee, all that he doth is for thine advantage. God will have thee the more to be tempted, because thou shouldest merit the more, temptation is god's permission, 
job. 2.  the devil tempted job, but he had first gods licence to do it▪ which if he never had had, he could never have been able to have tempted him.  

1▪ Re. 18.  We read in scripture that by Gode● permission, the evil spirit vexed Saul. The devil is said to be nought, because he hath an evil will to do us harm whom our Lord suffereth to tempt us, but yet no further than he will, nor then his pleasure is to give him leave, so as no, man is tempted but by the sufferance of God, who more desireth our welfare, than ourselves can do: thou oughtest to take comfort by thy temptations, considering the commodity that cometh by them.  
The mariner would never venture to pass the dangerous seas, if he did but only consider the troubles and danger of his passage. Nether would the labouring man endure so much cold, or heat, but in hope only of harvest to gather up the corn. And though the resisting of temptations, seem troublesome unto thee, yet the reward that thereof ensueth, might make thee bold and encourage thee, and yet in this life also thou shalt not be without spiritual comfort, by thine hope of victory▪ for in all our temptation, God always seeketh our amendment and prefermente He might well have sent the great flood of waters, to have drowned the sinful world withal, without giving ●ny warning thereof before hand, but because he sought the amendment of sinners, and had rather have them to be saved ●hen to be cast away and destroyed, therefore did he send Noah, 
Gene. 41.  to give them warning of it, an hundred years before it came.  
When he determined to bring th● great famine into Egipte, he gave Pharaoh understanding of it before, and provided joseph to make provision before hand for the safeguard of the people, which he never would have done, if he had absolutely determined before that they should all have perished by that famine: and because that our most merciful Lord is always more desirous of our life then of our death, and ever seeketh our amendment, therefore did he send unto Ninive that great city, 
jona. 1.  the prophet jonas, to preach penance unto it, before he would utterly subvert the city. receive chasetisement at gods hand willingly, as of a most pitiful father because that in thy punnyshement he seeketh thy profit and commodity.  
If temptations had not been good for thy salvation, God would never have suffered thee to have been tempted. But he dealing most liberally with thee, hath ordained many means for thee to work thy salvation by, and to merit thyself glory.  
God doth thee more honour in giving thee temptation and tribulation, by which thou mayest merit glory, then if he should give it thee freely without doing any thing for it.  
Labour to overcome, and to be a conqueror over thy temptations, for the travail thereof is but short, and the merit vearie great. When the king doth mean to advance any man to honour, and ●o give him a reward, he will place him ●irst in some charge of peril and importance.  
Susanna had never been in such estimation and reverence amongst men, 
Dan. 13.  ●f she had not first been tempted by defamation: but she overcame her tēptatiō●nd merited both honour here in the earth, ●nd a glorious crown in heaven, so that her temptation did her more good, than harm.  
Of old holy Toby, the scripture saith, that God suffered him to be tempted, that there should remain to his posterity a memory, and an example of the great patience that he had.   

PRAYER IS A SINGULER remedy against temptations, that it may the better be heard of God, it behoveth it to be often, fervent, and free from all worldly affection. CHAP. 36.  
PRAY you that ye enter not into temptation, 
Mat. 26.  sayeth our Lord. To the intent that thou be not overcomen by temptation, Christ would have thee for to pray: against the assaults of the devil, 
Mat. 6.  the best defence is prayer, if thou takest God for thy shield who can do thee any harm?  
Thy own force is not strong enough to defend thee, for if thou dost lean unto the trust of thyself, and hast confidence in thine own strength, thou wilt surly be overcomen. 
2 Cor. 3.  But give ear unto the Apostle that saith, I can do all things in him, that is my comforter.  
Our Saviour teaching us how we should pray, said that we should ask of God that he would deliver us from temptation. A singular mean to overcome temptation is prayer, by the which God is called on, to be thine help and defence.  
We being of ourselves but weak▪ ●nd all our sufficencie coming from God, ●●uing here environed with so much trouble, and so many worldly temptations, it is ●ll the help we have, to send our prayers ●●s messengers unto God, to demand secure of him.  
Prayer is a messenger that declareth ●ur necessity unto God, according to the ●aying of the Prophet Esay, 
Esay. 38.  let my prayer 〈◊〉 O Lord) enter unto thee, like a speedy messenger. Which reporteth unto God ●ll our necessities, & then asketh remedy of all at his hand.  
A good messenger ought to have two qualities, the one to be quick, and light, ●he other to be diligent in that which he goeth about, lest through the messenger's necgligence the mischief may fall while ●he message is a doing. And he that will go lightly, and run a pace, must put of all that may be burdenous unto him. Thy prayer can not lightly ascend unto God, if thou be overladen with the tormoyles and business of the world. These worldly business and temporal affairs, wherein thou dost occupy thyself, be ●earie contrary unto prayer, and if thou wilt have the fruit of prayer, thou must fly from all temporal business: and it is necessary for thee also to be fully mortified, and to put from thee all worldly consolation. And if thou wilt give thyself unto God, thou must do away from thee, the vain cares of this world.  
The second thing that appertaineth unto a good messenger is to be diligent in the cause he goeth about, and to use a good dexterity in delivering of hi● message, and soliciting the same, and not to faint in his suit until he have brought that to pass that he cometh for. And so must thy prayer be not slow but diligent, not warm but fervent and fiery. And although thou be not heard at the very first, yet thou must be importunate, & pers●●er still calling, as the holy disciples did, that continually persevered in prayer.  

