THE MIRROR of Mans lyfe.

Plainely describing, What weake moulde we are made of: what miseries we are subiect vn­to: howe vncertaine this life is: and what shal be our ende.

Englished by H. Kirton.

WORMES MEATE: O FROATH: O VANI­TIE: WHY ART THOV SO INSOLENT?

IMPRINTED AT LON­don by Henry Bynneman. 1576.

TO THE RIGHT Honorable, and his singular good Lady, the Lady Anne, Countesse of Penbroke, mother vnto the Ho­norable Lord Compton. H.K. vvisheth all honor and long lyfe.

TO auoyde the faulte of Ingra­titude, a­mōgst the olde Phi­losophers beeyng accomp­ted one of the gretest: I tho­ght it good (ryght Honou­rable) to dedicate this Boke vnto you, as a token or argu­ment [Page] of my good will: rather remembring, thā requiting your boūtifull curtesie. The which Boke was written a­boue three hūdred and thre­score yeeres past, entituled The miserie of man. The contentes whereof, if with deep and due iudgement we doe consider, we shall easily finde greate cause to make a rechlesse accoūt of al world­ly pomp & vanitie: & that for great cause: For our life in hir firste entrie into this [Page] world, is encoūtred with thre capital enimies, paine, care, and sorow: Payne bids the body battayle, care continu­eth the skirmish, and sorowe giueth the victorie. It is a greeuous thing to behold our [...]irst entertainement so dis­pleasantly entreated: wee lamente in the firste minute, and rewe to the laste mo­ment. No sooner born but straight bounde hande and foote, and cast into the cra­dle as into a prison, wher we [Page] lie long time fast fettered in the feeblenesse of our owne flesh. Then enter we into the warres that holy Iob spea­keth of, where he sayth: The life of man is but warfare. For there is no part of mans age that he passeth ouer, in the whiche he hath not some combate to fight. The firste conflict which we are to en­dure, is infancy, in the which time wee labour with the lacke of reason, and fighte with our own folly, not kno­wing [Page] where we are, ne what wee are, ne whence, nor for what we come. Thē after a time, we haue to striue with our hands and feete, vsing them to learne their duties. And in this conflicte wee doe continue vntil the age of se­uen yeres, al the whiche time we are feble, weak, & with­out iudgemēt or reason, not able to help ourselues. These yeeres ouerpassed, we warre vnder the fear of the rod, in spending time to learne some [Page] liberall science, or else some other machanical arte, wherby we may either aspire to some high estate, or else pro­cure our necessary sustenāce In the third part of our age, we enter into a most perilous skirmishe, fighting againste the desires of the fleshe, a­gainste fonde affections and vaine imaginations, whiche causeth the minde to be vn­constāt, and to be caryed a­way with sundry fancies. Fourthly, we haue to encoū ­ter [Page] with manhoode. In this warfare, we beare some coū ­tenance in the cōmon welth, ambitiouslye seeking after honor and estimation, and couetously affecting wealthe and riches. To this age is in­cidēt the charge of wife and children, the maintenaunce of our family, & care of po­steritie. After all these fo­loweth the mayne battayle which neuer taketh peace with vs, vntil our dying day. In this field we receiue ma­ny [Page] wounds which neuer can bee cured: as bleared eyes, trēbling hands, gowty feete, deaf eares, wrinkled brows, leane cheeks, lothsom breth, baldnesse, corruption of sto­macke, with many moe mi­series infinite, whiche neuer rest to vāquish the body with furious assalts, ne to disqui­et the minde with trouble­some thoughts, & to wound the conscience with the re­membrance of things past. And furthermore, suche is [Page] the vnhappy lot of life, that all those things whiche wee most greedily desire, as ho­nor, riches [...] & plesures, wee leaue them again speedily, and in our greatest dangers they do vs no good. Therfore the wise Philosopher, being demāded what was the gre­test thing in the world? aun­swered, it was the valiaunte heart of a man, that coulde cōtemne and lightly esteme the high & mighty things of the world. For honor and [Page] dignitie hath no assurance, and in Fortunes fauoure is no stabilitie. Philip king of Macedone obteined in one day three notable victories: After the which he is sayd to haue kneeled downe vpon the grounde, holding vp his handes vnto the Heauens, crying out in this wise: O Lady Fortune most vncer­tayne, O my happie deste­nies, I humbly beseech you, that after this greate honor and glory, whiche you nowe [Page] haue giuen mee, you woulde moderate and temper the troubles & afflictiōs which in time to come you will lay vpon mee. For commonly, gret prosperitie is a messen­ger to greeuous calamitie, & nothing in this life is cer­tayn or sure. As Socrates affirmed when he sayd, that the certaynest thing in this worlde was, that all things were vncertaine. It is writ­ten, that diuers Captaynes came vnto Agesilaus, and [Page] requested hym to walke vp vnto the hill called Olym­pus, where (saide they) you shal see great wealthy mer­chantes vttering a world of riches and pretious Iewels. His aunswere was this, if I coulde buy or sell, yea or ex­chāge their sorow for mirth, sicknesse for helthe, deathe for life: I would thē goe thi­ther and spende all that I haue: but I see (quoth he) that the biers & sellers, yea and the very things them­selues [Page] are condemned to die and to perishe. Wherefore neither the sight of any thīg, nor the obtayning of anye thing there, can better mine estate, or help me at the hour of death, whē I must creepe into my graue. For although honor, wealthe, and riches, beare great rule amōgst mē, yet they preuaile not against death. To verefie the same, I could wishe (right Hono­rable) other testimonie,The Ladie Compton. thā the lamentable funerals of your [Page] louing daughter lately de­ceassed: of whome I wil for­beare to speake much, least the greene memory may ru­fully renew your forepassed sorowes. In whome, whiles she was, what might be wi­shed that she wanted? Shee was indued with all excellēt gifts, as beautie, vertue, and fortune: Hir vertues were passing, and made hir com­parable with any of hir e­quals: Hir beautie was sin­gular, and made hir most a­miable. [Page] What greater for­tune, than to be nobly borne and to liue in honor? Shee feared God, shee loued hir Prince, she h [...]ted vice, and followed vertue: sh [...]e pitied the miserie of the afflicted, she releeued the necessitie of those that wanted: she was the daughter of true nobili­tie, the mirror [...]f al curtesie, the mistresse of al modestie. To be short, she did well and dyed well. Yet neyther no­blenesse of birth, nor yet the gifts of nature or Fortune, [Page] could keepe hir with vs: whē death would haue hir. Thus you may see, howe lothsome our life is, and howe vncer­tayne the transitorie things of this world are. I hold him therefore most wisest, that so liueth as though he shoulde always die. There came one vnto Diogenes & sayd: O what a miserable thing it is to liue in this worlde: vnto whom he answered: my frēd you are deceiued, for it is no misery for a man to liue, but it is a miserable thing for a [Page] mā to liue euill. Whose an­swer we shall find most true [...] when wee shall bee called to make an account of our bay­liwikes. For we haue heere no cōtinuall, mansion place: beeing made or created of two natures, wherof the one is mortall, and ruleth heere for a time, where fleshe and bloud bereth the sway: The other is celestial, which gi­ueth feeling, vnderstāding, & iudgemēt vnto the erth­ly or mortall substāce: of the whiche if it be vndefiled in [Page] this life, they both shal inha­bite the place of perpetuall blisse, they shal receyue hea­uēly giftes and vertues, they shal accō [...]any wi [...]h Angels, they shal in a momēt s [...]e frō one end of the worlde vnto the other, they shal penetrat the heauens and behold the throne of gods maiesty, wher shall be such ioy as no heart can think nor tōg expresse. And so c [...]auing pardon for this my bolde at [...]empte, I leaue you vnto the al­mightie, who alwayes in ho­nor preserue your estate.

¶A Table containing the effect of this presenr Treatise.

In the first Booke.

OF the miserie of mankynde.
Chap. 1.
The vile and base matter wherof man is mad [...].
Chap. 2.
The corruption of mans conc [...]ption.
Chap. 3.
Of the fee [...]lenesse and weaknesse of the [...]ong infant.
Chap. 4.
Of the payne of the childes birth, and of his pitifull crying out.
Chap. 5.
Of the nakednesse of man.
Chap. 6.
What frui [...]e man bringeth forth.
Chap. 7.
The incommodities of olde age, and short­nesse of l [...]e.
Chap. 8.
Of the labour of mortall men.
Chap. 9.
Of the studies of wyse men.
Chap. 10.
Of the diuerse studies of men.
Chap. 11.
Of diuers g [...]iefs & sorows of mākind [...]
Cha. 12
The miserie of the poore & [...]ich.
Chap. 13.
The miseries of seruants & maisters.
Cha. 14 [...]
The miserie of the maryed and vnmaryed man.
Chap. 15.
The miserie of good & euil men.
Chap. 16.
Of the enimyes of man.
Chap. 17.
The lamentation of the soule being in pri­son.
Chap. 18.
Of the short ioy of man in this lyfe.
Chap. 19.
Of sodayne sorowes vnloked for, which hap­pen vnto men.
Chap. 20.
Of the neerenesse of death.
Chap. 21.
Of the terror of dreames.
Chap. 2 [...].
[Page]Of compassion.
Chap. 23.
Of sundrye misfortunes that happen vnto men.
Chap. 24.
Of the innumerable kynds of sickenesses that man is subiect vnto.
Chap. 25.
Of diuers kyndes of torments that men sus­tayne.
Chap. 26.
Of a certayne horrible facte committed by a woman compelled thereunto by extreame miserie.
Chap. 27.
Of the punishing of the innocent, and dismis­sing of the guiltie.
Chap. 28.

In the second Booke.

OF the culpable and sinfull beginning of mans conuersation.
Chap. 1.
Of the feruent desire and thirst after ri­ches.
Chap. 2.
O [...] vniust rewardes and bribes.
Chap. 3.
Of the accepting of persons.
Chap. 4.
Of selling of iustice.
Chap. 5.
Of the vnsatiable desire of the couetous mā.
Chap. 6.
Wherefore the couetous man can not bee sa­tisfied.
Chap. 7.
Of the false and deceitfull name of ryches.
Chap. 8.
Examples against couetousnesse.
Chap. 9.
Of the great car [...] that coue [...]ous men [...]ue.
Chap. 10.
Of the inordina [...]e desire that the couetous man hath to keepe riches.
Chap. 11.
Why the couetous man is called a worship­per of Idolles [...]
Chp. 12.
The pr [...]perties of a couetous man.
Chap. 13
[Page]Of y• dangerous possessing of riches.
Cha. 14 [...]
Of lawf [...]ll ryches.
Chap. 15.
Of the vncertentie of riches.
Chap. 16.
Of Glutton [...].
Chap. 17.
Exampl [...]s against Gluttony.
Chap. 18.
Of Dronkennesse.
Chap. 19.
Examples agaynst Dronkennesse.
Chap. 20.
Of Lecherie.
Chap. 21.
Of the generalitie of Lecherie.
Chap. 22.
Of many which haue perished through leche­rie.
Chap. 23.
Of the Ambitious man.
Chap. 24.
Of y• excessiue desi [...]e of ambitious mē.
Cha. 25
An example of an Ambitious man.
Chap. 26.
Of [...]he short and miserable life of noble men.
Cha [...]. 27.
The proper [...]ies of a [...]r [...]ude man.
Chap [...] 28.
Of the fal of Lucifer y• father of pride.
Ch [...] 29.
Of the arrogancie of men.
Chap. 30.
O [...] the abhomination of pryde.
Chap. 31.
Against the arrogancie of proud mē.
Chap. 32.
An example against the deceyt of ambitious men.
Chap. 33.
Of the properties of arrogant men.
Chap. 34.
Of superfluous appa [...]ell.
Chap. 35.
Against vaine decking and trimming of the bod [...].
Chap. 36.
That more fauour is shewed vnto man for his apparels sake [...] thā for his vertue.
Cha 37
Of the paynting of the face to deceyue the eyes.
Chap. 38.
Of the vncl [...]annesse of mans hart.
Chap. 39.
Of the grie [...]es and tormentes which euell men doe suffer at the houre of death,
Chap. 40
[Page]Of the comming of Christ at the houre of e­uery mans death.
Chap. 41.

