HERACLITUS: OR, MEDITATIONS upon the Misery of Mankind, and the vanity of Humane life: With The inconstancy of worldly Things; as also the wickedness of this deceitful age described.  
Faithfully translated out of the last Edition written in French by that learned Divine, Monsieur Du Moulin, By ABRAHAM DARCIE.  
LONDON Printed by G. P. for Thomas Pavier: and are to be sold at his shop in ivy Lane. M.DC.XXIV.   

TO THE ILLUSTRIOUS JOHN, Earl of Bridgewater, etc. And to the Princely Lady FRANCES 
* This Princely Dame, is a blessed branch of these famous Trees of Honour, the most ancient House of Derby, and the Noble family of the Spencers.  his Noble Countess; As also to the Honourable Ladies, the Lady 
* Honourable branches of Honour sprung from the Noble House of Bridgewater.  FRANCES HOBART, and the Lady ARABELLA St JOHN their worthy Daughters:  
And to the Honour of the Right Honourable, 

The Lord St JOHN, Baron of Bletso, & the Illustrious Lady ELIZABETH 
* Noble Twigs of virtue, issued from the Illustrious family of the Paulets, & Marquises of Winchester.  His Noble and Virtuous Wife, with their Honourable Son, Mr▪ St JOHN.  
The Lord HOBART L. Chief justice of the Common-Pleas, and to the Religious Lady his worthy Wife, to their Generous & virtuous Son, Sir JOHN HOBART.   True Patterns of Virtue and Piety, Noble Patrons and Patronesses of Honour and Learning, ABRAHAM DARCIE wisheth to these Noble Families, all internal, external, and eternal Happiness and prosperity in Christ jesus.   

Right Honourable, Most Worthy:  
THat great and wise Monarch, King SALOMON, said long since, that there is no end of making Books, 
Eccles. 12. 12.  and much study is a weariness of the flesh.  
Which Paradox was never more verified, then in these degenerate days of Vanity, when ignorant as well as wise men will be still writing of themselves, whereby the Press is even oppressed with multiplicity of such idle Treatises, more light than vanity itself. But for such Books as do either afford direction to the Church, or a way to reform and better our Life, those are most worthy to be read, and carefully observed.  
This excellent Work, (first penned in French by one of the most learned Divines in France) clearly showing us the Vanity, Misery, and Inconstancy of this World, doth warn and admonish us to take heed how we trust to it, and that we must not build our happiness upon so deceitful grounds as Riches and Earthly possessions, but to direct our Hearts, level and lift our minds and thoughts to HEAVEN, to that Eternal and blessed Habitation of CHRIST JESUS.  
Considering these things, what greater abomination can there be, then to see the people of this miserable age delight to undo one another, 
Pyrrus King of Epirots, that valiant and victorious warrior, is killed by a silly woman with a tile stone.  envy, despise, curse, war, and finally kill one another? For a thing so vain as this World, deceitful, miserable, inconstant, and damnable, 
He who had filled the earth with the Trophies of his deeds, and triumphs of his victories, Alexander of Macedonia, that most famous Monarch, died empoisoned by his own servants.  which sometimes honours us, and presently contemns us, calls us to high Callings, and suddenly debases and degrades us; lifts us to high prosperity, and immediately flings us headlong into low adversity. Therefore PHILIP King of Macedonia, 
The chief of the greeks, having escaped so many perils in the Trojans wars, is cruelly murdered before his Castle.  acknowledging the world's great inconstancy, having received many good news in one day, prayeth the immortal Gods to stop the course of so greatioyes, 
Great Pompey having shunned the bloody hand of his enemies, is killed by his dear & obliged friend.  fearing lest some sinister actions, and mournful events should ensue them.  
Right Honourable, this Book having past many Impressions in FRANCE, 
That victorious French Monarch, Henry of Bourbon, the 4. of that name, whose invincible valour made Spain quake, & Rome tremble, is in time of peace lamentably murdered in his Coach, in the midst of his Royal city of Paris.  is now arrived, newly revived and augmented here in England; and though it be little in show, yet it contains many good things, yea, matters of weight and consequence, worthy to be read, known, and observed: As also very fit and needful for a Christian to meditate. 
These examples do evidently show the world's mutability and inconstancy.  The exquisite worth thereof hath moved me to translate it; but the fame of your rare virtues hath the more emboldened me to publish it under the banner of your Noble protections. Accept it (most Honourable) as courteously, as officiously it is Dedicated and Consecrated to the perpetual Honour, and Honourable use of your Illustrious Houses and Noble Families, by  
Your Honours and Worthiness humble and devoted observant, ABRAHAM DARCIE.   


A Table of the Contents of this Book.  CHAP. 1. 
THe vanity and misery of the Nature of man. fol. 6  CHAP. 2. 
The vanity and inconstancy of man in his action. 10  CHAP. 3. 
Of man's Ripe Age. 16  CHAP. 4. 
The life of Courtiers. 27  CHAP. 5. 
The life of Magistrates, and wicked judges. 31  CHAP. 6. 
Of man's estate being in Wedlock. 36  CHAP. 7. 
The vanity and inconstancy of Women. 42  CHAP. 8. 
Of Covetousness, Envy, and Ambition. 45  CHAP. 9 
Of Pettifogging strifes, and law-contention. 53  CHAP. 10. 
Of Philosophy, and the knowledge of diverse tongues. 55  CHAP. 11. 
Of Pilgrims, and Civil virtues. 59  CHAP. 12. 
Of old and decrepit Age. 77  CHAP. 13. 
Of Death. 69  CHAP. 14. 
Of the terrible judgement seat of God. 74  CHAP. 15. 
Of Heaven. 79  CHAP. 16. 
Of Hell. 81  CHAP. 17. 
The misery and vanity of our Life, and the wickedness that now reigneth.    

HERACLITUS TEARS: OR, THE MISERY OF HUMAN LIFE. WITH The vanity and inconstancy of worldly things.  
IF we do but seriously consider this besotted World, how like a turbulent torrent it is overflown with all sorts of impertinent and importunate affairs, which cut our time into a thousand pieces, we shall find, that each of them takes from us one part of our life, leaving us no time but that which we gain by theft; subtracting some hours for to examine ourselves in secret, and to entertain our mind with religious thoughts. These solitary meditations have sufficient in them to employ our wits. For the first Subject which doth present itself to our perusal, is a consideration of the vanity and misery of humane life, not for to molest us any way, while we are in it, but to prepare ourselves to depart well out of it. No man can aspire as he ought to the future life, which doth not contemn this present, neither can any man contemn this present, which doth not well know it: and the way truly to know it, is to remove it far from us, to withdraw it from our heart, and to banish it from our affection; For worldly goods being near at hand, do both dazzle the Mind, and distract the judgement.  
But let us first inquire, before we proceed, of some one that hath passed this way. King Solomon in the beginning of Ecclesiastes, entering into that meditation doth write, that vanity is most vain, all is vanity. That great and mighty King, who had riches without example; peace, without trouble; glory, without envy: who was obeyed of his Subjects, respected of his Neighbours, and reigned forty years, which was a sufficient time to content his mind, in sumptuous buildings, in multitude of Horses, in all variety of studies and Sciences, who had traversed his spirits through all the secrets of Nature, even from the Cedar unto the Hyssop. Nevertheless, in the conclusion of all, considering how these sweets are confected with bitterness, how there is little constancy in these things, how there is small content in all this travel, he makes this the close of all his actions, That all is vanity and affliction of spirit But before that Solomon had proved these things, 
Eccl. 1. 14.  he learned that lesson of David his father, which is written in the 39 Psalm, Truly every man is nothing but vanity, he walketh in a vain shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. Let us therefore, according to the rules of such excellent men, enter into that meditation, and taking that Instrument out of their hands, make an Anatomy of ourselves. There is no discourse more serious, then that which treateth of vanity: Nor contemplation more high, then to reason of our own infirmities: seeing by that means man maintaining himself, is elevated above himself.  
This vanity linked with misery, is to be considered:  
First, in the Nature of man.  
Secondly, in his actions.  
And thirdly, in his thoughts and desires.  

CHAP. I.  
The vanity and misery of the Nature of Man.  
MAN being the image of God, and the chief work of Nature, is miserable even in his original: For the most noble of them, yea, if he be the son of an Emperor, doth receive his form between the two excrements of nature, and there he is nourished for a time with the most impure blood of all: he is there subject to be bruised by the least fall of his Mother. His birth is shameful, insomuch that women blush to be publicly seen in childbed.  
The beasts and birds are brought into the world, either covered with hair, feathers, or wool; not so much as the seeds and corn of the ground, but nature hath clothed them with ears and husks, man only excepted: for he being once come from his mother's womb, seemeth no other thing then the similitude of a poor worm, that cometh creeping out of the earth, his clothing is blood only, wherein he is bathed and covered, which signifieth no other thing but the image and figure of sin.  
The beginning of his life is with sorrow: for at coming into the world, weep and wail do accompany him, which are as messengers and fore-shewers of his calamities to come; the which because he cannot express in words, he witnesseth by tears.  
He is borne immoveable, and tumbleth into his own filth. Other living creatures are no sooner out of the womb, but they fall on their feet and are ready to go; nor out of the shell, but they run for meat. The worm (be he never so little) as soon as nature hath brought him out of the earth, beginneth to crawl and creep, and to seek for food: The little Chicken, as soon as he is out of the shell, is found clean, & runneth after the Hen, knowing when he is called: he picketh and eateth▪ he feareth the Kite, and flieth danger, being guided only by nature. But behold, Man, so soon as he is come into the world, is like unto a little Monster, and a lump of flesh, which will let himself be eaten of other beasts, if he be not seen into; and die for hunger, before he can find his mother's breast, and will as soon eat poison as good meat, and handle hot iron, before he can discern the good from the evil.  
Thus Man being brought into this miserable world, and plunged in the gulf of miseries, he than requireth to have nourishment, and clothing, to comfort the infirmity of his nature; but behold, he is subject unto such necessity, that he is glad to gain it with the sweat of his brows: Whereas other living creatures do find all things ready prepared for them, Man only hath need of habiliments; for he that is the most noble in the world, is ashamed to show his nakedness, and therefore hideth himself under the spoils of other creatures. He is subject to more maladies than all the beasts together; to which the obscurest fogs or evening dew do no hurt. They never bleed at the nose, although they go always declining towards the earth. They are ignorant what the Catarrh, Calcull, and diverse sorts of Agues mean.  
Man only is capable to discern these differences, and to feel their effects; for if there be any beasts which are more afflicted with diseases, they are such as live limited within the precinct of some house, and so receive it by contagion. But some will object that Man hath reason above the beasts: which is indeed the reason of his torment, in winning him to practise dangerous and pernicious designs; to be subtle in contentions, to join himself into other men's affairs, and being once satisfied, to stir up an artificial appetite, and a desire to drink without thirst. I am ignorant what the reason is, but we are much more sensible of ill then good; and that griefs do more disturb us, than pleasures can content us. Scarce can we think of an absolute health, but some torment or other doth presently possess us, as the Toothache, or pain in the finger's end. One drop of gall, will distaste a whole vessel of sweets. How much then of happy fortunes is required to digest one affliction?   

CHAP. II.  
The vanity and inconstancy of Man in his actions.  
MAn being borne so poor and base into this world, how many years steal from him, 
Of Infancy.  before he receive ability to conduct himself? How long and laborious is his instruction? What time is consumed while he trembleth under Masters, for to gain unprofitable words, & some little superficial knowledge? Also who doth not discern in this part of his age, an untoward perversity, a contradicting humour, and in one infant spirit, all the vices of Man, as buds and grains of some future infelicity? The only mean to appease children, is to correct some one before them: If any do but touch one of their toys, they overturn all the rest for despite, The love & respect which they give to their puppets, are eminent seeds of Idolatry. Such are the infants that are begotten of the best of men: A grain of corn winnowed from the chaff, produceth corn with chaff; a man circumcised, begetteth an infant uncircumcised.  
Therefore you may see by the perversity of your children, the image of your corruption.  
We have already discoursed what perils and dangers man hath at his first coming into the world, and in his infancy. Now therefore let us consider what he is when he is sprung up, 
Of Youth.  and whether that there be an end of his miseries or no. Of which, if we be equal judges, we shall find, that he doth rather increase then decrease in miseries: for this is the time of man's life, wherein Nature doth raise against him a more furious combat; for now his blood beginneth to rise, the flesh provoketh him to his own pleasure, the wicked world espieth him, the Devil tempteth him, & his self-willed youthfulness leadeth him into all dangers, and induceth him to reject all instructions, insomuch as it is impossible but that which is assailed with so many vices, and succoured of none, in the end is discomforted and overcome. For in the body of youth, riot, liberty, and deliciousness aboundeth: for all the vices in the world (saith Marcus Aurelius) do there plant their siege. O how many persons in this age are corrupted with too much pleasure, lulling themselves asleep, in the lap of such as seek to strangle them! O traitorous Dalilah, which seekest by thy enticing flatteries, to deliver us to an enemy, far worse than the Philistims, which is the Devil himself! Such pleasures are like unto guilded pills, which under their external beauty include bitterness. They are also like unto fresh Rivers, that end their course in the Sea, losing their sweet relish in an ocean of saltness. True zeal cannot flourish under so nice and delicate a government; nor can the perfect knowledge of God (which is a celestial gift) be subjected to the belly, it cannot remain amongst swine; that habitation is only agreeable to the devil, who, by the permission of jesus Christ, having entered into a Herd of swine, compelled them to run headlong to their own ruin: and who (as it is recorded in the holy Writ) nourisheth prodigal children with the husks of pleasures, in stead of their parent's bread.  
It behooveth the Husbandman, when the trees are young, 
Youth compared to young trees.  to uphold them, and to lop the o're-weighty branches, if afterwards he intends to gather any fruit. Likewise, it is necessary for Parents, to reform & correct the vices that reign in Youth, lest afterwards it return to their shame and reproach. But there are at this day many fathers and mothers, who for not having well instructed their children in their youth, do receive much sorrow and grief in their age: a just reward for such Parents, who (although they be said to be nourishers of the bodies) are the destroyers of the souls of their children.  
If Ely was grievously punished with his children, for that he did not so sharply chastise them, as their offences did require, what shall become of those fathers and mothers, which in stead of correctors, are the children's corrupters? Such Parents may well be compared to Apes, which kill their young ones by too much clasping them between their arms, and keeping them so dear; and this is the cause that so many fall into the hands of the Hangman, which is to them reformer and correcter.  
Many there be, that in stead of giving good exhortations to their Family, do show them first themselves naughty and wicked examples. For the first commandment that they give them how to live well, is to blaspheme, swear, exercise gluttony and drunkenness, to spoil the substance of their youth; to be fornicators, and to kiss women and maidens in their presence.  
There be also many mothers here that learn their Daughters to Dance, to use Rhetoric terms, to haunt companies, to scoff and flout, to paint and colour their faces, to deck their fingers with Rings, and their necks with jewels, as though they were jewel-sellers, pretending to keep a shop: but in the end it will happen to them, as it did to the Prophet David, 2. King. 13. & 15. whose sin was punished in his children, which were most of them so wicked, that the one of them deflowered his own Sister, and the other killed his Brother, and afterwards sought the death of his own Father, and chased him out of his Kingdom.  
The ancient Philosophers maintained this argument, that all sins committed in this world, were punished in the World to come, except the sin that Man committed in the bringing up of his children, and for that he suffereth punishment in this world: for the father can give nothing to his child, but frail and mortal flesh, by the corruption whereof, the life taketh end; but by good learning and knowledge, eternal praise & memory is gotten. Therefore to conclude, if children have been in great misery, being nourished with spotted milk, yet the misery doubleth in those that should cause them to be instructed: for the food of the body is more vile than the food of the soul.   