Act. 1.  Make means unto those that be in favour with the great king, that they may speak unto him for thee, and be thy daily intercessors, as they usually do, that have any suit unto any temporal prince. Call earnestly on our blessed lady, the mother of God for to help thee, and all the holy Saints of heaven.  
Our Saviour teacheth us how we ought to behave ourselves toward him, in the parable of him that asketh three loaves of bread of his friend, where he sayeth unto him, that if he would not gy●e him that which he asked of him because he was a friend, yet at the leastwise, that he should give it him because of his importunity.  
Our Lord would have thee to be importunate, and doth s●ay his hand from giving thee that which thou demandest, to make thee to persever in good, and that thy merit may thereby be increased, that so thou mayest be made worthy to receive that which he meaneth to give thee, which is more than thou dost ask of him: and although that God doth know in all things our necessity, yet would he have us to send our messenger of prayer unto him, because his will is, that we should be delivered from our temptations by ●hat means▪  
It is necessary for thee to pray, not because thou shouldest make God to know ●hat which he knew not before, nor for ●hat he should change his determination ●y thy prayer, but only that by thy prayer, thou shouldest use those means, by which God determined to give thee that ●hing which thou desirest of him.  
Thy prayer presenteth unto God thy necessity's, it humbleth thine heart, it de●yuereth thee from evil, it moveth God ●o show thee favour, and reconcileth thy ●oule unto him.  
Prayer overcometh and conquererh ●ll things: It overcometh men as it appears by David, judith, and judas Macha●eus, who all overcame their enemies by ●rayer. 
1. Re. 18.  It overcame the fire when it bur●ed not the three children that were put ●nto the fiery furnace at Babylon. It ouer●ame the water, 
judi. 1●▪ Mach 15. Dan. 3.  when Moses by prayer ●ade the red sea to open and divide. ●●t overcame time, when Elias did thereby make it to rain, or to leave raining▪ as it pleased him. It overcame the body, when Moses continued forty days and forty nights without eating or drinking▪ 
3. Re. 17  only sustained by the help of prayer. It overcame death as is manifest in Ezechias, 
Exod. 24  who being adjudged by God his sentence to die, did get by prayer divers years of life. It overcame the clouds, in as much as Elias by prayer, 
4. Re. 20  carried the clouds from the sea, unto the land. It overcometh the heavens as appeareth by josua, that by prayer made the son and heavens to stand still and move not, and above all this, prayer is of that force, and of that effect, that it overcame God himself.  
Moses' prayed unto God, and he strait ways made answer unto him saying. Let me alone that I may revenge me on them. God doth here confess that he was holden back by the prayer of Moses, 
Exod. 32  since he willed him, to let him be revenged of his people. 
Mar. 11.  Our Lord sayeth: All that you do ask in prayer, you shall obtain.  
Seeing then that prayer can so much prevail in all troubles, afflictions, temptations, and tribulations, take it for thy sure shield, for without it, shalt thou never get perfect victory.   

