The Droomme of dooms day.  
Wherein the frailties and miseries of man's life, are lively portrayed, and learnedly set forth.  
Divided, as appeareth in the Page next following.  
Translated and collected by George Gascoigne Esquyer.  Tam Marti, quam Mercurio. 
¶ Imprinted at London, for Gabriel Cawood: dwelling in Paul's Churchyard, at the Sign of the holy Ghost. 1576.   

THis work is divided into three parts, the first whereof is entitled,  
The view of worldly Vanities. 
Exhorting us to contemn, all pomps, pleasures, delights, and vanities, of this life. And the second part is named,  The shame of sin. 
Displaying and laying open the huge greatness and enormities of the same, by sundry good examples & comparisons. And the third part is called.  The needles Eye. 
Wherein we are taught the right rules of a true Christian life, and the strait passage unto everlasting felicity.   
Hereunto is added a private Letter, the which doth teach remedies against the bitterness of Death.   

¶ TO THE RIGHT Honourable, his singular good Lord and Master, the Earl of Bedforde: Knight of the noble order of the Garter, and one of her majesties most honourable privy counsel. George Gascoigne wisheth much increase, and long continuance, of God's favour, according to ●…is bound duty.  
RIght noble & my singular good lord: if I should presume (in this epistle dedicatory) to blasonne and set forth either your just deserts in generality, or your exceeding favour and bounty towards me in perticularitie, I might both offend your honourable ears (which are seldom seen willing to hearken unto your own praises) and much dygresse from mine own former course in writing, since I have hitherto (in all my life) attained small skill or grace in the art of adulation. Let it then please your honour to rest thoroughly satisfied with this my simple acknowledging of your great goodness, so much surpassing my small deserts, that I find none other mean of discharge but only to continued your faithful servant and follower. The which I protest to accomplish unto my lives end, as well towards your own person & my good Lady, as to all your posterity in every dutiful respect. And (my good Lord) I must needs confess both unto your honour and to the whole world, that amongst a number of imperfections I find myself guilty of much time misspent, & of greater curiosity than was convenient, in penning and endighting sundry toys and trifles. So that looking back (with inward grief) towards the beginning of my reckless race. I find that both the time, and my duty do challenge in me the fruits of repentance. To be showed in some seryous travail which might both particularly bear witness of my reformation, and generally become profitable unto others. Whereunto I was (now almost twelve months passed) pricked and much moved, by the grave and discreet words of one right worshipful and mine approved friend, who (in my presence) hearing my thryftlesse book of Poesyes undeservedly commended, did say: That he liked the smell of those Poesies prettily well, but he would like the Gardyner much better if he would employ his spade in no worse ground, than either divinity or moral Philosophy. Unto which words I thought not meet to reply much at that time, having learned that a rash answer should not be given unto a grave advise. But finding myself therewith thoroughly tickl●…d, and thereby also finding the great difference between that friend and many other, who had sundry times served me as an 〈◊〉 with praises & common suffrages, affirming that I deserved a Laurel Garland, with sundry other plausible speeches not here to be rehearsed: I began strait way to consider that it is not sufficient ●…or a man to have a high ●…ying Hawk, unless he do also accustom her to stoop such Quar●…ies as are both pleasant and profitable. For i●… the best Falconer with his best flying ●…aulcon, should yet continually beat the flocks of simple shiftless Doves, o●… suffer his Hawk to check always at the carrion Crow, the pleasure might perhaps content a vain desire, but the profit or commoditi●… would scarcely quite his cost. And in like manner whosoever is (by the highest God) endued with any haughty gift, he aught also to bestow and employ the same in some worthy and profitable subject or travail. Lest in his default, he deserve the name of an unprofitable and careless Steward when his account is strictly cast. So then (to return to my purpose my singular good Lord:) I have of long time thought myself bound by some seryous travail to declare that those grave and friendly words did not march altogether unmarked, through m●… mind. And thereupon (not many months since) tossing and retossing in my small Lybrarie, amongst some books which had not of●…en felt my fingers ends in XU. years before, I chanced to light upon a small volume scarce comely covered, and well wor●…e handled. For to tell a truth unto your honour, it was written in an old kind of Characters, and so torn as it neither had the beginning perspycuous, nor the end perfect. So that I can not certainly say who should be the Author of the same. But as things of mean s●…we (outwardly,) are not always to be re●…ected, even so in this old torn Paumphlette I found sundry thing●…s (as me thought) written with such zeal and affection, a●…d tending so directly unto the reformation of manners, that I did not only (my self) take great pleasure in per●…culer ●…eading ●…ereof, but thought them profitable to be p●…blished for a general commodity. And thereupon have translated & collected into some order these sundry parcels of the same. ●…he which (aswell because the author is to me unknown, 〈◊〉 also b●…cause the oryginal copies had no 〈◊〉 title, but chiefly because they do all tend zealously to an admonition whereby we may every man walk warily & decently in his vocation) I have thought mee●…e to entytle The Droomme of dooms day. Thinking myself assured that any Soldier which means to march under the slagge of god's favour, may by sound of this droomme be awaked, and called to his watch and ward with right sufficient summons. For more particular proof whereof let it please my good. Lord to understand, that I have divided this work into three parts. Whereof the first I have named The view of worldly vanities. Because it doth very eloquently (and pythily) persuade all men to contemn the pomps, excessive pleasures, and delights of this life. A treatise which though at the first it seem very hard and unpleasant, yet whosoever will vouchsafe the diligent reading thereof shall reap thereout no less commodity than a body replete with hewmours receiveth by the medicinable purgation. The second part I have termed the Shame of s●…e. Because in deed it displayeth and blasoneth the detestable enormities thereof, and helpeth to cure the soul by remembrance and consideration of the very lothesoomnesse, which sin doth continually carry in itself. This part needeth not so much demonstration, as it deserveth commendation. And whosoever doth most beasty wallow and delight in sin & wickedness, if he bestow but one hour in a day to read & record the lessonnes therein contained, I doubt not but he shall reap much profit, and I some thanks for my travail. The third and last division is called The Needl●…s Eye. And teacheth aswell the right rewles of Christian life, as also the means how to avoid the crooked by paths which lead unto destruction. So that the offences once avoided, and the mind fully bend to go forthwardes in godliness, it shallbe hard to withdraw us from performance of our possible duties. Unto these three parts thus collected & ordered, I have thought good to add an old letter which teacheth Remedies against the bitterness of Death. Being particularly and yet (in mine opinion) ●…loquently and well written by the original author. Yea & very meet to be red as the present time requireth. All which together drawing to a reasonable volume, I have now finished and published in print. And aswell because I thought the light of the authors over bright a Candle to be hidden under a bushel, as also for that I would make the world witness how deep my grave friends advise did sink into my memory, but especially to leave some pawn of thankfulness in your honourable hands, until I may with greater desert discharge some part of such infinite duties as I own unto your Lordship: I presume right humbly to dedicated my travail herein unto your patronage & noble name. Even so beseeching the same to pardon mine imperfections, if any (through ignorance and not for lack of zeal) have passed my pen throughout this work. And much the rather for that in deed I have both used the conference, and abyd the correction of learned Divines, to make it the more worthy of so honourable a patron. How so ever it be, my will and desire are very earnest to please and profit all true christians in generallitie, and to purchase the continuance of your comfortable favour in perticularitie. In full hope whereof I cease any further to trouble your good ●…ordshippe, but shall never cease to beseech the almighty that he vouchsafe long to uphold the prosperous pyllers of your estate to his pleasure. From my lodging where I finished this travail in weak plight for health as your good L: well knoweth this second day of May, 1576.  
¶ Your lordships right humble and faithful servant. George Gascoigne.   

An advertisement of the printer to the Reader.  
Understand (gentle Reader) that while this work was in the press, it pleased God to visit the translator thereof with sickness. So that being unable himself to attend the daily proofs, he appointed a servant of his to oversee the same. Who (being not so well acquainted with the matter as his master was) there have passed some faults much contrary unto both our meanings and desires. The which I have therefore collected into this Table. Desiring every Reader that will vo●…hsafe to peruse this book, that he will first correct those faults and then judge accordingly.  
leaf. line. Fault. Correction. B. 1. b. 1. man men B. 2. a. 17. 18. pay: pay pain: pray D. 2. b. 3. revolueth revolueth not D. 8. b. 10. ever fail never fail E. 1. b. 16. shallbe they shallbe Eodem. 23. temparalty temporally E. 3. a. 15. many might E. 6. a. 5. Chaos Chaos. And yet after this frail and transitory life we do not Eodem. 17. degre●…s decrees E. 7. a. 1. that despiseth, that he despiseth E. 7. b. 16. 17. then: with thou: without F. 1. a. last. sour source Eodem. b. 17. committedagainst as the sin is more grievous which is done against a F. 2. b. 4. mind created, mind, to a goodness created, And then put out all the fifth line to the next point. Eodem. 23. fact face F. 3. b. 14. God goodness. Eodem. 23. momentarious momentary F. 6. a. 1. and to be and be Eodem. 3. this dishonour his dishonour FLETCHER 7. a. 24. ministry mystery F. 8. a. 14. become be common Eodem. b. 14. dispose despise G. 1. a. 8. takers takers gratitude Eodem. 25. ingrateful ingrateful unto him Eodem. b. 24. wyttinesse witness G. 2. a. 10 it is not is not G. 3. a. 13. that which is with God that with God G. 4. a. 26. such is accounted in is accounted in such G. 5. a. 2. sinners the sins G. 7. b. 11. this one is this one (wherefore) is H. 5. b. 1. 2. in an hillate adnychilate H. 8. b. 8. sins sinners I 1. b. 1. which holy which is to come, it is but a m●…ment. As holy Eodem. 9 and they and as they I 2. a. 29. foul four Eodem. b. 3. but that he the which he I 3. a. 14. of conference is often conference Eodem. 16. passed doth passed, which doth K. 4. b. 20. me such the such K. 8. b. 24. void open wide open L, 1. a. 20. carefulness carelessness M. 3. b. 24 intrusecall intrynsicall M. 4. a. 8. it be able yet be able P. 2. b. last. torments of torments of hell fire? Q. 4. b. 32 for it is not for is not R. 1. a. 30 convicted connected R. 6. b. 35. afflictions affections S. 3. b. 23. conceived conveyed T. 1. b. 34. light they light, for that which they   

¶ The first Book of the view o●… worldly van●…ties.  
WHerefore came I out of my mother's womb, 
●…ier. 20.  that I might behold sorrow and pain? and that my days might be consumed in confusion. If he whom our Lord God did sanctify in his mother's womb, did speak thus of himself, what shall I then say of myself whom my mother hath begotten in sin? Ah 'las for me, O mother (may I well say) wherefore hast thou begotte●… or conceived me the son of bitter sorrow and pain? Wherefore died I not in my mother's womb? Or wherefore did I not perish, even as sun as I came forth of the same: Wherefore was I received between her knees, suckled with her teats, & yet born to become meat for worms, and fuel for Fire? O that I had been slain in her entrales, and that she had become my Sepulchre, & her womb●… had been my last conception. Then had I been as if I wer●… not, transferred from the Womb to the Tomb. Who therefore will give me a Fountain of tears to myn●… eyes, that I may be wail the miserable entry of man's condition, the culpable proceeding of man's conversation, & th●… damnable ending of man's dissolution. Let man then (with tears) consider whereof he is made, what he doth, & what h●… means to do. surely he shall fi●…de that he was form and fashioned of the Earth, conceived in sin, born unto misery, & that he doth lewd things which are not lawful, filthy things which are not comely, and vain thing●… which are not expedient. He shallbe made fuel for Fire, meat for worms, and matter for corruption. But let m●… expound these words more plainly: I should better hau●… said, Man is form and made of Dust, Clay, Ashes, and a matter much vyler, which for modesty I do not name, con●…eiued in concupiscence of the flesh, in the fervent heat o●… lust in the loathsome stink of desire, (and that worse is) in the blot and blemish of sin, born unto pain, sorrow, and fear●…, yea and (that which is most miserable) unto death. He doth lewd things whereby he offendeth God, his neighbour, and himself. He doth filthy facts, whereby he defileth his good name, his conscience and his person, and he doth vain things, whereby he neglecteth serious, profitable & necessary things. He shall become the fuel for fire, which always burneth and can not be quenched, the food of worms, which ever gnaw and feed upon him, & the continewall mass of corruption which always stincketh, & is filthy, odious, and horrible.  
Then our Lord God hath form man of the ●…ime of the 
Of the vilene●… of man's substance.  Earth, which is more vile than the rest of the Elements, as it appeareth in the second of Genesis, He made the Planets and Stars of the Fire, the blasts and winds of the Air, the fishes and Fowls of the Water, and Man and beast he made of Earth: Then if he consider of the creatures created in the water, he shall perceive himself to be vile. Considering the creatures made of Air, he shall find himself more vile, & considering the creatures of fire, he shall find himself most vile: Neither shall he make himself equal with the heavenvly creatures, nor dareth prefer himself before the creatures of the Earth, for he shall find himself equal unto beasts, and shall acknowledge himself like unto cattle, sithence th'end of man and cattle of the field is all one, and their condition and estate are equal, neither can man do any more than a beast. From the Earth they sprung and rose, and to the Earth they shall return together. These are 
Eccle. 3  not the words of any worldly man, but of the wisest even Solomon. What is man then but slime and dust? and thereupon he saith unto God: Remember (I beseech thee) that thou hast made me like unto Earth, and shalt bring me into 
job. 10.  dust again, and thereupon also God saith unto man. Thou art dust, and shalt return into dust. I am compared (saith 
Gene. 3.  job) unto Clay, and am likened unto embers and Ashes. Clay is made of Water and dust, and both the substances do remain therein, and Ashes are made of Fire & wood, and both the substances do fail. An express mystery, but to be expounded in an other place. Then what is Clay to be proud on? or whereof dost thou extol thyself, O dust? O Ashes, whereof dost thou glory?  
Peradventure thou wilt answer, that Adam himself 
Of the vice of Conception.  was fashioned and form of clay, and that thou art procreate of the seed of man. But he was form out of virgin 
job. 14.  clay, and thou art procreate of seed, which is uncleave, for who can make that clean which is conceived of unclean seed? What is man that he may seem undefiled? or that which is born of man may seem just? For behold, I was 
Psalm. 50.  begotten in iniquity, and my mother conceived me in sin. Not only in one iniquity, nor in one only transgression, but in many iniquities, and in many transgressions, yea, even in strange iniquities and transgressions, for there are two kind of conceptions, one of seed, an other of nature. The first is made in such facts as are committed. The second, in such things as are purchased and got, for the parents commit in the first, and their issue do purchase in the second. For who is ignorant that the act of generation (yea even between married folks) is never committed without provocation of the flesh, without heat of l●…st, or of concupiscence, whereupon the seeds which are conceived be unclean, be blotted, and made corrupt, and the soul being therewith over flowed doth purchase the spot of sin, the blot of gilt, and transgression, and the blemish of iniquity, even as liquor is corrupted being thrust into an v●…cleane vessel, and being once polluted, is defiled, even by the first touch thereof. For the soul hath three natural powers, or three natural forces, that is to say, a reasonable power to deserne between good and evil, a passionate power to reject the evil, and a power of appetite to desire that which is good. These three powers are originally corrupted with three opposite and contrary vices, the reasonable power ●…y ignorance that it may not deserne between good and evil, the passionate power by wrath and anger, that it may reject the good, & the power of appetite by the concupiscence that it may desire that which is evil. The first of these vices begetteth transgression, the last bringeth forth sin, & the middlemost engendereth both sin & transgression, for it is transgression to do that which is not to be done, & it is sin to endeavour that which is not to be endeavoured. These three vi ●…es are purchased and got out of corrupted flesh, by three allurements, for in carnal copulation the understanding is lulled on sleep, to th'end that ignorance may be sowed, the provocation of lust is stirred up, to th'end that anger and motion of mind may be spread a broad, and the affection of voluptuousness is satisfied, to th'end that concupiscence may be obtained. This is that Tyrant flesh, the law and ruler of the members of man, the nourishment of sin, the languishment of nature, and the fodder of death, without the which no man is born, and without the which no man dieth, the which although it pass over at any time in state of accusation, yet it remaineth always in act. For if we say that we have no sin, we beguile ourselves, & the truth is not in us. O grievous misery and unhappy estate & condition, 
〈◊〉. Io. 1  before we sin we are bond and wrapped in sin, and before we transgress, we are caught in transgression. By one man sin entered into the world, & by sin death 
Rom. 5.  took hold of all men, for did not the forefathers eat a sour Grape, and their children's teeth are set on edge.  
Wherefore then was light given to him that is in wretchedness 
Of the weakness of the 〈◊〉.  & life lent to such as are in bitterness of the soul? O happy they are, which die before they are born, which taste of death, before they know what life is, for sour are born so deformed and prodigious, that they seem not men, but rather abominations, unto whom nature (perhaps) should much better have foresene, if she had never suffered them to be seen, for they are demonstrate and set to show as monsters and shows, and some again lacking some of their members & senses, are born unperfect, to the grief of their friends, the infamy of their parents, and the abashinge of their neighbours. But what need I speak particularly of these imperfections, sithence all men generally are born, without knowledge, without speech, without virtue, without power? weeping, wailing, weak, feeble, and but little de●…eringe from brute beasts, or rather having less perfect●…ō in many things than they have, for they go as soon as they be born, but we can neither go strait upon our feet, not nor creep upon our hands if need were.  
We are all born crying, that we may thereby express our 
Of the pai●…e of child birth & the crying out of the Infan●….  misery, for a male child lately born, pronounceth A. and a woman child pronounceth E: So that they say either E. or A: as many as descend from Eua. And what is Eva, but Heu, Ha'? each of these sounds is the voice of a sorrowful creature, expressing the greatness of his grief, & here upon before Eva sinned, she was called Virago, and after she sinned she deserved to be called Eva, when she hard said unto her, Thou shalt bring forth in sorrow and pain, for there is 
Gen. 〈◊〉.  no pain to be compared to that which a woman abideth in her labour. Whereupon Rachel with over great grief of 
Cen. 35  labouring, died, and at her death she called the name of her son Benony, which betokeneth the son of sorrow or pain. The wife of Phinees: faling suddenly in labour, brought 
1. Reg. 4.  forth a child, & died withal, & even at the instant of death, she called her son Icabod. But a woman (lick unto one 
joan. 16.  that hath escaped shipwreck) is sorrowful & sad, while she laboureth, but when she hath brought forth a child, then remembereth she not her pains, for joy because a man child is born into the world. Then she conceiveth with filth and uncleanness, she bringeth forth & is delivered with pain and heaviness, bringeth it up and nowresheth it with toil and carefulness, and keepeth and preserveth it with dread & fearfulness.  
Man cometh forth naked, and shall return naked, he 
Of the nakedness of man. job. 1.  cometh poor, and he goeth poor. Naked (sayeth job) I came out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither, we brought nothing into this world, and doubtless●… we can carry away nothing. But if any man departed out of 
1. Tim. 6.  this world clothed, let him mark well what kind of clothing he bringeth, filthy to be spoken, more filthy to be herded, and most filthy to be seen.  
O vile unworthiness of man's estate and condition, & O 
What fruits a man bringeth forth.  unworthy estate of man's vileness. Search the trees & the herbs of the Earth, they bring forth boughs, leaves, flowers, & fruits. A man bringeth forth nitts, lyse & worms. They distill & power out, Oil, Wine, and Balms, and a man maketh excrements of spittle, piss, and ordure. They smell & breath all sweetness of smell and pleasantness, whereas man belcheth, breaketh wind and stincketh, for such as the tree is, such fruits it bringeth forth, and an evil tree can not bring out good fruit. Then what is man (according to his shape and proportion) but a tree turned topsie turuey? whose roots are his hears, the stub of the root is his head and his neck, the body of the tree, is his breast, belly, and bulk, the boughs are his arms & legs, and the little branches and leaves, are his fingers and toes. This is the leaf which is tossed with the wind, and the stubble which is dried up with the Sun.  
In the first age of Man, it is read, that he lived nine 
Of the discomodities of age, and the shortness of life.  hundredth years and more, but when man's life began by little and little to decline, than our Lord GOD said to No: My Spirit shall not remain with man for ever, because he is flesh, and his days shall be one hundredth 
Sapi. 9  and twenty years, the which may be understood aswell 
Eccle. 1.  by the term of man's life, as by the space to repent him, for from that time forthwardes few are read of which lived any longer. But when man's life was daily more and more 
P●…alm. 89.  shortened, then was it said by the Psalmest, The days of his time are seventy years, or if it be a strong body●…, four score years, and then their pain and sorrow increaseth. For shall not the small number of my days be finished in small time? Our days do pass away more swiftly than the web, is cut from the weyvers hand.  
A man born of a woman, living short time, replenished 
job. 10.  with many miseries, cometh forth like a flower, and is plucked up, and flieth away like a shadow, and never continueth in one estate. For now a days, men do live forty years, and very few do reach sixty years. But if man do attain unto age, immediately his heart is afflicted, his head is troubled, his spirits languish, his breath stincketh, his face is wrinkled, his body is bowed, his eyes are dazzled, his feeling faylleth, and his quickness quayleth, his teeth become rotten, and his ears are closed up.  
An old man is soon provoked, but hardly revoked, believing quickly, and mistrusting laysurely: co●…etous, and greedy, heavy, and needy. Swift to speak, and s●…owe to hear, praising things of antiquity, and dispysinge what is used presently, blaming the time present, and allowing the time past, he sigheth and is vexed, he waxeth weak and is aston●…ed, as Horace saith. Multa senem circum 〈◊〉 in comod●…. To conclude, neither let old men glory against young men, nor yet let young men wax insolent and disdain old men, for they have been as we are, and we shall one day be as they now are.  
The Bird is created to fly a loft, and Man is born 
Of the pains and labours of men.  to be wearied with toil and labour. All his days are full of labours and pains, neither can his mind be quiet in the silent night, and what is this but vanity, there is no man without labour under the Sun, nor without defects and imperfections under the Moon, nor without vanity under tyme. Time is the delay of things subject unto change, the vanity of vanities (as the Preacher saith) and all is vanity. O how variable are man's studies, and how divers be their exercises, and yet they have all o●…e end, and one self same effect, even labour, pain, and vexation of the mind. There is much business created for all men, and a great yoke is laid upon the sons of Adam, from the day that they come forth of their mother's womb, until the day of their Sepulture, in the earth, which is mother to all living creatures. Let wise men search narrowly, 
Of the study of wise men.  let them héedely consider the height of the heavens, the breadth of the earth, and the depth of the Sea, let them argue and dispute every one of this, let them handle them all over, and let them always either learn or teach, and in so doing what shall they find out of this busy toil of our life, but travail and pain? that knew he by experience, which said: I inclined my heart to know lear●…nge, & prud●…ce, error, and foolishness, and I perceived that all was labour & affliction of the spirit. For as much as in great wisdom and knowledge there is great disdain, and be which increaseth knowledge increaseth also pain & travail, for although whilst that he searcheth it out, he must sweated many times, and watch many nights with sweat and labour, yet is there scarcely any thing so vile, or any thing so easy, that man can fully and thoroughly understand it, nor that he can clearly comprehend it, unless perchance that is perfectly known, that nothing is perfectly known. Although even thereby also doth rise an indissoluble argument. But surely the body that is corrupted doth aggravate and overcharge the Soul and mind, and this earthly habitation doth oppress a thought that pondereth many things. hearken what Salomons opinion was upon that point. All things (saith he) are ●…ard and difficult. No man can express them by words. Some man doth neither give rest unto his eyes by day nor by night, and yet can he neither find the caus●… nor the reason of God's works, yea the more he laboureth to seek it, so much the less shall he find it, therefore they fail in the searching, how narrowly so ever they search, because man may wax proud, but God shallbe exalted. For be which searcheth the Majesty of God, shall be oppressed with his glory, & the more he understandeth, that more he doubteth, yea, and he seemeth to know most, which in deed knoweth least. Therefore it is one part of knowledge and wisdom to know that he is ignorant, sithence God first made man, and he hath wrapped himself in sundry and infinite questions.  
Men rove and roam about, by high ways, and by paths, 
Of the sundry studies of m●….  they climb the hills, and pass over the mountains, they fly over the rocks, and cowrce over the Alps, go through caves, and enter into dreadful dens. They rifle up the bowels of the earth, and the bottom of the sea. They mark the tides of the floods, and wander in the woods and wilderness. They put their bodies to the winds & tempests, thunders, lightnings, rains, waters, waves, seas, floods, & whirlpooles. They melt & stamp metals, they grave and polish stones, cut and carve woods, weave and warp webs, make and wear garments, build houses, plant orchards, till fields, dress viniards, heat furnaces, and set mills on work. They hunt, they fish, and they fowl. They think, and m●…se, they council and ordain, they strive and complain, they take away and steal, they buy and beguile, they frown & smile. With innumerable other such things, to heap up riches, and multiply gains. To get estimation, to extol their dignity, and to enlarge their authority: & behold all these are but labour & vexation of the mind. If you believe not me, yet believe Solomon. I have (said 
Eccle. 2.  he) magnified my works, I have builded houses, planted viniardes, made gardeyns and orchards, replenished them with all manner of fruits and trees, I made sumptuous fishepondes, from whence I might water the beds of my sweet blossoms, I kept servants and handmaids, and had a great household, with great herds of cattle, and flocks of sheep, above all others that had been before me in Jerusalem, I heaped up gold and silver, and the substances of kingdoms and provinces. I had singing men and musitionnes, & the delights of the sons of men, I had great pots and pichers to power out wine abundantly at the table, & I exceeded all man in wealth which had been before in Jerusalem. And when I turned unto all that my hands had made, and unto the labours and pains where in I had toiled & sweated in vain, I saw in all things vanity & vexsation of the mind, and the nothing was permanent under the Sun.  
What and how many are the cares which torment men, the thoughts which afflict them, the griefs which molest 
Of s●…ndrie gree●…es.  them, the dreads which afflight them, the trembling which tosseth them, the horror which amasseth them, the sorrow 
Jobe. 19  which consumeth them, the heaviness which overchargeth them, and the troubles which vex them? poor and rich, master and servant, wedded man and bachelor, (to conclude) good & bad, all of them are disquieted with worldly tribulations, and troubled with worldly disquietness. Believe him that hath had experience. For if I be (saith he) wicked, then of right may I say: woe be unto me, yea though I be just, yet will I not hold up my head, being continually toiled with affliction and misery.  
The poor are pressed with penury, tormented with 
The misery of the poor and rich man.  trouble, thirst, hunger, cold, and nakedness. They seem vile, they are despised they crouch, and are overthrown. (O miserable estate of the beggar.) If they crave, they are confounded with shame, but if the crave not, they are consumed with need. And are compelled by necessity to beg. The worst sort of them accuse God as unequal, because he hath not rightly divided the wealth of the world, they blame their neighbour as unequal also, because he doth not minister unto them lardgly, they disdain, murmur and curse. Compare and mark the sentence of the wise man upon this. It were better (saith he) to die then to need. Yea the poor shallbe also odious unto his neighbour. All the days of the poor are evil, for his own brethren hate him. Furthermore his friends went far from him. As is said 
Cum fueris felix, multos numerabis amicos  
Tempora si fuerint nubila solus eris.  Fie for shame, the person is esteemed according to his fortune, whereas fortune should rather be esteemed according to the person. A man is reputed as good as he is rich, and as evil as he is poor. Whereas he rather aught to be reputed, as rich as he is good, and as poor as he is wicked. But the rich man becometh dissolute by superfluity, and is unbrydeled through boast & vain glory. He runneth unto all that is delightful, and falls into all that is unlawful, yea those things that were the atonements of faults, are become instruments of more punishment and correction. Since labour in getting, fear in possessing, and grief in losing thereof do always afflict and weary the mind of man, For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also, but hereof 
Mat. 6.  we will entreat and speak more at large hereafter. The servant waiteth, is wearied with charge and office, is afflicted with stripes, and despoiled of his riches. For if he have nothing he is compelled to have, and if he have any thing he is then constrained not to have. The master's fault is the servants pay, but the servants fault is the masters pay. 
Quicquid delira●…t Rege●…, plectuntur Achivi.  The wild Ass is fain to be the lions chase in the d●…rt. So the poor are the pastures of the rich men. O extreme bondage, nature made us free, but fortune appointeth ser●…tude, the servant is co●…strayned to suffer and no man is suffered to have compassion, he is compelled unto lamentation, and no man is suffered to take any 〈◊〉 on him. So that neither is he his own, neither hath any other pertayninge unto him. They are in a 〈◊〉 case which follow cowrts, for it is miserable to live upon an other man's prey and spoil. If the Lord or master be crewill he must he feared. For the wickedness of his subjects and vassals. If he be meek, it happeneth oft that he is contemned through the insolence and pride of his 〈◊〉. So that dread afflicteth him that is severe, and vyle●…sse setteth light by him that is meek and gentle, for cruelty breadeth hatred, and familiarity breedeth contempt, famyliar care wearyeth, and domestycall carefulness molesteth. For a man must always be ready armed on all sides, that he may foresee the sub●…ilties of the malicious, propulse injuries, terrefye enemies, and defend his subjects. Neither is the malice of one day sufficient for the same, but day unto day uttereth pain and labour, and one night showeth and teacheth carefulness to another, so that the days of man are called laboursome, & the nights are spent without sleep or quiet.  
If it be possible that fire might be kept from burning, 
Of the misery of married & unmarried folks  then may flesh also be kept from concupiscence, for how much soever it be punished, yet can that jebuseus be never expelled. 
Naturan expellas furca, licet usque recurret.  I will not (saith he) that all men understand this word, 
Mat. 19  but he which can understand it, let him understand it. Whereupon 
Exod. 28.  when God himself had commanded that Moses and Aron should cloth themselves, with all the rest of the apparel pertaining to the high Priests only, he gave no commandment of the women's garments, but said, that they (them selves) should use the woomens' garments, when they went into the Tabernacle of witness. The Apostle saith also: Deceve not one an other, unless it be by consent 
〈◊〉. Cor. 7.  for a time, that you have leisure to pray, and then again return unto the same, lest Satan tempt you for your incontinence. For it is better to marry then to burn. So that the Angels of Satan do fight against continence, which carnally pricketh and provoketh, kyndling the fire of nature, with the blasts of suggestion, put fuel thereunto, give leave, and minister opportunity. Yea the Angel of Satan doth fight by help of beauty, which suddenly se●…e is easily desired. Whereupon when David walked in the 
〈◊〉. Reg. 12.  Tarrase of the kings palace after noon, and beheld Bersabée washing her over against him, he sent for her, and had her, and lay with her, for she was an exceeding fair woman. Likewise, he which hath a wife, is careful for worldly riches, 
1. Cor. 7.  and is troubled. For he is vexed and tossed, by many cares, & is divided and torn in pieces with sundry doubts, that he may get and administer things necessary for his wife, his children, his servants, and his handmaids: So that the tribulacious of the flesh have such thoughts. The wife doth strive to have precious jewels, and change of apparel, so that her ornaments are often times more worth than her husband's substance. For otherwise by night & day she will morn, sigh, tattle, and murmur. There are three things that suffer not a man to abide in his own house. Smoke, rain, and an evil wife. She: saith she (meaning by some of her neighbours wives) goeth better appareled, and is better esteemed of all men. But I am most miserable in all places where I come, and therefore am despised and contemned of all men. She will only be loved & lawded. Affirming the love of an other to be the hatred of her: And the praise of another, she suspecteth to be her dispraise. You must love all that she loveth, and hate all that she hatethe. She will have the upper hand and overcome, but she cannot abide to be overcomen. She will not be maystred, but she aspyreth to master. She would have power to do all things and would want nothing.  
If she be fair, she will easily be loved. If she be foul, then is she not easily liked. But it is hardly kept which of many is desired. And it is grievous to possess that which no man will vouchsafe to have. One soliciteth the fair with liberal gifts and rewards, an other wooeth her by bravery. Another by wit and policy, another with merry conceyts, and one way or other she is caught, which is so on all sides beseadged. An Ass, an Horse, Turrian bed, a garment, a cup & a glass, are provid first and then bought. But the wife is scarcely seen so soon, but that she doth some ways offend before she be married. And yet howsoever it happen, they must be had. Whether she be foul, filthy, sick, foolish, proud, wilful, or what fault soever she have, (but only for fornication) a wife may not be put away from her husband. Yea though he do put her away, he can not marry another. 
Mat. 5.  Neither she being put away, may be married to any other. 
〈◊〉. Cor. 7.  For whosoever do put away his wief, but only for fornication, he maketh her become an adulteress, and he which marrieth her liveth in adultery. Wherefore if a wife departed from her husband, she aught to remain unmarried. Or else to be reconciled to her husband. In like manner, the husband if he departed from his wife. So that the burden of marrying is over weighty, for as Solomon saith. He is a 
Pro. 8.  fool and a wicked man which holdeth an adulteress. And he is the patron of uncleanness which covereth the co●…ereth of his wife. But if he put away his wife without cause he is punished, because he is compelled (while she liveth) to live sole & continent. Whereupon the dissiples of Christ did say. If such be the cause between man and wife, it is 
Mat. 19  not convenient to marry. Who could ever abide a companion in his couch. For only suspicion doth 〈◊〉 afflict a gellious man. For though it be written: they shallbe two in one flesh. Yet the gellowsy of the husband su●…ereth not 
●…en. 2.  patiently any other in his flesh.  
Let not the wicked rejoice (saith the Lord) for by what 
Of the misery both of good and bad.  soever he sinneth, by the same he is tormented. For the worm of conscience shall never dye, & the fire of reason shall never be put out. I have seen those which work iniquities, and sow sorrows and mow them again, (by the breath of God) have perished, and with the spirit of his wrath they have been consumed. Pride puffeth up, Envy fretteth, covetousness pricketh, wrath kyndleth, the throat vexeth, lechery and ryott dissolveth, lying shameth, and murder defileth and defameth, even so the rest of the tokens of vices, and such as are helpers and prompters of men unto sin, are instruments of correction and punishment unto god. 
Inuidus alterius rebus macrescit opimis  
invidia Siculi non invenére Tiranni  
Tormentum maius.   
Vice doth also corrupt nature as the apostle witnesseth. Which saith, they vanished in their thoughts and their foolish heart was darkened. Wherefore God gave them over to the desires of their hearts, and unto uncleanness, that they might defile their own bodies with reproaches, & they 
Timo. 3.  thought scorn to have god in their knowledge. So god hath delivered them into a reprobate sense, to do those things 
Heb. 11.  which are not convenient. But they which would live godly in Christ jesus, do suffer persecution. For the blessed did try by experience, both stripes & scornful words, yea, 
Cor. 11.  fetters & imprisonment. Were stoned, poursewed, t●…mpted and dyed upon the edge of the sword for the lord. They went about in sheeps fells, in goats skins, needy, afflicted, & miserable. For whom the world was not yet worthy. Straying in solitary places, in mountains, & in dens, and in caves of the carth, in danger of floods, in danger of thieves, in danger of the jews, in 〈◊〉 of the Gentylles, and in danger of false brethren. In labour & calamity, in much watching, in hunger and thirst, in many necessities, and in cold, and nakedness. For the 〈◊〉 doth deny himself, and 〈◊〉 his members, together with all 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  vices and co●…pisences, that the world may be 〈◊〉 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  unto him. And he to the world. He hath here no place of 
H●…b. 〈◊〉.  abode, but seeketh diligently for the heavenly habitation to come. He sustaineth the world as an exile, being 〈◊〉 up in his body, as in a prison, saying: I am an inhabitour 
Psal. 118.  and a stranger in the earth, as all my forefathers have been. forgive me that I may be cooled before I departed 
Psal. 98.  & I will abide no longer. Alas that my dwelling place is prolonged. I have ever dwelled with the inhabitants of cedar & my 
Psal. 119.  soul hath remained with them. Who is weakened and I am not weak? Who is weakened, and I am not vexed. 
〈◊〉. Cor. 〈◊〉.  For the sins of the neighbours are the refreshinges of the 
〈◊〉. 13.  just. This is that watering place which Caleph gave unto his daughter Axa in dowry.  
The life of man upon earth, is a warfare. Yea is it not 〈◊〉 
Of the enemies to man. job. 7.  right warfare, when manifold enemies do on every side assail it? that they may take man and persecute him, and kill him? the devil and man, the world and the flesh. The devil with vices and concupiscences, man with beasts, the world with Elements, and the flesh with the senses. For the flesh doth covet against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh. But we must not wrestle against flesh and blood, 
Gal●…. 4.  but against the lively breathinges of wickedness in heavenly 
Ephe. 5.  
〈◊〉. Pet. 5.  things, and against the captains of these darcknesses. 
Hier. 9  
Gene. 3.  For your adversary the devil, goeth about like a roaring Lion, seeking whom he may deuow●…r. The fiery 
Sapi. 5.  darts of the most wicked, are kindled, Death cometh in 
Luc. 21.  by the windows, the eye doth rob the Soul, the whole world doth fight against the senses, (that is) nation against 
Gen. 〈◊〉.  nation, kingdom against kingdom, great Earthquakes in many places, pestilences, and hongers, tempests, and terrors from heaven. The Earth bringeth forth thorns and thissells, the water, flooddes and raging tempests, the Air, thunder and great winds, the Fire, lightnings and flash●…nges. Saying, cursed be the Earth in thy works, it shall bring forth thorns and thissells unto thee. With the sweat of thy brows, thou shalt eat thy bread, until thou return to the Earth. For Earth thou art, and to the Earth thou shalt go. The Boar out of the wood doth lie in weight, and the best fruits are destroyed. The Wolf 
〈◊〉. 76.  
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  and the Bear, the Leopard and the Lion, the Tiger and the wild Ass, the Crocodyle and the Gryffen, the Serpent & the Snake, the Adder and the Bass●…liske, the Dragon and the Ceracte, the Scorpion, the Uyper, yea, Nittes, 
Gen. 〈◊〉.  Lyse, Fleas and Aunts, Flies and Gnats, Wasps and Hornets, Fish and Fowls. For whereas we are created to bear rule over the fishes of the Sea, and the fowls of the Air, and all living creatures, which move upon the Earth. Now we are given as a pray for them, and are made food for their mouths. For it is written, I will 
Deut. 〈◊〉.  sand the teeth of wild beasts against them, with the fury of Serpents, and things which glide upon the Earth.  
Unhappy man that I am, who shall deliver me out of 
Of the priso●… of the Sowl●….  the body of this death? Surely man would be brought out of prison, and would departed out of his body. For the body 
Rom. 7.  is the prison of the Soul. Whereupon the Psalmist says. 
Psalm. 114.  Bring my soul out of prison. No rest nor quietness, no peace nor security, at any tyme. On all sides fear and trembling, and on all sides labour and pain. Flesh shall be sorrowful, even whilst it liveth, and the soul shall morn and lament over itself.  
Who had ever yet a whole day pleasant in his delight, 
Of the shortness of mirth and joy.  who in some part thereof the guiltiness of conscience, the fear of anger and fierceness, or the motion of concupiscence hath not troubled? whom the swelling of envy, the earnest desire of covetousness, or the puffing up of pride hath not vexed? Whom some loss or offence, or passion, hath not disquieted? and to conclude, whom neither sight, nor hearing, or some thing that touched, did not offend. 
Rara avis in terris, 〈◊〉 simillima Signo.  hearken hereupon, unto the saying of the wise man: Between 
Eccle. 18.  morning (saith he) and night, the time shallbe changed. Uayne thoughts and cogitations do one succeed another, & the mind is wrapped into sundry conceits. They hold the Timbrel and Lute in their hands, and they 
job. 21.  rejoice at the sound of the Organnes, they lead their life in jollity, and at the twink of an eye, they go down into hell. Always some sudden sorrows do succeed and f●…low after worldly joy: And he which beginneth in joy, endeth in grief. For the worldly felicity is mingled with many sorrows and sharp mishaps, as he well knew●… which said. They laughter shall be mingled with sorrow, & 
job. 1.  lamentation comes in th'end of rejoicing. This did the sons & children of Jobe well try, who while they did eat & drank 
Pro. 14.  wine in the house of their elder brother, suddenly a vehement wind broke in from the desert country, & struck the four corners of the house, which fallen down and oppressed them all. Whereby their father said, not without just cause: My harp is turned into lamentation, & mine organ pyp●… 
job. 30.  into the voice of wéepers & mourners. But it is better to 
Eccle. 7.  go unto the house of weeping & lamentation, then to the houses of banqueting. give ear and mark a wholesome admonition. In the day of rejoicing & good fortune, be not unmidfull 
Eccle. 1.  
Ibidem. 2.  of mishaps. Rem●…ber the latter days & thou shalt never sin.  
Always the last day is the first, and yet the first day is 
Of the neighbourhood of death.  never reputed for the last, & yet we should so live, as though we were ever ready to dye. For it is written. Be myndeful 
Eccle. 14.  and remember, that death will not long tarry from thee, time passeth away, & death approacheth. A thousand years before the eyes of him the dieth, are as yesterday, which passed away. For all things to come do grow and renew, and always things present do dye and fade. And whatsoever is passed is altogether dead. Then we die always, as long as we live, & then (at length) we leave dying, when we leave to live any longer. Therefore it is better to dye unto life, then to live unto death. Whereupon Solomon said. I 
Eccle. 4.  have more praised the dead then the living, and have accounted him more then both; which was never born. Life flieth swiftly away, and cannot be held back, and death followeth instantly, and will not be stopped. This is then that wonderful thing: that the more it groweth, the more it decreaseth, and the further that life proceedeth, so much the nearer it draweth unto an end.  
The time which is granted and lent, for quiet & rest, 
Of the terror of dreams.  is not suffered to be quiet. For dreams 〈◊〉 us, and visions do vex & trouble us. And though they be not in deed sorrowful or terrible, or laboursome, which dreamers do dream, yet are they in deed, made sorrowful, affrighted, & w●…ried thereby. In so much, that some times men weep in their sleep & dreams, yea, & being awaked, are yet exceedingly vexed. Mark what Elephas Thematices says, upon this point: In the horrible dread of a vision by night, (says he) fear & trembling came upon me, & all my bones quaked for dread, & when the spirit passed over in my presence, the here of my flesh stood right up for fear. Consider upon the words of Jobe, which says If I say that my bed shall yield me quiet & comfort, & that I shall be relieved whilst I talk with myself in my couch, them will't thou terrify me in dreams, & will't strike me with horror in visions. Nabuchodonosor see a dream or vision, which troubled 
Da●…. 〈◊〉.  & terrified him marvelously. And the vision of his head did amaze & vex him. Many cares do follow dreams, & where many dreams be, there are also many vanities. Dreams have caused many men to do amiss, & they have been overthrown whilst they trusted in them. For often times filthy Images do appear in dreams, by the which, not only the flesh is polluted by nightly illusions, but also the soul is there with blotted and defiled. Whereupon our Lord God speaketh in the levitical laws, saying: If there be amongst 
Levit. 15.  you any man which is polluted in his nightly sleep, let him go forth of the tents, & let him not return until he be washed with water in the evening. And after the Sun set, let him return into the tents.  
With how great sorrow are we troubled, & with how 
Of compassi●…  great trembling are we stricken when we feel or understand the losses or damages of any our friends, or dread the perils of our kinsfolk & par●…ts? many times a whole man is more troubled with fear then a sick man is with his infirmity. Some one man is of a voluntary will more afflicted with the affliction of sorrow, them some ●…ther unwilling is through the force & effect of the langnishing pain: that saying of the poet is true. 
Res est soliciti, plena timoris Amor.  Whose breast is so brazen, or whose heart so stony hard, bat he will sigh and groan, and shed trickling tears, when he beholdeth the death or grievous hurt or sickness of his neighbour or friend? who can refrain from having compassion on the passionate, or from lamenting with him that lamenteh? jesus himself when he saw Mary and the jews that came with her unto the Sepulchre weeping, become vexed in his spirit, & troubled with in his mind, & wept. Percase not because he was dead, but rather, because (being dead) they revoked him to behold the miseries of lief. But let him acknowledge himself blamefully hard hearted, and hardhartedly to be blamed which bewaileth the corporal death of his friend and never lamenteth for the spiritual death of his soul.  
Mishapes fall suddenly when they are least suspected or 
Of sudden mishaps.  looked for. suddenly calamity rusheth in at doors, sickness invadeth a man, and death steps in, whom no man can escape. Therefore boast not of to morrow, since thou knowest 
Pro. 27.  not to what th'end of the present day may bring thee to. A man knoweth not his end, but even as fish are caught 
Eccle. 3  with the hook and birds with snares and gins, so are men caught and snatched up in the evil tyme. Whe●… they are come to that whereof they might long before have bewared.  
The Industry of the Phisicons cooled never yet since the 
Of the innumerable kinds of diseases.  beginning of the world, search out so many kinds of diseases, nor so many sundry sorts of passions, as the frailty of man could sustain & endure. Shall I term it a tolerable intollerablenesse, or an untolerable toleration? or shall better put them both togethers? For I must call it untolerable, having regard to the bitterness of disease. And tolerable I must term it, since it is of necessity to be suffered. So from day to day, more & more, the nature of man is corrupted and made weaker. In such sort, as many medecyens which in times paste were wholesome, are now (throw the desceyt of man's nature) deadly and dangerous to b●… received. For both these kinds of worlds do now wax ●…ld. That is to say. Macrocosmus, and Microcosmus, which is to say, the greater world, & the lesser world. And the longer that life doth linger in either of them, so much the worse is nature in each of them, troubled and vexed.  
What should I say of the wretched offenders, which are 
Of sundry kinds of torments.  punished with innumerable kinds of torments? They are beaten to death with malles, they are thrust through with sword, burned with flames of fire, overwhelmed with stones, they are twytched in pieces with tongues, and hanged upon gibbettes, wrung with manacles, and scourged with whyppes, bound in chains, fastened in snares, thrust down into dark dungeons. Starved with fastings, thrown down hedlonges, drowned, flayed, and pulled in pieces, quartered, and some times smothered. Those which 
Hier. 〈◊〉.  are condemned to death, die, those that are put to the sword must suffer there with, those which are judged to famish, must starve, and those which are put into captivity must endure it. Crewel judgement, outrageous punishment, and sorrowful sight to be hold. They are made a prey for the Birds of the Air, the beasts of the field, and fish of the sea. Alas, alas, & alas. O miserable mothers, which brought forth such miserable and unhappy children. Therefore I have thought good to repeat that horrible fact which josephus doth describe in the siege of Jerusalem.  
A certain woman, being both for blood and wealth honourable, 
Of a horrible fact that a woman did to eat her own child.  did patiently bear and abide the misery of the siege, with the rest that were fled into the city of Jerusalem, and the tyrants did straightways invade the remnant of her substance which she brought with her from her house into the City. Yea, if any thing yet remained of her aboundau●…t riches, whereby she might poorly s●…staine her with daily food, the Captains of the seditious, rushing in at times, did take it from her by force. Whereupon the wooman by this outrageous dealing, was driven into a certain disdain, even as it were into a fury. So that many times she provoked the seditious spoilers with reproachful words and curses to have killed her. But when as no man either of pity or of furious fierceness would dispatch her, and yet as fast as she sought, for any thing to comfort her, there came others which sought as fast to take it from her, and her plenty began now to fail her. Hunger which stuck in her bowels, and the marrow of her bones (being driven into fury, by pinching of need and famine) did drive most wicked council into her mind, and armed her against the very enstinct of nature. For she had a young child sucking at her paps, whom beholding, she said: O son, thou art the unhappy child of a more unhappy mother. For in war, famine, and spoil, of wicked robbers and thieves, for whom shall I reserve thee: since although thou mightest hope for life, yet shouldst thou be yoked in the bondage of the Romans. Wherefore come: O my child, and become food for thy mother, fury and rage for these spoilers and tyrants, and an history unto the posterity, of such cruelty, as else only should have lacked in the overthrow of the jews. This said, she killed her child immediately, & laid it to the fire, and roasted it, whereof she eat part, and part she reserved. But behold, strait ways the seditious spoilers rushed in, having smelled the smoke of the roasted meat, and threatened her with death, unless she would bring forth the meat which they smelled, and she said, I have reserved even the best part for you, fetching out the rest of the child's members which she had set up in store. But immediately, an horrible dread invaded them, to behold it, and their tongues stuck fast in their mouths (as it were) with the soodaine consideration of her hard heart. Then she with a terrible countenance, becoming more terrible and fierce than the spoilers erst were, said unto them: This is my son, my burden, and my deed, eat you now of it, for I have first eat of him, which I bore in my body. Be neither more pitiful than a mother, nor more tender hearted then a woman. But if pity overcome you, and you detest the meat which I have prepared for you, and which I have tasted before you, behold I will eat thereof again in your presence. Herewith they being abashed and trembling, departed, and left unto the miserable mother, this only dish, of all that she had left in Jerusalem.  
Let no man trust or put confidence, that he is free from 
How some times the innocent is punished & the guilty is absolved.  any punishment or pain, He that standeth let him beware that he fall not. For often times the innocent is condempued, and the nocent is absolved, the godly is punished, and the ungodly is honoured. jesus was crucified, and Barrabas 
Rom. 11.  was let lose. At these days a man of quiet is held for an unprofitable man, a religious man for an hypocrite, and a simple man for a fool. For the simplicity of the just man is mocked and laughed to scorn, as a dim shining lamp, in the opinion of the rich men.  