CHAP. III.  
Of Man's ripe Age.  
Having finished this our second discourse, Man is grown to his full perfection both of strength and discretion, and his heat being allayed by age, behold other vanities which attend on him, although not altogether so violently scorching, yet more opinionated and troublesome, for he entereth into deeper cogitations and travel in the spirit. It is requisite therefore that he frequent public places, that he haunt the company of those that are touchstones, for to know the good from evil. If he be come of a great and Noble stock, he must make many enterprises of War, put himself in perils, hazard his life, and shed his blood, to die in the way of Honour, or else he shall be reputed a dastardly Coward, and utterly despised of all men. If he be of base estate, and that he be called to the knowledge of Arts, Sciences, and needful trades; yet for all that, he runneth into a thousand dangers, travails, pains and troubles, as well of the body as of the soul, he toileth day and night, and sweateth water and blood, to get a maintenance during his life, and oftentimes it is seen, that what pains soever man taketh for his living, yet it is scant sufficient to serve his necessity. Let him be of any Vocation or Calling whatsoever, there come unto him irremoveable cares, domestic troubles, or the knowledge of husbandry, or contentions in Law, or the labour of painful Mechanic Arts; all to the end that he may get somewhat for his children, who sucking from him (it may be) all that he hath, is only requited with ingratitude and reproach.  
These infelicities are the occasion that man is always wearied with the things present, desiring only things to come, and continually endeavouring to catch at somewhat that is already escaped; whereas if by chance they obtain it, it dissolveth to nothing, as it is in their hands, or if they enjoy it, yields no contentment, nor doth any wise appease their fear, or satisfy their desire.  
It is not therefore without cause that M. Aurelius was wont to say (when he considered the misery of mankind) I mused in my mind, said he, whether there might be found in any age, a man that could vaunt, that in all his life-time he never tasted adversity: and assuredly if there might be such a one found, he would be such a fearful monster upon earth, that all living things would be amazed to behold him. Then he concluded after this sort, saying; And in the end I found my own thoughts true; for he that was yesterday rich, was to day poor; he that was yesterday in health, was to day sick; he that laughed yesterday, did to day weep: he that was yesterday in prosperity, was to day in adversity; and he that was yesterday alive, was to day dead.  
But let us now return to our former matter, and set down our discourses in order.  
What living man is he in all the world, that hath given himself to any Science, or otherwise to live, but that at one time or other he disliked of his own profession, and is weary thereof?  
And for the better understanding of the same, we will particularly discourse the miseries and troublesome lives of all the principal estates, living upon the bosom of the sinful earth.  
Searching into all estates of men, we shall find that above all other mortal creatures, Kings are most liberally provided for: for what maketh man appear more happy in this world, than Goods, Honours, Dignities and Rule; licence to do good or evil, without controlment, power to exercise liberality, and all kind of pleasure, as well of the body, as of the mind: all that may be wished for, to the contentation of Man, either in variety of meats, magnificence in service, or in vestures, to raise at their pleasure the meanest man to high place, and with a frown disgrace the mightiest? All which is continually at a Prince's command: there is nothing that may please the memory, or flatter the desires of the flesh, but is prepared for them even from their cradles, only to make their lives more happy and full of felicity.  
But now if we judge of their lives uprightly, and weigh them in a true balance, we shall find, that the selfsame things that make them happy in this world, are the very instruments of vice, and the cause of greater sorrows: for what avail their costly ornaments, honourable services, and delicate meats, when that they are in continual fear to be poisoned, wrong seduced, and often beguiled by their servitors? Have we not had experience thereof many times? Do not Histories report that some men have been poisoned with Pages, and with the smoke of Torches? We may read likewise of certain Emperors that durst not lie down to rest in the night, before they had caused their beds to be lain in, and all the corners of their chambers to be searched, lest they should be strangled or murdered in their sleeps. Others that would not permit any Barbers to touch their faces, for fear that in trimming of their heads or beards, they would cut their throats: and yet to this day they are in such fear, that they dare not put meat into their mouths, before their taster have tasted thereof.  
What felicity can a Prince or King have, 
That Kings and Sovereigns are not more free from misery then other inferior persons.  that hath many thousands of men under their government, when he must watch for all; hear the complaints and cries of every one; procure every man's saufeguard; provoke some ●o do well by liberal gifts; and others, by terror & fear? He must nourish peace amongst his Subjects, and defend his Realm against the invasion of foreign enemies, besides many other calamities that are depending upon a Regal Crown.  
But now touching the unhappy states of wicked Princes, unto whom three kinds of people are most agreeable and familiar. The first are flatterers, which be the chief enemies to all virtue, and they that impoison their souls with a poison so pestiferous, that it is contagious to all the world: their Prince's folly, they call Prudence; their cruelty, justice; their wantonness, Love; their fornications, Pleasures and pastimes: if they be covetous, they call it good husbandry; if they be prodigal, they call it liberality. So that there is no vice in a Prince, but they cloak it under the shadow of some virtue.  
The second sort are such, who never rest night, 
The inventors if new Patents.  but in the morning they bring in some new invention or other, how to tax and draw money from the poor people; and generally all their study is employed to be wasteful, and prodigal in the exactions and misery of the poor Commons. 
Envious, & insatiable Courtiers.   
The third and last sort are such, that under the cloak of kindness and honesty (counterfeiting good men) have always their eyes fixed upon other men's livings, and make themselves reformers of Vices.  
They invent wicked & false devices, not only how to get other men's goods, but oftentimes their lives, who before God are most innocent.  
Behold, here you may well see the manifold miseries that compass Sceptres, and States of Princes: here are the thorns that they receive, in recompense of their brightness and royal dignity, which ought like a Lamp to give light to all the world: but when it is eclipsed or darkened with any vice, it is more reproachful in them then in any other private person whatsoever: for they sin not only in the fault which they commit, but also by the example which they give.  
The abundance of honours & pleasures that Princes enjoy, serveth as a bait to induce them to evil, and are the very matches to give fire to vice. 
Wealth enticeth men to sin.  What was Saul before he was made King, whose life is showed in the holy Scriptures, whom God did elect? Yet he made a sudden eclipse or changing. How wonderful was the beginning of the reign of King Solomon; the which being overcome with royal pleasures, gave himself as a prey to women! Of two and twenty Kings of judah, there is found but five or six that have continued in their virtue.  
If we consider the estate of the Assyrians, Persians, Grecians & Egyptians, we shall find more of them wicked then good. If we consider what the Roman Emperors were, (which hath been the most flourishing Commonwealth in the world) we shall find them so overcome with vices, and all kind of cruelties, that I do almost abhortre to speak of their corrupt and defiled lives. What was the estate of their Commonwealth, before that Scylla and Marius did murmur against it; before that Catiline and Catulla did perturb it; before that Caesar and Pompey did slander it; before that Augustus and Marcus Antonius did destroy it; before that Tiberius and Caligula did defame it; before that Domitian and Nero did deprave it? For although they made it rich with many Kingdoms, yet were the vices they brought with them, greater than the Kingdoms they gained. For their goods and riches are consumed, yet their vices remain unto this day. What memory remaineth of Romulus that founded the City of Rome? Of Numa Pompilius that erected the Capitol? Of Aurus Marius, that compassed it with walls? Did not they show what felicity remaineth in high estates, who are more subject to the assaults of Fortune, than any other earthly creature? For many times the thread of life breaketh, when they think least of death, and then the infamy of those that be wicked, remaineth written in Histories, for a perpetual memory thereof. The which thing all estates ought more to regard a thousand times, than the tongue that speaketh evil, which can but shame the living: but book record a perpetual infamy for ever: which thing being duly considered of by many Emperors & Kings in times past, forsook their Sceptres, and Royal Empires, and betook them to an obscure life, resting better contented with a little in quiet, then to enjoy with full sail the crooked honours of the world.   

CHAP. FOUR  
The life of Courtiers.  
But above other vanities and miseries which corruption doth continually attend, there doth appear in Princes Courts a certain Noble captivity, where, under the colour of Greatness, is the highest Servitude, and those gilded chains that fetter men's minds. He which will live here, must always be masked, and prepared in one hour to convert himself into twenty several shapes, to entertain many servants, but no friends. Their innocency is accounted mere simplicity; and to affirm any thing, is to disprove the same. There are two sorts of people in the Court which hate one the other, each knowing of it: notwithstanding, there is always an emulation betwixt them, which should first attempt any point of Honour, to do the other service, and be the last that should end it. But such ridiculous compliments are like unto Antic actions. Envy, which doth supplant and deceive his neighbour, or that doth snarl in secret, is there perpetually, and to appease it, there is no way but by misery. Vices and degenerate actions, are esteemed among Courtiers, as precepts and part of their composition. Not to be corrupted by them, there requireth more faith than a grain of Mustardseed. As Crows build their nest among the highest boughs, so doth the devil among the highest of men, where spreading his wings, he clocketh for his little ones, 
New Duels do add to one much reputation: for as it is a shame for a man to come into the world; so they hold it an honour to send him out of it.  which are his Vices, because there they remain more exposed to the sight, and never appear but with authority. There also shall you see Cavaliers, who out of their gallant disposition will kill one the other, upon the interpretation of a word: a manifest confession that their life is not much worth, sith they will sell it so good cheap. Notwithstanding these kind of men, that are in these occasions so valiant, do fly away, when they should suffer the least thing for God's cause. Surely many such are required to make one good Martyr for the holy Gospel.  
There be some kind of Courtiers so subtle and crafty, that they do play as the Fisherman, who as soon as he hath gotten any thing in his Net, giveth over the Court, and goeth his way. Other some there be that play all out: and other that remain until they become wondrous rich, and in the end they are made to restore all back again.  
There are also others that do nothing but invent means to enlarge their own treasures, and become wealth with spoiling poor people. Princes do by them many times as we do by our hogs; we let them fatten, to the end we may eat them afterwards: so likewise are they suffered many times to enrich themselves, to be disposed afterwards when they are fat: and one that is new come, oftentimes is preferred in their places.  
By this you may see, that Courtiers oftentimes do sell their liberty, to become rich, for they must obey all commandments; they must frame themselves to laugh when the Prince laugheth, to weep when he weepeth, approve that which he approveth, and condemn that which he condemneth. They must alter and change their natures to be severe, with those that are severe; sorrowful, with those that are sorrowful, and in a manner transform themselves, according to the nature of him whom they will please, or else they shall get nothing. To be brief, they must frame themselves according to his manners & nature, and yet many times one little offence staineth all the service they have done in the life before.  
Many in Princes Courts put off their caps to them, whom they would gladly see cut shorter by the head, and often bow their knees to do them reverence, whom they wish had broken their necks.  
Here you may see the life of a great number of vicious Courtiers, which is no life, but rather a lingering death: here you may see wherein their Youth is employed, 
men's reward for those follies and deboistness, committed in their Youth.  which is no youth, but a transitory death: for when they come to age, they bring nothing from thence but grey heads, their feet full of Gouts, their backs full of pain, their hearts full of sorrow, and their souls filled with sin.   

CHAP. V.  
The life of Magistrates and wicked judges.  
NOw our discourse of Courtiers being past, 
Magistrates and wicked judges.  it is requisite we speak of things done in the civil life, and to how many miseries it is subject. For although it be at this day a degree most noble, & necessary for the peace of man's life; yet shall we find, that it deserves to have his part in this Pilgrimage, as well as others: and if there be any delectation, pleasure, or Honour, depending thereon, yet it is transitory and inconstant.  
First, knowing that all the actions of Magistrates pass before the eyes of the common people, whose judgements in matters of State be but simple, yet have they a certain smell or savour to know the good from evil. Wherefore those that be judges and Magistrates, be subject (as in a Play) to be hissed at, and chased away with shame and confusion.  
For the hare-brained people which is compared to a Monster with many heads, are mutable, uncertain, fraudulent, apt to wrath and mutiny, ready to praise or dispraise, without wisdom or discretion, variable in their talk, unlearned and obstinate.  
Therefore it behooveth that the life of a judge or Magistrate be sincere and virtuous. For as he judgeth openly, so shall he be judged of the people severally, 
A Notable advertisement for Judges and Magistrates.  not only in matters of weight, and importance, but in those of small consequence. For always the rude people will find somewhat to reform, as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at their Lawmaker Lycurgus, for that he went always holding down his head. The Venetians defamed wise Cato, in his eating, and accounted Pompeius uncivil: for that he would scratch with one finger only: yet these are but few in comparison of other good men, that the common sort have persecuted, banished, and in the end put to death.  
If that great Orator Demosthenes were alive, he could say somewhat, who after he had a long time been a just and faithful Governor of the Commonwealth of Athens, was in the end without cause unjustly banished. Moses and many other holy men have so many times tasted the fury of the common people, that if they were this day living, they would pour out most grievous complaints against them.  
Now we have showed and set forth the miseries that proceed from common people; so, must we in like sort put into the balance the errors and corruptions that are found in wicked judges; of the which sort, some are corrupted with fear: for such fear they have, that rather than they will displease a Prince or a great Lord, will violate justice, like Pilate that condemned Christ, for fear that he had to displease the Emperor Tiberius.  
Other Magistrates are corrupted by love, as was Herod, who for to please the foolish love of a Damsel that danced, condemned Saint john Baptist, although that he knew that he was just and innocent.  
Some are many times corrupted by hatred, as was the chief Priest that condemned Saint Paul to be stoned to death, though he deserved it not.  
Some Magistrates are corrupted by silver and gold, and other gifts & presents, as were the children of the Prophet Samuel: and this disease is so contagious, that I fear (at this day) many are infected with it.  
They all love rewards (saith the Prophet) they all look for gifts: they do not right to the Orphan, and the Widow's complaint cometh not before them. And in another place, Woe be to you that are corrupted by money, by hatred or love; and which judge the good to be evil, and the evil good; making the light darkness, and the darkness light. Woe be to you that have not respects to the secrets of things, but to the deserts of men: that regard not equity, but gifts that are given; that regard not justice▪ but money. You are diligent in rich men's causes, but you defer the cause of the poor: you are to them most cruel & rigorous judges, but unto the rich, kind and tractable.  
The Prophet jeremy cryeth out against wicked judges, and saith they are magnified and become rich: they have left the Orphans, and have not done justice for the poor; Shall not I therefore punish these things, saith the Lord, and my soul take vengeance on such manner of people?  
here also the sentence that S. james pronounceth against them at the day of judgement: You have condemned and killed the just: you have lived in wantonness in this world, and taken your ease: Now therefore (saith the Lord of Hosts) weep and howl in your wretchedness that shall come upon you, your garments are motheaten, your gold and silver is cankered, and the rust thereof shall be a witness against you, and it shall eat your flesh as it were fire; for the complaints of the poor are ascended upto my Throne.  
These are the complaints that the Prophets and Apostles made against wicked judges and Magistrates: and likewise the Censures that our good God hath thundered against them.   

CHAP. VI  
Of Man's estate being in wedlock.  
MAny hold, there is no joy nor pleasure in the world, which may be compared to marriage: for, say they, there is such fellowship between the parties coupled, that they seem two minds to be transformed into one; and likewise that both their good fortune and bad is common to them both, their cares to be equal, and their joys equal: and to be brief, that all things are in common between them two.  
Truly if we account it pleasure to commit our secrets to our friends and neighbours; how much greater is the joy, when we may discover our thoughts to her that is joined to us, by such a knot of affinity, that we put as much trust in her, as in ourselves, make her whole treasurer, or faithful keeper of the secrets of our mind?  
What greater witness of fervent love, and undissolueable amity can there be, then to forsake Father, Mother, Sister and Brother, and generally all their kindred, till they become enemy to themselves, for to follow a Husband, that doth honour and reverence her; and having all other things in disdain, she only cleaveth to him? If he be rich, she keepeth his goods; if he be poor, she is companion with him in poverty; if he be in prosperity, his felicity is redoubled in her: if he be in adversity, he beareth but the one half of the grief; and furthermore she comforteth him, assisteth and serveth him. If a man will remain solitary in his house, his wife keepeth him company: If he will go into the fields, she conducteth him with her eye, so far as she can see him; she desireth and honoureth him: being absent, she complaineth, and sigheth and wisheth his company: being come home, he is welcomed and received with the best show and tokens of love. And for to speak truth, it seemeth that a Wife is a gift from heaven, granted to a man, as well for the contentation of Youth, as the rest and solace of Age.  
Nature can give us but one Father, and one Mother, but marriage presenteth many in our children, the which do reverence and honour us, and are more dear unto us than our own selves (for being young, they prattle, play, laugh, and show us many pretty toys: they prepare us an infinite number of pleasures; and it seemeth they are given us by nature, to pass away part of our miserable life. If we be afflicted with age, they show the duty of children, close up our eyes, & bring us to the earth from whence we came. They are our bones, our flesh & blood: for in seeing them, we see ourselves. The father beholding his children, may be well assured that he seeth his lively youth renewed in their faces, in whom we are almost regenerate and borne again. Many are the joys & sweet pleasures in marriage, which for brevity's sake, I omit & pass over. But if we do well consider it, and weigh it in a just balance, we shall find that amongst these Roses, are many Thorns growing; and amongst these sweet showers of rain, there falleth much Hail.  
But with reverence now I crave pardon of all virtuous Ladies and Noble women, that with patience I may discover my intent; and that my presumption may not gain the least frown from their chaste brows: for to the vicious I speak, and not to them whose breasts harbour the liberal Fountains of virtue and wisdom.  
The Athenians being a people much commended for their prudence and wisdom, seeing that Husbands and Wives could not agree, because of an infinite number of dissensions that chanced, were constrained to ordain certain Magistrates in their country, whom they called Reconcilers of the married ones: the office of whom was to set agreement between the Husband and the Wife. The Spartans and Romans had also such like laws and orders amongst them: so great was the insolence and rashness of some women towards their Husbands.  
In this age there are but few, I think, can bear patiently the charges of marriage, or can endure the unbridled rage of some women: and to speak truth without flattery, if thou takest her rich, thou makest thyself a bondslave; for thinking to marry thine equal, thou marriest a commanding Mistress. If thou takest her foul, thou canst not love her; if thou takest her fair, it is an Image at thy gate to bring thee company. Beauty is a Tower that is assailed of all the world, and therefore it is a hard thing to keep that, when every one seeketh to have the key. This is the conclusion, riches causeth a woman to be proud, beauty maketh her suspected, and hard-favourednes causeth her to be hated. Therefore Diponares having tasted the Martyrdoms of marriage, said, that there were but 2. good days in all the life of marriage; whereof the one was the wedding day, upon which is made good cheer, the Bride fresh and fair, and of all pleasures, the beginning is most delectable. The other good day is, when the woman dyeth: for then the Husband is out of bondage and thraldom. Yet for all this, a woman is to a man a necessary evil, and one whom he cannot well live without; seeing that there is nothing more hard to find in this world than a good woman, a good Mule, & a good Goat, being three unhappy beasts. And to conclude, there is nothing more piercing then her outrageous words; more to be feared then her boldness; more cruel than her malice, nor more dangerous than her fury: besides many hurtful discommodities of their Housewifery.   