In the third Booke.

OF the putrifaction of the body when the soule is departed.
Chap. 1.
Of the heauy remembrance of the dam­ned soules.
Ch [...]p. 2 [...]
Of the vnprofitable repentance of the dam­ned.
Chap. 3.
Of the manifolde and diuers p [...]ines of hell.
Chap. 4.
Of the vnspeakeable anguishe and torment of the damned.
Chap. 5.
Of hell fire.
Chap. 6.
Of the darknesse of hell.
Chap. 7.
Of the confusion of paines.
Chap. [...].
Of the continuāce of the pains in hel.
Cha. 9.
Of the euerlasting paynes of the damned soules.
Chap. 10.
Test [...]monies of the eternal punishments and torments of hell.
Chap. 11.
Of the day of iudgement.
Chap. 12.
Of the tribulation that shall goe before the day of iudgement.
Chap. 13.
Of the signes going before the later daye.
Chap. 14.
O [...] the power, wisdom, & iustice of the iudge.
Chap. 15.
Of Gods iudgement.
Chap. 16.
That nothing shall profit the damned soules.
Chap. 17.
Finis Tabulae.

¶ THE MIRROR of mans lyfe.

The first Booke.

Of the Misery of mankynde. Chapter fyrst.

IF the Prophet Ieremy whom God blessed or sanctifyed in his mothers wombe,Hiere. 20. did crye out and pronounce of him selfe these words: Why came I out of my mothers womb to behold with min [...] [...]y [...]s the labour and sorow of the world, and that my dayes should be consumed in con­fusion? if (I say) that holye Prophet did speake thus of himselfe, what then shall I say, whom my mother hath brought forth in sinne? Truely I may well crye out, woe is mee: and with moste lamentable voyce may say, O mother why hast thou brought me forth the chylde of bitternesse and so­row? why did I not ende my dayes in my mothers wombe?Iob. 3. wherefore did I not pe­rishe [Page] as soone as I came into the worlde? whye was I receyued in my mothers lappe, fedde and nourished with hir pappes [...] being borne to destruction, and to bee the foode of fyre? would to God the place of my creation had bin my graue, and the house of my euerlasting conception: For thē I shuld haue bin as though I had not bin at all, transferred from byrth to buriall. Who wil therfore giue a fountain of teares vnto mine eyes, that I may bewayle the miserable en­trie or comming of man into thys world? the faultie and guiltie proceeding of man in this his conuersation? and the damnable or dangerous departure of the soule of man from the bodye? I will therefore with teares consider and declare whereof man is made, what his doings are, and what perhappes shall become of him after this lyfe. Truelye man is made of earthe, conceyued in sinne, and borne to payne. Hee doeth commit in this lyfe, wicked and shrewde turnes which bee not law­full: foule and vncleane actes which bee not decent: and vayne things which are not expedient. Through his wickednesse hee shall become food to ye fire, meat for worms, [Page] and a lumpe of putrifaction lothsome to be­hold. I will expound it more plainly. Man is made of dust, of clay, of ashes: he is cōcei­ued in the wanton desire of fleshly luste, in the heate of carnall appetyte, in the foule delight of leacherye, and which is worse, in the spotte of sinne. Hee is borne a ser­ [...]ant to labour, feare, and sorowe: and (which is more myserable) a subiecte to deathe. His doyngs are [...]or the most part daungerous,The do­inges of man. whereby bee eyther offendeth God, hurteth his neighbours, or impay­reth him selfe. Hee practiseth vnseemely and vnhonest things, whereby hee procureth infamye, defileth his conscience, and disho­nesteth him selfe. Hee occupyeth him selfe in vayne thynges, whereby hee doth neg­lecte matters of importaunce: hee doeth despyse things which bee for his profitte, and nothyng regardeth things which be [...] necessarye. Hee shall become chaffe to the fyre which alwayes doeth burne vnquen­chably:What shal become of man. Hee shall bee meate for the worme which alwayes doeth gnawe and deuour: and in fyne, he shall be an immortall masse of putrifaction, heaped full of horror and lothsomenesse.

Of the vile and base matter whereof man is made. Chap. 2.

GOD hath made man of the slyme of the earth, which is more base than bee the o­ther Elements, as it doth appeare by the se­cond Chapter of Genesis. For he made the Planettes and starres, of the fi [...]e: the blastes and wyndes he cre [...]ted of the ayr [...]: the fishes and birdes of the water:Gen. 2. but man and beasts he did forme of the earth. Therefore if man doe consider those thinges which bee made of water, hee shall finde his substance vyle and base: if hee haue respecte to those liuing thinges which are created of the ayre, hee shall acknowledge him selfe to be much in­ferior: and if hee looke vppon those creatures which bee made of fyre, hee shall ius [...]ly take him selfe moste abiecte of all. Hee shall not compare him selfe with heauenly things, neyther shall [...]e presume to preferre him selfe before earthly creatures, for that hee findeth his owne substance not farre differing from the sauage or brute beastes, & shall acknow­ledge him selfe lyke vnto them.Eccle. 3. The booke of the prea­cher. For wee e­uidently see the death of men and beastes is all one, the condition of them both is equal, and man can doe no more than the beaste in [Page] this respecte: they be made of earth, and they doe both returne agayne into earth. These be the wordes of the wyse King Salomon. Wherefore to conclude, what other thing is man, but clay and ashes? Here [...]ppon doth man saye vnto God, Remember I beseech thee O Lord, that thou hast made mee lyke claye, and wilt reduce mee into dust.Man is claye and ashes. And heereuppon doth God say again vnto man, thou arte dust, and shalt returne again into dust. I am compared (saieth holy Iob) to clay,Iob. 10. and likened to embers and ashes. Clay is made of water and dust, both of them re­mayning, but ashes are made of wood and fyre, both of them consuming or decaying.Gene. 3. Iob. 3. The mystery is manifest, but to be declared more playner in another place. W [...]erefore then doest thou wexe proude or insolent O thou claye? or why doest thou extoll & mag­nifie thy selfe O thou dust? and whervp­pon mayest thou boast, beyng nothing but ashes?

The corruption of mans Conception. Chap. 3.

THou mayest perhappes refute these for­mer reasons after this superficiall sort, [Page] saying, that Adam was made of the slime of the ea [...]th, and that thy being is from the seede of man. True it is thou sayest: but yet was Adam made of a pure and maydenlye earth, and thou art created of an vncleane and corrtupte seede.Man is made of vncleane seede. And who can make him cleane which is conceyued of an ad­ [...]ltred and defiled seede?Iob. 14. or what is man that hee should seeme pure and vndefiled, and that beyng borne of a woman he shuld appeare iuste? For beholde (sayeth the Prophet Dauid) I am conceyued in wic­kednesse,Psal. 50. and my mother hath brought me forth in sinne: Not in one sinne onely, nor in one kynde of offence, but in a mul­titude of iniquities: That is to saye, in the iniquityes and sinnes of others. For Conception is of two sortes.Cencepti­on of two sortes. The one is of [...]eedes: and the other of natures. The former conception is to bee vnderstanded, in offences personally committed: the se­conde is, in offences contracted or taken by others. The parentes doe commit offence in the former conception: and the children doe incurre offence in the seconde. For who knoweth not y• carnal knowledge (although it be in mariage) cā not he had wt out ye mo­tion [Page] of the flesh, without the heat of carnall desire, and without ye foule delight of wan­ton lust. Whereby the seedes conceiued are adulterate, defiled, & corrupte: Of the which the soule or lyfe at ye length poured into the body, doth gather the spot of sin, the blemish of offence [...] and the corruption of iniquitie, lyke as an euill seasoned vessell poysoneth good liquor, or as that which is vncleane defileth the contrary. For the soule of man hath three naturall operations or vertues.The ver­tues of the soule. The first is, the vse of reason, to the ende it may disceyrne good from euill. The se­conde is an aptenesse or inclynation to di [...] ­lyke, that thereby it may shunne or declyne from that which is euill. The thyrde is a disposition or pronenesse to affecte, that thereby it may desire and lyke that which is good. These three effectes or vertues are in man from his byrthe, greatly altered and obscured, by three contrary vices. For the vse of reasō is miscaried by ignorāce, yt it cānot discerne the good from the euill. The incli­nation to dislike or to be offended with that which is euil, is headlong hurled downe by the fury of anger, which causeth the refusal [...] oftentymes of that which is good: And the [Page] affection to couet or desire yt which is good, is wholy ouerthrowne through the desire of euil. The first of these vertues or operations bringeth foorth offence, which consisteth in omittyng, & in Latyne is called Delictum. Delictum. The last bringeth foorth sinne or trespasse, which doth consist in committing, and in Latine is called Peccatū. Peccatum. The third (meane betwixte them both) bringeth forth bothe Delictum and Peccatum. For this worde Delictum signifieth nothing els but to omit that which ought to be done: and this word Peccatum doeth importe the doing of that which ought not to be done. These three vi­ces doe spring through the corruption of our fleshe. For in the carnall acquaintance be­twixt man and woman, the deepe conside­ration and force of reason is couered and [...]upprest, and in steed therof ignorance taketh place: the flame of fleshly delight is kindled, whereby hir furie more increaseth: the great desire of pleasure is satiate, by the which con­cupiscence is ingendered. This is the Tyran of the fleshe, the lawe of the members, the nourishment and inflamation of sinne,The nou­rishment of sinne. the languishing and feblenesse of nature, and the foode of deathe. No man is borne with­out [Page] it: which if at any tyme wee happilye passe ouer, not yelding thereunto, yet doeth hir force alwayes remayne actually graffed in our flesh:1. Ioh. 1. for if we shall say we haue no sinne, wee deceiue our selues, and the trueth is not in vs. O greeuous necessitie, and vn­fortunate estate of man, before we can sinne we are fastened and straight linked to sinne, And before wee can offend, wee are bounde with offence. By one man sinne entered in­to the world (saith saint Paul) and through sinne death h [...]th gone ouer all men.Rom 5. Dyd not our fathers eate the bitter grape (sayeHi [...]re. 31. the Prophets) and are not the teeth of theirEzechi. 18. children set on edge therewith?

Of the feeblenesse and weaknesse of the yong infant. Chap. 4.

WHy then is lighte giuen to this poore wretche, and lyfe to them which lyue in bitternesse of the soule? happye are they which dyed before they were borne, feelyng death before they knewe what lyfe is. For some come into this world so deformed and monstrous,Mōstrous children. that they seeme rather to be abo­minations than men: for whom peraduen­ture it had bin better prouyded, if they had [Page] neuer come in sight, bicause they are set forth to be beholden as monsters. For manye of them are borne dismembred, and corrupt in their senses, to the heauinesse and sorowe of their frendes, to the ignominie of their pa­rentes, and to the rebuke of their kinsfolks. To what end should I speake this particu­larly of some, seeing that generally wee bee all borne impotent, without knowledge, without speech, and without strength? Wee come into this worlde lamenting, feebly, faint, differing very little from brute beasts, yea in worse case than they bee in many re­spectes.The imbe­cillitie of all infantes and [...]ong [...]hildren. For they as soone as they come forth, doe by and by march and go forwardes, and we can not only go vpright vpon our feete, but being croked are not able to creepe with our handes.