THere are three things which do pryncipally, 
Of the blame full & culpable procedings of lmans' conversation.  affect men's minds. Richeses, delights, and honowres. Of riches lewdness, of delights filthiness, and of honour vainness, doth proceed. And hereupon the apostle john saith: Love neither the world nor those 
1. john. 2.  things that are in it. For whatsoever is in the world, is the concupiscence of the flesh, and the concupiscence of such things as we behold with our eyes, and the pride of this life. The concupiscence of the flesh pertaineth to voluptuous desires. Concupiscence of that we see pertaineth unto the riches of the world. And the pride of this life pertaineth unto honours. riches engender and breed covetousness and greedy desire, together with aniggardly, mind. Uoluptuous desires breed glottonie and lechery, and honours breed pride.  
Then is there nothing more wicked than a covetous 
Of covetousness.  man, nor any thing more unjust & mischievous then to love money. These be the words of the wise man, which the apostle confirmeth saying: What would these rich men 
1. Tim. 6.  bring to pass? they fall into temptation and into the snares of the Devil, and into many desires which are both unprofitable and harmful: The which do ploonge & drown a man in hell, destruction, and perdition. For covetousness is the root of all evils, it committeth thefts, and sacrileges, it exerciseth spoylinge and taking of prays, it maketh wars and committeth murders, and manslaughters, it lieth & selleth with simony, it craveth & receiveth unjustly: it devyseth crafts and useth subtleties, it faileth covenant and breaketh oaths, corrupteth witnesses, and perverteth the judge in his judgements. 
Of unjust rewards.   
Look in that ●…uangelical Prophet Esay, where he says: All men love rewards, & follow bribes. They give no sentence 
Esai. 1.  ●…or the Orphan, and the widows cause cometh not 
Es●…y. 1.  before them. They go not before their bribes, for they judge not for the love of justice and righteousenesse, but their bribes and rewards go before them, because they i●…dge for love of money. For always they follow promises, hope and lyberaltie. And therefore they give no sentence for the pupil or Orphan, at whose hands they hope neither for promise nor rewards. O unfaithful Princes, and thieves fellows, whosoever you be, that love rewards, and follow bribes. You shall never shake a bribe out of your hand, unless you shut covetousness out of your breast. It is of you, 
●…ze. 2●….  that the Prophet saith: The Princes of that people are like unto wolves, which greedily take their pray, and covetousely follow gains. Their Princes did give judgement for rewards, and their Priests did teach for lucre, & their Prophets did devyue for money. Behold, our Lord god by Moses, did command in the law, saying. Thou shalt constitute & appoint judges, and masters in all thy gates, 
Deut. 16,  that they may rightfully judge the people, and neither decline to the one hand, nor to the other. Thou shalt have no r●…spect unto the person, nor his rewards. For rewards blind the eyes of the wise, and charge the words of the just. But thou shalt justly poursew that which is just, and thou shalt live. He termeth here two things. Just: & justly. For some men po●…rsew, things which are just, justly: & some others poursew things which are unjust, unjustly: again some pursue just things unjustly, & some pursue unjust things justly  
Woe be unto you, which be corrupted with rewards, 
Of the acceptation of people.  or fair words, & carried away either with love or hatred. Do pronounce good for evil, & evil for good. Making light darkness & darkness light. Kill & mortif●…ing souls which 
Esai. 1●….  die not, & reviving souls which live not, for you never reg●…rde the worthiness of the ●…use, but the worthiness of the person. Not the life but the rewards, not justice, but ●…ony. Not that which reason persuadeth, but that whereunto will ●…s affectionate. Not that which the law doth determine, but that which your mind doth desire. You do not incline your minds to righteousness, but you bend righteousness according to your minds. Not to th'end that you should lust to do whatsoever is lawful, but that it may be lawful to do whatsoever you lust. You have never so simple an eye in you, that all the body may thereby shine and be bright. But 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  you always put to some leaven which marreth all your dough. You neglect the cause of the poor man, and the rich man's cause, you follow toeth and nail. Towards the one, you extend rigour, and towards tother, you use gentle dispensation. You respect th'one with great difficulty, and tother you handle with great favour. The one you hearken unto but slightly, and negligently, and tother you bend ear unto willingly. The poor man crieth out, & no man heareth him. 
〈◊〉. 13.  The rich man doth but whisper, & every man hearkeneth. While the rich man spoke all men kept silence, and his words were extolled up to the skies. The poor man spoke and the people said, who is this? And if he tell them, they will overthrow him. The patiented man 〈◊〉 out upon wrong and no man heareth him, he crieth out aloud with his voice, & there is no man to give sentence. Yea if at any time you undertake the poor man's cause, you delay them lyngeringly. But when you have taken in hand the cause of the rich man, than you further it with all expedition. You despise the poor, and honour the rich. These you rise unto reverently, but those other, you sporne from you with dyspight. If any man with a golden ring on his finger, & gallant garments 
〈◊〉. 3.  do come into your cloisters, & a poor man also come in with a homely garment, if you look upon him that is well clothed & say sit thou here aloft, & then say unto the poor stand thou there or sit down under the foot stool of my feet: do you not now judge according to your own affections? & become the judges of wicked thoughts? for of you & against you the Prophet says. They are magnified, they are become rich, they are well fatted, 
Hier. 〈◊〉.  and become greasy, they have neither under taken the Orphans cause, nor given sentence for the poor men. But it is commanded in the law. That there be no respect 
Deut. 1  of people, but hear the small, as well as the great. You shall have no respect to any man's person. For the 〈◊〉 
Acts. 10.  appertaineth to god. And there is no respect of people with god.  
But you neither give favour favourably & frankly, 〈◊〉 
Of the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉.  do justice justly. For unless some what be felt, nothing is dealt. Neither can you give well unless you sell. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you defer justice so long, that you take more than the whole 〈◊〉 them, which maintained the contention. Because the charge of expenses is gerater, than the worth of the sentence. But what can you answer in the stryct day of judgement, unto him which commandeth you saying. Freely you have taken: and freely give. gains in the 
Math. 10.  coffer, bring loss and damage in the conscience. 〈◊〉 catch after money but you entangle your souls. And 〈◊〉 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  doth it profit a man if he gain all the whole 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 purchase damnation for his soul? 〈◊〉 what 〈◊〉 shall man make for his soul? The brother shall not redeem 
Psal 〈◊〉.  the brother, a man shall not appease god for himself, nor give him the price of his redemption. He hath 〈◊〉 for ever and he shall 〈◊〉 until the later end. give care 〈◊〉 you 〈◊〉 men, what the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith 〈◊〉 you. Go to now, you rich men. 〈◊〉 and howl 〈◊〉 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  your nuseries which shall happen unto you. Your riches are 〈◊〉 Your gay garments are eaten with moths. Your gold & 〈◊〉 is become rust. And the rust thereof shallbe a witness against you, and shall fret and consume your flesh like fire 〈◊〉 have hoarded up unto yourself wrath & anger in the latter day. Behold and hearken, the 〈◊〉 of your workmen which wrought & tilled your 〈◊〉, that you planted doth cry. And the noise thereof hath 〈◊〉 the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. Therefore the truth 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  commandeth. Do not lay up for yourselves 〈◊〉 in earth, where rust eateth, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. And where 
Of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  thieves dig it up and steal it.  
O unqueachable 〈◊〉, and unsatiable 〈◊〉. what covetous man was ever yet contented with his 〈◊〉 desire? when he obtaineth to that which he desired: he desireth more, he always setteth his end in things which he must have. And not in things which he hath already. The eye of a covetous man is unsatiable. And he is not to be satissied 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  with his iniquities. A covetous niggard shall net be contented 
〈◊〉. 27.  with his money. And he which loveth riches shall receive no fruit thereof. Hell and destruction are never filled. Not more are the unsatiable eyes of men. The bloodsucker hath two daughters which say, Affer Nam. Bring, for. 
Crescit amor nummi quantum ipsa pecunia 〈◊〉.   
Will't thou (O covetous wretch) know wherefore thou art always empty, and art never filled? mark then. Thy 
〈◊〉 the covetous man can not be 〈◊〉.  measure is never full. Which whatsoever it holdeth, yet is it capable of more. But the humble mind is capable of good. Because he which cleaveth fast unto god, is one spirit with 
〈◊〉. Cor. 6.  god. So that whatsoever then it holdeth, it is never full, unless it have god, of whom it is always capable. Then if thou will't be satisfied, leave to be covetous. For as long as thou art covetous, thou canst not be satisfied. For there is no comparison of light unto darkness, nor of Christ unto Beliall. Since no man can serve both God, and mammon.  
O false felicity of riches, which doth in deed make 
〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of riches.  the rich man an unhappy child. For what is more unhappy than the wealth and abundance of this world, which is called riches? The rich and the poor are opposytes, and contraries. But yet the wealth of the world doth not take away, but bring the 〈◊〉. For 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  more sufficeth: saith Solomon, A little unto a poor man, than much abundance unto a rich man. For whereas much riches are, there are many also to eat the same. How many and how great are the higher powers, which have need? So as (by myself) I can often find experience, that wealth maketh not a man rich, but needy.  
How many hath covetousness seduced. And 〈◊〉 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 'gainst 〈◊〉. Num. 22. 10. 7.  many more hath this miserable niggardliness over thrown, and cast away. The Ass, condemneth Balame Because being over come, with the covetousness of their fair promises, he undertook to curse. The people of Israel did stone 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  Acham, because he took gold and silver for the offerings. Naboth 
4. Reg. 5.  was slain, that 〈◊〉 might possess his vyneard. Giezi was stricken with leprosy because he asked and received silver and gold and garments, under the name of 〈◊〉. judas did hang himself in a halter, because he sold & betrayed Christ. Ananias and Saphira died suddenly because they went about to beguile the apostles of the price of their field. Tirus did build his treasury and heaped up silver like earth, & gold like unto the clay of the streets. But behold, the 
Zach. 9  Lord shall possess it. And shall strike the strength thereof in the Seas, and it shall be devoured with fire.  
Why should any man go about to heap together, when 
Of the superfluous carefulness of them which be covetous.  he which doth heap together, can not long stand nor continue: for like unto a flower he cometh forth and is shaken. And flieth away like unto a shadow, never continewinge in one estate. Wherefore should he desire much 
job. 14.  when as little may suffice him? If we have (saith the Apostle) 
1. Tim. 6.  meat, drynck, and clot, let us there with be contented, wherefore should man seek necessary things with great carefulness, when as they proffer themselves without any great difficulty? hearken what the truth saith upon this point: Be not careful, saying what shall we eat, or 
Math. 6.  what shall we drink? or where with shall we be covered? For your heavenly father doth know that you have need of 
Luke. 22.  all these things. But first seek you the kingdom of heaven, & then all things shallbe given unto you. For I never saw the just forsaken, nor his seed begging his bread.  
Tantalus is thrirsty in the midst of the water, & the covetous 
Of 〈◊〉.  man is needy in the midst of his wealth. Unto whom as much availeth that which he hath not, as that which he hath. Since he never taketh the youse of that which he hath got. But still is greedily bend upon the getting of more. Solomon saith: He is like unto a rich man when he hath nothing, & he is like unto 
Pro. 13.  a poor man when he is over whelmed with much richeses. Both the sick man and the covetous man eateth & disgesteth not. receiveth and restoreth ●…ot. A covetous man doth neither take compassion on them that suffer, nor helpeth nor pitieth them which are in misery. But offendeth God. Offendeth himself, and offendeth his neighbour. For from god he withhouldeth that which is due. To his neighbour he denieth that which is necessary. And from himself he conveyeth that which is most convenient. Unthanckfull to god, wicked to his neighbour, and cruel unto himself. Substance is to no purpose for a covetous and niggardly man. And to what end serveth gold, in the hands of an envious man? he which is evil unto himself, how shall he be good 
Eccle. 14.  unto others? and he shall not rejoice in his substance. He 
〈◊〉. john. 5.  which hath the wealth of this world, and seeth his brother in necessity, and shutteth up his store from him, how doth the love and charity of god devil in him? For he loveth not his neighbour as himself. But letteth him perish for need & poverty. Neither doth he love god above all things. But prefereth gold, and more esteemeth silver.  
The Apostle doth well define covetousness, saying: 
Why covetousness is the servitude of Idols.  Covetousuesse is the bondage or service of Idols. For as the Idolater doth serve the Immage or Idol: So doth the covetous man serve and attend his gold. For as the idolater 
Ephe. 〈◊〉.  doth diligently amplify the honour and ceremonies of Idolatry, even so doth the covetous man willingly increase the heaps of his money. That one with all diligence decketh and worshippeth the Idol, and that other with all care & need, doth heap his treasure. That one putteth his hope in Idolatry, and that other putteth his hope in his riches. That one is afeard to hurt the Image or Idol, and that other is afeard to demynishe his treasury.  
A covetous man is prompt to crave, slow to give, and 
Of the properties of a covetous man  bold to deny. If he spend any thing, he thinks that he loseth all. He is heavy, complaining & wayward, being careful, he sigheth and is vexed. He is doubtful when he hath most, & he dispatcheth all things with an evil will, He doth ●…agnifie and extol that which is already given. ●…ut dispyteth and vylefyeth that which must be given. He giveth to gay●…e but he gaineth not to give. He is liberal upon anothermans' purse, and sparing of his own. He pincheth his belly to fill his coffer, and punysheth his body to pamper his purse. His hand serveth not to give that which is gathered, 
Eccle. 4●….  but to receive that which is reached unto him. To conclude, the substance of the unjust man shallbe dried up like unto a puddle. For he which doth evil heap together, will soon disperse it. A i●…st judgement of god. That such things as are evil got may be as evil spent. And that such things as preséed not of goodness, should never climb unto the name of goodness. So that the covetous man hath the condemnation of this life & of the life to come.  
T●… we it is therefore, that the wise man protesteth s●…ying: 
Of the wicked possessings of riches.  gold & silver have undone many man. He which loveth gold shall not be justified. Woe be unto them which follow it. For behold the synuers themselves are abundant in 
Eccle. 8. 31.  this world, and have obtained richeses. Hereupon the very 
Psalm. 71.  truth did command the Apostles saying: Possess you 
Math. 10.  neither gold nor silver nor money in your purses. For even as a Camel cannot enter at the eye of a needle, so is it hard f●…r a rytch man to enter into the kingdom of heaven, for the way is narrow, and the gate very straight, which l●…adeth unto life. The Apostle, therefore folowinng the 
Act. 3.  rule of truth sayeth: I have neither gold, nor silver. 
Esai. 2. 〈◊〉.  Woe be unto you then which join house to house and 
Ibidem. 25.  field to field, until you have altogether, the earth is replenished with silver and gold. And there is no end of his treasures. For the iniquity of his covetousness, I am angry and have strooken him.  
But Abraham was rich, & Jobe had abundance. David 
Of unlawful wealth.  was also very rich & yet the scripture saith of Abraham, that he 
Gen e. 1●….  believed in god & it was imputed unto him for righteousness. 
job. 〈◊〉.  and it is written of job, that there was not his like in the land. A man simple, right, fearing god. And declyninge from evil. Of David it is written, that god found a man according to his heart. But then these men were as though they had nothing, and possessed all things. According to the saying of the Prophet. If riches come upon you, set not your heart thereon. But we are like unto men that possess all things, and yet have nothing. So saith also the Psalmist: 
Psalm. 3●….  The rich men did need, and were hungry. For with more ease shall you find a man which lou●…th riches, and hath them not, than a man which hath riches and loveth them not, for as it is hard to lie in the fire and not to burn, so is it hard to possess riches and not to love them. Geu●… ear unto the Prophet jeremy: who saith, that from the lest to the greatest, all men apply their minds unto covetousness. And from a Prophet to a priest, all men devise subtilies.  
Every coueto●…s man doth endeavour & strive, against nature. 
Of the vnc●…rtayntie of riches.  For nature brought man poor into the world. And nature taketh the poor man out of the world. For as the earth did receive him naked at his birth, so shall it r●…ceue 
Luke. 22.  him ●…aked at his death.  
But the covetous man desireth and taketh care to become rich in this world. I will pull down my barns, saith he: & make them greater, and therein will I heap up all mine increase, and all my goods. But it was said unto him. O fool: this night shall thy soul be taken from thee. And than whose shall those things be, which thou hast prepared: Thou layest up treasure & thou knowest not for whom thou 
Psalm. 38. 39  gatherest it. For the rich men have slept their sleep, and 
job. 3.  found nothing of their riches remaining in their hands. 
Psalm. 48.  When the rich man hath slept, he shall take up nothing. He shall open his chests & find nothing in them. Be not a feared when thou seest a man made rich, nor when the glory of his house is multiplied. For when he dieth, he shall carry none of them with him. Neither shall the glory of his house descend with him into the pit, but he shall leave his riches unto strangers, & his sepulchre shall be his house for ever. Hereupon also the wise man doth witness, saying: He which heapeth up unjustly of that which is not his own, shall gather for other men, and a stranger shall make havoc & riot with his goods. Out and alas, he shall make him his heir whom he held as his enemy.  
The beginning of man's life was bread and water, clothing 
Of gluttony.  and house to cover his filthiness. But now the glutton 
Eccle. 14.  
Eccle. 1.  is not satisfied with fruits of trees, with the sundry sorts of pulse, the roots of herbs, the fish of the Sea, the beasts of the Earth, nor the birds of the Air. But payntinges must be sought, Spices must be bought, & dainty small birds, must be nourished, they are taken with baits of the fowler, curiously dressed by the skilful Cook, and neatly served by the handsome waiters at the table. One breaketh them up, another sawceth them, & turneth their substance into accident, and their nature into art. That f●…lnesse may pass over into hungry appetite, & that over eating may procure a good stomach. To stir up gluttony, and not to sustain nature. Not to supply necessity: but to fulfil greediness. And yet is the pleasure of gluttony so short, as having regard to the space of the place, it is scarce four fingers in bigness, & measuring it by the space of the time, it is scarce so many moments long. Mediocrytie is had in contempt. And superfluity is desyered, both in varyetie of meats, and diversities of tastes. Gréedynesse knoweth no measure, and variety exceedeth all the bounds thereof.  
But the mind is overcharged, and the stomach is troubled. So that the senses are therein oppressed. Thereupon not health and lustiness, but death and drowsiness do proceed. give ear unto the saying of the wise man, hereupon. Be not greedy in feeding (saith he) when thou comest 
Eccle. 37.  to thy meat, neither hurt thy stomach, with all food that shall be set before thee. For in many dishes diseases 
2. Cor. 6.  ●…oo lurk, and through dronkendesse of wine, many men have been cast away. The food for the belly, and the belly for the food. But God will destroy both the one and the other.  
Gluttony doth raise a great tribute, but it rendereth a 
Examples against Gluttony.  most vile revenue. For the more delicate that the meats be, so much the more styncking are the excrements, and ordure made thereof. He shall do the more beastly in all things, which doth most greedily load and power in. He shall break unsavoury and loathsome wind, both upwards and downwards, and make an abominable smell and noise therewith. Gluttony did shut up Paradyse, made Esawe cell 
●…en, 3. 23. 40  his birth right, caused the baker to hang himself, procured John Baptist to be headed. Nabuzardan, prince and 
Marc. 6.  
4. Reg 〈◊〉.  capteyne of Cooks, did set the Temple on fire, and overthrew 
Dan. 3.  the holy city. Balthasar whilst he sat at his banquet, 
Exod. 23.  espied a hand in the wall writing. Mane Thetel Phares, 
Psalm. 77.  and the same night he was killed of the Caldyes'. The people 
Ieremi. 4.  sat eating and drinking, and rose to play, yea the meat was yet in their mouths, and the wrath of god came upon them. They which did feed voluptuously were slain in 
Luc. 16.  their ways, and the rich man which fared deyntely every day was buried in hell.  
What is more filthy than a drunkard? whose breath 
Of drunkenness.  stincketh, and his body trembleth. Promising many things, and bewraying all things, his mind being altered, and his face transformed. For there is no secret kept, where 
〈◊〉. 3●….  drunckennesse reigneth. 
Faecundi calices, quem non fecere disertum?   
Furthermore, neither ale, bear, nor wine, sufficeth. But bastard, claret wine, and sack, are curiously spysed, with much labour great carefulness, and no small charge. Whereupon proceed contentions, and brawling, strife and chydinges. For wine being much drunken (as the wise man. saith) doth 'cause much disdain, anger, & mischief. From thence spring, fornications. Wine and women over come 
Eccle. 31.  the heart. Therefore saith the Apostle: be not drunken with 
Ose. 4.  wine, in the which lechery doth lurk. And Solomon: 〈◊〉 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  is a lecherus and a riotous thing. And drunckeunesse is a 
〈◊〉. 30.  tumultuous troublesome thing. The sons of Rachab, 
Hier. 35.  and Zacharie, did drink neither wine, ale, nor any thing 
Luc. 8.  that might make them become drunken.  
Drunckennesse laid open the privy members. Committed 
Example against drunckennesse.  incest, killed the kings daughter, strangled the chief of the army. True is that which Solomon saith. They which 
Gen. 9 10.  spend their time in bybbing, and shake hands over their 
2. Reg. 13.  cups, shallbe consumed. And Esai saith. Woe be unto you 
judith. 13.  that rise early to become drunken, & to bybbe until it be 
Pro. 25.  dark night, that you may burn and fry in wine. Which 
Esay. 13.  have the Lute, the Harp, the Tymbrel, & the pipe, & wine 
Esa. 22.  in your banquets. Woe be unto you that have mighty power to drink much wine at a banquet, & are strong men to mingle all kind of drunkenness together: Behold, your mirth & joy is to kill calves, stick weathers & rams, and to eat flesh and to drink wine. Let us eat and drink (say you) for to morrow we shall dye. And the voice of the Lord of Hosts, was to me revealed, saying: If this iniquity be forgiven you, die. Woe be to the crown of pride in drunckennesse. The Priest and the Prophet in Effraim, were 
Esa. 28.  ignorant through drunckennesse, and were swallowed up in wine. They known not him that seeth all, and they were ignorant of his judgement.  
Furthermore a filthy mother begetteth amore filthy 
Of Lechery.  daughter, for it is m●…ete that such as be in filthiness should 
Apo. 22.  
Osee. 7.  still be filthy. For all men are adulterers, like unto an Duen heated by the baker. The princes begin to be mad with wine. And their belly delicately fed, doth readily desire to accomplish the works of Venus. O extreme filthiness and abomination, which doth not only effeminate the mind, but also doth weaken the sinews of the body. Doth not only blot the soul, but also bewray the person. For all sin that a man committeth is without his body, but 
1. Cor. 6.  he which doth sin in fornication doth sin against his body. Heat and desire do always go before it, stynch and vncle●…nnesse do always keep it company, and sorrow with repentance do evermore follow it. For the lips of an harlot saith, Solomon: are like unto the drops of a honey 
Pro. 3.  comb, and her throat shines like oil. But th'end of her is as bitter as wormwood, and her tongue is as sharp as a two edged sword.  
Lechery is a familiar enemy, which dwelleth not far 
Of the generality of Lechery.  of, but near to you. Not outwardly, but inwardly. For all the virtue thereof is in the loins, and the strength thereof 
job. 40.  is in the navel, and secret parts. It is never chased away, but when it is eschewed, nor it is never killed, but when it is made lean and punished. Unto the cause thereof, it requireth liberty and abundance, but to do the effect thereof, it must have power always in readiness. This marreth and corrupteth every age, it confoundeth every sect, it dissolveth and breaketh every order, and it overthroweth every degree. For it invadeth young and old, men and women, wise and foolish, higher and lower, unto the last generation.  
Who is able sufficiently to express the manyfoldsorts 
Of the sundry sorts of lechery, and their pains.  hereof? For this is it which overthrew Pentapolis, with all the Region adjoining. If you would have examples of the Sodomytes. It destroyed Sichem, with the people thereof. If 
Gen. 10. 34. 38  you seek more rare examples. It struck the sons of saint 
Num. 25.  Hierom and Ouanus in juda. If you inquire for them that 
judi. 19 20.  were unclean, it thrust through the jews and the Madiamite 
1. Reg. 2. 4. 11  with a dagger. If you seek fornicators, it did extinguish the tribe of Benjamin, for the wife of the 〈◊〉. If adulterers, 
Dan. 13.  it overthrew the sons of Hely in ba●…tayle, and killed Amon at his banquet. If you look for ravishers, chu●…ch robbers, and committers of incest, than this killed Urias. stoned the Priests, cursed Reuben, seduced Samson, and perverted 
Gen 35. 49.  Solomon. Therefore is it true that is read: For the sundry 
jud. 16.  sorts thereof, many have perished. For wine and women have caused many wise men to fall from the faith. 
3. Reg. 11.  ●…and have dulled the best & quickest wits. This vice hath 
Eccle. 9 1●….  thrown down many men sore wounded, & many strong men have been ●…ayne therewith. The house thereof is 〈◊〉 
Pro. 7.  way of hell, which pierceth into the entrails of death. This vice doth weaken the sinews, diminish the senses, consume the days, and power out the substance.  
The punishment of this vice hath taught, what the fault 
The punishment of this vice.  thereof deserveth. For the Lord rained fire and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomor, from the heavens, and would not 
Gen. 18.  commit th execucion of this punishment, unto any man or Angel. But reserved unto himself the revenge of this mys●…heuous deed. According to that saying. Revenge is mine and I will give it. And therefore the Lord God rained from the Lord, (even from himself) not showers nor dew, but fire and brimstone, upon the fervent heat of lust. That the punishment might be like the offence. Neither is it said that he sent it, but that he rained it, that by the abundant greatness of the word, he might notify the abundant greatness of the punishment. His eye spared no man, but did extinguish them all. Yea, even the wife of Loath also, because she looked back, he turned her into a pillar of salt. Neither did he only destroy the towns, but also did convert all the regions thereabouts, into the dead vale and salt pool. For it is horrible to light in the hands of the living God. Who the greater that he showeth the patience of his long suffering, the harder doth he bring in the revenge of his severity.  
Then the covetous man doth gather, and the niggard 
Of the ambycious man.  heapeth up wealth and riches. The glutton doth taste of voluptuous d●…syres, and the lecher doth exercise them. But the Ambitious man doth affect honours, and the proud man doth extol himself. The ambitious man is ever fearful, and ever more héedy and wary, what he should speak or do, which may be unpleasant in the ears of men, he dissembleth humility, and counterfeyteth honesty. showeth affa●…ilitie, and proffereth, followeth, and poursueth benignity. He honoureth all men, and boweth to all men. Frequenteth courts, visiteth the chief people, riseth and imbraseth, flattereth, and sotheth, well knoweth he this lesson of the Poet. 
Et si nullus erit pulvis, tamen excutit ullum.   
He is prompt and earnest where he desierith to please, slow and backward, where he dreadeth to offend. He reproveth evil things, & detesteth wicked things, proving and reproving, liking & disliking, one thing with another that he may be judged fit, reputed welcome, praised of men, and allowed genarally. And behold he maintaineth a great comebat within himself, and a hard conflict, while iniquity thrusteth for ward the mind, and ambition holdeth back the hand. That which th'one doth minister to be done, tother will not suffer to be brought to pass. Yet the mother and the daughter, (I mean Iniquity and Ambytion) do play & dally one with an other. For the mother openly doth stand still, and the daughter privily doth not resist. That one challengeth unto herself the open show, and that other the secret. Then the ambytious man doth principally treat of the pryncipallytie, or office, or authority which he goeth about, and saith: O when shall such bear rule as be severe and upright in justice? godly in mercy? which will neither decline for love nor hatred? which will not be corrupted, either with penny, or Pater noster? which will believe the faithful, and be attentyve unto the humble besechers? which may be curt●…ous and benign, liberal and meek, constant, wise, patiented and subtile.  
If percase he prosit not by this mean before rehearsed, 
Of the over great covetousness of Ambition's men.  them hath he recourse unto an other. He calleth Simon & cometh unto Gi●…zi. By the one he goeth about to buy of that other that which (by hims●…lfe) he was not able to obtey●…e. He bes●…heth and pro●…iseth, he profer●…th and giveth, (O shameful thing) even t●…at favour which frankly and freely he could not obtain. Yet doth he not so stay, but layeth on load and violently doth invade honour. Yea, he doth impudently take dignity upon him, by the boyce of his friends, & the help of his neighbours. And he is inflamed with such a fervent heat of domination, and with such an exceeding lust to bear rule, that he neither abhorreth schism, nor fears slander. But Biezi is stricken with leprosy, and Simon perisheth with money. Chore and his complices were put into the fire. And Dathan, and Abyron, the ground did swallow up quick. Let no man then take honour upon him but he which is called of God, as Aron was.  
There is a plain example of ambytion repeated in the 
An example of ambition.  story of Absalon. Which, when he did aspire unto the kingdom and made him chariots & furnished horsemen, & men of war which should go before him. And rising betimes in the morning, he stood at the entry of the gate, & all men which had business to come unto the kings judgement, he called unto him, & said. Of what city or country art thou? who answered, I am thy servant of such a tribe in Israel. And Absalon said, thy request seemeth to me to be good and just, but here is no man to give ear unto thee being appointed of the king, and he said more over, who will make and constitute, me judge over the land, that all they which have business to do may come unto me, as unto a just judge? Yea when any man came unto him and saluted him, he reached him his hand and embracing him kissed his cheek, and thus he did until all Israel which came unto judgement to be hard of the king. And he did labour for the hearts of the men of Israel. And when Absalon was gone into Ebron, he sent spies into every tribe of Israel, saying, as soon as you shall hear the sound of the Trampet, say you Absalon reigneth in Ebron, and a great conspiracy was made thereby, & the people coming together did increase greatly with Absalon.  
But put the case that the ambitious man be raised up on 
Of the short & miserable life of them which be in authority  high, & be carried up a fit: immediately cares do grow privily, carefulness is accumulate, fasting are prolonged, watchigs are lengthened, whereby both nature is corrupted, & the spirits are weakened. The sleeps are broken, the appetite is lost, the virtues are weakened, the body waxeth lean, and so failing in his own defect, he liveth not half his days. But concludeth a miserable life, with a more miserable end. That saying of the Poet is true: Great things are forbidden to stand long. They are raised up an high, that they may fall the more grievously. But that saying of the Prophet is more true. I see (saith he) the wicked man exalted 
Psalm. 3●….  and raised up on high, as the boughs of Lybanus. I went by, and be hold, there was none that knew him. I sought him, and his place was not to be found. Before his days be fulfilled, he perisheth, let him rejoice as a vine when it first flourisheth. And let his clusters be as the ollyfe, when it buddeth. Mark the saying of the wise thereupon. All men in authority (saith he) are short lived. 
Eccle.. 10.   
As soon as the ambitious man is promoted to honour, 
Of the sundry properties of proud men.  he is puffed up with pride, and becometh unbrydled in boasting, neither doth he care to profit, but glorieth to bear rule. He presumeth himself to be the better, because he is grown to be higher. But the virtue and not the degree, the honesty and not the dignity, doth make a good man. Men thus advanced, do disdain their former friends, over see their known companions, contempn their accustomed fellows, turn their countenances, hold up their heads, set up their hear, show their pride, speak big, & muse upon deep matters. They can not abide to be commanded, they seek to rule the roast. Envious at all other that be preferred. And grenous unto such as are under their subjection. They bear no grief, defer no conceit, heady & bold, glorious and ignorant, heavy and importunate.  
O pride, hateful & unable to be bor●… of any man. Amongst 
Of pride and the fall of Lucifer.  all vices, thou always art both first and last. For all kind of sin (if thou come in the way) is committed. And all kind of sin (if thou step a side out of the way) is omitted As it is written: the beginning of all sin is pride. 
Sap. 3.  The first begotten death. For this in the beginning of all 
Eccle. 10.  things, did raise up the creature against his creator. An ●…ngell against God. But immediately and without delay, it threw him down again. Because he continued not in the truth, it threw him down again from innocency, into sin, from delights, into miseries, and from the bright heaven, into a thick misty air. hearken unto the Prophet 
Esa. 14  saying: How didst thou fall Luryfer, which sprongest in the morning? Thou fell●…st down upon the ground, which didst wound the nations, and saidest in thy heart, I will go up into heaven, and will exalt the soll of my foot above the Stars of God. I will sit in the mount of the testament 
〈◊〉. 2●….  in the sides of the Northwind, and will climb upon the height of the Clouds. I will be like unto the highest. Thou wert in the delights of Paradise of God, & an Image & token of his likeness, full of wisdom and perfect in all comeliness, all kinds of precious stones were in thy bestements. The Topase, the jaspis, the Chrystolite, the Onyxe the Berall, the Carbu●…cle, the Saphir and the Emerald. Gold was the workmanship of thy comeliness, and thy holes & privities were prepared in the day that thou wert made. Thou wert that mighty and great Cherub, and I put thee in the holy hill of God. Thou walkedst in the midst of the fiery stones, (as perfect in thy ways) from the day of thy creation, until iniquity was found in thee. Thou hast sinned, and I cast thee out of the mount of God. Mine heart was raised up in thy comeliness, and I have cast thee out against the earth. The Cedar trees were no higher than he in Paradise. The Fir trees were not equal unto his tops, & the Palm trees were not equal unto his boughs. No wood in Paradise, was like unto him, nor unto his beauty, because I made him beautiful, & without many thick boughs. 
job. 24.  He is king above all the sons of pride, he is that great read 
Apo. 1●….  dragon, having seven heads, & ten horns, & seven crowns upon his heads. Whose tail drew the third part of the Stars of heaven, and threw them down upon the earth. And that great dragon is thrown ●…oorth, that old S●…rpent which is called the devil and Satana●…. W●…h 〈◊〉 the whole world and was thrown forth upon the earth, and his angels were sent with him. Of whom the truth saith: I saw Satanas as a lyghtening falling from heaven. 
Luk●…. 10. 14.  For everyone that exalteth himself shallbe humiliate, and he that humbleth himself shallbe exalted.  
O proud presumption and presumptuous pride, which 
Of the arogaunce of men.  wouldst not only be equal unto the angels of god, but also didst presume to make men Gods. But those whom he raised up, he put down, & whom he exalted, he brought low. Here upon the Lord saith unto the Prophet, O son of man say unto the Prince of tire: thus saith the Lord god. Because thy heart is raised up as the heart of god and thou hast said, I am a god (when thou art but a man and no God) therefore I will bring the strongest people upon thee and will kill thee. And Thou shalt dye in the overthrow of them that be slain. Nabuchodonozar, because he did proudly brag on his power and s●…yd: is not this Babylon, which I have ●…ylded in the house of my kingdom, and in the strength of my fortitude, & the glory of my co●…lynesse? when the word was yet in the king's mouth, a voice sell from heaven saying. To thee king Nab●…chodonosar is it 
Daniel. 4.  said, thy kingdom is go from thee, and I will cast thee out from men, and thy dwelling shallbe with cattle and wild beasts. Thou shalt eat hay like an Ox, and seven times shallbe changed upon thee, until thou know that the highest hath dominion in the kingdoms of men. And he giveth them unto whom soever it pleaseth him. At the same instant, the word was fulfilled upon Nabuchodonosar. Therefore it is true which is said in the 
Psalm. 48.  Psalm, Man did not understand when he was in honour. He was compared unto the fond cattle, and was made like unto them. Pride overthrew the Tower, and confounded the tongues, beaten down Golias and hanged Aman, slay Nicanor, and took away Antiochus. It drowned Pharaoh, 
Ge●…. 11.  destroyed Senacherib, and cut of Holofernus head. 
1. Reg. 7.  GOD hath destroyed the seats of the proud Princes 
●…est 7.  and Captains, and hath dried up the roots of the proud 
2. Macch. 1●…. 9.  people. 
judi. 6.   
The Lord himself doth witness by the Prophet how 
Of the abbomynation of pride.  detestable pride is, saying: I detest the pride of jacob: and the Lord hath sworn against the pride of jacob. If I forget 
Exo. 14.  all their works unto the end. Whereupon amongst 
4. Reg. 10.  those seven things which the Lord hateth & his soul abhorreth 
jud. 13.  the seventh, Solomon putteth in the first place high 
●…ccle. 19  
Amos. 6. 8.  looks. And Esay saith: the day of the Lord of hosts upon 
Pro. 6.  all proud & high looks, and upon them that are arrogant. 
Esa. 2.   
And they shallbe bro●…ght low. And upon all the Ceders of Lybanus, both high and straight, and upon all the Oaks of Basan, and upon all mountaynas and all high hills, & all high Towers, and all walls of defence, and the height of men shallbe bended downwards, and the tallness of m●…n shallbe brought low. Therefore hell hath eularged & stresched 
Esa. 5. 2. 3●….  out his spirit, and hath opened his mouth until there be no end, and the high haughty and glorious thereof shall go down unto it. The Lord of hosts hath thought this that he might abate the pride of all their glory. job also saith, If pride climb up unto heaven, and his h●…ade reach the 
job. 20.  clouds, yet in th'end it shallbe destroyed and laid low as a dungehill.  
In manner all things that be vycious, do love their 
Against the arrogance of the proud.  likes. But the proud doth hate the high minded and arrogant man. Whereupon Solomon said: among the proud 
Pro 11. 15.  there are always contentions, and where pride is there must needs be despyt also. A proud man doth go and gesture otherwise then he was wont, and despiseth those things that he is accustomed unto. He accounteth him a great man whom he vouchesafeth to speak unto, and very great if he rise and embrace him. He more esteemeth that the dygnitie proceedeth from him, then that he is made by the dygnytie.  
He will never use the affection of fatherhood, but he but he will always use the imperiousness of giving. His pride, his arrogancy, and his indignation are more than his might. He revolueth in his mind that which is red in the gospel. There become a contention amongst the disciples of our Lord Iesu Christ, which of them should seem 
Luc, 20.  to be greatest. And jesus said unto them. The Princes of the people do rule over them, and those which have power amongst them are called liberal. But it shall not be so with you, but he which is greatest shall be as the lest amongst you, and he which is foremost of you shall be as it were a servant, and as Peter the prince of the Apostles 
1. Pet. 3.  saith, not as though you ruled over the Clergy. But as the rulers and governors of the flock through good will. The 
Psalm. 〈◊〉.  earth is the Lords and the plenty thereof, the whole world and all that devil therein. Then there is one God, and one Lord. The rest are not Lords but ministers and servants, unto whom dominion is forbidden, and the ministry is enjoined. Give ear unto the wise man hereupon saying. If they have made thee a ruler be not extolled. But be amongst 
Eccle. 31.  them as thou wertone of them.  
Behold the sons of Zebedy who by the intercession of 
An exa●…le against the frauds and deceipts of ambitious men.  their mother did seek honour of Christ. Command (said she) that these my two sons may sit one on thy right hand and that other on thy left hand in thy kingdom. But they deserved to have this answer? you know not what you ask, for you can not come into my kingdom by honour 
Math. 20.  and promotion. But heavy burdens of tribulation whereupon the Lord added further, it is not mine to give you. As if he should have said it is mine but not to give you, that is to say unto ambitious men such as you are. For although power be of God, yet proud men do not reign as appointed by GOD, according to the saying of the Prophette. They reigned but not as sent from me, they becam●… Princes and I knew them not. The proud arrogaunt man loveth the highest seats in the 
Of the properties of arrogant men.  synagogues, and the highest chair at table, to be saluted in market, and to be called Rabbi, among men. He will not be called by the name of his parson, but by the name of his fortune, and promotion. He will not be honoured like a man, but like a Lord. He sitteth highest, he goeth stately, he would have all men to rise when he passeth by, and he will give a beck to every man. Furthermore a certain Philosopher mocking the arrogance of a certain King, when he saw him sit stately in the regal throne, falling prostrate upon the ground did worship him. And immediately therewithal being not bidden, he arose and sat down by the King. The King maruayling greatly thereat, because he known him to be a Philosopher did ask him wherefore he did so? and the Philosopher answered. Either thou art a God or a man. If thou be a God, then was it my du●…y to worship thee. If thou be a man, then may I sit by thee. But than the King turning his speech towards the Philosopher said. Yea but because I am a man thou shouldest not have worshipped me. And if I be a god, then shouldest thou not sytt by me. A question, both wisely answered: and wettily propounded. 
Of superfluous apparel.   
God made our first, parents coats of beasts fells, & skins after they had sinned. And it is said by Christ: unto such 
Gen. 3  as profess the name of Christians, you shall not have two 
Math. 10.  coats. But according to the council of john, he which hath 
Luke. 3.  tw●… coats, let him give one of them to him which hath ●…ne. But the proud man to the end he may seem magnificent, 
Math. 23.  doth love to be double clothed, and to have delycat garments, and precious ornaments. And what is a man decked with precious things, but only a Sepulehre painted & white limed without, & full of filthiness within? purple & crymsynne, Skarlett & silk, do putryfie in the flyme of the earth. And gold and silver, pearls and precious stones, b●…come fo●…le and filthy in clay. Power and dygnitie, do lie vnco●…ly i●… in the dust. And glory & honour sit as 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Then wherefore wear we these 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉,  pride, with broad & sumptuous borders: the rich man which was clothed in purple & silk was buried in hell. Dyna the daughter 
●…en. 33.  of the patriarch jacob (as josephus rehearseth) before she went out to buy such ornaments as the provincial women did were, remained a virgin. But as soon as she came out, Sy●…hē that son of the king of the Amorits, did violently ra●…ish her. Holofernus sitting in a canapy which was of purple ●…lk & gold, set with Emeralds, & other precious stones, was beheaded by judith. Who when she was (a little before) wrapped in garments of hearecloth, did now take upon her garmnts of rejoicing. give ear unto the council of the wise man hereupon which saith: do never glory in garments, and the Apostle biddeth us? Glory not (saith he) in precious ornaments 
E●…cle. 11.  neither lay out fair locks of hair. Nor border and 
1. Tim. 2.  guard your garments with gold etc. 
1. Pet. 3.   
Mark what our Lord god doth threaten against the superfluity 
Against super fluous apparel Esa. 〈◊〉.  of apparel by the Prophet Esay saying: For as much as the daughters of Zion are puffed up with pride, & walk with bore necks laid out, and bridling in their gate, therefore the Lord will make bald their bushy locks, & will take of the hair from the daughters of Zion. In those days the Lord will take away the ornaments of their shoes, and their hoop rings, chains, carcanets, bracelets, & jewels. Their calls, & their frizzled & curled perwyckes, their small chains, their pomanders, their ear rings, & the precious stones, hanging upon their foreheads, their short cloaks & shift of garments, their fine linen & their needle works, their glasses, their lawn partlets, their fillets, and their fine scarves & vayls. And in steed of sweet smells, they shall have stynch, in steed of their fair purses and girdles, they shall have a small cord to bind their coffyne, and in stead of frysled hair, they shall have a bore and a balld skull. Behold, this pain and punishment is given for their fault, that they may be corrected and punished even therein wherein they offended. But furthermore har●…en unto the Prophet Ezechiell, hereupon saying. O tire the ●…undry sorts of silk in Egypt are woven for thee. 
Eze. ●…7.  Truly thy garments are made of sumptuous purple and curious works. They have changed their juorye and Ebonye with thee, for money. They have brought into the market places, purples and pearls, silks and tyns●…lls, furs of Luzards and Genetts, for the abundance of the wealth which they found in thee. They have given the ruler's Tapestryes to tread upon and to cover their tables. And their glory is over greatly replenished thereby. But behold now thou art contryt and sorrowful in the midst of the sea, and thy wealth is in the depth of the waters. Thou art brought to nothing & shalt not remain for ever.  
When a certain Philosopher went (upon a time) unto 
That more is attributed unto the garments, than unto the virtues or good conditions of a man.  a princes Court homely clad, and knocking at the gate was not let in, but as often as he pressed to go in: so often was he repulsed and put back, he changed his hahyte and put on coomely garments. The way was made for him at the first word. He going on unto the Prince, began to kiss the cloak which he ware. And the Prince maruayling thereat, demanded what he did? and wherefore he did so? the Phylosopper answered: I honour my habit (ꝙ he O Prince) for that which my vert●…e ne could not get, my garment hath obtained. O vanytie of all vanities, more honour is given to the garment then to the goodness, and more worship done for the outward aparaunce, then for the inward perfection of a man.  
An artyanciall show is laid on, and a natural face and 
Of the painting and coūt●…rfayting of beauties, Mat. 16.  favour is hid and taken away. As though the art of man created, were above the excellent works of God the creator. Not so, not so, O men Consider you, (saith the Lord:) the lilies of the fyeld how they gronwe. They do neither labour nor spin. But I say unto you: that Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like unto one of them. God forbidden that a counterfeit colour should be to be compared unto a natural colour. For whilst the fac●… is painted with a counterfeit colour the skin is marred with 〈◊〉 filthyn●…e. All men lyu●…ng are altogether vanity. What can be mor●… vain, then to brayed the hair, to curl the locks, to die the cheeks, to anoint the forehead, and to twytch away●… the eye lyddes? in as much as glory is deceitful, and beauty is vain. And all flesh is grass, and all the glory thereof like unto the flowers of the field. For like unto hay they 
Pro. 30.  shall quickly wither, and shall soon fall like unto potherbs. 
Susa. 40.  But to pass over the decking and apparel of the person, 
●…al. 30.  lest I should seem to speak more of malice then of truth, what is more vain then to deck and tryme the table with diaper clotheses? with diaper napkins, as white as ●…uoryo? vessel of gold and silver? with small cups, bowls, and stately standing cups? with plates and spoons? with dishes and pottengers? with lyvery pots and jugs? with spice boxes, and cha●…ngdishes? what prevaileth it to paint the roofs of the chambers, to furnish the halls, to hang the porches and lobbetts, to pave the flowers, to make the beds, well stuffed with down feathers, covered with silk quilts, drawn about with curteynes, and shadowed with ranopeys? since it is written: Man shall take none of these with him when he dieth, neither shall his glory descend with him.  
There is no man which may glory, that his heart is clean. 
Of the uncleanness of the heart.  Since we all do offend in many things. And if we say that we sin not, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is 
Psal. 48.  not in us. Who is able to say as the Apostle said? I am 
jacob. 3.  guilty in nothing to my knowledge, and yet thereby am I 
r. l●…a. 1.  not justified. Show me such an one, and we will praise him. 
1. Cor. 4.  
Eccle. 31.  Behold even among the saints, no man is unculpable, & 
job. 4. 15. 2●….  the heavens are not clean in his sight, for in his angels he 
Gen. 6.  hath found iniquity. How abominable and unprofitable is man, which drinketh iniquity as it were water? and therefore GOD did repent him that he had made man upon the Earth, because the malice and wickedness of man on Earth was exceeding great, and all his thoughts bend always upon evil. And therefore being touched with sorrow of heart inwardly, he took away man whom he had created. Furthermore iniquity 
Mat. 24.  aboundeth, and the charity of many is waxed cold. 
Psal. 13. ●…1.  All men have declined and are become unprofitable altogether. There is no man that doth good, not not one. All the whole life (in manner) of mortal men, is full of mortal and 
Rom. 1. 10.  deadly sins, so that it is scarcely possible to find any one 
Tit. 9 〈◊〉.  which doth not decline on the left hand, which doth not return unto his vomit, & which doth not putrefy in ordure and uncleanness. Nay rather they glory when they have done evil, and reioyc●… in most wicked things, being replenished with all iniquity, malice, fornication, covetise, naughtiness, envy, murder, contention, craft, privy grudge, slander, and murmuring. Being hateful unto God, contumelious, proud, high minded, devisers of mischief, disobedient to their parents, disorder●…d, without love, without truth, and without mercy. With such and much worse this world is replenished, as with heretics & schismatics, periures, tyrants, Symonsellers, hypocrites, ambitious men, robbers & spoilers, extortioners and pollers, usurers and false witnesses, wicked thieves, and church robbers, traitors, liars, flatterers, deceivers, tale tellers, waverers, gluttons, drunkards, adulterers, incestuous men, tender treaders and vain vaunters, slovens, sluggards, and loiterers, prodigal spenders and unthrifts, rash quarrelers and hackers, unpatient and unconstant men, poisoners and witches, presumptuous and ●…rogant wretches, devilish minded and desperate men. To conclude, with such as are packed full of all paltry of the earth, and farced with all kind of vile abomination. Yet even as the smoke vanisheth away, so shall they vanish: and as 
Psal. 67.  wax melteth before the fire, so shall sinners perish before the face of God. 
Of the sorrows and pains which the evil & wicked men do suffer at their death.   
The wicked men do suffer four principal pains at their death. The first is the perpiexitie of the body, which is then greater and more grievous than ever it was or is in this present life until that time of dissolution. For some 
Cap. 42.  think that even without motion, (such is their grée●…ous pains) they tear themselves in pieces For the violence of death is strong and uncomparable. Because the knyttinge and natural combyninges of the body with the spirit, ar●… then broken insonder. And thereupon the Prophet (David) 
〈◊〉. 114.  saith in the Psalm: the pangs of death have compassed me. There is no member, nor no part of the body, but is touched and twitched with that untolerable pain. Th●… second pain is when the body (being altogether wéeryed and overcome, the force and strength thereof clean vanquished) the Soul doth much more plainly perceive in one moment all the works which it hath done good and bad, and all those things are set before the inward eyes. This pain is so great, and this torment and disquiet is so grievous, that the soul (being much vexed and troubled) is constrained to confess and declare against itself. As it is said in 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  the Psalms, the floods of iniquity have troubled me. For as the floods come with great force and sway, and seem to bear down all things before them, so in the hour of death the wicked man shall suddenly see and behold all the works that he hath done or committed good or bad. The third pain is when the soul now beginneth justly to judge, and seeth all the pains and torments of hell to hung worthily over it, for all the iniquities whereof it is guilty. Whereupon it 
Psal. 19  is also said in the Psalm: the pains of hell came about me. The fourth pain is when the soul (being yet in the body) doth see the wicked spirits ready to receive it. wherein the dread is such and so unspeakable pain, that the miserable soul, (although it be now parted from the body,) doth run about as long as it may, to redeem the time of her captivity before she forsake the body.  
Also every man as well good as evil doth see (before 
Of the coming of Christ in the time of any ●…ans death.  the soul depart from the body) Christ crucified. The wicked seeth it to his 〈◊〉, when he may blush and be ashamed that he is not redeemed through the blood of Christ, and that his own giltynesse is the cause thereof. Whereupon it is said unto the wicked in the gospel: They shall see against whom they pricked and stoonge. 
john. 19  The which is understood by the coming of Christ unto judgement, and of his coming at the instant time of any man's death. But the good man shall see him to his comfort and rejoicing, as we may perceive by the words of the Apostle which sayeth: until the coming of our Lord Iesu Christ (that is to say) at the day of death when Christ ●…rucifyed shall appear as well unto the good as unto the wicked. And Christ himself sayeth of john the Evangelist: So will I have him to abide until I come. That is to say, continuing in virginity until I come unto his death. For we read of four manner of comings that Christ shall come. Two of them are visible. The first in humility to redeem the world. The second in majesty unto judgement. And the other two are unuisible. The first whereof 
john. 14.  is in the mind of man by grace. Whereof it is said in the gospel: we shall come unto him, and shall make our remaining place with him. The second is in the death of every faithful man. And thereupon john in the revelation 
Apoc. 22.  sayeth: come Lord jesus.  
HIs spirit shall depart, and he shall return 
Of the rotte●…nesse of man's carcases.  into his earth. At the time all their thoughts shall perish. O how many things & how 
Psalm. 145.  great things do mortal men consider and think upon, about the uncertainty of their worldly provisions. But suddenly by the coming of death all things which they thought 
Psal. 108.  on and forecasted, do immediately vanish away. Like unto 
job. 14.  a shadow when the sun declineth, they are taken away. And like unto a Locust they are smitten down. So that the spirit of man shall go out of him not willingly, but unwillingly. He shall dismiss with doler, that which he did profess with desire. and whether he will or nill, there is a term appointed the which he shall not pass over. In the which earth shall return unto earth. For it is written. Thou art earth, & into earth 
Gen. 3.  thou shalt go. For it is natural that the thing made of any substance should be resolved into that substance again. He shall take away their spirit therefore and they shall fail, 
Psal. 〈◊〉.  and shall return into their dust. And when man dieth, he 
Eccle. 〈◊〉.  shall inherit, beasts, cattle, Serpents, and worms. For all those shall rest in dust, and worms shall consume them. The worm shall eat them like a garment, and shall consume them as a moth consumeth the woollen clot. I am to be consumed (sayeth job) like unto rottenness, and like 
job. 21.  unto a garment that is fretted with moths. I have said 
Esa. 31.  
job. 〈◊〉. 17.  unto rottenness. My father, my mother, my sister, are go unto worms meat. Man is rottenness and putrefaction, and so are the sons of man. Filthy are our forefathers, vile are our mothers, and how vile are our sisters? For man is begotten and conceived of blood, putrefied by the fervent heat of lust and concupiscence. And yet the worms do come about his carcase as mourners. Whilst he lived he bred nittes and lyse, and being dead he breedeth worms and magottes. Whilst he lived he made filthy ordures and excrements. And being dead, he maketh putrefaction & stink. One man defendeth another only. But being dead he defendeth many worms. O what is more filthy than the carcase of a man? or what more horrible than a dead man? he whose embracing had been most a●…able meeting him on live, even his look will be most terrible when he is dead. What prevail riches therefore? whatprevayle banquetings? what delights? they can not deliver man from death. They can not defend him from the worm. Neither shall they preserve him from stinking. He which erewhile sat glorious in his throne or chair, lieth now despised in his Tomb. He which but lately flourished in the Court, doth now lie filthily in his grave. He which but earewhiles did far 〈◊〉 in his parlour, is now consumed & t●…re with worms in his Sepulchre.  
The worm and the fire are the revenge of the flesh unto 
Of the sorrowful remembrance of the which are damned.  the wicked man. And either of them is of two kinds. That is to say, the inward and the outward worm and fire. The inward worm and fire gnaweth and burneth the heart, the outwa●…d worm or fire doth fret and burn 
Eccl. 71.  the body. Their worm (saith he) shall never dye, and their 
Esa. 〈◊〉.  ●…yre shall not be quenched. The Lord shall sand worms and fire upon their flesh, that they may be burned and feel 
jud. 〈◊〉  it for ever. The worm of conscience shall temporally tear them, the memory shall afflict them, repentance shall vex them, and perplexity shall torment them. For they shall come into the thought of their sins fearfully, and their 
Sap. 〈◊〉  iniquities on the other side shall dishonour them. Saying: what hath the boast of riches profited us? and what hath pride prevailed for us? All those things are passed over like unto a shadow, even like unto a ship which passeth in the flowing wa●…es, whose stepp●…s or path no man can find or percey●…e when it is passed. Even so we as soon as we be born, begin to leave this life. For we are able to show no token of virtue, but are consumed in our wickedness. They shall record with exceeding great trouble, that which they did with over great delight. That the goad of their memory may prick them unto punishment & pain, whom the Sepulchre of wickedness did drive unto sin.  
They which repent and do penance will say in themselves, 
Of the 〈◊〉 fitable repentance of them whic●… are damned.  we have erred from the way of truth and the light ●…f righteousness hath not shone upon us. Then shall they begin to say unto the hills and mounteynes: fall upon us and cover us. They shall repent to their pain and punishment, 
Sap. 5.  but they shall not be converted unto remission and 
Luk. 23.  
Apoc. 6  forgiveness. For it is but meet and right that they which would not when they might, should be barred to have power when they would. For the Lord hath given a time and place for repentance, and they have abused the same. Therefore the rich man which was tormented in the flame did say unto Abraham, I beseech thee father that thou will't sand Lazarus unto the house of my father. For I have five 
Luc. 16.  brethren. That he may be a witness unto them, lest they also do come into this place of torment. Unto whom when Abraham had answered, they have Moses and the Prophets. Let them hear those. He added No father Abraham, but if any man should go fro the dead unto them, they will repent. So he also did now repent in hell. But because he knew that it was unprofitable, he desired that this might be declared unto his brethren. That they might do fruitful penance in this world. For repentance may then profit a man, when it is in his power to sin.  
Men behold Angels and are troubled with horrible 
Of the unspeakable perplexity of ●…he damned. Sap. 5.  fear, mourning through perplexity of the spirit and saying: these be they whom heretofore we had in derision, and likened them unto mocking stocks in reproach and scorn. For we (being senseless) did esteem their life madness, and their end without honour. But behold how they are counted amongst the sons of God, and their lot is amongst the Saints. Again, it shall be a punishment for the wicked, to behold the glory of the blessed, although percase after the end of judgement. But the blessed shall see the reprobate in torments, according to this text: the just man shall rejoice when he seeth the revenge of sinners. But the reprobate shall not see the blessed in glory according to this text: let the wicked man be taken away, lest he see the glory of God. Such things do the wicked say in hell, because the hope of the wicked is like unto thi●…e down which is tossed with the wind. And like unto a slender froth which is cast from the deep waters, and like unto smoke scattered with the wind, and like unto the remembrance of a gest which tarrieth but one day.  
¶ Of the unspeakable perplexity of the damned.  
The ●…yre of hell is neither nourished with fuel, 
Of hell 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉. 20.  nor kindled with bellows, but was created by God, unquenchable from the beginning of the world. For it is 
job. 20.  written: the fire shall consume him which is not kindled. 
Esa. 14.  And it is thought to be under the earth according to that 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  saying of Esay, hell under the earth is troubled against thy coming. But all places are penal unto the reprobate. Which do always carry torments and veration against themselves. I will bring forth (sayeth he) fire from the midst of thee which shall eat thee. And the fire of hell shall ever burn and never shine, it shall ever skald, and never consume. And shall ever assail, and ever fail. For in hell there is marvelous cloudy darken●…sse, unmeasurable bitterness of pain, and infinite everlastingness of all misery. bind him hand and foot (saith he) and throw him into outward darkness. There shallbe weeping and g●…ing of 
Math. 22.  teeth. Every member for his sins shall bear his proper punishment That it may therewith be punished wherewith it hath sinned. For it is written: by what soever a man 
〈◊〉. 16.  sinneth, by the same shall he be punished. So that he which sinned with his tongue, shall be tormented by the tongue. And therefore he cried: O father Abraham have compassion on me, and sand Lazarus that he may dip the end of his finger into the water, and cool my tongue. For I am tormented in this flame.  
The reprobate shall not only be wrapped in outward 
Of the darkness of hell.  darkness, but also in inward darkness. For they shall at one self time lack both the spiritual light, and the corporal light. For it is written: the wicked shall be taken away 
〈◊〉. 26.  lest he should see the glory of God. Who only shall then be light everlasting. And the reprobate shall bear so great perpleritie in their punishment, that they shall scarcely be able to think upon any other thing than their pains. And shall there apply the force of their thoughts.  
Solomon sayeth: there is neither working, nor account in hell. Nor wisdom, nor knowledge, where thou makest 
〈◊〉. 1.  such haste to go. For oblivion shall be so great in the reprohate, so great blindness of mind, and so great confusion of reason that seld●…me or never they can rise to think upon 
P●…al. 113.  god. Nor can breathe one thought of repentance. For confession perisheth from a dead man, as from him which 
Esa. 38.  is not at all. As it is written: The dead shall not praise thee (O Lord) nor they which go down into hell. Shall not confess thee. Nor death laud and praise thee.  
Let me go (saith job) that I may lament a while my 
Of the confusion of pains job. 10.  pains, before I go to the darksome land, which is covered with the clouds of death, the land of misery & darkness where the shadow of death, and no order, but perpetual horror do inhabitt. Yet there shallbe order in the 
Luke. 6.  quantity of pains. For with what meas●…re you meat, 
Sap. 6.  it shallbe measured to you again. That the●… which ●…inned 
job. 24.  most gréeveously may be most grievously punished. For they which are mighty shall suffer torments mightily. But there shallbe no order in the quality of things. For from the snow and water, they shallbe put into ho●…e scalding fire. That the sudden change of the contraries may make their griefs the greater. I have seen by experience, that if one which is burned, do strait ways put his hurt into the water, he shall feel afterwards the greater scalding.  
Men are put into hell like sheep, & death shall feed upon them. This is spoken by the similitude of beasts and cattle, 
Of the ●…euer failing of the torments of hell.  which do not pluck up grass & herbs by the roots, but crope of the tops that the grass may grow again for their food. So also the wicked (as if they were fed upon by death) shall revive 
Psal. 18.  unto death, that we may dye euerla●…ingly as Ovid says: 
Sic inconsumptum Titij semperque 〈◊〉  
sic perit ut possit sapè perire jecur.  Then shall death be immortal, then shall the dead live which be dead unto life. They shall seek death & shall not find it, because they had lief & lost it. hearken unto john in the revelation 
Apo. 9  which saith: In those days men shall seek death & shall not find it. They shall des●…or to dye & death shall fly from them. O death how sweet shouldst thou now seem unto them, which heretofore thought thee so bitter? they shall desire thee & wish for thee only which did vehemently abhor thee only. Then let no man flatter himself, & say that god will not be always angry, nor be offended for ever, but 
The reprobat shall never be delivered from pains.  his mercies are over all his works. Since when he is angry he will not forget to be merciful. Neither doth he hate any of the things which he hath made. Taking as 
Psal. 10●…. & 144  an argument of error that which the Lord saith by the Prophet: They shallbe gathered together into one bundle into 
Sap. 11.  the lake, & there they shallbe shut up in prisonn. And after many 
Esa. 24  days they shallbe visited. For man sinned but for a time, and then god will not punish for ever. O vain hope. O false presumption. Let not man believe (being vainly deceived by error) that he is to be redeemed for any price. For in hell there is no redemption. Therefore sinners shallbe gathered together into the lake & shallbe shut into prison. But in hell. In the which they shallbe tormented without bodies, until the day of judgement. And then after many days (that is after they are risen again with their bodies at the latter day) they shallbe vysited. Not unto salvation but for revenge. Because after the day of judgement, they shallbe the more grievously punished. But it is said in an other text, I will 
Psal. 88  visit their iniquities with a rod, & their sins with stripes. Therefore God is offended with the predestinate tempoally because god doth scourge every son whom he loveth. By which words that is gathered: he will not be angry until the end. But with the reprobate god is offended eternally. By cause it is meet & right that as the wicked hath used fraud and dissimulation in his everlasting, so god may use revenge and punishment in his everlasting also. For although the faculty and power to sin do leave him, yet doth he not leave will & desire to sin. For it is written the pride of them the were 
Heb. 12.  hateful doth always assende. The reprobate (which are 
Psal. ●…0.  already in despair of forgiveness) shall not be humbled, but their malice and hatred shallbe grown and increase as though they would have him not to be at all, by whom they know that they be so unhappily. They will curse the highest, and blaspheme the almighty. Complaining that he is wicked because he hath created them unto punish●…nt, and is never inclined to forgiveness. give ●…are unto John in the revelation saying: A great hail came down from 
Apo. 1●….  heaven upon men, and men blasphemed God For the plague of hail because it was exceeding great. So that the will of the damned, although he have lost theffect of his power, hath always an intent and affection of malice & mischief, and that of itself shallbe a punishment in hell, which was sin and offence in the world. Although peradventure it is there also a sin, but not to the deserving of punishment▪ Therefore the wicked because he shall always ha●…e in himself the gyltinesse of his sin, he shall likewise feel in himself the torment of his pain, for that which he himself did not take away by repentance. God did not forgive by pard●…ne. And so it serveth as a great point of righteousness to them which are to be judged, that they never lack punishment in hell, which never wanted will to sin and offend in their life t●…me. They would if they could have lived without end, that they might also without end have sinned. For they which never cease to sin while they live, do show that they desire always to live in sin.  
Which of you (saith Esay) can dwell with the everlasting 
Testimonies of the ete●…nall ●…unnishmēts.  Priests? These men shallbe a smoke in my fury, a burning fire all the day, & by night it shall not be quenched. But the 
Isa. 33. 6●….  smoke thereof shall ascend for ever. And Hieremy saith: I 
Hier. 25.  will give you over unto everlasting shame and reproach, and unto perpetual ignomynie, which shall never be taken away with oblivion. Then Daniel, they which have slept (saith he) in the dust of the earth, shall awake: s●…me unto eternal life, and some unto reproach which they shall always abide. Solomon: the wicked man being once dead, there 
Da●…. 1●….  shall be no hope of him, his destruction shall come upon 
Pro. 6.  him for an example. And suddenly he shallbe stricken and shall have no medicine to cure it. john the Apostle sayeth 
Apo. 4.  also: If any man worship the beast and his Image, He shall drink of the wine of god's wrath, & shallbe tormented with fire & brimstone, & the smoke of his torments shall ascend for ever & ever. Neither shall he have rest day nor night, which hath worshipped the beast & his image. The very truth itself doth con●…rme all these: which shall reprove the damned 
Mat. 2●….  sentencially in judgement. When he shall say, Go you cursed into everlasting fire which is prepared for the de●…ill & his angels. Now if according to the divine opinion, all trial of 
Deut. 10.  truth doth stand in the mouths of two or three witnesses, how much more shall it stand by these testimonies of so many and so notable men.  
Behold therefore the day of the Lord shall come cruel & 
Of the day of judgement.  full of indignation, wrath & fury, to bring the earth into solitariness, & to chase the sinners thereof out of the same. For the 
Esa. 〈◊〉.  stars of the heavens & the brightness thereof will not give their light. The sun willbe overcast with darkness at his rising, & the Moon shall not shine in her cource. And I will visit evil upon th'earth, & will set the iniquity of the wicked men against themselves. And I will make the pride of the unfaithful to be still, & will bring down the arrogance of the mighty. Therefore all the hands shallbe weakened and all hearts of men shallbe tamed and astonished. They shall have pangs and gripes, 
Sophon.  and shall feel pain like unto women with child. Every man shall look aghast and a mased on his neighbour, and the countenances of their faces shallbe tanned and burned. That day shallbe the day of wrath, the day of trouble, the day of perplexity, the day of calamity, and the day of miseries. The day of mist & darkness, the day of the clang of the Trumpet, because the Lord shall make an end with speed, of all th●… which dwell upon the earth. And that sudden day shall creep like a snare upon all them which sit upon the face of the round world. For as a lightning he cometh out of the East, & is seen into the west. Such shallbe the coming of the son of man. For the day of the Lord is like a thief, and shall come 
Luke. 21.  stealing in the night. When they say peace and security 
Mat. 24.  
Thes. 〈◊〉.  then sudden destruction shall come upon them, like unto the pains of a woman in her belly & they shall not escape them.  
And there shall happen great tribulation before this day, 
Of the tribulation that shall go before the day of judgement.  such as never was from the beginning of the world to this present nor ever shallbe. And but the days were shortened, no flesh could be saved. For nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and great earthquakes 
Mat. 24.  shallbe in many places, pestilences and famynes, and terrors from heaven, and many great tokens shallbe seen. Then shallbe tokenes in the Sun, and in the Moon, and in the stars. Running togethers of people for the confusion of the Sea and the floods. Men wythering up for fear and expectation which shall happen to the whole world. There shall rise false Christ's and false Prophets, and they shall show great tokens and wonders. So that many shallbe seduced into erro●…r (yea if it many be) even the elect. The apostle saith. Then shall man be revealed for the Son of perdition. Which is against all and is extolled above all that is called or worshipped as god. So that he sitteth in the Temple of god as if he were god. Whom our Lord jesus shall kill with the spirit of his mouth. And the Prophett Helie shallbe sent before, that the great day of the Lord shall come. Great and horrible shall he be, and shall convert the 
Malec. 4.  hearts of the fathers unto their children, and the hearts of the children towards their fathers, with whom En●…ch also shall come, & they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. And when they have finished their testymonie the beast which shall come up out 
Apo. 11.  of the depth, shall make war against them. And shall over come and kill them, and their bodies shall lie in the strets of the great City which is called Sodom, and Egypt whereas our Lord was crucified. And after three days & a half the spirit of lief shall enter into them.  
Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shallbe 
Of the signs and tokens which shall go befor●….  darkened & the Moon shall not give her light, & the stars shall fall from heaven, & the powers of the heavens shallbe moved, and then shall appear the sign or token of the son of man in heaven. And then all the tribes of the earth shall bewail themselves as john saith in the revelation: The Kings of 
Apo. 4.  the earth, the Princes, and the rich men, the mighty and all both bond and free, shall hide themselves in Caves, and Dens in the mountains, and shall say to the hills and to the rocks. Fall upon us and hide us from the face of him which sitteth upon the throne? and from the wrath of the Lamb. Because the great day of their anger is comen. And who can abide it. And he shall sand his Angels with a 
Mat. 24.  troompe and a great voice and they shall gather together the choose from the four winds and from the height of the heavens unto thends thereof? And the Apostle says: 
1. Thes. 4.  Then the Lord himself in the voice and commandment of an Archangel shall come down from heaven. And then all they which are in their graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God. And shall come forth. The good unto the resurrection of lief, but the wicked unto the resurrection 
john. 5.  of judgement. Death and hell shall yield forth their dead which are in them. Behold he shall come in the clouds 
Apo. 20  and every eye shall see him. Yea, they which kicked against him, and all the tribes of the earth shall be wail & mourn, and then they shall see the Son of man coming in a cloud with great power & majesty. And the Lord shall come to make revenge, not only with the Appestles but also with the 
Luke. 21.  Elders of these people. Where upon Solomon doth say: A 
Pro 31.  noble man is he in his gates when he shall sit with the Senators 
Mat. 10.  of the land. For they shall sit also upon the seats 
Daniel. 9  of the twelve. tribes of Isarel. I looked (saith Daniel) until the 
Math. 49.  Thrones were placed, ànd the elder did sit down. Whose garment was as white as snow. And the hears of his head as clean as wool. His Throne was the fire of the flame, the wheels thereof were bright kindled fire. A flowing & a swift running fire did go forth from his face. thousands & thousands did administer unto him. And ten times hundreds of thousands did assist him. Our god shall come openly & manifestly, our god shall come & shall not be silent. there shallbe bright burning fire in his and round about him a mighty tempest. He called the heaven from on high & the earth to judge his people. Then all nations 
Mat. 〈◊〉.  shallbe gathered together before him. He shall separate them one from an other as the shepherd doth separate his sheep from the goats. And he shall place them, the sheep on the right hand and the goats on the left hand.  
O how great shall the dread and trembling then be? and 
Of the power wisdom & righteousness of the judge.  how great shallbe the lamentations and weping? For if the pillars do tremble and dread his coming, and the angels of peace shall weep bitterly, what shall sinners do? if the just 
job. 26.  shall scarcely be saved, where shall the wicked & sinners appear? 
Esa. 33.  Therefore crieth the Prophet? O Lord enter not into 
Psalm. 142.  judgement with thy servant, for no man living shallbe iustifted 
job. 9  in thy sight. If thou O Lord do regard iniquities, O Lord who shall abide it. For who would not fear a judge the is most mighty? Since no man can fly from him or escape his hands. Most wise, because no man can hide himself from him or deceive him. And most just, since no man can corrupt him. If you look for might & strength? he is most strong & mighty. Wise in his heart, & mighty in power. If you call for equity in judgement? no man dare give testimony for me. If I would justify myself, mine own mouth would condemn me. If I should say that I am innocent, he will prove me lewd & faltie, yea though I were simple. He spoke the words & they were made, he did command & they were created. Which calleth the stars, & they say here we are. Which maketh his angel's spirits, & his ministers, the flame of fire. Whose will nothing at 
Luc. 1.  
Phillip. 2.  all resisteth. Unto whom no word is impossible. Unto whom 
Psalm. 38.  all knees do bend, both heavenly & earthly, & they that are in 
Hier. 17.  hell. Then him no man can fly from or escape, as the Prophet 
Heb. 4.  says: If I ascend up into heaven thou art there. And if I go 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  down into hell thou art there also. He searcheth the heart and 
Psalm. 7.  the reins: unto whose eyes all things are made open, Which can number the drops of the rain, & the sands of the Sea. The God of knowledge, the Lord which foreséeth all things and is privy to all things, the searcher of all secrettes. From him no man can lurk as the Apostle sayeth: there is no creature unuisible in his sight. He is a just judge, mighty and long suffering. Which neither by entreaty, nor by rewards, neither for love nor for hatred, will decline from the right way. But going evermore in the high way doth suffer none evil to scape unpunished. Nor leaveth any goodness unrewarded. Therefore no man can corrupt him. According to the saying of the Psalmist: thou 
Psal. 63.  shalt give unto every one according to his deeds.  
Then who would not fear that examination wherein 
Of the divine judgement.  he shall be both the Accuser, the Advocate, and the judge? 
Mat. 23.  For he shall accuse when he shall say: I was hungry, and you gave me not to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me not to drink. He shall plead like an Advocate, when he shall add thereunto: as long as you did it not to one of the lest of these, you did it not unto me. He shall judge when he shall conclude saying: go from me you accursed into everlasting fire. There shall need no witnesses in that judgement, for then the hidden places of the dark shall 
1. Cor. 4.  
Math. 10.  be made manifest. For nothing is hidden which shall not 
Dan. 7.  be revealed. Then the books of conscience shall be opened. 
Apoc. 14.  Then shall the dead be judged by those things which are written in the book: for their works do follow them. How greatly shall sinners be ashamed when their most wicked and abho●…inable faults shall be apparent and manifest unto all men? Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. For he can never be revoked 
Psal. 31.  or called back from that sentence. Since the father hath given all judgement unto the son. Which shutteth and no man openeth. Which openeth, and no man shutteth. For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.  
Then wealth shall not prevail, honours shall make 
That nothing shall prevail for them that be damned.  no defence, nor friends can make any intercession. For it is written: their gold and their silver shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the lords fury. All 
job 5.  the Kings of the earth shall weep and lament, when 
Apoc. 3. 8.  they shall see the smoke of the fire, through the heat of their 
Eze. 7. 8.  sorments. What then will you do in the day of the Lords 
Gala. 6.  fury, in the day of visitation and calamity coming from far of? to whom will you run for help? every man shall bear his own burden. The soul which hath sinned shall dye. O straight judgement. When men shall yield account, not only of their deeds, but of every idle word which they have spoken in that day of judgement. The debt with the usury shall be demanded and exacted unto the last frathing. Who then can fly from the wrath and anger to come? then the son of of man shall sand his Angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all scandalles and offences, and such as do wickedly. And they shall make them as faggettes to burn, and cast them into the furnasse to burn, and shall cast them into the furnasse of burning Fire, whereas weeping and gnashing of teeth, howling and complaining, lamentations and torments, crying and shryching, fear and trembling, shallbe herded. pain and labour, heat and stinch, darkness and perplexity, bitterness, need, and calamity, doubtfulness and heaviness, forgetfulness, and confusion gripes and pangs, sour sorrows and terrors, hunger and thirst, cold and frost, fire and brymestone, and burning fire for ever and ever, world without end. Amen.  
¶ FINIS.    