EVERY THING DOTH naturally tend unto his proper end, and the end for which man was created being God himself, he ought to despise all worldly things, that might draw him from the right way unto him, and only apply him to the exercise of such things as may further him to that end which he seeketh after. CHAP. 37.  
I AM both beginning and end: sayeth God. 
Apoc. 1.  The rivers do all come forth of the sea, and do thither return again, and all things do naturally crave their proper end, and ●●re by nature helped toward it. And as ●od is our sea from which we came, and ●he very centre whereunto we tend, our ●oules by nature must seek unto him, and ●●bor to come unto him, as to the very end ●or which they were created.  
Our soul can find no resting place ●ere in this present life, for God himself ●ust be the rest thereof, as the uttermost ●●nde of all that it seeketh after, and the very cause of the creation thereof.  
God hath made us for the love of himself, and therefore our heart must needs be unquiet, until it may attain and come unto him. All things hath God created for man, and man hath he only made for himself. It is a thing much to be marveled at, that all the creatures that God hath made, do those things, that they are created for, and only man is a rebel unto God, and endeavoureth not to come unto the end that he is ordained for.  
God created not thee for the earth, but for heaven: he made thee not, to the end that thou shouldest seek after worldly things, as the final end of thy creation, but that thou shouldest only seek after him. The beasts of the field which 〈◊〉 hath ordained for the earth, do carry their heads down, looking always toward the ground: but man whom he hath created for heaven, he hath made to go● straight upright, that he may behold heaven, unto the which he belongeth, and toward which he daily should draw. Be not thou to much occupied in the way● thither, neither be thou disquieted in t●● journey hence: let not thy reason be confounded, with to much busying thyself about these corruptible worldly things but set thine heart upon the land of t●● living, the very proper country in dee●● where thou mayest enjoy things 〈◊〉 subject to any corruption, make no account 〈◊〉 these things visible, but lift up thine ●●rt unto things invisible. Labour earnestly 〈◊〉 come unto the end that thou art or●●yned for. Why did God create thee? ●●t only because thou shouldest enjoy ●●m. Let it be therefore thine whole study ●●d labour to attain to him as to thy most ●●ppie end.  
The Prophet David made his demand, 
Psal. 23.  who shall ascend up into the hill ●our Lord? Or who shall rest in his holy ●●ce? He answered himself again ●●ight ways saying. He that hath not revenued his soul in vain. And that thing always received in vain, which is not ●●rcysed to the end, that it is ordained 〈◊〉 thou shouldest in vain buy a garment, ●hou wouldest never wear it, and in ●●ne shouldest thou have a soul, if thou ●●te not therewithal do those things 〈◊〉 exercise those functions, that thy ●●e is created for.  
God hath created for thee a memory 〈◊〉 thou shouldest remember him with: 〈◊〉 understanding that thou shouldest ●●w him with, & a will that thou shouldest 〈◊〉 him by. It is but meet, that since 〈◊〉 hath made thee, to the end that thou ●●●dest love him, and serve him, thou ●●●dest spend these short days of thine ●●●e exercise of such things as might ●●●ge thee unto that glorious end, that 〈◊〉 wast created for.  
He that having a soul, doth live 〈◊〉 though he had none, and he that occupieth his understanding, in the applying 〈◊〉 it to get worldly honours and riches, and bestoweth his will in the loving of the things of this world: such a one receiveth his soul in vain, because God created it not for that purpose.  
felicity is the last end of man, and 〈◊〉 the which all other things are ordayne● in their due course. Let not the final 〈◊〉 of thy travails be intended unto any thing besides God, nor do not thou re●● upon any earthly thing, for neither 〈◊〉 nor, riches, nor knowledge, nor any thing here on the earth, can thoroughly qu●● thee and content thee. Take away th●● heart from the love of all worldly thi●● and love God only, for whom and 〈◊〉 whom thou wast created.  
Despise this present world, and th●● shalt come unto thy desired end: and ●●●ly this may suffice to persuade thee for●● despise the vanity of the world, to 〈◊〉 that thou waste created for heaven. Al● not thyself so much as to delight the● these contemptible worldly things▪ and thou shalt be quiet here in this world for the time, and glorious and happy forever after in heaven.   