Of the payne of the childes byrth, and of his pitifull crying out. Chap. 5.

WEe be all borne yelling and crying, to the end we may expresse our miserie. For the man childe newly borne cryeth, A: the female E: so that all crye, A: or E: which commeth from Eua. And what is Eua, What this word Eua: doth sig­nifye. but as much to say as Heu, Ha: which importeth alas, or fye vppon me. For these wordes be [...] [Page] both Interiections of him that soroweth or lamenteth, expressing the greatnesse of his grief. Hereuppon our first mother before hir sin committed in Paradise,Gen 3. was called Vi­rago, but after she had sinned, she well deser­ued to bee named Eua: at the which tyme shee hearde God say vnto hir: Thou shalte bring forth thy chylde in payne and sorow. For there is no payne lyke to the grief of a woman labouring with childe. Wherefore Rachel through ye exceeding great payne of trauail with hir childe departing out of this life,Gen. 35. on hir death bed named hir son Benoni, which is as much to say, as ye child of sorow and pain. The wife of Phinees through so­dayn pangs cōming vppon hir,1. Reg. 4. was deliue­red of a childe & both of thē died as it were at an instant, yet in ye very point of hir death she called hir chyld Icabod [...] which is to say the child of no glory.Iohn. 16. But as he which es­caped after shipwrack is glad, so the womā when she is in trauel is sad, but after shee is deliuered, remēbreth no more hir pain [...] for ioy yt there is brought forth a r [...]sonable creature into the world. Then to conclude, she con­ceiueth hir childe in vncleannesse, shee brin­geth it f [...]orth with heauinesse and sorrowe, [Page] she nourisheth it with anguishe and payne, shee keepeth it with continuall care and feare.The mis [...] ­ry of t [...]e wom [...]n th [...]t brin­g [...]th forth chyld [...].

Of the nakednesse of man. Chap. 6.

NAked commeth hee out of his mothers wombe into this worlde,Pre [...]her. 5. and naked shall he returne againe from hence: he com­meth poore and shall returne agayne poore:Iob. 1. For I came naked out of my mothers wombe (sayth Iob) and out of this world I shall returne naked agayne: we brought nothing (doubtlesse) in [...]o this worlde,2. Tim. 6. by­cause wee can take nothing with vs out of it. If anye man goe out of the worlde clothed; let him consider what kynde of appa [...]ell hee brought into it, which wil­lingly I will passe ouer, as a thing vn­decent to bee spoken, and vnseemely to bee heard.

What [...]rui [...]e man bringeth forth. Chap. 7.

O Most vile, vnworthye, and miserable condition of man: O vnseemelye and wretched estate. Search out diligently and [Page] make s [...]rious inquisition of the hearbes and trees: they doe of themselues bring forth [...]lo­wers [...] boughes, and fruites,The fruits of h [...]rbes and trees. and th [...]n misera­ble wretche bringest forth nittes, lyse, and wormes: They doe of their owne nature yelde oyle, wyne, and balme, but thou vtte­rest things displeasant and odious: they doe send forth from them sweete and pleasant odours, thou lothsome and vnsauery smels: such as the tree is such is the fruite,Mat 3. for an e­uill tree can not bring forth good fruit. And what is man according to his forme, but a certayne tree turned v [...]side downe?Mark. 8. A man is a tree turned vpside downe. whose rootes be the heares, whose trunke is the head with the necke, whose s [...]ock is the brest with the belly,Iob. 13. the braunches bee the armes with the legges, the leaues be the fingers with the ioyntes. This is the leafe which is [...]oste with euery wynde, this is the tree that is o­uerthrowne with euery blast, and this is the stubble which is dryed vp with the sunne.

Of the incommodities of [...]lde age and shortnesse of lyfe. Chap. 8.

IN the first beginning of mans estate, we reade that men liued nine hundreth yeares and more: but the lyfe of man decli­ning [Page] by little and little, God sayde vnto Noe, Gen. 6. my spirit or breath shal not remain al­wayes in man, for y• he is fleshe, & his dayes shal be an hundreth & twentie yeares: which may bee vnderstoode as well of the terme of mans life, as of ye space of his repētance. For since yt time forwards, we seldom reade that man liued longer: but when mans life was cut shorter, ye Psalmist sayd. The dayes and tyme of our lyfe & yeeres,Psal. 89. doe consist in the very number of seuētie years, but if through the powers and forces of nature, they be cō ­tinued to the number of foure score yeres, yet that tyme is but of more labour and sorow. Shal not ye smal number of my dayes (saith Iob) be ended in a short time:Iob. 10. our dayes passe ouer more swift than the webbe which is cut off by the weauer.Ibi [...]em 9. & [...] [...] &. Esa. 38. A man borne of a woman liueth but a shorte tyme,Ibidem. 14. and is replenished with many myseries, which florisheth for a tyme, and vanisheth away agayne, euen as a flower: hee also flyeth away lyke a sha­dowe, and doeth neuer continew in one e­state. Fewe men now adayes doe come to the terme of fortye yeeres,The infir­mities of the olde [...]an. but more fewer doe attaine vnto the age of three score yeeres [...] If one proceed forward & come to olde age, [Page] his hart is by and by afflicted and tormēted, his head is shaken and to [...]t, his spirites wax fainte and weake, his breathe yeldeth a lothsome ayre, his face becommeth wrin­kled, his stature beginneth to be crooked, his sight fayleth him, his ioyntes weaken, his nose runneth, his heares fall of, his handes tremble and shake, his teeth waxe rot­ten, his eares become deafe, his vertue and strength doth vanishe and decaye. The olde man is soone prouoked and styrred to wrath, and hardly and with much a doe hee is reconciled agayne to reason. Hee is quicke of beleefe, and slowly brought from it: he is ful of suspition & cōplaints: he is for ye most part sad, & seldom mery: he is neare & couetous: he is swift to speake, but stow to heare: he praiseth his old acquaintance, & de­spiseth his newe friends. He doth reprehend that which is present, and commendeth that which is past: he sigheth and is carefull: hee is dull and impotent. Heare what the Poete sayeth: Manye incommodities bee [...]tte an [...]lde man on euery syde. But let neither old [...]en boaste of them selues agaynst young [...]en, nor yet let not young men become in­ [...]olent agaynst olde men: for what wee bee, [Page] the olde man in times paste was, and what [...]e now is, the very same in tyme to come if lyfe long last shall we bee.

Of the labour of mortall men. Chap. 9.

THe byrd is created to flye, and man is borne to labour:Iob. 5. all his dayes bee full of paynes, care and mys [...]rie, neyther do [...]th his mynd [...] rest in the night. And what is this els, but vanitie? there is no man vnder the sun without labour or trouble, no man vnder the moone without some want or de­fecte, no none at any tyme without vani­tie. Time through delay is ye worker of all changeable things. Uanitie of vanities, and all is but vanitie sayeth the wyse man.Eccle. 1. The booke of the pre­cher. O how dy [...]rs be the studies and affections of men? how disagreeing or vnlike be th [...]ir ex­ercis [...]s? And yet one ende is dew vnto them all, and the selfe same effecte, labour, and af­fliction of the spirite is incident vnto them all.Eccle. 4. The booke of Iesus sonne of Siracke. There is great labour and exercise (saith the wyse man) ordayned for all men, and a heauy yoke is layde vppon the children of Adam, from the day that they come forth of their mothers wombe, vntil the day of their [Page] buriall in the mother of all men.

Of the studies of wise men. Chap. 10.

LEt the wise men searche, and curiously enquire the altitude or heigth of the hea­ [...]ens, the bredth of the earth, the depth of the Sea, let them se [...]erally dispute of euery one of these a part, let them diligently consider of them al, let thē alwayes learne or teach, and what shall they finde or reape of thys their exercise, but labor, sorow, and disquiet of the mind?Ecclesiast 1. Booke of th [...] Prea­ch [...]r. He knewe this by experience which sayd, I gaue and applyed my mynd, that I mighte knowe wisdome and lear­ning, errors and foolishnesse, and I founde it was nothing else but labor and affliction of the minde: for where much wisedom is, ther is also great tra [...]ell, and warres of ye wits: and the man that seeketh to attayne know­ledge, procureth to him selfe greef [...] and care. For although hee whiche seeketh out t [...]ose things, must of necessitie giue himselfe to much watching, great diligence, and conti­nuall paynes: yet is there scarcely any one thing so base or vile, or any thing so eas [...]e to be knowen, whiche man may fully vnder­stande, [Page] and assuredly co [...]ceiue: vnlesse pe [...] ­happes this one thing he may perfitly learne and knowe, that there is nothing absolute­ly knowne vnto man,Nothing [...]o man is per [...]y [...]now [...]e notwithstandyng his greate and forcible argumentes groun­ded vppon probable reasons.Sapient. 9. Yea far­thermore, the corrupte bodye afflicteth the mynde: and this earthlye habitation or mansion house keepeth downe the diuine sense or vnderstanding, which pondreth and museth vppon many things. Heare Solomon vppon this matter.Eccle. 1. Booke of the Prea­ [...]her. All thinges (sayth hee) be harde, man can not declare and expresse them in wordes. And in an o­there place. There is a man (saith hee) which taketh no rest day nor night, and yet can hee fynde out no reason of the workes of God,Preacher. 8. yea howe muche more hee shall labour to seeke the knowledge of th [...]m, so muche the lesse shall hee fynde. They therefore doe soone faynte [...] which endeuour to aspire to the greate s [...]creci [...]s, which are onely reser­ued to the secret scrutinie of the diuine ma­i [...]stie: Bicause man thereby should become proude a [...]d loftie,Psal. 63. and by the hidden myste­ry of his workes God shall b [...]e glorified.Prou. 25. For hee which doeth carefullye seeke to at­ [...]hie [...]e [Page] to ye mightines of gods maie [...]tie, shall be o [...]erthrown through ye mightie power of his glory, bicause the more man vnderstan­deth, the more he doubteth: & he which thin­keth him selfe wisest, is most foole [...] and most deceyued. Therefore it is a parte of wisdom or knowledge, for a man to vnderstand that he is ignorant:Precher. 7 [...] for God hath made man vp­right, and man hath incombred and wrap­ped him self in many and infinite questions.

Of the dyuers studies of men. Chap. 11.

MOrtall men make their wayes through hedges and by-pathes:What paī ­nes & dan­g [...]rs men sustaine to becomme riche. they clime high mountaynes, and s [...]rmounte the greate hils: they trauaile ouer rockes: they march o­uer the steepe Alpes: they enter into Ca­ues: they sounde the deapthe of the Sea: they searche the bowells of the earth, and sifte the very Centre thereof: they wan­der in the wildernesse and solitarye places of the woodes: they hazarde them selues in desertes and vnknowne corners: they caste them selues into the daunger of wyndes, [...]allings of houses, Castles & Towers, and of slipping downe headlong from vpright [Page] and steepe place, they make them selues subiect to stormes and grea [...]e [...]empe [...]e, to shoures, thunders, lightning, flo [...]ds, and earthquakes: They trie o [...] metal [...]es, and coyne them, they graue stones and polishe them, they cutte and hewe downe wooddes, they weaue & wind webbes to make cloth, they measure out garments and sowe th [...]m togither, they buyld houses, make gardens, ti [...]l and manure the fields, plant vineyards, heate ouens, set vppe milles, they fish, they foule, they hunt and hauke, they study and inuente newe deuises, they consult and or­dayne, they complayne & striue, they robbe and steale, they make marchandise and de­ceyue one another, they braule, contend and fight, and an infinite number of suche lyke things they practise, to the ende they maye scrape wealth togither, and heape vp ri­ches, that they may multiply their gaynes, encrease their profites, obtayne honors ad­uance their dignities, enlarge their possessi­ons and authoritie: And all these are but troubles, trauels, vexations and afflictions of the minde If they hardly beleeue me, let them giue credite to the wise king: I haue (saith he) extolled & magnified my workes:P [...]cher. 2. [Page] I haue builded houses [...] and planted vine­yardes: I haue made gardens and orchards, I haue sowen and planted [...] them all kind of trees: I haue made pondes and ditches for water, to comfort my liuely yong trees when they budde and spring out: I haue possessed bondmen, and handmaydes, and haue hadde a greate fam [...]lie: I haue hadde greate heardes of beastes and greate flockes of [...]eepe, yea more than all the other Kings whiche raigned before mee in Ierusalem: I gathered and heaped v [...]pe golde and sil­uer, and the riches of Kings and prouinces: I ordeyned for my pleasure singing men and singing women, and the delicate recre­ations that might be had for the children of men [...] I made cuppes and flagons of siluer and golde, to put win [...] into [...] and I did ex­ceede i [...] riches all the kings that were be­fore me in Ierusalem. But when I tur­ned my selfe backe, and beheld those things which my hands had made, and considred my paynes in the which vaynly I had tra­uelled and sweat, I did see in t [...]m all no­thing else but vanitie and affliction of the minde, and that there was nothing perma­nent vnder the sunne.