Of the huge greatness and enormity of sins. The second part.  
GOd is peerless, and no man may altar his 
Iob 23.  determination. Wherefore I hau●… been troubled in my mind to behold him, and whilst I considered him I was perplexed with fear. The more diligently and clearly that a man doth weigh & ponder the rigour of the divine justice, together with the trespasses of his own conversation, so much the more fearful he shall be on all sides, since he is not ignorant how terrible it is to fall into the hand of god, which speaking by Moses says: There is no man the can 
Hebr. 20.  take out of my hand or power. Whereupon it followeth, 
Deut. 32.  that no man can altar his determination. For so much as 
job. 23.  whatsoever he determined in himself, & decreed to be done from the beginning, that no man can let or hinder. Even as God himself being holy & glorious doth testify by the Prophet. 
Esa. 46.  My purpose shall stand, & all my will shall be fulfilled. And 
Hier. 49.  again: who is like unto me? or who is able to sustain 
job. 36.  me? and what is he that may resist my countenance? behold God is great, God is high in his mighty strength, and none of the law givers is like unto him, who may search out narrowly his ways? or who can say unto him: Thou haste done iniquity? Here upon also God is called inflexible or immovable. Not for that he can not be pleased or appeased, or for that by his providence he setteth necessity upon things. But because his foresights and ordinances are unvariable, infallible, and most certain. Neither is there any thing (comparing it to the eternal and provident regard of the divine understanding) that can be thought casual, or that changes by hap. Wherefore the more sharply that we behold the incomprehensible and unseareheable depth of the divine judgements, & the unspeakable frailty & defects of our own nature, together with the greatness of our salvation: So much the more humble & wary we shall have just cause to be, and so much the more fearfully & héedefully we shall walk before the majesty of the highest God. For behold, we are set in the midst of the whole world. That is to say on this earth, between the heavenly kingdom, and the confused hellish Chaos.  
Certainly know that at the length we shall be led either to the eternal felicity of heaven, or else to the perpetual torments of hell. O that the tongue of our hearts would taste this self same morsel as it deserveth to be tasted. For than I think we should never loosely be given over unto vain pleasure and delights, we should not spend our time laughing, sporting, or playing, but in weeping and repentance. So as we might truly confess with job: That 
job. 〈◊〉.  we have always feared God as the swelling waves which would over whelm us. Being induced there unto by the deep contemplation of the Psalmist saying: Come and behold 
Psal. 65.  the works of God which is terrible in his degrees upon the sons of men. And Paul saith: O profound depth 
Rom. 11.  of the treasure of God's knowledge and wisdom, how incomprehensible are his judgements? and how unsearchable are his ways? he is the Lord that almighty King, in whose power and dominion all things are constituted. Who only is peerless. So that his being doth infinitely excel the being of any thing that is created, as that (in respect thereof) all other things seem (as it were) to have no being at all. Furthermore, since we are beset in so great danger, what remaineth for us to do, or what remedy is proffered unto us, but even that we eschew and avoid with a most vigilant mind those things whereby God (so dreadful) is offended, and whereby such pains of infinite damnation are procured? (which are sins) even as the scripture doth admonish us saying. Fly from sin as from the sight of a Serpent. For none adversity shall be 
Eccle. 27.  hurtful unto thee, if none iniquity get the over hand of 
Gregor.  thee. Wherefore a young man of singular capacity, and my dearest (of all dear) brother, to the end that we may more warily hereafter eschew and avoid sin. I intend first (by God's help) to wright for the stirring up and inflaming of our soul. Of the enormities, great mischiefs and hurts that come by sin. That the vylenesse and filthiness of sin being perfectly understood and perceived, you may at the length fly from vice with so great diligence that you may as well deserve to be prevented and adorned by your creator with gifts of grace, as you are already by him adorned and prevented with gifts of nature.  

That only sin causeth a reasonable creature to be displeasant, dispisable and odious unto God.  
The first act.  
Even as there is nothing more to be desired than to please God, and to be (of him) beloved, esteemed, or honoured: So is there nothing worse, more detestable or more terrible, than to displease him, and to be (of him) despised and hated. In like manner, as virtues and the actions of the same, do make us pleasing, honourable, and well-beloved unto the true God: So vicious qualities and sins, do make us unto God displeasing, contemptuous and hateful. For he the almighty creator of the universal world, although he love all things as touching that they have of him, that is to say, as touching their being which he doth uncefsantly conserve in his kind: according to the saying of the wise man: Thou lovest (O Lord) all things 
〈◊〉. 2.  that are, and thou hatest nothing of those which thou haste made: yet nevertheless he hateth sundry reasonable creatures, as touching that which they retain and are of their own free will. That is to say, as touching iniquity & their transgressions as the scripture saith: The wicked and his wickedness are hateful unto God. And again, thou haste 
Sap. 14. Psal. 5.  hated all them that work iniquity, and thou shalt destroy all them which speak leasings, and that despiseth them, he witnesseth saying. Thou hast despised all them that went 
Psal. 〈◊〉.  a stray from thy righteousness, since their thoughts were wicked. And again, he that dwelleth in the heavens shall laugh at them, and the Lord shall laugh them to scorn. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and in his fury shall he vex and trouble them: yea even this thing happeneth by the most just judgement of God. That they which contemn and dishonour God, which is above all things to be exalted, and to be thought worthiest of all worthies, preferring their own will before his divine pleasure: should be despised and overthrown, by him as he himself protesteth saying: whosoever glorifieth me, I will glorify him. But they which despise me, shall be unable. Such are all the wicked and perverse, which have no care to hear the word of God, or do omit the fulfilling thereof, when they have herded it. Of whom the everlasting & uncreated wisdom sayeth: because I have called, a●…d you ha●…e held back, despising all my councils, and negl●…cting my rebukes, I also will laugh at your destruction, and will scorn you when that is happened unto you, which you most feared. Behold (my well-beloved) by these words the madness of them is reproved, which linger their conversion, and in the end of their life (the very instant of death creeping now upon them) do determine to make confession of their life, and to amend themselves. And yet never marking how horrible the eternal God and most high judge doth threaten and affirm that he will scorn and laugh at such men at the time of their death. Finally, as job 
job. 22.  sayeth: The wicked are preserved until the day of destruction, and they shall be led unto the day of revenge, and shall drink of the fury of the almighty. Wherefore if thou desire to please God, if thou fear to be (of him) despised and hated, decline from evil, ●…ye sin, dete●… vice, and uncessantly fear to displease the high judge. Who hath power to cast both body and soul into hell fire. Consider how and how much the children of this world, and the servants of Princes go about to please their masters. How they dread to be despised. What great pains they take to obtain a voluble and worldly praise. Wherefore if thou desire to be 
Math. 10.  accounted amongst the sons of God, blush then and be ashamed that thou shouldst less endeavour to please God, and to be honoured and beloved of him, than they study to attain man's favour. And finally, like as of the humanity & pleasantness wherewith thou art naturally endued, thou dost decently and mannerly behave thyself before men: So much the more behave thyself reverently and orderly before god inwardly, or rather both inwardly and outwardly. For if when thou hast to speak with any worthy parsonage, thou comest reverently unto him: puttest of thy Cap and dost kéedely beware what thou speakest: and when thou shouldst talk with God by prayer or by saying Psalms, then come with reverence and begin pronounsing without any regard, dost thou not then over lightly esteem the majesty of the almight●…e God, and makest him inferior unto a mortal man and a sinner? God forbidden that thou shouldst use 
Eccle. 〈◊〉.  such leudenesse, so great iniquities, and so exceeding great 
Eccle. 7.  perverseness. Therefore henceforth before thou go to prayer and divine laudes, prepare thyself unto devotion. Yea humble both thy body and thy soul unto God on high which is most blessed and happy, also bridle thy outward senses and especially thy sight, in the time of divine service. And show thyself an example before others with inward humility, and without any manner of hypocrisy or inconstancy, to the glorifying of God, and the edifying of thy neighbour. Now furthermore, if any man would ask why sins do make a reasonable cr●…ture so displeasing unto God, yea so despised & odious? It is to be answered: that even as si●…litude and likeness is accounted the cause of love, and the reason that moveth unity, so dissimilitude or unlikeness is affirmed to be the cause of hate, separation and disdain. For every thing that is created, hath as much of the divine bounty and similitude as it hath of the essential cause or being. And therefore since that sin (as touching his derivation) is altogether nothing but ruin and defect of his essential being, a deformity of action, and as the withdrawing of the mind created from the true goodness of the creator, it showeth that it doth impart no manner of similitude or likelihood with God the creator, but a most apparent unlykelinesse. And therefore it maketh the mind created to become odious displeasing, and despised unto God, yea so much the more as it hath been polluted with sin.   

That all the moral doctrine of the holy scriptures it ordained after a sort for the avoiding of sin.  
Acts second.  
THe Apostle john in his first Epistle sayeth, 
1. joh. 2.  That I writ unto you, that you do not sin. And Esay sayeth: this is all o●…r fruit 
Esa. 27.  that sin may be taken from us. Thereby it appeareth that the pureness and freedom from sin is (as it were) the end and scope of all the documents and precepts in holy scriptures. Further in the holy scriptures are rehearsed punishments to be executed upon the wicked, and joys prepared for the just. That as well by the terror of punishment, as by the love of those joys we might be induced to eschew and hate sin. Also there are set down two (as it were) entire parts of righteousness. That is to say, departure from sin, & actual 
Psalm. 36.  coming or painful entrance unto virtue, the psalmist says: Decline from evil and do good. For first it is expedient to fly from sins and vices. And then next to exercise works of virtue. But these two things do often times include themselves one with an other, for there are two manner of precepts in the diuy●…e law. That is to say: affirmative, and negative. Now the affirmative do bind always, but not at all times. As when it is sayds in Deutrenomie, worship 
Deut. 6.  God only, and honour thy parents. For unto these things we are always bound. But we are not bond t●… accomplish them actually at all times. But the negative precepts do bind us for ever and at all times. As when 
Exod. 20.  it is said in Exodus: thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, for these precepts do command that we should not do evil, but to decline and fly from sin. Where unto we are bound at all tyme. And therefore since by the negative kind of precepts we are commanded to avoid sin (and yet we can not universally and continually avoid sin, unless we also in due time do well according as we are commanded by the affirmative precepts) therefore in the precepts of avoiding and eschewing sins, the precept of well doing is also included. Unto which two points the whole doctrine of the holy scriptures do tend. And yet to speak absolutely, the blessed vision of God in the heavenly habitation is the full end of eschewing of sin and of doing well. Furthermore, since we are prove and ready to evil things, and very backward and frail, or rather ●…ow and defective to goodness, according to that saying in Genesis: 
Gen. 8.  the senses and thoughts of man's heart are prove unto evil even from their youth, therefore we have no small need of daily and often warning to avoid sins, least we fall thereinto by forgetfulness, lack of foresight, or by false suggestion, or any other kind of mean. Wherefore the Apostle writeth to the Hebrues, saying: Exhort and encourage yourselves every day, that none of you be hardened by the deceiptfulnesse of sins. Yea and this kind of exhortation is very necessary for beginners, and such as are unperfect. And so much the fit for every man, as he findeth the more occasions, inclination, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sin, whereupon I do affirm that it is most necessary for thee (my most loving brother) because thou art daily conversant in the midst of worldly personages amongst whom innumerable occasions and snares of sins are offered thee. From the which only God is able to preserve thee.   

That the greatness and enormity of sin is comprehended (by general speech) in six points.  
Acts. 3.  
IT is easy to be seen by six especial notes, 
Especially if it be that which some call mortal sin.  how huge, how detestable, how filthy and vile sin is. First (and chiefly) on God's behalf, who by sin is dishonoured and offended. For how much the higher his majesty is, and how much the greater is his holiness, so much greater enormity it is to sin agay●…st him, to disobey him, and to dishonour him. Therefore the Psalmist sayeth: Cursed be they which decli●…e from thy 
Psal. 118. 2●….  commandments. And again: those which ●…range themselves from thee shall perish. For thou half overthrown all which go a whoring from thee. Then since God is eternal and only to be honoured, of a wondered great majesty, and an infinite holiness, equity and perfection, therefore all sin which is committed against him and his commandments doth carry with it (by a certain kind of mean) an infinite grievousness and enormity, whereupon our Lord speaketh unto the wicked saying, Woe be unto them because they have go from me. They shall be destroyed because they have used collusion against me. And jeremy sayeth: know and see that it is bitter and evil for 
Ose. 7.  thee to have left the Lord thy God, and that his fear is not with thee. For in deed since God is the sour and fountayn●… o●… all health, and the original cause of all nobility and pleasant sweetness, it is certain that a mind created (being once alyenated from him) is despoiled of the true blessedness, deprived of the lively and free nobility, and left naked from all sincere sweetness. And therefore vecommeth ignoble, miserable, bitter, and unpleasant, and in very deed most wretched and poor, as one that is destitute of all abundance of the spiritual graces. Hereupon is said to the impenitent sinner: dost thou not know that thou art a miserable wretch, poor, blind, and naked?  
Secondarily, sin is noted by the quality of the sinner. Sins are made so much the huger and greater, the more that he is bond unto equity, and the more or greater benifittes that he hath received of God, yea the more learned or able that he was to have done well.  
Thirdly it is weighed and noted in the quality of the matter whereaboutes the sin is committed against a man's person then against his substance. But those sins are most grievous which are directly committed against God. As blasphemy, infidelity, or desperation.  
Fourthly, by means of the end which the sinner tendeth too, for the worse that the sinner his intent is, the more grievous is the sin.  
Fiftly, by the circumstances, that is to say, of the tyn●…e and place.  
Sixtly, of the very deformity of the sin itself, according to itself, & by reason of itself. The which is always so much the greater, and more loathsome, as the virtue is the gallanter and more worthy which is contrary unto it. Whereupon as the love of God is the highest virtue, so to ●…ate God is the greatest sin. So that on all sides and in all respects the vylenesse, filthiness, and enormitic of sin is multiplied and increased. And therefore holy Gregory sayeth: if we knew in what manner our soul is wounded and doth fester by every lest sin or fault, we would surely (unto death) resist sin. And again, a stinking dog is more tolerable (sayeth he) unto man's smell, than a sinful soul unto God▪ Go to then (my dearly beloved) if we fear or be unwilling to be, & to appear, vile, filthy, detestable, & ignoble before the holy and most worthy majesty of God, If we abhor that the countenance of our creator should be turned from us, let us then avoid sin with all carefulness and pure affection. Forasmuch as no deformity, no hurt, no blot, can so much defile, infect, or disorder man's body, and make it seem so detestable and disfigured in man's eyes, as the reasonable soul is with every mortal sin blemished, made vile, infected, and made filthy and detestable before the sight of the divine majesty and of his holy Angels. For it is made like to the very devil himself, & being turned from the fountain of light, it is filled with the ●…arcke clouds of lothsomenesse and filthiness.   

What sin is.  
Art. 4.  
BY the witness of holy Ambrose, sin is a b●…king or infringing of the di●…yne laws and a disobedience to the heavenly commandments. Likewise according to Augustine, sin is (saith he) to cleave unto changeable things, and to despise the vnc●…angéable goodness. And again: sin (sayeth he) is a will and desire to retain or to get that which righteousness doth forbidden. So that sin is the transgression of the d●…nc will, and commandments, as to do that which 〈◊〉 forbiddeth, or to omit that which he commandeth. Where upon it followeth that it is siu to speak, to think, to desire, or to ●…oe, against the laws divine. Now there are two things to be considered in sin.  
That one is (as it were) formal, that is to say, the averting and turning of the mind, from the high and unchangeable goodness, which is principal or capital sin.  
That other is (as it were) material. That is the conversion of the mind created variable and ready to fall unto the steadfast consideration of the high goodness. Hereupon two evil things there are also coriespondent unto sin. For as touching the formal point, the pain of the loss or damage is coriespondent unto it: which is extreme misery and lack of the heavenly fruition. But as touching the material point of sin, the pain of the senses doth thereunto correspond. That is to say, the sensible pains of hell which are the punishments of eternal fire. Dionyce briefly de●…neth ●…nne, to be a going back from order, that is to say, from that convenient and due estat●… whereunto the mind created, aught to cleave fast and be subject unto the creator. For that doth right order require, that the inferiu●…●…ould be subject to the superior: that the effect may be co●…ed unto the cause thereof. That the creature of understanding may bend itself unto his creator, as unto a beginning that maketh it blessed. And all this is subverted by sin: for by it the mind created, rebelleth against his creator. And doth (as it were) turn his back against his creators fact: neither doth it endeavour itself according to his counsel, but trusteth in his own strength. Furthermore, it is sin to prefer a man's will before the will of God, and not to bridle and restrain a man's own liberty according to the terror of the divine law.  
Whereupon in all sin, the sinner doth propound unto himself an end in some frail and created goodness: unto the which he is inordinately affected, and doth viciously cleave unto it: yea more than unto God, because it is against his will and ordinance. This doth truly and directly repugn unto the divine charity, bycaus●… we aught to love GOD above all things, and to be●… conformed and effected like unto him, and to cleave fa●… unto him. And lyk●…wyse unto righteousness: bycaus●… we are bound above all things to obey the divine precepts. And therefore according to the doctors, whatsoever ●…oeth directly repugn unto charity, (by the which God and our neighbour is loved, yea or unto righteousness is in his kind mortal sin.  
And so sin is a contempt ●…f the divine bounty, an 〈◊〉 to the divine majesty, an offence to the divine hol●…nesse, a r●…bellion against the divine will, a forsaking of the divine wisdom, an ingratitude for heavenly benefits. A fulfilling of frowardness, and self will, a seducing of reason, an infection of the soul, a wounding of the forces thereof, a filthiness of mind, a murdering of grace, a ravishing of charity, a snare of death, a way to damnation, a gate of hell, a net of the devil, an imitation of wicked spirits. Detesting of Angels, an exceeding malice, a right crookedness, a wonderful deformity, a most filthy kind of monster, a most cruel wild beast, and a lam●…ntable perpetual loss of that true felicity.  
To conclude, sin is that which most displeaseth God, most pleaseth the devil, & is most hurtful unto man's heart. Behold now thou seest (my well-beloved) how much sin is to be hated, eschewed and detested. Yea more than any of us can comprehend or express, it is to be hated and highly to be avoided. Wherefore let us incessantly arm ourselves st●…utly to fight against this evil: against this so mischée●…ous an enemy, and so deadly and mortal foe Our weapons are none other than the virtues themselves. And our combats are even the actions of virtue, especially the laud and praising of God. And prayer (as it is written) I will laud and call upon the Lord: and I shall be safe from mine enemies. Also the diligent watch and custody of the heart, is to consider the continual divine presence. To humble ourselves in all things, and to hope in God with all our heart, and ever to fear him.   

Of the enormity of sin as touching the divine bounty before which the sinner (by sinning) doth preferte a frail and changeable good thing.  
A●…t. 5.  
DIonisius doth teach in the fourth Chapter of divine titles or names. God his nature is goodness (doubtless) pure, perfect, and infinite. And furthermore the nature of the first being can not in him be diminished, as Thomas doth eloquently bring in, in conclusion against▪ the gentiles. And therefore whatsoever pertaineth to the fullness worthiness most chiefly to be wished after, desired, or the excelencie of goodness, the same agreeth unto the divine or uncreated bounty or virtue, with singular perfection and more than most excellent excelencie. Whereupon it followeth that the eternal and most delightful God is the chief, most excellent, and incomparable God. In whom is the most incomprehensible and unsearchable fullness not able to be described. All good, all fair, and all desirable goodness, in comparison of whose goodness, a●…yablenesse, blessedness, and worthiness to be loved and desired, all things that ever were created, do utterly fail by infinite ways or means. Then since the goodness of God is such and so great, is it not a most unreasonable thing, and a point of extreme folly and madness to prefer before him any goodness or any thing created, being of itself both variable, frail, and monientarious. 〈◊〉 love, seek, desire, honour, or worship it, more than that which is a creator, cause, and pattern of all goodness? But as I have said in sin, this created goodness which is changeable, depending of another, and needy, is preferred before the divine unmeasurable goodness, which dependeth on nothing, and is simply perf●…cte of itself, by a final cleaving too, and a greater affection, and more stout conversion of the mind which we bear unto this created goodness. Therefore in this respect the enormity of sin is great surely and almost unspeakable, and the sinner himself doth offer an inexplicable dishonour and injury to the most good, most amiable, and most desirerable God. Whose goodness in the mean while he setteth light, despiseth and abiecteth to the end he may prefer before it most vain, earthly, frail, and worldly good things.  
And therefore do now consider deeply and wisely (my well-beloved brother) and regard how vain, how froward, filthy, vile, and foolish, their minds be which do spend their time in vices, gluttony, and riot. Because they prefer love more, and honour more, the carnal nourishementes, yea and this flesh which ere long shall dye, putrefy, stink, and be inwardly replenished with ●…lthinesse, before that most clean and most infinite bounty and divinity of their Creator.  
In like manner these covetous men are to be counted unhappy, vile, vain, and most foolish. Who before God do prefer silver and gold (a white and reddish kind of earth) which are but certain deceitful metals. Other do make like estimation, of houses, lands, & other earthly riches which do rather hinder then further man's health and salvation before the most abundant and plentiful fountain of all goodness: yea even before the highest first true and only God: being that goodness only which is to be esteemed and adored, who is always stored with infinite treasures and riches. In like manner the proud men and such as are ambitious of worldly honour, and most desirous of this transitory glory, are vain, se●…celesse, and in most miserable estate, who are not afraid to prefer their own praise, worship, and glory before the honour, praise, & glory, of the high & blessed god. Who will desire that which belongeth & is due to the only, holy, highest, & immortal God, to be attributed unto themselves, being most vicious & ready to die thselues they wots not how soon. Whereby they are thieves and robbers of the heavenly honour. Yea spoilers and robbers of God his glory, and most worthi●… of confusion and eternal damnation. Wherefore (my well-beloved) let thy heart be hereby evermore converted towards that eternal divine and unmeasurable goodness. Desire his honour and glory continually. Love, worship, and honour him above all things. And vouchsafe not to regard, to love, or to enjoy any earthly, frail or worldy thing, which is against his honour, love, or reverence. That thou mayest truly and worthily sing with the Psalmist: Shall 
●…all 〈◊〉.  not my soul be subject unto God? for my health and salvation cometh from him, he is my God, my health, and my defendor. So that from henceforth I will not be moved. And as the Psalmist saith again in the sam●… place. In God is 
〈◊〉. 17.  my glory and my salvation. He is the God of my help and my hope is in him. In him thou mayest find all goodness most abundantly. If thou desire might and power he is almighty. If thou seek wisdom, his wisdom is unsearchable. If thou require beauty, his beauty is without peer. If thou covet delights and pleasure, all delight and pleasure are in his right hand until the latter day. If thou wish for either honour, praise, or glory, he doth glorify those which glorify him, for ever. To conclude, he loveth those that love him, he heareth those that fear him, and he saveth them that hope in him. Briefly sin is altogether repugnant unto divine charity, and doth take away the fervent heat and perfection thereof. Therefore lest the word of God should be diminished or wax cold towards us: Let us (as much as we may) eschew, be wail, and amend our sins, to the end that so we may be made the more fervent daily in the holy love of the heavenly divinity. But even as by the premises we see that sin is committed by cleaving more unto the creature, than unto the Creator. So do we incur and light into sin by inordinate affection unto the things created, yea although they be about God, or pertaining unto him.   

Of the enormytie of sin as toutching the divine majesty and authori●…ie which is dishonoured by fin.  
Act. 6.  
THe more high in authority, great in dignity and prehemynent in majesty that he is against whom we do sin: so much the more grievous and huge the sin is to be accosited, as if any man do offend a Prince, it is more grievous than if he tresspassed against a poor peasant. Since God therefore (against whose laws and against whom all deadly sin is committed) is altogether of an infinite majesty, of an incomparable dignity and of most high authority, it is evident that sin being committed against such a person in that respect is (by a certain kind of mean) of infinite enormytie, and be yond all comparison more grievous than any offence committed against a simple creature. Again the greater or the higher that the master or lawgever is, so much the more enormyous or huger the fault is accounted, not to obey his commandments, or to neglect his precepts. Since than our master and law maker is the God of Gods, the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, and the Prince 
job. 16.  of all Princes, unto whom (as it is written) there is none 
Esa. 23.  of the lawegevers that may be compared, and of whom it is read: The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawmaker, and the Lord is our King: It is most certain that as he is of an incomparable height, and of a majesty vndisc●…ibable, so not to obey his precepts, to set light by them, to dissemble them, or to neglect them, it is an incomparabl●… and (in a manuer) huge frowardness and wickedness. For if it be grievous and thought to be wicked, not to obey, reverence, and give honour unto a carnal, mortal, and sinful father: is it not most wicked not to ●…bey, to bowgh, to ●…rouch, and to give honour unto the spiritual father, the eternal creator, the holy, the almighty, and immmortall god. For he is that great Lord above all things to be praised. 
Psal. 44.  Whose greatness that is to say: in perfection, dignity and glory, hath none end. Whom even Porpherye that great scholar of Plato, doth call the King and father of gods. Whom even the heavenly powers do dread, fear, and obey. The which saying of Porpherye, Augustyne in his book de civitate dei doth often rehearse. To conclude, since the law of the Gospel, is forthwith given us propounded and commanded by the only begotten son of God himself, being in all respects true god. It is most certain that the same is most diligently to be observed. So that it is much more gréeveous to altar or dissemble the same than it had been in times past to transgress the laws of Moses. Which were propounded unto the people of God, by the mediation of Moses and the Angel. Here upon the Apostle unto the Hebrues sayeth: whosoever transgressed Moses' law (being found guilty by two or three witnesses) died, without any pardon. And how much greater punishment (saith he) do you think that they deserve which spurue against the Son of God, and holdeth the blood of his testement to be defiled, and committeth dispightfulnesse against the spirit of grace: Furthermore after his holy supper, Christ (being now near unto his Passion) even in the same night that he was betrayed said amongst other things unto his Apostles. If I had not come nor spoken unto them they had not siuned. Since than Christ our Lord, King, and Messiah 
〈◊〉. 14.  is come, and in his own proper person did speak unto 
Heb. 1  our Fathers, and unto us by them, let us endeavour in all things to obey him, for otherwyfe our sins will be wonderful great and huge. Out and alas wherefore do we neglect them? wherefore are we oppressed in our sluggish bodies? or wherefore do we langwishe & pine away in the dead sleep of sins: These things (my welbelo●…ed) consider deeply. Weigh them diligently. Behold them narrowly. And to be astonied at the displeasure of that most highly exalted ruler of all things. Eschew and avoid this dishonour, and keep his commandments. For ●…e it is unto whom (as the scriptures witness) the holy 
Fsay. 4●….  army of ●…eauen is assistant with reverent fear. Whose anger no man is able to endure. By whom they bow which bear up the world. And at whose beck the pillars of heaven do tremble and are afraid. For behold the heaven and the firmamentes of heavens, the deeps and all the earth with all that in them is, shallbe moved at the sight of God. And yet the mad senseless heart of man doth not fear nor dreadeth not his displeasure. Who leaveth not sin unpunished. And for the same doth appoint pain and torment.   

Of the enormity of sin as touching, the 〈◊〉 and rightcousnesse of the divine mynd●… and thought.  
Art. 7.  
IT is certain that the juster & holier that any well disposed mind is, the more the foul blot of sin doth grieve and displease the same. And therefore since the divine mind highest, to be adored, is altogether, of an infinite pureness, cquitie and holiness: yea rather the unmeasured, and superessentiall pureness, the contemplatorie holiness, subsisting of itself, the undiscrybable equity and exemplare, 〈◊〉, it is certain that the same doth detest and hate with an infinite abomination and hatred, the deformity, blot, and vnpureness●… of sin. Even as Moys●…s speaketh, saying: God is against all wickedness. Then here upon ●…nne hath got his most grievous and crooked enormytie, because it is against the most clean and pure holiness of the dievine mind. And against the untermynable righteousness of the same. And the sinner himself which loveth, chooseth, embraseth, and holdeth, that which god so much hateth, reproveth and putteth from him (by a certain kind of mean) doth incur a wonderful displeasure, and purchase an infinite deformity in the sight of God. To conclude: the holyr●… and more juster god is, so much the filthiness and deformytie of sin is the more unlike him. And God is (as hath been said before) of a holiness and righteo●…snesse perfectly unlimytable. And therefore sin is infinitely unlike the pureness of the holiness, and the righteousness of the equity of the highest God. Hereupon also sin is infinitely eloyned & see 〈◊〉 far from god, for as Auguistn says, in his ix book de civitate dei: There is none other eloyinge or distance and separation from god, than his unlyknesse or dissimilytude. And since dissimilitude is the cause of displeasure, hatred and turning away, sin doth deserve the eternal and infinite displeasure which is a turnige away, and a hatred to God, which deserveth eternal damnation. Whereupon it is said to be infinitely grievous and horrible. Furthermore the more natural, pleasant, & convenient, that any one thing is to another, so much the more contrary, disconuenyent, and displeasing the opposite and contrariety thereof willbe unto it. Now the holiness is so natural to the glorious and highest God, that he is substaincially holy, not by any addition or putting to. So that it is altogether one thing unto him, to be, and to be holy. insomuch as his holiness, is his essentyall being. And his essential being is holiness most pure, most clean, and simply perfect. The mosté honourable prymordyall, and final cause and reason of all virtue and pureness. Holiness is also most conu●…nyent and b●…ste pleasing unto God. For he loveth and requireth holiness in conversation and doth make those most dear, entire, and famyliare unto him, which are worthily and steadfastly bend unto holiness. Thus it is most apparent how infinitely, contrary, displeasinge, and disc●…uenyent the unpurenesse of sin is unto god. Therefore the Psalmist singeth saying. Early in the morning I will present myself before thee, & I will behold thee. For thou art no god that would have iniquity. Neither shall the malicious devil near unto thee. Nor the unjust shall not endure before thy face. The like argument is of the enormytie of sin, by consideration of the divine righteousness. Which is altogether unmeasurable, ●…nd inflexible measure and the unfallyble rule of all virtuous straightness. For god is just, and hath loved righteousness and his countenance hath beheld equity. Of whom it is read in an other place. Great and wonderful are thy works, O Lord god almighty. 
Psal. 10.  Just and true are all thy ways O King of the holy one's. Who shall not fear thee, or who shall not magnify thy name? 
Apo. 15.  So that the more we grow & increase in holiness & equity, so much the more like, & the more beloved we are made unto our creator, Saviour, & judge. And the more we are made filthy & over comm●…n by vices: so much the more unlike and the more hateful unto him, we are found. Who came to that 
Luke. 〈◊〉.  end (by the ministry of incarnation) into this world, that we should serve him in holiness & righteousness before him all the days of our lief. Who doth invyte & stir us with an unspeakable love, & most godly vouchsa●…ng, unto the imitation of his holiness. Saying: do not contaminate, nor de●…le your 
Levit. 〈◊〉.  souls. For I the Lord your god am holy. Be holy. For I am holy. Behold (my well-beloved) if thou ponder these things deeply, often, & steadfastly, I think that thou will't on all sides hate & eschew, the filthiness, uncleaneness, & huge enormity of sin. Yea thou will't more often make haste unto repentance. And examynation of thine own conscience in spending time in divine service and receiving the holy communion. Wherein (according to the Scriptures) all things are washed. And thou will't furthermore indeu●…r thyself to be the more justly and wholly conversant in the presence of the most holy God, and before the eyes of his unmeasurable righteousness.   

Of the Enormity of sin, by the consideration of the divine charity, by the which God did prevent. us, and greatly loved us.  
Art. 8.  
FUrthermore, the more liberally and abundantly that any man doth prevent an other in love, so much the more decent and just it is to love him again heartily. And the more froward and perverse it is also to do any less than to love him. But it is most ungrateful and untoward, even to hate him, abject him, and despise him, and altogether to turn away from him: especially if the beloved be sure that he is so beloved of the lover. Therefore to th'end we may the more effectually & sincerely know the abominable and accursed malice of our iniquities, let us diligently behold how much, and in what manner our sweet and just GOD did prevent us in love, yea, and not only in love, but in a most liberal, merely, free, most pure, eternal and most worthy kind of love. And first, this is certain, that no lover (being created) no not our parents have loved or do love us so much as our ●…éeke and sweet God doth, and hath loved us. For of his eternal & pre●…enting love towards us, he created us when 
Gen. 1.  we were nothing, yea he formed us to his own Image 
Sap. 2.  and similitude. For the divine love did not leave god without branch or spring●…. Moreover, he hath manyfoldly ●…wtifyed our nature, not only with natural gifts, but also with sundry supernatural graces. For he did set 〈◊〉 
Gen. 〈◊〉  first formed fathers and parents in original righteousness, placing them in Paradise, and preferring them before all the creatures that live in this world, yea (and if they had not sinned) had transported them from Paradise into the heavenly kingdom without death in the mean way. All which he meant to have given to their posterity, if they had not done wickedly. Whereupon although we he deprived of so many and so great commodities, yet aught we so ●…o love God, as if we were not thereof deprived, since that deprivation came not from God. Furthermore also because union is the proper effect of love, and consequently therewithal mutual society and perticipation. For love doth knit the lover to the beloved, and maketh all good things that the lover hath to become unto the beloved. If therefore we desire rightly and worthily to know how and in what manner our God hath loved us, let us behold in what manner he hath conjoined himself to us and to our nature. For behold, did not the only begotten son of God himself by the will of God the Father, and the cooperation of the holy ghost, unite our nature unto his divinity, by a substanci a, immediate, high, & inward kind of union? yea by so great an union as none could be more greater or more worthy? And therefore since he conjoined himself unto our nature so highly, and so inwardly, it is apparent also how highly he did love us before hand, especially since he vouchsafed & deigned so long to be conversant with us in the nature which he did so assume and take upon him, yea even the eternal Father himself did so love us that he gave his only béegotten Son as the Evangelist John doth say: Who exhorteth us again in his first epistle saying: ●…earely beloved let us love god, for he first loved us. Furthermore he joined our minds incessantly unto him and by supernatural gifts, as by grace, doing the which is acceptable, and by actual motion of the holy ghost. By faith, hope, charity, & the other virtues powered upon us & by their acts. Yea further, our god is ready to communicate all that he hath (yea himself also) unto us. For there is no eye that hath seen, nor ear that hath hard, 
Esa64.  neither is man's heart able to comprehend what God hath prepared for his elect. For he hath prepared himself as a reward for them. Since he created us to enjoy the most sweet fruition and happy vision of holiness. And this is the most liberal love of god that giving us his gifts, he giveth (even with the same gifts) himself unto us. That we may truly, eternally, and happily behold, have, possess, & enjoy him. Herewith he so much loved us, that by the mouth of Solomon, 
Pro. 8.  he saith unto us: My delights are to be with the sons of men. Now therefore (my well-beloved) mark how perverse, how uncomely, and how great a fault it is, not to requited with love, this, such, and so great a lover. Yea to neglect, to offend, to fet light by, to dispose or to hate him. And he that sinneth, willeth in all things that which God will not, and that which god willeth that will not he accomplish. Therefore he doth not truly love God, since it is the property of friends to will and to nill in all things alike. Yea he despiseth an●… 〈◊〉 light by God, whose precepts he regardeth not. And so he doth altogether turn himself away from him, and yieldeth no turn unto this so wonderful, meek, most bountiful & most excellent lover. But payeth evil for good, and hate for love. Yea he despiseth God, who hath showed himself so famyliar unto him. Therefore let us (my well-beloved) heartily learn to love God sincerely and inwardly. Let us be carried unto him with all feruentuesse of mind. Let us conform our affects always unto his most holy will. Let us hate whatsoever he hateth, and let us earnestly embrace all goodness.   

Of the enormity of sin, considered by the benefits of God.  
Act. 9  
IT 〈◊〉 manifest that ingratitude, is much reproved both in man's opinion and God's judgement. And the more or greater benefits y ⁿ any one man doth bestow upon an other, so much the more wickedness it is not to requited the same, to be 〈◊〉 or unmindful. But it is, most wicked to pr●…fer evil for good. Moreover, the longer the benefits are continued, the oftener that they are renewed, the more liberally that they are multiplied: yea the higher & more worthy that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lower or inferior that he be which receiveth such 〈◊〉, so much the larger & greater aught the takers to be. And the greater sin is committed if the receiver be found ungrateful or unobedient unto the benefactor. Therefore to the e●…d that the malice & overthwartnes of our ingratitude, disobedience, & sin, may more plainly appear, may be the more heartily bewailed, & the more carefully amended & avoided, let us peyze the benefits & bounties of God towards us. And first to begin with this, how he made us & not we ourselves, whatsoever we have or be, it came from him, & of him we received the same: our body, & all the members thereof: also a reasonable soul & all the powers thereof. If any one member of our body, or any power of the mind or soul were lacking, as a foot, a hand, an eye, or our will & desire: How sorry should we he? yea how much would we love him, by whose help & goodness that might be recovered & restored that were wanting? Why then do we not love the most liberal & the most 〈◊〉 God? why do we not give him thanks? why fear w●… not to be froward, disobedient, & ingrateful, which did 〈◊〉 give unto us all these things before rehearsed, even from the beginning of our governance, without our motion or merits? is not even the ess●…tial being, amiable unto all men naturally? as Augustine doth well dispute in his book de civitate dei. Further our being, our lief, our feeling, our moving, our talk, & reasoning, & our freedom are imparted unto us by God from 〈◊〉 beginning of our 〈◊〉, v●…til this 〈◊〉 time: he hath preserved us from innumerable perils: he hath appointed unto every man his holy Angel to att●…d him continually. He hat●… brought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from all 〈◊〉 hath 〈◊〉 us with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 virtues: he hath spared us sinners by his abundant mercy: yea even until this instant he hath vouchsafed to await for our conversion. And doubtless hath taken many out of thy●… world whom he hath eternally damned, although they sinned not so much as we do: & yet he doth earnestly expect (through his incomprehensible clemency) to see our amendment. Now (my beloved) are these 〈◊〉 small or smally to be esteemed? doth not God incessantly heap benefits upon us & succour us? doth not he preserve us in being? & with us all that we have? doth not he clothe us & feed us daily? quickly for getteth the penitent, restoreth the grace and virtues which he had lost, stirreth and leadeth us daily unto some good things, and instructeth us at all times by his holy scriptures. Furthermore he hath promised & prepared for us, that eternal, supernatural, and most plentiful blessedness. Behold (my best beloved) how froward an ingratitude & hugeness of offence it is, to offend or not to regard or consider, this highest, most flowing & never failing most excellent benefactor. Herewithal it behoveth thee diligently to ponder the singular benefits given them by thy creator, which hath beautified thee (not meanly) but with great gifts of nature aswell in thy body, as in thy mind & soul. For since it is (according to Augustine's saying in civitate dei.) A great happiness to be born witty and ingenious, & (by the same man's wittiness) beauty, & eloquence are the gifts of God: although most men do abuse them: then weigh wisely unto how great a thankfulness, & obedience thou art bond, not by vain glorying or preferring thyself before any man, nor by despising any man, but by conceiving great grief in thy sins, by more bitter bewailing of them, and last of all, by more careful foresight & anoyding of them, & by vehement ●…eare of the divine judgement. Because as Christ doth protest: unto whom so ever much is given, much shall be of him required. Yea rather the more benefits thou cōsideres●… to be given thee of God, so much the more thou oughtest to be inflamed in love towards him, so much the more perfectly oughtest thou to subdue thy appetites, & so much the more thankful 〈◊〉 humble shouldest thou be found. Behold thou hast at god's hand the gifts of nature, the goods of fortune, & the fruits of the church. Are not then thy sins great and grievous especially since they proceed not of man's infirmity or of ignorance but are such as thou knowest to be unlawful? And mark therefore what account thou must give unto God for these things. Last of all the enormity of our sins is vehemently agrevated by the benefits which we have received by Christ, I mean those which he (for our salvation) did take upon him, & suffered. For it is not our peruers●…nesse, ingratitude, & wickedness infinite, whilst we dishonour despise & forsake the only begotten son of God? who for our deliverance did so unspeakably despoil himself. Did most mercifully incline his most high divinity, unto the baseness or our nature, vouchsafed to be conversant amongst men so many years. Yea in so great humility, povertic, patience, tribulation, persecutions & temptations, which took such 〈◊〉 pains for our salvation in fasting, traveiling, preaching, and praying. Which did (as Matthew telleth) give 〈◊〉 body and blood with an unspeakable charity unto his disciples, and doth give them daily unto us most 〈◊〉 & comfortably. Which lastly did suffer for our sakes a most bitter and vile kind of death. And hath (for our conversion unto faith and grace) done so many miracles by his holy Apostles and other elect. And all this considered the more that any man doth honour any other than him, so much the more iniquity it is not to rehonor him again. But it is most lewd and wicked even to dishonour him, especially since he is most excellent both by virtue & authority. And therefore since by the before named benefits aswell natural as supernatural, especially by the incarnation of the word, & by the glorification of his humanity, god hath so inexplicable, honoured mankind, and hath vouchsafed to call us which of substance are no better than poor little worms of the earth (yea and hath made us) his sons, heirs, & friends: furthermore hath promised again to carry us up into the most worthy Court of the highest heavens, & into the equality of the angelical blessedness: are not our sins unspeakably huge & great, by that which we do dishonour, offend, & despise a God so wonderfully benign? which hath also adorned certain of his present elect 〈◊〉 free choose with such most excellent holiness? Now therefore (beloved) let us worship & reverence God in all things with the whole zeal of our hearts. And let us do as much as we are able to the honour of his name: yea let us not think that we do any thing that is worthy: but let us heartily be sorry that we are able to do no more: because even as he is of exceeding majesty, so is he worthy of infinite reverence.   

Of the enormity of sin by reason of the divine presence which beholdeth all things.  
Art. 10.  
THis one thing furthermore doth increase the grievousness of our sins, and doth accumulate the contempt of our mind against God, that we dare be so bold as to sin in the sight and presence of our creator, saviour, & judge. And he our eternal & most mighty 
Exod. 36.  God doth most plainly, eternally, and unspeakably, behold, peize, & discern all things that are past, present, or to come. As holy job doth profess saying: doth not God know my 
job. 23.  way, & doth he not count all my steps? And again so speaking to God thou hast put (sauth he) my feet in fetters, and hast watched & marked all my paths, & hast considered the 〈◊〉 of my feet, Whereupon in Hieremie it is read thou 
Hier. 32.  most 〈◊〉, great, and mighty, thy name is Lord of hosts: great in thy counsels, & incomprehensible in thy thoughts, whose eyes are open over all the sons of Adam, that thou 〈◊〉 give to every man according to his ways wherein he walketh. 〈◊〉 not an earthly judge, or a mortal man think a great 〈◊〉 or despite done unto him if any of his subjects should in his 〈◊〉 & presence transgress his precepts? But how much greater injury & dishonour do we commit against the highest, heavenly, & eternal judge, whilst we fear not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his 〈◊〉 which is truly present every where, yea mostpresent and fulfilleth, judgeth, & pondereth all things that are done. Here upon (beloved) think always upon the divine presence, honour the looks of the heavenly countenance, worship every where the pureness of the divine mind. And blush for shame to do that before the highest God, which thou wouldst be abashed to do before a good or honest man. Nay rather tremble and quake, and presume not to think or to desire that before the presence of his 〈◊〉, which thou wouldst be any thing at all a feared to speak before a good or honest man. For God beholdeth the 〈◊〉 of the heart, & that which unto men, is the speech of their mouth, that which is with God is the thought of the heart. And again, that which the earthly judge before 
1. Reg. 16.  whom thou art 〈◊〉 doth gather of thy outward deeds, the same the dreadful and most just God can judge and determine of thy inward desires, which receiveth the intent or affection of the 〈◊〉 or deed. That man is base, 〈◊〉 & unjust, which honoureth the presence, and 〈◊〉 the judgement of men, more than of God. Wherefore (my dearly beloved) let that offence never be attributed 〈◊〉 thee, but 〈◊〉 hear always and in all places that saying of 〈◊〉 in thy 〈◊〉. The Lord liveth, in 〈◊〉 sight I stand this day. And therefore (as Boetius says) there is a great necessity of well doing commanded us, because we do all things before the eyes of the judge which seeth & decerneth all things.   