CHAP. VII.  
The vanity and inconstancy of women.  
THe most part of women are vain; 
The Author, as before, craves pardon of all modest Religious, and virtuous women, whose virtue he doth honour and reverence.  not only out of weakness and example, but also by express profession: All their study is how to establish vanity, and about this, they have great strife and emulation. For amongst these worldly lustres, you shall see women corrupted with delicacies, subiecting themselves to fashions, and aspects of others, losing the use of their feet, by pleasing their fancy with too much neatness, employing the fourth part of their life in attiring themselves: wearing hair bought out of Tire-womens' shops, painting their faces, Idolatrizing their own bodies, yet nevertheless crucifying them with a just punishment, ignorant of all things, yet studying to speak well, viewing themselves in a Lookingglass a thousand times in a day, and calling consultations upon a particular hair. Poor creatures! who in altering the colour of their hair, and adding somewhat to their height, by extraordinary shoes, would disprove the saying of Christ, when he sought to verify, 
Mat. 15. 36. & 6. 27.  that man could not make one hair white or black, nor add one cubite to his stature. Make but a collection of the time that a curious woman doth spend through all her life, in dressing herself, and you shall find that it is more than a fourth part of her age.  
This curiosity hath some affinity with servitude, who amongst them will apply so much time in doing good works: and how cometh it to pass, that those habits which were given unto man for to hide his sin, are now converted into to sin itself? What is the occasion that that, which God hath ordained to cover man's shame, serves now to set forth his glory? That that, which was an argument of humility, is now become the matter of pride? There is nothing so contrary to the will and glory of God, as that vain vanity: for a woman that hindereth the going of her own feet, by wearing such nice and high Pantofles: how can she fly away into a strange Country for God's cause? A flesh that is so delicate, how can it endure to take rest, being imprisoned for the testimony of the Divine Gospel? A woman which by reason of her painting, cannot tolerate the heat of the Sun; how can she endure the fire for the Word of God? Observe our Preparations to suffer afflictions, and peruse our Apprenticeship to martyrdom, and in the end you will find that Solomon hath not seen such things in his time, and that the vanity of vanities which he speaks of, is inferior to the vanity of this age.  
But let such beware, that the same happen not to them, which the Prophets write against the women of jerusalem; who reproved their pride, their vnshamefaced looks, their rolling eyes, their attire, Chains, jewels, Bracelets, and other their vainglorious fashions. It will happen to you (saith the Lord of Hosts) that in stead of perfumes, you shall have stink; in stead of hair, baldness, and the fairest young men among you, shall pass through the edge of the Sword, and the strongest shall be slain, and perish in the wars.   

CHAP. VIII.  
Of Covetousness.  
But of all the miseries that happen to Man in this world, these hereafter following, are the greatest.  
And first, let us consider of Covetousness, wherewith many men are so far overcome, that they will hazard their life to win a little money; that is, to lose their being, for to gain the means to be: which miss the end to obtain the accessories; as he which selleth his Sword to buy a sheath; or his Horse, to have some provender; and to gain worldly pelf, not to serve his occasions, but rather for himself to serve it; to have riches as one hath a Fever, which doth more possess the grieved, than the grieved it. To be like unto a greedy dogs, which lying upon hay, & not eating it himself, will snarl if any other cometh near unto it. O miserable people, that live poorly, to dye rich! that are most covetous in their declining age, which is to provide for a tedious journey, when it is even finished. But a man that feareth God, for to avoid so great an inconvenience, will consider in himself, what is the worth and estimation of such dross: and will conceit, that these things are oft given to wicked men, as seducers of minds from true piety, and the divine knowledge of the Almighty; who showeth us what estimation we should have of riches, in giving largely to the wicked; within whose breasts it doth fall, as a purse into a stinking privy. jesus Christ doth give us an example what repute is to be had of it, in committing his purse to judas, when as he gave his holy Spirit to his faithful Apostles. And if he had thought wealth to have been the true felicity, no doubt he would have gathered it more abundantly: but he had not so much, where to lay his head on. He hath willed us to love poverty by his example: And the great King of the World will despise all things, that shall entice us to affect the contrary. A little wealth will suffice us to live well, and less to dye happily. 
1. Tim. 6.  Godliness with contententment is great gain: we are come naked into the world, and naked shall we go out; peaceable poverty is much better than troublesome riches. But man is so foolish, that he had rather draw water out of a great disturbed River, with difficulty and peril, then from a little clear brook, with facility and ease; had rather take a great mass of gold with torment and danger, than a little with peace and security; & in fine, he will be nothing the more satisfied. Moreover, he thinketh that to be lost, which was never gained by him: This kind of Avarice is always linked with envy. If peradventure a man lose his worldly fortunes, (according unto that which Solomon saith: That riches betaketh her to her wings) it doth sometimes distract humane sense; for, to ransack a covetous person, is to flay his skin from his body; to take from him his riches, is to deprive him of his heart; since that such do wholly devote both heart and affection to their wealth.  
Who ever saw the sin of covetousness more deeply rooted in the world, then at this day? for all the Cities, Provinces, and Kingdoms of the earth, be very shops and storehouses of Covetousness and avarice. This is the world which the Prophets did fore-shew, that men join house to house, and land to land, as though themselves would alone dwell upon the earth.  
Covetousness is the wellspring of miseries: 
Covetousness the source and original of all wickedness and abomination.  for from thence proceed war and destruction, and the great effusion of blood, wherewith the earth is overflown. From Covetousness proceed Murders, Treasons, Thefts, Usuries, forswearing, the corruption of witnesses, & perverting of judgements; from Covetousness, the tedious delays in Law, and lingering of Suits do proceed; And to be short, from thence cometh all kind of wickedness.  
This grievous sin is grown so familiar among men, that many live without mercy, in such sort, that now we may see the streets full of poor beggars, naked and cold with poverty; with an infinite number of banished women, driven out of their Countries, bearing their children in their arms; wanting that which covetous men hoard up with such cares, that they rather make it their god, and will rather let a poor body dye at their gates, then refresh him with food.  
Therefore let us now leave these wicked men, 
Of Envy, that cruel, abominable, and bloody vice, which doth generally reign now in this our degenerate age.  Idolaters of their treasures, with the covetous rich man mentioned in the holy Scripture, and speak of another Vice, which is called Envy; a malady wherewith many minds in this new world are grievously afflicted.  
The time is now come, that the whole earth is nothing but a very place of the Envious: a vice which is the oldest of all vices, and hath been used in the world's infancy: The experience thereof, was approved in the first Age, in Adam and the Serpent, in Abel and Cain, in jacob and Esau, in joseph and his Brethren, in Saul and David, in Haman and Mardocheus, the which pursued not one another for their riches, but for the envy that the one bore to another. But all this is nothing to the envy which is used amongst men at this day: which wicked vice not only reigneth among the common sort, but also amongst the higher: for when they are mounted to the top of Fortune's wheel, and think peaceably to enjoy the favour of Princes; behold, suddenly the envy of some other conspires against them, and causeth them to be disdained and cast out of fawor. Therefore I think there is no other means to avoid Envy, then to avoid Dignity and Rule: The reason is, that we are the children of Envy, and he that leaveth most goods, leaveth most envy.  
For this cause, 
Of Ambition, the cause of our fall and ruin.  the Elders counselled the rich that they should not dwell near the poor, nor the poor, near the rich: for the one are envied for their wealth, and the other for their poverty.  
Much like unto this is Ambition, which is an extreme desire to aspire to honour and greatness. 
Bernard. Ambitiosorum Arcana sunt periculosissima.  Amongst that multitude of people which press themselves in mounting up, those which follow, endeavour to march upon them that go before; and at length, three parts of them being driven to stay behind, swell with envy and grief at the rest: when as those that have attained to the height of honour, draw up after them their scaling-ladders, fearing that otherwise some by aspiring, might parallel their worth. But oftentimes, when they have possessed themselves with these dignities, 
Maledictus superbus est, tam impudens voluntartè se separeta Deo.  they are like Apes, which having once climbed to the top of a tree or house, do sit, and make ill favoured faces at passengers, and retain the people to gaze at their moppes: For then ordinarily their weakness doth increase, and their vices grow eminent, insomuch that they find more care and fear in that state of greatness, 
Man's felicity and happiness doth not depend only upon greatness and degnity: for contentment exceedeth riches.  than when they were most mean. The highest boughs are most shaken by the wind, and the points of Steeples most beaten with storms and lightning. A man hath least mind to sleep in beds of silk embroidered with gold. The greatest fear of poisoning, is at Tables furnished with variety of delicate dishes; whereas on the contrary, it hath not been heard that any have received hurt out of wooden Cups.  
After an innocent travel, sleep seemeth pleasing in a bed of straw.   

CHAP. IX.  
Of pettifogging strifes, and Law-contentions.  
But now behold another sort of vanity, which doth much vex & trouble man; A roaring, crying, and turbulent vanity, which is armed with stings, and covered with subtlety, which employeth all the best part of man's life in pettifogging strifes, 
Take Fees with both hands, gull their Clients, and make them like bareheaded Vassals, pray and pay sound, for their importunate bawling.  and amongst the controversies of importunate process. Do but enter into some great Hall or place of pleading, you will admire at the confused murmur, the corrupted discipline, the wearisome courses, and contentious humours, and will truly perceive that in carriage of all these things, there is no mention of God, unless perchance in swearing. And that there in the mean time, while that two persons do consume their estates to gain a process, cometh a third and beguileth them both of the prey, and oftentimes their charge in following, surmounts the principal. O how many men do live by the loss of others? How many would fast without riches, if all those that endeavour to consume one the other, 
An excellent Simile.  should but enter into familiarity and friendship, I do think that God doth perceive this confused and murmuring multitude, in the same fashion as we do see a little Hillock full of Ants running together pell mell, without order or reason. Some one knowing these things to be true, will say nevertheless, that there is in humane life, some honest study; some laudable knowledge; and many civil and religious virtues, which cannot be comprised under vanity, but deserve to be much esteemed. In this opinion doth principally appear the vanity of man's spirit: for if the best of humane actions be but vain; how much more is vanity itself? Let us first begin to examine Studies and Sciences.   

CHAP. X.  
Of Philosophy, and the knowledge of diverse tongues.  
IN this modern time, Learning is only reputed to be the knowledge of Languages, and those that are learned, do busy themselves to find out how the Romish women did speak two thousand years since: how the ancient Romans did apparel themselves: how people did then affect Comedies, and to refine some Latin or Greek words, that are now grown out of use by antiquity. This kind of course is to use a golden Sceptre for to take up dung, to employ the understanding, which ought to flourish in one, to some base occupation, and to make a feast of nothing but sauce. For the knowledge of these things, is only profitable to season, no way good to nourish.  
Also there are some, that when they have attained old age, do then search for words, when they should have the things. 
The vanity, simplicity, and folly of aged men.  Many there are also that begin to read Grammar, when they are come to use Spectacles. They learn Rules to speak eloquently in Latin, when they are barbarous in their own native language; So that their life is a continual incongruity.  
Philosophy and the Sciences have many things not only more high, but also harder: like unto Pineapples in the highest part of a Pinetree, which many seeking to obtain, do fall in climbing for them; whereas others do break their teeth, that strive to open them. Such is this learning, that as it endueth a man with much knowledge; so also it addeth unto him more care and trouble of mind. For Solomon saith, that he that doth augment his knowledge, doth but increase his sorrow. Ignorance is never without some commodity: And in conclusion, when we have gotten all the precepts of this knowledge, it extends itself not far, and is of small use. For Man cannot by all his Philosophy, attain to the perfect knowledge of a small fly, or garden Lettuce, much less of his own composition. We desire to traverse our spirits through all things, 
He that knows much, and knows not himself, knows nothing.  but remain strangers to ourselves. We will know much, and perform little. To speak more properly, our study is not labour, but rather an idle action, which doth torment us without any hope of advancement: 
Simile.  Like unto the Squirrels that run continually within turning Cages, thinking to get away, when as after all their painstaking, they still remain in the same place. We learn little with great pain, & that little doth scarcely amend our imperfections, but rather oftentimes add more to them.  
One drop of wisdom, guided by the fear of God, is more worth than all humane learning. For what doth it profit a Lawyer in taking pains, to gain the process of another, if he himself be at variance with God? What commodity reapeth a Physician, to judge of another man's health, if he himself be not as yet resolved to feel the pulse of his own conscience?  
What good is it to any that have learned the ancient Histories, if they be ignorant of those things that pass in this time? Or to have learned by Astronomy the motions and influences of heaven, if they know not the means how to come thither?   