Of diuers griefes and sorowes of mankinde. Chap. 12

O What sorowe and anguishe of minde doeth vexe mortall men. Thought con­sumeth them, pensiuenesse doth possesse them, hea [...]inesse harmeth them, feare putteth them out of comforte, tremblyng moueth all the partes of them, horror d [...]pryueth them of their perfite senses, terror doeth afflict them, sadnesse doeth trouble them, and trouble do [...]th make them sadde and h [...]auye. The poore, and the riche: the seruante, and the master: the maried and the single man: to conclude, the good and bad, be all tormented with worldly vexations, and are all toste with worldly tempestes. Beleue in this a master that hath tryed it: If I shall bee wicked (sayth Iob) then woe vnto mee: if I shall bee iuste and vpright,Iob. [...]0. I shall not lifte vp my heade beyng burdened and o­uercharged with affliction and misery.

The miserie of the poore and riche. Chap. 13.

THe poore are prest with famine, supprest with sorow, opprest with thirst, colde, [Page] and needinesse. They be nothing esteemed, they consume and pine away, they be despi­sed and discomforted. O howe miserable is the condytion of him that beggeth. For to aske [...]or Gods sake, hee is abash [...]d throug [...] s [...]ame: and if he doeth not aske, he is pained and pyneth away through neede. And there­fore is he constrayned by meere necessitie to begge. He doth accuse and fynde fault with God, as that he were vnrightuous, and par­tiall: for so much as he did not deuyde these worldly thinges equally. Hee blameth hys neighbour as wicked and vnmercyfull, for that hee doth not fully and sufficiently suc­cour his neede. He doth fret and fume, mur­mureth, and curseth. Marke what the wyse man sayth vppon this.Booke of Iesus 4. It is better (saith he) for a man to dye, than to stand in need. The poore man shall be odio [...]s euen to his neigh­bour. All the dayes of the poore be euill and miserable, yea verilye his owne bretherne oftentymes doe shunne him, hys friendes loathe hym, hys ennimyes laughe at hym. And therefore vppon greate cause the Po [...]t sayeth:Ouyd. Whylest fortune doeth fauour thee thou shalte fynde manye friendes, but if woe doe bewytche thee, thou shalte be lefte [Page] alone. Out vpon this shamefull worldly consideration: that the person of a man shoulde bee esteemed according to his for­tune, whereas in deede, the giftes of fortune ought rather to be esteemed according to the goodnesse of the person that doethe possesse them. But suche is the iniquitie of tyme, that a man is taken to be so good as hee is riche, and so euill as hee is poore, whereas indeede [...] eache, man oughte rather to bee thought so riche as he is good, and so poore as he is euill. The riche man is ouerthrowen through his abundance,The mise­ry of the riche man. hee is caried away by vayne glory, and through the confidence that he hath in his welthe, he braggeth and boasteth: being pu [...]t vp with pride, hee run­neth at his pleasure, and falleth into that whiche is vnlawfull. But those thyngs truely which were his delightes and causes of offences, shall bee eftsoones made the in­strumentes of his torm [...]ntes.Preacher. 5. The laboure in getting, the feare in possessing, and the sorow in losing, doth alwayes trouble and disquiet his mind. For where thy treasure is (sayth Christ) there is thy hart.Math. 6.

The miseries of Seruantes and Ma­st [...]rs. Chap. 14.

THe seruante or bond man is vexed and weried about the prouision of his mai­sters necessaries,The mise­rie of ser­uantes. with watching and cary­ing of things from place to place: he is bea­ten with stripes, and spoyled of his wealth. If he haue no riches, his labour must make a painful purchase: if he ha [...]e ought he is cō ­pelled to spende it at his masters pleasure. The offence of the master, is the peyne of the seruant: the offence of the seruant, turneth to the pray of hys master.Horace. For as the Poete saith, Wherein soeuer the rulers do amisse, the poore subiects feele the smart.Booke of Iesus. 13. The wilde asse in the wildernesse is the game or pray for the Lion: euen so is the poore man the pray for the riche. O extreame condition of bondage. Nature hathe brought foorth all men free, but fortune hath made slau [...]s and bond men. The bondman is forced to suf­fer, and no man is permitted to take com­passion vppon [...]ym: hee is compelled to weepe, wayle, and to be sorowfull, and no man is suffered to be sory with him: so is [...]e [Page] not his owne man, and in his miseries so­roweth comfortlesse.Men of war. The martiall mindes liue in miserable moodes: for besydes the great paynes they endure, and the continual daungers they [...]tande in, they make theyr onely felicitie of other mens miserie:The mise­ry of the master. and it is an odious thing to liue vppon the spoyle of an other. The cruell master lyueth al­wayes in feare, least the treason of hys ser­uantes shorten hys dayes. If he be gentle, then hys familiaritie breedeth contempte: feare then dothe vexe him if hee be seuere: and contempte setteth him at nought if hee be curteous: For crueltie getteth hatred, and contempt foloweth familiaritie. Further­more, familiar care causeth weerine [...]se, and priuate regarde bringeth griefe. Wherefore it behoueth a man to be readie and well fen­ced on euery syde, that hee may beware and take heede before hand, of the ambushes and the craftie fetches or deceytes of the maliti­ous and enuious men, whereby hee may re­pell and put away the iniuries of those whyche assaulte hym, to the ouerthrowe of hys enimies, and to be able to defende hys neyghbors, and protect hys countrey men: For one daye is not satisfyed in hir malice [Page] [...]owardes man in thys lyfe, but she bringeth foorth laboures and sorowes for an other: and one nyghte doeth shewe and declare knowledge to another. Wee therefore do leade our dayes in trauell, and passe ouer many nightes without sleepe.

The miserie of the maried and vnma­ried man. Chap. 15.

SO deepely rooted is lecherous lust in the fleshe of man,The conc [...] piscence of the flesh that troub­leth vnma­ried men. that if it be possible for fire not to burne, it is possible for man not to lust. For howsoeuer the fleshe shall bee kepte vnder, yet shall not that vnquiet Iebusite bee dryuen out or conquered. For although thou rebuke nature neuer so much, yet will she returne agayne. All men doe not vnderstande this saying,Math. 19. or obtayne this grace, but hee which can conceyue or com­prehende it,Exod. 21. (sayth oure Lorde) lette hym. Wherevppon when GOD gaue com­mandement vnto Moses and Aaron for the ordering of the holy garmentes, and of th [...] apparelling of theyr children, [...]ee did not onely gyue commaundement for the coue­ring of the thighes, but willed them to vse [Page] linnen s [...]oppes to couer their priuities, when they shoulde enter into the Tabernacle of witnesse.1. Corin. 7. The Apostle also sayth to those which be maried, Do not defraud one ano­ther, vnlesse it be perhappes by consent for a time, that you may be more feruent in pray­er, and afterwardes returne agayne vnto the same, least yt Sathan tempt you through incontinency: For it is better for a man to marrie, than to burne. For ye Angell of Sa­than, with suttle deuises continually prouo­king lewde liking, doth alwayes warre and fighte with maidenly chastit [...] and manly constancie:The suggestion of the Diuell. He kindleth the fire of nature with the blast of fraile suggestion: He also layeth matter before vs, to worke our lewde lusts: He fighteth a combate with vs, casting before our eyes the glorious shape of some gallant dame, whereby the feeble minde is secretly sauced with amorous desires [...] and the body made prone to perdition: He chan­geth our affections dayly with the sighte of [...]undry pleasant shapes. [...]. Reg. 11. Let King Dauid suffise for example, who in the after noone walking in his Princely palace, beholding Bersabe washing hir selfe on the other side, sent for hir, tooke hir and slepte with hir, for [Page] she was exceeding faire and beautifull. But the maried man is carefull for those thyngs which belong to his wiff and family,1. Corin. The miseri of the mari­ed men. and is deuided in him selfe. For diuers cares dra­weth him sundry wayes, & sundry thoughts disquiete his troubled minde. The feare of e [...]il fortune doth vexe him, the losse of welth doth torment him, and the charge of house­hold doth deuide him diuersly. For all hys st [...]die is howe [...]o mayntayne his wi [...]e, to procure things necessary for his children, and to discharge the hire of his seruants. And therefore most truly is it sayde, that such mē haue the [...]roubles and cares of the flesh. Hys wife desireth to haue pretious ornamentes and rich iewelles, shee craueth diuers sutes of gorgious and sumptuous apparell, and sundry parcels of householde s [...]uffe: yea and oftentimes the wiues furniture, doth exceede the re [...]enewe of hir husbands lands. But if she be deny [...]d what she demandeth, thē doth she mourne and sighe day and nighte, she frowneth and murmureth, [...]he chatteth and checketh, with greeuous complaintes of hir husbandes ingratitude, withoute ceas [...]g.Proue. 2 [...]. There be three things (sai [...]h Salomon) whi­che doe not pe [...]mitte a man to tarrie in hys [Page] house, that is, a smokie chimney, a dropping roufe, and a shrewde wife. Often times she sayeth vnto hir husbande, suche a mans wife goeth gorgeously and finely apparelled, and is esteemed and much made of by euery one: but I poore wretche, all alone, am nothyng regarded amongst my neighbours: I am contemned and despised of euery one. Shee only will bee loued and praysed: she thyn­keth the good countenance shewed vnto an other, to procure hatred vnto hir: and shee surmiseth the commendation of an other, to be for hir disgraces. All that she loueth, must [...]e lyked of, and all that she hateth must [...]ee disliked: she will be mistresse, and cannot be maistred: she may not abide to serue as a sub­iect, but she must rule as a gouernour: shee will seeme ex [...]erte in all things, and will shewe hir selfe ignorant in nothing. If shee be fayre, she is soone beloued of others: if she be foule, she is not hastily desired. But it is a hard matter to keepe that whiche is belo­ued of many, and it is a gree [...]e to possesse that which no man esteemeth. Some men allure hir by the comelynesse of theyr perso­nage: some gayne victory by policie: some do moue affection by mercie conceytes, or [Page] pleasant de [...]ises: other some doe winne good will through liberalitie: and needes muste there be some breache, where the batterie is layde on euery side. The goodnesse of the Horse, the Asse, the garmente, the bedde, the potte, and also the pitcher, are firste tryed, and after bought: but the manners or con­ditions of a woman are [...]ardly knowen, least misliking growe before mariage. But after mariage whatsoeuer befall hir, bee shee foule or faire, wise or folish, patiēt or proud, lothsome or handsome, shee cannot bee sepa­rate, but onely for adultrie.Mat. 5. Ye a neyther can the man which putteth away hys wife for this cause marrie an other, neyther yet can the wife put so away, take another hus­bande. For whosoeuer shall forsake hys wife vnlesse it bee for adultrie, gyueth hir occasion to committe adulterie: and hee whiche doethe marrie hir that is dismissed for adulterie, doeth also committe adul­terie. If the wife shall goe from hir hus­bande for thys cause (sayeth the Apostle) [...]hee oughte [...]yther to remayne vnmarryed,1. Cori [...]. or else [...]ee reconciled to hir husbande a­gayne.