Of the enormity of sin by respect of him that sinneth.  
Art. 11.  
Hitherto we have treated of the enormity of sin having regard to God, against whom all sin is committed, either directly or by means. For although certain sins are termed to be against god, certain other against the neighbour, & certain against ourselves. (I mean against the sinner himself) because that God is the nearest object & matter most at hand unto some sins as unto those that are directly contrary to the divine virtues, & unto some other the neighbour is the nearest matter, and unto some he himself which sinneth. Nevertheless all sin is against God, which detesteth, punisheth, & forbiddeth all sins. For by the divine laws all sin is forbidden or dissuaded. Now than it is requisite to speak somewhat of the enormity of sin on the behalf of the sinner, and that as touching men.  
First then the enormity of sin may be marked by our inferiority. For the less that any man is by comparison with a master or lawgiver, so much the more humble, & so much the more in subjection he aught to be. Whereupon the contempt seemeth to be somewhat) the more grievous if he become rebellious to the law giver, or superior ●…im self, them if he himself were greater, or if a greater than himself did commit it. For man himself doth possess the lowest place, in rank of matters or substances belonging to understanding, may not them that lawgiver the most highly exalted God, (holy unmeasured, & to be adored) disdain much when he seeth us vile little worms of the earth (bearing clayish vessel upon us, being compared to vanity and ashes, replenished in our bodies with infinite sins against the soul) that we do not obey his commandments, but dishonour his majesty, and forget his benefits, yea every hour offending him incessantly, not hearkening to his exhortations which he maketh unto us by his ministers, & not regarding his own presence? furthermore by this consideration of our lewdness & vileness, we aught vehemently to heap up, aggravate, detest, & bewail, yea & to despise, reprove, & to correct both ourselves and all our excesses against God, since that we most poor, most miserable, & most vile creatures, which shall soon die, (yea rather daily dying) have so often & so grievously dishonoured, offended, despised, & daily do not cease to offend our lord, our most highly exalted, infinite, almighty, most glorious, and superessential God. Behold, we dust & ashes, we worms and rottenness, which like a flower do come forth & are w●…thred, which fly away like a shadow, & never do contiwe in one ●…state, have so often & so unmeasurably, halted & dissembled, & so incessantly do sin against the king of kings, against the Prince of all men, against the creator of the world most laudable, invariable, & most highly exalted, who is the simplest, purest, most bright shining, & most holy ghost. Wherefore then d●…e we most vainly glory? whereof are we most foolish proud? wherefore do we ●…ot humble, despise, bewail, and correct ourselves, with fastings, with stripes, with watching, praying, & other fruits of repentance. Therefore let us earnestly be displeasant unto ourselves, & let us most deeply & without delay h●…mble ourselves before the most pure God, despising no body but ourselves.  
Secondarily, the enormity of sin (on the b●…halfe of the sinner) is noted by the superiority of him that sinneth, as by prée●…inence & preferment in authority. For the more that he which sinneth be preferred in principality, or judicial authority, the more he is bond to the more ample justice, righteousness, charity, & exemplare life. Especially since the judge or precedent (according t●… the Philosopher) o●…ght to be the lively law itself, & the living equity: whereby his sins become the greater and more enorm, especially if he have authority in Ecclesiastical matters, and be bond to attend unto doctrine and preaching. Whereupon that which should be to a simple man but a s●…al tr●…spasse: such is accounted in a parsonage a huge and heinous offence and sin.  
Thirdly, the enormity of sin (as touching him that sinneth ) may be taken on the behalf of the d●…grée or orders of him which sinneth. As the sin of a Preacher or minister is more grievous than the sin of a lay or simple man, both because of the greatness of their skill and knowledge, & for the good example which of them is expected.  
Fourthly, on the behalf of the science or knowledge of him that sinneth, whose fault is so much the more grievous always then the faults of his equals, the greater that his gains or profit in knowledge hath been, ●…ce Christ protesteth saying. The servant which knoweth his masters will and doth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes. As the Apostle James doth also testify saying: it is a sin to 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  him that knoweth good, and doth it not. For as Peter the 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  Apostle saith: it were better not to know the way of righteousness, then to go backward from it, after knowledge ●…f it.  
Fiftly, on the behalf of virtue, for the greater perfection of life that a man (in times past) hath led, and the more spiritual that he hath been, the more abho●…able and more vile he shall always be in comparison of his eq●…alies, if he return unto carnal and voluptuous life. Such are they which beginning with the spirit, are consummate in the flesh.  
Sixtly, on the behalf of his state or profession. As if a christian minister or preacher should become an Apostate, wherein (doing against righteousness) he doth sin right deadly  
Seventhly, by the benefits given unto him that sinneth. Because (as I have before said) the more or the greater benefits that any man receiveth from above, so much the greater and more enorm his sins be. Whereupon the longer & more benignly y ⁿ God expecteth the conversion of him that sinneth, so much the more damnable his sins are made.  
Eightly, by the common custom of sinning, which inducet●… hardness of heart & obstinancie. For as Solomon writeth: when the wicked man cometh unto the depth of sin, he regardeth it not.  
Ninthly, by reason of the age, for one self same fault is judged more reprovable in old men, then in young men.  
Tenthly by the easiness that the sinner had not to have sinned, or to have resisted against sin. As in men of good wit and understanding, sin is more grievous than in such as are prove unto vice. Whereupon Augustine in his xiv. book de civitate dei speaketh saying: The first precept in Paradise was broken & vyolated, so much the more unjustly, because it might have been with so much the more ease obs●…ed and kept. For in sinners of such as be of good understanding there is more voluntary consent, since from their inward thoughts they are l●…sse enforced unto evil. And therefore they do sin more grievously than the rest that are their 〈◊〉 quails, especially since they do both abuse gods 〈◊〉 unhappily, and are so much the more ungrateful unto their creator. By these things let every man weigh and consider the enormytie of his sins. Because in some men all these things (yea, fully all these things, which do aggravate sin) do concur, in some many. And in other some fewer. But unto (thee my dearly belo●…ed) I propound the last of all these points to be most singularely considered. Lest thou shouldst dampnably abuse the goodness of thine excellent wit. But thou most (by a worthy endeavour) bend they self so much the more warily unto all virtues: as it is easier unto thee then unto others, to become virtuous. The which if thou do, thou shalt be most devout and most acceptable unto God. But if thou regard not thy doings, and give place unto vices, surely thine iniquity & damnation will be exceeding great. Whereupon Augustine in his second book, De civitate dei, saith: If there be any natural part apparent in thee which is laudable, it is no way perfect nor purged but by pyetie, (which is worshipping of God) and by impiety it will be overthrone and punished. Further of all that hath been said the very aggrevating of sin itself is to be understood by the other parts thereof.   

Of the enormity of sin, by the object or matter about the which it is committed.  
Art. 〈◊〉.  
AS we have already touched, some sins are sayd●… to be against GOD, some against the neighbour, and some against the finner himself. And it is certein●…, that the sin against God are the most grievous generally. It is also now handled of the greu●…usnesse of sin, having respect to God. And as those sins are said to be most grievous, which are against GOD for his goodness, majesty, holiness, charity, and his bestowing of benefits. So the lyker unto God that the neighbours be against whom the sin is committed, the more grievous and enorm the sin shallbe accounted. And thereupon the enormity of sin against the neighbour, Is first marked by the authority, dignity, and power of him against whom the sin is committed. Who, (the greater his power or authority is) so much the more grievous it is to offend him or to trespass against him, as appeareth by treasons committed against princes. Hereupon it is very enorm & grievous to trespass against a preacher or minister: since it is chiefly against charity which is due unto them, and against justice by the which obedience and reverence are to be given them. Wherefore of such God speaketh saying: 
Luke. 10  He that heareth you heareth me, and he which despiseth you despiseth me. Moses' also saith to the rebellious Israelites: 
Exo. 16.  Your murmuring is not against us but against God. And 
Rom. 16.  hereupon the Apostle teacheth in his epistle to the Romans: let every living soul be subject to the higher powers. For there is no power but from God: and those things which are from god are ordained. But he which resisteth authority resisteth against the ordinance of god. And they which do resist him do purchase to themselves eternal damynation.  
Secondarily, the enormytie of trespasses against the neighbour is perceived by reason of the nearness of blood. As thus. It is more grée●…us to kill thy natural brother. Or to 〈◊〉 thine own sister. But it is most grievous to sin against thy Parents. Since a son is born of their substance and is (as it w●…re) some part of them.  
Thirdly, by the benefits which the sinner hath received of his neighbour against whom he trespasseth. And therefore (again) it is to wicked a thing to do evil against thy Parents from whom the offspring hath obtained, being nowrishement, attendance, and instruction. Also against masters unto whom honour and love are due. (Or rather according to the Philosopher's opinion, we can not yield unto our parents & our masters things equivolent to their deserts. And therefore it is written. O how evil a man is he which abandoneth his father? and he is cursed of god which provoketh his mother unto anger.  
Fourthly by the goodness, virtue, or holiness, of him against whom the trespass is done, who, the better, ●…ster, or holier, that he be. So much the more wicked it is to do him trespass. For a special honour is due unto them that are wise and learned. And therefore the injury or lack of reverence that is showed unto such men is accounted the more heinous fault.  
Fiftly by the state, degree, or order, whereupon it is an exceeding great offence to commit trespasses against the ministry.  
Sixtly by reason of the age. For there is great reverence due unto the elders. And therefore to do to them injury is thought the greater offence. Hereupon the scriptures teach 
Levit. 19  us saying: before a grey head thou shalt rise & do reverence.  
Seventhly by the simplicity and ignorance, yea, or by the folly of him against whom the trespass is committed. Who, the more innocent or simple that he be, the more cruelty it is co●…ted to do him hurt. And in like manner if he be either altogether or in part deprived of his reasonable understanding. For unto such great compassion & succour should be ministered and therefore it is counted a great evil in the book of Jobe saying: The just man's simplitytie is laughed to scorn. 
Jobe .. 〈◊〉.   
Eightly by reason of the love or trust which we have in any man, if we do trespass against him. For the more that any man doth love one, or the more that he trusteth him, the greater offence it is to do him trespass by injury, hurt, or deceit. Whereupon it is read in Jobe saying: he that is laughed to scorn 
Jobe. 36.  by his friend shall call upon the Lord and he will hear 
Eccle. 9  him. And ●…n Ecclesiasties: do not forsake thine old friend. For the new shall not be like unto him. Hereby the dissimulers and crafty creatures do provoke the wrath of god. ninethly the imperfection or monstrous defect of any person, Whereupon it is commanded in the levitical laws: thou shalt not curse the deaf man, nor set a stumbling block before him that is blind. And therefore it is a vehement cruelty and ungodliness, to mock, scorn, or offend, such people. Tenthly by the impotence, weakness, and need, of him against whom the trespass is done. And therefore it is a very enorm and grievous sin, to oppress, persecute, or spoil, the impotent, abject, or needy persons. And hereupon Solomon saith: He that taunteth the poor doth upbraid his maker. And Moses saith: The Lord giveth 
Deut. 〈◊〉  sentence for the widow and the Orphante, and loveth the stranger. Whereupon it is written by such as s●…steyne wrong in manner aforesaid, that their cries came unto 〈◊〉 ears of the Lord of Sabaoth: eleventhly by the adversity of the neighbour against whom the fault is committed. And hereupon it is accounted a very grievous fault, to increase tribulation, or to do injury, unto them that are desolate, afflicted, or tempted. Since comfort and consolation are due to such as holy Jobe well witnesseth that he did saying. I did weep over him that was afflicted, & I took 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  compassion in my soul upon the poor and needy man. And in an other place. When I sat (saith he) like a King that hath his army about him, yet was I the comforter of them that mourned. Therefore a certain wise man doth admonish us saying: Fail not them that weep in consolation. And the Appastle saith: we should weep with them 
Rom. 12.  that weep. By these things every man may consider the enormytie of his sins against his neighbour, as by respect of him against whom the offence is committed And generally the greater damage or evil that any man doth by trespassinge against his neighbour, so much the more grievously he sinneth beyond his equals in comparison. And therefore to deflower a virgin is a very huge offence. Slander also taketh away the good name which is to be 〈◊〉 before silver and gold. Yea and sowing of discord, which breaketh away and diminisheth love (that is to be preferred before silver, gold, and good name) they are very huge and enorm offences. Yea, greater in all respects than theft. And again the more that the matter of sin or offence be consecrated unto God, the greater is the offence. And last of all (my well-beloved) it shallbe meet for thee diligently and wisely to weigh the enormyties of thine own offences committed against thy neighbour by any manner of means. And that according to the considerations before rehearsed and touched, thou endeavour thyself worthily to correct them. Diligently (hereafetr) to eschew them and to behave thyself well and orderly unto all men according to their state, condition, or quality, even as the Apostle teacheth to 
Rom. 〈◊〉.  the Romans saying: give unto all men their dew. Fear unto whom fear doth belong, and honour to whom honour appertaineth.   

Of the enormytie of sin having consideration to th'end and circumstances.  
Art. 13.  
FUrthermore the name of circumstance in actions of virtue, is taken ordinarily by circumstance according to the place, for as the place doth locally in●…yron & stand about the matter or thing in hand, that which doth ●…uen touch it, and yet is unto it an outward affection: So the conditions of humane actions, which concern the very actions themselves, and yet are without their substance, are called circumstances. As Thomas in the first chapter of his second treatise and the se●…enth question. There are (saith he) seven circumstances which are contained in this verse.  
Who, what, where, by what help, why, how, & when. For a man must mark who did it, by what help, or assistance he did work, in what place, what time, to what purpose, and in what manner it was done. But for as much as the action taketh his proper kind by th'end or purpose where unto it tendeth, therefore work itself is of the substáunce of the action. And therefore when the end and the work are termed circumstances, it is not to be understood of the principal end or action, in that that it is properly, but it is meant by some end adjoined, and by some property applied about the work or action. Of these circumstances this one. Is of greatest consideration. That is to say: To what end any thing is done. And therefore to the more unlawful, or wicked, end, or purpose, any thing be done, the fault is so much the more agrevated. And if any man pretend his work to sundry ends or purposes which are forbidden, the more, and the more perverse that these ends be, so much greater is the enormytie of his sin. As if any man do steal to the end and purpose that he may maintain delights, banquitinge, and whoredom, yea, or to attain thereby worldly promotion. And furthermore if any man be of the kind of good men, if yet the end or purpose that he preteudeth ●…e vain and lewd, the thing than itself is unlawful. As if any man, pray, fast, and give, alms, to obtain man's praises thereby. Then for as much as (by the testimony of Dyonysius goodness is an entire cause, (that is to say: whither all the circumstances of virtue before rehearsed, do concur) and the defects or evils do happen by the omyttinge of any circumstances: Therefore the grievousness of the sin is so much the greater, the more that the number of cir cumstaunces be which are forsaken, and the more that the party doth go from the very convenient circumstances of virtue itself. Hereupon let us now not only be sorry that we do those things which of their own nature be vicyous and absolutely evil, and do also omit things that we should do: But also because we have sinned in an iuconuenient time, in a place more for bidden, to a very wicked end and purpose, by dishonest means or assistance, and in a most unapt manner and fashion, even unfearfully and unreverently altogether, we must consider also how often, & with what manner of person, with how great delight in sinning, and with how great, or what kind of offence to our neighbour. For the more that the desiere of sinning (I mean the very willingness to evil) be more bend thereunto, the fault is so much the more grievous. Likewise it is convenient and we must consider of the good things which we do whither they be done in due time and place, with a right intent and reverently, also. For it is more grievous in the time of divine service on the holy days, and in the church, to have a wandering mind, to tattle, to look gazing about, and to set mind, upon vice and wickedness. Therefore (my well-beloved) endeavour thyself to fulfil the good deeds whereunto thou art bound, with the circumstances before rehearsed as much as in thee lieth and do héedely consider the grievousness of thy sins, by all these things now rehearsed which do aggravate sin and wickedness.   

Of the deformytie, hatefullnesse and loathsomeness of sin by consideration of itself.  
Art. 14.  
Because god which is dishonoured by sin doth consist of an infinite great honorablenesse, a●…blenesse and beauty: Therefore sin is judged to be also of an infinite loathsomeness, hatefulness and deformytie. For as much as it is displeasing, & contrary, to the divine will, holiness, and equiti●…, hereupon sin aught (by the laws of God) neither to be committed nor to be allowed for no cause, for no fear of damage, danger, or torment, nor for any love of commodytie, prosperity or ●…ye. Yea, rather should a man willingly receive & ind●…●…ost grievous death, then to incur the lest sin. And therefore whosoever doth either for flattery or for menaces or by regarding man's favour, yield unto sin, he declareth sufficiently that he is imperfect. To conclude, the least evil of the fault, that is to say: The lest sin is more hateful and more to be fled from, than any kind of evil in the pain or any kind of punishment (yea, though it be infernal) as touching that it is merely punishment. Therefore we aught not to sin for the avoiding of any torment, loss, or discomodity, but rather aught a man to be willing to bear any pain then to offend God: For to offend god is as much as to lose God. (I mean the unmeasurable goodness of God) and to set our own wicked wills directly against his most holy will. And therefore now (my well-beloved) consider how great is their frowardness & how far are they distant from true perfection, whose whole affection tendeth day and night to do those things which are forbidden by thy divine laws. Which by slattery, gifts, & poursute, do labour to draw those things, unto their consent, with the which they may fulfil their most filthy desires. And which study to be hovoured, to be inrytched, and to have their propriety in this world. Therefore let the state of our minds stand inflexible. Let us neither be puffed up with prosperity nor yet over come with adversity. Neither let us fall headlong from the way of righteousness t●…rough fear of man's displeasure, rebuke, or dismaying, and let us beyond all comparison fear the death of the soul (which is sin) more than the death of the body.   

Against those which do more fear, eschew, and hate, the evil of the punishment, than the 〈◊〉 of the fault.  
Art. 15.  
Fear is the flying from or detesting of evil. Therefore the worse that any things be, the more to be fled from, and the more detestable they are judged to be. For as much as evil is the object of fear: So that it is already evident that the evil of the fault is unmeasurably to be fled from. But the evil of the pain or the punishment of sin, or any kind of afflictive adversity, is not (in itself) absolutely evil, or simply to be fled from or avoided. But it is justly sent by God, & is profitable in this world to the taking away of sin, & the pouring of grace upon us. In hell it is the work of the divine justice, & ordained for the fault although it be hurtful unto the dampened. If then since these things are so, how unperfect, vile, & childish, are they which in this life do rather fear & fly from the just punishment, confusion, & rebuke of their sins, then from the very 〈◊〉 thy deformity of sin itself, the displeasure of the divine holiness, and the dishonour of the highest God? These be those disordered and miserable creatures in whom private love doth weigh down godly love, in whom servile fear is greater than chyldish obedience, which do more honour, dread, and esteem the sight & judgement of the world than of god: never fearing to do that in the presence and beholding of God himself, which they would be abashed to do in the sight of a man being their judge in this world. These are more sorrowful for their own temporal or corporal discommodities, losses, or punishments, them for god's displeasure for the loss of grace, or for the wounding of their soul. These men do pretend & fayne a certain amendment, when the judgement & examination of men is at hand or approacheth. But when he is absent, whom they feared and is not looked for, to return shortly unto judgement or punishment, them they live as they did before. Go to then (well-beloved) let us fear God most sincerely, let us (without all comparison) hate the evil of the fault, and heartily embrace such punishment as is laid upon us for sin, yea and lot us bear it patiently. ●…nd let us most faithfully bewail and lament the hurts of the soul (that is sins) more than the l●…se of temporal things, or the afflictions of the body. Last of all, we shall be able to accomplish all these things, if we mark effectually that saying of Solomon: My son honour God, & thou shalt prospero. Besides 
〈◊〉. 7.  him, see thou fear no man. And again he sayeth: He 
P●…ou. 29.  that fears God, doth tremble at nothing, and he that fears man shall soon come to destruction. I mean not that we aught not at all to fear our superiors, since the Apostle Peter saith: Servants be subject unto your masters with all fear. But my meaning is, that they are not to be dreaded as men, but as the Vicars & ministers of God, lest through the fear of them we offend God by any means. Now pray unto the most merciful God heartily, & incessantly for grace, to obtai●… the perfection in this article here described.   

How sundry men, upon sundry causes and motyves, do eschew sins.  
Art. 16.  
FUrthermore there are some which are withdrawn from vices with only servile fear. That is with the dread of punishments and not with an affection to felicity, nor with the very sincere love of God. These men (as long as they continued such) are not acceptable to God, yet such kind of fear is not altogether unprofitable, in as much as it withdraweth from sin. There is nothing that is done as it aught to be, or acceptable & pleasing of God, unless that proceed of the charity of God, and be done by the love of righteousness. As Augustine in the xxj. book De civitate dei: vices (sayeth he) are overcome by a laboursome difficulty. Neither it is possible to do that truly or sincerely, but only through a delight in true righteousness. But they which do seem (by the means before rehearsed) to decline from evil, and to do some good things, are evil and unfaithful servants, because there remaineth in them an affect to sin, and a well liking unto things that are evil. Of such kind of servants our saviour sayeth to his Apostles: I will not now call you servants: for the servant 
john. 15.  knoweth not what the master doth. And again: 
john. 8.  some do eschew sins in hope of reward, and desire of everlasting felicity. In these men the love of God is not perfect and altogether sincere without dissimulation, because they are bended backwards towards themselves, beholding and thinking upon their own commodity, and occupy themselves most in thinking of their higher & reward. But if such d●… more regard & affect their own commodity then the honour of God: If they be more induced by the aff●…ction of private love, them by the motion of divine charity, unto the doing of good works, them they deserve nothing, & are rightly named mercenary men. Nevertheless it is lawful to serve god, by the beholding the reward, & by the affection to heavenvly felicity. So as that honour of God be preferred before a man's own reward, & that the very reward of blessedness which is desired, be ordered & diposed to the honour & glory of God. The which who so doth, he shall not only not be a mercenary, but furthermore a friend: because he loveth God & righteousness above all things. Whereas they which are not yet perfect, are accounted to have a beginning fear or mixed dread: because they withdraw themselves from si●…s, & do also apply themselves to virtues, partly by the fear of the punishments of hell, or these temporal & present pains, and partly by the hope of heavenly rewards. Notwithstanding the love of God (in them) doth over weigh private love, & they desire the honour and glory of God both firstly, and finally. And therefore they are in the state of health and grace. Furthermore there are others which withdraw themselves & departed from sins, & do good, by the only love of the divine godhead, & the true and sincere zeal of his honour, being converted fervently with their whole mind unto God. And such desire or covet nothing else (at all) but that God being glorious & holy, should be in all things honoured & loved, and do never think vpo●… the reward, nor have respect thereunto. Which bow not back toward themselves, but rather do altogether dye unto themselves, to the end they may most purely live unto God. As the Apostle witnesseth saying: I live not now, but Christ li●…eth 
〈◊〉.  in me. Furthermore if these men do at any time think upon their reward and desire it, that shall not proceed of inordinate back bending towards themselves, but by a charitable relation unto God, & because it is gods will & pleasure that they should desire eternal felicity, as men confirmed in goodness, & happily enjoying God: that they should most perfectly apply their whole mind unto his honour, love & praises. And so the love of the reward shall not repugn the perfection of charity. These are the friends & sons of God, whose minds are converted into the most pure affects of divine charity, and the zeal of righteousness. And these men do in all places, & at all times behave themselves virtuously: because the reason of well doing, is uniform, pure, & stable in them, even as God himself, being the perfect love, the zeal of very righteousness, the presence of the divinity, the love of pureness, the mighty affection of divine honour, the well pleasing of good & honest things, & of all virtues. Now then (my well-beloved brother) fly from vice and exercise goodness, rather by the most pure love of god, the zeal of equity, & affection to pureness, then either by fear of pains, or respect of rewards. And if thou have not yet attayved the perfection, pr●…y unto god therefore, & in the mean while fly from sins. At y● le●… by fear of eternal damnation, & the love of the heavenvly blessedness.   

That we are not able in this life fully to comprehend the enormity of sin.  
Art. 17.  
AS Augustine speaketh in the xxj. book de civitate dei, the pain & eternal punishment which is appointed for temporal sins, doth therefore seem hard & unjust unto man's sonces, because in this life we lack that sense and understanding of the highest and purest wisdom, by the which it might be perceived how much wickedness is committed in prevarication & dissembling with God. For we have already manifoldly showed that the enormity of sin is so much the greater, as the goodness of God is greater, before the which the frail goodness is by sin preferred. And likewise that the higher Gods majesty & authority are, which by sin are dishonoured, yea how much the greater gods holiness & equity be, which do abhor the filthiness of sin. And again the greater that gods charity be towards us, & the more & better that his benefits be, which he hath bestowed upon us. And bi●…ause we are not able to comprehend in these fleshly senses & natural mind, the unmeasurablenesse of the divine bounty, the undiscribabe highness of the divine majesty, the most clear infiniteness of the divine holiness & equity, & the greatness of the divine love, & of his benefits towards us, nay rather that we are not able with a clear eye to behold them: I do therefore certainly believe that we can not fully know the e●…ormitie of sin whilst we are in this estate. Here upon the perfect & holy men, the more sincerely & loftily that they did behold God in this world, & did in their minds (being lightened & anointe●… from above) the more diligently mark those things whereby the enormite is agrevated & the better percei●…ed (whereof I have already handled many) so much the more they despised, humbled, & corrected themselves, yea & did most vehemently ponder, bewail, & chastise the lest sins. To conclude: one sin is aggrevated by another. Since therefore, the sins of our affections, speeches, things committed & omitted, be so many that they exceed & ●…scape the knowledge and nombring of our thoughts & minds: it is certain that we can not understand the enormity of our vices, but by a very singular grace from God. And therefore it is written: who 
Psalm 18.  understandeth his faults? purge me O lord from my hidden faults: & from offences unknown spare thy servant. Hereupon in all respects we aught (by right) patiently & with all gladness to sustain all adversities whatsoever hap unto v●…, for our so hidden lurking many & great offences. But because we do not ponder nor consider the enormity of our sins, because we do not humble our hearts low enough before God, because in adversities we do not give thanks unto God, which loveth us, rebuketh us, & chastizeth us: but being overcome with impatience, we fall into disordinat sorrow and baseness of courage. Yea further because the other things a little before rehearsed, which do aggre●…ate sin as well on th●… behalf of the sinner, & of the object or matter whereaboutes the sin is committed, as also by means of the ends & circumstances are so many & so great in perticularitie, that none of us can distinctly know them all: Therefore we are not able fully to understand the grievousness of our sins. But we aught infinitely to humble ourselves, & heartily to call upon the divine clemency, and only to breathe too, or take comfort in the mercies of God. And to say with the true penitent sinner: mine iniquities have over taken me, & I had no power to see them. And again: our iniquities are multiplied over our heads. And in another place: our sins are grown up to heaven. Last of all: though we can not fully comprehend the hugeness & enormity of our wickedness. Yet by that most bitter, eternal, & infernal pain which the just God appointeth for our sins, it appeareth doubtless the they are truly so incomprehensible, great & enorm: which God doth yet nevertheless even in hell, mingle mercy with his justice, in that he punisheth less than we worthily deserve. And yet the enormity of any mortal sin (how little so ever it be) is so great that there is no creature in the whole world so well-beloved of God, but he would hate him & damn him (for ever) for one of these grievous sins, if he find it in him finally, at his ending. Yea & so great is the enormity of sin that it maketh the sinner so displeasing unto God as he himself doth not remember, any good thing which the sinner did before. As our Lord & judge did testify by Ezechiel saying: if 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  the just man do turn away himself, & work iniquity, I will not remember all the righteousness which he hath done. Therefore he that standeth, let him take heed that he fall not: no man is sure. And in the Proverbs it is said: blessed is y● man which 
〈◊〉. Cor. 10.  is always fearful. And furthermore how great the enormity 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  of sin is, it may hereby be marked, that no creature was fit to make satisfaction for the sin and transgression of mankind, and to take away the same, but it become the very only begotten of God, yea and it behoved (by a certain mean) the true & unmeasurable God, to be inca●…te, and to suffer and dye, for the redemption of men from the guilt of sin. If thou mark these things rightly (my well-beloved) thou shalt abhor sins, thou shalt bewail th●…, and ●…ye from them. And shalt warily behave thyself before the presence of the divine majesty.   

Of the sundry effects and ●…rtes tha●… come by sin.  
Art. 18.  
Contrary causes are accustomed to have contrary effects. But sins and their vicious qualities, are contrary to virtues and their actions. Then as grace doth make nature perfect, so sin doth infect it, hurt it, & embase it. And as virtues and the gifts of the holy ghost, do make the strengths 〈◊〉 forces of the soul to be ready, prompt, and easily inclined to well doing, yea and (by mean and working of the holy ghost) very well and ready nimble therev●…too: So sin and vicious qualities, do foreslow the forces before named, & draw them backward from goodness, make them weak & unready to do well, prove and prompt to evil, yea they make them easily inclined to a devilish instinct, and to follow the violent sway and force of affections. Hereupon Hugo in his book of the Arck of No sayeth: what temptation so ever doth assail a soul forsaken, and abandoned of divine succour, it overthroweth it. And Beda witnesseth: that a man fallen into sin, Lord my God. Sin doth also (according to Augustine) in an hillate and bring to nothing. Because sin itself is nothing, and all men by sinning come to nothing. By léesinge the essential being (not of nature) but of grace.  
Eyghtly, one sin doth draw and dispose a man unto another. So the sin which followeth doth become both a sin and the pain of a sin. For of itself it is a sin. And ●…y respect of the sin which went before it, it is also the pain of a sin. Because the sinner by the deserts of the former sin doth justly deserve to be for saken of God▪ And so falls into sundry vices. Whereupon according to Gregory: A sin which is not washed away by a repentance, doth by and by draw one to another sin by his own weight, and sway.  
Ninthly, sin doth make such virtuous deeds which were done before to be unfruitful & doth exclude man from the glory of the heavily kingedone. As it is written: Let the wicked be taken away lest he should see the glory of God.  
Tenthly, of a member of Christ, it maketh one a member of the Devil. For as by faith we are incorporate in Christ, so by deadly sin, (léesing faith, we are incorporate in the Devil, who is the head and Prince of the unjust.  
eleventhly, it maketh man (who aught to be the Temple of God) to he like unto hell. For as in hell there are fire, cold, styncke, darkness, wor●…s, confusion, thirst, and hatefulness, of all that is good and honest: So in a sinner there are, the fire of anger, impatience, and covetousnnsse, the cold of envy, the 〈◊〉 of lechery and riot, the worm of conscience, the thirst of concupiscence, the disorder and 〈◊〉 of mind, and the ●…thesome detesting and hating of virtues.  
Twelfely, sin maketh a man unstable. For the finner is overthrown, tossed, and carried about with every wind of passiones, temptations, and vices.  
As it is written, the wicked shall walk about: for they are 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉  as the dust which the wind driveth from the face of the earth: 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉  because their hearts are not made fast unto the highest, unchangeable, only true and most perfect goodness. Ttherefore they wander in things created, and are divided in mind, and are most unordinately affected. Whereupon jeremy speaketh saying: jerusalem hath committed sin, and therefore it is become unsteadfast. Furthermore even as the bait upon the hook doth beguile the fish, So doth sin beguile the sinner. Because while he doth vainly and wickedly delight therein. It bringeth him to everlasting sorrow. Hereupon Augustine in his. xiiii. book De civitate dei doth affirm saying. We may well say that all sin is a lie. For we do not sin (saith he) but of a desire that good may come to us. And yet of all sin evil cometh to us. Again, sin doth make the sinner like unto a Serpent, which goeth upon his breast, and eateth the earth.  
Even so sinners do cleave fast unto sin, and do strive to fill and glut themselves therewith. Sin doth also show that the sinner is a fool. Because by sinning every man doth more and more, overcharge, grieve, and oppress, himself. He gathereth and layeth upon his own shoulders the sticks wherewith he kendeleth the fire that burneth him in hell. Yea he serveth him which requireth & seeketh nothing but his eternal damnation, and will so much the more, torment him, the greater service that he hath done him. Furthermore sin doth take away true liberty. And maketh thereof most miserable bondage. Because (as our Saviour witnesseth by the Evangelist) Every man that sinneth is the servant of sin. Therefore Augustine in his fourth book De civitate dei: Doth confess that the goodman, although he serve, is yet a free man. But the wicked (saith he) yea, although he reign, is yet the servant of as many masters as he hath vices. And again in the fourth book he says that the will of man is then truly in freedom, when it is not in bondage to vice or sins. And Solomon in the book of his proverbs protesteth: That 
〈◊〉. 4.  righteousness doth raise up and ennoble the people. But sin (saith he) doth make people miserable. For if pain make a man miserable, and the fault much more miserable, then shall it so much the more in all respects make him miserable, as the fault is, more detestable than the pain is. Whereupon Augustine in the xi. book de Trinity saith: To will or desiere (saith he) that which is not decent, is a most miserable thing. And again saith he, every man is made mserable by only evil desire. But more miserable by power thereof. For thereby the desires of an evil thought are fulfilled. And because the sinner doth cleave & stick fast unto vain things, therefore sin doth finally leave him (which sinneth) vain and void of all things. 
Rom. 6.  As the Apostle saith to the Romans. What fruit had you then (that is to say in sin when you sinned) in those things where at you now do blush. For the end thereof is death. Furthermore sin doth chiefly grieve the sinner, at the time of his death. For it maketh him sorrowful for the loss of the temporal things (that is to say: The delights, riches, and honours of this world) which he loved. It maketh him also to fear the straight judgement of God. The infernal punyshementes of the speedy coming of the Devils. Who then do chiefly endeavour to draw the sinner into desperation and many other evils. And then the wicked is sorrowful that he hath lost and spent his time so viciously & unfruitfully. Here withal after death, sins do unspeackeably grieve the unjust. Because they show that they are before the just judgement of God most worthy of everlasting pain and confuston. And then they morn to here that terrible word: Go you accursed into everlasting fire. And do unrepayreably hold them as turned away from the high goodness & fountain of true felicity. And lastly: As sins are hurtful to them that are in sin themselves, even so then grieve those which by repentance do●… with draw themselves from sins.  
First, because it never recovereth the glory of the first innocence. As a maid once deflowered can never be a virgin again.  
Secondarily, because it bringeth us to pain and penalty.  
Thirdly, because it keepeth man back from glory. For the penitent shall not enter until, through Christ his merits and mercy, he be restored to the pureness which he had in baptism.  
Fourthly, because he shall never recover the time past, & lost, the which he might have gained with reward. Yea and it happeneth often times that the sinner being penitent doth yet (by the dregs and relics of his old accustomed sins) become more cold in his affections, more ready to the lothesomenesse of good things, darker in his understanding, weaker to do well, and much more frail and feeble to resist the evil. And therefore Augustyne in his eleventh book de civitate dei doth say: Our mind (saith he) in the which reason and understanding naturally have residence, doth become unable and weak (by certain cold and darksome vices) not only to cleave to the fruition of God but also to bear and abide that unchangeable light. Until such time that being from day to day healed and renewed, it may be made capable of such great felicity. Whereby it is manifest how foolyshely they behave themselves which foreslowe their conversions and say that after a certain time they willbe altogether converted yet remaining the mean while in their vices and wickedness. For they do not rightly weigh into how many dangers, perrilles, & hurts, they fall in the mean tyme. And therefore sin doth always hurt many men.  
First, him which sinneth.  
Secondarily, the neighbours and all the church of god. Because in the mean while the neighbour thereby taketh offence, and the church itself, which is an army to withstand the Devil, is (by a certain kind of mean) thereby also diminyshed, and weakened, by him which is wickedly conversant and occupied.  
Thirdly, it hurteth also those that are dampened. Because the more that descend into hell the greater horror, howling, and torments there are. For that proverb hath there no place which saith: Solatium est misero, socium habere miseriae.  
Fourthly it hurteth (by a certain mean) the blessed in their habytations. By mean of subtraction. For the greater and more copyous that the number of the blessed is, the reward accidental is thereby made the greater, by the happy socyety, one of them glorying in an others felicity.  
And lastly, the sinner doth incur many evils and dangers, by relapse into his old vices. For his faults are made the greater, and so more hardly to be forgiven. As jeremy witnesseth saying: Now vile art thou made by returning 
〈◊〉. 2.  unto thy ways? For a wound hurt again, is the hardlyer and more slowly healed. God also is made the harder to be pacified. And the Devil the stronger to possess, as Christ saith in the Gospel: That then goeth the Devil 
Luke. 11  and taketh unto him seven other spirits worse than himself. And going in he dwelleth there. And the end of that man is worse than the beginning. Also sinnne is forti●…ed to prevail before the judgement of reason. As Augustine speaking of himself doth say. Moore prevailed the increasing evil than the uncustomed goodness. Lastly even the sinner himself becometh more impotent to rise. And thus behold (my well-beloved) how many and how unspeable evil things a man doth incur by sinning. And surely if thou do not amend thy lief by reading and knowing these hurts, and dangers which come by sin. If thou do not detest and abhor sin, if thou do not walk in pureness of life before God, then shalt thou be unexcusablely reproved of great faults by thine own virtues. And shalt not do that which béecommeth the natural goodness of thine excellent wytt. For it is apparent by these things how truly Augustine spoke in his twelve book De civitate del: saying: Sin hurteth nature. And by that means it is contrary to nature. And yet by that vice nature is apparent to be great and laudable. For by what means so ever vice be blamed, by the same undowtedly nature is praised. For the right blaming of vice, is because thereby a laudable nature is dishonested.   

Of the infinite mercy of God.  
Art. 19  
WE have already spoken many things of the enormytie, filthiness and impiety of sin. And it is now thereby made manifest, how vehemently the holy and most highest God, is dishonoured by sin, and how he hateth and abhorreth the same. Therefore lest any man should by consideration thereof, fall into weakness of courage, or be broken with disperation, or faint with over much sorrow, or pine and wither away with undiscrete curyositie, We will say somewhat again of the incomprehensible and unmeasurable mercies of God. And therefore as the goodness of God is pure infinite and most plentiful, so the sweetness of his liberality, and his clemency is altogether unspeakable, unlimytable, and unexcogitable. Exceeding and infinitely passing, all our malice, need, and misery. Yea, more than all the waves in the Sea pass a little drop of water, or the great heap of the whole world doth pass incomparabily the lest seed that is. Let no man therefore despair by the enormytie of vices. For thereby he should offer an extreme injury to the divine mercy. And should most vehemently dishonour the uncreated verytie of the highest God. As though God's goodness and clemency (which hath promised forgiveness and grace unto all men how full of iniquity so ever they be, if they do truly repent) were less than his wickedness. To conclude is not the mercy of the glorious God, and he which is only to be worshipped, most infinite, who in every moment doth overthrow so many sins, to be done in this world and seeth himself to be dishonoured, despised, and blasphemed, so unspeakably of so many sins, and yet doth preserve them in being, doth uncessantly communicate unto them, the goods of nature, & of fortune, doth nowrishe them, cloth them, & provide for them, yea since (according to the which hath been said before) the enormity of sin is so incomprehensible, even therein the wonderful great, and infinite pity of God, doth appear that he ever will vowchesafe, to be reconciled or to behold, or to receive into his grace & favour, the man with whom he were but once offended or displeased by sin? And behold even those of whom he hath been so often times offended by such grievous sins, by whom he hath been so often contemned, & set behind earthly things in comparison, he doth not only vouchsafe to receive them unto forgiveness, grace, & favour, but often times he doth prevent them in uncomprehensible pyetie, and doth happily change their hearts (by inward compunaion) unto salvation: taking from them all hardness of heart. And filling them with so much grace and goodness, that the same doth now most abound, where before iniquity was most abundant. And so of most hateful enemies, they are made most dear & acceptable unto God: therefore we must not ●…ispayre for any thing. For as much as God by his mercy doth patiently abide sinners, doth gently revoke them, doth dissemble, and differ revenge and punishment, doth deliver them from many and manifold dangers, doth liberally and 〈◊〉 give them grace doth multiply that which he hath given, doth keep and preserve that which he hath multiplied, and doth reward with heavenly things that which he hath kept, and preserved. To conclude, God doe●…h joyfully receive unto 〈◊〉 the sinner, which 〈◊〉 unto him, doth mollyfie his heart, doth quickly forgive the offence which he committed. And after forgiveness doth never remember the injury. Again God of his mercy doth sand us adversities to prove our patyence withal, he giveth us prosperytie that he may provoke us to love him. And by his mercy doth bring again unto himself those that go astray, & doth guide unto him such as return, doth raise up them that fall, doth stay and hold up them that stand, and doth lead unto glory all such as do persever in godliness. Behold how great and how very unspeakable, incomprehensible, and unmeasurable, the clemency of our God is especially upon his elect? And yet let no man sin the bolder by this consideration of the divine mercies, presuming most foolishly upon God's benignity. For he is accursed which sinneth through hope. For the better, more meek and clement that we know God to be, so much the more intentively we aught to love him, & not to dishonour or despise him. Wherefore between desperation and presumption, let us observe a sapientall mean, hoping with fear and fearing with hope. And so let us contynewally be carefully and fearfully conversant before God.   

Of those things by consideration whereof, sins be the more effectually avoided.  
Art. 20.  
THere are many and almost innumerable things whi●…h aught to induce us unto the avoiding and esthewing of sins. first the consideration of the shortn●…sse, vanytie, unstableness, and dysceitfulnesse of this present lief. For what is our life, but a smoke most 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and a moisture fading by little and little, 〈◊〉 our days are like a shadow upon the earth, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at all. How long soever our life séem●… 〈◊〉 in this world, yet in comparison of the never ending lyef which holy job saith: Spare me O Lord for my 
〈◊〉. 7.  days are nothing. We see also with our eyes how many and how innumerable this present lief doth deceive. Which being delighted, over darkened, and bedecked, with the richeses, delights, and honours of this world do neglect those things which pertain to their health and salvation, do never covet or desire spiritual good things. nor do always and enerie day perpare themselves unto death. And therefore even as they live so do they make an end. And they do most unhappily dishonour God while they are yet sound and in health, so at the time of their death they are most justly of him forsaken despised and condemned. Is it not then more wholesome, to contemn this lief for the love of that most happy and eternal lief which is to come? To abject all the vanity and impiety thereof and to cleave most faithfully fast unto that divine eternal and vumeasurable goodness  
Behold in this present and most unsteadfast lief, we must of necessity have regard either to eternal felycity or everlasting damnation. Choose then (my well-beloved) that which thou perceivest to be most wholesome for thee. And hate, eschew, and detest, most heartily all kind of sins.  
Secondarily, the diligent consideration of death doth not a little prevail to make us eschew and avoid sins, which death doth most swiftly and uncessantly approach. At which time the vicyous lief which now delighteth us, shall han●… a most miserable end. For then the perverse and wicked, (which d●…e cleave more and more bend to this world then unto God) shall seek but truce for one hour. And only their sins shall march on with them.  
Thirdly, the consideration of the highest and most rigorous straightness of god's 〈◊〉. As to think what a horrible thing it shallbe strayghtwaies after death to be presented before the trybunall seat of Christ, to be of him most justly judged to abide the pronouncing of sentence to be accused of the Devylls, and of our own conscience, and to be seen and found vicyous before him. Also the consideration of the last general judgement which is to come in the end of the world. Which willbe so terrible as no tongu●… is able to conceive the same. Therefore whosoever doth déepaly consider how miserable sorrowful and horrible a thing it willbe, then with body and soul to go down into the infernal pit, to fall headlong into everlasting ●…yer, being shut in the most tenebrous prison of hell, there desperately to remain for ever, to have the most dolorous 〈◊〉 and society of Devils, and to be there uncessantly tormented more than can be told: That man doubtless will avoid and eschew sins. Who so ever will bewail those which he hath already committed, will keep his heart with fearful watch.  
Fourthly, the effectual consideration of the whole infernal punishment. And therefore if he which is delighted and allured with vanytie of heart or voluptousuesse of the flesh in this world, would rightly weigh and consider unto how great desolation and eternal pain (yea, the plenteous fullness of all calamities and miseries) those delights do lead him, he would utterly abhor them and fly from them. O my most entirely beloved brother, would God that these things did savour and were understood of thee, as it is meet and right that they should. For than thou wouldst most readily despise the world. For behold who would now lie but the space of one hour in a hot burning furnace, to gain all the world thereby? Wherefore then dost not thou eschew daily sins? For the which so great pain must be suffered, yea much more grievous than any punishment which may be given in this present lief. But these foul considerations whereof I last spoke which with draw us from sin, do principally pertain unto foolish and unperfect men. Which decline from vices rather by fear of evil then by love of goodness.  
Fyftly, than the consideration of that highest and incomprehensible heavenly felycity which God will give to those that for his love do eschew and hate sins, is of great power to withdraw us from sin. Since the hope ●…f reward doth diminish the force and smart of the scourge, there can be nothing in this world so painful, so laboursom, or so hard, but that he that doth rightly and worthily ponder the inexcogitable glory of that blesseonesse, would not readily and willingly endure.  
Sixtly, to the same end prevaileth devout, trus●…ie, & often praying. ●…s if a man (which thinketh & considereth that without the abundant grace of God, he can not fly from nor 〈◊〉 sins) do therefore never cease to pray heartily unto God for grace to live virtuously. For we must (as our saviour sayeth) always pray and never cease.  
Seventhly, the consideration of the divyns' presence is chiesly available to the eschewing of sins, by the which god doth behold and consider us every where. By which consideration there ariseth in us a chaste shamefastness from doing of any thing that is dishonest.  
Eightly, the consideration of his benefits.  
Furthermore, it appertaineth unto than which are perfect, to avoid sins, chief by consideration of the divine goodness, before whom (in sin) the frail goodness is preferred.  
Also by consideration of the divine majesty, which by deadly sin is infinitely dishonoured.  
Again, by consideration of the divine holiness and equity 
〈◊〉. 2.  unto the which sin is infinitely displeasing.  
And likewise by consideration of the divine charity, by the which God did first love us.  
Moreover, by the very love of virtue and pureness, and the horror of the deformity of sin. As a virtuous man did affirm saying: Although I known that God would forgive 〈◊〉, yet would I not ●…inne (said he) for the very disordrednesse thereof. It is also written that the general remedies 〈◊〉 sins are 〈◊〉 these.  
first patience in poverty, that a man may suffer néed●… and penury in all things, quietly and gladly as an Ambassador sent by God, w●…ither it be in food, clothing, or other necessaries. For as the abundance of temporal things, is the 〈◊〉 of many vices. So poverty withdraweth from many evils.  
The second is the despising of worldly men and their pratses, yea though thou be in all things contemned, reproved, and troubled without cause given. For so is the swelling of pride repressed, and a singular grace obtained of the Lord  
The third, is a ghostly magnanimity a stout mastership over a man's self, without which a man is oftentimes enforced to commit such things as would else displease him, & to omit those things the which he would willingly do. It prevaileth much for worldlings in all things to forsake their own w●…l.  
The fourth is the eloyning of a man from comfort of worldly affairs. By which very often times the quiet and pureness of the soul is much hindered.  
The fift, of conference with learned virtuous men and the following of their counsels, and between God and thy conscience to take an account of thy life pass●…d, doth help to overcome sins, and the temptations of the 〈◊〉, for since the devil is the Prince of darkensse he doth hate & fly from the light, or the recordation, or manifestation of his deceipts, and the humble accusing of a man's own self. But the forgetting or keeping secret of his wiles, he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Hereupon our saviour sayeth: Every man which doth evil, 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉  hateth the light: but he which dealeth truly, cometh to the light that his works may be made manifest, because they are done in God. But there are some which are very naughtly dangerous shamefast, 〈◊〉 no will to call to remembrance and examine their own consciences of the secrets of their thoughts, affections & temptations, whereby it cometh to pass that being overcome they shall & are 〈◊〉 and wrapped up in sundry vices, without purpose and 〈◊〉 to be converted unto God.  
In like manner to fly idleness, doth prevail much in the avoiding of sin. For idleness breedeth vices, and therefore some fruitful occupation must always be taken in hand.  
Furthermore, I judge that nothing is more effectual to the eschewing and avoiding of all evils, to the resisting of the devil, to the profiting in all charity virtue and grace, to the applying of holy works, and to the earnest submission of a compunct, meek, a holy mind unto God, than the inward, frequent, and diligent meditation of our Lord's passion. For when we see how much God loved us, how great patience, meekness, and humility Christ did show & teach in his passion: and how being stretched upon the Cross, he prayed for them that killed him, by weighing and deeply considering of all which things we shall throw from us, all pride, wrath, impatience, carnality, voluptuousness and envy. Studying to get charity, meekness, patience, & repentance. Behold now (my well-beloved) let the provident consideration of all these things before described, which may make thé●… eschew those things which displease God, & chief are hurtful unto thyself (that is to say sins) let it always (I say) lead thee and guide thee, that with a cleansed thought thou mayest evermore increase in charity, in divine grace, and in all the gifts of the holy ghost.   

How a man aught to behave himself here i●… earth, which desireth to attain vnt●… perfection of life.  
Art. 21.  
Whosoever desireth to apply his mind unto the o●…tayning of inward pureness and holiness, and to attain to true perfection of life here on earth.  
Aught first of all to found himself and his conversation upon true humility and the fear of God. For god doth resist the proud: but unto them that are humble, he giveth so much the fuller grace, as they have the greater 
1. 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  depth of humility. And again he saith: if thou do not hold 
james. 4.  thyself instantly in the fear of God, thy house shall be quickly 
●…le. 27.  subverted and overthrown.  
Secondarily, he aught (so far forth as God will grant the measure of his grace, and as in him lieth) to fly and abhor all sin. Forasmuch as sins do (in such manner as is before rehearsed) hinder the increase of grace, the ferventness of charity, and the cleanness of holy life.  
Thirdly, he aught very often times and most diligently every day and night to consider his life, to lament his offences, and the breach of the pre●…ptes divine, and sharply to judge over himself in all things: to humble and despise himself. But as for other man's deeds he aught not curiously to mark or judge them.  
Fourthly, in all things that he doth, he aught to have a circumspect eye: and actually to take heed, and to have care that he offend not God by any means. For since there is no difference (as Saint Thomas affirmeth) in the undivydable actions of men, so that every action of man proceeding from deliberation of reason, either profiteth or anoyeth: it is certain that unless a man (in all things that he doth) do circumspectly behave himself in every point, he shall light into many sins. And therefore the Ap●…stle writeth unto Tymothie: do nothing (sayeth he) without foresight 
1. Timo. 5.  and judgement. That is to say, the judgement of discretion going before thee. And in Ecclesiastes it is 〈◊〉 some 
〈◊〉. 23.  do nothing without counsel, & thou shalt not ●…nt thee after thy deeds. Therefore in all things it is ●…o be weighed whither they be lawful, expedient, or profitable. Wither they be lawful having respect to God, and whither they be expedient, having regard to the edifying of thy neighbour. He that is such an one will always and in all places behave himself fearfully. Such an one was job. I ●…eared (sayeth he) all my deeds, knowing that thou spa●…st not him that ●…ffendeth.  
Fyftly, he aught to keep his heart with all diligent heed 
Prou. 4.  lest any vain thought or inordinate affection do remain therein.  
Sixtly, he should bring himself into such custom, that whither he eat or drink, or clotheth himself, or whatsoever he do or labour abroad, or whatsoever he hear others speak, or he himself speak unto others: yet always he do (as much as by the help of grace he may) lift up his heart unto God, and within himself revolve somewhat that is godly, saying with all his thought: A clean heart created in ●…e O Lord▪ And such other meditatious as seem most●… 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  pleasant and most convenient unto his devotion: but chief he must pray uncessantly unto God for increase of grace, and for the custody of his heart.  
Seventh, he aught in all things to have a most ●…ncere intention, fervently and zealously desiring the honour & worshipping of God. And thinking thereupon more than on himself or any other thing.  
Eightly, he aught in all affection of body and in all adversity to ●…ioyce heartily because such things are profitable unto him, as touching God. But because it is unacceptable unto the holy ghost whatsoever we present unto it, neglecting that whereunto we are bond, therefore he aught first to pay unto God reverently his dettes and duties: as prayers or divine & holy service, distinctly pronounsing, lifting up his heart, and fashioning these things (as with a taste of mind) even as it were from his own affection. Yea let him raise up his heart unto God by contemplation of his goodness, holiness and benefits. These things (my most dearly 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  beloved brother) I do writ unto thee rudely and in haste, as they come into my memory, and as God himself (from whom all goodness floweth) did vouchsafe to give me understanding, to the end thy heart may be inflamed towards the love of perfection: and that it may know how to obtain the same. For if thou do rightly and wisely use the gifts of nature doubled in thee, by the divine grace, then shalt thou with a wonderful ●…acylitio attain unto sing●…lar perfe●…tien.  
And therefore I do vehemently exhort thee, and earnestly desire that thy affections towards these earthly things may be temperate, coveting the riches of this world no farther than necessity doth requyer, modest I●…fe doth de●…und, and the inward pro●…tt of thy soul challenge. For Augustine saith in his ninth book De civitate de●…: A man's soul is so much the more unlike that incorporal enternytie, and unchangeable goodness, as it more coveteth and desiereth temporal and mutable things. Yea let thy thoughts altogether despise the unpure delectations of the flesh. Because as Augustine saith in his second book De Trinitate: The reasonable soul is made so much the more spiritual, and that more fervent, the more and more, that it dieth from carnal concupiscences. To conclude the more preryous that thy soul is then thy body, so much the more diligently see that thou love, seek, and heap up, the spiritual richeses, the inward comeliness and decking of virtues, before the outward garnyshing of the body and garments. Not desiring to please men, but to please thy creator, Saviour, and most dreadful judge, who is as above all things, the highest and most blessed God.  
Amen.    

The Needles' Eye.  