CHAP. XI.  
Of Civil virtues and Pilgrims.  
THere be some that undertake long tedious voyages, gaining many Oasts, but few friends, promising to learn much in their journey, when as oftentimes they return more foolish than they went; and perchance having circuited the earth, do sorrowfully bequeath their body to it, for a conclusion to their perfected resolutions, as flies when they have passed many times round about the Candle, at length enter into the flame, after they have seen so much land there, only require a handful for to cover them. With this vanity are they justly afflicted, which make long Voyages towards some Saint, for to desire that they may get children, when it may be, at their return, some officious neighbour hath discharged them of that care.  
Yet some again, perchance, will say, that our Civil Virtues have some things that are of more consequence. But here out of this also doth bud another vanity, seeing that those virtues have no mention but by Vices: for Choler gives an edge to Valour; Cowardice doth make a man to be more circumspect and wary; Ambition, Avarice, and Envy, are as stings to study and industry. 
Such minds incite whores rather than chaste and virtuous women.  The fear of an ill report in many women, is the cause of chastity: many are sober out of a covetous humour; other for necessity: friendships are contracted, either for the desire of pleasures, or for the hope of profit. The first being no otherwise then a paltry broker; nor the last than a Merchandise. Religion itself doth often serve for a cloak to such covetous persons: for many follow jesus Christ (in the desert, only to have bread, which is to subject their understanding only to the belly, & the chief of virtues, only to the meanest of vices: but I know not which is worse, either to fly away from Christ, or to follow him for gain; to serve him for money, or to serve the devil for gain; whether it doth seem most injurious, or ignominious towards God, either to leave his Son jesus Christ, or in following him wrongfully, to make him a Vallet to our concupiscences. What can these virtues than be, that march under the pay of the devil? Surely this is also a great vanity, & manifest corruption. Wherefore some (not perceiving any thing in the world, which is exempted out of this vanity, and that vices & impiety have infected all sorts of estates and conditions in humane life) do think to wrest themselves out of it, by confining their bodies to some desert, and condemning their mind to a perpetual care: where being secluded from all company, they live in continual silence, never speaking but with God and themselves.  
This solitary humour in many, doth proceed from a brutish conceit; in others, from a weak spirit, uncapable of humane society; in others, from an ambition to be remarkable for some extraordinary profession, and in others out of discontent-and envy, that they are wearied in swimming against the current of this worldly stream; and in having received all things still contrary to their desire. Notwithstanding, I do not doubt, but that there be some which do embrace this sort of solitary life, to banish themselves from the vices of this world, and to serve God with more liberty. But such are much deceived, who willing to forsake the world, do return farther into it by other means, and are assaulted by worse temptations: for then passionate griefs, curious cogitations, peevish idleness, hypochondriacal humours, despair, presumption, and selfe-admiration, do insensibly glide into men's spirits, under the profession of an extraordinary sanctity; all which do render the spirit discontented of an insolent melancholy, and presumptuous devotion, which oftentimes degenerateth into madness, and want of sense. 
With good reason S. Austin said, That Man pleaseth God the best, that, circled with beauties, in the mids of Princes magnificent Palaces, could fly their alluring temptations.  A solitary man, in the extremity of his griefs and sadness, hath no body to comfort him: and comparing himself with none but himself, hath this conceit, that he is some excellent thing. But then lustful desires do doubly burn within him: For man is of this nature, that he thinketh those things most beautiful, which are farthest remote from him. So S. Jerome being in the midst of a Desert, and in his greatest abstinency, doth confess that his mind was then amongst the Dances, & Ballads of young maids; and that he did burn with incontinency and desire. Besides, the Devil following jesus Christ into the Desert, doth plainly show that he did judge that place most convenient for temptation. 
A notable comparison to confound the folly of men, who think to avoid temptations, by rendering and making themselves Anchorites and Hermit's.  Then if the Son of God was assailed by the Devil in the Desert, how scapeth an Hermit, or secluded person, that can never be exempted? Therefore the surest way for a man to separate himself from the world, not with his feet, but with his affection: to expel it altogether from him & his heart, fearing otherwise that departing from this world, notwithstanding he carrieth it with him. For as it is possible to be worldly and vicious, living far from the world: So it is possible to leave the world, without flying into a Desert, and to live alone in the midst of company; to be within a Court or Palace, spectator of vanity and troubles, without participating of them; and in the midst of a babbling multitude, to talk only with himself, & to entertain his thoughts with God. And in the mean time, to employ his endeavours to the edification of the Church, stretching out his hand to the erroneous, for to reguide them into the right way of Salvation, rather than to hide his Talon in the earth, and to cut himself clean off from the body, and all civil society, as an unprofitable member. So did the Apostles and those glorious Lamps, which have enlightened the Church of God, and which shine amongst us to this day, they being dead.  
I know well, that the opinion of Aristotle, in the beginning of his Politics is true, that he which is of a solitary disposition, is either of a most divine, or very base spirit, because that he doth estrange himself from all society, either for that he hath virtues more than humane; or that he is so contemptible, and mean, in respect of Man, that he is unworthy to approach near him. But let him know which doth affect solitariness, because he doth surpass all men in understanding and virtue, that he ought to repel that humour, and to condescend by humility and meekness, to the imperfections of others, labouring for the good of the Church or Common Wealth, either by word or work: For what are all those perfections more than shadows, and obscure traces of those perfections that are in jesus Christ; 
Non quaere-Christus jesus glariam suam omnia. Igitur relinqnere debes etiam te ipsum spernere & abnegare ut frauris amicitia Ihesu Christi.  notwithstanding he took upon him our shape, and conversion among men, that thereby he might save them, and win souls to heaven. Therefore to conclude this point, If to fly from the World be a vanity, how much more to follow it? If vices and torments do harbour in the desert, how much more in presses and throngs of people? Truly, if vanity be in every place, let us say, that all is torment and affliction of Spirit.   

CHAP. XI.  
Of old and decrepit age.  
But in the mean time that man is busied about all these vain conceits, while he is pushing time with his shoulder, endeavouring nothing all days of his life, but to rise, and to go to bed, to apparel himself, and to make himself unready, to fill his belly, and to evacuate his stomach: which is no more than a circle of the self same importuning occupations; much like unto a Miller's horse, that always treads one compass. While he is thus busied with such occasions, behold, old age stealingly arriveth, to which few do attain, and all desire: But if any do peradventure gain that time they desire, to have it prolonged to the utmost; this age (being as Grapes which have lost their juice, and as the sink of man's life) is without question, the most unhappy for those men that are worldly, as no the contrary it is most blessed for such as are godly: For worldly men in this age are doubly possessed with way wardness; their fear and distrust doth increase, their judgement waxeth weak, & begins to diminish: Wherefore we do wrongfully call a melancholy humour, wisdom; a disabilitie, sobriety; because old age leaveth not pleasure, but pleasure leaveth it.  
And therefore he doth undeservedly complain, that the time and manners of men are changed into worse, while nothing is changed but himself: for in his youth all things pleased him, if they were never so bad; in his old age, all things dislike him, if they were never so good: Like unto those which being in a Ship, think that the banks move, when it is only themselves. It is also a vice incident to this Age, to speak much, because they are no more able to perform any thing; and that they also think themselves most fit to propose precepts to youth, and to declare things of time long since: Like unto a declining State, as that of the Roman Empire, where there are many talkers, but few valiant, & not much different from the aged time of the world, where are many curious disputers, but few of the true Religion. In this Age also, doth increase the love of wealth; and earthly cares do summon new forces against man, he waxeth all grey, and every thing in him beginneth to wither, only his vices excepted.  
That ancient man, of whom the Apostle maketh often mention, being ready to dote, waxeth not old in worldly age, but then he is in full vigour: He therefore feareth approaching death, and holdeth his life like unto an Eel, which slideth away. 
Simile.  In the mean time, he determineth of tedious designs, 
A pitiful example of Man's Wolfe-like appetite, his insatiate desire of riches, and ugly terror of deformity.  and heapeth up riches, as if death stood a far off, and durst not appear.  
But now that age is come, and the time that he ought to rest; his griefs and dolours are renewed, the heart afflicted, the brain troubled, the face withered, the body crooked, the sight dimmed, the hairs fall'n, and the teeth rotten; and to be short, the body is as it were, asimilitude of death: yet doth he prepare himself lest, to gain the future bliss; and though many time's death takes for a gage one part or other of his body, as an arm, an eye, or a leg, to serve for an advertisement that he will shortly fetch the rest, yet he is so affianced to the earth, that he is unwilling to go to it, when nothing remaineth in him, but evil.   

CHAP. XIII.  
Of DEATH.  
THus after Man hath sorrowed all his days, 
Than the Day of Death there is nothing more certain, nor nothing uncertain.  under the heavy burden of his sins, and in conclusion of all this unprofitable & wearisome travel, behold the approach of death, before he hath learned to live, much less to dye: The most part being taken out of this world before they know to what end they entered in; they would willingly prolong the date of their life, but death admits no composition: for it hath feet of wool, but arms of iron; it cometh unsensibly, but having taken once hold, it never looseth her prize. To this pace or step, man cometh so slowly as possibly he can: For if a Ship should sink among the waves two hundred leagues from Land, notwithstanding every Passenger would strive to swim, not with an intent to save his life, but to repel death for some minutes, and to render nature her last inevitable tribute. Every man trembleth at this passage, and laboureth to settle himself here, yet is forced at last to yield unto Death; and yet by no means may be known after what manner he shall end his life. Some there be that are forced to dye by hunger; others, by thirst; others, by fire; others by water; others, by poison; others, are smothered; others are torn in pieces by wild beasts; others, devoured of the Fowls of the air; others are made meat for Fishes, and others for Worms: yet for all this, Man knoweth not his end; when he thinketh himself most at rest, he suddenly perisheth.  
What a dreadful sight is it, to see him lying in his bed that is oppressed with the pains of Death? What shaking and changing of all the bonds of nature will he make? the feet will become cold; the face pale; the eyes hollow; the lips and mouth to retire; the hands diminish; the tongue waxeth black; the teeth do close; the breath faileth; the cold sweat appeareth by the violence of sickness. All which is a certain token that nature is overcome.  
But now when it cometh to the last gasp, or at the sorrowful departure that the soul maketh from his habitation, all the bands of Nature are broken. Besides, when the Devil or wicked spirit is assured of our end, what furious assaults will he make against our souls, to make us despair of God's mercy? It is the hour when as Satan doth his power to strive against GOD, for to hinder the salvation of mankind; and he is more boisterous in these latter days, for that he knoweth that his time is but short, and that the end of his kingdom is at hand, and therefore he is the more inflamed: for he never more tormenteth those whom he doth possess, then when he knoweth that he must depart.  
But now when Man hath passed the bitter anguish of Death, where is then become his glories? 
* Nota. This is weighty to be observed, not only of the poor and inferior persons, but more to be apprehended with fear, by them most mighty Sovereigns and greatest men of this world, that they may not build their happiness upon the deceitful ground of their riches, and transitory possessions.  Where are his pomps and triumphs? Where is his Voluptuousness and Wantonness? Where is his Majesty, excellency and holiness? They are vanished as the shadow, and it is chanced to them, as to the garment that the worms have eaten; or as the wool that the moth hath devoured.  
Let us behold Man, when he is in the grave! Who ever saw a Monster more hideous than the dead carcase of Man? behold his excellency, Majesty and Dignity, covered with a lump of earth. here you may see him that was cherished, reverenced, and honoured, even to kiss his hands and feet, by a sudden mutation, become a creature most abominable; and to them it happeneth as Solomon writeth in his book of Wisdom; What hath it profited (saith he) the pride and great abundance of riches? All these things are passed as is the Arrow shot to the white, or as is the smoke that is dispersed with the wind.  
The sole memory of Death, 
Death is a terror to those ignoble minds, whose pride of life, makes them weak, timorous, & most undoubted Cowards to the least object Death shall present.  mournful Funerals, and the reading of Inscriptions, engraven in Sepulchers, doth make the very hair to stare and stand an end, and striketh Man with an horror and apprehension of it.  
Some represent Death terrible to the aspect, and deprived of flesh; other consider it with compassion, mixed with dread. Some particular man, which not long since was clad in Silk, and shined with Diamonds, is now assaulted with troops of Worms, and breathes forth intolerable scents, while that his heir doth laugh in secret, and enjoyeth the fruit of all his labour, which he himself never enjoyed. 
The Rich unprofitable Mizerburns in Hell for his Avarice, while his son in the world, dancing a Whore on his Lap, sets all prodigally flying.  And nevertheless in this his very dust & corruption, doth appear an Ambition, and pride doth rest within his Tomb. For then behold, stately Sepulchers, engraved stones, that report some famous actions, and proud titles upon his Tomb, set out with false Narrations, to the end that Passengers by may say, Here lieth a goodly stone, and a corrupted body.   

CHAP. XIV.  
Of the terrible judgement Seat of God.  
BEing dead in this world, he must then appear before the judgement Seat of God, with such a terror to those that consider it well, that there is no member but trembleth. It is the Day that the Lord will come like a tempest, when every one's heart shall fail them, and all the world shall be astonished: for even as Lightning which riseth from the East, and extendeth to the West; so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. Tribulation shall then be so extreme and great, as the like hath not been seen since the beginning of the world, till now, nor ever shall be the like: The Sun shall be darkened, and the Moon shall give no more light: the Stars shall fall from Heaven, and the waves of the Sea shall rage, & men shall be amazed with fear, and the powers of Heaven shall move.  
Woe shall be in those days to them that are with child, and to them that give suck. For as it was in the days before the Flood, they did eat & drink, marry, and were married, even unto the day that Noah entered into the Ark, and knew nothing till the Flood came, and took them all away: So shall the coming of the Lord be; and then all kindreds of the earth shall mourn, and shall hide themselves in Dens, and Caves, and in the Mountains, and shall say unto them, Fall upon us, & hide us from the face of him that sitteth upon the Throne.  
Blow out the Trumpet, saith the Prophet joel, that all such as dwell in the world may tremble at it: for the Day of the Lord cometh, and is hard at hand; a dark day, a gloomy day; yea, and a stormy day. Before him shall be a consuming fire, and behind him, a burning flame. Then the dead that are in the graves shall rise, and come forth; the bones and the other parts shall find out their joints, for to join again together with the body, that the earth hath putrified, and corrupted.  
All those that the Beasts and Birds of the air have devoured; all those that the Sea hath swallowed up; all those that are unvapoured in the earth, and all those that the fire hath consumed, shall be reduced and brought to their former estate.  
All the blood that thieves, 
Tunc: Post unam voluptatem sequuntur mille dolores.  Pirates, Murderers, Tyrants, and false judges have unjustly shed, shall then appear before the Majesty of God. So that there shall not one drop of blood be lost, from the time of Abel, that was the first slain of men, unto the last, so that there shall not one hair perish.  
If the veil of the Temple did break with the Earthquake, 
Simile. Most worthy to be read and considered with terror and true repentance.  the Sun darken and change his brightness, for the wrong that was done unto JESUS CHRIST being on the Cross, although in nothing he did offend: what countenance may the poor sinners show, that have offended him innumemerable times? who then shall abide the shining brightness of God's Majesty, 
Ver Aeternum plenisfima delitiarum quam pura es.  sitting upon his Throne of glory?  
It is the dreadful hour, when wicked Monarches, Kings and Princes shall give account of their unlawful exactions that they have made upon their Subjects; 
The Majesty of God in the general Judgement Day, shall be more terrible to the impious Monarches of the earth, then either the world on fire round about them, Hell gaping to swallow the ugly Fiends to torture, or the pains of Hell can affright them.  and of the blood that they have wrongfully spilt. It is the hour, wherein Merchants and such as have traded in the circle of the world, that have beguiled and sold by false weights and measures, shall render a just account of the least fraud that they have committed. It is the hour that covetous men and Usurers, that have beguiled some, & undone others, shall pay themselves the cruel interest of that which they have ill gotten. It is the hour, when Magistrates and wicked judges, that have corrupted, violated, and suspended justice, shall be accountable for their corruption and iniquities. It is the very hour, wherein Widows, Orphans, and other afflicted persons shall make their complaints before God, of the wrong and oppression that have been showed them. It is the hour wherein the wicked shall say (repenting in themselves, troubled with horrible fear) Behold, these which in times past we had in derision, infamy, & reproach, are now accounted among the children of God, whose portion is amongst the Saints. It is the hour wherein foolish and dumb persons shall be more happy than the wise & eloquent. Many Shepherds and Carters shall be preferred before Philosophers; many Beggars, before rich Princes and monarchs; and many simple and ignorant, before the witty and subtle.  
Let us therefore that are Christians, look to ourselves, and take heed we be not counted under the judgement and sentence of the most greatest miseries of all miseries. The which sentence is recited in the 25. Chap. of S. Matthew, where it is said; Go ye cursed into everlasting fire.   