[Page]Therefore the burthen of wedlocke is gree­uous.Prou. 18. For as (Salomon sayth) [...]e is foolish and vnwise which keepeth his wife being an adul [...]resse: and he is the patrone of his wiues dishonestie, whiche doth cloke hir crime. If then a man put away his wife being a [...] ad­ultresse, he is punished without his faulte, for that he must so long as shee liueth re­maine chast. And therefore Christes dis­ciples said,Math. 19. If a mans condition and case be suche wi [...]h his wife, it is better for man not to marrie. For no man can well brooke a mate in loue: and who so euer is the subiect of ielousie, is the s [...]aue of suspition. Yea and al [...]hough the Scripture dothe affirme, that man and wife shall be two in one fleshe, yet besydes that, the very loue of the hus­bande it selfe, doethe cause him to be impati­ent of partners.

Of miserie of good and euill men. Chap. 16.

THere is no cause (sayeth the Lorde) wherefore the vngodly shuld reioyce:Esay. 48. & 57. [...]he misery [...] euil men for looke by what partes man doth sinne, in the same shall hee bee tormented. For the worme of conscience shall neuer die, and [Page] the fyre of reason shall neuer be put out. I did see (sayeth Iob) those which wroughte iniquitie, and did sowe and reape their own sorowe, I did see them (saith he) perish with the blast of gods mouth, and with the breath of his wrath I sawe them consumed. Pride 1 puffeth vs vp, and causeth vs to forget o [...]r selues: Enuye doeth inwardly, consume vs,2 and dryeth vp our bloud: Couetousnesse 3.4. pricketh vs to euil: Anger or rage suppresseth [...]eason: Glutony distemper [...]th the body: and 5 Leachery weakeneth the same: Lying doeth [...]ynde vs to answere: and Manslaughter de­ [...]ileth 6.7. vs and cryeth for v [...]ngeaunce. Euen 8 so lykewise, the rest of monstrous and hor­rible sinnes, with the delights that m [...]n take therein, are as instruments for God to pu­nish sinne. The malitious or enuions man (sayth the Po [...]t) withereth away at the pro­sperous estate of an other. And the Tyrants of Sicil neuer founde greater torment than malice hir selfe [...] Uice (sayth the Apostle) cor­rupteth nature.Rom. 1. Therf [...]re the wicked mē saith he, vanished away in their owne imagina­tions and their foolishe myndes and heartes were blynded and darkened:Ibidem. wherefore God did suffer them to folow the desyres of their [Page] owne heartes in all vncleanlinesse, to the ende they should bee iniurious vnto them­selues, and afflict their owne bodyes. And as they haue forsaken to knowe God, euen so God hathe delyuered them into a re­probate and wicked meaning,Ibidem that they maye doe those thinges which bee not con­uenient. But they which doe liue godly in our sauiour Christ,2. Tim. 3. The mise­rie of good men. doe suffer persecution. For the holy men & such as [...]e now saynts in heauen, haue sustayned mockes & stripes, yea moreouer [...]aue proued fetters and imprison­ment,Hebr. 11. of ye which some were stoned [...]o death, some cut in peeces, some tempted and pro­ued what they would doe, and at the laste were put to death with the sworde for our Lords sake. They went about in the world in sheepes skinnes, in Goates peltes, needye and poore, troubled in their myndes, & much afflicted, whom the world was not worthy of. They wandered in the desertes and wil­dernesse, amongst the mountaynes, and in dennes and caues vnder the earth. They were in the daunger of fluddes and wa­ters,2 Cor. 11. in ieopardye of theeues, in greate pe­rill through their owne stocke and paren­tage, [Page] in feare of the Gentiles, of infidels, and of false bretherne. They traueyled in payne and sorow, in much watching,Ibidem. in hūger and thirst, in many vexations and perplexities, in colde and nakednesse. For the iuste man doth deny and forsake him selfe,Luke. 9. Gal. 6. crucifying his members with the vices and imperfecti­ons thereof, that the world may be crucifyed [...]n him, & he in the world.Hier. 13. He knoweth that he hath no sure nor continuall abode in this lyfe, but doth seeke to enioye the euerlasting Citie to come: he sustayneth this worlde as a banishment: and his soule is closed vp in his body as a prison.Psal. 118. Psal. 119. I am (saith he) a strāge pilgrime vppon the earthe, and as a fo­rener, euen as all my forefathers and el­ders haue bene.Ibidem. Suffer mee that I may bee refreshed before I goe from hence, and before I shall beecome nothyng. Alas that my banishment and dwellyng [...]eere in this worlde is prolonged. I haue con­tinued long with those that haue their man­sions amongest the harde Cedar trees, and my soule hathe bin a [...]raunge in­habitant with them very long.2. Cor 11. Who is sicke and feeble, and I not sicke? Who is weake [Page] and I not troubled. For ye very offēces and sinnes of bretherne and neighbours, be gree­uous to those which be iust men.

Of the enimyes of man. Chap. 17.

Iob. 1.THe life of mā is nothing else but war­fare vppon the earth. Is it not a war­fare in deede, whereas many kynde of eni­myes lye in wayte on euery syde, that they may take, persecute, and kill vs? as the diuil, the world, mankynde it selfe, and the fleshe.Four eni­mies o [...] man: the deui [...], the world, the [...], and m [...]kinde it [...]. The deuil with vyces and fleshly desires: man togither wit [...] beastes, and other crea­ [...]ur [...]s: the world with the elements: the flesh with sensualities. For the fleshe lus [...]eth con­trary to the spirite,Gal. 5. and the spirite contrarye to the fleshe. Yea we haue not only a com­bat against flesh and bloud,Ephes. 6. but also against the spirituall authors of wickednesse, which be in the ayre, and agaynst the Lordes and rulers of darkenesse. For your aduersary the deuil (sayth saynt Peter 1. Pet. 5. [...]) goeth about like a roring Lyon [...]eeking whome hee may de­uour. The firy darts of our wicked enimies are alwayes kindled against vs. Death en­treth in by the windowes, the eye doth rob [Page] and spoyle the soule, the whole world doeth fight against vs vnwise men, for one nation warreth against an other, and great earth­quakes are in diuers places, pestilence and hungers, terrors and tempestes commeth downe amongest vs from the heauens. The earth bringeth forth thornes and thistles: the water bringeth forth inundations and fluds: the ayre sendeth vppon vs stormes, thun­ders, lightnings, and terrible fierye sightes. The earth (sayeth God to Adam) shall bee cursed in thy labour,Gen. 5. it shall yelde vnto thee thornes and t [...]istles, and in the sweate of thy browes thou shalt eate thy bread, vntil thou doest returne againe into the earth. The wylde bore of the woodd [...]s doth lye in waite for to deuour vs,Psal. 79. and euery wylde beast see­keth our destruction.Hier. 5. Hurtfull beastes e­nimies to mankinde. The Woulf, the Bear, the Lybard, the Lyon, the Tygar, and the wylde Asse: the Crocodile, the Grife, the Serpent, the Snake, the Basiliske, the veni­mous worme called Aspis, the Dragon, the Cereastes, the Scorpion, and the Uyper: al­so Nittes, Lyce, Emattes, Fleas, Gnattes, and Flyes, Hornettes, and Wasp [...]s, Fishes and Foules, all these I say, doe lye in waite to make a praye of our persons. For wee [Page] which in the beginning were created to beare rule ouer the fishes of the Sea, and foules of the ayre,Gen. 3. Deut. 22. and ouer all liuing things whiche moue vppon the earth, are nowe become a praye for them to feed vppon.bidem. 30 For it is writ­ten, I will set the teeth of beasts vppon them.

The lamentation of the soule being in prison. Chap. 18.

Rom. 7.O Unhappy and wretched creature that I am, who will delyuer mee from the torment of this earthly body? Beholde the lamentation of the silly soule, which would fayne bee discharged out of prison.Psal. 141. Where­of the Psalmist sayth thus. O Lorde bring my soule out of captiuitie. There is no rest nor quietnesse in anye place heere in this world. No where is there founde any peace or securitie: Feare and trembling is euerye where, labour and griefe is in all places. The fleshe is alwayes in labour, griefe, and sorow, so long as it liueth, and the soule doth mourne and lament hir greeuous estate and being.

Of the short ioye of man in this lyfe [...] Chap. 19

[Page]WHat man dyd euer passe ouer in thys lyfe one whole day in perfit mirth and ioye,Man hath not one whole day of ioy and pleasure in this life. whome in some parte of that day, either the remorse of conscience, the vehement in­na [...]ion of anger, or the motion of fleshely luste hath not disturbed? whome deuou­ryng malice, the insatiable desire of auarice, or else the secrete blastes of pryde, haue not disquieted? whom some losse of wealth, of­fence committed, or passion of the mind hath not distempered? And to be short, whom the [...]ight of some thing loathsome or greeuous to behold, or ye [...]earing of some thing sorow­ful or vndecent to be spoken, or els some acte to be misliked, hath not offended? Truely if any such there bee [...] hee is as rare as a blacke swan. Hearken what the wise man saith vp­pon this point. From the morning vnto the euening the tyme shall bee chaunged, vayne thoughts succeed one an other,Booke of Iesus 18 [...] Chap. & the mynd is seuered & deuided into diuers motions: men do delight to heare the pype, the harpe, or ci­therne, and take great ioye to heare the Or­gaynes, or other musicall instrumentes,Iob. 21. and by all meanes they prouyde to passe their dayes in pleasure: but alas, in a momēt they fall downe into hell.

Of sodayne sorowes vnloked for, which hap­pen vnto men. Chap. 20.

SOdayne heauinesse doeth alwayes ac­company worldly myrth:Sorow i [...] the comp [...] niō of mā [...] mirth and that which beginneth with ioye, doeth alwayes [...]nd with some sorowe: for worldly pleasure is mixte with manye bitter corsies. This knewe he right well which sayd:Prou. 14. Laughter is mixt with griefe, and the end of mirth is finished with wayling. The children of Iob Iob. 1. did proue this true by experience, the whiche whiles that they were making mery in their eldest brothers house, a sodayne myghtie wynde ri [...]ing out of the deserte, ouerthrewe the house & destroyed them all. And therefore their father might wel say [...] Iob. 30. My [...]arp is chan­ged into mourning, & my citherne is turned into ye v [...]yce of those that weepe. It is better (saith the wise man) to go into the house of mo [...]rning than of banketting.Booke of the Prea­cher. 7. The prea­c [...]e [...] 11 [...] Booke of Iesus. 7. The mor­tall man is but a li­uing death Harken ther­fore vnto his good counsayle. In the day of thy mirth & prosperitie, forget not sorow and aduersitie, and remember thy laste and en­ding day, and thou shalt not sin damnably.

Of [...]he ne [...]renesse of death. Chap. 21.