The Prologue of the Author.  
OUr saviour Christ by the mouth of his holy 
Math. 6.  Evangelist Matthew in his sixt Chap. says: I will declare unto thee (O man says he) what is good, & what the Lord thy god doth require at thy hands. verily even to do justice & righteousness, & to walk carefully & warily before thy Lord God. For as much as god hath form & made thee a reas●…able creature, he hath created thee to that end that thou mightest obtain everlasting felicity, he hath furnished thee with all things necessary to the attaining thereof, that thou mightest deserne between good & bad, between truth & falsehood, & between virtues & vices: choosing and following those things which are good, true, & vert●…ous, & abhorring (yea utterly forsaking) all evil, false, & v●…tious things. Wherefore our own reason & understanding (being instructed by the doctrine of the holy scriptures, & well taught and grounded in the holy laws of god) aught to be the judge of all our life & deeds, in such sort that every man might every day of his life wisely dyscusse, truly discern, & effectually correct, his own conversation. And although we are forbidden by god's word to judge other men disordredly, according to the 〈◊〉 saying: judge not & you shall not be judged, nevertheless let 
Math. 7.  every man judge himself by consideration of his own life, and let him abhor whatsoever he findeth reprehensible therein. Yea let him bewail it, avoid it and leau●… it not unpunished. But let him amend it by the fruits of repentance. And this is meant by doing of justice and righteousness. For whosoever doth so, shall escape the strait judgement of God, and the everlasting pains of hell▪ As Paul the apostle doth witness in his eleventh Chapter of his ●…irst Epistle to the Corynthianes saying: If we judged ourselves 
Not doubting of salvation but putting away carnal security●….  we should not then be judged.  
Moreover we aught to walk warily and circonspectly before the Lord our God, continewally fearing lest we offend the eyes of his holy Majesty in any thing, and that we neither lose the benefit of his great grace in this present life, nor yet the fruityon of his glo●…y in the world to come. Nor yet thereby encurre the danger of everlasting pains in hell. And here upon the holy word of GOD doth say: 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Eccle. 〈◊〉.  The man is blessed which walketh always 〈◊〉. And ●…ée which is with out fear or dread to do 〈◊〉, cannot ●…e justified. As also the apostle Paul doth exhor●… us to this fearef●…ll and careful wal●…yng 〈◊〉 GOD saying: 〈◊〉 for your sa●…uation, with fear and trembling. 
Phil. 2.  As also Saint Hierome saith: Cursed be the 〈◊〉 which ●…th 〈◊〉 god 〈◊〉. Wherefore we must dilig●…tly 〈◊〉 all héedynesse, and the true effects of Godly charity, serve the highest GOD and Father in chyldyshe fear and obedience. As it is wry●…ten by the Psalmyst: Serve God 
Psal. 2.  in fear, & rejoice before him with tr●…bling. Such an one was holy job saying rightly of himself: I have always feared GOD (sayeth he) as the rage of waters that might overwhelm me. And again: GOD is he whose anger no man may resist. Therefore have I been troubled to beehould him, and have been grieved with fear when I considered him. So that whosoever is dyssolute in his heart, light of mind, and doth neither weigh nor consider the heavenly eyes which always behold him, nor yet doth reverence and dread the presence of that fearful and eternal judge? But doth proceed in such a careless order, and so negligently behave himself, as though he had already passed all 〈◊〉, and were not of GOD to be judged, doth not he lamentably ●…ast himself away? And shall he not light in the hands of the living God. That he may receive everlasting punishment with the reprobate in the depth of hell. Wherefore my dear and welbéeloved in Chryst Iesu (to whom I write this work) do not neglect thyself carelessly, in a vain kind of securytye. Nor do not thou walk unreverently before the highest God, which doth continually behold thee. Do not injury unto his Majesty by living wickedly: But (as Moses doth exhort thee) keep thyself, and thy soul, warily: And forget not the words of the Lord thy God, neither let them slip out of thy remembrance, at any time: For here upon it is that Augustine says: Such as fear not gods justice, do hope for his mercy in vain. And Hi●…rome says: If we would believe and often think upon the presence of god, whose Majesty seeth and judgeth all things, I believe that we should very seldom, or never fall into any sin. And this it was that holy job meant, when he said: Doth not god know my ways? and number all my 
job. 13 & 23.  steps? and a gain he says: Thou hast observed all my paths, and considered the steps of my feet. Where upon Basyle also doth admonish us saying: Remember that you stand in the sight of God, which beholdeth the thoughts of your hearts, & knoweth all secrets. For this consideration of his divine Majesty doth also induce an observation of his precepts. Whereupon the Psalmist saith: I have kept thy commandments & thy testimonies, because all my ways are in thy 
Psal. 11●….  sight. Thus whosoever will fear God let him assuredly think, that he doth behold all things. Let him be ashamed to stand with any unclean thought in the presence of his infinite Majesty, yea, let him be abashed to have any blot or imperfection in his soul, before the face of the highest god. For it is written: Remember thy creator in the days of thy youth, 
Eccle. 12.  before the time of thine affliction do come.  
It is written in the xi. Chap. of Eccle: be meek & paicient to hear the word of god. For the more we do love any thing, so 
How diligent we aught to be in the hearing of Gods word.  much the more willing we are to hear of it or to talk of it. Whervpō●…ohn speaking of the lovers of this world says: they are of the world, & they speak of the world, & the world heareth them By the same reason I say, that whosoever doth love god truly, doth desire his blessing and doth spiritually esteem him 
〈◊〉. john. 4.  self in GOD, even he doth hear his word willingly, doth retain it diligently, and doth fulfil it fervently. For these are signs of predestination to everlasting salvation. And hereupon our saviour saith: He that is of God doth hear 
john. 8.  his word, and therefore you hear not, because you are not of God. For the word of God, or the holy scripture, is the food of the soul. And even as we despair of his natural life, which receiveth no corporal food, or vomiteth up, and holdeth not that which hath received: Even so, the life of grace is to be despaired in him which is not careful, diligently to hear, mindfully to retain, and efectually to fulfiill the word of God. And therefore (my well-beloved in Christ jesu) att●…d and mark the word of god with good affection, hear it humbly and reverently, read it, and peruse it as an Epistle sent thee from the holy ghost. Neither yet is it sufficient to know the will of God, or to have it in reverence, but we must also 
Psal. 118.  fulfil the same. As the Psalmist saith: I have laid up thy words in my heart, to the end that I might not offend thee. 
Luke. 12.  And the Evangelist saith: The servant which knoweth his Lords will & doth it not, shallbe beaten with many stripes. And the Apostle james in his Canonical Epistle saith: He that doth know the good and doth it not, offendeth grievously. And here upon Augustine doth conclude, that the word of god is of no less worthiness, than the body of Christ. Neither is he less guilty which heareth the word of God neclygently, than he which receiveth his body unworthily. And therefore since I written these things unto thee for the health of thy soul, by the help and grace of God (without wh●…se provydence and help, no tree groweth nor leaf falls) I require that thou read these things with no less dillygence and earnest affection, than they are fervently and zealously written for thine instruction. For so the natureall goodness of thy quick 
Eccle. 〈◊〉.  capacytie doth require. As it is written: A good ear will hearken unto wisdom with earnest desire. And how acceptable 
Sap. 6.  and well pleasing that were unto god, appeareth by the wiseman saying: The earnest desire of wisdom shall guide a man to the perpetual kingdom. But what wisdom? Not the wisdom of this world. Not the wisdom of Philosophers, Poets, or Rethorycians. For (by the 〈◊〉 of ●…he Apostle) God esteemeth the wisdom of this world for mere folly. And Saint Hierome that holy father, doth call Aristotle (who was Prince of Philosophers) a father of fools or Prince of ignorance. But the words before rehearsed are meant by the wisdom and perfect knowledge which is contained in holy scriptures. And are not they to be accounted vain and foolish, who setting a side such things as are requisite for the soul's health: And omitting ●…he observance of gods holy commandments and the wholesome knowledge contained in his holy word, are earnestly and contynewally occupied in things altogether vain and superfluous, yea things which god doth not by any means require at their hands. And thereupon we see such men most commonly blinded with infinite vanities, unfearefully & unwarely conversant and delighted in plays, pastimes and (overmitting greater offences) in mere tryfels and fantasies. Is this (thinkest thou) the straight way leading to 
Math. 7.  life everlasting, the which (as Christ himself doth witness few can find out? Not: But do thou as the holy word teacheth 
Eccle. 3  thee, seek not things above thy reach. Nor search not things beyond thy strength. But look what god cummaundeth, and thereupon do thou always meditate. And as for these superfluous toys of profane mystries, do never trouble thy brains therewith. Again what pros●…teth it to have knowledge of things created, without a due reverence and worship of the creator? Nothing at all. But rather it hindereth much, and maketh such smatterers (as guess thereby) to fall into danger of condemnation. Wherefore let not the study of natural Philosophy more delight thee, than the study of true morallytie which is devynity. But let the chief delight consist in the study & understanding of holy scriptures. That thou mayest say: O how sweet are thy words unto my 
Psal. 1●….  mouth? more sweet than fine honey. And again: I have delighted in the ways of thy testimonies as in much richeses. And likewise: The law of thy mouth is profitable unto me, yea more than thousands of gold & silver. By experience thereof, one of the Fathers in holy church did say: Nothing in this life is tasted more sweetly nor swallowed more greedily, nothing doth so separate man's mind from the world, nothing so str●…gthen it against temptation, nor any thing more help and stir him to all goodness, than the study of the holy scriptures. And again he saith: Whatsoever is written in holy scriptures is verity. Whatsoever is therein commanded, is honesty, and whatsoever is therein promised is true and perfect felicity. This is then the most wholesome and profitable study, which teacheth a man to know himself to correct his life, and to proceed in all goodness by the grace of the holy spirit. And thereupon Augustine warneth us saying: Use reading of holy scriptures for thy glass, whereby thou mayest move any blot or blemish that thou findest in thyself. Yea thou mayest therein learn to preserve whatsoever thou perceivest to be fair in thee, by doing that which is fayerer than it seemeth to be. For the word of god is most plentiful, containing in it all delights. And therein (as in a mirror) when we do look and gaze with the eyes of our inward mind, we do also see and behold the secret shape of our souls. Yea we may thereby perceive how much we have profited, or how much we are go a stray from perfection. Whereupon Isodorus saith: The reading of holy scriptures doth yield prosit. For it doth not only teeth & instruct a man's mind, but it bringeth back to the love of god such as are by vanities abstract and carried into concupiscence. Can any study then be compared to the study of this wisdom? Not surely. For as Gregory saith: Even as the holy scriptures do excel above all other knowledge & learning without comparison, teaching us the perfect truth, calling us to the heavenvly habitation, invyting and provoking the reader's heart from worldly desires, to thembraceing of high & heavenvly treasures, being neither so dark that they are to be dread nor yet so plain that they are to be despised: even so doth the use and exercise thereof take away all weariness, and the more they are read the more they delight, surpassinge all other sciences even in the manner of writing and handling. Whereupon Hyerome also saith: Love the study of the holy scriptures, and thou shalt not pass upon the vicious desires of the flesh. So that I do greatly desire (well-beloved) to deck and bewty●…e thy soul with this divine and supernatural knowledge of the holy scriptures the which shineth as a certain blaze or bright b●…ame of the everlasting, uncreated, and highest wisdom. And the very reading thereof (by the testimony of Hyerome) doth sharpen the sense, increase the understanding, warm the will, shake of ●…owth, quench lust, provoke sweet sighs, distyll pleasant tears, and maketh us (as it were) néeare neighbours unto God himself. Wherein when we bestow our time and study, the holy ghost doth talk and common with us even famylyarely as Isodr saith. And surely thou art singularly endued with capacity towards thattaining thereof, since thou art beautified with a natural sharpness of understanding, in such sort that thou mayest by God's grace say being yet but a young scholar, I have inclined my soul unto goodness. And I beseech thee most merciful God to grant me such a delight in searching of his true wisdom, that thou mayest say with the auctor of the book of wisdom: her have I loved and searched for even from my youth, and I 
Pro. 3.  wooed her to be my wife and my spouse. And I become in love with her beauty, so that entering into my house, I will lie down by her and take my rest with her. For her conversation doth not weary me, neither is there any bittern●…sse in her company, but joy and gladness devil with her for ever. And hereupon also it is said: Wisdom is more precious than any riches, and all that m●…n desire is not thereunto to be compared. God forbid then that thou (my well-beloved) shouldst set thy mind or occupy thy thoughts in things that are lower and of vyler estymation.  
THe path of the just, cometh forthwards like unto a 
Of two kinds of ways where in men do walk.  bright shining lamp, & it in creaseth until it be broad day but the wa●…es of the wicked are dark & they know not where they fall. As the holy Evangelist john doth witness 
Pro. 4.  
〈◊〉. john. 〈◊〉  in his first Epistle saying: God is light, and in him there is no manner of darkness. Also Dyonisius writeth that God is the pure, full, and infinite light, the lively, intellectual, original, and most clear brightness. Since he than is the end and uttermost bond of our way and perigrinage, we aught to walk towards him by the bright shining paths and fair ways, that the whole way may be like unto the end of our journey, and the midst unto the uttermost bo●…ndes thereof. For otherwise we can never attain unto him. Now this path of the just, is virtuous deeds, good life and conversation, together with a wary observation of God's laws and commandments. Wherv●…on Solomon 
Prou. 3.  sayeth: The ways of the Lord are fair ways, and all the paths thereof are peaceable. For the ways whereby we journey unto God and the heavenly kingdom, are: good thoughts, holy medytations, fruitful talk and deeds of charity acceptable unto God in Christ jesus. These are justly called the paths or ways of the just, for as much as they be the certain fruits and tokens, whereby we pass and make way (the grace of God helping us) from this exile, unto the heavenly habitation. The which ways and paths are by good reason termed bright and shining, sithence they have their original beginning of God's grace and charity, which are the supernatural lights of the soul. Yea because with their brightness they chase darkness from the minds of men, they unite and knit together our hearts to the uncreated and heavenly light, and make him which (exerciseth himself therein,) to s●…eme clean, holy, and acceptable unto God, and a good example unto men. Whereupon the Apostle saith: That the just 
Phil. 1.  do shine as Lanterns amongst the wicked. And again 
Ephe. 〈◊〉.  unto sinners converted he sayeth: You were once darkness but now you are light in the Lord Furthermore this path and way of the just, doth proceed from good to better, from imperfection, to perfection, from one virtue to another, from the way unto the end of the journey, yea and it increaseth until it be broad day. That is to say until the everlasting day appear. For as much as it riseth (by faith) to the special kind of the thing sought for. Even unto the everlasting and most blessed fruition and visien of the highest and most reverend Trinity and godhead. This is the way of the choose, the unspotted way, the way of all virtue, leading (by the travail of repentance) unto everlasting rest and quiet. And of this way the Psalmist saith: Blessed are they whose 
Psal. 118.  ways are uncorrupted, and which walk in the laws of the Lord their God. And thereupon job said: I kept the 
job. 21.  way of the lord, and did not decline from it. As also Jeremy 
Hiere. 6.  said: Ask which is the good way, and walk therein, and you shall find a refreshing for your soul. But now: there is another way of the reprobate, a darksome way, (that is to say) a wicked and ungodly way, which lacketh the light of true understanding, & is not guided with the light of grace. But is obfuscate and darkened with the clouds of passions and concupiscences, perverting & overthrowing all just judgements, & leadeth to the dungeon of infernal darkness. This way is seen by vicious qualities, unbrydeled appetites, concupiscence of the flesh, wicked thoughts, evil deeds, unseemly and unlawful talk, and neglecting of tyme. The which do so overshadow and darken the eyesight of the mind, chat it can not see the spiritual ruin and overthrow into the which it daily falls headlonges. For in this slippery and damnable way, (which seemeth good unto the wicked, although the end thereof do lead unto death) men fall from the highest, unchangeable, and most blessed God, unto a changeable, frail, and vain apparence of goodness, from the state of grace and salvation, unto the state of guilt and condemnation, from a spiritual life, to a carnal life, and in the end, from the right way to the infernal prison. Of the which way or ways (being wicked as aforesaid) it is written: you blush and be ashamed of your ways. And therefore (my beloved) go not 
Eccle. 5●….  into the way of ruin and perdition, neither follow the liberty of worldly vanities and thine own desires, but do thou diligently follow and imitate the way of the blessed and choose. For whosoever followeth the things which delight the flesh and the outward senses, whosoever doth embrace the looseness of his heart, and the joys of this world, he doubtless walketh in a dark and dangerous way. But he that walketh according to the 
Psalm. 118.  precepts and lessons of the Gospel, he chooseth unto him the bright way of the elect, and may say with the Psalmist: I have kept my feet from all evil ways, that I might keep thy words. For the worthy and perfect fulfilling whereof let us pray daily, or rather hourly, with devout mind, saying: Direct my steps according to thy word, and no unrightuousnesse shall have the upper hand of me.  
The Apostle Paul in his second Chapter to the Galathyans 
Of three sundry sorts of travailers in these paths.  sayeth: I am fastened to the Cross in Christ. Yet live I, not I, but Christ liveth in me.  
And whereas I now live in the flesh, I live in the faith of the son of God which loved me, and gave himself for me.  
And surely this is the wholesome doctrine of christian religion. That for the transgression of our forefathers, all mankind was deprived of their pleasant habitation in the terrestial Paradise, and thrown out into this world, as into a vale of misery, into a place of banishment, and a country far from our native residence. To the end that through the blood of Christ Iesu, we might in this world show the fruits of true repentance, and incessantly bewail our own calamity, until we may be thought worthy after this life, to enter into the place of rest, or everlasting kingdom prepared for the elect children of God.  
Whereupon Gregory sayeth: we went from our country (meaning the terrestryall Paradyse) for our pride, disobedyence, following of the visible goodness, and tasting of the fruit prohibited, but we must return thereunto again by humility, obedience, contempning of the visible goodness, and by bridling our carnal appetites. And therefore in this life we are called travailers or wafaring men, because as the Apostle saith: We have not here 
Hebr. 13.  any certain residence, but we must seek for it in the world to come. And again in another place he saith: whilst we 
2. Cor. 5.  are in this corporal body, we devil as strangers from the Lord For we walk by faith, and not according to our outward form. And in like manner the Psalmist singing speaketh 
Ps●…l. 38.  unto God and sayeth: Hold not thy peace though I be a stranger & an alien in thy sight, as all my forefathers were. Now it is expedient for a provydent and circumspect traveler, that having necessary things for his journey, he load not nor over charge not himself with other things, nor that he stay in his way without some reasonable and urgent cause. Neither yet that he busy himself to intermeddle with things done by other men whom he passeth by in his journey, but that holding the kings high way, and neither declining on the right haude nor on the left hand, and being contented with necessary food & apparel, he make haste, & incessantly travail with all possible speed to draw near unto his journeys end. So aught every Christian to consider that he is but a traveler or a wayfaring man in this present life, and therefore let him so order his whole conversation, that he obtain the felicity which is to come, and to attain to the heavenly and everlasting kingdom of God. Yea let him direct all his steps unto the glory of God, fulfilling his holy commandments, and by such virtuous degrees, let him aspire unto the heavenly habitation. For here unto the Apostle Paul doth exhort 
Cor. 7.  us saying: it remaineth that they which use the benefits of this world, should be as though they used it not. And that they which be married, should be as if they were unmarried. For the outward show of this world shall pass over. And again in another place he saith: Paving meat, 
〈◊〉. Tim. 2.  drink, and clothing, let us be contented. For they which 
1. Tim. 2.  covet to be rich, do light in the snares and temptations of the devil. But happy is he which so knoweth his habitation that he may say with the Prophet, woe is me that my resting place is prolonged. He that so saith, and so coveteth 
Psalm. 11●….  to come unto the everlasting habitation, he is worthily to be called a true traveler, and one that goeth in the right ready way. But because it happeneth oftentimes that a traveler seeing sundry strange things in his way, is delighted therewith, and stayeth to behold such things, or to seek and inquire of novelties, whereby he foresloweth his ●…ourney, and remembreth not the country which he hath to travail unto: but rather is so drowned in the delights of strange countries, that he tarrieth there for altogether, and never cometh to his journeys end. Therefore there is a plainer and more perfect way whereby we may go to the country of the choose. Which is: that a man do go not only by the ways and means already declared, towards the heavenly habitation, but furthermore that he do not regard, care for, or seem to see, any impediment, stop, or let, in his way. But rather pass by them and despise them as things which appertain not unto him. And such travailers or wayfaring men are they which care no more for the praises and commendation of this world, them they do for their dispraises, no more for prosperity than for adversity, for riches, then for poverty. Finally, which do not (worldly) set their minds on any of the things which delight men in this life, but do (mortifyedly) set light by them all, as by most vain trifles and toys. Unto the which perfection the Apostle doth exhort us saying: we must always bear about us in our bodies, the 〈◊〉 of Christ jesus, that his life may be made manifest in this our mortal flesh. And such were they to whom the same Apostle 
Colos 〈◊〉.  did write: you are dead, and your life is hidden in God with Christ jesus. And such also was Jeremy speaking unto God who sayeth: Thou knowest that I have not desired the days of man. And such are all they which do not glory but in God the Lord, & which made themselves strangers and alliens from this world. And such an one may properly be called dead unto the world. And yet there is another way higher and more perfect than these. Which is: To extinguish all self-love, and to be ravished in divine charity, and thereby to love our s●…lues in Christ Iesu perfectly and spiritually. Not only that (travaylerlike) we can eschew the impediments & stops in our way to God, neither yet only that (deadmanlyke) we can set light by the prosperities and pleasures of the world, but also that we abhor with all our heart all things whereunto the world cleaveth, as riches, delights, lusts of the flesh, promotions, vain praises of men, and free scope to do what we list. Yea let us with all our heart abhor, detest, and fly from all these things▪ as griefs and deadly torments of the heart, because such things do rather hinder and ●…oppe, then further our help forthwardes our course to God, and our journey to the heavenly habitation. To conclude, let us with all our hearts i●…brace, cleave to, and desire, all such things as the world accounteth a Crosse. Which are aduer●…tyes, or hard conditions: as abstinence, watching, discipline, desire to be unknown to the world, love to be contemned thereof, and joyfully to bear all bard punyshementes for the love of God. Knowing that these things willbe profitable unto us, as well for attaining unto our journeys end, as also to make the goodness of God satisfied and pleased with our forwardness, whereby we may escape the punyshementes due for our heinous offences, and proc●…de in grace to our heavenly habitation. Yea hereby we are made like unto Christ which susfered for us, and therefore shall like unto him receive a joyful reward in the life to come. And hereupon we may rejoice 
P●…alm. 18.  herein, as in great treasures, and as the wicked and reprobate do rejoice and glory in the prosperities of this world. For such as attain unto this perfection, may say with Paul: God forbid that I should glory but only in 
Gala. 〈◊〉.  the Cross of Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. In like manner may we b●… thought crucified, and not only alyens as the first, nor dead as the second sort. For in this third degree of peregrination, the very height of all christian purity doth consist. And such were the most blessed Apostles, who being scourged and reproved by the high priests, did go away rejoicing out of the sight of their consistories, that they were thought worthy to suffer that continually for the name of jesus. Consider then (my well-beloved) in which of these three kinds or sorts of travailers thou art to be accounted. For he which doth only attain unto the first rehearsed degree, let him not thereby boast that he is in surety of salvation. And therefore it shall be thine industry not to be contented with the first degree, but that thou have desire of (passing by the second) to climb unto the third degree of perfection. That leading a heavenly and angelycall life in the flesh, and daily increasing in all faith, charity, knowledge, and grace, thou mayest be accounted amongst the sons of the holy and glorious God, and not be foreslowed after thy departure from the glory of his majesty.  
And out of a sermon of holy Bernard I have taken certain choose sentences touching this matter. Be not (sayeth he) like unto the f●…lishe traveler, whom the fair show of this world dóeth entice, the prosperity thereof doth lull him on sleep, the favour thereof doth deceive him, and the joys thereof entrap him, in such sort that being drawn and turned from God, he is held back from his journey, and hindered in his ways. Do not then use or esteem this world as thy country (as Beda forewarnesh) because this is the difference between the choose and the reprobate. That the elect (being now Alyens and strangers banyshedde, do expect and hope for a perpetual habitation in heaven, & do so much the less delight in the frail joys of this prese●…t life, because they hope to receive the joys ●…out end which are to come, & to reign with Christ for 〈◊〉 But ●…he reprobate, have their country here. And unto the desires of this life, they only do cleave, and therefore after this life they are sent into everlasting banyshement, whereas lacking all pleasures and delights, they do only suffer adversity in torments.  
The 〈◊〉 Matthew in his seventh Chapter hath 
Of the ●…t way to salvation, and the broad way to perdition.  these words: Enter (or go in) by the narrow gate, for the way is broad and 〈◊〉 which leadeth unto destruction: and many there he which go in the reat. But the way is strait and the gate narrow which leadeth to everlasting life, and few there be which find it out. These words proceeded from our saviour Christ, and are reported by his Evangelist saint Matthew. And what could have been spoken more terrible than these words? or what soundeth more thundringly in our ears? It had been sufficient to terrify the stoutest heart, if Christ had only said: The way of salvation is strait, and broad or wide open is the way of damnation▪ Whereby it might have been sufficiently apparent how hard it is to be saved, and how eas●…e to be dampened. But he proceedeth saying: That very few do find the strait way of salvation, and that ●…erie many do walk in the void open way to damnation. Whereby he doth ensinuate also that right few shall be saved, and very many dampened. The which he doth more evidently set down in another place saying: Many are called, but few are choose. Therefore who would not 
Math. 22.  fear, yea and tremble to hear these words, if he be of the faithful, and have obtained a lively belief in Christ Jesus? For the faith and true duty of a christian is such and so mystical, so great and yet so difficult, that although we certainly know by the testimony of God's spirit the certainty of our salvation in Christ, yet should every wayfaring man in this world do very well to fear and forecast lest he in respect of infirmity of flesh should fall and offend, and so consequently should do well to walk in dread and reverence before the Lord God. For as we are bond to believe that after this transitory life we shall be brought before the Tribunal seat of Christ, the everlasting God, and infallible, dreadful, and most just judge: there to receive from him either everlasting pains of hell fire, or the everlasting joys of heaven: even so if we behold the same with a clear and lively faith, it were wonderful if ever we should be free from trembling and dread. But the malice and negligence that is in us doth blind our hearts. For if we were to pass through a field or place full of thieves, wherein few passengers or wayfaring men had escaped, who were he that would not fear exceedingly to light in danger of corporal death? But now we pass and walk daily through a field of this wicked world, replenished with all kind of devilish temptations. Wherein (as is abovesaid) very few in comparison do escape damnation. Neither yet do we fear but laugh, play, sport, and banquet. Yea we are thoroughly replenished with a vain and most perilous security or carefulness. But (my well-beloved) let it not be so, let it not (for God's sake) be so amongst us. Let us not so superficially hear the words of Christ, lest we neglect, yea and lose ourselves in unrecoverable, untolerable, and eternal destruction. Let us rather profoundly, and cunningly, fulfil the words of our saviour, thinking always upon that which is written: Sanctify the Lord of 
Esay. 8.  Hosts, for he is your fear, and your terror. And again: 
Prou. 13.  Be thou all day in the fear of God, & thou shalt have whereon to hope in the latter day. Where upon Hieremie also considering 
Hiere. 10.  these things said: There is no man like unto thee (O Lord) thou art great, and thy name is also great in strength. And who shall not be afeard of thee O King of kingdoms? Where upon it is also written: Great & wonderful are thy works (O Lord God omnipotent) just and 
Apoc. 7.  true are thy ways (O Lord) and King of all worlds. Who will not magnify and fear thy holy name, because thy judgements are manifest? But before I wade any further, let me say a little of the words before rehearsed of our saui●…ur Christ. For he saith that the way is narrow & the gate strait, which leadeth to salvation. Or rather (as I take it) he saith that the way is very narrow, & the gate very strait. For in that he demandeth interrogatiuèly, how strait is the way. etc. It is to be understood that he meant very strait and narrow. But he plainly affirmeth that the way is broad and spacious which leadeth to everlasting damnation. And by the words before rehearsed, the understanding hereof is made manifest. For as I have a little before alleged, there are two kinds of ways which men walk in. One bright & virtuous, (the which is the way of the choose, which fearfully and carefully serve the Lord God) & that is the strait and narrow way. For as much as knowledge and virtue are always occupied about hardest things. (As I will hereafter more plainly declare.) And there is another vicious & darksome way, which is the way or life of the reprobate, the which is accounted broad and spacious, because it is an easy matter to decline from the rules of reason, or to faint from the right line of virtue, and to omit the divine laws of God's commandments. And yet about this point the Philosophers had some question: not altogether unprofitable here to be rehearsed. For whereas by their opinion, reason coveteth always to the best things, & virtue (by Damascenes opinion) is according to nature consenting unto reason: yea and by Tullyes', or rather by Augustine's and Basiles opinion, there are certain sparks or seeds of virtues born and bred in us, it might seem thereby that virtue were very easy and light to be followed. Whereunto I would answer that God surely hath put in us by regeneration will to follow virtues whereby (by grace) they might seem light and eas●…e to be obtained. But the difficulty riseth upon our own imperfections, corruptions, and infections, whereby we are always more prove to the evil then to the good. Much the rather through the original sin which we brought with us, the which doth continually make four great & deadly wounds in our souls) to weet: ignorance in understanding, malice in willing, infirmity in passion, & concupiscence in appetite or desire. Moreover by the Philosopher's ●…pinion also it falls out, that the further of or distant that our intellectual substa●…ce is from the first being (which is the divine understanding, the very perfect end & scope whereunto all things are to have relation) so much the more difficult it is, & by so much the harder means, it may attain unto the same. Then since that the reasonable soul of man is so much inferior in the rank & order of intellectual natures, as that therein the intellectual light is so feeble that in (it self) it is at the first like a smooth plained Table to be 〈◊〉 upon, (but not yet painted) it is plain and evident y● (of itself) it should very hardly attain unto the uttermost scope and end therefore appointed, which is the majesty of the eternal God. As also the proposition willbe true if we speak of the natural felicity of the soul, & the natural virtues in us. Wherefore by stronger reason it is much more to be verified, if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the supernatural beatitude thereof (which is the sight & beholding of God face to face) since the virtues of the uttermost end or scope, are by all comparison more excellent & more lofty, than the natural beatitude, or natural virtues of our soul. Whereby our soul hath great need of the incessant help, motion, inspyration, and grace of God. For there are almost unnumerable impediments of virtues which do daily happen unto us, as well by the means of our own flesh, as also by the world and the devil. By the which we are not smally hindered, drawn back, and fore●…owed from all virtuous conversation. Whereupon Bernard saith: The first impedyment and grievous occupation that we find in our way, is the very necessity of our life. The which whilst it requireth now meat, than sleep, & such other things necessary, it doth without doubt oftentimes hinder & withdraw us from spiritual exercises. And as the Apostle says: The devil goeth about 
1. Pe●…. 〈◊〉.  like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour. Yea and the world also doth present many (nay to many) offences and lets from doing well & virtuously. So that it is very hard always to keep in the mean and middle of virtue, and never to decline to any of the vicious extremes. But yet (as Dyonisius teacheth) virtue itself, or the action thereof proceedeth of an entire and universal cause, wherein all the circumstances of virtue itself do concur. But vice doth consist of the defect or imperfection of any circumstance, and is commonly seen to err, fail, and perish by infinite means. Whereupon Solomon said: The number of fools is infinite. So that we see suffitiently how the 
Eccle. 1.  way of virtue is strait and narrow. But the way of vices is spacious and large. Especially to the unwise and unperfect, but not so much to them which are of good zeal●… to perfection, as shall be hereafter declared.  
A certain man said unto jesus: Lord tell me how shall 
A reprehension of our sloth, negligence, & dastardlinesse.  I do? since there are but few which are saved. And Christ made answer in the first of Luke, saying: strive you to enter or go in by the narrow gate. Notifying thereby the words before rehearsed to prous the small number of them which shall be saved. And furthermore for the better understanding how strait and narrow the way is which leadeth to salvation, mark we the words of Gregorius saying: The strait and narrow way wherein every man is constrained to walk, (which doth carefully regard the fulfilling of God's commandments) is to live in this world, and yet to have no manner concupiscence thereof. To covet none other man's goods, neither yet greedily to retain our own, to despise the praises of the world, to love (for god) to be reviled, to fly from glory, to follow the which is despised, to hate flattery, to honour such as set light by the world, to forgive them which offend us from our hearts, and to conserve the grace of charity unmovably in all things. As also the fruits of repentance (as abstinence, watching, & praying,) together with the renouncing of our wills & concupiscences, are strait & narrow passages which will bring him that travaileth therein, to much rest & quiet. For there is 〈◊〉 unto such an uncomparable reward, which neither eye hath seen, 
2. 〈◊〉.  ear hath hard, nor the heart & thought of man is able to comprehend, which is even the pure, and everlasting Beatitude most full & most perfect, which is even god himself, the blessed, superexalted, & unmesureable goonesse. And herein our intolerable negligence, overthwart paruersen●…sse, & 〈◊〉 may appear. Since for such an unspeakable treasure we cannot take pain to tread and travail in that narrow way, not not for a small time or journey. Whereupon Chrisostome saith: Thou art commanded (O man) to walk in the narrow way. Why then dost thou question & curyously search for ease & abundance, they which serve worldly Princes do ask no such manner of demands. Only they inquire if they shall have gains & reward. The which being once known & answered, they refuse no labour nor pain, they eschew no danger, they deny not to do any the most vile or painful duty that they are set unto. They suffer & abyd, travail, long & perilous journeys, despites, punyshments and alterations of times. And all this for the hope of gain and the greediness of money. But we contrarily (which should seek heaven & the infinite treasures thereof) do strain much courtesy for the ease of our bodies, & disdain to suffer any adversity. Behold how much we are more tender & more miserable than they? what sayest thou O man? or what do est thou? thou preparest thyself to climb into heaven, & demandest yet if any dyfficulty or stop be in thy way. If any rough or painful thing is like to encountre thee. Yea thou art not hereof ashamed, neither dost thou blush hereat, but furthermore dost even (as yet were) bury thyself quick in the earth. Now put the case that thou shouldst certainly meet with all the evil things under the son, if all perils possible were imminent unto thee, if injuries, ●…launders, quarrels, fire, sword, wild beasts, misfortunes, hunger, sickness, yea & all the evils that may be told or thought of, should at once overwhelm thee, should not all these things seem unto thee rydiculous, and worthy to be contemned, in respect of such and so great a treasure and reward as thou thereby shouldst win, wherefore let no man be so abject or unhappy, nor of so base and coward like a mind, the while he wisheth to attain heanue, he be careful about the earthly rest and delights of this world. For it should be to him undecent not only to seek after them, but to esteem or honour them when they be already obtained. Whereupon Gregorius saith: Not pain is great, neither aught any time to seem long whereby we may win the glory of the everlasting kingdom. Let us labour therefore stoutly, & fight hardly against vices. Yea let it be most pleasant unto us to be wearied in the service and wars of God. Because we are assured that our labour shall not be in vain. But that God of his mercy will reward our faith. For such as are not set on work here with men (especially in actual repentance) and are not ●…kurged or punished as men in this life, shallbe skourged and formented with wicked spirits in the world to come by the opinion of Hierome.  
Furthermore for the more perspycuous reprehension of our sloth, and for the better styrringe up and warming of our cold minds, let us consider how many and how great pains men do suffer and e●…dure for earthly, frail, and small commodities. That even yet thereby we may learn (for the love of GOD, for the inheritance of his kingdom, and for the everlasting felycytie) to walk waryly and worthily in this narrow path. Let us learn to despise all worldly vanities, and make oblation of ourselves to God altogether with an unfeigned heart and devotion. 
〈◊〉. Cor. 1●….  For as Augustin doth by the way rehearse, unto what storms and tempests, what dreadful and hortyble roaring of the winds and waves, do merchants submit themselves, to get richeses which are fading and shall sun perish or be lost? yea riches which bring greater storms of care to keep them, than they found trouble or pains in seeking them? What rages, what furies, what colds, what perils, by sea, by land, in dens, in desert, do huntesmen hazard for the poor pray of a selly beast? Yea how long can they hunger and thirst, and how vile meats can they be contented with all, for the obtaining of the same? men suffer themselves to be cut & lanced, to be burned & seared, that they may remove (no everlasting pain) but a pain of small contine waunce, with a pain of greater patience. The Knight and soldiers undertake most crewel wars for small & trifling pleasures in this short and uncertain life. Yea they spend oftentimes more years in attaining their desires, than they live afterwards to enjoy them. But in all these examples, such as love not the things rehearsed, do think them grievous. And they which do love them, suffer the same extremyties also, but think them nothing grievous. For love maketh the hardest, severest, & most grievous things to seem easy, gentle, light, and almost nothing at all. Let charity then be able to work much more effycacy, yea let it make us more patiented, more happy, and more stout, than greedy covetousness can make them for the obteynings of mere miseries. Since we may be sure to obtain the true and everlasting treasure of felicity. Let all tempor all adversity be easily born by us, when we may●… both avoid and escape thereby (as by a fruit of our faith) 
Ro. 〈◊〉. vers●… 17  everlasting pain, and obtain also an everlasting reign.  
For the passiones of this temporal world, are not sufficiently worthy for the glory to come, which shallbe revealed in us as the Apostle says: Let us not serve god with a sluggish mind, & lukewarm zeal, but let us ministre unto him with a fervent spirit, lest he turn the sentence of that Revelation upon us: I know thy deeds that thou art neither hot nor cold. And because thou art leukewarme neither hot nor cold, therefore will I begin to vommyt thee out of my mouth.  
The first commandment is: Thou shalt love the Lord thy 
〈◊〉 whereby the narrow way is 〈◊〉.  god with all thy heart & with all thy soul. With all thy mind and with all thy power. And this commandment containeth in it the end, the rule, and the perfection of all the commandments. To the full accomplyshement whereof (as much as may possibly by us be performed) not only all the other commandments, but all the dyscyplyne of Christ in his holy gospel, do also tend. And this commandment is not fully fulfilled and accomplished at any time in this world, until we come to the everlasting kingdom prepared. Yet such as with full devoytion and sincerity of mind do renounce and forsake all worldly vanities which may hinder their love towards the divine Majesty, and do only bend their eyes towards God according to their duty, do go nearest to the accomplyshment and fulfilling of this commandment. But when we have done all that we can, yet are we unprofitable. And yet every wayfaring man which iornyeth and travaileth in this life to attain unto the everlasting kingdom, must thus farforth fulfil it, that he love nothing more than GOD, nor nothing that is contrary to his will. Yea and that he rejoice finally in nothing but in GOD only. Now than we have said much of this straight and narrow way to salvation. And thereby it falls out that it is the observing and keeping of God's commandments in holy scriptures contained, and of the lessonnes taught us by our saviour Christ. Let us then also consider which be those straight commandments and precepts, for the difficulty whereof Christ himself did affirm that the said way was so straight and the gate so narrow. And again that the way was so broad and spatyous which led unto everlasting damnation. Behold our saviour saith then: You have hard it said (quoth he) Thou shalt not kill. But I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his brother, shallbe guilty in judgement. But he which saith unto his brother Racha: (That is a word of disdain or reproach) he shallbe guilty to be condemned by the whole council. And ●…e which saith to his brother: Fool, he shallbe guilty of hell fire, which is everlasting condemnation. Is this now not a hard & straight sentence? but moreover he saith: You have hard that it was said of old: Thou shalt not forswear, 
Mark. 〈◊〉.  but I say unto you, swear not at all. But let your communycatioon be yea: yea: and nay: nay: Where upon also the apostle James in his Epistle saith: My brethren above all things swear not. Again our saviour sayeth: Resist you not the evil doer. But if any man strike you on the left cheek, turn the other unto him hlso. And he which will contend with thee in Judgement and take thy cote from thee, give him also thy cloak. love your enemies, do well to them that hate you, and pray for them which persecute you and quarrel with you. What thing can be ha●…der than this word? For even as it is most easy & most natural for a man to love his friend, even so it is most hard and most unnatural for a man to love his enemy. And yet as Hierome saith, it is necessary towards salvation. Nay rather (saith he) he which hateth any one man, doth love no man truly and spirytually. Not neither can he love himself, nor God, being in such grievous and heinous sin.  
Furthermore our Saviour saith: If you do not forgive 
Math. 6.  offences one to another neither will your heavenly father 
Mat. 7.  forgive you your sins. And again he saith: Say 
Mat. 10.  not up treasure in earth and be not careful for to morrow. 
Luke. 12.  And also: Judge not and you shall not be judged.  
Furthermore, think not (saith he) that I came to set peace in the world. I came not to set peace, hut the sword. For I came to separate the Son from the Father, the daughter 
Math. 〈◊〉.  from the mother, and the sons wife from her father by 
Luke. 14.  law. And then: He which loveth father or mother more than me he is not worthy of me. Also: he which taketh not up his Cross and followeth me, he is not worthy of me. And in another place: The kingdom of heaven doth suffer wrong 
Math. 11.  or violence, and yet the violente do take even 〈◊〉 force. 
Luke. 1●….  And again: For every idle word that men speak, they shall tender account in the day of judgement. And like wise he that will come after me, let him d●…nye himself and take 
Mat. 13.  up his Cross daily and follow me. For he which will 
Luke. 1.  save his soul, let him lose it. For he which loseth his life for me, he shall find it again. And then thus: Woe be to him by whom offences come. And: Whosoever offendeth one of these little one's (believing in me) it were better for him that a millstone were tied about his neck, and he drowned in the depth of the Sea. And again: 
Mat. 19  Unless you convert and become as one of these ly●…tle one's, 
Mar. 10.  you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Herewith 
Luke. 18.  not forgetting that: It is easier for a Camel to enter 
Math. 20.  through a needles eye then for a rytch man to enter into the kingdom of God. We must remember also where he saith: Whosoever amoungest you would be greatest, let him be your minister or servant. And: Woe be to▪ you rytch men which have your consolation here. Woe be to you which are filled, for you shall hunger. Woe 
Luke. 6.  be to you which laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. Woe be to you when men shall praise and bless you. Or thus: what seest thou a moth in thy brother's eye, and canst not see a beam in thine own? Well: jesus said unto a certain man: follow me. And he answered Lord suffer me first to go and bury my father. And jesus said: Suffer thou the dead to bury their dead. And he saith: Fear 
Math. 10.  not them which kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But fear you him which hath power to throw the body and soul into everlasting fire.  
And in another place: O fool: This night shall they take thy soul from thee. Then whose shall that be which thou hast gathered? And thereupon: Such is every man which 
●…uke. 12.  hoordeth up treasure and is not rytch in God. What should we overpass these sentences. Cell that you possess and give alms. Unless you repent you shall all perish together.  
Depart from me all you which have done wickedly. 〈◊〉 thou makest a dinner or supper, do not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, thy brethren, thy kinsmen, nor thy next rytch neighbours, 〈◊〉 peradventure they bid thee again. And so thou be well recompensed. But when thou makest a feast, call the 〈◊〉, the weak, the halt and lame, and the blind, and thou shalt be blessed. If any man come unto me and do not hate his father, mother, wife, children, brethren and ●…isters, yea, and his own soul, he cannot be my disciple.  
And he which doth not forsake all that he hath, cannot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disciple. And that which is highly esteemed with me●…, is abhomynation in the sight of God. Finally: When you have done all that which was comma●…nded you, then say: We are unprofitable servants, we have 〈◊〉 but that which we aught and were bound to do.  
Again: Every man which exalteth himself shallbe 〈◊〉 low. And he which doth humble himself shallbe exalted▪ Beware lest you overcharge your bodies with gluttony, drunkenness, or the cares of this world. By these and infinite other places (my dearly beloved▪) thou 〈◊〉 perceive how straight in deed and how narrow, the way and gate are which lead to salvation. But of these before 〈◊〉 passages, some pertain unto the commandments. And thereunto all men are bound. Some other are of council and advise, which nevertheless are to be observed of as many as profess Christ sincerely. Yea futhermore the self same may appear by divers other Scriptures. For the Apostle saith: They which are of Christ have crucified their flesh with the vices and concupysences thereof. Whosoever therefore do not extinguish vice and concupiscence, nor chastise their bodies, they then pertain not unto Christ. Again: A widow (says he) which liveth in delights, is dead living. For though she live by life of nature, yetis she dead by the death of punishment and judgement. Then if delightful life be a fault or sin in widows, how much more blameful is it to be thought in such as aught by reason of their 〈◊〉 to be guides and patterns of godliness to others? Hereunto many things might be added, but let these suffice. And these (well-beloved) I have here thus rehearsed, to the end I might thereby induce thee to the fear of God, the watchful care of thy heart, and to the diligent reading of scriptures, lest thou shouldst in vain flatter thyself with gods mercy. And so become one of their society which walk in the broad and spatyous way. For as the Apostle sayeth: If we suffer with Christ, we shall also reign with Chryst. If we be pacyente with him, we shall also live with him. Yea, and must we not according to the Apostles words, enter into heaven by many trybulations? But it is true (which GOD forbyde should be verified in thee) which Bernard saith: Lord many would reign with thee, but they will not suffer with thee. Many would be with thee but few will follow thee. Many would find thee but few do seek thee. Therefore let us not be afeard to bear trybulations since Hierome saith: Not servant of Christ is without tribulation. And if thou suffer no tribulation, it seemeth thereby that thou hast not begun to be the servant of God.  
Our sweet Saviour for th●… recomfort of mankind did 
All these notwithstanding Christ's yoke ●…s swe●…te and his burden 〈◊〉.  say as Matthew rehearseth in the eleventh Chapter of his Gospel, these words: Come unto me all you that travail and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you, and learn by me for I am meek and humble in heart. For my yoke is sweet and my burden light.  
These words our saviour Christ spoke of himself. Wherewith we must understand that the yoke of Christ is none other thing then the law of the Gospel, or the performance and wary heed of God's commandments. By the which we are bound under the obedience of his holy will, and are restrained or separate from this worldly life.  
And the burden of our Saviour may be understood by the observation of his holy words. And of such a yoke it is written: It is good for the man which hath born the yoke (even from his youth) which the reprobate do put from them. According to that saying of Hieremye from the beginning thou hast broken and cast of the yoke and said: I will not serve. So that we may perceive that in effect all is one, the narrow way and straight gate leading to salvation, and the yoke and burden of our Saviour Chryst. But then some will say: If the way be straight and the gate narrow, how can the yoke of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sweet and his burden light? Whereunto I 〈◊〉 were that the self same yoke, yea and 〈◊〉 self same way●…, are straight, narrow, painful, and 〈◊〉 to such as are foolish, unperfect, and ●…ot yet exercised in fpirytuall life, nor have yet tasted the swéeteness●… of the same. The which nevertheless to the perfect, the virtuous, pure, and Godly zeals, which serve God fervently and love him, is broad, easy, and most pleasant. So that that they rather run speedily, the●… walk leisurely therein.  
Whereupon the holy and 〈◊〉 Prophet confessed saying: I have run all the ways of thy comaundementes while thou hast dylated and enlarged my heart. And again: I have walked at large (saith he) because I sought out thy commandments. To conclude, 〈◊〉 likelihood, nor no form, doth more delectably or readily work in man's my●…de, than love. For love of his own proper nature and reason, inclineth and draweth the lover to actual loving. Whereupon it is compared unto a weight. Now, therefore since charity is the cause, governess, and Empress of all merytoryous deeds, the which (charity) is called the life of the soul, and without it nothing is meritorious: it is thereby evident that the more we do profit & proceed in the love of god, somuch the more we do de●…bly excercise all things that proceed from god. Yea somuch the more we do heartily abhor those things which pertain unto the world. Sithence y● unto him which loveth fervently, nothing can be more pleasant then to do any thing that may seem acceptable unto his beloved. For true love esteemeth nothing to be hard, grievous, rough, or deadly. Yea let us consider if any pain, any stripes, or any wounds or death itself can overcome or daunt true & hearty love? surely no. For if it be perfect love in deed, it overcometh all things & yet feeleth no pains. The love of God is an infallible treasure. He that hath it, is rytch. And whosoever lacketh that, is poor and needy though he have all the world at will. And therefore well doing doth somuch the more delight the minds of men, and sins do●… somuch the more irk and dyscontent them, as they find in their hearts a perfect and sincere love towards God that highest and unchangeable goodness. Arristotle the heathen Philosopher confessed that it was a perfect sign or token of virtue, to be delighted in the actyon thereof. And surely true it is that the more virtuous we become, the more we are delighled to exercise and do ●…e true fruits of repentance. Again: As nature, is the very begenning of all natural actiones & operations, so gods great grace (working in us) is the very first, formal, immedyate, and intrusecall beginning of all good and acceptable deeds. And even as they which are (naturally) well disposed, do exercise with case & great delight such works & operations as pertain unto nature, so when a man beginneth once to abound in the grace of god, them he doth also (daily) more ioyefully & with the better will exercise himself in gods commandments & good deeds. And this happeneth most often unto such as are meek & humble of heart. Whereupon Bernard says: Nothing is hard to the humble, nor nothing unpleasant to such as are meek of heart. And right easily are the commandments effectually kept, when that grace of God doth give and guide forwardness of will, & obedience with true humylitie do appease the Iudg●…s indyngnation. Neither can a man say that he serveth for mere necessity, when the thing which he is commanded to d●…, is of him right heartily loved and desired. Then if we déeyely and effectually consider that it is for God's love that we do such things as we take in hand, we shall then think nothing to be hard or difficult. Nay rather if we should all dye for him, or execute and fulfil all virtuous exercises for his sake, we shall it be able to do nothing worthy of the benefits which we have received at his hands. And thereupon Gregorius saith if the mind be one's fixed in God with a steadfast intent, than we esteem all things to be sweet and pleasant how bitter or sour so ever they chance to be. Yea, we shall find great rest and quiet in all those things which do afflict us.  
Futhermore it is certain, that the more a man's mind be bend unto any one thing earnestly, somuch the more his entontions towards any other thing be slackened and laid aside. Then even as the lovers of this world (which do altogether wrap and enfold themselves in the desires thereof, & are altogether occupied in vain and transitory things) do (as it were) loath and are weary of spiritual and godly things, yea as they d●…e pray unto God hastily and without an inward affection, even so those which love GOD and do wholly dedicate themselves unto his service, desiring to cleave most fervently unto him, and to be wholly occupied and conjoined with him: do hatefully abhor, loath, and fly from, those things which appertain unto the world. Yea they desire and rejoice to be uncessantly occupied and conversant in the praises of God, and walk in the straight & narrow way with great delight and pleasure. Hereupon it is that Gregorius witnesseth saying: love is as strong as death. For (saith he) even as death doth kill the corporal body, so the love of God doth (through the hope of eternal life) kill in us the love of temporal delights. For he whom the charity of GOD doth swallow up, him doth it also make unsensyble too the feeling of any external desyers'. For it is of necessity that the sweetness of Chryst Jesus, should make sour and unpleasant the taste of this life. These things than have I here said to the end that I may turn thee (my well-beloved) from the 〈◊〉 of the world, and invyte thee unto the most sincere and perfect delyghtfulnesse in God. Yea that I might entice thee unto the state of perfection, and induce thee to prove how sweet God is & how pleasant it is to serve him fervently and famylyarely. So that thou mayest not only become a servant, but also a friend, yea abeloved So●…ne of thy creator and Saviour. For this is more wor●…hy to be desired, than all this world with all the glory and pomp thereof. And I hope that the Lord GOD will grant thee understanding of all these things. For I presume not to think that this mine exh●…rtation will any way profit thee, unless the holy Ghost be present and give thee taste thereof and wisdom by his secret enspiration. For it is written: The inspiration of the omnypotente, doth give understanding and knowledge.  
The friendship of this world is hateful & enemy to god. There 
What it is to contemn and despise the worldly.  fore whosoever coveteth to be friendly unto this world, he shall thereby become an enemy unto god. As Augustine well witnesseth that only love & charity, make distincton between the sonn●…s of god & the sons of the Devil. For in the sons of god, the spiritual & divine love doth prevail. Whereby they climb ententively unto heavenvly things. And in the sons of the devil, the love of this world, yea the private, inordynate, and wicked lust thereof (which unto godly charity are strong poison) do reign & prevail altogether. The whole text them of holy scriptures doth exhort us unto the extyrpation & rooting up of this private & worldly love. As also it encourageth us to the profitable proceedings in charity & the love of god & our neighbour. Furthermore that is private love by that which we are turned back & bend to esteem ourselves viciously. That is to say: by coveting those things which are profitable & delightful to our nature, more than that things which pertain unto god. As for example, riches, delights, honour, praise, and such other worldly vanities. But he which doth truly love himself (in god) doth contemn & throw away all those things as vile & abject. I mean the superfluous use thereof, & I take this word Contempning, or utter misliking for the full and extreme Contempning or misliking that a christian aught to have thereof. But because every creature of God is good, & therefore to be loved, and we are bidden & commanded to love ●…ur enemies, and not to contemn any man but ourselves according to Esayes words: Woe be to thee which dispisest: shalt not thou also be despised? Hereupon ariseth a question, how it were to be understood that the holy scriptures do command us to hate and despise this world. But if you mark my words well, you shall perceive, that since every man which loveth the world doth thereby become an enemy unto God, it falls out also that the contempt of this world is of necessity unto salvation. Whereupon some curious mind might in●…erre that all secular people which are married and thereby do love each other, should (hereby) stand in state of condemnation. Whereunto I answer that love is to be taken divers ways, as well in Philosophy, as also in divinity. For both Plato & Pythagoras did exhort their scholars and sects to despise the world. But to come unto a more particular distinction.  
First the world is taken for the Element of earth, or for the whole globe and compass of this earthly habitation. And so it is taken in the Gospel where Christ spoke unto his Apostles saying: Go you out into the whole world and preach the Gospel to all creatures. And the Philosophers do say that the lest Star of the firmament is bigger than the whole world.  
Secondarily, it is taken for the whole region of the Elements and their myxtures. Whereupon it may be that the Apostle said: The figure of this world doth pass over. And to that sense the Prince of Philosophers said. This world (sayeth he) must be adjoining unto the cources of the higher powers. That the whole virtue and power thereof may thereby be governed.  
Thirdly, the world is taken for the whole corporal substance created▪ And so Plato in his book de Timaeo, doth seem to bring in the s●…nsible world.  
Fourthly, the world is taken for the whole universal thing, in the which visible and unuisible separate and material substances are comprehended. And thereof this text may be meant: The world was made by him. Yea so also the Philosopher sayeth: Nothing is without the world.  
Fiftly, by the world is taken for men remaining in this world, or for all mankind. Whereupon it was that the Apostle said: Let all the whole world be subi●…cte unto God. And Christ himself said: This Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached and declared in the whole world.  
Sixtly, the world is taken for the choose and predestinate unto salvation. Whereupon we read: So God loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. etc.  
Seventhly, the world is taken for the perverse and reprobate. Whereupon our saviour said unto the jews: you are of this world. But I am not of this world (that is to say) of the number of ungodly men, leading a vain and worldly life. Of which number you are yourselves. And again he said unto his Apostles: Because you are not of the world, but I have choose you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. And in this sense the world is most commonly taken in scriptures, especially in the Gospel and Epistles of Saint john.  
And last of all, a father of the Church which hath written a treatise of the vanity of this world, doth take this word: The world for the changeableness of man's conversation in this life. Since then the holy scriptures do bid the world to be contemned and hated, according to that saying: Love you not the world nor those which are therein.  
Therefore by this word: The world we must understand worldly and vain creatures bend unto transitory and not unto heavenly things. Yea and there with must we comprehend earthly substance, and such things as the worldlings do most account, as temporal prosperity, carnal delights, to be praised and honoured, and to become rich and climb aloft. For all these sensible and temporal things are to be contemned and hated. Not as touching their very being, but because they hinder and stop us in the way, and foreslow our journey unto the heavenly kingdom. And we must contemp●…e and hate them, lest we do cleave and stick fast in the mire of them. As they do which set their chief end and felicytie in frail and transitory things, seeking, loving, wyshing, and desiring them more than they do God.  
Therefore whensoever we see any man to prospero exceedingly in this world, and to lead a voluptuous conversation according to his appetite, let us neither esteem nor magnify him. Let us not affect such kind of life, nor greatly set by (but rather despise) such a man. I mean not that we should hate him in nature, nor despise his person absolutely, but his vices, and himself, in so much that by them he is eloygned and estranged from God.  
Whereupon the Psalmist sayeth of the just man: The 
Psal. 14.  wicked was brought to nought in his sight. But such as fear God, he glorifieth. Aristotle in his Ethyckes hath this sentence: Magnanimytie is full of contempt, for it setteth light by those which live vylely.  
All this notwithstanding, we aught to bestow the affects of charity and godly compassion upon those which are wicked and unjust, according to their necessity. Yea and much the more because we see them to be wrapped and enfolded, yea blinded and muffled to rejoice, flourish, and exalt themselves in this world. And thereupon Hierome sayeth: we more weigh & mark sinners to be most wretched, when we perceive their faults to be left unpunished. Yea both he and Ambr●…se say: There is no certayner token or sign of a reprobate sense, and damnation to ensue, them to prospero and to be without any cross or punishment in this life. Especially 
〈◊〉. 3.  since the Lord saith: I cha●…tise and rebuke those whom I love. Now therefore let us well consider how it comes to pass that the contempt and hatred of this world is of necessity to salvation. For unless it had been by some manner of means necessary to salvation, the Apostle john had not said: if any man love the world, the charity & love of God 
〈◊〉. joan. 2.  the father is not in him. It is therefore to be said, that there are two kinds of hating and 〈◊〉 the world, speaking generally thereof.  
The first whereof is: that the world and such things as are therein should be contemned and hated, for as much as they do directly hinder and withhold us from God. That is to say, lest they be loved more than God, or contrary to his will and commandments. And lest any man should take felicity in them, and cleave wholly unto them contrary to the laws of God in holy scriptures contained. Lest he prefer earthly goods before heavenly goods, and lest he set the temporal praises and honours of this life, before the celestial joys prepared. And finally, lest he love and esteem this present life more than the life to come. And for these reasons the hating and despising of the world are necessary unto salvation. So that every man is bond (in that sort) to hate & despise the world, as well single men as married folk. The which lesson I judge to be very difficult unto such as dwell and remain in this world. Now the second kind or manner of despising and hating the world, is executed by the full and absolute aband●…ning & denying of all worldly things. As if any man despising and throwing from him the riches and delights of this life, should choose to serve God in obscure and more private life.  
So that (in this sense) to hate and despise the world, is utterly 
He means not Monks nor Friars I trust.  to refuse & cast of all temporal things, secular pomps, yea worldly manners and dignities, and so to despise all the vanities of this life that we may walk in the right way by the assistance of God's grace and holy spirit. And whosoever doth thus, he is sure to displease and offend worldly men. For even as likeness of things is a cause of love and well pleasing, so unlikeness is the original cause and mother of hatred, and withdrawing of minds and affections. Hereupon the Apostle asked this question: Do I (saith he) seek to please men? If I should yet please men, I should not be the servant of Christ. And likewise the Psalmist sayeth: God hath broken in sunder the bones of such as seek to please men. They were consumed because god despised them. Is not this a most horrible and dreadful word? For what can be more fearful then to be despised of God? since Solomon 
Eccle. 7.  sayeth: Consider the works of God, since no man can amend him which God despiseth. And in this sort to despise the world, is not only to hate and despise all frail, worldly, & vain things, in that they do directly, but in that they do also chanceably let or hinder God's creatures from attaining unto him. As the wise man testifieth saying: They are as temptation 
Sap. 14.  to a man's soul, and as a Trap or snare for the feet of the foolish▪ And therefore we hate them not only for that they withhold us directly, since Solomon sayeth: God made 
Eccle. 3  his works to be feared. But also because even chanceably they do vainly delight the reprobate with the comeliness of his creatures, and with the particular profit which they seem to carry with them. So that they there do stay and stand still ●…ternally, and never attribute the honour and glory unto the creator, who is in deed the only end and scope whereunto we should tend and frame our doings.  
Hereupon Isodorus sayeth: it is better to have the hatred of the evil, than their company. For even as the conversation and life of those which are godly do tender many commodities, so the company of the wicked doth bring with it many evils.  
Now in this treatise I intent to speak chief of the contempt of this world, as it is set down in the second note. even that which concerneth the state of perfection, and the observing of God's words. And yet I shall sometimes bring in somewhat of the former kind of contempt, in as much as it of necessity towards salvation and the fulfilling of God's commandments.  
My part (sayeth the Lord) is my soul. And therefore I 
〈◊〉 three 〈◊〉 which move us to contemn the world.  will expect and look for the Lord. For the Lord is good to them which trust in him, and to the soul that seeketh him. And as the scripture saith: A threefold cord is hardly broken. Let us therefore by a thréefold persuasion, and by a tripartyte kind of demonstration, set down how holy, how divine, and how acceptable, how wholesome, how noble, and how expedient it is altogether to contemn the world and those things which are therein. Now some persuading reasons or demonstrations of this blessed contempt, are to be▪ understood on the behalf of God. Some other on our own behalf, and some on the behalf of the world itself. Whereupon orderly & decently to proceed: on the behalf of God these things aught to induce & beget in us a contempt of the world.  
First the love and goodness of the glorious & blessed God. Secondarily: The zeal that we have to honour him perfectly as much as in us lieth.  
Thirdly, the great benefits which we receive at gods hands.  
Fourthly, the consideration of his promises.  
Fiftly, because god himself in proper person did so counsel us.  
And lastly, because he did so himself. Of the rest I will treat hereafter. Now touching the love and goodness of God it is written: Thy name and thy memorial (O Lord) 
Esay. 26.  are in the desires of my soul. My soul hath desired thee by night, yea thy spirit is in the secrets of my heart, and early in the grey morning will I wait for thee.  
Herein as goodness is the object of our appetite and desire, so since god is the highest, purest, unmeasurable, & perfectest goodness, so is he insinitely to be desired, & to be loved. In such sort that we aught beyond all comparison to love him above all things. And so consequently, it is meet and requisite to despise, to refuse, and to cast away, whatsoever may let, foreslow, or turn us from his love, and the ferventness thereof. But the world and that which 〈◊〉 thereunto, do withdraw us, & specially let and 〈◊〉 us from the love and goodness of God (as Gregory sayeth:) we are even so much disjoined and separated from the love of the high God, as we are wrapped in worldly things, delighted in base things, and occupied in earthly things. For virtue is both greater and of more force when it is united, than when it is dispersed) therefore the more that the 〈◊〉 of our mind are dispersed and divided into the inordinate love of worldly creatures, the weaker also, colder, blynder, and more unapt they be to love God.  
Whereupon Chrysostome sayeth: look how much thy mind is set upon any thing, and even so much the less it is set upon God. For what are these earthly & carnal things, but only heavy wayghtes and burdens which draw down the affections of man's mind from desire of heavenly things. Let us therefore extend our whole heart unto God. Let us be born unto him with our whole mind. Let him be such a cause of love unto us in all other things, that we esteem no worldly creature more than for that it may (as a mean) serve us towards the attaining of his love. That is to say, so far forth as it may be unto us necessary and profitable to further us in our way towards the heavenly kingdom. But let us become so fervent in the love of God, yea let us so much esteem his most sweet and delectable love, that we may despise all and singular other vain and transitory things as vile dirt. So that the omnipotent and eternal God may be more precious, more to be desired, more glorious, sweeter, fairer, and in (every kind of comparison better,) of more perfection and worthiness than any other thing. And let any living worldly creature be loathsome unto our souls, being thus occupied in contemplation of the divine majesty. Let us see and perceive hereby that the whole 〈◊〉 world, (in respect or comparison of the undiscrybable God) is but as a small title of no reputation or lovelynesse. Yea in such sort that we think these transistorie things unworthy to be looked on. But that we be wholly transformed, 〈◊〉, established, dissolved, and swallowed up in Christ jesus. So that we may say with his holy Prophet: The God of my heart, and God is my portion for ever. And 
Psal. 72.  again: I will love thee O Lord my strength. And as the 
Psal. 17.  Apostle said: I know that neither death nor life, nor any creature, 
Rom. 〈◊〉.  can separate me from God's love. Let us but marks and behold how vile it were, for the delights of the mortal and miserable flesh, for the praise and glory of men, and for temporal honour and preferment, to be withdrawn or foreslowed from this highest, supressentiall, unchangeable, and incomprehensible goodness of God. Let us be made heavenly conformable unto God, and deyfyed: yea familiar and 
1. Cor. 6.  entyrely beloved unto the living God. For what have we to do with these earthly things? we being made and created to the shape and likeness of the most holy Trinity? being redeemed and made free by the blood of Christ, and called to 
Gen. 1.  the blessed fellowship of Angels? Let us therefore despise 
Apoc. 1  all these things, and let our whole occupation, conversation, entention, and affection, be fixed and altogether reposed in him only which is only necessary to be embraced, according to the admonition of Augustine. Let man (saith he) if he turn any way, convert himself unto him which created him: for by going back from him, he waxeth cold, but by turning unto him, he shall wax warm. By going back he shall wax dim and dark, but by turning to him, he shall become bright and shining. For even where he received his creation and being, there must he also fetch his being good or godly. For he the Lord our God is the very sweetness, sweet above all kind of sweetness. Brighter than any light, deeper than any secret, and higher than any honour or degree. Moreover he is that purest kind of life: to turn 〈◊〉 am him were a grievous fall, but to return unto him is a high rising or climbing. To abide in him is a certain dwelling, and to devil in him is happy life. And even as corn in the wet furrow doth rot and 〈◊〉, but in the rydge or higher part of the land, it is preserved & flourisheth, so our hearts if they be raised up to God shalt never putrefy nor decay. But if they be overthrown or sunken in earthly things, they rot and consume immediately. And mine earnest desire is (my well-beloved) that thou do spurn from thee and despise all transitory things, & detest & abhor all the pomp of this world, for the love of the divine bounty, and through the affection that thou haste to proceed in the embracing thereof. Yea and that by the desire of so contemplatyve and holy meditations, thou mayest with all thy heart and mind be given over unto him. All which can not come to pass unless thou despise all corporal delights, all worldly vanities, and all thy own desires. As Cassianus affirmeth saying: our affections (says he) are never perfectly kindled to the desire of eternal things, neither is our understanding ever sharpened unto the perfect contemplation of heavenly things, until the cares and desires of the flesh be perfectly bridled in us. My (well-beloved) if thou will't be rich, and a possessor of infinite goods and treasures, give ear then unto the counsel of Ambrose. He that will (saith he) possess God, let him first renounce the world, that God may be unto him a blessed possession and heritage. For look how much thou die unto the world, so much life thou gainest with God. And the more that thou live as to this world, so much the more thou diest unto God.  
To conclude, whosoever loveth the world, doth love an enemy, imbraseth a Traitor, and dandleth in his lap an unspeakable danger.  
Whereupon Augustyne said: if this world delight thee, thou shalt always be unclean. And if thou lovingly kiss the world, he will hungrily and greedily swallow and devour thee. And to make an end of this division, we aught above all things to love God.  
First, for his unmeasurable goodness.  
Secondarily, because he first loved us.  
Thirdly, because he poureth so many benefits upon us.  
Fourthly, because he hath promised to give us greater rewards in the heavenly kingdom. And to this ferventness of charity let us always enforce ourselves. For by Augustynes opinion: it is neither the great number of works, nor the long continuance of time, but the greater heat of charity, and the better readiness of our will, which maketh God (for his Christ) to accept our merits. For whosoever doth observe charity in all his actions, he fulfilleth as well that which is apparent, as also that which is mystical, in God's book. For charity doth (as it were) open the mind, and maketh the lover to be loved. O Lord my God thou art 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉. 13.  charity (saith the Apostle) thou art love which can not be extinguished. Do thou therefore lighten my heart, and make it drunken in thee. Wherefore am I tossed about? wherefore run I from one place to another? why do I wander after many things? Is there not in thee only (most holy, honourable, mighty & glorious God) the perfect possession, the incomprehensible plenty, and the infinite abundance of all things that are good, pleasant, or to be desired? Then what is more excellent, or more lovely, that I should therefore withdraw my heart from thee, & turn it unto frail things, coveting or desiring any manner of thing without thee or besides thee? And where was I when I was not with thee? Wither ran mine affections astray, when they did not desire thee only? O God of my life, how vainly is it consumed? And how unfruitfully are my days stolen away whilst I lived idly & unprofitably before thee? But from 