CHAP. XV.  
Of HELL.  
MAny and great are the miseries which man suffreth in this world, but yet all of them are but as Roses, in respect of the Thorns which follow: for the vanity and travail of the temporal life is a happiness, in regard of the torments of eternal death, which doth swallow the most part of men. It is a large way which leadeth to perdition, and few do find the way of Salvation. Death cometh here to levy souls for Hell, and doth enrol great and small, learned, and ignorant▪ rich, and poor; yea, many which are esteemed holy, and live covered under the cloak of Hypocrisy, to the end that they might go to Hell with the less noise, and not be stayed by the way.  
This Hell is a place of flames, and yet there is perpetual darkness, where souls do wax old, and yet never die, and where they live, continually to die: Where they burn without consuming; where they mourn without compassion; are afflicted without repentance; where torment is without end, and past imagination. There the unpappy rich man, 
Remember Hell 'tis not a feigned, but a place most fume, most fearful.  which refused to give poor Lazarus a crumb of bread, doth now beg of him a drop of water, although whole Rivers be not sufficient to extinguish his heat. What if the rods that God doth punish his Infants withal, do sometimes make them almost despair, and even curse the day of their Nativity, 
Poenitentia sera raro vera.  as job and jeremy did? What are those afflictions that he doth oppress his Adversary withal? It is a horrible thing (saith the Apostle) to fall into the hands of the Living God. For because he saith in his anger, as it is written in the 32. Chapter of Deuteromie, I have lifted my hands towards heaven, and said, I am the everliving God; If I whet my glittering sword, and my hand take hold on judgement, I will execute vengeance on mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me. Praised be God, which hath delivered us, and drawn us from that burning furnace of hell, by his Son jesus Christ: who (as S. Paul saith to the Galatians) was reviled for our sakes, & hath called us our of perpetual darkness, to his marvelous light: 1. Pet. 2. 9 Is it possible for us to be ignorant what that torment is, & not know how much he hath suffered for to retain us in fear, and to make us know the greatness of the grace of God, and the excellence of our Redemption in jesus Christ his Son, who is also God eternally blessed. 
How Gods incomprehensible Providence frustrates the designs of men, making their enterprises of no validity.   
This precedent discourse hath led us through all ages, and through all the most ordinary conditions of humane life; yet in this voyage, we have known nothing but vanity and torment of spirit: And it hath chiefly appeared, when we have cast our eyes upon the divine providence of God, which doth from the highest Heavens view all the actions of man, not as an idle spectator, but as a wise Conductor, and just judge: And there from above, he laughs at the designs of great men, & frustrateth their enterprises, destroyeth their tongues & spirits of Babylonian builders, ruineth their greatness, and breaketh their Sceptres into shivers; teaching man that he is nothing but dust, and his wisdom but mere blindness, to the end that he may learn to contemn the world, and transport his hopes from earth to heaven; & that having seen some beams of this terrestrial splendour, which vanisheth as Lightning, he doth say with S. Peter, 
Luke 9 & 99  It is good that we be here, let us make ourselves here Tabernacles. Happy is that man, which having well known the vantiy of this world, doth retire towards God; thot he being in a sure Haven a far off, and that being under his shadow, as under a sure covered place, may contemplate the ruin of the wicked, the instability of their designs, the folly of their hopes, and the effects of the judgement of God. Thereupon the Prophet David, in Psal. 92. saith also: O LORD, how glorious are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep: an unwise man knoweth it not, and a fool doth not understand this. When the wicked grow as the grass, and all the works of wickedness do flourish; then they shall be destroyed for ever. It behoveth us, here to note carefully, that this Psalm is entitled, A Song for the Sabbath day: for by it he doth advertise us, that this meditation requireth a quiet and resting spirit, which being restrained from the press of humane actions, doth retire itself into the House of God; according to that which he saith in the 73 Psalm; where he doth confess, that the prosperity of wicked men hath offended him, and that he could hardly digest it, until that he had entered into the Sanctuary of the Almighty, and considered the end of such men: For, to understand what the true happiness is, and to unmask himself to the imaginary felicity of this world; it is not necessary to go to Philosophical schools, or to build his resolutions upon the opinion of the Vulgar, but to enter into the holy House of God▪ and there learn what the difference is between the riches which he scattereth upon this great multitude, and that which he reserveth for his little ones, 
Consider the subtlety of Satan, and man's sudden ruin.  what the uncertainty of this worldly prosperity is, in respect of the certainty of God's promises. But with what insensible chains doth Satan lead men into perdition? 
Memento decimo sexto die Octobris, ●●ilo Antiquo & quinto die Octob. slilo Novo. MDCXXIII▪  How doth he triumph over those which triumph in this world? how they that think themselves most sure, are upon the point of their ruin and perpetual destruction?  
Let us furthermore consider how vain the glory of man is, 
Of the vain glory of men most corruptible and transitory▪  in that some one doth boast of his particular strength, wherein it is impossible for him ever to equal a Bull.  
Some other do glory in their beauty, when as it is only a superficial colour, which covereth the blood, bones, and brains, hideous things to see. It is also a thing that age and many maladies have power to deform.  
Some other doth glory of his honour and greatness, when indeed he is possessed in this state, with most trouble and fear, and less liberty: beside, he is mounted so high, that he cannot fall but with breaking of his own neck. 
The just reward of Kings proud mounting Favourites.   
Some other doth glory to be more drunk than his companions, but if his belly be greater in capacity than others, notwithstanding it will never exceed a Barrel.  
These former things are general; for vanities and miseries are common to all men, since that sin hath subjected mankind to them. But notwithstanding there are some more than other, which are made examples of extreme misery; As poor beggars, which are constrained through necessity to lie upon the bare pavement; 
Necessitas non habet legem.  as Galleyslaves, and as those miserable slaves which are made mercenaries.  
The hundreth part of humane kind doth imperiously and impiously torment the rest, and those that are feeble and mean, serve as preys to the mighty.  
Amongst the Turks and Pagans, which possess three parts of the world, men are bought and sold in the same fashion, as horses in a Fair: for the buyer, marketh their fight, maketh them show their teeth, and feeleth the sinews of their arms and legs.  
Great Princes keep millions of chained Slaves for to labour, in making of Sugar, in working of Mines, to serve in Galleys at Sea, and to perform such kind of servility, that Death is more tolerable to them then this kind of life.  
There are certain people, which have for the space of six months continual night, who live in Caverns, and in the extremity of the extremest degree of coldness, having no heat to comfort them, but only cruelty.  
Others there are on the contrary, who live amongst Sands, continually scorched by the Sun, a country barren in fruits, and fertile in Serpents and Lions.  
Our climate, in respect of such intemperature, is as the garden of Nature, where God hath planted most wealth and riches: but where he hath reaped least fruit of graceful actions: And where these natural blessings are so ill husbanded, 
Of the vanity of humane thoughts, desires, and judgements.  that amongst all that abundance, there is nothing to be seen but misery and poverty.  
Now that we have formally and superficially represented as with a coal the vanity and misery of our Nature, and the actions of Man: Let us now examine his thoughts. David in the 94. Psalm saith: The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vanity.  
For if any could but make a true collection of his thoughts, which have only passed through his brain in one day: the confused multitude, and variety of them, being all very foolish, would astonish him. The diverse fictions▪ and strange Ideas that Painter's conceit in respect of these, 
Idle & most unprofitable thoughts.  are nothing. For some man, when he hath settled himself in his study, or some place where he thinketh to have his spirit busied about the most serious affairs, doth then begin to count the Quarrees of his window; or as the Emperor Domitian, 
Read Swetons Worke.  to pursue little flies both with eye and hand.  
Some one again perceiving himself destitute of company, and being very pensive, doth advice with himself what he would do if he were a King: 
A true Simile of those that build Castles in the Castles in the air.  or if that he had a million of Crowns, how he would spend them: or thinking of his own domestic affairs, doth thread a chain of tedious hopes, and by degrees becometh very rich in his discourse: at the conclusion of which, he frustrateth all that imagination, and returning to the consideration of his present poverty, he moderateth his passions. 
A principal and most worthy observation.  Yea also during the time of Sermons and Prayer (when God speaketh unto us, or we to him) our minds are abstracted, & thinking of some other thing.  
There if our best actions are infected with idle cogitations; how much moreover unprofitable hours are ill spent time?  
These frivolous thoughts, mixed with vain desire, and a like ignorance, 
The profit of solitariness.  do labour the mind, and giveth it no repose: for man in his solitary thoughts doth ruminate the evils passed, vexing himself with the things present, and fore-fearing things to come, yea, those things that shall never happen: he changeth his doubtful fear, into certain miseries: many being miserable, out of a fear that they shall be miserable; and many dying, out of a fear that they shall die. 
Death terrible to the fool.  Every day hath sufficient affliction to torment us. For who can ever be in ease, if all the past and future evils do render themselves present to us: the first by our memory, and the last by our fear? This natural unrest, is the cause that Man loveth change, like unto one that is sick, who desireth continually to change his bed: Yet notwithstanding finds himself more distempered in the last then in the first, 
Man's uncertainty where to rest.  thinking no repose to be but in weariness. For he always carrieth his grief with him, and finds little ease in changing of sides; yea, I dare say, if God had placed Man betwixt good and evil, to take his choice of either, and as it were to cut what he thought good out of the whole earth, his blindness is such, that he would quickly convert it into ill. If God send such no griefs, they will send themselves some. If their own griefs do not trouble them, the happiness of others will torment them: and envy is more stinging than affliction.  
From it also doth it proceed, 
Foolish and vain desires.  that men desire always they know not what themselves: they are greedy to desire, but weak to put in Execution: as a Bird that doth covet to fly, but useth only one of her wings.  
Also men are distracted with contrary cogitations.  
One complaineth that his Wife is dead.  
Another that she will not dye.  
One mourneth for the loss of his children.  
Another that he hath some that be very wicked.  
One disturbed with business, praiseth domestic repose, and that opinion of Saul, who did rather affect to live obscurely in the basest poverty, then to be exalted to the highest Dignity.  
Another being excluded from public command, doth notwithstanding break his own neck to attain it. Every thing doth seem to us beautiful, but that which we have; and nothing delighteth us, but that which we cannot obtain. Nothing doth so much rejoice us, as the hurt of another man: of some decay in Fortune we smile; but it grieveth us to see him receive any Honour.  
In this vanity of thoughts, and uncertainty of desires, doth appear a great weakness of spirit: for our affections are swayed more by gestures, and external appearance, then by the thing itself. Like unto some Spectators at a Tragedy, who notwithstanding that they know the argument to be fabulous, & nothing concerning them, do weep out of compassion, when as they will not shed a tear for their own unfeigned griefs.  
Some there be also that hang themselves out of despair, 
Despair animates man to hasten the destruction.  which the selfsame hour would have run away from the thrust of a sword, because that this last kind of Death cometh accompanied with horror and fear, whereas the former is so quickly dispatched, that the sight of it doth nothing amaze one. Opinions do more govern us, than the things themselves: many do sometimes eat meat which they know not, and yet they find it pleasing to the taste; but after, when some one hath told them what it is, 
The strong operation of conceit.  their conceit will make them so sick at heart, that they will vomit it up again.  
Some others have more fear of a Mouse, or a Hem, or a Toad, then of a sword; certainly such peevish weakness, or fantastical actions do govern our imaginations.  
Truly I know not how, but men study to deceive themselves. Some one will recite a tale for truth, which he knoweth to be most false, and that so often, and with so great assurance, that himself in fine doth believe it.  
A Husband that knoweth his Wife to be deformed, notwithstanding, because she is painted and disguized, will begin to persuade himself that she is fair, and she herself will believe it, and think to be reputed so.  
How many be there which believe in a Religion, because they will believe it, which contest against their own sense, which say among themselves, that surely is absurd, and not agreeable with the Scripture, I will have it thus, and will believe so. This is to have a constrained belief, not to have his will subjected to Religion, but Religion to his will.  
The infirmity of man's judgement doth especially show itself in Religion: for what he thinketh touching the service of God, doth manifestly appear by his exterior actions. In matters of news we do sooner believe one that hath seen it, than the common report.  
But in matters of Religion it is contrary, for most do follow the vulgar opinion, which is as much as to maintain that which is most absurd, and then to hide himself amongst the multitude.  
Observe many other things, 
The vain and superstitious follies of ignorant Idolaters.  which any may easily perceive to be most ridiculous:  
As to clothe in Silk and Gold the images of men; while that a poor Beggar goeth naked, which is the Image of God.  
To wear a Cross hanging down upon the belly, while that the belly is an enemy to the Cross of Christ.  
In going to a Bawdy-house, or returning from some wicked fact, to say certain Pater-nosters.  
To kneel down at the box which keepeth the Host, when it returneth empty from some sick body, as when it went full.  
To adore the Host passing by a little box, and not to respect it in a man's body, which is come newly from receiving it.  
To make their Creator with words, 
Gross errors which like a foggy mist blind and confound the sight and sense of men.  and presently to devour him with their teeth.  
To be insolent and debauched one day before Lent; and the next day following to be very grave and sorrowful. 
Adherents of the Church of Rome.   
To employ their blessed Beads for to obtain remission of their sins.  
After the death of any great Personage, to clothe with black the Image of our Lady, to the end that she may participate of their griefs.  
To whip themselves in public, for to content God, or to release a soul out of Purgatory. In honour of the Saints, to burn Candles in the midst of the day.  
To conclude, man hath forged many strange things in his brain, and would have God to approve them. Nay, he is come to that pass, that he doth assume to himself the distribution of Offices in Paradise, making one Protector of a Country, another a healer of some particular disease, as if little Ants had power to dispose of affairs belonging to the Crown of France.  
This is also a vanity of vanities, and an extreme imbecility of judgement.  
Ourselves which have the true Word of God for a rule to frame our actions by, are not exempted: and our folly and vanity doth mix itself with our best actions. For in our civil actions, if we have need of counsel, we presently address ourselves to some friends. But in matters of Gods divine service, we take counsel of our minds, and concupiscences, which are our domestical enemies.  
If money be due unto us from one, we had rather always have the money than his promise: in celestial matters it is contrary. For the holy Gospel is an obligation, by which God hath promised us salvation, and hath sealed it with the blood of his Son: but we had rather keep the obligation, then receive the payment, 
We must not think to make with our wealth and worldly riches a composition and truce with Death; for Nature requires a tribute at our hands.  which is due at the day of death: nay, we do endeavour to prolong the date of it.  
Some do record in the Emperor Honorius, a great simplicity, and childish weakness: that having a Hen, nominated by him, Rome, which he did cherish, and so infinitely affect, that when one came unto him, and said that his Rome was lost, he answered very sorrowfully, Alas! she was here but even now. But the other replying, said, And it please your Highness, I speak not of a Hen, but of your City of Rome, which hath been surprised, and sacked by Alario Goth. 
* A Simile worthy of observation.  The Emperor hearing this, was somewhat comforted, thinking that loss to be more tolerable.  
Such is our simplicity, we will not suffer one to touch our riches, but 
a We are so rooted in this world's abomination, that we prefer a minute of worldly pleasure, before heaven's everlasting joys, incomprehensible and immutable.  we will endure any to entice us to Vice; to seduce us into error, and to poison our souls.  
It is a great folly to refuse a medicine, because the Physician is not eloquent: Why do we not then make account and estimation of the preaching of the Gospel, if the Preacher be not eloquent, seeing that the holy Gospel is the medicine of our souls?  
Is it not then an extreme brutishness, for some vicious person to slighten the holy Writ, because it is not adorned with Flowers of Rhetoric? What is the reason then, that the Word of God doth please us, if it be not decked with Flowers, and composed with Art, seeing that it is that sacred work, and Doctrine of Reconciliation with God? We do not receive willingly the correction of our Parents, if it be not very mild. This is also a vanity, distaste, and childish humour.  
Touching our judgement which we have of others, either in esteeming, or contemning them, it is most vain, and ridiculously ignorant.  
For if there be a question about burdens, we account him most strong, which can carry the heaviest. On the contrary, about quarrels we esteem him the most valiant, which can bear nothing; attributing force and valour to weakness and impatience.  
In matters of ornament, we do not judge of the goodness of a sword, by the beauty of a scabbard: nor of the metal of a Horse, by the fairness of a Bridle and Saddle. 
Men ought not to be regarded not respected for their gallant and gorgeous apparel only, but more for their virtues.  Why do we then measure our estimation of a man, either by his good or bad apparel? And if it be necessary that we salute one for the stuff of his clothes which he weareth; why do we not salute the same stuff in the Shops? Why do we judge discreetly in the estimation of vain and trivial things; when as in a matter of such importance, as of the estimation of man, we are most void of reason? So some do respect a Merchant, or Rent-gatherer, because he summeth up exactly his accounts, when he liveth in such fashion, that he cannot give an account unto God.  
Some labour to till their Gardens, and other grounds, and by it win much praise; when as themselves are barren, & bring forth no fruit of good works.  
We are much vain and childish in our fears, as in any other thing. For as little Infants do play with fire & burn themselves, but fear when they see their Father coming, masked with a frowning countenance towards them: So men desiring to dally with pleasures, 
Man Iulled in the Labyrinth of pleasures, knows not how to get out.  because of their lustre, at the length lose themselves amongst them: yet notwithstanding they fear God their Father, when he cometh unto them under the mask of afflictions or death.  
Also man doth engender in himself either foolish or pernicious fears.  
Some one being jealous that his wife doth affect others, endeavoureth to espy and search out that which he feareth to find: and by this means angreth her so, that she seeketh to be revenged, in such nature which he formerly suspected.  
Some other fearing to live without honour, committeth such things as subject his body to some cruel torment, and staineth the memory of him with perpetual infamy.  
Some other feareth the want of riches, 
The custom of the world.  but he shall want it, and dye without it.  
Some again feareth he shall die before marriage, 
Marriage without love and means, breeds the most woeful experience of a miserable life.  but God well observes that time, and by wedlock will make him twice miserable.  
When I consider what humane wisdom is, I find it agreeable to the industry of Moles, which dig underground with much dexterity, but are blind when they come into the Sun.  
So we have much skill in earthly affairs, to sell, to covenant, and to supplant any one.  
But take one of these men which is is most subtle in these things, 
Worldlings most wise in knowing the way to get riches: but to seek after the riches of Heaven dull Animals.  and bring him to the brightness and light of the holy Gospel, and there he is altogether blind, and of a self-conceit will continue so.  
For during the time that he doth foresee future events, and alterations of estate, he is ignorant of his own destruction: while that he discourseth on the affairs of Kingdoms, he is a Slave to the Devil: And notwithstanding that blind judgement of his, dareth contest against the Euer-living GOD, the folly and foolishness of the children of darkness, against the Divine wisdom of the Father of Light; and the discretion of man, against the Providence of the Almighty. For the wicked do cover themselves with silence, craft, and dissimulation: Like unto little children, which think that they are sufficiently hidden, when their eyes are closed; Believing that no body seeth them, when they see no body. But in the mean time, God perceiveth them both naked, and uncovered; yea, better than they themselves. For God is not only all hand, in holding and conducting the whole Universe: but also all eye, in seeing and discerning all things in it. The thickest bodies are to him transparent; and darkness itself, is to him light: and therefore the Prophet David doth justly reprehend that foolish wisdom in the 94. Psalm, where he saith: Understand ye unwise among the people, and ye fools, when will ye be wise? He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? or he that form the eye, shall he not see?  
Now, in this place he calleth them unwise, not which are fools, and run up and down the streets: nor those private and particular men, which are without Office; nor the heavy-spirited Commons; but such as are crafty, and manage affairs with dexterity, thinking by their sagacity, to cover themselves from the wisdom of God: or to dazzle the eyes of his providence sacred: Like unto the most dangerous Agues, which are under the appearance of Coldness: So the most ridiculous folly, is that which lieth under the appearance of wisdom.  
It behoveth also the Faithful to exercise his meditation, and to be a spectator of the actions and thoughts of men, and of all the unprofitable labours of his life: For it is in humane life, as in a Fair, where there cometh two sorts of people; one for to buy and sell, the other only to see.  
Man that feareth God, is like to one of those which come to see: he is not there idle, and to search nothing, but to contemplate the work of God, and humane actions. 
Omnia sub sole vanitas.   
But he may say (when he hath seen all the delights that the curious vanity of men can show forth)  
O how many things are there in this world, which I have nothing to do withal? What if during this contemplation, some one doth justle or throng upon him, or if one cut his purse, that it do afflict, or deprive him of any thing? All that such a one will do, is, to go out of that company; and knowing himself to be a stranger in this world, will travel toward his Country, where that Celestial Habitation is; pressing always, (as the Apostle saith) towards the mark, for the price of the high calling of God, in Christ jesus.  
If the world contemn him, he will contemn that contempt, as knowing himself better then the world, and to be called to a better hope: 
Happy the man that follows this blessed example.  he will esteem the promised allurements of the world, vain; the occupations of men, base and importunate: and, according to the example of Mary, in the tenth of Luke, he will choose the good part, which shall not be taken from him: concluding all his meditations after the same manner as Solomon doth in the end of Ecclesiastes: The end of all is the fear of God, and the keeping of his Commandments: for in it is comprised the sum of man's being.  
Now therefore after all this meditation, let us rest ourselves upon these two Maxime's and Propositions, which are the true foundation that zeal is grounded upon.  
The first is, for to love God, it behooveth to contemn the world.  
The second is, that for to contemn the world, it is necessary for the Faithful to know his own worth, nobleness, and excellency of vocation.  
The first Maxim is taken out of S. john, in his first Epistle: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world:  
If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him: For all things that are in the world (as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life) is not of the Father, but is of the world: And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that fulfilleth the will of God, abideth for ever.  
Nothing doth so far separate us from the love of God, as our affection to the world; seeing that the holy Scripture, for to admonish us, doth call the world, The Kingdom of the Devil.  
But as the Moon hath no light but from the Sun; so, our souls have not any light, but by the regard of God; and by a consequent, neither more nor less: But even as the Moon doth lose her light, when she is hidden within the shadow of the earth; so also do our souls lose their brightness, (for they are called in the holy Scriptures, The children of light) when they molest and wrap themselves within the shadow of earthly things, cares and worldly concupiscences: which we ought to tread under our feet, according to the example of the Church; which, as it is written in the 12. of the Apocalypse, hath under her feet the Moon; that is, the mutable instability of these inferior things.  
To this purpose jesus also would that the penny should be restored to Caesar, because that it had his Image on it.  
Let us therefore then give ourselves to God, seeing that we bear his own Image.  
But the inconvenience is, that we do often abolish the Image, in rubbing it against the earth, and polluting our souls with worldly thoughts and desires.  
That we may therefore contemn the earth, and all that the world doth promise, it requireth that we come to the second point, which is, to know perfectly what the worth and excellency of the faithful is. For when as men by an unfriendly amity, and cruel well-willing, 
The world's a Where, full of deceitfulness.  do solicit some one to do ill, which hath the fear of God, and to offend his Conscience, in offending God, it behooveth the faithful to think in himself: 
There is no true friendship but among good men, very scant in this Age.  What? I that am a Child of God, and am of a celestial nobleness; that am one of the firstborn, whose names are registered in Heaven! shall I esteem the promises of the world, which when they are most certain, they are too base for me to meditate on? To delude the son of a Prince with an Apple; To entice with Silver the Son of the King of Heaven: to offend his Father; and after the example of Esau, to sell my birthright for a mess of pottage? Such persuasions shall not by any means possess me: God will not afflict me with so great a blindness. We are unworthy to be followers of CHRIST, if we do not esteem ourselves to be better than the world.  
Was it not for the love of the faithful, that the world was framed? 
God in his infinite mercy ruinates the building of sin in the body, to rebuild the Soul an everlasting Mansion in Heaven.  Will not God ruinate it again, for to re-edify for them a fair house in Heaven, where shall be the fullness of glory? For this Heaven or climate, is inferior to the worth and dignity of the children of God.  
You that fear God, and trust in his Son, know, that it is you that underprop the world, and that nourish the wicked in it.  
Therefore the enemies of God are bound in obligation to you. For he doth conserve the world out of a respect, which he hath towards his chosen and elect, whereof some are mixed among the evil, and others are yet unborn. It is written in the sixth of the Apocalypse; That GOD doth attend, until our fellow-servants be accomplished.  
And therefore this is one of the reasons why that Christ doth call the faithful, The salt of the earth; which is as much as a little part amongst men, which conserveth the rest, and delayeth their destruction.  
For God conserveth the sinful, because of the good, to the end that they should serve as medicines to them; and that the might and power of our Adversaries might serve to compel us to the fear of God, and to trust in his promises.  
Such being the excellency of Gods elect above the rest: it behooveth us to respect the pleasures, riches, and greatness of the world, as things that are most ridiculous, and as the painted kingdoms which the Devil showed unto Christ.  
Like those which from the highest part of the Alps, 
The Alps be inexasible high & great Mountains, which divide France from Italy.  do look into Campania, where the greatest Cities seem like unto little Cottages; how much less and base will they seem then, if they were discerned from Heaven? From thence therefore it behooveth that the faithful contemplate humane things, and that he transport instantly his heart to Heaven, since that there is his treasure.  
And considering from thence the Palaces of Princes, he will esteem them as habitations of Ants, and the turbulent murmuring of men, as the buzzing of an angry swarm of Bees, and contemplating from thence, what things are most great and apparent in the earth, he will say, The vanity of vanities, all is vanity.  
That holy glory will not hinder Christian humility. For we knowing the worthiness of ourselves, do find our dignity in jesus Christ.  
If Repentance doth humble us, Faith doth exalt us.  
If we are nothing before God, we are somewhat in God, & in his fatherly affections.  
And therefore in this the faithful are contrary to worldly men: for they do lift their eyes to heaven by too much pride, but press down their heart on the earth with Avarice and Incontinency: whereas the godly on the contrary, hath his eyes upon the earth by humility, as the Publican which durst not lift his eyes to Heaven, but hath his heart in Heaven by faith and hope. The contempt of this world proceeds not out of a love to himself, but out of a true affection to God.    