THe last day of our lyfe, is vnto vs al­wayes the first day to lyfe, and yet wee [Page] doe neuer accompt the first day to be ye last. Wher [...]as in deede we should still so line, as though we shuld alwaies die. For it is wri­ten:Booke of Iesus. 14. Booke of Iesus. 11. Remember that death doeth not [...]arry long, and is not slow in comming, Tyme passeth away, and death approcheth nighe. A thousand yeeres are before the eyes of hym that dyeth,Psal. 89. as it were but yesterday, which is already past. For the things which God will haue come to passe, are alwayes sprin­ging: and things present doe dayly decaye and perish: and those things which are past, are cleane dead and consumed. We then are dying whiles we liue, and then doe we cease from dying, when we cease to liue. There­fore it is better to dye [...] alwayes to liue, than to liue to dye euer. For the mortall lyfe of man is but a liuing death. Whereuppon (sayth Salomon) I commend more the e­state of those that be dead,Boke of the prea­cher. 4. than of those that liue: and I iudge him that is not yet borne happier than them both. The lyfe of man passeth swiftly away and can not be stayed, and death commeth vppon him instantlye and can not bee hindered. Man therefore is that wonderfull thing which doth decrease, and encrease, and al in a moment. For howe [Page] much the more mans life encreaseth, so much the neerer he approcheth to his ende.

Of the terror of dreames. Chap. 22.

THe verye tyme whyche is graunted man in this lyfe for his rest, is not per­mitted to be quiet vnto hym: for in dreames, dreadfull things often times appeare, which cause a manne to feare, and visions in hys sleepes doe molest him. And although in very deede those things which men dreame of, be not sorowfull, terrible, or payneful: yet for certaynetie, those whyche are molested with such dreames, are caused to be pensiue, sorowfull, and fearefull. In so muche, that sometymes in their sleepes, they feruently weepe, and when they are waked out there­of, are often troubled in their minds. Marke well what Elephas Thematices sayeth of this matter.Iob. 4. In the terror of a vision (sayeth hee) in the night time when men are wonte to sleepe, a greate feare and trembling came vppon mee, and all my bones did shake for feare,Iob. 7. and when the spirit passed in my pre­sence, the heare of my head stood vp. Consi­der the saying of Iob also in these wordes: [Page] If I say vnto my selfe, my bedde shall com­fort me, and I shall bee eased, talking with my selfe vpon my couch: thou wilte terrifie me with dreames and wilte make me shake for feare through visyons. Nabuchodono­zer sawe in a dreame,Daniel. 2. that thing whiche made him throughly afrayde, and the vi­sion being firmely imprest in his mynde, dyd much vexe & trouble him.Preacher. 5. Many thoughtes and cares do folowe dreames, and where there is many dreames, there is exceedyng many vani [...]ies. Dreames haue caused ma­ny to erre and do amisse: and the hope that men haue had in them, hathe byn made fru­strate. In sleepes also happen often tymes vncleane imaginations,Illusiōs in the night time [...] whereby not onely the flesh is polluted by illusions in the night, but the soule is also defyled:Leuit. 15 whe [...]vpon the Lord in the Leuiticall lawe sayeth thus, if there bee any man amongst you, which by illusion is abused in his sleepe by night, let him goe out of the tents, and let him not re­turne, before that in the euening he bee wa­shed cleane with water, and after the going downe of the Sunne, let him come agayne into the tentes.

Of Compassion. Chap. 23.

[Page] O With what griefe be wee vexed,The grie [...]e and sorow man hath for his frion [...]e [...]. with what trembling feare bee wee shaken, when wee vnderstande the losses or hin­deraunce of our friendes, and howe muche doe wee stand in feare of the dangers and losse of our parents? yea sometymes he that is whole add sounde of bodye, is more trou­bled and vexed in his feare, than the sick and feeble is in his sicknesse. For the voluntary sicke man is more afflicted with the affecti­on of his griefe, than the sicke patient man, languishing in his feeble [...]esse. Herevpon breaketh out the Poet in these wordes,The pāgs of loue. Ouyd. Loue is a lothsome thing God wote, and passing full of griefe. Whose breast is so hardened, whose harte is so stonye, that hee can not bee sorye and lament, that he can not weepe and wayle, when [...]e doeth beholde the sickenesse or death of his friend or neighbour, that hee can not suffer with him that suffereth, and sorow with him that mourneth. Our saui­our Christ him selfe, when hee sawe Marye Magdalen,Ioh [...]. 11. & the Iewes which came with hir to Lazarus monument, all weeping, hee was afflicted in spirit, and troubled in him selfe, and wepte: Not peraduenture bicause Lazarus the brother of Mary was deade, but [Page] rather for that he should rayse him vp, or cal him being now deade,The death of t [...]e soule is more to be lamen­ted than the death of the bodi vnto the myseries of this lyfe againe. For let him perswade him selfe to be guiltie of great hardnesse of hart, and to bee accompted as one faulte worthy, who soroweth more at the corporall depar­ture of his friend, than the spirituall death of his soule.

Of sundry misfortunes that happen vnto men. Chap. 24.

SUch is our casual cōdition, that when we seeme to stād in great securitie, we dwell in deepeste daunger, and when wee least feare, we sonest fall. Calamitie falleth vppon vs not loked for, sickenesse sodaynlye inuadeth vs, and death without ransome re­quireth his duetie. Doe not therefore boaste vppon the nexte day,Prou. 27. being ignorant what the day folowing will bring forth. Man knoweth not his end, but as the fishes be ta­ken with the booke,Booke of the Pre [...] ­cher. and the byrdes bee so­daynly entrapped with the snare, so men bee preuented in their dayes, and sometymes ta­ken in an euill houre, when death shall spee­dily arrest them.

Of the innumerable kindes of sicknesses that man is subiect vnto. Chap. 25.

THe knowledge that man hath hadde to searche oute the causes and natures of things these many hundreth yeeres, could as yet neuer finde out so many kindes of disea­ses, or such diuers sortes of passiōs, as ye frail­tie or weakenesse of man could endure and suffer. Shoulde I call it tollerable impati­ence to su [...]tayne suche infirmities or intolle­rable sufferance? It is better I ioyne them both togither: For it is intollerable for the bitternesse of the passion, and tollerable for the necessitie of suffering. Mans nature frō day to day is more and more corrupt: Insomuch that many holsome experimēts which in tymes past were of great force, are nowe through the defect or weakenesse of mans nature, become hurtfull and dangerous. For now both the worlds, that is to say, y• great world that contayneth all, and man whyche is the little world contayned therein, waxe both olde, and drawe towardes an ende. And howe muche the more the age of them both is prolonged or encreased, so much the worse the nature of them both is vexed and troubled.

Of diuers kindes of torments which men sustayne. Chap. 26 [...]

WHat [...]houlde I speake of the poore and miserable wretches of thys worlde, which by innumerable kynds of tormentes sustayne punishmente? Some of them are beaten to deathe with cudgels, some cut off by the sword, some burnt with fire, some are stoned [...]o deathe, some are torne in p [...]eces with Horses and with the talents of beasts, some are hanged on gibbets, some are rackte and strangled to deathe, some are tormen­ted with engins made of mettalles, and they are crucifyed with a million more of mise­ries. Some are straitely prest with fetters and bonds, and yoked with sundry engins. Some are cast into prison, and there pine away for neede. Some are throwen downe headlong from high places, some are drow­ned, flayed quicke, dismembred, cut in peeces and perced through theyr body [...]s. Upon them falleth those punishments of the which the Prophete speaketh, saying, some pe­rishe vnder the sworde, some by famine, and some in durance or captiuitye. It is a heauie and pitifull syghte, that some are giuen to feede the [...]oules of the ayre, some [Page] the fishes of the Sea, and some the beastes of the earth. Alas, & woe vnto you most wret­ched and miserable mothers, which bring forth such vnfortunate children.

Of a certayn horrible fact committed by a wo­man compelled thereunto by extreame misery. Chap. 27.

Ioseph. de bello. Iuda. 10 lib 4. cap. 13.TO leaue out nothing wherby the mise­ries of this worlde may bee manifest, I wil make rehersall of an horrible and dread­full fact committed in the Iewes warres. A certayne woman of noble parentage and great wealth, did endure the common fortune in the siedge of Ierusalem, amongst the rest of the multitude which came thit [...]er from diuers places: The goods which shee brought into the citie, were for the most part taken and spoyled by the Tyrantes: And that little which was lefte to sustayne hir weary life, the robbers and spoylers of the Citie (dayly entring into hir house) ber [...]eued hir thereof. Whereby great trouble & griefe dyd so much moue hir, that often times with opprobrious wordes she did attempte to stir vp their, choler by their bloudy hands to end hir wretched life. But when by no mean [...]s [Page] shee could prouoke their anger to fulfill hir euil intent, nor yet could mou [...] them to take compassion vppon [...]ir miserable estate, all hope of foode forsaking hir, and payne of pe­nury pinching hir, vsing the worst counsail, did arme hir selfe against the lawes of na­ture. For hauing a yong babe sucking at hir breast, she cryed out and sayde, O vnhappye chylde of an vnfortunate mother, [...]eauye is thy chaunce, but heauier is my choise: for I am forced to make foode of my owne fleshe: I will make my myserie knowne to all po­steritie, and the crueltie of the Romaynes the cause of my calamitie. Come now ther­fore my little babe, whom I haue borne full often in myne armes, whom I haue nouri­shed with my tender pappes, whom I haue kissed full sweetly with my [...]ippes, let [...]hy flesh bee foode vnto thy wo [...]ull mother, and let the womb which brought thee into light, be thy rufull graue. And when she had thus spokē, she murdered hir child, part of whom through famyne shee presentlye deuoured, the rest shee did reserue to feede hir furious appetite. And beholde, the hungry souldy­ers passing by, recey [...]ed the broyling sa­uour of hir vnnaturall dyet. Wherefore [Page] with force they came into the house to spoile hir of hir foode: whose desire to satisfie, sh [...] playd hir parte most kyndly, saying, behold I haue rese [...]ued the best portion for you: and by & by vncou [...]r [...]d the remnant of hir child: which vnkynde and cruell spectacle dyd so dismay them and moue their senses, that trembling feare betooke them all, and the horror of the sight did bereaue them of thei [...] speeche. But shee with a Tygres counte­naunce, and moste cruell harte, sayde vnto them, [...]ate friendes, it is parte of my chylde, of my dea [...] sonne, whome I haue brought into this worlde, and through penurie it is my deed: what wil you be more scrupulous than the mother? shall bloudy Souldiers haue more tender harts than a silly woman? if pittie or naturall aff [...]ction doe ouercome you and cause you to abh [...]r my dyet, I my selfe will feed ther [...]on agayne. And after she had thus sayd, the souldi [...]rs departed as men all astonied at the sight, the which spoyling [...]ir of all hir wealth and riches, left hir none other [...]oode to feede vppon.

Of the punishing of the Innocent, and dismis­syng of the guiltie. Chap. 28.

LEt no man assure him selfe to bee free or [...]xempt from p [...]yne,Cor. 10. although he knowe him selfe to bee without offence. Hee that standeth, let hi [...] take heede that hee doe not fall. For the innocent is often tymes con­demned, and the offendour deliuered: the godly is punished, and the wicked is hono­red: Iesus is crucified, and Barrabas is dis­mist. In these our dayes a quyet man is e­steemed vnprofitable: and he that is addicted vnto deuotion, or to the seruice of god, is re­puted for an [...]ypocrite: and the simple man that is without dec [...]ite, is accompted for a foole. For the simplicitie of the rightuous man is laughed at, and hee whose vertue s [...]i­neth before men as a lampe, in the imagina­tions of the riche is contemned.

¶The second Booke, of the Mirror of mans lyfe.

Of the culpable and synfull beginning of m [...]ns [...]onuersation. Chapter. 1.