Psal. 41.  henseforwardes let my soul be unmovably fixed in thee. For even as the heart desireth the fresh fountains when he is chased, even so my heart desireth to be with thee O God.  
Whosoever doth glorify me, I will also glorify him says 
How contempt os the world cometh by the ●…eale. which we have to God his honour.  the Lord God in the second Chapter of the first book of the Kings. And they which contemn me shall be dishonoured. For of the love of God, the zeal of y● divine honour doth rise and proceed. As also an exceeding affection to adore & worship him in all things. Which zeal the prophet Helie had when he said: I am become zealous in zeal for the Lord God. And the more 
〈◊〉. Reg. 〈◊〉.  fervently that we love him, the more ent●…tiuely also we desire to worship him in all things, yea and to induce others with us to the worshipping of his name. For even as God (by reason of his unmeasurable bounty, & his infinite amyablenesse) is such that no man can love him so much as he is worthy to be beloved, but doth infinitely fail thereof. So by the reason of his majesty, dignity, and unmeasured assured holiness, he is infinitely to be honoured. So that every man is much defectyve in doing of such reverence unto him, as he (in himself doth deserve. And here upon the holy fathers profoundly pondering these considerations) did esteem all their deeds & conversation, (how perfect so ever it were) to be of none effect. And therefore the doctors say: A man should rather suffer death, than commit the lest fault or offence wilfully. For as much as sin (in that it derogateth any thing from the exceeding great majesty of God) is a huge and unreasonable enormity. Then if we do honour the excellent majesty of God so much the more, because by the beholding & consideration of his worthiness we are able to despise & heartily to reject all frail, vain, & transitory things: to the end that being vnburthened and clean dispatched of them, we may attentively give ourselves to that pure, free, & entire worshipping of the same: it must needs follow that they whi●…h through zeal do altogether despise and forsake the world, shall immediately honour God with all integrytie of heart. And therefore (by his grace and mercies are made worthy to be glorified, honoured & extolled with him. And likewise the less that a man do occupy himself in many businesses, so much the more perfectly he is bend unto the only God. And so much the loftier & more sincere his mind is, in the praising of his name. Yea he may so much the more be wholly at leisure to exercise himself in his service, and walk uprightly in all godliness. Moreover Solomon says: Honour God with all thy substance 
〈◊〉. 〈◊〉.  and the first fruits of thy increase. If then it pertain unto the honour of God, to offer him any part of our outward substance, it must by stronger reason appertain more unto his honour, to refuse all worldly things freely for the worshipping and glorifying of him, and to present ourselves unto him with full devotion. And so do they which contemn the world in such manner as is beforesaid. And therefore to the end thou mayest uncessantly (as much as in thee lieth) give thyself unto the praise, worship, and honour, of the divine majesty, yea that thou mayest quietly repose thyself in the sweet contemplation of his mercies, rejoice in his blessedness like a natural loving child, and spend all the days of thy life virtuously, I exhort thee (my well-beloved) altogether to disspyse the world, and to pass over all the transitory vanities thereof with a noble courage, yea to go heartily to work in the only honouring of God. For is not the vylenesse & lothsomenesse of this world, infinite being compared to the highest and unchangeable goodness? yea dost thou not think it an unworthy thing, (by occasion of earthly and worldly conversation) to be hindered & letted from the duty which thou owest unto the honour and majesty of God▪ and to be withdrawn from the holy exercises of virtue and godliness, 
〈◊〉. Reg. 2.  for the most vain liberties of worldly conversation, and unlawful actions? To conclude, if thou do in this manner glorify God and despise the world, than God doubtless will 'cause thee to be honoured exceedingly as Esay witnesseth 
Era. 5●….  saying: if thou glorify God (following not thine own ways, nor yielding to thine own will (the Lord will give thee rest, and will fill thy soul with comely brightness. Yea than shalt thou be much delighted in the Lord, and he shall set thee up above the height of the earth. Whereupon Hyllarie sayeth: This do I chiefly own unto God, that all my power, all my senses, & all my spirits may sound his praise. For to that end we received body and bodily members, yea life and soul of God, that we might worship him generally with them all. And therefore the Apostle sayeth: As you 
Rom. 5.  have given over your members to serve uncleanness and iniquity, so now (saith he) give over your members to do right●…esse and holiness. And this it is to honour God worthily, & to do (for his honour) whatsoever we may possybly do to please him, yea and yet nevertheless humbly to confess that we do nothing worthy of thanks or merit. Therofore it is written: To glorify God as much as lieth 
Eccle. 43.  in us shall prevail with his mercy, and is beyond all praise. Defer not then (my well-beloved) to give whole possession of thyself and all that thou hast, thy body and thy soul, yea thine inward thoughts and outward actions unto the divine Majesty. Lest abusing gods gifts thou consequently serve the Devil. For whosoever doth live vytiously, he is a servant of the Devil. 
john. 8.   
The Prophet Esay in his lxiii. Chapter hath these words: 
How the consideration of gods benesits exhorteth us to hate the world.  I will remember the Lord for his mercy. Yea I will praise the Lord for all that he hath given us, and for all that he hath bestowed upon us according to his goodness. If then we would perfectly know how carefully we aught to seek the way of salvation and walk therein, yea and how much we aught to despise the vain delights of the world: Let us héedely consider what the only begotten Son of god, did, suffered, and took upon him, for our health and salvation. If he then, through the wisdom and providence of God the father, yea through the eternal, uncreated, unbegotten, & unmeasurable foresight did (not without great cause & reason) take upon him, do, & suffer, so many things for us: If the only begotten Son of God being perfect and o●…ypotent, did for our health and salvation take upon him our substance and nature, if he were (for our sake) conversant here on earth so many years, if he did sustain and endure so many travails, labours, and pains, for our instruction and redemption, finally if he suffered therefore most bitter and cruel death, let us not set light by ourselves, nor make small account of our salvation. Neither let us think that we can be saved by sleight and superficyall serving of him, by cleaving unto worldly vanities, neither yet by living carelessly and without fear. For neither is the everlasting pain of damnation so avoided, nor yet the heavenly kingdom is not so obtained. For Christ suffered and was crucified for us, that we might thereby follow his steps and example. Then is it necessary that we be conformed unto his passion, and that we crucyfie ourselves as he did. For whosoever saith that he remaineth in God, must walk even 
2. Tim. 2.  as he walked. Where upon the Apostle said: If we suffer with him, we shall reign with him also. And again he saith: Be you followers and imytators of god, as his best 
Epho. 5.  beloved children. And what else is it to be conformed unto Christ's passion, to dye with him, & to follow his steps, but even to mortyfie all vanities & wickedness, to constitute our bodies wholly in the fear of god, to restrain & bridle our own 
Zach. 9  natural liberty, under the commandments of his holy laws, & to submit our wills altogether unto his godly will? for when we know & believe that our Lord & Saviour (Jesus Christ) did most patiently suffer innumerable derysions & mocks, slanders, blasphemies, labours and pains, with all meekness of 
Mat. 11.  poverty, with all lowliness of mind, & with all perfection of charity, so as finally he suffered the most vile kind of 
job. 19  death for us, let us think that it were most undecent for the servant if he should live in delights, rejoice in worldly richeses, and wallow in earthly vanities, whose master 
job. 1●….  was so busily conversant, afflicted, & killed for the servants sake. For that servant is not above his master. And Gregory said well: Nothing is so grievous but that it might be suffered with good will, if we would often call to memory the passion of Christ. hearken then unto holy Bernarde speaking to thee in the person of Christ. Behold O man (saith he) what I suffer ●…or thee. There is no pain comparable to that wherewith I am tormented. I call unto thee because I am afflicted for thee. Behold the pains wherewith I am tormented. Behold the nails wherewith I am nailed. Behold how all my body is stretched out upon the Cross for thee. And look how great mine outward pains are, so much that greater is mine inward greifin that I find thee so unthankful. If thou weigh these things (well-beloved) with att●…tiue mind thou wilt soon●… contemn the world, and overcome the concupyscences thereof, thou will't desire to follow Christ, abhor all things that are worldly, & refuse to be conversant with such as walk in vanities. For god forbid that thou shouldst be ungrateful for such and so many benefits And yet ungrateful shouldst thou be, if thou give him not thanks for the same with thy whole heart. But thanks canst thou not give unless thou do meditate, mark and acknowledge them. Since the chief point of ingratitude (as Seneca saith) is forgetfulness. Therefore cast and revolve in thy mind every day what God himself did & suffered for thee. Yea & besides this, the benefits are also innumerable which god doth daily bestow on us. So that by the consideration of them, we aught of good right to be kindled in love towards God, and in a zeal to honour him with all devotion.  
Pea and an affection also to be always giving of thanks and so consequently to laud and praise his name incessantly. For have we not received from him whatsoever we have or 
1. Cor. 〈◊〉.  be? the goods of fortune? the gifts of nature? to be? to live? to feel? to have understanding? yea have not we received of him the gifts gf gra●…, ●…ayth, hope, and charity? the gifts of the holy Ghost, & the sacraments? How often hath god most mercifully spared us when we offended? how pitifully hath he prevented us? From how many snares and peryles hath he preserved us? what great gifts of glory hath he promised us? Yea how many have been condemned to hell fire, which offended and sinned less than we have done.  
Let us then not be forgetful of such and so great benesites. But let us with the Psalmist humbly and thankfully say: What shall I requite unto the Lord for all that he hath given me? I will bless and magnyfie the 
Psal. 111.  Lord at all times, his praises shall always be in my 
Psal. 〈◊〉.  mouth. For of all other faults, ingratitude is the worst. especially that kind of ingratytude whereby we become unthankful unto God the most liberal and abundant benefactor of all other. If any man should cut of thy hand or thy foot, how much wouldst thou think thyself bound unto him which would heal it again and restore thee thy member? If thou wert blind, deaf, or lame, how much wouldst y● love him which would cure thy defect? how then, art thou not ashamed in that thou lovest not god fervently, which hath given thee all those gifts before named and hath also promised thee far greater than they? therefore let these great benyfites and lyberaltyes of god towards thee, stir in thee a contempt of this world, and induce thee to take in hand all such things, as may most lively express his honour and glory. For as it is most certain that he which is by nature best disposed unto virtue, were most faulty if he should be blinded by the world to live vycyously, so (thou having good gifts of nature) it were no small cause of grief if thou shouldst foreslowe thyself from executing the same.  
The things which in this present life are momentary and light (although they be some tribulation) may exceedingly 
How cotempte of the world may come by consideration of god his promises.  work in us a great ma●…e or weight of glory in the world to come, if we behold not those things which are seen with eye, but those which cannot be seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. By these words of Paul it appeareth that the trybulations of the choose (although they be long, bitter, and grievous) yet by regard of the celestial glory and reward to come, they are light and but of small continewaunce. For the reward to come is uncomprehensible & everlasting. But now is he a perfect and most pure lover of God, which loveth him not by beholding this reward, nor reverenceth him not for desire of his own profit, nor worshippeth him for reward of mutual consideration towards himself: But which purely (for the very incomparable goodness, love, and worthiness of God) doth all that he can to his honour with all diligence. For the better obtaining of which perfection, and for the full purchasing of so great sincerity in God's love, let us yet even by the beholding of the infallible promises of God, go stoutly forward to do any thing that may be most pleasant, most perfect, and most acceptable unto him. And let us contemn the world and the gallantness, delight, pomp, prosperities, and vanities thereof, taking in hand to walk in the way of perfection, in the fulfilling of God's word, and in a virtuous and right religious life. For since the eternal God, is a most free goodness, a most fervent charity, and a most plentiful rewarder, therefore a man of reasonable understanding will confess that the more he refuseth and layeth aside for his sake, the more sincerely that he renounce himself, the more he dispose himself to the obtaining of God's gifts, and the more wholly, perfectly, and entyrely that he offer himself unto him, even so much the more will God also she we himself the more abundant in mercies to him, the more sound and sweetly he will breathe his holy spirit into him, the more familiarly he will be conversant with him, and the higher will he exalt him in glory, multiplying his gifts of grace in this present life, and doobling his rewards of glory in the world to come. Whereupon it is written in holy scripture: if a man do direct his heart unto God, he shall draw his breath and spirit towards himself. And here upon the holy, true, and merciful God hath promised not only a blessed and excellent glorification, in the heavenly kingdom, but also a most plenteous and liberal reward in this present life, to such as despise the world for his sake. Saying in his holy gospel: Whosoever leaveth father & mother, his brethren or friends, or his possessions for my name's sake, he shall receive an hundredth fold, & shall possess everlasting life. And what means he by these words: He shall receive an hundredth fold? Mary that for the external, carnal, and temporal goods which he hath left, he shall receive the spiritual gifts of grace, and the gifts of the holy ghost, which are more than an hundredth fold better even in this life. And after also shall receive eternal life, and the consummation of glory. Wherefore (my well-beloved) if thou desire to be truly, and spiritually enriched and enabled, contemn then (for the lou●… of God) all transitory & frail things, yea and whatsoever worldly men, (which have in deed the spirit of this world, and not the spirit of Christ) do make greatest account off, and think most desirable, that do thou despise, as most vile dirt and mire: or rather as the very snares of the devil. If thou do so, thou shalt become the Temple of the holy Ghost, & the most blessed trinity will inhabit and replenish thy soul with all the abundant delights thereof. For this is promised by the son of God saying: If any man love me, he will keep my words and testimonies, and my father will love him, & we will come unto him, & make our abode with him. O happy soul, in whom those three so plenteously do abide. Furthermore, hearken what Christ hath promised unto the contemners of this world, you (says he) which have forsaken all things, and have followed me, when th●… son of man shall sit in seat of his majesty, you shall sit also upon xii. seats, judging the xii. Tribes of Israel. And this it is that Paul meant saying: You know not that the saints shall judge of this world. Behold what an unspeakable dignity this is, & how they are honoured of God, which for his honour do forsake all things. And thereupon Gregory saith: whosoever being stirred with the prick, or goad of godly zeal, doth forsake such things as he here possesseth, shall undoubtedly obtain there a height of judicial dignity, that he may come to judge with the judge, because by consideration of the judgement, he did chasten himself willingly with poverty. Do not therefore loose so many godly treasures which shall remain for ever, for these things which can be but small time possessed. For behold Christ says: I stand at the door & knock, if therefore y● open the door of thy heart, & hearken unto my counsel, I will come in unto thee, 
Apoc. 3  & enter into thy mind, & thou shalt sup with me. So that thou seest how God will cherish thee with heavenvly comfort, will fulfil thee 
〈◊〉. Pet. 2.  with spiritual delights, & thou shalt taste how sweet God is, & how manifold is the multitude of his delightfulness. All which the lovers of this world can not taste, because they are not worthy to receive the holy ghost. As our saviour said unto his Apostles in the xiv. Chapter of john: I will pray unto my father for you, & he shall give you another spirit, even the holy ghost, whom the world can not receive. whereupon Bernard saith: The holy delectation doth decline him which is first occupied in secular desires, & suffereth him not to mingle vanity with verity, eternity with frailty, spirituality with temporalty, nor high things with low things. That thereby he may learn what things mount upward toward heaven, and what things draw downwards toward earth. For if the mind have wherewith to be outwardly delighted, it remaineth inwardly without spiritual delight. And that it is which Hierom doth so worthily say: If we cut from the flesh such things as do most delight in, we sha●…straight strait way find in the spirit that which will delight us. If the outward wandering be shut up, the inward access to God is opened, for the less that the soul be dispersed in itself, the straighter it is erected to things above, by spiritual proceeding. And therefore to the end that thou mayest (by the brightness of the holy ghost) wholesomely behold that most noble worthiness of those spiritual & supernatural good things, set light by these temporal vanities, ye●… spurn from thee, & utterly forsake all that is earthly. For as Bernard confesseth: They which are delighted in things that are present, & subject unto frailty, can hardly or not at all behold & contemplate things that are heavenly & eternal. But he which accounteth them as dust or shadows, shallbe the sooner raised up in spirit to the attaining of spiritual & heavenvly things. And herewtal since thou dost (my well-beloved) seem to be somewhat delighted in riches, honour, & glory, therefore I dare not fully say unto thee, that thou shouldest make no manner accounted thereof. But mine admonition is, that thou shouldest not earnestly nor heartily desire the deceivable riches, the worldly honour, nor the glory of men, but y● with thy whole heart thou seek & search narrowly for the spiritual treasure of virtue, the heavenly honour, & the eternal glory. And so shalt thou become a right rich man above all them that love this world. For Hierome sayeth: those only are to be accounted true riches, which make us abundant in all virtues. And therefore if thou desire to be rich, than love and embrace the right riches of virtue. If thou aspire unto the height of honour, then make haste towards the heavenly kingdom. And if thou covet a crown of glory or dignity than travail to be appointed & enthroned amongst the Angels above. And this meant Gregory when he said: despise worldly riches and thou shalt have abundance. Contemn worldly honour and thou shalt become glorious. Set light by ease & corporal quiet in this life, and thou shalt have life everlasting. Whosoever can learn to contemn himself, shall soon learn to despise all things for God only. And he that doth so, may say with the holy Apostle. I have lost all things (saith he) to the end I might gain Christ jesus.  
The Prophet Esay in his seventh Chapter cried out saying: 
Because God himself in proper person (even Christ) did counsel us, therefore we aught to despise the world.  This nation or people is without wisdom or advise: would God they could taste or understand, & would foresee the latter end. As also the Philosophers rule is: Discentem oportet credere. A learner must believe. And the Prophet also witnesseth: if we believe not we shall not understand. And Solomon in the first of his proverbs sayeth: My son barken thou unto the discipline of thy father. And in another scriptur●… we read: if thou see a man of understanding, strait way watch to draw near unto him. And again: let not the words of the elders pass by thy ears unmarked, but stay thereat: and from the bottom of thy heart join thee unto the sayings of the wise men. Then if hereby we be taught to give ear unto wise men, to believe their words, and to follow their counsel and advice, is it not without all comparison more expedient that we give ear, believe, and obey the on●…ly wise God, which is in himself the oryginal, separate, and eternal wisdom? Since than the very true God himself, the only begotten son of the father, for his abundant charity and love wherewith he loved us, came down into the world, taking upon him our nature ●…nd shape, appearing visibly unto men, being 〈◊〉, eating, drinking, and talking wi●… them: of all other it were m●…st meet that we should hearken 〈◊〉 ●…nto his counsel and advise. And per●…orme it thoroughly as much as in us may be done. But Christ did by many means and ways (as appeareth by his sayings) manifoldly advise us to contemn the world, by promi●…ng r●…wardes, by preferring help, and by making him 〈◊〉 ●…r ex●…. The which also the holy Evangelists a●…d Ap●…les ●…d most evidently set forth. Therefore obey ●…d ●…low h●…s counsel: especial●…y since he is the way and the truth. Which hest knoweth the perils of ou●… passages, and what is most expedient for us. For since he so entirely lo●…d us, th●…t for our redemption he vouchsafed to dye, we ●…ay b●… most assured that the counsel he giveth us is most lo●…nde and sure to lean unto. Wherefore become thou his disciple (my well-beloved) and follow in all things his m●…st wholesome and sound doctrine, that thou mayest so much the more bl●…ssedly and with more delight behold him in the heavenly kingdom, as thou now dost believe and hearken unto him more attentively in this life. To conclude, if an Angel should come down from heaven, appearing visibly unto thee and saying: Behold the will or counsel of God is that thou despise the world, wouldst tho●… not by and by ob●…y, and believe it? But now not an Angel, not a messenger, but enen the God of Gods, the creator of Angels, and the Lord of all things is come in proper person. Yea and hath with his own mouth given thee counsel to contemn the world, and to make thine estate perfect.  
For where as he counseled the rich young man which from his tender years had observed all the precepts in the golden Tables saying: Thou lackest yet one thing. If thou will't 
Mat. 19  be perfect, go and cell all that thou h●…ste and give it to the poor, and come and follow me: and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: he left the same counsel or advise fo●…●…ée also, who peradventure yet hast not observed the holy precepts in all points from thy youth bywardes. But thou will't say: Can all men lead a perfect life? or forsake the world altogether? O this is a foolish obiecttion, and meet for fond, worldly, and wicked men. Of whom Solomon sayeth: the number of fools is infinite. And the holy fathers have answered this kind of objection at large.  
For there is great difference in judgement between that which is required to the conservation and maintenance of the first undividable substance, and that which is requisite to the conservation and maintenance of the form or likeness. But to remain in the world, to do and perform the act of generation, and to till and manure the earth is not requysite for the maintenance of the first undivydable substa●…ce, but for the maintenance of our own shadow, shape, or likeness.  
And therefore let no man which finds in himself any promptness or readiness refuse that grace of God working in him and say: The world must not be altogether unprovided or unfurnished.  
For I pray thee tell me, if thou shouldst altogether give over the world, and give thyself to a holy and solitary life, should the world therefore fail? Thinkest thou that for thee only the earth shall be abandoned, or the rocks tranferred and moved out of their places? Not no but do thou give ear and follow the counsel of the most grave & wise counsellor, which is the Angel or messenger of the great counsel on high. So that thou mayest safely defend thyself from infinite perils, and walk in a safer, shorter, quyetter, and more acceptable path, until thou be received into the resting place of the Lord thy God.  
Christ spoke (as his Evangelist John rehearseth in the 
Of the contempt of the world by the example of Christ.  eight Chapter) saying: I am the light of the world. He that followeth me walketh not in darkness: But shall have the light of life.  
Where vpo●… Leo did right Clerkely affirm, saying: The whole vyctorie of our Saviour whereby he overcame both the world and the devil, was begun and finyshed in true humility.  
Furthermore as Bernard witnesseth, Christ did always choose those things which were most grievous unto ●…esh and blood, and which did most declare hum●…tie. For he chose a poor mother, of whom he was contented to be born in the midst of the cold winter, in the midst of dark night, in a strange place, and in a homely Crib. When he was born he was wrapped in a few torn clouts, and laid in the Ox Manger. Yea moreover when of himself he was rich and abundant, or rather the very true, highest, and omnipotent God, he become poor for our sakes. And so poor that he said: The birds of the air have their nests, & the Foxes their dens, but the son of man hath not where to hide his head. And how many persecutions he suffered & endured 
Math. 8.  by the Jews is sufficiently testified by the Evangelists. For some said unto him: He hath a devil, and the man is 
john. 10.  mad. Some called him glutton, bibber of wine, and friend 
Math. 11.  to the Publicans. Some said that by Bekebub chief prince of the devils he cast out wicked spirits. Other said: How is this man from God, and we know that he is a sinner. Will he kill himself. Sometimes they would stone him, some other whiles throw him down headlong, and at last they betrayed him, and put him to a most vile kind of death. But in all these things what did the innocent Lamb of God, the son of the everlasting Father? Forsooth he was patiented, he restored good for evil, he spoke words of salvation and health even to the unthankful people, he prayed for them which crucified him, like a sheep he was led to the Slaughter, and he lay still and held his peace like a Lamb in the Shéepshearers hands. When 
Esay. 54.  he was most fal●…y and wrongfully accused before pilate 
Mark. 54.  and Herode: he answered not one word. He was made by GOD the father, obedient even unto death. He made himself a sacrifice and oblation for us. He was wounded for our offences. And therefore stretched out upon the Crosse. Yea his hands and feet were pierced with hard nails until all his bones might be numbered. And thus it was expedient that Christ should suffer and enter into his glory. Then if we desire to be christians and of the number choose to be saved, what remaineth for us to do? even that we follow and imitate Christ's poverty, humility, and patience. That we chastise our own bodies by the true fruits of repentance. That we crucify our flesh with all the vices and concupiscences thereof. That we make haste to walk in the narrow path with all fear and carefulness. That we be not overcome with evil, but let us vanquish the evil with goodness. Let us not render evil for good unto any man. Let us not pampre and cherish our flesh in miserable delights. Nor let us give place to any lightness, vanytie, or toys. Whosoever can observe these points, he ●…yspyseth the world happily, he over cometh himself laudably, and he learneth of Christ what it is to be meek and humble of heart. For above all things we must found all our conversation in true humylitie. Whereupon Leo, spoke gravely saying: All the dysciplyne of Christian life doth not consist in cunning words, in sharpness of wit, in dysputation, nor in vain desyrs of glory and praise, but in the true and voluntary humility which our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ did choose and teach (as the stoutest kind of defence) even from the womb of his mother unto the death of the cross.  
Whereby it appeareth also how true it is that Cypryan sayeth: All the life of man, (if he live like a Christian, and according to the Gospel) is a cross and a martyrdom. As also Chrysostome trwely sayeth: Not man may well be termed a Christian, unless he be conformed unto Chryst in manners and conversation. Wherefore (my beloved) if we know that Jesus Christ is our saviour and Lord, let us blush and be ashamed if we be not found conformable unto him.  
Let us be abashed to live, carnally, delicately, & sumptuously. To joy & triumph in man's praise & favour. To seek chiefly our own commodytie and preferment. And to walk puffed up with a vain and a proud heart. For our life is in the midst between the Angels and Beasts. If we live according to the flesh, we are to be compared unto Beasts. But if we live according to the spirit, we are made fellows with Angels. And if we yield to spiritual sins and offences, as pride, ambition, vain glory, and wicked vanytie, we are now coopled unto Devils rather than unto brute Beasts. Especially since that spiritual vices (speaking in Genere) are much greater and more grievous than carnal vices are. But wouldst thou know who were rightly to be termed a christian? He is truly a christian (saith Augustine) which showeth mercy to all men, which is not moved nor disquyeted with any injury, which feeleth another man's pain or grief as if it were his own. Whose table is not shut from any poor or needy. Which is accounted of small glory or estimatian before men, to the end he may be glorified before God and his Angels. Which dispyseth earthly things to obtain heavenly. Which succoreth thee miserable and afflicted, and is moved to compassion by other man's tears. Therefore let us cleanse ourselves from all blots and blemyshes both of flesh and spirit. And let us imytate Christ our King by a wary and a fruitful life, abhorring and despising all wrath, all indignation, stoutness and fleshelynesse, that being altogether converted, we may be made as little babes again.  
Saint Paul in his third Chapter of his epistle to the Galathians 
The consideration of our own pe●…illes enduceth us t●… co●…empne the world.  hath these words: Pray you therefore continewally that you may be thought worthy to escape all the evils which are to come & to stand before the Son of man. Now since we have spoken of such things as induce the contempt of this world on the behalf of god himself, let us also treat of such things as aught to induce us thereunto on our own behalf. For we are set in the midst of snares, and are enu●…d on every side with enemies, yea and enclosed contynewally with a famylyare énemy, (that is our own flesh striving against the spirit) and as the Apostle saith: Our wrestling is not 
Luke. 12.  against flesh and blood, but even against spirits or powers of the air and Devils. Not that he meant we had no manner of strife nor wrestling against flesh and blood, but because the strife, contention, and wrestling which we have against the temptations of Devils is much greater and of more force. In as much as they be infatygable, crafty, and ●…rewell pricks provoking most greedily the overthrow and condemnation of our souls. Whereby it appeareth that we are be set round about with innumerable and exceeding great perils. What therefore can be better advised unto us, yea what can be safer or more for our health and salvation, then to seek a place of refuge, to go into some streng walled town, and therein to seek some mansion of rest & quiet? In the which there may be found as many defenders & protectors as there are inhabytors. All armed with the right spiritual armour, and most ready to fight against sin. And where is this place? Or this strong walled Town and City? Forsooth even in the congregation of the devout and religious. Whose heart and soul are all one in the Lord. Of whom every one doth by speech, by prayer, and by examples, draw some other to follow him in perfection. Which using virtue for an armour do set opposytely singular and competent virtues against every perty●…uler and negligent vice. For behold how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to devil together 
Psal. 132.  in unytie. For as Solomon sayeth: If one of them fall, he shallbe raised up again by another. Yea they have contynewall and most excellent salves and oyntements (that is to say remedies) against the daily temptatyons of the devils, and the wounds of vices. And those remedies are: Daily troubles and confusyons, rebukes of superyours, instruction of the faithful, consolation of that merciful, observation of god his word & cōmaūden●…ts, watching, fas●…ing, prayer, teaching, and holy medytations And to conclude even as in this world, one doth draw another unto sin & vice, even so in the congregation of the devout and faithful one doth draw and entice another unto virtues. And even as worldly society doth much hinder, so this doth very much further & advance the perfection of godly life. As Solomon saith: The man which is helped by his brother is as a 
Pro. 8.  strong City well walled. And the Psalmist saith: With the holy thou shalt be holy, and with the wicked thou shalt be paruerted. 
Psal. 17.  Where upon the holy word doth again exhort us saying: Be of daily conversation with the holy man. And with whom soever thou knowest to keep the fear of God before his eyes, and whose soul is according unto thine in holiness. For in this world a man falls often, but riseth seldom. Is soon hurt grievously, and late healed perfectly. He faileth much and profiteth but little. But in the congregation and feloshype of the faithful and true Christians, all these things (by Bernardes' opinion and by certain experience) are clean contrary. For there men fall seldom and rise often.  
Are lightly hurt, and more easily cured. Do less decrease and much more increase. Consider then even deeply, the quantity, quality, multitude, and magnitude, of thy perils. Truly if this peril whereof I forewarn thee, were only for the loss of temporal things, for troubles, or afflyctions, yea were it for transitory infirmities, loss of lives, or abiding of most bitter and painful death, yet were it tolerable, and I would not be so careful for thee. But this peril whereof I mean, is concerning the irecuperable loss of the highest, unmeasurable, and unchangeable goodness of God. And ●…wyse it concerneth the purchasing of everlasting da●…ion and the pains of hell.  
So that if thou do not esteem and dread this peril vehemently, than hast thou not thine eyes illumyned neither yet a clear and lively faith, but a deadly and a dark Spirit.  
For is this peril not to be feared (with out all comparison) more than any damage, l●…sse, trouble, 〈◊〉, grief, and languyshing, adversity, or temporal death? Yes surely. And for that cause if thou wouldst in the day of judgement be void of fear and be saved, then be not void of care, vainly light and unfearefull, but careful, busy, and fearful. For in so do●…ing thou shalt at the last be safe and free. Furthermore since by Salomons words it seemeth: That we are ignorant whether we are yet worthy of the love, or hatred of God, and that all things uncertain are so reserved till the time to come, therefore we aught to be héedy and careful before God, lest we encurre the danger of his infinite wrath and everlasting damnation. To the avoiding whereof it is to be considered that certain sins & vices (namely of the flesh) are the better avoided and overcome if a man doth estrange and withdraw himself from the material cause of the same. But how canst thou overcome such vices and their branches, if thou do not fly from the material causes thereof? But dost daily keep company with such as unhappyly wallow & tumble in those enormyties, yea if thou dost become a fellow unto them, eating, drinking, and walking with them? For Hugo saith: That it is unpossible for any man t●… eschew sin, unless he refrain the company of sinners. Then they which are daily converasant with such as walk the broad and large way of perdytion, and are like and conformable unto them, in eating, drinking, clothing, speech, pastimes, and such other light affectiones, how shall they be able to avoid their more grievous off●…nces? or how can they continue in the straight path, and right way, walking with them which wander so at large and straying so in every broad & b●… way? god forbid that thou shouldst arrogantly think thyself of such & so great perfection. Since it is written by Solomon he that handleth pitch shallbe defiled therewith. And he that doth communycate with a proud man, shallbe endued with pride. Doth it not follow by the same reason that he which communycateth with a lecher shallbe defiled with lechery? Augustine saith: I beheld the Ceders of Lybanus. Whose fall I doubted even as much as the rewyne of Jerusalem. And yet they both fallen. To conclude I say in few words, that the more thou neclect the perils of thy soul, the more thou prosperest in this world, the more delicately thou cherysh and tender that frail flesh of thine, the more then follow the will of thy heart, the less thou regard the loss of thy time, the more thou do now glory, laugh, and wander in vanities, so much the more miserable art thou, & so much the more grééuously to be bewailed and pyttied. Yea the less that thou thyself bewail thy blindness, iniquity, and negligence, so much the more th●…u art of others to be bewailed & pyttied. Wherefore (my well-beloved) rouse thyself from so many peryles and dangers. Flee from this world which is the enemy to thy soul, convert thyself wholly and perfectly to the Lord thy God, leave and forsake (for his sake) all the goods and delights of this life, and he will give unto thee all the treasures and abundaunces in the kingdom of heaven  
Our Saviour saith in the seventh Chapter of Matthew: 
The world is to be contemned because it is hard (therein) to attain salvation.  He which heareth the word of God and doth it not, is like unto a foolish man which built his house upon the sand. The floods came and the winds blew, and burst into that house, & the rewyne thereof was great. The holy fathers do compare this world to a great and raging Sea, which is tossed with tempests. And is passed with great dangers and many difficulties.  
Again behold the Lord GOD (with whom all things do consist in an unchangeable eternytie) as the highest thing to be seen or beheld upwards. And the world itself as the lowest thing downwards. Then consider (say they) likewise the mind of man placed as it were in the midst béetwene them both. The which (by the crcellence of manes condition) doth float above the chaungeablenesse of this world and yet hath not attained the unchaungeablenesse of the divine nature. Then if man's mind should chance through love & greedy desire of these things which pass downwards, to drown itself therein, immediately it willbe overthrown with sundry waves, and being (as it were) divided from itself, will quickly be dyssipate and destroyed.  
But so much the easier it willbe to gather it altogether on a heap & to preserve it, if it raise up itself with an earnest thought and desire, forsaking those base and earthly places until at last it become altogether unchangeable by attaining unto that highest, & most excellent immutabylity. Again when a man's mind doth decline downwards by the love which it hath to earthly things, it suffereth shipwreck in the floods of this world. And being mixed or mingled amongst the changeable things, doth flow away with the stream. Yea & it is by a kind of twofould danger, tossed & retossed. For both it is in peril to be drowned by the deep affection it beareth to the lower parts, and again by contyne wall working of the wave in multitude of affections, it is marvelously dyssypate and dissevered. But if it raise itself upwards from the love of this present life by the desire that it hath unto eternytie, and do gather together all his thoughts and cogitations, then doth it (as it were) swim aloft in the flood, and doth spurn and kick away all traunsitory things as filth or weeds swymming loose in the water. Therefore let the mind of man (as it were) so repose itself in safety, by raising itself above and on itself towards God and by returning to itself, in itself, that by the considerations aforesaid it (being raised above the world) may behold the perils a far of and rejoice that it hath by any means escaped them. And this it is to go into the Ark of the heart and the spiritual Ship. By help whereof we may happily escape the waves of this world wherewith we are tossed always. Then spurn from thee and despise these transitory and frail things, and behold thou art swoome and escaped out of this great dyluge of roaring waters. Consider deeply and meditate the heavenly Sacraments of thy redemption, together with the benefits of the divine goodness bestowed upon thee, and thou art already entered into the Ark of thy heart and the Ship aforesaid. Again this world is most conveniently compared unto a large field full of cruel thieves and robbers. In the which many are killed and murdered, and very few escape at any time unwounded or not sore hurt. Yea & that which is worst, they which walk commonly in this field do betray each other into the hands of those thieves. That is whilst one of them doth lead another into the fall of fin, whereby he falls into the devils hands. And thou (my well-beloved) if thou wouldst be afeard to walk in such a field replenished with thieves who might endanger thee with temporal death, how darest thou then walk through this wicked world, wherein so many enemies are suborned by wicked spyryts, and so many stumbling blocks are laid to make thee fall into everlasting fire?  
Again this world is compared to a wood set on fire whereof (in manner) all the trees are burned and destroyed. For we may daily behold how the love and charity of God is waxed cold in man's hearts, how the love of the world hath prevailed, how the fire of concupisbence, the ferventness of pride, and the flame of covetousness are kindled. In such sort that (almost) every man seeketh to shift for himself. And never seeketh christ Jesus nor those things which pertain unto his glory. Men are careful for worldly sustenance, and not for the pureness of the soul, nor the cleanennesse of the heart. Yea they do rather seek to avoid the dyscommodities of this present life, then to escape the bitter and eternal torments of hell fire. And how then darest thou choose but be careful how to escape out of this wood? yea and that with speed lest thou be burned and consumed with the fire of vice & lewdness? Lastly, it is compared unto an old City which for the mor●… part is become ruinous, battered, & destroyed. In such sort that the enemies may approach and assault it on every side. So that it is now no safe dwelling therein. But we must fly unto some stronger place of defence. For if we do rightly consider our own frailty, how prove we are to evil, and how slow to goodness, we shall find it requisite to seek some safer resting place for our souls, wherein we may the better eschew and avoid all occasions of sins.  
The princely Prophet in his four and fortyth Psalm, 
The contemp●… of the world may be stirred by the very profit which ensueth thereof.  hath these words: My daughter behold and give ear, and bend thine ear to me, and forget thy people and the house of thy father, and the king will earnestly desire thy coomlynesse. Although these words be lytterally to be expounded by the Church which is the universal Spouse of Christ, yet may they also be understood by every faithful soul and mind which is also the particular Spouse of Christ. For as Saint Augustine saith: every soul is either the spouse of Christ, or the devils concubine. And therefore the holy Prophet saying: Forget thy people and thy father's house, means, despise these earthly things in respect of God and for his sake. Set aside kinsmen, brethren, neighbours, and all ●…arnall affections. To th'end, that all thine affection may be towards God. Yea make thyself rich of spiritual riches, and adorn and deck thyself with all grace and virtue. For the more perfectly that thou contemn worldly things, so much the more thou shalt be replenished with heavenly treasure. As Gregory saith: He doth very well withdraw his love from the creatures, which doth only with the eyes of his heart and understanding, behold the exceeding bright beauty and lovelynesse of the Creator. So that (my dear and Christian brother) if thou do so, the king of kings, the lord of lords, the only begotten son of GOD, will earnestly desire thy coomelynesse. That is, thine inward coomelynesse, thine inward reformation, the brightness of thy wisdom, and the ferventness of thy love. And that shallbe said unto thee which is written, in the Cantycles: O my beloved how fair and amiable thou art? yea he will lou●… thee being so fair and lovely. He will bless thee with heavenly light and the true fruits of the holy Ghost. He will assocyate thee unto him for ever. So that thou mayest enjoy him thy fill most swé●…tely and abundantly. For in him the whole fullness of blessedness doth consist. Yea the delight of God is to be with such a soul, and to d●…cke and adorn it daily with great plenteousness, and to visit and comfort it with most godly reioysinges. Then let us (for gods sake) by the beholding of so great profit, and by the desire and affection which we aught to have unto so great nobylitie, learn to contemn even from our hearts this most vain, variable, needy, frail, & enticing world, which with draweth us from God. Since it cannot satysfie nor cont●…t our affect nor our desire. As Augustine 〈◊〉 saying: A reasonable soul created to the likeness of God, may be occupied in all things, but it cannot be replenished, satysfied, nor fulfilled. For he which is capable of GOD, cannot be filled and satisfied with any thing that is less than God. And again he saith: O Lord thou hast made ●…ur heart for thee, and it is therefore troubled & out of quiet until it may come unto thee. Now we have showed before sufficiently that the more our soul is stretched out or d●…spersed in earthly things, yea the more it be occupied in temporal things, and affected unto worldly things, so much the less can it be occupied, gathered together, or affected towards God. And therefore if we would have it incessauntly occupied and exercised in him by sincere contemplation, fervent love, deep medytation, contyne wall prayer, hearty praise, and thanksgiving, let us withdraw and turn it away from the world and all that is therein, and let us wholly apply it, yea and as it were say it flat and prostrate before the divine majesty. For so shall it wonderfully grow and increase in grace. And let us so entirely love and conserve this true godly and most noble perfection, (which is beyond all comparison better, more excellent, and more to be desired, than all the goods of this world) that we may altogether and in every respect, contemn the world (for the love and desire which we have to the said perfection) as a thing of nothing and altogether vain. Neither yet let us think that we have done any great thing to leave and forsake earthly and base things for so supernatural and excellent treasures, but let us sing praises unto God with an humble and lovely spirit because he hath so taught, illumynate, erected, and stirred up our hearts to the true discerning, and full forsaking of all vanytie and vylenesse in this world. For they are truly blessed whom the Lord ●…oth so vouchsafe to teach, so to induce unto the contempt of the world, and so to raise and stir up unto the full perfection of a spiritual life. Now (my well-beloved) should not he seem to have a mind sore darkened, & a hard heart, which having read, hard, and understood these things, is neither provoked to contemn the world, nor inflamed to attain the Godly perfection before rehearsed? Do not thou then for the love of the less, hazard to loose the more. Be not more delighted in creatures then in the creator. Do not cleave more earnestly unto the world, then unto God. For behold the world with all the concupisbence and vanytie thereof passeth away and vanysheth like smoke. But he which doth the will of God, shall abide for ever.  
It is written in the seventh Chapter of Ecclesiastes remember thy latter end, and thou shalt never sinnne. 
The contempt of the world by consideration of four things at the latter day.  And surely such as neither the horror of death, the trembling fear of God's judgement, the bitter and everlasting pains of the infernal torments, nor the infinite felicity of the heavenly habitation can provoke or stir to walk warily, to amend their life penitently, to fear GOD and to contemn the world: Are to be thought of a stony or rather a stéely heart and mind. especially since we must believe (nay rather we know perfectly) that we must once dye, and yet we are altogether ignorant when we shallbe called hence. Therewithal we must understand that after this life there is no time of conversion nor repêtaunce. And why do we then overskype any 〈◊〉 or occasion wherein we might do well? Why do we suffer an●… hour to pass without some fruit or profit? Or why ●…are we presume to persever in such estate, as (yet) we ●…ave not dye therein? But let us do as Solomon saith: Whatsoever 
Eccle.. 9  thy hand can work, that do thou work earnestly. For there are neither working, skill, cunning, nor knowledge, beneath where thou goest.  
Yea let it not be fulfilled in us which Salom●…n saith in the same place: (meaning by the negligent and vna●… vysed) even as fishes are taken with the hook, and birds with snares, so are m●…n caught and over taken in the 〈◊〉 ill hour which shall sodeynely come upon them. Wherefore let us never suffer the horror of death, the stryctnesse of God's dreadful judgement, nor the fear of hell fire, to be estranged or eloyned from the eyes of our understanding. For as ●…ierome saith: N●…thing can more withdraw a man from sin, than the often remembra●…ce of death. And as Chrysostome saith: This world is de●…full, the end thereof doubtful, the issue horrible, the judge terrible, and yet the pain untermynable.  
To conclude even as Ambrose saith: (Plato the Philosopher was also of the same opymon) the wh●… life of them which are wise is exereysed in the 〈◊〉 of death. And therefore let us forecast what we must be in time to come. For whosoever doth stoutly consider in himself that he must dye, he shall doubtless despise things pr●…sent and make haste towards things to come. Whereupon it rest●…th that god would have our end unknown unto us And the day of our death uncertain. That while it is always unknown, and yet always thought to be ready at hand every man might be so much the more fervent in operation, as he is the more vn●…rteyne of his voration. Therefore let us not overpass such 〈◊〉 & dreadful causes with skipping & dancing. Neither let ●…s sollycit the affairs of our death jestingly or unadvisedly. But when we rise betime let us not think to live until the evening when we lie down to rest, let us not presume of our uprysing. And by these means we shall easily bridle ourselves from all vice and worldly affection. Let us well ponder that the hour approacheth wherein we shall remove out of this life into an unknown region. There immedytately to abide before the trybunall seat of the most mighty and dreadful judge. Then our time myspent and unfruitfully lost will plainly appear to be irrecuperable. Neither shall any thing that we have unordynately loved or unjustly done here, be any way able to help or to comfort us. Then shall we be sorry that we have lived so carelessly, that we have omitted so many good things, and committed so many evils. But let us now (while we have time) show forth the true fruits of repentance. Let us now so reverence and honour Christ our judge, that we may then be reverently by him received. Let us now be so sorry and contrite for our sins, that we may then by Christ be eternally comforted.  
Again if we do well consider the stryctnesse of God's judgement, we shall even thereby learn utterly to despise all the vanities of the world, and greedily to run to true repentance. For in the day of judgement, the world shall stand in flaming fire, which shall burn and consume the wicked and reprobate. Christ shall be resident in the air. All the holy companies of Angels and of the heavenly Citizens shallbe assys●…aunt and shall vysibly appear. The reprobate shall lie upon the ground or earth (which they have so loved) with their horrible, black, and loathsome bodies, which then shallbe most deformed & horrible to behold. Some being half eaten and torn with the worms in their sepulchre. All the rabble of hell and all mankind shallbe present. Then every man's life shall appear unto himself that they may all at one's acknowledge the judgement of God to be most just. O what care, what pain, what intolerable 
Math. 25.  misery and dread will it then be for the wicked, to see that they must by and by be thrown into the torments For immediately this sentence must be pronounced: Oo y●… accursed into everlasting fire. The earth shall open her mouth & swallow them▪ And they shall fall headlong into the most deep pytt of hell wherein they shallbe shut and enclosed perpetually. Let every true Christian be teryfied by the remembrance of this judgement, as Hierome was 〈◊〉 saying: As often as I do consider that day, I do shake and tremble on all parts. For whether (saith he) I eat or drink, or whatsoever I do, the sound of that most terrible trumpet doth always thunder in mine ears saying: Rise you that are dead and come unto judgement.  
And again he sayeth: When God the Lord shall come to judge, the world shall pytiously roar and cry. One Tribe shall shock and justle against another. The most mighty Princes shall go bore and naked groping round about. Plato the fool shallbe brought in with his fond Desciples. Aristotels fine arguing shall not then prevail. When the Son of that poor handycraftesman shall come to judge the ends of the world. Then our sins shallbe on the right hand, ready to accuse us. On the left hand, an infynit number of wicked spirits ready to take hold on us. Underneth us, the horrible mass or Chaos and confused heap of hell. Above us, the heavens opened and rend in sunder. In the air, the angrey judge. Without, the world burning. Within the conscience scalding and skorching. Yea the just man shall hardly be saved. Woe be unto the wretched sinner so overtaken. Whether shall he fly? It shallbe impossible for him to lurk here and there, and it shallbe as untolerable to appear. The reprobate which are to be dampened seeing these things, shallbe troubled with a horrible fear, they shall mourn and languish for vexation of spirit and say: We have erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousness hath not shined in us. We have overweryed ourselves in the way of iniquytie. Wherefore (my well-beloved) let us learn and choose (with the choose of God) to abhor the delights of the world, to bring forth the true fruits of repentance, to serve God with dew reverence, fear, and pureness of heart, rather than to encurre wilfully so great callamyties. For whosoever doth diligently and profoundly revolve & ponder these pains and torments of hell fire, he shall undoubtedly abhor all sin, all vanity and praise of this wicked world. For what a thing is it to be for ever enclosed in the prison of hell, in the midst of unquenchable fire, in a most filthy stinckinge and loathsome lake, there to be unspeake ably tormented, and with innumerable pains to be afflicted, without any lest hope of delivery? For Gregory saith, there shallbe in hell untolerable cold, unquenchable fire, a worm always gnawing, a stynche always smelling, palpable darkness, the scourge ever striking, the ugly spirits always grieving, the confusion of sins, the desperation of all goodness, the hate and detesting of all that is good and righteous, an unremedyable turning back from the high heavenly majesty, and an irecuperable turning towards all evil and frailty.  
For although in hell there be the prick of pain and punishment, yet there is no corection nor amendment of will and consent. Since the reprobate shallbe so accused with their own iniquinye, that righteousness nevertheless shall not by any means be of them embraced, loved, or desired. But what need we to heap together somanye words of proof of this matter? Do thou thyself imagnne to behold (with the eyes of faith and understanding) a lake full of all misery, yea most brymfull of all desperation, trouble, crying, and howling, boiling, with a most scalding fire, and abundantly replenished with most sorrowful souls, and then consider what a thing it were to be for ever grieved and tormented therein to walk continually in the blaze of such flaming fires, to be racked and tormented uncessantly, and to be perpetually afflicted with the most horrible society of the dampened, and the most ugly faces and shapes of the Devils? For this is it which in the book of Job is called the Tenebrous land overwhelmed with the thick clouds of death. The land of miseries & darkness, where the shadow of death, and no order, but perpetual horrur doth enhabyt. For over and beside other infinite pains of hell, there is also troublesome, painful, and unestimable dysorder continevally. Then do not they seem unto the most unhappy, yea more than thrice and four times most unhappy, who for these most short and transitory liberties, unlawful delights, worldly vanities, frail affections, richeses or prosperytie, do fall into such an unspeakable misery which shall endure for ever? Wherefore let us come forth & forsake this broad & open way of these worldlynges leading unto destruction and unhappiness, and let us embrace and follow the straight way, living fruitfully, fearfully, & reverently before the Majesty of the highest God.  
It is written in the lxxxiii. Psalm: How lovely & delightful 
The glory of the blessed is a principal mean to make us to contemn this world.  are thy Tabernacles O Lord god of virtues? my soul doth eagerly desire and faint in the Court of God. And as the doctors and Fathers of the Church have agreed, the love and charity of God is the life of the soul. So that without love and charity, nothing is pleasing, nor acceptable before God. Neither can it profit any thing at all towards the obtaining of the heavenly felicity. Then all our actions, our thoughts, affections, speaking, doing, or suffering, cannot be acceptable in the sight of God, unless it proceed from charity, either by way of allurement, by way of commandment, or by way of direction. Whereupon it followeth that such as do bewail, confess, and repent, their misdeeds only for fear of pain, for servile dread, they do not therefore obtain forgiveness. For every good deed, aught to be done for the zeal of justice and righteousness, and for Godly charity, but not for fear. Thereof the Apostle said: If I speak with the tongues of Angels and of men, and yet have not charity in me, it shall nothing profit me. For then do we chief perform our duties when we reverence GOD not only for fear, but also for the sure trust and confidence that we have in his love. And when zealous affection, (not dread) doth raise us upwards to do that is good. By this dread is understood and meant the servile fear which only and principally doth respect the punishment and correction. Of the which saint john sayeth: There is no fear in perfect charity. Then si●…ce we might be induced (as hath been beforesayde) to the contempt of this world by the consideration of death, judgement, & the pains of hell, yet aught we much more & by much stronger reason to be induced thereunto by the consideration contemplation and love of the perpetual blessedness & glory of the choose. The which is of a certain infinite dignity, since it is an immedyate frewition of that unmeasurable, good, holy, and glorious God. Wherefore as this frewition is altogether supernatural, we can never attain thereunto but by supernatural means. As thankful thanksgiving, Faith, Hope, Charity, & the other gifts of the holy Ghost. And the more perfectly and plenteously that these means do dwell & abide in us, so much the more vehemently we despise all worldly & temporal things & plainly perceive their, vanity, vylenesse, & do Yea we do so much the faster, more affectionately, more abundantly, more swiftly & uncessantly, aspire, go forewards, approach, or rather run outryght towards the blessedness of the heavenly Paradyse & habitation Embracing & executing all the help, favour, & assistance of gods holy spirit more redyly and more cheerfully. Wherefore let us be moved (by the desire of the felicity and glory of the ●…lect) to perform stoutly and courageously all things that may please God. Let us quickly & out of hand forsake the world, yea let us account all the frailties thereof to be as dirt and doonge. For as Augustine doth well testify: The beauty of righteousness, and the pleasantness of th'            eternal light, are such and so great, that although a man might therein remain but one only hour in a day, yet even for that small space unnumerable years of this life being full of delights and flowing●… with temporal pleasures, were worthily to be forsaken and set at nought. For in the citi●… of God and the kingdom of the elect, the law is charity: the king is verity: the peace is felicity: and the who●…e course of life is eteruitie. Wherefore (my well-beloved) prepare thyself and mark narrowly what a great felicity the blessed enjoy, and what exceeding delight it is to see God plainly▪ and distinctly. For the fairer that any thing is, do we not account it also the more delectable to behold it plainly and perfectly? Since God then of himself is essentially, totally, and undescribably, fair, holy, pure, and bright 〈◊〉, or rather the true and infinite beauty, the 〈◊〉 substantial form, the separate, eternal, perfect, simple, and unmyxed, comeliness, the chief fountain, original cause, and exemplare show, of any fairness, comeliness, pureness, and clearness, in all creatures, the most beautiful and comely of all other beyond comparison: it is therefore most evident that to see and behold him face to face, and in his proper person, is most delightful, most delectable, and most glorious, excéedyng (too too much) all other delight and glory more than can be with words expressed. For the better, sweeter, and perfecter that any thing is in itself, the more delightful and pleasant the fruition thereof must be. But our Lord God being omnipotent, only to be adored, happy, and (of himself) most excellent pure, undescribable, and incomprehensible goodness, that infinite sweetness, that so perfect Being, that whatsoever pertaineth to the fullness, worthiness, 
Ens.  and pr●…heminence, of any Being, present, paste, or to come, 〈◊〉 needs agree and be like unto it in all perfection and excelencie, it must needs follow that the immediate fruition of it, should be altogether and in all respects, most pleasant, sweet, and delectable. For the obtaining whereof, all the joys, honours, praises, and prosperities of this world, are infinitely and with exceeding lothsomenesse to be despised. Then consider in such sort as thou mayest, what joy it would be to see and beheld the eternal being of his divine majesty. How it is and hath been from the beginning of it self, made ●…or created by any man, nor depending of any thing, but to itself, of itself, by itself, and in itself always sufficient. Consider how much good it would do thee plainly and face to face to behold the undiscribable, admirable, and incomprehensible God, and in his ever springing wisdom and sapience to see and discern the whole order, comeliness, truth, and perfection, of all the universal world, with many other most secret treasures of gladness? yea to enjoy this unmeasured goodness and treasure, and wholly to possess it. And therewith to have all that may seem fair, amiable, or to be desired. Again to be so exceedingly illustrate with the godly wisdom, & so abundantly replenished with the divine goodness, that all thy capacity, understading, and all thy desire, might therewith be thoroughly filled & satisfied. Yea furthermore, consider what exceeding pleasure it would be to taste the sweetness of godly peace and tranquillity, to be even swallowed up in the love of thy creator, to be transformed into God, to be made perfectly like unto him, to embrace him lovingly in himself, in such sort that thou coul●…est not at any time be withdrawn or plucked away from his sight, love, & embracings, to see & perceive that most blessed vision and inward contemplation of the holy Trinity, & the issuing out of the same, how the son proceedeth from the father, and how the holy ghost proceedeth from them both, how their people are to be worshipped as one in being, & three in subsisting, and finally, to behold & perceive perfectly their mutual well pleasing, joy, embracing, love, and glory. For the divine and uncreated people do mutually love each other with an unmeasurable kind of love, they behold each other with an infinite kind of delight, they enjoy each other with an untermynable kind of sweetness, and they themselves (only) do fully and comprehensively, know, and behold themselves. So that the choose shall rejoice in themselves at the sight and vision of God, in themselves they shall rejoice in the beauty and comeliness of their heavenly bodies, and the bodies of their corporal creatures, and in themselves they shall rejoice in the glorification of the body and the soul. As also without and about them they shall rejoice in the society of the Angels and blessed people of God. In them shall doubtless be s●…ne the true brightness of the summers light, the true pleasaunt●…esse of the spring, the perfect abundance of the harvest, and the right tranquillity and rest of the dead winter. In them God shallbe seen without end, shall be enjoyed without contempt, and praised for ever without weariness. In them God shall be an abundance of light and truth to the reason and understanding, a multitude of peace and quiet to their will and consent, a continuance of eternity to their memory, and an unmovable ●…taye to their estate. O life of lives, most lively, sweet, amiable, and ever to be thought on, wherein chief security, secure tranquyllitye, quiet delectabylitye, delectable felicity, happy eternity, and everlasting glory, are to be embraced and enjoyed in God's mercy. In the which there is to be found the affluence of riches, the influence of delights, and the confuence of all good things. Wherefore (my well-beloved) let thy soul be inflamed with the desire of this blessedness.  
For it, let all thy good actions be exercised effectually, and let thy mind meditate thereupon customarily. Do not subject thyself to the peril of losing this glory, for the world and vanities thereof. For finally, it retaineth so great grace in this life, and so great glory in the world to come, that though we were sure that we might enjoy them in this world, yet for the love of increasing and profiting therein, we should worthily leave and forsake all things for God. Who of his great clemency give thee understanding to taste and perceive these things perfectly, and to hearken and obey unto good and godly counsel. For the judgements of the Lord our God are incomprehensible & very dreadful. And where he poureth his grace into one & not into another, that (as Augustine sayeth) is for some hidden cause, but for none uniustnesse in God. But I shall daily beseech God in the bowels of Jesus Christ, that he will make marvelous his mercies in thee every kind of way.  
Solomon useth these words in the xx. Chapter of Ecclesiastes. 
The disquiet labour and troubles of this world induce the contempt of the shame.  God hath given wisdom, knowledge, and rejoicing to the man that is good, and to the sinner, affliction, & superfluous care. We have already treated suffitiently of the contempt of this world, as well on God's behalf as on our own. Now than it shall not be amiss to speak thereof by regard of the world itself, the which if it be well considered, it containeth in itself whereby to be contemned and despised. And first this one thing cometh to memory, that the lovers of this world are tossed and retossed with sundry troubles, disquiettes, afflictions and labours, in such sort that it ministereth more pain and bitterness than delight and quietness in all things whereof men hope to have consolation. For whilst they are withdrawn or turned back from the highest and most simple goodness, (in whom only true peace, and true joy do abound) they disperse themselves in temporal and earthly things. And being not perfectly established in any one thing, they are carried about universally. Whereby they are affected with manifold passions and thoughts, as now with delight, then with dollor, now with love, then with hate, now with desire, then with disdain, now with longing, and then with loathing. For they have not the skill to bring things unto an equal measure by the judgement of reason and discretion, nor to be in a kind of tranquillity in every occurrent, but (like unto bruit beasts) they follow the force and sway of their pangs and passions, according to the impulsive motion of their sensualities and lusts. Whereby it falls out most commonly that they never continued long in one disposition. And besides these considerations (according to the Philosopher's opinion) a man which delighteth in contemplation and speculation, hath (in himself) sufficient matter and cause of good delight. Since he is filled with speculation, and rejoiceth in heavenly considerations, (that is to say) in sciential and sapientiall points of knowledge, in the which he is spiritually delighted. Neither doth he seek or require delights in sensual things out of himself. But the unlearned, the carnal, and worldly men do not taste any such delight, neither have they sincerely the matter or material cause of delight and contentation within themselves. Therefore they seek to rejoice in outward things wherein they stumble (not always upon pleasant and prosperous success but) oftentimes upon hard and overthwart accydentes, which makes them most commonly to endure grief and disquyet of mind. And by good reason should that man which is devout and spiritual, contain in himself wherewith to be spiritually delighted in God, yea even in adversity. But the worldlings and the vytious men have now wrath, than sadness, now envy, them indignation, & sometimes sudden fear (which be most painful and bitter passions) whereby they do not only wound and weaken their soul, but many times also they fret their mind and waste their corporal strength. For somewhiles they are (as it were) resolved into vain mirth, puffed up with vain hope, & stretched out into vain desures, & strait ways again they rejoice in that which aught to make them sad, and ware sorrowful for that which might give them greater cause of comfort, gaping for that which were to be s●…unned and a●…oyded, & flying from that which is most profitable & worthy of long expectation. So that whither they be merry, or mo●…rn, they are always unhappy, and deserve pains in the time to come. Yea so much the more grievous pains, as their affects have been the more disordered. Whereupon the Lord sayeth (speaking of such as glory and host not right, but worldly and vainly) Even as much as he gloryfyeth 
Apoc. 〈◊〉.  himself, and walloweth in delights, so much do you give unto him of torment and lamentation. And also Augustine witnesseth: A disordered mind, becometh a pain and punishment unto itself. But forasmuch as (b●…foresayde) in the lovers of this world, affectiones are dysordred, preposterous, and overthwart, it must needs fall out also that they are grievous & painful unto themselves which possess them. And thereupon it is confessed: we have walked 
Sap. 〈◊〉.  in the hard and difficult paths. We are even wearied in the ways of iniquity, but we are altogether ignorant in the ways of the Lord Whereupon it is likewise written: The s●…und of terror is always in the ears of the wicked. And when it is peace, he yet mistrusteth the enemies attempt. 
job. 15.  Again if they chance at any time to rejoice, their mirth turneth also to their own overthrow. ●…ut the well ordered mind, the quiet and devout mind, is evermore pleasant and comfortable in itself. And therefore by Hieroms opinion, the places wherein charity doth reign, are the very Paradise of God upon the earth. Yea upon the quyette 
Esa. 66.  and meek hearted, the holy ghost doth rest and abide. For a well instructed man is sweet and comfortable to his own soul. I mean a man well instructed in such instruction as is decked and adorned with virtues. And therefore although there were none other reward assigned unto thee quiet, peaceable, and well ordered mind, than this inward contentation and swéeten●…sse of peace, sincerity of a clear conscy●…ce and holy consolation: all (which are daily to be found in itself) it were yet worthy and a right worthy thing to endeavour and study continually how to be decked with virtues, wholly to give it s●…lfe over unto orderly living, and fully to renounce and forsake all worldly delights and vanities.  
And according thereunto sayeth Gregory: That is the true and highest joy or consolation, which is conceived in the Cr●…ator and not in the things created. And when so ever thou receive that (sa●…th h●…e) no man shall be able to take it from thee.  
In comparison whereof all other mirth is mourning, all other pleasure is pain, all sweet sour, all léefe loathsome, and all delights are dollo●…ous.  
And again he sayeth: Nothing in this life is more laboursome or painful, then to be tossed with ca●…thlye desires. Neither is there any thing more quiet than to covet or desire nothing. But the spiritual riches (says he) are loathed when they are not yet had nor possessed, and that is of such as have not yet tried them. Which may peradventure be a cause (my well-beloved) that thou art the less alured and enticed unto the divine, sacred, and most sincere delights of spiritual conversation, and that thou makest the less haste thereuntoo, because thou haste not (as I guess) yet tried them. But give ear unto this holy father Gregory, make haste, yea post hast, to attain unto a perfect spiritual life, leaving the world and all the concupiscences thereof.  
And I hope that thou shalt taste how sweet the Lord is, for great is the multitude of his delectablenesse.  
And thou shalt be delighted in the multitude of Christ 
1. Pet. 2.  his peace, the which passeth all senses and understandings, and which the worldlynges can not taste. Because as the 
Psal. 30.  Prophette witnesseth: There is no peace unto the wicked sayeth the Lord God.  
And to conclude, according to the old Proverb, who is so honoured, that he is not sometimes troubled? who is in such estymation, that he is not also sometimes in tribulation? And who sitteth on high that is not subject unto vanytye. And as Gregory sayeth: The more that any man is extolled with honour and dygnytye, the more is he loaden with grievous burdens.  
And all things that here do excel, are more vexed with grief than they are rejoiced with honour, and more doth the fall of damnation threaten and affrighte them, than their hope to attain everlasting blessedness can recomfort them. For mercy is granted to those which seem of lest dignity. Whilst they that are mighty suffer therewith mighty torments. For judgement shallbe most grievous unto them which bear greatest authority, & have greatest prehemynence. And thereupon Chrisostom said: who desireth to intrude himself into spiritual promotions, or to take charge of souls. but such an one as fears not God's judgement? it is a great security of mind and quiet of conscience, to retain nothing that hath in it any secular concupiscence. Yea and it is a vile and miserable bondage, to be altogether troubled in worldly affairs, and to leave God forgotten Although unto many worldly men it seemeth grievous to be occupied or conversant in any thing else then private profit, which have not the skill or understanding how to occupy themselves in holy & virtuous actions. And the soul of man is such that without love and some what to be exercised on, it can not continued. So that the less it be occupied and affected about god, so much the more it is powered out and bestowed in vain and earthly things. Again Bernard sayeth: the insatiable love of riches doth much more torment men with desire, than the use thereof can recomfort them when they have obtained it. For there is labour and pain in getting of them, fear and dread in possessing them, and much sorrow and grief in foregoing them. Yea gold doth most grieve him which hath greatest abundance thereof. Therefore to the end thou mayest with a quiet mind serve God deuo●…tly, fly from and eschew the troublesome affairs of this world, the cor●…orall delights, and the deceivable treasures. Cleave fast unto God only that he may become thy joy and comfort, and thou shalt sing with the Psalmist: In God is my hralth and my glory, he is the God of my help, and my hope is in him. And let such rejoice in temporal things as have not the skill to desire heavenly and everlasting treasures.  
It is written in the holy word of God: Watch you (for 
The loss of time or misspending of spiritual promise fits, induce the contempt of the world.  you know not when the Lord cometh, over night, at midnight, or in the grey morning) lest when he cometh suddenly he find you sleeping. Look to yourselves, watch, and pray. How much so ever we love God and the life to come in the heavenly kingdom, even so much we aught to eschew all such things as hinder and let us from the getting of the everlasting beatitude and union unto the divine majesty. And what (I pray you) doth so much hinder us from the obtaining thereof? ●…or sooth riches, delights, honours, vanities, and worldly prosperities. For a man being wholly bend unto them doth not only miserably and unfruitefully lose such time as God dareth him to repent and 〈◊〉, but furthermore he doth daily fall into many vices, commit many faults, he remembreth not GOD, omytteth all duties, and runneth into innumerable impediments to salvation. And thereupon Chryst said: How hard it is 
Mark. 10.  for them that are rich to enter into the kingdom of God? For riches being once possessed, are very hardly despised. And earthly things (being once got) are more stryctly beloved, than they are coveted before they be had. So that they which altogether apply the multiplying of riches, do neclect to seek the joys of the world to come.  
And whiles they do not meditate and deeply consider the soundenesse of eternity, they love and esteem this banish●…ment, as it were the heavenly habitation.  
To conclude, how much more the lovers of this world do forget GOD, even so much the more also are they of him abandoned and forsaken, and so much the more their hearts shallbe hardened. Whereupon it oftentimes happeneth that they love nothing effectually which pertey●…eth unto God. They covet not heavenly things, but (for the most part now a days) the worse that men become, the more careless yet they are. And while they never look up to see from whence they be fallen, nor fear the punishments to come, they wax ignorant how much they are to be lamented.  
For the more that they cleave unto vain and evil things, the less they acknowledge the good things which they have lost. And a mighty thing do they account the glory of this world. Yea and a triumphant glory do they esteem it, to flourish presently according to their hearts desire. Never fearing nor foreséeinge the perpetual punishments which they shallbe forced hereafter to endure.  
That man only perceiveth that it is nothing at all to floorysh in iniquity, which hath already withdrawn the footestepp●…s of his aff●…ction from the love of this world. For if we would think upon the eternal rewards, we should soon esp●…e that the present glory is nothing at all. But he which fyxeth his heart in things present, never weighing nor considering the punishments to come for the wicked, but is puffed up with false riches, and rejoiceth when he hath more cause to be lamented, he is subject unto many mischiefs. Since there can be no truer nor righter misery, then false and vain triumphing. Yea and every man doth so much the more outwardly rejoice, as he doth inwardly the less remember himself. These sentences before alleged I have gathered out of Gregory, whereby thou mayest plainly perceive how perilous a thing it is (especially for such as profess reformation) to apply our affections unto these earthly things. But peradventure thou dost purpose to use riches without abuse, and to be conversant amongst worldlyng, but not worldly and wanton, and to eat and drink amongst them without ryotte or banqueting. And finally to use the favour and honour of men without triumphing or glorying therein.  