THE MISERY OF MAN'S FRAIL AND NATURAL INCLINATION AND Of the Wickedness and Perverseness that now reigneth in this wretched AGE.  
COnsidering to myself the miseries of Humane condition, my mind and spirit is so confounded with diversity of thoughts, that I enter (as it were) into a Labyrinth of confusion, whose issue is most difficult. For if I settle my considerations upon Nature, humane qualities or effects, those three objects do so obfuscate my powers, that all the knowledge that I can gather, is impossibility never to attain to the perfect knowledge of the numberless number of those miseries, mis-haps, and vanities affected, as inseparable to humane kind; and to that end do challenge all the most profound and serious senses of the wisest and most learned men, 
Man borne in misery & most miserable even from his Cradle.  to effect the definition thereof. Let them consider from its source & original; yea, even from the Cradle, where humane nature shall be found senseless, deprived from the usage of all the noblest faculties of the Soul; and so weak, wretched, and capable only of tears and weep; expressing thereby in complaining her miseries, which do increase faster than she grows in years: She hath no sooner given over the Milk of her Nurse, but she begins to go, or rather to fall, sith her going is in danger of sore hurts by a continual experience in falling. Can she go? She knows not whither to go, but must have a conduct during the time of her second Infancy: what form of bringing up soever she takes upon her, the first impressions thereof are most costly, in respect of the time, and their labour and trouble which have the care thereof, which is incredible. For as she receives some document of worldly science and discipline, which if it be a true doctrine, will instruct her, that whatsoever qualities, sciences, and learning she possesseth, yet she is still ignorant, and knows (in a manner) nothing, and all that she knows not, can never be by her learned or conceived, although she have so many lives, as this world abounds with creatures.  
And which is more, 
Man's life assaultod by peril I and eminent dangers.  she hath not so soon escaped, and passed over the perils of her Youth, but she cometh and entereth into those infinite dangers of her ripe age: and that which is most deplorable, and lamentable, is, that in that fiery and burning age, she utterly consumes & wastes herself. Or if she escape, & moderates the fury & violence of the heat of that age, it is but for a time for what way so ever she treads Nature, she still approaches near unto death, being always in the ready way to her grave, where by degree, time hunts her under the conduct of old age, not without many crosses, sorrows, and tribulations; for she must pass through cruel and tedious straits of anguish and miseries, no less innumerable, then infinite; which astonisheth and wears out, even the most constant, who are in a manner not able to endure them with patience.  
If we will see the body of this Tree, we must break the bark of our condition: for it is the true portraiture of ourselves, and so we may clearly apprehend it with the very same reason; considering what an infinite number of mis-haps, miseries, and mischiefs we are subject unto in this transitory world, that the infinity of them is impossible to be related: for if examples be vain to manifest it unto us by comparison, our imbecility in expressing it alone, may be in some fashion eloquent: for to treat some part thereof, and that wherewith the afflicted are most comforted, is, through the assurance they have that all men together are subject to the like miseries, and ill fortunes, except none but those who are not yet borne, or those, who in their Cradle ending their lives, find their Sepulchers: otherwise let the most happy and the most contented man that now liveth on earth gainsay it, alleging this for his reason, that he knows not what mis-haps and miseries mean, and that in so sweet ignorance he hath passed not only the spring of his Youth, but likewise the Summer, and part of the Winter of his age, that it is well hitherto, but it is without consequence, times past can conclude nothing of the future; and though it seemeth to this happy man, that although crosses, troubles, tribulations, and miseries, should as it were assault him in the end of his race, time should be wanting to make durable and lasting the grief of his evils and afflictions: Forasmuch as death doth always and lawfully succeed old age, which should hinder and interrupt the course and proceeding thereof: but to that I will truly answer without many needless proofs: for surety that his last day only is able sufficiently to make him feel and have trial of the most cruel and sensiblest grief & torments, wherewith any mortal body can be vexed: therefore the most fortunate man that is, cannot account himself happy, but at the end of his raceis sith oftentimes before an haven Town many suffer shipwreck, that have escaped miraculously many eminent dangers, in the midst of Storms and Tempests.  
But to proceed further, 
No man free from sorrows & miseries.  I say, that although there were such a man found in this world, of so happy condition, as to have always sailed in the ship of his life, in this rough and inconstant Sea of the earth, with the agreeable winds of his desire, and without the least dangers, but rather continually to have enjoyed a sweet and immutable calm; yet notwithstanding, this kind of life full of Roses, 
There is a time preordained for every thing.  will prove full of Thorns at his death, in considering, that loss and deprivation of all those pleasures, do produce and bring forth cruel sorrows and griefs to the possessor thereof, whose mind will be so extremely vexed and tormented, that his pains and sufferings can be rather endured, then expressed: which may easily be proved by the continual experience that we have in worldly things; by this Maxim, the greater the contentments are, the more extreme is the displeasure and anguish in the depravation of them, even as gain and profit produce feelings of joy; so loss and damage by different effects, breed sensible torments and griefs: which moves me to conclude, according to my first Propositions, that there is no life, although never so happy, that can be free and exempted from sorrows and miseries: and to add my opinion to it, I hold, that the most unfortunate, are the happiest, considering the conclusion and end of all things; how the calm follows still the tempest; the day succeeds the night; fair weather, rain; and joy is still attended with annoy and sorrows, according to the maxim of Heaven & Earth: all the difference there is, is, that this world's happiness and joys are temporal, and limited; and in the other World, eternal and infinite.  
But to return to our condition: to make it appear unto you all together wretched & miserable; we must consider how time plays with it; sometimes raising us as it were to prosperity, & in a moment casting us headlong into adversity; it serveth for a Mark to aim and level at, and an habitation and lodging of all evils: For hope deceives our condition; vanity flouts it; ambition mocks it; vices are her beloved children, and virtues her greatest enemies: pleasure cheats her; the flesh tempts her; riches commands her, as her Sovereign; and finally, the Devil maintains a continual war with her until her end.  
Let us judge then if pride and arrogancy become us well, considering all these our infirmities and defaults. We must not therefore wonder, 
Humility, the Queen of Virtues.  if Humility be the Queen of all other virtues, sith Arrogancy hath been, and is still Princess of Vices. 
Pride, the Princess of Vice.  I hold opinion with that worthy Philosopher, which in one lesson only taught all sorts of Sciences, comprehended & abridged in that admirable precept and instruction of Cognosce Teipsum; and truly who in that knowledge is not ignorant, and that in knowing himself, will avow that he doth not perfectly know himself. The way that we lead to arrive at this blessed journey's end unto which we aspire, is most long and tedious. So that it were much better for us to arm ourselves with a generous resolution, to forsake the world, before it doth leave and abandon us; for the soon we can, will be late enough, to execute so glorious an enterprise: For when I think and behold the miserable state of this transitory world, and how it is infected with all sorts of execrable sins, a trembling horror unties my body's ligatures, my very knees beat together, and I could unfeignedly wish my sinnowy structure, to be transformed, into a lump of snow, that the ardour of my soul's vexation, might dissolve it into penitential tears: for men do act sin with an avaricious appetite, and all varieties of abominations are lifted to their Arctic point. Doth not Satan coin them so fast, as men would willingly put them in practice? Did pride ever so strut it upon the Tiptoes, as now it doth?  
Can the Devil, out of his shape of fashions, lay open more Antike-like forms than are forged on the Anvil of man's invention? In Court, the Nobility are hardly distinguished from their followers. In City, the Merchant is not known from his Factor. In Country, the Gentry cannot be descried or described from the Rustic; and in general, the body public is so endeavoured with the Leprosy of that garish Strumpet, Pride, as there is scarce any difference between Countess and Courtesan; Lady, and Chambermaid; Mistress, and greasy Kitchen Wench; Gentleman, and Mechanic. As for Knight and Taylor, there goes but a pair of Sheares betwixt them. How many misspend and profusely lavish their forenoon's hours, in the curious pranking of their sinne-polluted bodies! but how few reserve one poor brace of minutes, wherein to provide spiritual indewments to houze their naked sinful souls! Never was the Apophthegm of old Bias the Philosopher more verified, then in these our frantic times.  
Most men carry their wealth about with them, not as Bias did, in learning and virtue; but upon their back in gorgeous apparel. Women do so commonly sophisticate their beauties, that one (though Linceus-sighted) can hardly judge, whether they possess their own faces, or no? and, which is more than most lamentable, every snowy-headed Matron, every toothless Mumpsimus, that one may see the sun go to bed thorough the furrows of her forehead, must have her box of odoriferous Pomatum, and glittering Stibium, wherewithal to parget, white-lime, and complectionate her rumpled cheeks, till she looks as smug as an handsome painted Close stool, or rotten post. But as for them that lap up their bodies in the pleasant mists of aromatic perfumes, let them withal swallow this Pill: Within a sweet and civet lurking body, often is imprisoned a loathsome stinking soul.  
Murder is accounted but manly revenge, and the desperate Stabber cares no more to kill a man, then to crack a Flea. Usury and Extortion are held laudable vocations; Covetousness is styled thrift; Luxury and whoredom are reputed but youthful tricks: And as for Drunkenness, why that's a tolerable recreation: Do not men pursue it with such inordinate affection, that they oft neglect their functions, bid farewell to that domestic care they ought to entertain; dislodge that humane providence which should be shut up in the Cabinet of their reasonable part, and solely prostitute themselves to quotidian carousing, till their breaths smell no sweeter than a Brewer's apron, whilst their families are wrung and gripped in the clutches of poverty, locked up, and imprisoned from those necessary supplements, which should keep both breath and body together at union? This is a worthy Father's opinion: That a man possessed with a Devil, may be thought to be in a more hopeful state than a Drunkard: for albeit that he be possessed, yet is it compulsively, and against his will; but the Drunkard wholly adopts and dedicates himself, with all the powerful faculties of his soul, voluntarily to the service of Satan. S. Augustine likewise describes three fearful properties in a Drunkard: It confounds nature, saith he, loseth grace, and consequently, incurs Gods wrathful indignation to be poured out upon the imbracer thereof.  
Swearing, and blaspheming Gods great and glorious Name, is reckoned for a moral virtue, the grace of birth and honour, the cognizance of an highbred spirit.  
What Christian can refrain, (that hath any spark of Divine intellect in him) to unsluce the floodgate of his eyes, and let his melting heart gush through with tears; when in the streets he shall hear little Children, scarce able to go, or speak, to be understood; volley forth most fearful oaths, and with such proclivity, as if they had been tutored in their mother's wombs; whilst their parents standing by, offer not to check them, with so much as a sour reproof; but seeming rather to solace themselves in their children's sins, and delight in their own damnations: like those who die in a Sardinian laughter? If the penal Law of Lodovicus were put in practice; who hearing one swear, seared up his lips with an hot iron) scarce ten, in as many Parishes, but would be glad to be in league with the Apothicaries' lippe-salue. How many miraculous judgements hath God shot out against the blasphemers of his sacred Name; whose instances would be too prolixious? What sin can be more damnable, & yet more practised? None can sooner plunge the soul into the implacable gulf of perdition, and yet no sin, by intentive endeavour, more easy to be cropped off, and weeded up: for that it is no incidental issue of natural corruption, but an accidental monster, inegndred of corrupted custom. A learned Father confesseth, That at every other word he once used to swear, but at length, endeavouring to lock up the door of his lips, to set watch before his tongue; employing divine assistance therein, and entreating moreover his friends to smite him with the rod of reprehension; in forty days he utterly lost the abusive use thereof: So that now, saith he, nothing is more easy to me, than not to swear at all.  
It is recorded, that Lewis the 7. King of France, diuulged an Edict, that whosoever was known to war against heaven with oaths, should be branded in the forehead, as a capital offender: Should not then every Christian labour to set a watch before his mouth, & keep the door of his lips, that no rebellious words sally forth against his Creator? If not for fear of temporal justice, yet, lest the God of justice should brand his soul with the dreadful stigme of eternal damnation, which no salve can heal, Haliacmons' Flood wash out, nor length of time wear off. O lamentable▪ when the Turks and Ethnics outstrip us in their cloudy and ignorant zeal: they will dispute in the heart of their highest Streets, about their Alcoran, and Mahometish religion, with holy intended devotion. But what voice is heard in our Streets? Nought, but the squeaking out of those obscene and light jigs, stuffed with loathsome and unheard-of ribaldry, sucked from the poisonous dugs of sinne-swelled theatres; controversal conferences about richest beer, neatest wine, or strongest Tobacho, wherein to drown their souls, and draw meager diseases upon their distempered bodies.  
And tell them moreover, that by their nocturnal superfluities, and insatiable quaffings, they set but feathers in Times wings, and (as a worthy homebred Author saith) spur but the galloping horse; hasten on their speedy deaths, and dig their own untimely graves.  
More have recourse to playing houses, then to praying Houses; where they set open their ears and eyes, to suck up variety of abominations, bewitching their minds with extravagant thoughts, and benumbing their souls with insensibility, whereby sin is become so customary to them, as, that to sin, with them is deemed no sin at all: consonant to that Theological Maxim; The custom of sinning, taketh away the very sense and feeling of sin. And semblable to Pythagoras his conceit of the Spherical harmony: Because (saith he) we ever hear it, we never hear it.  
Many set fair outside colours upon their profession of religious honesty, but being strictly looked into by the penetrating eye of practice and performance, prove seldom died in grain. Some glitter like gold in their conversation, but put once to the Touch, are found but counterfeit Alchemy. Others will needs seem a substantial body in integrity of life; but shaken and sifted with the hand of trial, become but an Anatomy of bones.  
To give alms, is thought but a fantastical ceremony, and to refresh the comfortless Lazarus, is deemed but the maintenance of idle and exorbitant vagabounds. O where is Charity fled? Is she not whipped & foisted out of great men's Kitchens, glad to keep Sanctuary in straw-cloathed Cottages? Are not larger benevolences often distributed at the door of one russet-clad Farmer, then at ten mighty men's Gates? The Magnificoes of this world rear up sumptuous buildings, only for show and ostentation; whiffing more smoke out of their noses then their chimneys; and it begets more wonder to see them shake down their bounty into the poor man's lap, then to see a Court-Lady unpainted, or to find an open-fisted Lawyer, that without a Bribe will faithfully prosecute his Client's cause. Notwithstanding all this, so parsimonious are they in their domestic provision, that not a Rat of any good education, but scorns to keep house with them.  
In those golden times of yore, Charity was the rich man's Idol: for they did emulate each other in supplying the Widow's want; in comforting the Orphans misery; and in refreshing the Travellers weariness.  
And it was their earthly Summum bonum, to be open-hearted and handed to each hungry stranger: This inscription commonly engraved upon the front of their gates:  O gate, stand open to all, be shut to none. 
But in these our modern days, they can cunningly transpose the point, and and thus pervert the sense, Stand open (gate) to none, be shut to all.  
Do not these heaven-tempting Nimrods' depopulate and level with the ground whole towns, crowd and justle many honest and ancient Farmers out of their Demesne, devastate their Possessions, and expose them with their Wives, Children and Families, to be Comrades with palefaced beggary, only to lay the Basis of their Babel-out-braving Palaces, abillimented with Punkish outsides, to cheat the speedy approaching Traveller of his hungry hopes, as Zeuxis did the silly Birds with his lively-limbed Grapes: as if they be in-lined with acquaint garnishing, and costly furniture, & beautified with curious pencild pieces, whereon thy eye may glut itself by gazing, yet perhaps mayst thou be chap-faln for want of victuals?  
These glittering objects are the Medusa's that inchant the violent instigations, that spur on young luxurious heirs to hurl out their Angle to catch their father's lives, and languishingly to long, till they see their mossie-bearded Sires topple up their heels into their graves.  
And when their Fathers surrender up their breaths to him from whom it was first diffused: then do they mourn (forsooth) though ceremonially, not for that they are dead, but because they died no sooner.  
The premises preconsidered; what can be expected then, but an imminent desolation, or conclusive dissolution of this foolish doting world, since universally it is but an indigested Chaos of outrageous enormities? Religion is made the Canopy to shroud the putrefaction of Hypocrisy, and it's grown the highest Maxim in mundane policies, to seem (not be) religious: equall-handed justice is rushed aside, by stubborn authority, and all Moral virtues embraced in their contraries.  
How long then (most mild & more merciful God) wilt thou forget to be just! Oh how long wilt thou shut up the vessels of thy wrath, and protract revenge? Art thou not the powerful God of justice? how canst thou then be any thing but thyself? What infinities of sins are shot up to Heaven against thee? Yet still and still thou wooest us with the heavenly breath of thy holy Gospel, uncovering those inexpressible wounds thou receivedst for our Redemption from sin, and Satan, that we might with pitiful commiseration behold them, and uncessantly crying out unto us: How oft (O my dear children, whom I have bought with the price of my most precious blood) would I have gathered you together, even as the Hen doth her Chickens, and yet, nor yet, you will not be collected!  
How oft hath he thundered and knocked at the doors of our hearts, with the power of his Spirit, to wake from the profound Ecstasm oh f soul-killing sins! yet still lie we snorting on the bed of security, and cannot be roused.  
How often, O how often hath he outstretched his all-saving hand, to heave and help us out of the slimy mud of our impieties! yet still lie we grovelling and overwhelmed in the insensible Lethargy of abominable transgressions.  
How many warning-pieces hath he discharged upon us! How oft hath he displayed his milk-white Ensigns of peace unto us! What devouring plagues; what fires; what inundations, what unseasonable Seasons, what prodigious Births, what unnatural Meteors, what malevolent Conjunctions, what ominous apparitions, what bloody assassinations of mighty Kings: what Rapes, what Murders, what fraudulencies betwixt brother and brother? what horrible conspiracies by sons against fathers? All these sent as Heralds against us, yet will we not come and be reconciled.  
These prodigious precursions, or precursive prodigies, should deter each humane creature from spurning against his Creator. These pre-monitions should instruct us, that God's dreadful vengeance waits at our doors & like a starved Tiger gapes for our destruction: And notwithstanding he do for a while foreslowe to let fall his flaming rod of fiery indignation upon us, yet is the Axe already laid to the root of the tree, and God must and will assuredly come to judgement; seeing that now not any of those ancient predictions mystically pointed out unto us, in the soule-saving Writ by the holy Prophets, remain unfinished, but only the final destruction of that Romish seven-headed Monster, together with the recollection of the vagabond jews, into the sheepfold of jesus Christ.  