HORRIBLE AND Fearful shall the day of judgement be, in the which thou must render account of thy thoughts, words, and works, and shalt be judged for them according to the rigour of justice. CHAP. 38.  
ENTER not into judgement with thy servant (said David that holy man of God. 
Psa. 142. ) David was the servant of God, and yet he desireth him, not to exact● strait account of him. The judgement of God shall come with that rigour, ●●at holy David being such is he was, ●●old nevertheless gladly have escaped 〈◊〉 And if then, he which served God, did ●●are his judgement how much more ought ●●●e to fear it, that serveth still the world? 〈◊〉 saith enter not (O Lord) into judgement with thy servant: what reckoning ●●all then the servants of the world make, 〈◊〉 the servant of God be so much afraid? ●nd if the just man shall scarce be saved, 
1. Pet. 4.  ●hat shall then the poor sinner do.  
It is a thing to be much lamented to ●e any man live here all his time shining in honour and in vanities, and yet be 〈◊〉 near falling into so dark and dangerous a place, as that all the corners of 〈◊〉 conscience, and secrets of his heart, shal● diligently searched and tried out by the light of god's Majesty, shining mo●● bright therein then any torch or candle light.  

Sop. 1. Dan. 5.  Balthasar king of Babylon living in all manner of vice, and satisfying his lust●● in all kind of sin, had suddenly upon him the hand of god's justice, that wrote the sentence of death against him signifying unto him, that God would take an account of him, and put his sins in a balance an● divide his kingdom.  
The time draweth very near, 〈◊〉 thou must also give a straight account 〈◊〉 all thy works, words and thoughts: 〈◊〉 the secrets of thine heart shall be lay●● open, and all thy privy thoughts sha●● come forth in open show, for which th●● art to receive thy punishment with a●● rigour of justice: thou shalt not be able 〈◊〉 deny any thing, for thy sins shall lie ●●pen against thee, and thine own consc●●ence shall be thine accuser: there will 〈◊〉 no pleading allowed thee, before th● mighty King of glory, all thy sins shal● be put into the balance, and all the c●●●cumstances thereof shall be weighed, and 〈◊〉 the benefits which thou haste recey●● of God's hand, and then shall thy kingdom be divided, when thy body shall 〈◊〉 ●ut into the grave, to be eaten by worms, ●nd thy soul shall be sent to hell, there ●o remain for ever: Then shall no prayer ●●e heard for thee, the Saints that thou ●ast wont to call upon, to be intercessors ●or thee, will then be so deaf that they ●ill not hear thee, nor any answer shalt ●hou have of them. All that then thou shalt ●ee, shall be nothing else, but thine angry ●udge over thine head, and hell open ●nder thy feet: on thy right hand shall ●e thy sins that accuse thee: on thy left ●ande the devils that shall torment thee: within thee shall thy conscience be gnawing on thee, and without thee all the world ●n a burning fire.  
If Adam for a little meat which he ●●oke contrary to Gods will, 
Gene. 3.  did so much seek to fly his presence, what wilt thou ●oe, or where wilt thou hide thee, when ●od shall come to take an account of ●ee, and shall find thee so full of vices ●nd sins? 
Psal. 67.  Even as wax melteth before ●●e fire, so shall sinners perish before the presence of God. It is written: 
Psal. 32.  Let the ●hole earth tremble before him, and let ●ll the inhabitants of the world be moved 〈◊〉 his presence.  
It willbe a greater punishment for ●ee to be separated from the presence of ●od, then ●o feel the sensible torment of ●ell. The Prophet Esay sayeth, let the wicked man be separated, 
Es. Vlt.  to the intent that ●e may not see the glory of God. The lovers of this world do never know t●● vanity in which they do live, until t●● pain hath lightened their vnderstand●●● and made them bewail their great 〈◊〉 felicity.  
Despise thou unfeignedly, the vani●●● and false shows of this transitory wor●● and so shalt thou best escape the pain an● torment of hell hereafter.   