Three things chiefly de­sired of mē THere bee three things which men are wont chi [...]flye to af­fect: Riches, Plesures, & Ho­nours. Riches are the nour­ses of sinne and iniquitie: Pleasure is the daughter of dishonestie, and the guyde that leadeth to calamitie: Ho­nour, is the mother of worldly pompe and vanitie. Whereuppon the Apostle saynt Iohn sayth:1. Epist. 2. Doe not loue the worlde nor those things which be in ye world, for what­soeuer is in the worlde, it is eyther the con­cupiscence of the fleshe, or the delight of the eyes, or els the pryde of mynde. For the flesh foloweth pleasures, the eye regardeth riches, and the mynd respecteth honours. From the roote of riches spring wanton desires and a­uarice: pleasures are the braunches of gluto­nye and leachery: the [...]ruites of honours are pryde and insolencie.

Of the feruent desire and thirst after riches. Chap. 2.

NOthing then (as the wise man saith) [...]s more wicked than the couetous man,Booke of Iesus. son of Syracke. 10 and nothing more vniust than is the loue of money. Which the Apostle doth confirme in these wordes:1. Tim. 6. Those that will be made riche fal into temptations, and into the snare of the deuill, into many desires, both vnprofitable and hurtfull, which doth drowne men in the pit of hell, and doth lead them to their own damnation and to vtter perdition. For couetousnesse is the roote of all euill: coue­tousnesse doth commit sacriledge & theftes: couetousnesse doth practise robberies, & hun­teth after prayes: couetousnesse maketh war and causeth manslaughter: couetousnesse byeth and selleth spiritual things: couetous­nesse demaundeth vniust giftes, and recey­neth vnreasonable rewardes: couetousnesse changeth the vnnatural vse of money, into the vnlawfull gaynes of vsury: shee vseth deceites to the dammage & fraude of others: shee breaketh hir promise and do [...]th violate hir othe: she corrupteth witnesses, and per­ [...]erteth iudgementes.

Of vniust r [...]wards and brib [...]s [...] Chap. 3.

MArke wel the Prophet Esay, Esa. [...]. who saith: All men loue money, and seeke after rewardes: they do not iudge the cause of the orphane or fatherlesse, the cause of the widow is not called before them. They do not enter into iudgemēt before their bribes & reward [...], bicause they iudge not for the loue of iustice, but bribes and gif [...]s do preuent them in their iudgements, for yt they iudge for the loue of money. They alwayes haue respecte to the gift, to the promise, or to the [...]ope of reward: And therfore do they not iudge in fauour of the orphane, of whom nothing is giuen, pro­mised, or hoped for. O you rulers false of promise [...] companiōs of theeues, who so euer you be yt loue bribes, and go [...] after rewards, you shal neuer kepe your hands cleane from bribes, except you first wash away the coue­tous desire frō your harts.Ezech. 2 [...]. The Prophet ther­fore speketh this of you. Their rulers be like rau [...]ning wol [...]es, which do rob & take vio­lē [...]ly their pray, & most couetously do folow the [...]r gain. And likewise (saith ye prophet Mi­cheas Mycheas. 5.) Their rulers & gouernours did iudge for rewards: their priests & ministers taught [Page] for hyre, and their prophets did prophes [...]e for money.Deut. 16. Behold the Lord did cōmauen Mo­ses in ye law: Thou shalt ordain iudges and rulers in all thy gates, yt they may iudge my people in iust iudgement, & decline on ney­ther side. Thou shalt accepte no person [...] nor receyue any rewards: bicause bribes & giftes do blind the eyes of wise men, & doe change the sayings of the righteous: but thou shalte prosecute yt which is to be done iustly,Esa. 5. & thou shalt li [...]e. Hee speaketh here of two things, iust, and iustly, for some men doe prosecute that which is vniust, vniustly: & againe there be which doe persue that vniustly, which is iust: and last of all, some doe prosecute that iustly, which is vniust.

Of the accepting of per­sons. Chap. 4.

WOe bee vnto you which being corrupt by petition or rewarde, or els moued through affection, affirm yt which is good to be euil, & that which is euill to be good: pro­claiming ye light to be darknesse, & darkenes to be light: condemning the soules to dye, which dye not, & making the soules to liue, which liue not. For you do not cōsider ye e­quitie of ye cause, but ye deserts of ye persons: [Page] not the lyfe of the man, but the giftes that are giuen: not iustice, but money: not what reason biddeth, but what will affecteth: not what the law ordaineth, but what the minde desireth. You doe not whet your wits, and bend your wils to ye maintenance of iustice, and aduancement of equitie: but yo [...] wreste [...]ustice to your own will & wickednesse, not [...]o the intent that that which is lawfull may please you, but that it which doth please you may be lawfull.Mat. 6. Your eye is neuer so sim­ple that all the bodye is made cleane and bright, but alwaies you mingle it with som euel lea [...]en, whereby you corrupte the whole peece. You doe neglecte the poore mans cause, and with all care and diligence sup­porte the cause of the riche. You shewe all extremitie and rigor vnto the poore man, but with cur [...]eous and gentle dealing you doe dispence with the welthy. You scarcelye cast your countenaunce vppon the poore, but you deale fauourably with those that bee of substance. You hear ye poore mans cause neg­ligētly, but to ye rich mā you giue eare most diligētly: the poore man crieth for iustice, and none doth giue eare vnto him: the riche man speaketh and euery man ioyfully giueth eare. [Page] Wherevpon (saith Salomon) When the rich man speaketh, euery one keepeth silence,Booke of Iesus. 12. and what he saith, they extoll it vp to the clowds: but when the poore man telleth his tale, they say, what felow is this? and if be offend in any word, they will ouerthrowe him. Hee suffereth violence and cryeth out, and no mā heareth him. Hee vttereth his griefe with mourning voice, and there is none that iud­geth his cause. If by chance you take in hād the cause of the poore, you folowe it slowly: but when you take in hande the riche mans cause, you folowe it most earnestlye. You despise the poore, you honor the riche: with reuerence you giue place to those that bee welthie, but contemptuously you reiecte those that bee needy. If one come into the place where you are assembled, hauing a golde ring vpon his fingar, in a fayre white garment, and a poore man also homely ap­parelled, if you beholde him whiche is clo­thed in gorgeous apparell, you will say vn­to him [...] Sir sitte you downe here, makyng place for him: but to the poore man you will say, stand thou there, or sit on my foote­stole. Doe you not in this case iudge accor­ding to your affection? and become iudges [Page] of v [...]iust imaginations? For of you and a­gainst you the Prophete speaketh, when hee sayeth,Hiere. 5. They be magnified, enriched, made fa [...]te and grosse: they haue not pleaded the cause of the fatherlesse, and haue not iudged the poore mans cause. But it is commanded in the law:Deuter. 1. There shall bee no difference of persons, you shall heare the small as well as the greate, you shall accept no man his per­son, bycause it is the iudgement of God:Rom [...]. for there is no acception of persons with God.

Of the [...]elling of Iustice. Chap. 5.

O You corrupte Iudges, whiche neuer shewe fauoure where reason woulde you shoulde, ne yet vprightly minister iu­stice. For if no gayne or profite fal vnto your lot, vpright iudgement proceedeth not from you: and nothing is giuen you, but for the sale of Iustice. You vse oftentimes suche prolonging of Iustice, that you take more from the [...]uters, than the valew of the thing which is in sute, for so muche as the expen­ces and charges do farre surmount the com­moditie or profit reapt by the sentence. But what can you answere to him in that strayt iudgement,Matth. 10. who commaundeth you say­ing, Freely haue you receyued it [...] & therfore frankly giue it agayne? Your cheftes are full [Page] of riches, your conscience fra [...]ght with sin­fulnesse, your chi [...]f [...]st care is for worldly cō ­modities, making youre [...]oules cap [...]iu [...]s to sin & iniquitie.Matth. 16. But what doth it profit or a­ [...]aile man, to gaine al ye world, & sustaine yt losse of his soule? or what thing may man change for ye safetie of his soule? The brother shal not redeeme ye death of [...]is brother. And man shal not pa [...]ifie the wrath of God, nor is able to giue a sufficiēt price for the redēp­tion of his soule. He shal alwayes liue in la­bour vntil his end. Hearkē you rich mē what ye apostle saith.Iacob. 5. Go ye now ( [...]aith he) you rich men, weepe & lam [...] the miseries which shall come vpō you: your riches are corrupt, your garmentes are motheaten, your golde & sil­uer is cancred, and the rust of thē shall be a witnesse against you, & shal eate your fleshe as it were fire: you haue gathered for [...]oure treasure wrath in the last dayes. Behold, the [...]ireof the labourers, which haue reapt down your fields, and is kept backe from them by fraude, cryeth out agaynste you, & the cri [...] of thē is entred into the eares of the Lorde of Sabaoth. And therfore truth it selfe cōman­deth you saying.Mat. 6. Hoord not vp for your self [...] treasures vpon earth where the moth & rust doth corrupt, & the [...]es br [...]ake in & steale [...]t.

Of the vnsatiable desire of the coue­tous man. Chap. 6.

O Fire vnquenchable: O desire insati­able: What conetous man was euer satisfyed with the performance of that whi­che he first desired to obtayne? for such is his insatiable appetite, that after he hath obtay­ned that which he wished for, he bendeth his mind to procure greater things, and the end of hys desire is alwayes in getting that which he hath not, and is neuer cōtent with that which he hath already gotten.Iesus the sonne. 14. The eye of the couetous man is neuer satisfyed, and will not bee filled for a portion of iniquitie. The couetous manne hathe neuer his fill of money,Preacher. 5. and hee that loueth Riches taketh little frute thereof. Euen as Hell and per­dition are neuer filled:Prouerb. 30. so likewise the vnsa­tiable eyes of couetous men are neuer satis­fyed. These are the two bloudsuckers which alwayes say, bring vnto vs, for The loue of money doeth as muche encrease, as money it selfe.

Wherefore the couetous man can not be satisfyed. Chap. 7.

WIlt thou know O couetous man, why [...]hy mind is neuer satisfied, and thy de­sire [Page] is neuer filled? Marke what I shall say: Thy measure from whēce thy couetous de­sire doth s [...]ring, is neuer so full, but it is able to comprehend more: For the mind of man (whiche is the measure whereby [...]ee measu­reth all worldly desires) is able also to re­ceyue God, bycause he whiche cleaueth vnto God, is one spirit with God.1. Corin. 6. Therfore how much soeuer the minde doth contayne, it is neuer satisfied vntill it dothe comprehende God, of whome it is alwayes capable. If thou wilt then be filled and contented, leaue off thy couetous appetite, for so long as thou shalt haue that greedy desire, thou shalte ne­uer be satiate:2. Corin. 6 [...] for there is no accord betwene light and darkenesse, nor no agreement be­twixte Christe and Belial,Mat. 6. bycause no man can serue God and Mammon [...]

Of the fals [...] and deceytfull name of Riches. Chap. 8.

O Thou false and deceytfull felicitie that man hath in riches, which in very deede makest the riche man an vnfortunate and miserable childe. For what maketh a man more vnhappie or wretched, than wealth or worldly substance, which are called riches? [Page] A man to be needy and to be riche, are two contrarees,Acts. 5. and yet the riches of the worldly do not take away pouertie, but causeth po­uertie [...] For as the wise man saith, A little doth better cōtent and satisfie the poore mā,Zachary 9. than abundance doth suffice or please the rich man, For where there is great Riches, there b [...] many to consume it: for we see great no­bili [...]ie ouercharged with greater necessitie. Therefore wealth and abundance doth not enrich a man, but maketh him poore & needy.

Ex [...]mplse against Couetousnesse. Chap. 19.