Surely if thou couldst perform this, it were a great perfection. But hardly can the best and most perfect continued therein. And how seldom it is seen, mark thyself by these words of Gregorius: It is commonly sée●…e (saith he) and doth seldom fail that voluptuousness and sensual appetites, do follow banqueting. For the body of the rich glutton is melted and dissolved into delights, and his heart is opened unto vain joy. The rich man is overcome with excess of delight, and becometh unbrydeled in boasting words. He runneth where he lusteth, and falls into all unlawful things. Yea those things which were the occasions and allurements of his vices, do become the instruments of his pain and punishment.  
But examine thyself whither thou do only feed and sustain thy body according to thy necessity and utillity, or if thou do not delicately and tenderly pamper and cherish thy vol●…ptuousnesse. Or else hearken aga●…e unto t●… words of Gregory.  
As it is unpossible (saith he) that fire should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in water, so is it unpossible that a comp●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contrite mind should live in 〈◊〉. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mere contraries, and each of them distroy●… and 〈◊〉 the other.  
Furthermore weigh and consider the excel●…cie of ty●… and be abashed to spend it in vanities, 〈◊〉 p●…sse it o●…r v●…fruitefully, and to lead thy life therein wick●…dly. Y●… hearken unto the doctrine of the ancient fath●…rs: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of us ●…et light by time which is consumed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The word flieth from us irr●…uocably. The ty●…e ●…th from us unredéemably, and the fool knoweth not nor marketh not what he loseth Let us talk and common tog●…ther (say some) v●…till an ●…oure be paste. 〈◊〉 thou do●… let pass an hour, the which the mer●…y of thy Creator hath 〈◊〉 thee to repent, to obtain grac●…, and to win and attain unto euerlas●…yng ●…lorie. Until the time do pass over, wherein thou oughtest 〈◊〉 make intercession unto the di●…yne mai●…stie, appro●… and make haste unto the company of the Angels, sigh and lament for the loss of thy 〈◊〉 heritage, aspire unto the felicity pro●…ysed and pr●…pared, stir up thy ●…acke and ●…uggish will, and bewail & 〈◊〉 the iniquities which thou hast committed. For tho●…gh we set so light by time, yet by Bernardes' opinion, nothing is more precious. The days of health and salvation pass over our heads, and no man marketh them. Wherefore (my best beloved on earth) every evening or time that thou goest about to take rest or quiet, revolve and cast in thy mind how thou hast spent the day. What evil thou hast committed, and what good things thou hast omitted. How many good things thou mightest have done and didst necl●…ct them. How thou hast dishonoured God and pleased the devil by sinning and doing amiss. How thou hast wounded and hurt thy soul, and displeased God.  
Finally, how near thou haste approached unto hell. This being done, yield thanks and glory unto God for all that thou hast well done, and for all that thouhast done amiss, be sorry from the bottom of thy heart. Determine an amendment, and accomplysh it in deed. Consider herewith that sinners which do now spend their time in worldly vanity, do at the hour of their death seek one hour, or the lest moment of time to repent. The which they had then rather obtain, than a massy heap of Gold as great as the whole world. Remember that at the day of judgement all time that was lent thee shall be required at thy hand●…s how thou hast spent it. Yea every least moment or twynckling of an eye. Therefore let thy heart be replenished with good thoughts, thy mouth with holy words and reading of scriptures, and thy hands with doing of virtuous deeds. That as often as the enemy do come, he may find thee armed. For such as he doth find idle, he ceaseth not to tempt them. Then if it be so evil to be idle, how much worse is it to be evil occupied?  
We find written: The praise of the wicked is 
The contempt of this world by consideration of the vanities thereof.  short, and the joy of the Hypocryte like unto a moment. If his pride go up into heaven, and his head touch the clouds, yet in the end he shall be as a dunghill.  
He shall be like unto a dream flying away, which is not seen when we awake, and he shall pass over as a nightly vysion.  
If we do●… well and thoroughly consider the eternytie of the felicity and life to come, yea the soundenesse, truth, and uncorruptiblenesse thereof, I do verily believe that this world & present life, together with all temporal glory, shall even from the heart seem vile unto us. Neither shall we disperse our affections in worldly things, but rather we shall most greedily seek out the everlasting joys & unchangeable good things prepared for us in the heavenvly kingdom. For in as much as our soul is immortal, & for the brightness of understanding, much higher and worthier than any material substance or nature, it aught not to take joy or felicity in corruptible, material, or tran●…torie things, but it aught to go forwards with a pure heart, towards the immortal, unvariable, and ●…st perfect God. So that we aught not to love this present life, but the life to come principally and above all things. Yea we aught to despise and contemn all transitory delectation, all temporal honour, and all praise of men, for the hearty love of the divine and celestial beatitude. For look how much we cease from the affection of worldly vanity and temporal glory, so much the more do we please God, and so much the nearer we approach unto the blessedness which is to come. For unto God only all honour a●…d glory are due. From whom all good things do proceed. 
1. Tim. 1.  But to us be confusion & shame which do so often offend, dishonour, and neclecte God. Wherefore it shall not be lawful 
2. Col. 10.  for us to glory in ourselves, nor to have a vain delight in ourselves. But as the Apostle sayeth: He that glorieth, 
1. john. 2.  let him glory in the Lord  
Behold the world passeth over, and all the glory thereof. 
jacob. 4.  And what is our life in this world but a smoke and vapour 
2. Reg. 14.  showing itself a little, and s●…raight way is vanished and go? we all slip away like water into the earth. We are earth, ashes, dust, rottenness, and worms meat. So that when a man is dead he shall inherit Snakes and Worms. To conclude, what is this present life but a continual and ●…oste swift course unto death? For some part of our life is continually and without ceasing wasted and cut off. And therefore David said: Our days are like a shadow upon the earth, and there is none abiding. And Ezechias said: my life is cut of as the web from the Weaver. Yea even whilst I yet began, he cut me off. And job: remember me O Lord, for my life is like 
job. 7.  a puff of wind. And in respect of the eternity, the lasting of this life is nothing as Job witnesseth in the same place saying: Spare me O Lord for my days are as nothing. Hereupon Chrisostom saith: Let us pass (says he) one hundredth years in delights, yea add thereunto another hundredth, or (if you list) ten times an hundredth, and what shall all this be, compared to eternity? shall not all the whole time of this life, in the which we seem to enjoy so many delights, and to have free scope unto vanities, shall it not (I say) be as a dream of one night compared to the eternity? Yes for as Hierome sayeth, if thou hadst the wisdom of Solomon, the beauty of Absalon, the strength of Samson, the riches of Cr●…esus, and the mighty power of Octavianus, what should all these profit thee when as strait ways, thy body shall be delivered unto the worms, and thy soul unto devils? For as Augustyne affirmeth: If Adam yet lived, and should dye this day, what could it then avail him to have lived so long?  
Now therefore (my dearly beloved) weigh these things deeply. For such as neglect to mark these things presently, ●…arly or late they shall say (unfrutefully) with the reprobate in the day of judgement. We have erred from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness hath not shined in us, and the bright son of understanding hath not risen unto us. What hath our pride profited us? Or what hath our pomp and boasting prevailed us? All those things have passed over as a shadow, and as a swift running messenger.  
For than shall the heavens reneale the vanity of the lovers of this world together with their iniquities, and the earth itself shall rise against them. Then their sin and transgression shall be manifest with such as have said to God: Depart from us. We will not have the knowledge of thy ways. Then shall the round world fight against them in God's behalf. All things which have been shall then suffer punishment, and yet shall not be consumed. Yea they shall suffer and sustain according to the multitude of their inventions. For the wicked is reserved until the day of perdition, and shall be led unto the day of fury, and shall drink of the wrath of the almighty. Let these things ter●…rifie thy mind, and withdraw it from the world. Yea principally let them join it unto God.  
Furthermore, the vanity of this world doth hereby most manifestly appear, that the prosperity thereof is expected and gaped for with an exceeding greediness of mind, and when it cometh it can not be retained. But all things pass over, and all things fly away. This day is paste, and the beginning of the next is not yet known whither it shall be quiet or laboursome.  
For so passeth over the glory of this world. And there upon Augustyne demandeth saying: What wilt thou love temporal things (sayeth he) and pass away with them, or will't thou love Christ and live eternally with him? For it is unpossible that a man do both enjoy the present delights and the joys to come. It is unpossible both here to fill the paunch, and there to satis●…e the mind. Men may not pass from one delight to another, and appear glorious both here and in the world to come. Yea and the contempt of worldly and temporal things is evident by this that God doth oftentimes bestow them more abundantly upon his enemies and them which are reprobate, then upon the elect. For the elect doth consider (by the end) that those things are of none account which do transitorilye and seculerly delight. And therefore Hierome sayeth: the speedy cons●…lation of the goo●…, is the end, of the wicked well considered and foreseen.  
For whilst the good perceive by the destruction of the wicked what evils and perils they have passed and escaped, they account all things light & easy which they suffer & endure in this life. So y● b●…hold (my well-beloved) how great the deceit of this world is, & how exceeding great is the blindness of the love which we bear to the same. For whilst the wicked doth willingly & with great delight remain & continued in this world, hoping to live long, and setting many things in o●…der for the time to come, suddenly and unawares he is commanded to dye, and in a moment to leave and forsake all those things which he so faltily hath loved and esteemed. Hereupon our Saviour Christ bringeth in the rich man speaking unto himself and saying: My soul thou haste much good and treasure laid up for many years. Take thy ease, eat, drink, & be merry. But God answereth him 
●…uc. 12.  saying: O fool this night shall they take thy soul from thee, whose then shall that be which thou hast so greedily gathered? Let us therefore gather together true and spiritual riches, which will not forsake us at the time of death, but will appear with us before God, and make us seem comely and beautiful in all virtue and godliness. In these kind of riches we may daily increase and profit, yea and in such sort that such profit may be much more available unto us, then if we possessed all the riches in the world. Wherefore let us not myspende the least space of time, nor be occupied in good things only, but in the most excellent things. That we may always search out those things which draw nearest to our salvation. And so grow nearer and nearer neighbours unto God. And be always reverently and hon●…urably conversant in the sight of the heavenly Father.  
Let us think and think again upon the quiet peace and tranquillity of a pure heart, upon the delectation of a soul beholding the majesty of God, and upon the security and firm hope of the mind which loveth God. And hereby we shall soon find that to give over ourselves unto such things is as much as to be conformed unto God.  
And that such as do otherwise, are deformed and not reform. For it is not every thing which is created defectyve? And every transitory thing unquiet? Yea it is short, and of small contynewaunce, but mutable and subject unto tyme.  
So that the lovers of this world ●…aue nothing firm or stable but are themselves also light and unconstant, as it were set in a whyrlewind, since they put not their dely●…ht in God only, but in all vain and transitory t●…inges, now affecting this thing, and now that thing. Now loat●…yng that they erst loved, and straight way deuring and ceu●…ting some other vanity not yet possessed. But the just and such as love God do persever quiet, unyforme, and s●…ble, being founded upon the eternal God as upon an vn●…oueable foundation. And thereupon Solomon said: The wicked shall not be seen. Like unto a storm passing over. But the just shallbe as an everlasting foundation. Augustine bewailing the lovers of this world, doth exclaim and say: O lovers of the world wherefore labour you? Why do y●…u afflyct yourselves about nothing? Whiles you might possess the creator of all things? What s●…eke you further? What may suffice and content man's mind, whom the creator of all things cannot suffice and content? For if you may have all goodness (which is God) why go you about to possess things full of misery? Can your hope & expectation in the world be any thing else then to be thereof beloved? And therein what is not frail? What is not transitory? What is not changeable? What is not sinallye full of perils by the which you pass on unto greater yea and everlasting perils. And of the vanytie of the worldly life Hierome saith: O life (no life but) death. A deceitful life, laden with sorrow, weak, and overshadowed. New it flourisheth, straight way it withereth. depriving him of life, in whom it seemeth life. O frail, momentay●…, and bryttell life the more thou growest, the more also thou decreasest. The more thou procéedest, the more nearer thou aprochest unto death. O life full of snares how many men dost thou entangle, and how many by thee now do abide infernal t●…rments? O how happy is he which knoweth and perceiveth thy deceits, how much more happy is he which setteth light by and careth not for thy vain delights? And he is most happy which is well dyspatched of thee.  
In the first Epistle of john and the fift Chapter, it is 
The malice and continual hurt which the world showeth to the lovers thereof may 'cause us to contemn it.  written: All the whole world is set on wickedness. Yea is not the world subject unto the Devil, and replenished with all iniquity? Whereupon the same john in his second Chapter of his second Epistle saith: All that is in this world, is concupiscence of the flesh, concupiscence of things seen, or pride of life and conversation. And as Peter saith: The wicked are servants of corruption and 
2. Pet. 2.  of sin. For of whom soever a man be maystred or overcome, unto him he is a servant and in bondage. And he which is the bondman of sin, is consequently the servant of the Divyll. Whereupon Paul speaketh of the wicked 
2. Tim. 2.  saying: Let them turn back from the snares of the Devil, by whom they are held in captyvitie even according to his pleasure. And Christ in his gospel doth term the devil the Prince of this world. Meaning not the round globe of the sphere, but the worldly creatures which being turned back from God, are overwhelmed and buried in earthly things. Of whom Hierome meant saying: Going back from the Lord, they are written and regystred in the earth. But Christ saith contrariwise to the elect, rejoice and be joyful. For your names are written & registered in heaven. Now Beda expoundeth these words thus: By the world and those things which are therern, he understandeth men which inordynately and excessyvely do love and esteem the world. And such have nothing but concupisbence of the flesh concupisbence of things seen with eye, and pride of life. For in these vocables and proper names of vices, john doth comprehend and include all kinds of vices. For the concupisbence of the flesh, is all that pertaineth unto the volupteousnesse and delights of the body. By the concupisbence of things seen with the eye, are meant all curyosyties which are committed in learning of wicked arts and ornaments, all contemplation of filthy and wicked sights or spectacles, all superfluous desire to get temporal and tryflinge toys, and all curious carping and marking of our neighbour's imperfections. By the pride of life and conversation, is meant the pomp and beast which men conceive in worldly promotions. So that the world is replenished with Devils. For what else do men that live according to the world but strive to wrap and enfuolde themselves in sundry sorts of sins? Yea and to wound and weary their souls, with the maynes of mischiefs, and the shafts of sundry shameful concupyscences, until at last they feel not their own harms? We see fulfilled 
Ose. 4.  in the Church that which is written by the Prophet: There is no truth, there is no mercy, there is no knowledge of God on the earth. The cursed vices of murder, theft, 
Hier. 6.  adultery, and lying, are come flowing over us. From the greatest to the lest, all men apply themselves unto covetousness. The Pryestes have not said, where is the Lord, and the pastors have used collusion.  
It is easy to be seen unto what an exceeding great rewine the church is come in every e●…at, degree, & order. But if christyans did live now as they lived in the primityve church and first coming of the Gospel there should be no such great necessity to fly from the world. Marry as men do now a days (for the most part) live, it is a high dyfficulltye to live well, or to decline from heinous sins in the world. Especially for such as are not exercised with virtuous quallytie or painful labour, but do abound in riches and are conversant in greatest pomps and highest places. deceipts, ambytion, envy, volupteousnesse, and all other evils are powered out upon the earth. Every man beateth his brain how he may multyplye and increase his substance, but no man careth how to save his soul. Men are afeard lest they should fall into poverty, but were it not much more to be feared to light into the bottomless pit of hell? The world is the furnace of vices. The which these worldlings do heat and warm with the fuel of sin.  
And therein do burn and consume themselves and their companyones. For they are so much blinded, that they neither see nor fear the peryles which are notoryous and well known to all men. But do triumph and rejoice in their evils like phrentyke and made men. Yea if there be any whom they see not wrapped in like woes, they account them to be blockyshe and senseless creatures. Well said that Philosopher: As often as I was among men, I returned 
Sen●…a  (saith he) the worse. And another says: An evil companion draweth his fellow to mesdéedes, and so he which was 
Alanus  before good, becometh evil and wicked. To conclude even as the people of Israel could not departed from Egypt without the help of thy divine Majesty, even so no man can be pulled or withdrawn from this world, unless he be helped with the finger and power of the heavenly hand. Yet 
Exo. 12.  shall there never be found any defect in God, so that man will do his best that he may. Again the world is compared to a desert by the which the children of Israel went from Egypt unto the land of promiss. And in this desert they met so many lets and impedyments, that of thréeskore 
Deut. 2.  thousand numbered, only two (even Caleph and josue) were brought into the land of promise. O how the Devils doth rejoice to see them all now in the sink and filthiness of their sins. Men cleave unto worldly things, and in worldly things they are wise, but they neither care for God nor for his commandments, neither are they astonied when they hear his most terrible judgements. But they account them as fables. O all things that are, be evil bestowed upon us. For our hardness is never moll●…ed. But think we that God will omyt his judgement? Or leave these sins unrewarded? Or suffer the words which he hath spoken of the judgement to come and of the everlasting pains, to be falsified? God forbid that we should so think. Furthermore whosoever is overcome with the love of earthly things, he is not delighted in God. But no man can long abide without some delectation. And therefore such as are not delighted in spiritual things, do power themselves out unto worldly solace. And so consequently are overwhelmed in the multitude of sins and vices. Whereupon Saint Augustine saith: Blessed is he O Lord which loveth thee. For he which loveth not thee, loveth the world, is servant and bound unto sin, he is never quiet, never in safety, but is dystracte and dyspersed in the variable cares, vanities, and pomps, of the world. And whosoever doth contemn the volupteousnesse of this world, and thereby eskaye the snares of the Devil, shallbe most happy in that his soul is delighted in such things, as cannot be blotted or defiled with any uncleanness, but is immediately cleansed & purged with the cleanness of truth. And since the law of God doth so delight him that he shallbe able there by to avoid & eschew the delights of the world. But as long as we delight in the deceitful taste of iniquity, so long we shall think it most sour and bitter to fast of equity. And to whom the world seemeth sweet & savorye to him Christ seemeth bitter and sour. Yet having tasted the spirit of God, all flesh shall (as it were) dote and play the fool. Again whosoever doth with his whole mind serve and please this world, is thereby enfected with a manifold deformytie of vices. And he which tasteth nothing of the heavenly sweetness, will not be afeared to be polluted with earthly desires. But if such as for the love of God despise the world, keeping themselves cotinually conversant in spiritual things, cannot yet he altogether pure and cleansed from sins, with how heavy burdens of vices are the●… laden which are not afeard to walk in the midst of the world wrapped in vanities, without carefulness or fear of God? What is their life but sin itself? For the mirth and joy of the world, is wicked●…sse unpunished. But the which the reprobate do account delight and comfort, that the elect and virtuous do take and def●… to be most gréeuo●…s pain. Thinking and concluding that the soul 〈◊〉 needs perysh●… 〈◊〉, by that wherein the ●…she (for a time) did delight most pleasantly. Wherefore you lovers of this world, howl and cry out, which do miserably kill your body and soul before the time appointed. Whiles you attend wholly upon the vices of glottonye, and lechery, immoderately, and vylely. And thereof (even in this world) do proceed sundry infirmyties, and sudden deaths. Rejoice and be merry now in this most short space which you have, that hereafter you may complain and bewail with the Devil perpetually. Banquet and drink drunken, that after a while you may call for a drop of water, and yet not have it, when you shallbe dampened in hell with the rich man which lived in great delights, and fared delicately every day. Why are your hearts harder than iron, steel, or stones, when you do not weigh and consider, nor ●…e not afeard (in pain of these most unhappy and frail sollaces and vanities of this world) to hear that most dreadful and horrible sentence of Chryst go you accursed into everlasting fire? But here peradnenture you will say: God is merciful and benign, he would not the death of a sinner but that he be converted and live.  
And again: In what hour soever a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repent him, I will no more remember all his iniquites. So that if a sinner 
〈◊〉. 18.  do bewail his sins even at the very time of death, he shall be saved. And I do confess that all these sayings are true. Nay rather the excieding greatness of the hea●…nly piety, doth beyond all comparison exceed and surpass the very capacytie of our mind. For it is unmeasurable. As may plainly appear in that he 〈◊〉 sinners so long to the end they may be converted, yea expecteth and desireth their conversion, he 〈◊〉 such as retorue most mercifully, he quickly for 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉, and doth abundantly power asmuch grace upon them, as if they had never sinned nor offended.  
And is not this an infinite piety? But his equytie and i●…styce is no less than his pitiye. And though he do bear with, and long suffer such as he attendeth to repent and convert, yet if they do not convert, he doth the more grievously punish and detest them. And that which the Prophet sayeth of the contrytion and sorrow of a sinner, must be understood of true contrytion and hearty repentance. But the true contrition doth proceed of the true faith and love of God, and of the loathing of sin, and an affection unto righteousness.  
Yea and as Hierome testyfieth: Repentance and hearty contrytion are necessary.  
Whereunto that saying of Chrisostome agreeth: Compunction is the thing which maketh purple seem vile, maketh men desire hearecloth, love tears, and eschew company.  
Syuce then these things ●…ée certainly thus, what 
Repentance even at the last gasp●… 〈◊〉 not denied but the driving of of the same 〈◊〉 da●…gerous and disallowed.  kind of contrition and bewailing can that be which cometh only at the very hour of death, and then repenteth because he thinketh he can live no longer? Or (peradventure) if he hoped of longer life, he would defer it? Surely it seemeth doubtful that through servile fear and constrained faith, his contrition proceedeth by the only beholding of his own only refuge. And that it is not true contrition, but a terryfing of the spirit. But he which will sound and perfectly repent, must first be sorry for his fault, because it is filthy transgression and offensyve unto God. Yea and a dishonour unto the divine sanctitye and Majesty. We read in the Macchabees: That Antyochus did repent, and yet obtained not mercy. The Apostle doth write the like of Esau: He found not 
2. Mac. 9  (sayeth he) place for repentance, although he sought it with tears. Therefore let no man deceive himself 
Heb. 12.  with vain hope or solyshe perswasyones. For as Hierome sayeth: This I hold for certain and do think most true, that he hath no good end which led always an evil life. Which being sound and in health, was not afeard to offend god, but wallowed and toumbled in the vanities of the world. The death of Saintes is most precious in the sight of the Lord, but the death of sinners is most abominable. The sinner shallbe persecuted with this revenge, that dying he shall forget himself, and both living and dying he forgot God As. Augustine confirmeth saying: He cannot dye evil, which lived well. Nay scarce can he dye well, which lived evil. And yet we must not despair of any sinner. But they are to be exhorted and stirred to repentance even in the last gaps. For some times percase it happeneth (although very seldom) that he which in time of health did neglect repentance, shall yet by repenting then obtain mercy. But he is a most arogant fool which passing over his lyse in health doth put his soul's health unto that ploonge of peril. But let us do that which is more sure and safe. That is to repent and amend whiles we be sound and in health, praying most faithfully with the Prophet: Cast me not out (O Lord) in mine age, and leave me not nor forsake me not, 
Psal. 70.  when my strength and power fail me. For behold saith the Apostle, Now is the acceptable time, & now are the days 
1. Cor. 5.  of health.  
Who is this rising as the day rose (sayeth the princely 
The excellency of the soul conformed to God, and the vylenesse of the sinful soul.  Prophet in the sixt of his Canticles) fair as the Moon and bright as the Sun, & terrible as the forefroont of a battle? and John saith in the third Chapter of his first epistle: We know that when he appeareth we shallbe like unto him, for we shall see him as he is, (that is to say) clearly and perfectly in his form and proper kind. For the intellectual sight, is and consists by view of the intellygible form or shape, whereby we see what is the likeness of the thing once understood. Neither can that likeness plainly represent the thing, unless it be made equal unto the thing itself. But every shape, likeness, or form created, doth infinitely fail and come short of the full representation of the divine essence or being, and therefore God is seen only in the heavenly kingdom, because then the very divine ●…ssence itself is unyted unto the minds of the blessed in the steed of the intellygyble form or 〈◊〉. Not by Inhaesyon or cleaving to, but by assystaunce and 〈◊〉. So that the di●…yne essence or being is quod & quo (that is to say) the very thing itself, & the thing whereby all things are in this blessed vysion.  
Furthermore this vision is more than most worthy and altogether supernatural, the which all the chief Philosophers did think impossible to be put in any mind created, not not in their separate substances. So that to obtain the same, we have need of many supernatural gifts, means, and helps,. As first that there may be given us from God a blessing even grace making us grateful and acceptable, the which doth bedeck and adorn perfectly the very essence or being of the intellectual and reasonable nature. And maketh us fit to deserve eternal life, and to be conjoined unto the supernatural divinity. Furthermore the love and charity whereby god & the first being, or essence, is loved, is spirytually, supernaturally, purely, freely, and fully distylled into us from the holy Ghost. And with it, hope and faith also. This charity and love doth (as it were) counterpayze him that hath it, with the love of the whole unyversallitie. So that yet it maketh him love God more than all things that ever were created. Yea the lest dram of this love and charity doth make God to be loved above the whole world. And otherwise man should not be in state of Salvation.  
For according to the holy Fathers, whosoever hath this charity and the grace before rehearsed, he hath also the gifts of the holy ghost, and all the other virtues convected unto charity and conjoined unto perfect grace. Yea the more he profiteth in this grace and charity, so much the higher doth he grow in good gifts and virtues.  
To conclude, the excelencie and worthiness of these supernatural good things is such and so great, that it can hardly be comprehended or expressed.  
For no natural perfection, no beauty, no coomlynesse, nor no bright shining light, can be thought equal unto it. No the heavenly lyghts do not so much, nor so well adorn and ●…e wtifie the substance of the Sun and Moon, as those graces do beautify and adorn the substance and being of the soul. Neither doth the Sun so much beautify the heavenly Firmament, as Charity doth bewtifye the Soul.  
No the seven planets do not so much adorn the heavenly Spheres or Circles, as the gifts of the holy ghost do adorn and bedeck the powers of the soul. The unyversallytie of the Stars doth not so much adorn and set forth the eighth Sphere or Firmament, as the universallytie of virtuous actions doth dignify, adorn, and perfect, the Soul. For even as by the Philosopher's opinion, true felicity consists rather in action, then in outward form, even so in divinity also more virtue and perfection consists in exercise of godly actions, then in profession or aparaunce. And the more noble that the outward aparaunce be, the more noble should the action and execution be also. Therefore since the forenamed gifts and treasures of grace, be habits or outward tokens of so great highness and excellence, doth not the christian soul seem unto thee to be most noble, gallant, and godlyke, which is occupied continually in the exercise of those habits, and which is so spiritually, supernaturally, and godly conversant? yea which doth so perfectly worship and reverence God, whose conversation is altogether in heaven? For surely here upon it hath been written, that such a soul: is the daughter, the beloved, and the spouse of God, privy to his heavenly secrets, most familiar with him, conformable in affections, and the entyrely beloved heir of God, the coheyre with Christ, which beholding gods glory with face dyscovered, is transformed into the same likeness, from one brightness to another. For as much as it loatheth all worldly, frail, carnal, & humane sollaces, all praises, honours, & secular pomps, & all that dyspleaseth God. But whatsoever it knoweth may please God, that doth it with all earnest affection embrace. To conclude, even as by the Philosopher's traditions every motion hath his dignity, name, & prospertie from the end whereunto it tendeth, even 
Terminus ad qué.  so the action is dignified by the worthiness of the object and matter about the which it is occupied. Then how great is the dignity & glory of that soul, whose motion and action, 
Circa quem.  life, and whole intent, are continually occupied about the highest God? and is termyned in him who is most certeyn●…ly of an unmeasured dignity, and doth wonderfully excel all other things? These things (beloved) I do thus briefly rehearse, that I might thereby induce, stir up, and kynd●…e, thy mind to the love of the true and heavenly nobility, (hat is to say) the holy and deuo●…te conversation, and most blessed perfection of life. And to the end thou mayest the more earnestly covet the same, I will say some what of the vylenesse, perverseness, and deformity, of the sinful soul. The which being by deadly sin turned and withdrawn from God, is spiritually dead, and doth nothing acceptable unto God, nor profitable towards the atteyninge of everlasting life. It prefereth these transitory, sensible, worldly, & most vile things which seem good, before the highest, eternal, most perfect, infinite, & unchangeable true God, being omnipotent, and more than most glorious above all other. Whereby it doth highly dishonour God. Yea it proposeth unto itself an end and termination in frail and vain things. Neither doth it finally rest in the creator, but is altogether ungrateful to him, caring not at all to cleave unto him, to be sub iect unto him, nor to obey him. It is made like unto the wicked spirits, attended with vices, hateful to god, despised of his angels, & uncessantly doth wound, hurt, defile, & make itself damnable. For the more that any man be delighted in earthly, transitory, and carnal things, the more wickedly & vylely he liveth, and the more unhappy he is. And the more he rejoice in the vanities of the world, the more contemptible he ma●…eth himself unto God. Because he is not fearful, nor careful to obey God, and to give him his due reverence in all things. To conclude we are chiefly likened unto god by virtuous actions, and holy affections unto divine charity. But by p●…ges, vanities, and vices, we are made most unlike unto him. For simylitude and likeness are cause of love, as dissimilytude and unlikeness are cause of rancour and hatred. Yea the perfection of any creature (especially of a reasonable and intellectual mind) is to be proportionately made like unto his creator. Then the more lofty that we become through virtue, so much the lyker and better beloved we are unto God. Yea so much the fairer and more comely we are inwardly adorned. But the more that we sin, the more unlike, odyble, and ill-favoured we seem unto our God. Which out of all doubt is a most miserable and unworthy thing. Therefore we see there is great difference between the virtuous and vytious souls. And as by the Philosophers opinion, a man which spendeth his time in contemplation is most pleasing unto the gods, even so by the same doctrine, a man which giveth himself unto vices, and naughtynesse, is ten thousand times more abominable than the brute Beasts. As may also plainly appear by the diversity of their rewards. For god doth place and constytute the virtuous, in the fiery heaven, giving himself unto him for reward, & communicating all things unto him by an immediate & most blessed kind of union with him himself. But he doth put from him the vycious for evermore, delivereth him over unto wicked spirits, placeth him in hell, and judgeth him to everlasting pains. judge and discern therefore between these two (my well-beloved) and choose and observe that which seemeth best unto thee. Do not so embase and make thyself vile, that thou become a bondman to sin & to the devil. Do some little thing for the love of god. And do not thou neglect the dignities, holiness, comeliness, & godliness, before rehearsed, for the richeses, delights, and honours of this most short and uncertain life. But live before the highest God, fearfully and waryly. Especially since by one grievous sin, thou ●…ightest lée●…e all thy supernal gifts of grace, and so thy soul (like unto the Devil) should become foul, froward, and disordered.  
Our Saviour Christ in the sixt Chapter of Saint Luke's 
Light laughing vain pa●… times and idle speech are to be aoybed  Gospel pronounced these words: Woe be unto you that laugh now, for you shall weep and lament. Now this word (Vae) or (woe be unto you) is commonly taken in holy scripture for eternal damnation.  
Then if Christ do threaten everlasting damnation to 
That laughing only is condemned which is altogether worldly and void of the sear of God.  them which laugh, who is he that dare in this life be careless, light minded, or jocund? truly none but the reprobate and such as go in ●…aunger of damnation. Since this is most certain that: He which is with out fear of God cannot be justified. Wherefore if we do well consider with how great peryies we are enclosed, with how many snares we be entangled, and with how many vices and sins we 
Eccle. 1.  are daily assaulted, yea how unperfectly and v●…reuently we serve God, how many evils are daily committed in the world, how much God is dishonoured, how many they be which daily do perish and cast themselves away, unto how many vices, periles and pay●… our forefathers, our friends and kinsmen both living and those which are departed, are and were subject, we shall find much more cause to weep and cry out then to laugh and rejoice. And that did a holy Father well consider, who sing one laugh and scoff, did sigh and say: We must tender account in the day of judgement before heaven and earth, and dost thou laugh and scoff thus? Hereupon Solomon sayeth it is better to 
Eccle. 7. 〈◊〉.  go unto the house of lamentation, then unto the house of laughing and rejoicing. And again: I thought laughter to be but a deceypt, and for joy I have said: Wherefore art thou deceived in vain? Here I would not have thee to understand that I mean every laughter or rejoicing to b●… so grievous an offence, but I speak of lightness in laughing, and such vain laughter and mirth as is altogether dysordred, and void of godliness. And of such laughing, james sayeth to the rithe men: Your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into sorrow. Chrisostome reproveth 
〈◊〉. 4.  dalliance and vain pastime although honest recreations be (meanwhile) excused being done upon some reasonable cause and godly intent. But dyse play and such like are forebydden expressedly, especially to such as profess the truth. And of dauncinge the same Chrisostome sayeth: where dancing is commonly, (saith he) there the devil danceth for company. Neither did God lend us our feet to the end that we should exercise them in tryppinge like goats & kyddes, but that we might keep company with his holy Angels. Furthermore, if thou do well consider how the son of God for thy sake was hanged upon the cross, with his arms stretched out, how for thy sake he was mocked and taunted in a white and purple garment, nay rather, how he was strypped naked, and naked raised up on the cross, and there sundry ways derided and mocked. I trust that thou wilt neither take delight in dancing, nor in curious, precious, nor pompous garments. Not nor yet in the praise of men, but wilt despise and eschew all such vanities. As touching the guard and watch of thy tongue and speech, Solomon sayeth: He which keepeth his mouth close, & his tongue still, he keepeth his soul from perplexity & trouble of mind. 
Pro. 21.  And again: Thou seest (sayeth he) the man which was so swift to talk, folly itself is no more to be despised then 
Pro. 29.  his correction. And hereupon Gregorious sayeth: Fly from and eschew, rash and unwary words. For vain talk doth soon pollute the mind. Let such things only proceed out of thy mouth, as do not pollute or offend the ears of them that hearken thereunto. Uayne speech is a token of a vain mind and conscience. For the talk of the tongue, is the Image of the heart.  
By the talk that we hear, we judge the mind that spoke it. Whosoever doth not bridle and repress idle speech, he shall quickly fall in offence. Such as the man is, such is his communication. Then if idle talk be so much reprehended, what shall we think of skurulous, deceitful, biting, slanderous, malicious, and envious words?  
In the tenth chapter of Ecclesiast. it is written: Nothing 
Against the superfluity of riches especially in the 〈◊〉 gie.  is more wicked than a covetous man, nor any thing more mischievous then to love moony. For the man which doth so, setteth his soul to sale. Now it is certain that temporal things are directed, and ordered, unto, and by the spiritual things, as unto their end and only scope. But th'end and terminable scope is loved and desired one way and the means and degrees whereby we attain to the end, are love & desired another way. For the end is of itself & by itself to be desired & loved. As (for example) health, in the faculty of Physic. But the means and degrees to attain unto things, are to be desired and loved, in that they are profitable or available to the attaining of the end or scope which we seek to get. That is to say, that by them the end may the more conveviently be obtained. Then let the case be this, that riches are finally ordained for the spiritual proceeding & profit of our souls. And therewithal join that the profit and perfection of our souls doth concist in the action of virtue. That is to say, essencially in the acts of faith, charity, and wisdom, (meaning the contemplation and love of divine things) and dystributively in the actions of the moral virtues.  
Then shall we find that riches are so much to be thought lawful, so much to be desired, and so much to be loved, as they are profitable and necessary for the sustentation and sober nourishment of our bodies, and for the needful and decent clothing of our membres. By the which use the soul is made apt for the acts of contemplation and divine love.  
But if they be further desired, then fall we truly into covetousness, which is an unordinate appetite and desire to temporal things and vanities. And is of itself and in itself a grievous and deadly sin, and contrary unto righteousness. Although sometimes god for his mercy doth bear with it and forgiveth it. Now what might hereupon be concluded were hard for me to pronounce. But give ear to the holy fathers and writers. Augustine and Basille. It is no less offence (say they) to take away from him that hath aught, then to deny the needy such things as thou hast and mayest emparte unto them. The bread which th●…u deteynest, appertaineth to the hungry. The garments which thou lockest up, aught to cloth the naked. Yea the money and treasure which thou hydest in the earth, might be the safeguard and rede●…ption of such as are in misery. And be assured that thou dost invade, assault, and spoil, as many as thou mightest succour, and dost not. Here unto the words of Hierome do also agree. Whatsoever (saith he) we have received of god more than doth serve our necessary use, that aught we to distribute unto the poor. And if we bestow upon our own vanities & affections, that which we received to employ upon their need. How many soever do dye of hunger, or naked need in the places where we remain, we shall tender account for their blood in the day of judgement. Hereupon Ambrose sayeth: He which is the bondman & servant of worldly richeses, let him keep and watch them as a bondman. But he which therewith doth loosen and shake of the yoke from such as are in bondage and captivity, he doth distrybute them like a Lord These words do generally concern every Christian, but especially such as profess the Gospel.  
For they are bound unto an especial cleanness of heart and conversation that they may be example to all other people. It is therefore most undecent, & worthy of all condemnation that they serve and are bondmen unto the 〈◊〉 and infirmyties of the flesh wherein there aboundeth most ●…lthy leacherye and gluttony. For while they live tenderly and delicately, filling their belly with meats, their eyes with ●…éepe, and their minds with ●…yne delights tumbling and wallowing in soft down beds, and wholly gi●…ing themselves over unto dalliance, pastime, and unfruitful communication, do they now walk in the strait and narrow way of salvation? Not surely for as the Apostle sayeth: woe be unto you which are filled, for you shallbe hungry. Woe be unto you rich men which have your consolation here on earth. Therefore let us be ashamed since many Heathon Philosophers did leave us examples of great sobriety, much abstinence, and exceeding great contempt of excess, and pomp in clothing and substance, and we which profess the true knowledge of Christ, do wallow and tumble in such and so many ryottes, curiosities, and vain pomps. Yea and that not only such as are secular, but even many of the Clergy which should lend example of perfection to the say people.  
It is written: Cast not away (my son, the discyplyne 
Nothing is more perilous than the prosperity of 〈◊〉 world.  of the Lord, nor faint not when thou art of him corrected. For whom the Lord God loveth, him doth he chastise, and is pleased in him even as the father is delighted in the child. The equity and justice of God doth require that as no good deed remain unrewarded, so none offence nor transgression be unpunished. But even the very elect do not live in this world without offences and misdeeds, (for we offend all of us in many things, and if we say that there is no sin in us, we deceive ourselves, for the just man falls seven times in a day) and therefore it pertaineth unto the divine bounty and providence, to chastise us in this life, lest we should be contemned in the world to come. And so of his 〈◊〉 to pardon us everlastingly. As also this correction and chastisement of God, wherewith he doth fatherly exercise and visit us, is not only profitable to the wiping away of our sins already committed, but doth also chie●… withdraw us from those whereunto we presently incline ourselves, and disposeth us ready to eschew and avoid sin in time to come, whilst it taketh away the occasion of 〈◊〉, terrisieth us, and teacheth us to beware. For vexation giveth understanding, and he which hath once tasted of the ●…odde, is afeard to come unto it again. Yea it maketh a man humbly acknowledge, and bewail his offences. Whereupon the Lord sayeth: I chastise thee, lest thou shouldst seem guiltless in thine own conceit. And again as Hieremie says: Thou hast chastised me (O Lord) and I am become skilful thereby. Finally, such chastisement disposeth a man to greater delight in his journey, and (if it be patiently born) it obtaineth great reward in the heavenly kingdom. And therefore it is that God doth manifoldly chastise and correct the elect in this life, yea he doth reprove and amend them as he saith: Those whom I love I chastise and reprove them. Whereby it may plainly appear, that such as God doth not punish in this world, but suffereth them to wander untouched, yea and doth prospero them in this worldly prosperity, although they be replenished with many exceeding great vices, and suffereth them to climb aloft, and to live Lordlyke at their pleasure: they are not of the elect number but of the reprobate. For it is written: All they which 
〈◊〉. 8.  have been faithful and pleased God, have passed by many 
Psal. 30.  troubles. And the Psalmist sayeth: manifold are the tribulations of the just. And therefore though the reprobate be not chastised of God with a fatherly correction, that is for their deserts. Whereby they have so incurred the wrath and displeasure of God, that he vouchsafeth not to correct them in this life, but lets them remain unto eternal torments in hell fire.  
And therefore the Psalmyst sayeth: of the reprobate and 
Psal. 80.  unthankful sort: I have let them loose even according to the desires of their hearts, and they shall wander in their own inventions.  
To conclude, the holy prophets seeming (with the imperfect) to wonder at this temporal prosperity of the wicked, and the manifold afflictions of the just, did thus talk with the Lord saying: O Lord thou art just if I argue 
●…ier. 12.  with thee, yet nevertheless I will speak justly unto thee.  
Wherefore doth the wicked prospero in his ways? and it is well with all them that conspire against thee? And another sayeth: wherefore do the wi●…ed live? they are raised up on high, and replenished with riches, and the s●…ourge 
Iob. 12.  of God toucheth them not. Yea surely such as are yet unperfect, are wont to marvel hereat, and are (in manner) withdrawn or turned back from serving of God, why●…st they behold themselves afflicted. But such as are perfect, do neither wonder so, nor are moved, knowing well en●…ugh that GOD (for the causes before rehearsed, and for other secret causes known to his divine majesty) doth afflict and scourge the elect, and leaveth the reprobate unpunished. And therefore (well-beloved) I write these things to make thee wary and watchful, and to the end thou mayest be afeard to be accounted amongst the r●…probate, if thou find thyself infinitely prospered, sinning unpunished, suffering none adversity, glorying in corporal commodities, living after thy own lust, pleasing men, & praised, extolled, and magnified in this world. For the Psalmyst saith: God 
Psal. 〈◊〉.  hath broken in sunder the bones of them which please men. They are confounded because God hath forsaken them. And is not this a horrible saying & a terrible word? But the Apostle witnesseth the same saying: If I should yet please men, 
Gala. 1  I should not be the servant of God. Yea our saviour himself 
Luc. 6.  saith: woe be unto you when men bless you and speak well of you. Whereupon Augustine answereth: This world is more dangerous when it seemeth mild and flattering, then when it is troublesome. And is more to be taken heed of when it entyseth itself to be liked and esteemed, then when it forewa●…neth and enforceth itself to be contemned and set light by. And according to Gregory's opinion, God chooseth them 
1. Cor. 〈◊〉.  whom the world forsaketh. And thereupon the Apostle said again: Take heed and mark your vocation (brethren) for there are not many wise men (according to flesh and blood) nor many mighty, nor many noble & worthy among you. But God hath choose those which seemed ●…oolish & poor to the world, that he may confounded and overthrow thereby these worldly wise men. And he hath choose the weakelinges of this world, that he may thereby confound the strong and mighty. And behold he hath choose the unable and contemptible things of the world. Wherefore (my dearly beloved) let it not delight thee to live and be conversant amongst the mighty and rich potentates of this world, nor to keep company with the carnal and dreadless wights, but always associate thyself with the better sort and best learned, that thou mayest pro●…tte in wisdom and virtue. Lest thou be dampened together with this world, and so lose thy lot and heritage amongst the ele●…e. For if thou will't believe Hicrome, he will tell thee that of a thousand rich and mighty men, sharce one is fou●…de fit or worthy for the kingdom of God. Ther●…ore pray th●…n unto God that he vouchsafe so to punish and correct th●… presently, that thou be not condemned hereaf●…r ●…petually. For thou art not better than was 〈◊〉 which was sanctified in his mother's wambe. And yet he sayeth: correct me (O Lord) but in thy judgement and not in thy fairy, lest thou bring me to nothing. For as the 〈◊〉 testif●…eth: If we be without correction 
H●…br. 12.  & discipline, we are no sons but bastards. Wherefore think nothing more hurtful, then to abide amongst the unfearefull, vay●…e, and wicked company, nor on that other side think nothing more wholesome then to remain amongst the godly, fearful, and devout sort. For follow thou reason, and not affection.  
If thou hold not thyself instantly in the fear of God, 
He which a●…oydeth not the lest offences, shall fall oft times into the greatest  thy house will quickly be overthrown and subverted. For the f●…are of God doth draw back from sin. And thereupon Solomon said: He which fears God doth neglect nothing. Then he holdeth himself in the fear of God which instantly and vncess●…ntly is careful lest he should offend him. Or lest he should sin and incur the danger of damnation. Now by this house in this por●…ion of scripture mentioned, is m●…nt our har●…e wherein we devil and abide by cogitations and afflictions. And this house is soon subverted and ouer●…hrowen by falling into the most grievous and odious sort of sins and offences. Whereby all grace & mercy is taken away, and the sinner doth spiritually dye therein, unless he convert unto the fear of God. Whereby it appeareth consequently, that he shall hardly eschew and avoid these grievous and greatest offences, which doth not daily accustom himself to eschew the lest faults & transgressions. For the common custom of trifling faults and misdeeds, do bring with them, the falling unto greater enormities. Since the lest do dispose and (as it were) prepare a man unto the greatest. Yea they take away the ferventness of charity, and do hinder and let the increase of grace in us. Whereupon the holy fathers affirm: He that is negligent in small things, doth by a little and a little fall and ●…lyde away altogether. So that (my singularly beloved) if thou will't continued in the state of health, grace, and charity, (that is to say, out of all grievous sin, and cause of damnation) do not only be diligent to avoid the greatest offences but the lest also. For otherwise thy fruits are dead before the face of God. Whose voice when the sheep heareth not, he strayeth and wandereth. Now it is a grievous sin and offence more to cleave and stick unto, to be more delighted and affected, in the created, frail, and vain things of this world, than God himself. Whereupon Hierome sayeth: A mind dedicated unto God should as well beware of the lest as of the greatest offences. Knowing that account must be rendered of every idle word. And therefore Gregory saith: He that taketh not heed of the lest, falls into the greatest offences. Then such as do daily follow vanities, laughing, babbling, sporting, dallying, wandering here and there, and accustoming themselves to all lightness, and in the mean while do very seldom or never repent or amend, how can they choose but become culpable also of greater enormities? Therefore let no man ●…oye, ●…latter, neglect, nor beguile himself. But the better to avoid and eschew these ●…ares of the devil, these knots of temptation, as sloth and negligence, yea and the better to proceed and increase in goodness, and in all v●…tue and grace, it is greatly available to have a faithful, godly, wary, exp●…e, just, wise, and entire familiar friend. Unto whom a man may be bold to lay open boldly all his secrets, doubts, and scrupules. And by whose godly advice, he may be instructed, kindled by his exhortations, and helped by his assistant prayers. For the friendship of such being founded on godliness and honesty, is of great force and efficacy before God. Whereupon the ancient fathers said: that the frauds and temptations of the devil are by no worldly means more repulsed nor defended, then by the society of a zealous friend unto whom a man may say open his heart and mind. Lest the power of the devil being secretly shut therein, do infect and utterly destroy it. And thereupon it is written: A faithful friend is a strong 
Eccle. 6.  protection. And he which hath found such an one, hath a great treasure. There is no comparison to a faithful friend, neither can the weight of Gold nor silver counterpeyse his faith. A faithful friend is a medicine of life and immortality, and such as fear the Lord shall find such friends.  
And in another place he sayeth: Blessed is he which findeth a faithful friend. For since man is naturally a living creature which desireth company, it is natural (say the 
Eccle. 35.  Philosophers) that he should be helped. And since man is not a good judge over himself, it is expedient that he open his grief and conscience to some other more meet to judge thereof. Therefore hearken unto counsel, and be not ruled by thine own sensual appetite. But endeavour thyself to eschew all familyaritie & society of wanton worldlings, for that is greatly hurtful to thy soul.  
God is a spirit (as it is written in the fourth Chapter 
It is good to pray and sing Psalms.  of John) and they which worship him must worshipp●… him in spirit and truth.  
And although we aught devoutly and carefully with all reverence to perform and execute all the works of God (for he is accursed which doth the work of God negligently) 
Hiere. 48.  yet those actions of virtues which are immedyately (and without any interim) done and exercised about God, aught to be done and exercised with a greater reverence and singular zeal. Now prayer, singing of Psalms, and adminystring of sacraments are actions of virtue pertaining unto God's honour. And therefore they are to be executed with all diligence and perfection. Whereunto first is required the observation and keeping of the divine prec●…ptes. For it is written: He that declineth his ear lest he should hear God's law, his prayer is execrable. And again: Cursed are they which decline from thy commandments. Therefore first the conversation must be made conformable unto the prayer, and next the heart must be unyted unto God by often proof and continual attentyvenesse. For of such as are backward and do not attend, the Lord spoke by Esaye 
Esai. 29.  saying: This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. And the wise man said: Before 
Eccle. 18.  prayer, prepare thine heart and soul, and be not like unto a man which tempteth God. Therefore attentiveness is chief necessary, and aught to be always in the beginning of prayer and singing of Psalms. For the virtue of each good beginnin●… doth shine in as much as followeth, and the latter end followeth virtuously by guide of a good beginning.  
Furthermore, for as much as there are three sundry effects in prayer, (that is) acceptation with God, obtaining of that we crave, and a certain sweet refection of mind which be feeleth that prayeth, the before named attentiveness shall be sufficient to the former two of these affects. But unto the third, there is requisite a continual and mighty attentyvenesse. For according to Basilles words. Even as the taste of the mouth doth discern and taste every morsel or piece of the bodily sustenance, whilst it cheweth and gnaweth it, even so the inward taste of the soul ought in prayer and singing of Psalms to mark and taste the sense of every word and sentence. And that the forenamed actions and duties may be perfectly discharged and executed, there is required a great warynesse and watchfulness of ●…arte, and an affectionate recollection or repartition of 〈◊〉 towards God. And therefore some have thought no 〈◊〉 nor pain comparable unto hearty prayer. But such prayer and singing of Psalms is of great (and excéedyng great) efficatie towards the obtaining at God's hands of all things which we do healthfully require. And there upon Christ said: True worshippers and prayers, shall worship and pray to the father in spirit and verity. And Basille sayeth: the divine help is to be craved, not ●…ackly, nor with a mind wandering here and there, for such an one shall not only fail to obtain, but further shall stir and provoke God to anger. For it is requisite in time of prayer to behave ourselves purely, and stoutly. Stoutly, that we may reverently and joyfully attend the Lord our God. Not sloughfally nor sléepily gaping and yawning, neither whispering and muttering, and cutting of our words in the midst, but with a stout and courageous sound (as best becometh) let us pronounce our desires before the holy Ghost. Then purely also, that we think upon none other thing but the Psalm or prayer which we sing or say. For the holy ghost will not acceptably receive that which is proffered, if we neglect that which is due unto him. And pray not nor sing not over hastily. In praying and singing of Psalms we have two especial things to mark and attend. That is our own misery, and God's mercy. To the end that by the consideration of our own misery, imperfection, frailty, and malice, we may be provoked unto true humility. And by the consideration of God's mercy, goodness, and love, we may be induced to a 〈◊〉 desire to be united with him. And so the actions before rehearced may proceed of charity and true humilitises, and all vain chanting may be avoided. Yea and that we may desire to please God only, and be more delighted in the sense, then in the gallantness of the words, and more in devotion, then in warbling with the voice, lest we commit any wanton gesture or action.  
For Augustine sayeth: whensoever it happeneth that I am more delighted with the music, then with the effect of the words that are ●…ung, I confess (sayeth her) that I 〈◊〉 offend grievously. And again: the barking of Dogs, the bleating of cattle, and the grunting of Swine, doth more please God, than the chanting of wanton and riotous Priests. For what prevaileth the noise of the lips when the heart is dumb? And even as a voice without tunablenesse doth seem like the grunting of swine, so being used without devotion it is worse than the bleating of Calves. Wherefore let our prayers and denotions be sung or said distinctly, with a due reverence, attentiveness, and affection. And in a meet place and time convenient. Without babbling of things impertinent. Without whispering and prating, and without dissolute laughing. It is written for our instruction, in the first Chapter of Ecclesiast. O vanity 
Examples of the vanity of the world.  of vanities, and all is vanity. I have seen (sayeth he) all things that are under the Sun, and behold all is but vanity and vexation of the mind. Tell me then (said a holy father) what seest thou? I see (answered another) men sailing with a prosperous wind, whom the calmness of the Sea, the brightness and clearness of the air, & the sweet breath of the pleasant winds do much delight. I see also sundry folk ha●…ueting and making merry in the Ship, leaping and r●…roysing with allkind of Music and melody, yea even the fish of the Sea do slocke and gather about them for the increase of their delight. Seemeth not this a great and most desirable felicity? but pronounce not thy sentence over hastily. Rather tell me what seest thou follow these things? I (see sayeth he) the heavens skoule and aware cloudy. Yea the sudden and vehement blasts of the winds do overcast the Skies with mists, the Sea is troubled and tossed, and (alas at the last) I see the Ship with them that sailed therein swallowed up in the roaring waves. Alas what was it that I so praised? What a huge/ calamity doth presently follow so short a prosperity? And another demanded in like sort what seest thou? And it was answered: I see Marchauntmen bringing home with them Cartes and camels laden with most precious merchandise. Which come forwards merrily and joyfully, hoping for great gain and a good market. And their prosperity seemeth great. But what followeth? I see (said he again) an army of Soldiers suddenly rushing all at once upon these Merchants, and having amazed them with the sudden assault, they spoil them, put them to flight, and kill them most miserably. O what infinite miseries do suddenly follow a little mirth? Some man beholding this world, doth seem to see an house abo●…dantly replenished with all kind of riches and furnyture, and the master of the household rejoicing in his children, his great family, his great herds of beasts, his full barns, and all other delights. And this seemeth a great felicity. But is not this true there with that the more a rich man possess, the more he is vexed with cares? And although he alone do bear the burden of his car●…fulnes, yet that which he hath skraped togi●…her with such payn●…▪ doth much more profit others then 〈◊〉 self. For 〈◊〉 fears lest they should diminyshe when they are got, he fears the violence of the mighty, and suspecteth the faithfulness of his servants. Another sée●…reth to see by the world a solemn mar●… prepared, wherein there is great pomp and triumph. And that ●…meth a wonderful good thing, because mankind is thereby preserved without any injury done to 〈◊〉, and the wedded parties are knit together with the 〈◊〉 of love. But how rare a thing is it to see married folks agree? How great carefulness doth follow marriage? What pains are there taken in bringing up of the children? And in necessary pro●…ision for the house? How many causes and quarrels of suspicion and dissension do daily grow between the man and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉? What infinite dread●… of 〈◊〉 do invade them b●…th, 〈◊〉 enemies should destroy them? Some have likened this world unto a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with learned students. Wherein the great●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all are bend unto sundry good faculties and 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 similitude would seem to be more pleasant than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 they are altogether occupied in wisdom. But 〈◊〉 very deed these foolish wayfaring men or travailers which are so curiously occupied in searching the mysteries of things created, do in the mean time forget. God their Cre●…tor, and neglect the execution of that which 〈◊〉 unto 〈◊〉. And their conversation doth well witness that they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all others, since nothing is more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than their curyositie. Yea their 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, since commonly at the time of their ●…ath they are fru●…rate of the hope of salvation, wh●…se life and time of health▪ did neglect to walk in the path of the right way to the same.  
For surely such are of all others most vainly occupied, as omit those things which God requireth at their hands, and without the which they can not be sa●…ed. And are not continually occupied in the same, but rather 〈◊〉 aside all fear of God, do busy themselves in such 〈◊〉 as God doth not require at their hands, and as rather hinder then further their salvation. And they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God and man, because they prefer the deligh●…s and prosperities which they sinned by the way, before the great 〈◊〉 and blessed●…se of the kingdom p●…pared. Cleaving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things present, then to the joys to come. 〈◊〉 cometh it to pass (sayeth Hieremias in his eleventh Chapter) that my beloved hath committed many 〈◊〉 parts in my house?  
Say●…th Paul in his second Chapter to the Romans: 
The opinion of certain Philosophers touching the cont●…mpt of the world.  Since it cometh to pass, that the people & nations which have not the law, do yet fulfil that which the law contmaundeth, they become a law unto themselves. Now to the end that the confusion, vylenesse, and perverseness of Christians, may the more plainly appear, I will a little touch how much the Philosophers (being guided only by natural reason) have abhorred such idle and lewd conversation. Plato sayeth: It is not the part of a Philosopher to study about the pleasures & delights of meat, drink, & venery. A Philosopher doth think it dishonour to be bravely appareled or decked, & is content with such clothing as may serve his necessary use. A Philosopher's intention is not about the body, but furthest from it, and is wholly occupied about consideration of the soul. The mind and soul of the Philosopher doth despise and disdain the body, and flieth from it, that itself may be wholly occupied in and about it se●…fe. For out of our bodies proceed thousands of impediments unto contemplation, whilst we are busied for the necessary sustentation thereof. A Philosopher's meditation, is the losing and separation of the mind from the body. It is a ridiculous thing for a man that all his life time did prepare himself unto death, if then when it cometh, he be troubled or molested therewith. If thou perceive any man to shrink at death when it cometh, say boldly he was no Philosopher. As often as the mind or soul is alured by the body unto these worldly and changeable things, it is seduced and sore troubled. But as often as the mind or soul is exercised by itself in speculation, it is strait ways transferred into sincerity and immortality.  
The body and the mind being both in one, nature 〈◊〉 yet command the body to be governed, to serve, and to be subject. But it commandeth the mind or soul to rule and bear dominion. True Philosophers do abstain from all things that are corporal, & are not greedy lovers of money and riches. These sentences Plato affirmed. Now Socrates (by Saint Hieromes testimony) did utterly contemn riches. Dyogenes forsaking all these worldly pomps, did choose to live in his Tun. Tullye and Seneca have ●…ritten most sharply and bitterly against the love of riches and voluptuousness. Then if these men being only induced by natural reason, and only for the attaining of natural felicity and science, did thus contemn all vices, and led such a strict and hard life, of how great condemnation are Christians culpable, which being instructed with the doctrine of the gospel and very law of God, to whom the only begotten son of God himself did personally come, and made himself an example for them, are not yet ashamed to lead a wanton, vain, and delicate life, are blotted and blemished with carnal marks, ●…leaue fast unto the world, forget heavenly things, and are not diligent and careful to honour God with all their hearts? But my beloved: be not thou likened nor conformed unto such unworthy men. Rather follow the footsteps of the holy fathers that thou mayest be able to please thy Creator, and to offer unto him the flower of thy youth, whilst it doth yet flourish and sprout. The which will be unto him most pleasant and acceptable. As Gregory witnesseth saying: in that age that man's hear is yellow, his eyes glistering like crystal, his face fresh as the Rose, his sound health increaseth his strength and force, his young and lusty years promise' long continuance upon earth, whilst reason and the senses are quick, whilst the hearing is more ready, the sight quicker, the gate upright, the countenance lovely, and the body lusty, they which in this age (sayeth he) do rule and master themselves, and do assocyate & acquaynte themselves with God, they may expect and hope for the reward of the blessed Apostle and Evangelist john.  
Where upon Hierome sayeth: it is good for a man when he hath born the yoke from his youth upwards. Therefore (well-beloved) do not foreflow thy conversion unto the Lord, neither defer from day to day, lest his wrath come sodai●…ly upon thee. Offer thyself wholly to God, and he will wholly bestow himself upon thee. Be thou of a right 〈◊〉, and put thy hand unto the strongest & s●…outest travails. Fight like a good Soldier against the enemies of the soul. For he shall not be crowned with glory which hath not mastered the proudest. The creator of all things which is above all things, the highest and most blessed God, vouchsafe to give thee all these things, for his unmeasured goodness, and for the advancement of his honour & glori●…. Amen.  
Solomon in the xxix. of his proverbs sayeth: Our 
Of the vanity & wretchedness of this present life.  days are as wounds upon the earth, and yet there is no death. And Augustine in his thirteenth book and tenth Chapter De civitate dei, sayeth: From the time that any man beginneth to be in this mortal body, he doth incessauntly travail to dye. For thereunto tendeth all his mutability in all his life (if it may be called life) that he liveth to that end that death may come. For all men are nearer unto death after a year finished, than they were before it begun, to morrow, then to day, to day, than yesterday, and even anon, then now.  
For all the while we live, some little space of our life is taken away. And that which remaineth doth daily become less and less. So that the whole course of this our life, is nothing else but a recourse unto death. And in this course no man is suffered to stay nor to linger and go softelyer than his fellows. But all men are droven on with equal steps and paces, and are all conceived alike to their end. Neither doth he which dieth soon, pass over the day faster than an other whose life lasted longer. But having each of them equal moments and times to pass over equally, that one had his end and determinate time set nearer, and that other further of.  
For it is one thing to have lived longer, and another thing to have go or proceeded slower or quicker.  
And therefore whosoever doth the longer linger his days before he die, he went notwithstanding never the more slowly, but he had the longer journey to perform. Yea and if it should be accounted that a man doth begin to dye (I mean to be dead in deed) from the first moment that death claimed his right in this our exile, (which is even from our swaddling clontes) than all this lingering and detracting of time, should in account be no time at all. For what other thing do we accomplysh in our days, hours, moments, and times, then that this life being consummate, death (which all that while was in hand) may be fulfilled. Of these things Augustyne speaketh largely in the Chapter before rehearsed, and the Chapter next following. But of the infinite evils and miseries of this present life, he treateth more plainly in his xx. book and xx. Chapter of the same work saying: As touching our first original beginning, all mankind was in damnable estate as well witnesseth this our life (if it be a life) so full of such and so excéedyng great evils. For what else betokeneth the horrible depth of our ignorance, from whence all error springeth? the which did receive all Adam's children into a darksome corner, so that a man can not from it be delivered without pain, sorrow, and dread? yea the inordynate love which we bear to so many things guilty of vanity, whereon so many cares do ryst, so many perturbations, so many languyshing, ●…cares, madness, joys, dyscords, contentions, wars, treasons, wraths, enmities, frauds, thefts, spoils, ryottes, and prides, do sufficiently bewray our misery & damnable estate. Furthermore, Augustine in his book entitled De miseria mundi, doth plainly treat saying: Take heed to thyself lest being wrapped in the snares of the devil, thou become a prey to the hunter which rangeth and seeketh whom he may devour. For this life is fugityve and untrusty, since it doth not perform faithful dealing, not not to the lovers thereof. Yea even from the beginning of the world it hath deceived all such as put their trust therein. And all such as have wrapped themselves therein, it hath beguiled. And so it hath showed itself uncertain to all men, that it might prove itself a liar unto all men. For behold the world which we so much love & esteem, doth pass over & ●…ly away. And yet we follow it ●…ing so from us, through a blind mind of carnal cc̄upis●…, & cleave fast v●…to it whilst it 〈◊〉. So that being unable to hold it up falling, we fall with it percompany. Yea is not this our life like unto death, since therein do abound so many dolours, lamentations, sighs, and so great miseries? one man being grieved with loffe crieth out. Another continually bewaileth the bareness of his ground. One lamenteth the death of his friend, & another sitteth sadly being over whelmed in poverty. So that there is much tribulation from the time that man cometh into this world. Yea his first voice or sound doth show infirmity. He is born an infant, & strait way crieth out. He can not yet speak, & nevertheless he is the Prophet of his own calamity. His tears are witness of his misery, pain, & dread, that is to come. When he is grown a little, he beginneth to hunger, thirst, & to be weary. To conclude, man hath always two sundry torments which (by turns) do vex him continually. The which are: fear & sorrow. If A man be well, he fears, & if he be evil at ease he sorroweth. What is he whom the prosperity of this world hath not deceived? Or who is it that hath not been grieved with the adversity thereof? then behold man what great afflictions thou dost suffer in this world, which thou so much estemest. Wherein (in very deed) there are nothing but false & deceitful voluptuousness, & true (yea undoubted) calamity. No safety of mirth and joy, but a tormenting fear, a greedy covetousness, and a fruitless lamentation. And who is he which can number or account all the evils and discommodities of this life? For to overpass with silence those evils which do commonly oppress all men (that is to say secret sorrows, and especial griefs whereof all men may find themselves guilty) let a man but call to mind what evils he hath both sustained and committed from his youth upwards, let him but set before his eyes the times passed, and diligently consider how many vain labours he hath undertaken, how often he hath sweat in vain for the love of this wretched world.  
How often he hath found deceitful issues of his most earnest travails, and let him then ponder that after long troubles he hath yet obtained no rest, and he shall quickly know what account is to be made of this world.  
O miserable man then what dost thou, or whether goest thou? while thou art in this world, thou dost but just and roonne in a Tyltyearde. Wherein thou findest an enemy which is to strong for thee, whom thou neither canst see nor yet escape from him. He entyseth thee with trifling toyesthereby to rob and despoil thee of the joys of heaven.  
Yea and thereby to put into thee, the very torments of hell. His lackye lieth close hidden in the way, covered with earth which is the devils concubine and lenunan. The enemy of mankind doth behold the manners and natural enclynations of every man, and unto what vice they be most prove, & those he setteth before their faces, which may most aptly allure and betray their minds. And while he maketh them gaze at the gains of glistering gold, they never see the peril of their perdition, but like fools being deceived with the delights, which they see and carnally do love, they never mark how they fall headlong into damnation. And because all men are void of understanding, they perish perpetually. Wherefore if the world do please and delight thee, beware the deceyptfulnesse thereof. Remember that as Solomon 
jacob. 14.  sayeth: Lamentation and dolour do come in the end of joys and merriments. For all man's pleasantness is bitter and sour in the end. When a man rejoiceth in the world be rejoiceth not in God.  
But yet alas how many there be which rejoice in the world, & never rejoice in God? To rejoice in the world, is to boast, triumph, and glory, in iniquity, vanity, riches, honour, outward coomlynesse, filthy conversation, & vain pastimes with unfreutefull and leuds communication. Which is in effect, to purchase sorrow and lamentation. For no man can embrace Christ and the world both at once. Many men professing Christ, do praise him, love him, and render thanks unto him while they be in their worldly prosperity. But if adversity light upon them they curse▪ & blaspheme him. Such men serve god for profit and not for love. Unto whom the Lord God may justly say: For your own benefit and commodity you have observed my commandments, and not because you loved me with a pure intent. And wherefore dost thou extol thyself in vanity (O man) is not thy body (as the Preacher saith) dust and ashes? Art not thou 
Eccle. 10.  thyself of earth, and shalt soon be resolved again into earth? Look into the Sepulchres of the greatest Prices, and see if any other thing do there remain but bones and dust? And all this being thus, dost thou by so many errors make haste unto hell, which hast been instructed in so many paths to heaven by Christ himself? Why is that beloved which must be forsaken, and that neclected which may perpetually be enjoyed? These sentences and many such like. Saint Augustine doth most devoutly propound in his books before named. And finally he writeth in a certain Sermon saying: Attend and mark, O miserable Soul of sinful Man, that horrible hour in which thou shalt departed from the body. Where as thou shalt prefently behold the wicked ministers of Satan, the cursed devils, the horrible dampened spirits, and the most cruel roaring Lioness, ranging and hunting about for their pray, which is thy sorrowful self. With the twynekling of an eye, the horrible places of eternal pains shall appear, the Chaos or confu●…ed heap of darkness, the horror of misery, the terror and trembling dread of sorrow, the quaking fear of horrible vysions, and of that most horrible mansion, where there is continual weeping and gnashing of teeth, gnawing of worms, howling and crying, the lamentations of them that mourn perpetually, and the voice of such as cry, woe, wo, wo be unto us children of Eue. When the wretched and unhappy soul departing out of the body shall hear these things and such lyk●…, or rather a thousand fold worse & worse then can be expressed, when it shall behold them and feel them, then may it sensibly understand, what exceeding trembling dread and terror doth ensue of the love and delights conceived in this frail, unconstant, and most wretched wo●…. But my beloved: do thou forecast all these things, 〈◊〉 suffer none of these admonitions to slip out of thy mind. That thou mayest eschew and escape eternal pain and punishment, and attain unto the joys which shall endure world without end.  
Amen.    