Doth not an uncouth terror seize upon a man, when in the depth or noon of night this sudden and vnthought of outcry of fire, fire, shall fill his affrighted ears, and chase him out of his soft and quiet slumbers; whereat skipping from his easeful bed, and distractedly gazing through the Casement, shall behold his own house o're-spred with a bright-burning flame, and himself together with his Wife and Children, servants goods and all, most liable to the devouring rapacity of imminent danger? O consider then, wicked man, how thy soul will be beleaguered with anguish and horror, when in that last and terrible Day thou shalt behold with thy mortal eyes, the Cataracts of heaven, unsluced, and hushing showers of sulphurous fires disperse themselves through all the corners of the earth and air: the whole Universe o're-canoped with a remorseless flame; when thou shalt see the great and glorious judge appear triumphantly in the skies, whilst mighty-winged clouds of devouring flames fly before him, as Ushers to his powerful and terrible Majesty, attended with countless multitudes of beauteous Angels, golden winged Cherubims, and Seraphims, sounding their Trumpets, whose clamorous tongues shall affright the empty air, and call & awake the drowsy dead from their dark and dusky cabins, when thou shalt see the dissipated bones of all mortals since the Creation (concatenate and knit in their proper and peculiar form) amazedly start up, & in numberless troops flock together, all turning up their wondering eyes, to gaze upon their high and mighty Creator. Then, O then will thy conscience recommemorate afresh thy past committed sins, and with the corroding sting of guilt, will stab thorough thy perplexed soul. Then, O then, will it be too late to wish the Mountains to fall upon thee; for they themselves for fear would shrink into their Centre. Alas, it cannot then be available to woe the waters to swallow thee, for they would be glad to disclaim their liquid substance, and be reduced to a nullity. What will it boot thee then to entreat the earth to entomb thee in her dankish womb, when she herself will struggle to remove from her local residence, and to fly from the presence of the great judge? The air cannot muffle thee in her foggy vastity: for that will be clearly refined: in her will be celestial flames, before contaminated with humane pollution. In fine, how will thy soul tremblingly howl out, and break forth into bitter exclamations, when thou shalt hear that definitive, or rather infinitive sentence denounced against thee, I know thee not, Depart and go into everlasting torment, whilst Legions of devils, with horrid vociferations muster about thee, like croaking Ravens about some dead carcase waiting to carry thee?  
O thou Usurer, and thou that grindest the faces of the poor, thy gold cannot ransom thee. Then, thou mighty man that rackest the Widow, and circumuentest the Orphan of his successive right, thy honour cannot privilege thee: then, thou murderer, adulterer, and blasphemer, thy colourable excuses will not purge thee.  
Then, O thou uncharitable Churl, who never knewest, that a rich man treasures up no more of his riches, then that he contributes in Alms.  
Thou that never imbracedst the counsel of that reverend Father, who cries, Feed him that dies for hunger. Whosoever thou art that canst preserve, and wilt not, thou standest guilty of famishing: then I say, in that day shalt thou pine in perdition.  
Then, O thou luxurious Epicure, that through the five senses, which are the Cinque-Ports, or rather sinner-ports of thy soul, gulpest down delightful sin like water, they will be to thee like the Angel's books, sweet in thy mouth, but bitter in thy bowels.  
Then O thou gorbellied Mammonist, that pilest up & congestest huge masses of refulgent earth, purchased by all unconscionable courses, yet carriest nothing with thee but a Coffin and a winding sheet! Thy fair pretences will be like Characters drawn upon the Sands, or Arrows shot up to Heaven-ward, they cannot release thee from Satan's inexpiable servitude.  
Then O thou Cankerworm of commonwealth; thou Monster of Man; thou that puttest out the eye of justice with Bribes, or so closely shutst it, that the clamorous cry of the poor man's case cannot open it. Thou that makest the Law a nose of Wax, to turn and fashion it to thine own private end, to the utter disgrace of conscionable justice, and to the lamentable subversion of many an honest and upright cause: thy quirks, dilatory demurs, conveyances and connivences cannot acquit thee, but thou shalt be removed with a Writ, into the lowest and darkest dungeon of damnation. No, no, the Lord of heaven and earth (who is good in infiniteness, and infinite in goodness,) will winnow, garble and fan his corn, the choice wheat he will treasure up in the garners of eternal felicity; but the Chaff and Darnell must be burnt with unquenchable fire. There must you languish in torments unrelaxable; there must you fry and freeze in one selfe-furnace; there must you live in implacable and tenebrous fire, which, as Austin defines, shall give no light to comfort you.  
Then will you wish (though then too late) that you had been created loathsome Toads, or abhorred Serpents, that your miseries might have clozed up with your lives: but you must be dying perpetually, yet never dye, and which environs me with a trembling (terror) when you have languished in unexpressible agonies, tortures, gnash, and horrid howl ten thousand millions of years; yet shall you be as far from the end of your torments, as you were at the beginning.  
A confused model, and misty figure of hell have we conglomerate in our fancy, drowzily dreaming, that it is a place under earth uncessantly (Aetna-like) vomiting sulphurous flames: but we never pursue the meditation thereof so close, as to consider what a thing it is to live there eternally. For this adjunct, Eternal, intimates such infiniteness, as neither thought can attract, or supposition apprehend. And further, to amplify it with the words of a worthy Writer, though all the men that ever have or shall be created, were, Briareus-like, hundred-handed, and should all at once take pens in their hundred hands, and should do nothing else in ten hundred thousand millions of years, but sum up in figures as many hundred thousand millions as they could, yet never could they reduce to a Totall, or confine within number this Trisillable word, Eternal.  
Can any Christian then (upon due consideration hereof) forbear to prostrate himself with flexible humility before the glorious Throne of Grace, & there, with floods of unfeigned tears, repentantly abjure and disclaim the allurements of carnal corruption, the painted pleasures of the world, and the bitter sweetness of sin, which is the death's wound of his soul? for a Weapon wounds the body, and sin the soul: For what profits it a man to win the whole world, and lose his own soul? The soundest Method therefore, to prevent our exclusion from the Throne of God's mercy, is, to imagine, we still see him present in his justice, whatsoever, or when soever we attempt any black design: Let us but adumbragiously fancy (as one hath it) the Firmament to be his Face; the allseeing Sun, his right Eye; the Moon, his left; the Winds, the breath of his Nostrils; the Lightning and Tempests, the troubled action of his Ire; the Frost and Snow, his Frowns; that the Heaven is his Throne; the Earth his Footstool: that he is all in all things; that his omnipotence fills all the vacuities of Heaven, Earth, and Sea; that by his power, he can ungirdle and let lose the Seas impetuous waves, to o'erwhelm & bury this lower universe in their vast wombs, in a moment that he can let drop the blue Canopy (which hath nothing above it, whereto it is perpendicularly knit) or hurl thunderbolts thorough the tumorous clouds, to pash us precipitate through the centre, into the lowest dungeon of Hell.  
These allusive cogitations of Gods omnipotent Majesty, will curb in and snaffle us from rushing into damnable actions, if we unremovably seat them in our memories.  
Make then a covenant with thine eyes and heart, O man, lest they dote on earthly grass, surfeit on the sugared Pills of poisonous vanities, and so insensibly hurl down thy better part into the gulf of irrevocable damnation, if not for thyself sake, yet injure not thy Creator, who halh drawn thee by his own pattern, moulded thee in his own form; and, to make thee eternally happy, hath infused his own essence into thee; for thy soul, by the Philosopher's confession, is infusion celestial, no natural traduction, and in that respect another calls it an arrachment, or cantle, pulled from the celestial substance which cannot terminate itself within a lump of flesh: Even as the beams of the Sun, though they touch the earth, and give life to these inferior creatures, yet still reside in the body of the Sun whence they are darted: So thy soul, though it be seated either within the film of the brain, or confined in the centre of the heart, and converseth with the senses, yet it will still have being whence it hath its beginning.  
Remember then thy Creator in the days of thy youth, call upon him while it is called to day; for as the Poet no less sweetly then discreetly sung, Who knows o'er night that he next morn shall breathe? Then take David's Early in the morning, not the Devils Stay till to morrow: for thou knowest, God will bring thee to judgement, yet thou knowest not when, nor in what year, nor in what month of the year, nor in what week of the month, nor in what day of the week, nor in what hour of the day, nor in what minute of that hour, nor in what moment of that minute; for he will come like a thief in the night suddenly, before with a wink thou canst lock up thine eye, or in thy brain create the nimblest thought▪ Canst thou then hope to stand justified in thy Maker's presence, when thou hast crammed the devil with thy sap of strength, and full gorged him with the purest acorn Mast of thy siowy virility, if at last thou come limping on Times tottering crutches, to present unto him the off all husks, and morosity of thy doting decrepit age.  
What thank is it to pardon our enemies, when we cannot hurt them? to give away our goods, when we can enjoy them no longer? to abandon our pleasures, when we cannot use them? to forsake sin, when it bids farewell to us? and at last only to surcease to offend, when ability of offending is taken from us? No, no, he will then parallel thee with the sluggard, that never would acquire food till he was first starned, and rank thee with the sottish idiot, that could not know a fish, till he was already stung with a Scorpion: thy palsie-shaken prayers will be like cain's oblation, unacceptable to the Lord, and noisome to his nostrils. Thinkest thou to expiate God's justice, when thou hast prodigally swealed out the blazing lamp of thy brightest day in the Devil's chapel, if at last thou come creeping (when thy breath lies twinkling in the socket of thy nostrils) to set it up in God's Sanctuary, hoping then and there to have it replenished with his all-saving grace and mercy? O mock not thy soul with these deluding phantasmas: for as Alexander seeing one of his soldiers whetting his dart when others of his fellows went forth to fight, cashiered him, saying, he's unfit to bear arms, that hath them to make ready when he should skirmish: So will God send thee packing (as he did the foolish Virgins) with this retorsion, Thou comest disfurnished, with no oil in thy lamp, and thou deservest no mercy, that never desiredst it till now in misery. Gather thyself betimes then within the weapons of Faith, Hope, Charity, Repentance, and Perseverance, and let Prayer stand perpetual Sentinel: for if the Devil once get footing within thee, he will hardly be ejected, so wily is he in perverting thee, that thou canst not be too wary in preventing him; For as Iphicrates answered his General, (who asked him why he surrounded his soldiers with a Wall, when there was no fear of foeman's approach?) A man cannot be too provident in preventing obvious and occurrent dangers. So canst thou not be too cautelous in repelling the perilous stratagems of the Devil's assaults: therefore may I close up the precedency with that worthy saying of a more worthy Epigrammatist, No man needs fear, that fears before he needs. O cleanse and purify thy heart then by earnest prayer and powerful ciaculations, which is made the loathsome cage of sin, the silent receptacle of diabolical cogitations, and the dismal dungeon of malignant motions, that the Spirit of grace may there find harbour, and take delight to be thy inmate.  
Remember, O thou mighty man, that swelling titles of Honour are but the leaves of vanity.  
Remember, O thou rich man, that terrene and transitory pleasures are like the Bee, though they yield honey, yet carry they a sting, and are but as the Lilies of the earth, more delectable in show, then durable in continuance.  
Remember, O thou extortioner, thou cruel man, thou Murderer, thou Adulterer, thou deceitful man; thou unconscionably deteinest the hirelings wages; and thou that actest inexorable villainies secretly in the dark, imprisoned from the world's dull eye, that if the Eagle can discern, as one hath it, the Hare under the Bush, and the Fish under the Waves, much more can God, who is the Creator of creatures, penetrate the closet of thy heart, with his allseeing eye, and discern thy clandestine sinful practices before, and in their very conception, and for them he will bring thee to judgement.  
Remember, O thou that swayest the Sword of justice, to strike or save, as thou art suggested by thine own ends, profits, or affections, that though thy covert projects be not envulgard to the world's general eye; yet a day of Revelation will come, when all thy partial and private practices shall be stripped, eviscerate, and laid as apparently open, as the sheep upon the Gambrell.  
But now with reverence and Dovelike humility to you (which are jehovahs' Ambassadors) the light of the world, and salt of the earth, do I address my speech, mustered up in the meanest and mildest rank of words. O, I could wish that all of you stood without the list of that reprehension of Vices, which once an ancient and honest Historian twitted the Monks of Canterbury with. Some rise early in the morning, to see their hounds pursue the prey, but not to pray: some delight to catch Fowls, but not Souls; some take pleasure to cast a die well, but not cast to die well. Doth the wild▪ Ass bray, saith job, when he hath grass; or loweth the Ox when he hath fodder? But I dare not say, No more do some of you preach, when you have once got a Benefice. If there be any that entertain Religion with their Lord, preach the praise of their Patrons; preaching in the Pulpit, chatter in their Chambers, suiting their Linsey Wolsey professions▪ with their several ends: O let those remember how God met with a mischief that notorious Nestorius, who for his temporising inconstancy, set worms a work to eat out his tongue. O let them look into the Story of one Hecebolus, a Sophister, who accommodating his profession to the fashions of the Emperors, feigned himself in the days of Constantius, to be a most fervent Christian.  
But when julian the Apostata was Ruler, presently he turned Paynim, and in his Orations proclaimed julian a god. And when julian was dead in jovinians time, he would have turned back to Christianity. Whereupon for his mutability and lightness in his Religion, his horrid conscience drove him to the Church gates, and there hurling himself flat, cried and bellowed with a loud voice, Trample me under your feet unsavoury salt that I am; entirely wishing out of his soul's agony, that he had never seen the light; or at his conception, his tongue had been riveted to the roof of his mouth.  
Lastly and indefinitely to all; Remember so to live, as you still may be prepared for the stroke of Death: then will you desire to be dissolved, and to sleep in peace reclusively from the turbulent sea of earthy careful miseries, discerning clearly by the spiritual eye of understanding, that man's life is a wayfare, because it is short and a warfare, for that it is sharp, and that worldly delights are deceitful, and of no durability; like the waterserpent, no sooner bred, but dead. Collecting likewise out of humane experience, that the best life is but a weary and tedious pilgrimage, & feels no touch of true solace, till at the evening of his days he lodge at the Inn of death: for death is the path of life, a Gaole-delivery of the soul, a perfect health, the haven of heaven, the final victory of terrestrial troubles, an eternal sleep, a dissolution of the body, a terror to the rich, a desire of the poor, a pilgrimage uncertain, a thief of men, a shadow of life, a rest from travel, an Epilogue to vain delight, a consumption of idle desires, a scourge for evil, a guerdon for good: it dis-burdens us of all care, unmanacles and frees us from vexation, solicitude and sorrow.  
Of all those numberless numbers that are dead, never any one returned to complain of death, but of those few that live, most complain of life. On earth every man grumbles at his best estate.  
The very elements, whereby our subsistence or being, as the secondary cause, is preserved, conspire against us: the fire burns us; the water drowns us: the earth annoys us; and the air infects us; our days are laborious, our nights comfortless; the heat scorcheth us; the cold benumbs us; health swells us with pride; sickness empaleth our beauties; friends turn Swallows; they will sing with us in the Summer of prosperity, but in the winter of trial, they will take wings and be gone. Enemies brand our reputations with depraving imputations; and the envious man hurleth abroad his gins to ensnare our lives: who would then desire to live, where there is nothing that begets content? for this world is a Theatre of vanities, a Chaos of confusions, an Ambassador of mischief, a Tyrant to virtue, a breaker of Peace, a Favourite of War, a friend of Vices, a coiner of Lies, an Anuile of Novelties, a table of Epicurism, a furnace of Lust, a pitfall to the rich, a burden to the poor, a Cell of Pilgrims, a den of thieves, a calumniator of the good, a renowner of the wicked, a cunning Impostor, and a deceiver of all.  
How is the progress of poor proud man's life violently agitated (like the river Euripus) with contrarious motions? The pleasure of the wily world thus inveigles him; Come unto me, and I will drown thee in delight. The corruption of the luxurious flesh thus ingles him; Come unto me, and I will infect thee; the Devil he whispers this in his ear, Come unto me, and I will cheat and deceive thee: But our sweet and sacred Saviour jesus Christ, with persuasive inducements thus entreats him; Come unto me (I pray thee) that art heavy laden, and I will receive and exonerate thee, and with the mighty arm of my mercy and compassion lift off that unsupportable load, which crusheth down to Hell thy groaning soul.  
Study then to live as dead to the world, that thou mayst live with God: for the just man is said, never to live till after death. Endeavour thyself to march fair through this world's Labyrinth, not to squander and look asquint upon the Circean allurements thereof. But without turning either to the right or left hand, run strait on in that Ecliptic line, which will conduct thee to that celestial jerusalem, where (with that immaculate Lamb jesus Christ) thou shalt enjoy pleasure without pain; wealth, without want; rest, without labour; joy without grief; and immensive felicity without end.  
Moreover the contempt of the world, born of the love of God, shall at length grow to hatred of the world, when that besides the vanity and misery of it, he shall contemplate the mischief and enmity against the Almighty which there reigneth; when besides that vanity which some do lay open to the view of all, he will represent to himself the iniquities which are closely kept, and the Treasons, Adulteries, Murders, which are privately and lurkingly committed, when he shall consider the vials of God's wrath and displeasure poured generally upon all mankind: for in the consideration of this world, it behooveth us to leave out no part of it, but to observe all manner of nations and people: amongst which there are many Pagans, which not only by a consequent, but also by express profession, adore the devil. The East Indies dedicate their temples to him, and reverence him with all respect. The West Indies are afflicted and tormented ordinarily with evil spirits. In most part of the North, lurking deceits, and assuming strange shapes, are very common among the Inhabitants. Sorcery is there an ordinary profession, and the Devil reigneth without contradiction. In that Country which did once flourish, where the Apostles had planted so happily the holy Ghost, the Churches are now changed into Mosques, and Temples of Idolatry. In the West, the head of the visible Church is become an earthly Monarch, and banks are erected in those places, where, in times past was the House of God. Amongst those erroneous and envious people are scattered the jews, which blasphemed against jesus Christ, and having persecuted him in his life, do injuriously wrong him after his death. The Country from whence came Decrees and Orders for Religion, hath in it public Brothel-houses, and Sodomy is there an usual custom. Here it is also, where doubts in Religion that concern a man's faith, are decided in the midst of corruption. There only remaineth in the world a handful of people which serve jesus Christ in truth and verity; and they can scarce receive breath in this air which is so contrary to them; being here as fishes without water; as the remainders of great Massacres; as pieces of boards scattered after the breaking of a great vessel; and yet nevertheless, among these few that are substracted out of the rest of the world, corruption doth increase as a Canker or Ulcer, Quarrels, Vanity, Superfluity in Apparel, Avarice, Ambition; sumptuousness, which spendeth foolishly, doth infect the one part of this small troop; for GOD is ill served in private families, their alms are cold, they pray seldom, and read never: IN brief, a contagion of vices by conversing with our adversaries, doth infect us, which is the first step to superstition; for error creeps in to us by vice, and spiritual fornication by corporal. If therefore where God is most purely known, he be there ill served, how much more amongst the rest of the world? If vices do harbour in the Sanctuary, how much more in the body of the church and habitation of the wicked? Therefore Christ doth rightly call Satan, The prince of the world; and Peter doth justly write in the second of the Acts, Save yourselves from that perverse generation, for Satan lieth in ambush for us all. This age is infectious, vices are like unto glue, temptations strong, our enemies mighty, ourselves feeble and ignorant, and the way of salvation narrow and full of thorns; And few there be (saith Christ) that find it: And those which find it, do not always keep it; but many having known the truth, do leave it, and return to their vomit. Let us know then a place so dangerous, that we may pass by as strangers, which do not only pass, but also run from it, flying from the world, to come unto God, for we shall never have repose, unless we rest ourselves upon him. The heaven moveth always, and yet it is the place of our rest. On the contrary, the earth resteth always, and yet it is the place of our motion. The Quadrants and Horologies imitate the motion of heaven; but the faith of the believers doth imitate the Rest which is above all. Ulysses did more esteem the smoke of his own house, than the flame of another's; How much more than would he esteem the flame of his own chimney, than the smoke of another's? We are here strangers, this is not our house: our habitation is in heaven. Let us compare the smoke of this strange house, and the darkness of the earth, with the beauty and splendour of our own dwelling, which is the in Kingdom of heaven: Here is the reign of Satan, there the Kingdom of God; here is a valley of tears, there the height of mirth; here we sow in sorrow, there we reap in joy; here we see the light of the Sun through two little holes, which are called the eyes; there we receive light from God on every side, as if we were all eyes. Therefore, because God is all in all; to him be honour and glory in this world, and in the world to come. Amen.  
FINIS.   