THE PERPETVALL PAIN of hell which are prepared for 〈◊〉 lovers of these worldly vanities, 〈◊〉 great, so horrible, and so fearful, 〈◊〉 the only consideration thereof, w●● sufficient occasion to hold a man ba●● from sin, if there were none other. CHAP. 39  
SO much as he did glorying his pleasures, 
Apo. 18.  so much to●●● and sorrow do thou g●●● unto him: (sayeth God. T●●● vanities of this world oug●●test thou for many causes despise, and for to do it the better, it sufficeth thee to know the great torment wherewith they shall be punished.  
It is written: That according to the measure of thy sin, 
Deu. 25.  shall the measure of ●hy stripes be. If thou wouldest but consider, wherein these pleasures and vanities in which thou livest, have to take ●nde, thou wouldest live in some sorrow and ●itternes of mind, and of such things ●s thou now delightest in, thou wouldest ●ake small comfort.  
job said in the person of worldly ●●en: That which my soul abhorred, 
job. 6.  is ●ow my chiefest food. In this life men ●re loath to touch any thing, that may give ●hem any displeasure or annoyance, and ●n the next life, every thing will give ●hem displeasure and torment: whereby ●t is to be gathered, that they which do ●yue in this life in most delights, shall in ●he next life find the pains of hell more ●harpe and vehement. For look how much ●ny thing doth give resistance unto his contrary, so much is the operation of ●●at thing, perceived to be more forcible, ●hich overcometh and mastereth that ●hich resisted it. Iron doth resist the fire, ●ore than wood doth, but when the fire ●ath overcomen the Iron, and got full do●ynion over it, then is the heat of the ●●on far greater, than the hea●e of the ●ood: So they which in this life, do feel ●o sorrow, shall feel in hell the more ●orment, as by the contrary again, the ●ood men that felt here but small rest, shall ●nde and perceive afterward the greater pleasure and comfort. 
Sep. 6. A●oc. 9 Psal. 43.  The mighty men shall suffer mighty torments, they shall desire to die, and death shall fly away from them, and death shallbe their food.  
The grass doth feed the beast that eateth thereof, and afterward it beginneth to grow again: Even so shall wicked men be ever dying, but shall never be dead, and how much soever they be tormented by pain, yet shall their torments never make an end of them.  
Consider how hardly God will deal with his enemies, that so sharply handleth his friends in this world. 
Gal. 1.  The Apostle saith, the friend of this world is an enemy unto God. The holy Martyrs that were gods friends suffered many cruel torments here. And dost thou think, that giving thyself to the pleasures in this world, thou shalt find rest and ease in the next.  

Iher. 22.  Iheremy saith, they against whom there was no judgement, have drunk of the cup of affliction: and dost thou look to be accounted as innocent? No, thou shalt not be taken as innocent, but thou shalt drink of the cup.  
I have sworn by myself, (saith our Lord) that thou shalt be as a perpetual wilderness, and a continual reproof.  
deceive not thyself, nor do not thou think, that poverty, sorrow, and torment, were made for goodmen, for although that God suffereth them to taste of them here for a time, yet are they not purposely provided for them. For God hath chosen out the good for his own glory. 
Heb. 6.  But these afflictions do properly appertain unto thee, and are reserved for thee, although thou dost now escape them, and they fly away from thee.  
All the torments that the holy Martyrs suffered, if they were all joined together in one, will not be equal, nor able to countervail one of the least torments which the damned do suffer in hell.  
If God would not spare his Angels when they offended him, how wilt thou ●ooke to be delivered from the fiery pit of hell prison? Thou Capernahum that hidest exalt thyself up unto the stars, 
Mat. 11.  ●hou shalt descend down into the bothome of hell.  
And if thou be afraid to be by night ●n the dark among the bodies of dead men, how wilt thou abide to be in the dark amongst so many dead men where ●hou shalt neither see son, nor moon, ●or star light. It is a most miserable country to dwell in where there is continual night, and never any day.  
And if now thou canst not suffer the ●ighte of one devil, how wilt thou endure then the sight of so many together? And if thou canst not abide to hold thy finger a little while in the fire, how wilt ●hou abide to tarry so long together in ●ell fire, in comparison of which, the fire which thou dost here see, is but as it were a fire painted on a wall.  
If a little grief do now seem painful unto thee, how wilt thou suffer all the infirmities and diseases that thy body may bear? All the infirmities that man's body is here subject unto, shall the damned man have in hell, and every part of a man shall suffer there greater torment, than any man can here imagine in this life, and if every evil savour offend thee, and annoy thee here, how wilt thou abide the most loathsome and filihie savour of hell? If only one body of a damned person, were laid upon the earth, it would so corrupt the air with the vile stink thereof, that it would cause a universal plague over the whole earth.  
If thou shouldest be laid in a most soft and delicate bed, and have all things ministered unto thee there, that might move thee to take delight therein, yet if thou shouldest have all this, under condition that thou shouldest not depart out of it in forty years together, but be bound to be there all that time, thou wouldest take it for an untolerable pain and torment. How wilt thou then endure to be bound in fiery chains in some filthy, corner of hell, where thou shalt never rise again▪ And what can be more miserable then to be altogether void of hope, & to be most assured that never remedy willbe had.  
Now thou that dost live here in the vanities of this world, and dost set more by them, then by God himself, look about thee, & consider with thyself, these bitter & sharp torments that thou mayest thereby be moved to do penance for thy sins, while thou hast time, and that thou mayest so despise & set nought by these worldly vanities, that God may deliver thee from these great infernal torments and perpetual lamentations.   