A LETTER written by I B. unto his famyliar friend G. P. teaching remedies against the bitterness of Death.  
WHen I remember your request made unto me at our last parting, which was, that I should write some what unto you, either to engender in you a meditation of contented death, or at the lest to diminish the desire of long life, I can not but much like and commend in you that disposition, whereby it appeareth your desire and mind is let not in the love of things transitory, but in knowledge, and in that knowledge, which of all other is most perfect and meet for a wise man: For if that be worth the learning that is necessary, and that for every age, degree, and sex, all creatures must necessarily dye, and no man of reason dieth better, and more like a man, than he that hath learned the Science thereof. And if that knowledge be worth the learning, whereof cometh certain and great commodity, none can be compared with the science of well dying, the fruit whereof is comfort, and life never en●…ynge.  
And as this knowledge is most perfect & worthy learning, so have you taken a very meet and convenient time for the atteyninge of it, which is youth the flower of your age, haing in itself strength and ability to learn any science, and leaving time to practise that is well learned. For as none other science profitable (being liberal) is suddenly learned, neither is it enough to bid a man though he be witty, suddenly to draw a figure in Geometry, make a proportion by Arithmiticke, be a good sowldier, ingenier or other like, (for he may say he lacketh time, teaching, and exercise to attain such knowledge,) even so is the science of dying well, to be learnid with time, meditation, and exercise. And who so saith to a sick man not practised herein, be content to dye, & forego this mortal life, may here of him again I know, what it is to live by experience, but to dye I have not learned, and the lesson is not so easy as you think it. Wherein if many would do, as you seem to mean, that is, to learn to dye when they may b●…st live, they should both live more quiet, and dye better contented.  
And now somewhat to satisfy your desire, and to enter into this treaty, which I intend not to make long, I will keep this order, first to show that unto a Christian man, Death is not to be fled, but rather to be desired, or at the lest well to be taken, no plague, but ●…enefyt, no loss, but gain. Next I will show what the lets and causes be that make us judge otherwise. And thirdly tell how those lets may be removed, and our opinion somewhat changed, to think of Death and life as they are without prejudice that men commonly bring with them. To the heathen not knowing GOD, nor the virtue of the life to come, the first part, that Death is not to be fled, shonnid, and terrible, is a lesson hard, or rather vnposs●…ble to be taught. For life being good as all men think, and of itself it is, no man can willingly leave the good, but for the better, for otherwise he shall think himself, to make such a bargain, as the P●…ete saith, Glaucus made with Diomedes, & change gold for copper. And because the heathen know not the be●…r (which knowledge is learned only in Christ's school) 〈◊〉 of their books though they written, many of the contempt of Death, with fair and glorious words, could make either themselves or their heirs with right judgement content to dye, if they might live, to leave pres●…t life which they thought good and were content with, for an other to come, whereof their knowledge was none or doubtful and uncertain. And therefore a Philosopher among the rest most learned, 
Aris●….  said, of all things dreadful most dr●…adfull is Death. And the excellent Dratour, who in health and wealth spoke 
Cicero.  like a whole man, and as a man learnid, persuaded other, being for a time banished, was himself without all comfort. And when he drew towards death, perceived he had said more than he could justify, and perform in himself. In like case was the Emperor for wisdom so much renowned, 
M. Aurelius.  who approaching near to death, and speaking as he found cause by proof, and trial, and not as he before had vainly thought, said, he was toubled with the fear of Death, because he knew not whether he should go, nor what the gods immortal (for so he termid them) had determined of him, unto whom he recommendid himself with this doubt, that if they had appointed any good of him, they should then show it.  
These three examples of the best, with other able to fill a great volume, do well show that the heathen were not learned in this science, an●… much less meet to be schoolmasters and teachers to them that will rightly learn it, and therefore I intend not to use their examples, though they make a fair muster, which when I see other men do in this argument, writing unto a christian re●…der, I think they do not well remember what is meet for the argument they take in hand, and for the person to whom they write.  
But as to the heathen the end of life & being, is and (for causes aforesaid) must be dreadful, so unto a christian man it neither is nor should seem so, unto whom death is the beginning of life, the gate of bliss, the end of soro●… and mortal ●…reefe. Whereof he is not only informed by conjecture like to be true, but assured by promise of him that can be all things saving false, so that a scholar of Christ should rather doubt whether the Sun shine by day, or whether he feel being awaked, then whether the promises made thereof be assured or no.  
Then if it be so that Death endeth all sorrow, pain, misery, and travail, and setteth us in place of sol●…ce, comfort, bliss, and quiet, and that such, as neither hath interlacing of the contrary, nor end of itself, Who is sorry to make this change, but he that believeth not how good it is, and how well made, or how shall we think he believeth it to be good, and also true, who slayeth from it, when it is coming toward him, or would not have it true in himself that he believeth? Let him fear Death who hath not hard of Christ, to whom Christ hath promised nought, desirous neither to hear of him, to see him, not to be with him, whom fantasy leadeth, vanity pleaseth, lust ruleth, and the world blindeth, seeking for rest in trouble, for joy in sorrow, for ease in pain, for assurance, where ●…thinge is but slyttinge, for 〈◊〉, where nothing please the long.  
But he that is a Citizen of jerusalem, a soldier under Christ's banner, armed with Faith, shylded with Hope, strengthened with Charity, who knoweth in whom he hath put his trust, and where he looketh for his meed, Such 〈◊〉 one is content to use this life as his ●…lgrimage, contented if it be short, not offended if it be long, desiring neither the one nor the other, but still looking to his home, ●…earing with the rest because he appointeth his quiet ther. Unto him (because C●…rist is life) death can not be but gain, because he ●…indeth that he seeketh, and atteyneth that he loveth, content to leave the world which loved not him, or which he lovid not, whose commodities if he sought, he found nothing but either occasion to envy them he should love, or to strive with them, that would enjoy them as well as himself, 〈◊〉 be angry with them that kept him from the attaining the●… whom being men he should embrace. Yea though he hat●… nor misused no man (which is hard in that cause to ●…oyd) yet loving the world and the commodities thereof, he found means whereby he was moved, to forget his journey and the end thereof, to make his Inn his home, to sit down before his ways end, to turn his love from the better to the worse, from heaven to earth, from God to himself, or rather from and against himself, to things vain, which first would make him worse than they sound him; and afterward leave him when he began to love them, and leave him in that evil estate they found him not. So if the world do undoubtedly hurt them that love it, and be but pay●… and travail to them that love it not, because they hau●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor pleasure where they love not, then followeth it, 〈◊〉 love is only to be bestowed on God, and that ●…n must desire to be where his love is, for so natu●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love be true. And surely if there be in us the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…ue of god, we can not be asrayde of that ●…ich bringeth 〈◊〉 to him, nor loath to hear of that, ●…ithout which we can not come to him. And if th●… were no more benefit in Death but that he maketh an end of sin, sith sin displeaseth God, and ●…aritie willeth us to love that he loveth, and 〈◊〉 that he hateth, we can neither be afrayd●… nor ill content with death, which bringeth us out of the occasion of sinn●…, and danger thereby to dis●…lease God.  
And although this seem unto many hard, and unto some almost unpossiible, m●…suring all other by their own foot●…, that any man who may enjoy life should be content or desirous ●…o l●…ue the same, yet is it not only aprou●…●…ost undoubted & true by the teaching of scriptures, which no man can deny, but also by the example of infinite martyrs, whereof each country hath had great numbers, who having liberty to fly & thereby to live, inflamed only with the sire of charity & love of god, were not only cont●…t to be taken, but offered themselves for his sake, whom they lovid, and that not only men, in whom naturally courage is, but women and children, whose weak sex and tender age declared more plainly what true and hearty love is able to work, which as it brought Christ down from heaven into earth, so being truly rooted in man it is able to draw him from earth into heaven, without respect had to himself, or any thing that is his.  
And thus much spoken of the first part doth now make the way open to bring in the second, for it may be said, if there be any means to take away the fear of Death, and diminish the desire of life, who should attain to the same so soon as christian men. And sith we be all of that number, how cometh it then to pass that so few are contented to dye, and many so afraid thereof, that neither themselves will think of it, nor willingly hear other speak of it. To the which question, although I might in few words answer, and say that there lacketh in us that lively and perfect love of God and the life to come, which should be in us and was in them of whom I spoke. Yet to make this point more plain (for it is less to say all then to touch each part of all) I find three causes especial that make men desirous to live and loath to dye.  
1 The one is our weakness which seemeth to have some excuse, because nature desireth the conceruation of itself, & abhorreth dissolution which both taketh away our being, and also bringeth with it great grief and pains, which men seeing in other and flying in themself, fear Death, whose servants and messengers they are.  
2 The second cause is, either the lack or the small quantity of faith in us, whereby we believe not, or faintly believe the marvelous promises of incomparable bliss promised by GOD unto his faithful, after this transitory and present life.  
3 But the greatest cause is the third, which is a love and sweetness conceived of this life, the goods and commodyties of the same, wherewith who so is possessed, it can not be avoided, but unto him the very remembrance of death which taketh from him that he loveth, must be sour & bitter, as the scripture says. To say somewhat to these three things which maketh life sweet & death sour, is the third part of my matter, which I promised to entreat of.  
And for the first, which is a natural weakness engendering of itself the fear of death, we can not say it hath no power in us mortal men, sith Christ our patron being more than man confessed to have some feeling of it in himself. But if we consider that he was weak to make us strong, who gave the onset, & made the conquest of death & weakness, & that not for himself, but for us, & in our nature, saying afterward to us, be bold & fear not, I have made a conquest of the world, And that he hath by taking on him our nature, marvelously joined & incorporated us unto him, so that by grace & participation that is true in us, which by perfection of nature was true in him, them find we that this weakness remaineth not as before in his force, but is enforced & countervailed by a strength given us beside ourselves, which because we should firmly believe, not to be imagined or only in words, but true & in deeds, God hath showed it by the example of thousands of his martyrs, not flying as before is said, but desiring death, not fearing but contemning it, triumphing in torment, conquering in weakness, not saying, sad & heavy is mine heart until death be past, but I desire to be in the feeling to begin to live, sweet is the torture, cold is the fire, dull is the axe, for what is there in death dreadful unto a faithful & christian man, is it the dissolution of the body? that a christian man desireth? who is able to say I long to be dissolved: is it that death bringeth an end of life & being hear? that is not much to him that knoweth he hath an other life to come, in comparison of which this is no life but death, no joy but sorrow, no ease but travail, no quiet but misery. So that either there is in dead very small & weak faith in us to believe gods promises infallibly made to all his. Or if we do assuredly believe them, the greatest fear in that behalf is past, for he that loseth his life temporal, findeth eternal, goeth from labour to rest, from the sea into the haven, from weakness to strength, from sickness to health, from death to life, from sin to justice, from sorrow, heaviness, & pain, to the place where there is no grief nor sighing, those former parts are then past. Let the heathen fear to dye, who may truly say, I know not whether I go, nor what is ordained for me, to what end the gods have created me, whether it be good or not, who are born in sin, & not new born in holiness, who have neither teaching or knowledge of life, neither promise of the same. But a christian man being taught the death is the entre to life, that he is ordained to live with Christ, created to be partaker of his glory, regenerate & sanctified by him with promise of bliss inestimable, if he after all this return to the same love of life & fear of death that is in the gentle, what doth he then else, but practise to be come a gentle & heathen again, selling away his inheritance for less than a mess of pottage, and renouncing his privilege whereunto he is singularly and especially called.  
But as we have said before, weakness may be a great cause to make a man fear death, & lack of belief a greater, but yet are they not the greatest, for perfect love overcometh weakness increaseth & reviveth faith, where love is whole & sound, the rest is soon recovered, if it be lost, or increased if it be decated. But if love be either divided between god & this world & life present, or wholly translated from god unto things transitory, How should a man be content to part from that he loveth, and seek that he careth not for, sith it is so true, saying, that where the man loveth, he liveth, and unpossible is it, that who so is delighted here & possessed with the love of this life, should willingly hear of death, which can only be welcome to them, that thereby desire to be with Christ, whom they love better than themselves or this life, & so can be content to leave the good for the better, their well-beloved for the best beloved, or that they esteem light they entirely and tenderly love: For if it be asked what is the thing of such force that is able to make a man content to forsake his goods, his living, himself and his life if we will answer truly and in few words, we must say it is love & nothing else, which where so ever it be fa●…ed maketh all other things seem nothing in comparison of that it liketh.  
And herein to use some examples, it was none other thing the made the Philosopher cast himself into the burning fire of Aetna, nor the Roman getleman-on horse back to leap in where the earth gaped, the young man after the reading of Plato's book, to break his neck, So many captains & soldiers willingly & wittingly to go to their death, but love: They lovid something better than life, the wisest their country and friends whom they would preserve, tother fame, and as they called it immortality, the lightest vain estimation & glory, but every one somewhat wherewith they were led.  
Sith them love is of such force, as the same is able to bereave a man not only of his goods & treasure, but also of his life and that by his own will and consent, the right way to learn contentidly to receive death when god sendeth it, is to learn to employ well & fasten our love where it should be & is due, that is upon god, and the life to come, loving that only for itself, and other things so much and so far, as we neither change nor remove y● out of his place, which lesson if it be not only believed but practised, maketh the life godly and comfortable, and the death easy. And who so ever marrieth him to the love of the world, following the desires thereof, and making the desires of it his delight, that man may speak boldly of death until it come. But when he shall stand upon his guard to receive the assault, he must & will undoubtedly shrink & show himself a weak soldier, lacking the armour that should then defend him, for if faith his buckler bid him be strong, & think upon the conquest, that Christ his captain hath made, & upon that triumph that is provided for him, his own heart & conscience, which is near him than his armour, will say, all that is provided for such as bear their love & true heart to their only captain, whom they promised to serve, for such as before in the time of their service did resist his enemy & his attempts, and not for such as yielded themselves prisoners unto him, content to be in his Camp, and to fight under his banner. His sword which is the word of God, being not well handled of him before, nor much occupied, will then agree ill with his hand, & he for lack of exercise, not able to give a strong blow therewith, his curates of charity so thin, that each dart & arrow shall pierce it, his helm of hope unlyned, neither well fitting to his head, nor able to keep of the force of the bill. Is it possible think you that a soldier thus armed, & besides this not exercised in feats of war, should withstand a mighty, strong practised & well armed man? no verily. He will either run away, if the ground serve him or with shame be taken prisoner and captain.  
When I consider the manner of dying of such as were in god's favour, of whom we read in the Scriptures old & new & compare ourselves with them, how willing, ready, & glad they were to leave this life, how loathe, backward, & sorry, we are for the greater part to do the same, I marvel we should be called one man's children, that are so unlike in condition.  
Moses being told he should no longer live, & therefore to provide his successor did with his own hands order & appoint josua without complaint, sorrow, or token of grief, providing for them that should. live, as it were nothing thinking on himself.  
Isaac bid his son go hunt, provide & get him meat, that he might bless him before he died. The lick contentation appeared in jacob, Tobias, David, & sundry other whom we find not only never to have shunned death, but contentedly to have received it. The love they bore unto God & his will in their life, kept them from disorderid love of the world, and from the common sins & vices, which men for worldly things commit, & being not troubled with conscience & remorse thereof, saw no cause to shun & to fear death. And as this love of god, & his will, increased in the new testament, where the holy ghost, the spirit of love, was & is more plenteously powered in to the heart's of the right believing. So the love of life decresed, & the desire of death increased in the best professors thereof, the apostles & martyrs infinite, not only contented to leave this life, but also desir eddeath. who recevig the faith & gospel, & beig taught thereby to comfornie themselves to the life & image of Christ, did with perfect faith plenteous charity, & full hope commend themselves to the will of God, & the expectation of the life to come, which they known was provided for them the loveth God, neither is there any other cause why we die not like than, but because we live not like them, we fear death because we live not well, some more & some less, according as the order of our lives hath been, and who so says that the manner of death is a touchstone to way the life, is not much deceived, I will not say but many men may dye well that liveth ill, for mercy is above judgement, but none content to dye, but he that by death looketh to be with Christ, which is he that by his life showeth that he knoweth & loveth Christ, without which love the more faith at that time, the less comfort. For faith teacheth God's mercy, & his justice, and if justice be all against us, either faith engendereth in us sorrow of such a life, and so repentance which is good, & an entry toward life, or if it engender not an earnest repentance, it bringeth nothing to comfort, ease, & relieve us, but all contrary.  
And therefore he that will live in continual meditation of death, which is the way to make him a familiar, & so no dreadful gest, nor stranger, must live in love, I mean the love of uprightness, honesty, cleanness, justice, & integrity, doing good where he can, & having intent to hurt none, getting uprightly to su●…in himself & his, & of that remaineth departing liberally to the poor as he seeth cause, & is able, to such a man the remembrance of death can not be unpleasant, for it shall neither take him unprovided, neither berive him of any thing wherewith he is disorderly in love. Such a man living contentedly in the place wherein he is called, & traveling carefully to fill & satisfy the same, when death approacheth, doth meekly say to God with Christ, I have done the work thou sentest me to do. And albeit there hath been much weakness & many infirmities in his travel and accomplishing that work he was sent to do, yet with a great indifferency, he shall be able to use the words of the virtuous & learned Bishop, neither have I lived so among you that I should be ashamed to live, neither do I fear to die, because we have a good Lord & master. The man so living, and so thinking is only happy, neither troubled with inordinate desire of high estate, which he taketh but for a place to travail for many, neither afraid to be in meaner than he is, knowing that where so ever God placeth him he hath his work to do, wherewith he may please him, ever quiet, content to dye, and not unwilling to live.  
But here some man may say, although he be not disordridly desirous of life, yet can he well be content to live, though not for himself, or for his own sake, yet for others, & therein wisheth nothing ungodly, but decently to keep the place whereunto he is called, which he can fill, if not better, yet as well as an other man, to help such as need him, to bring up his children, to see them disposed, & finally to bestow the benefits that God hath lent unto him, he that maketh this objection, & lieth not on himself, is not of the worst sort, nor much to be misliked, unto whom nevertheless it must be answered, if his desire be to live for others, who by him may be the better, he must consider the well doing is not all his own, whereof though man be the minister, God is the giver, & who will dispose himself to do many good, and none hurt, & so continued God knoweth, man knoweth not, but this man knoweth, that without gods giving he doth it not, & well knoweth he also, the happy had been Solomon if he had been taken in his youth, & well doing, the like may you read of many, & say by experience of some, & whither he would be one of them by long life he knoweth not, if there were no danger, it should not have been written, he that standeth, let him take heed that he fall not, if he think there were no danger in himself, them is he proud, and like to be one of them that would fall, if he doubt, then is it wisdom to put himself to him that knoweth. And sith he knoweth and is sure that after death no sin is done, better is the choice to go with safety as God's servant when God willeth, then in continuance to put that in a hazard, which if it go amiss, at the end can not be recovered, nor the loss redubled. Deep in pain lie many, who by long life fallen into sin, and thereby into their damnation, who had then dyed in their youth, had lived with Christ, and how much they bewail their long life, & the oceas●…ō of their pai●…, no tongue can tell, nor heart think. But to return to the matter, if he say he would do many good in long time, and live according to his place and calling, let him show that in the time he hath given him, and if (in so doing) he be taken, sith he may say to God, I have done the work thou sentest me to do, and when God calleth him away, he knoweth there is no more appointed for him to do, he knoweth also there is no more cause for him to live, because desire of doing good was the only cause why he would live. His childre are Gods more than his, who leaveth not the seed of the just, who calleth himself the father of Orphans, and judge of Widows, whose blessing if they have, they shall prospero, though they lack a mortal father. And if they lack that, much sorrow and small comfort should the father have, to see that he could not amend, for each good father neither maketh, nor leaveth a good child. And yet doth not such a man lack wife and friends to whom he may commit the care of children, and if his friends will do much for them at his request and recommendation, why should he mistrust God's pronvydence, help and direction, if he commend them unto him? By whom himself lived, wife and friends, wit, strength, goods, and revenue with other like, which to enjoy men desire to live, good gifts are to be taken thankfully at the givers hands, and so long to be kept as may stand with the givers will, and good contentation, but as no civil gift delivered upon condition may courteously be required beyond and against the gyvers mind, although he be our equal, or inferior, so God's gifts who oweth no man aught, and giveth all without cause, have much more this condition to be rendered at his call, freely and willingly as they were, delivered, or rather lent, which gifts of his as love tokens, should not serve to make us wish long to be from him, for than is his love ill recompensed, but should make us desire to be with him, and to see him, of whom we have received them.  
As the Prince, who sendeth to his servant being in a foreign country far from him, jewels precious in token of remembrance, doth thereby move a kind & loving servant the sooner to return to the presence of so good & mindful a Lord, especially if the presence of his said Lord shallbe infinitely more worth to him then all his former tokens, for although it be not blame worthy for any man to use God's gifts, & to delight in them, yet if he love the gifts, & forget the giver, he is very unkind & if he love both the gifts, & the giver, unless y● one love so far surmount the other, that in comparison of the greater, the less be drowned, & appear nothing, that love is disordered, taking good for the best, & resting where it should begin, I leave here unsaid, that health and strength of body may impair by sickness, wife be lost by death, & friends turn to enemies, goods and revenues casual, such as may decay, or without desert be taken away to the occasion of great heaviness & sorrow, of all which who so maketh otherwise his account is far deceived, so that to leave them whole untouched of any mishap before rehearsed, and many other that may chance, is not lost but gain. This have you made me in an argument, handled by many men excellent in virtue, learning, and wit, put my pen to the book, that is to say to paint after Apelles, and grave after Lysippus, which wise Arti●…cers ever shunned to do. But because you said that circumstances might commend the matter, and the love of the writer move you the more attentively to read, although I have not sati●…ed myself in the argument, yet have I go about to satis●…e your affection. Wherein as love hath caused me to do against my will, so must the same move you to ●…eare withal that is to little, or to much, and so amiss, which is all I fear. And therefore do recommend the same to be corrected by men of better judgement, and yourself 〈◊〉 the tuition of the almighty.  
FINIS.