ON THE WORTHY NAME OF MY NOBLE and learned Author, that excellent Divine, Monsieur PIERRE DV MOULIN, the Mirror of our age.  

PRaise mis-bestowed on him, t' whom none belongs,  
ILl fits the Praised, and the Praiser wrongs:  
ERror in praising, may the praised defame,  
RAising up worth on an unworthy Name.  
REst weake-winged Muse: strive not this worth to raise;  
ELated by its self, its self can praise:   

DV MOVLIN'S worth, I mean, whose sacred skill,  
Under has brought 
* Belarmine.  Rome's Champion to his will. 
He also by his most excellent and admirable Book, entitled, [The BUCKLER OF THE FAITH] doth utterly confound the Roman Church: And many Jesuits, in presuming to dispute with this rare Divine, are put to their Non plus ultra! Yea, the most famous of them, Mr. Arnoux the jesuit, is put to his Shifts and, Evasions.    

MY Muse, be mute: forbear his worth t' express.  
O! Wrong not that, by praise, to make it less.  
Unto the world's broad Eye, what riches rest  
Locked in the closet of His pious breast,  
IS clearly seen; and specially appears  
NOw more transcendent in's Heraclits Tears.   
Devoted to your Virtues, ABR. DARCIE.   

THE TRANSLATOR TO the unpartial Reader, all Prosperity.  
ALl is corrupt and naught, all every where:  
BElow high Heaven there's not a corner Clear.  
RIch subtle worldlings wise, crammed with wealth's store,  
ARe but the fools of Fate, exceeding poor;  
Honour, Wealth, Beauty, Pomp, i'th' best degree,  
ARe subject all to change; no State lives free,  
MONARCHES, nor Kings; the glory they live in,  
DEath shall deface, as if th' had never been.  
ATtend fair Virtue then, Vice disrespect:  
REbuild thy sunk foundation, Architect.  
Climb Heaven, brave spirits, let your Tears expel,  
IN fair Repentance showered, the worst of hell,  
EVer to gain those joys no tongue can tell.  
FINIS.