THE GLORY felicity, and beatitude, which they get, which for the love of God do despise the world with all the vanities thereof, is so great and infinite, that it far exceedeth all man's understanding, neither can any tongue of man express it, or declare it. CHAP. 40.  
THESE (worldly men) shall go into everlasting torments, & the just men shall go to life everlasting,  
Even as the just judge will give eternal torment to those that have forsaken God, and preferred the corruptible goods of this world, before the everlasting Lord himself. So unto him that will for god's sake despise these earthly things, our Lord will say to him, as in the gospel is mentioned. 
Mat. 25.  Rise up, thou faithful servant that hast in small things been trusty for I will give thee charge over greater things.  

Gene. 48.  joseph bringing his two sons to his father jacob, to receive his blessing before he died, placed Manasses that was the elder of them on his father's right hand, and Ephraim that was the younger, he set on his left hand, after the manner of the world, which always giveth honour to great men and despiseth the meaner sort: But wise jacob in giving of his benediction unto them, preferred the younger, and laid his right hand upon him, and on the elder he laid his left hand. So will God do, when he shall come to judge the world: he will lay the right hand of his glory, upon those that in this world stood upon the left hand of adversities, and contrariwise, will lay the left hand of his everlasting punishment on those that have here rested them on the right hand of these worldly felicities.  
The goodness of God is great, that giveth unto good men so great honours and rewards, for so small labours and travaylls bestowed: when thou beholdest the presence of God, thou shalt have still before thine eyes, all that thine heart can desire, and so many felicities, that as the Apostle sayeth. The eyes have not seen, 
1. Cor. 2.  nor the ears have not heard, neither hath it descended into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that do love him.  
It is more easy to tell what is wanting, than what is abounding in the eternal felicities of heaven. 
Apoc. 21.  He will wipe away the tears from the eyes of his Saints, and they shall neither weep nor lament any more, for there shall be perfect joy. And there shall all the causes of our joy be joined together in one. The brethren of joseph rejoiced, 
Gene. 45.  and Pharaoh also with all his whole household. But how much more must thy joy be, then theirs was, that rejoicest with God and all his Saints?  
If the poor birds do joy at the rising of the son, how much more ought our souls to rejoice, when they shall see the son of justice so gloriously shining.  
If the three wise men that came to seek Christ, received so great joy, 
Mat. 2.  by the seeing of the star, how much more joy shall they receive that do behold the glory of the saints in heaven?  
If Saint john Baptist were so full of joy, that he leapt in his mother's belly at the only hearing of Christ's presence, 
Luc. 1.  without any seeing of him with his corporal eyes, how much more shall we rejoice, beholding him face to face in his glory?  
If the Bethsamites rejoiced so much at the seeing of the Ark of our Lord return home again, 
1. Reg. 6.  and Zacheus received Christ into his house with so much joy, with how much more reason, 
Luc. 9  may we rejoice, by enjoying his glorious presence, 
Mat. 13.  in his own eternal tabernacle of heaven.  
If he that found out the hidden treasure with so great joy, did sell all that he had, for to have it, how much more shall our soul rejoice in finding and possessing the divine treasure of his glory? If the people did so much rejoice when Solomon was anointed king, that the very earth shook with the cry that they made for the joy thereof, how much more shall thy joy be to see the king of glory sit in the high throne of his Majesty?  
And if God would bestow upon thee. but one half hours joy of that infinite felicity, thou oughtest for it to despise a thousand such worlds as this is: how much more then oughtest thou with thine heart to despise these base, vile pleasures of this short life, to gain thereby the infinite eternal joy of heaven.  
All were it so that this world were good, and all that is in it, were greatly to be esteemed, and that thou shouldest live in it a thousand years, & enjoy thy perfect health all that while, with as much honour as thou coldest wish to have, what were all this? no better than chaff in comparison of the most happy state that thou shalt have in heaven, by enjoying the blessed presence of God, but what is then this base beggarly pleasure of this short life, being such as it is, to be accounted of, in respect of the joys of heaven.  
That is the very true and perfect joy in deed, which is received of the creator himself, and not that which cometh from the creature, which when thou hast gotten, no man can take from thee again, in comparison whereof, all joy is but sorrow, all pleasure pain, all sweetness bitterness, all beauty, foulness and lothsomeness.  
The vearie true substantial joys that thou oughtest to delight in, and take as thy final felicity, be these heavenly and everlasting joys, which thou must love, and which thou wert created for.  
Set therefore before thine eyes as the vearie true servant of jesus Christ the land of the living, towards which thou art going, and despise the vanity of this world, that so thou mayest merit and get the heavenly glory, and eternal felicity, where thou mayest live with Christ, and reign with him for ever.   
The end of the third and last part.    

HERE FOLLOWETH A table of the chapters contained in this book.  


Of the vanity of the world the first part.  
HOw to enjoy God, it behoveth to contemn the vanity of the world. cap. 1.  
Of the quietness and peace of heart. cap. 2.  
How the vanity of the world is known by the life of Christ. cap. 3.  
Of the vanity of worldly things. cap. 4▪  
Of the vain end of worldly things. cap. 5.  
Of the consideration of the vain end of wordly things. cap. 6.  
Of the vanities of the judgements and sayings of men. cap. 7.  
Of the contempt of the sayings of men. cap. 8.  
Of the vanity of praises of men. cap. 9  
Of vain glory. cap, 10.  
Of the contempt of vain glory. cap▪ 11.  
Of the vanity of them that desire to be great in this world. cap. 12.  
Of the vanity of such as covet Ecclesiastical dignities. cap. 13.  
Of the pilgrimage of this world. cap. 14▪  
Of the vanity of corporal beauty. cap. 15.  
Of the vanity of costly garments. cap. 16.  
Of the vanity of noble parentage. cap. 17▪  
Of the vanity of temporal riches. cap. 18.  
What small value temporal riches are of. cap. 19  
Of the baseness and poverty of earthly riches. cap. 20.  
Of the love of earthly riches. cap. 21.  
Of the contempt of earthly riches. cap. 22.  
Of the vanity of worldly laughter. cap. 23.  
Of the vanity of worldly pleasure. cap. 24.  
Wherein a man ought to rejoice. cap. 25.  
Of the vanity of worldly honour. cap. 26.  
Of the peril of worldly honour. cap. 27.  
Of the vanity of worldly prosperity. cap. 28.  
Of the profit of persecution. cap. 29.  
Of the vanity of worldly favour. cap. 30.  
Of the profit of tribulations. cap. 31.  
Of the vain care of worldlings. cap. 32.  
Of the vain and foolish wisdom of the world. cap. 33.  
Of the sovereignty of Christ's wisdom. cap. 34.  
Of the vanity and shortness of man's life. cap. 35.  
Why God made our life short. cap. 36.  
Of the dangers of man's life. cap. 37.  
Of the vanity of such as prolong their penance. cap. 38.  
●ow repentance in the hour of death is ●ost commonly unprofitable. cap. 39  
●f the vain confidence of worldly men. cap. 40.   
The end of the first part.   


OF THE VANITY OF THE world. The second part. Wherein is contained how wicked the conditions of the world are.  
OF the conditions of the world. cap. 1.  
Of the deceits and snares of the world. cap. 2.  
Of the falsehood that is in the world. cap. 3.  
Of the false promises of the world. cap. 4.  
How the world forgetteth her dealing. cap. 5.  
The memory of this world momentani●  
God only remembreth his servants eternally. cap. 6.  
How the world knoweth not her followers. cap. 7.  
Of the danger wherein worldly m●● live. cap. 8.  
Of the carelessness wherein worldly me● do live. cap. 9▪  
Of the slavery of wordly men. cap. 10▪  
Of the heavy yoke of the world. cap. 11▪  
Of the sweetness of Christ yoke. cap. 12▪  
How in our afflictions we are to rune 〈◊〉 God, and not to the world. cap. 13▪  
How speedily the world passeth away. cap. 14.  
Of the unquiet and careful minds 〈◊〉 worldlings. cap. 1●▪  
●ow worldly consolations are full of bitterness. cap. 16.  
Of the blindness of worldly men. cap. 17.  
Of the grief of worldly men in parting with the world. cap. 18.  
Of the wages that the world giveth her servants. cap. 19  
●ow quickly the world casteth of her servants. cap. 20.  
●owe the love of the world excludeth God. cap. 21.  
●ow the world doth continually persecute the good. cap. 22.  
Of patience in adversity cap. 23.  
Of flying from the world. cap. 24.  
Of the mutability of the world. cap. 25.  
How we are to shun the small evils of the world. cap. 26.  
How we ought to fly the company of worldly men. cap. 27.  
How we ought to accompany with the good. cap. 28.  
Of the intention of him that despiseth the world. cap. 29.  
Of the memory of death, cap. 30.  
Of the uncertain hour of death. cap. 31.  
Why God will not have us to to know the hour of death. cap. 32.  
That the servant of God ought to meditate upon death. cap. 33.  
Of the first army of the world which is pride. cap. 34.  
Of humility. cap. 35.  
Of covetousness. cap. 36.  
Of Liberality. cap. 37.  
Of Lasciviousness. cap. 38.  
Of Chastity. cap. 39  
Of the good that worldly men lose. ca 40.   
The end of the second part.   


OF THE VANITY OF THE world. The third part. Which showeth us how contemning worldly vanities we ought to serve jesus Christ.  
HOw the world doth not satiate our souls. cap. 1.  
How God alone doth satiate our souls and not the world. cap. 2.  
Why God doth satiate our souls and not the world. cap. 3.  
How perfect contentment is found in God alone. cap. 4.  
How we ought to trust in God alone. ca 5.  
Of the love of God. cap. 6.  
Of the love of our neighbour. cap. 7.  
Of the love of our enemies. cap. 8.  
Of self love. cap. 9  
Of the denying of ourselves. cap. 10.  
Of the contempt of ourselves. cap. 11.  
Of the conquest of ourselves. cap. 12.  
Of the knowledge of ourselves. cap. 13.  
Of the consideration of man's misery. cap. 14.  
Of the knowledge of God. cap. 15.  
Of meditation and contemplation. cap. 16.  
Of true mortification. cap. 17.  
Of abstinence and fasting. cap. 18.  
Of the love of solitariness. cap. 19  
Of Silence. cap. 20.  
Of Idle words. cap. 21.  
Of murmuring. cap. 22.  
How the servant of God ought not to examine the life of others. cap. 23.  
●ow we ought to bear with our neighbours imperfections. cap. 24.  
●f Idle thoughts. cap. 25.  
●f Idleness and sloth. cap. 26.  
●f the fervour of good works. cap. 27.  
●owe we ought not to resolve rashly. cap. 28.  
●f the fear of God. cap. 29.  
●f obedience. cap. 30.  
●f poverty. cap. 31.  
●ow we ought continually to do good works. cap. 32.  
●f persevering in goodness. cap. 33.  
●f temptations. cap. 34.  
●f the profit of temptations. cap. 35.  
●f the remedy against temptations which is prayer. cap. 36.  
●f the end whereto man is created. ca 37.  
●f the dreadful judgement of God. ca 38.  
●f the pains of them that love the vanity of this world. cap. 39  
●f the glory that they shall have which despise the vanity of the world. cap. 40.   
The end of the third and last part.   
Laus Deo.   

O felix puerpera, gloriae lucerna,  
Surge, veni, propera, domina super●●  
Mea terge vulnera, veniae pincerna▪  
Me Christo confedera, me sempe● guberna.  

jesu fila David 〈…〉   
O regina virginu, per quam luxest orta  
Reparatrix hominum, felix coeli por●●  
Verus splendor luminum, quaeso m● con●orta,  
Sursum ante dominum precem mea● porta.