HOw many hathe couetousnesse seduced and decayed? how many more hath [...] loue of money vtterly destroyed? [...]b. 14. The Asse rebuked Balaam, for that he beeing seduced with the desire of those things whic [...]e were promised him, determined to curse Israel. The people did stone Achas to deathe, by­cause he tooke away golde and siluer which were cursed and f [...]rbidden. [...]. 6. Naboth was slayne, that Achab mighte possesse his vine­yarde. Giezi was striken with a Leprosie, bycause he demaunded and receyued golde, siluer, and garments, vnder the name of He­liseus. Math. 6. Iudas hanged him selfe bycause he had solde and betrayed Christ.Luke. [...]. Suddayne death [Page] made an [...] [...]nde of Anania and Saphyra hys wife, bycause they defra [...]ded and deceyued. the Apostles of the pr [...]ce of their grounde. Tyrus built vp a strong for [...]resse and heaped vp siluer as [...]arthe and golde,Preacher. 5. as the clay of the stre [...]tes, but behold, sayth the Proph [...]t, the Lorde s [...]all spoyl [...] hir of it, & he shall smite downe hir pow [...]r in the sea, and she shall be consumed with fire.

Of the great [...]are that couetous men haue. Chap. 10.

WHy doth man so earn [...]stly set his mind and so straightly presse himselfe to ga­ther goodes, seeing yt he cannot always con­tinue, and enioy them for euer?Num. 22. for man cō ­meth forth like a [...]oure, & doth wast and va­nish away againe like as the shadowe, and neuer cōtinueth in one estate. Why doth he thē desire to be mast [...]r of many things, whē fewer things would serue him?Iosue. 7. For hauing sustenance & clothing, saith ye Apostle, le [...] vs be cōtent therwith [...] 3. Reg. 21. Why doth he seeke after things necessary, wt much care &A anguish of mind,4 Reg. 5. seing that they offer thēselues vnto vs without great diff [...]cultie? H [...]ark [...]n what y• truth itselfe sayth [...] Ma [...]h. 27. Be not carefull, saying vnto your selues, what shal we eate, or what [Page] sha [...]l wee drinke, or wherewith shall wee be clothed? for your heauenly father knoweth right well that you haue neede of all these things. Seeke first therefore the kingdome of heauen, and all these things shall be cast in­to your hands. And herevpon sayth Dauid, Psal. 36. I did neuer see the iust man forsaken of God, nor yet his seede begging bread.

Of the inordinate desire, that the couetous man hath to keepe Riches. Chap. 11.

Horatius. TAntalus as the Poet sayeth, thirsteth a­middes the waters: euen so the coue­tous man standeth at neede amiddes [...] hys greatest wealth.Preacher. 5. To whome, that which hee hath, doth as much good, as that whiche hee hath not: For bycause hee neuer vseth those things whiche hee hath already in possession, but alwayes seeketh after things not as yet obtayned. Hee (is sayth the wyse man) as though he were rich,Prouerb. 13 when he hath nothyng: and is as though he were poore when he [...]lo­weth in wealth. The couetous man, and the pitte of hell, doe both of them de [...]oure, but they doe not digest: they receyue bothe, but they do not render agayne. The nig­garde doth neyther pitie those that suffer af­ [...]iction, [Page] nor yet hathe compassion on those that [...] in miserie. But he forgetteth his du­tie to God, and the loue to his neighbour, seeking his owne harme and disquiet. For he holdeth backe from God the honor due to him, he denyeth his neighbor things [...]hat [...]ee necessarie, and withdraweth from hym selfe things which are needefull. He is vnthanke­full to God, vnkinde to his neighbour, and cruell to him selfe. To what vse hathe the couetous and miserable man [...]ubstance? and to what purpose hath the spitefull or maliti­ous man golde? How can he which is euill vnto him selfe bee good to others?Booke of Iesus. 12. or he that [...]aketh no profit of his owne gotten goodes? He that hath the substance of this world,1. Iohn. 3. and seeth his brother stande in neede, and taketh no pitie on him, howe doth the loue of God remaine in him? For he loueth not his ney­bour as him selfe, whome he suffereth to pe­ri [...]he for hunger, and cōsume for neede: ney­ther dothe hee loue God abou [...] all things, who more than God respecteth Golde and Siluer.

Why the couetous man is called a wor­shipper of Idols. Chap. 12.

[Page]THe Apostle doth rightly define A [...]arice or couetousnesse to be the worshipping of Idols:Ephes. for as the Idolater committeth Idolatrie by adoring the Idoll, euen so doth the couetous man in making gold his god. The Idolater most feruently dothe re­uerence the Idoll, the couetous man most carefully keepeth his treasure. The Idolat [...]r putteth his hope in his false God, and thys man putteth his trust in his fickle wealthe: The one is afrayde to violate any parte of his Idoll, and the other is afraid to decrease any portion of his treasure.

The properties of a Couetous man. Chap. 13.

THe couetous man is always readie to aske, but slow to giue, and bolde to de­nie: All that hee spendeth he thinketh it lost, and after expence, hee is full of sorowe, full of complaints, frowarde, and hard to please: He is prest with care, and sigheth, through the remembrance of that which is spent. H [...] is troubled in mind, tormented in body, and if aught goe from him, it is much againste his will god wot. He maketh his owne giftes glorious, and embaceth that which he receyueth of others [...] He giueth in hope to re­ceyue, [Page] and of his giftes he maketh his gaine. He is free of dispence where others beare the charge, but very sparing in spending of hys owne. He forbereth his foode [...] his treasure to encrese: hee pineth his body for to multi­ply his gaine.Booke of Iesus [...]. He plucketh backe his hande when aught he should giue, but he stretcheth him far forth to receyue commoditie.Booke of Iesus. 40. Howe­beit the wealth or s [...]bstance of the vnrighte­ous, shall be dried vp euen as a riuer, bycause goodes euil gotten are soone agayne consu­med. For it is a iust iudgement, that wea [...]th of euil beginning should haue a worser en­ding. And that those things which be vniu­stly gathered, shuld be vnt [...]rif [...]ely scattered. The couetous man therefore hath his con­dēnation both in this life & in ye life to come.

Of the dangerous possess [...]ng of Riches. Chap. 14.

IT is most true therefore which ye wise man doth testifie,Booke of Iesus 8. that gold & siluer hath vndone many.Ibidem. 3 [...] He that loueth golde shall not be iustified. Wo be vnto them that folowe after it. Behold, ye sinners do abound in t [...]is world, & for the most part are t [...]e inheritors of we [...]lth. Herevpō our sauiour Chris [...] gaue cōmandement vnto his Apostles saying,Math. 1 [...]. pos­sesse no gold nor sil [...]er, ne kepe [...] monye in [Page] your purses, for as easie it is for the camell to passe through the eye of a needle,M [...]. 10. as it is for a riche man to enter into the kingdome of Heauen:Math. 7. for the way that leadeth to lyfe is streight and narrowe. And therefore the Apostle folowing the commaundemente of his master,Acts. 3. sayde, I haue neyther golde nor siluer. Wo be vnto you sayth the Prophete, that ioyne house to [...]ouse,Esay. 5. and field to fielde, vnto the vttermost bound of the place.Es [...]y. 2. The earthe is filled with siluer and golde,Esay. 57. and there is no ende of hir treasure. I am gree­ued sayth God with the iniquitie of the co­uetous man, and haue striken him.

Of lawfull Riches. Chap. 15.

BUt Abraham was riche, and Iob of great substance:Genes. 13. Dauid was wealthie. And yet doth ye Scripture say of Abraham that he did beleeue God, and it was reputed to him for righteousnesse. Of Iob the scrip­ture dothe also witnesse,Iob 1. that there was not his like vpon the earthe, being a simple and an vpright man, fearing God, and eschewing euil.1. Reg. 16. Of Dauid we haue likewise sufficient testimonie, that our Lord found him accor­ding to his hart and desire.1. Corin. 16 But all these [Page] holy fathers were as though they had no­thing, and yet possessed all things, according vnto ye saying of y• Prophete Dauid, Psal. 61. If thou doest flow in wealthe, set not thy hart there­on. And on the contrary syde, the couetous men doe possesse all things, and yet are they as though they hadde nothing, as the same Prophete witnesseth in another place:Psal. 33 [...] The riche men saith he, were needy and hungrie: For it is more easie to finde one that loueth riches and hath them not, than to finde one that hath them, and doth not loue them [...] by­cause it is harde to be amiddes the fire and not to burne, and more harder to possesse riches and not to loue them.Hier. 6. H [...]arken what the Prophete sayth: From the lowest vnto the highst all men set their mindes to heape vp treasure: and from the Prophete to the Priest all committe deceit.

Of the vncertaynetie of Riches. Chap. 16.

THe cou [...]tous man dothe alwayes tra­uell much against nature: bycause na­ture dothe bring him into the worlde poo [...]e and needle: and pouertie do [...]e a [...]company him euen vnto his graue. T [...]e earthe r [...]c [...] ­ueth [Page] him naked, and after he hath played his part theron, she doth deuoure him naked a­gayne, when deathe shall gi [...]e him a deadly wounde. The couetous man in this life, de­sireth nought but Riches,Luke. 12. and therefore saith he [...] I will pull downe my barnes and gra­nari [...]s, and will [...]nlarge them, to reserue all such fruites as the earth shal bring me forth, and therein wil I lay vp al my welth, and [...]reasure. Unto whose determination thys answere was made. O Foole, thy soule shal be required agayne of th [...]e [...]his night: th [...]n whose shall those things be which thou hast gotten and scraped togither?Psal. 38. Thou doest gather treasure (sayth the Prophet) but thou knowest not for w [...]ome:Psal. 75. The Riche men (saith [...]ee) tooke their rest, a [...]d when they did a [...]ake, found none of their Riches in theyr owne handes. The riche man (saith Iob) when he shall sleep,Iob. 27. shall b [...]are nothing a­way with him, but shall open his eyes and nothing shall be finde. Be not a [...]rayde sayth Dauid when any man b [...]commeth riche,Psal 48. and though the glorye of h [...]s [...]ouse [...]ncreasethe more and more: For when he dyeth, of all these thi [...]gs nothing shall hee receyue, hys glory shall not folow him, his pompe will [Page] take hir leaue, and his riches shall come in­to the hands of strangers: for the Sepul­chres of suche men shall be their house for e­uer. Therefore the wise man sayth,Booke of Iesus. 14. Whatso­euer the couetous man wrongfully gathe­reth togither, he heapeth it vp for others, and in his goodes another shall riot and make hauo [...]ke. It is lamentable to see, how it is prouided by delieny, yt oftentim [...]s his grea­test enimie becommeth his neerest heyre.

Of Glutoni [...]. Chap. 16.

IN the beginning of mans life, bread & water was his foode, & a simple garmēt with a poore cottage were thought suffi [...]i [...]nt to couer his deformities.Eccle. 28. But now ye frutes of the trees, the sondry sorts of graynes, the rootes of herbes, ye fishes of the sea, the beastes of the land, ye foules of the ayre, do not satisfie the greed [...]e appetite of glutons & r [...]en [...]ng men. For nowe they seeke pleasant dishes with painted couloures: they procure deli­cate & hote spices, choyce [...]a [...]s [...] sugred mor­sels for their daintie mouthes. Those things do they feed vpō, which be curiously wrog [...]t by the arte of Cookery, & [...]un [...]ingly prepa [...]ed by ye in [...]ētiōs of their officers. One by stam­ping & strayning, chāgeth some th [...]ngs from [Page] their proper nature laboring by art to make that an accidente whiche of it selfe is a sub­stance. Another compoundeth things togi­ther, to make that delicate, whiche of it selfe is vnpleasant: and al this is to turne excesse to hunger, to bring an apetite vnto the sto­macke opprest with saturiti [...], and to fulfyll the gredy desire of gluttonie, rather than to susteyne the weakenesse of nature. But the place of glutonie, as it hath scarce foure fin­gers in quantitie, so hath hir pleasure hardly foure momentes in continuaunce. The meane in meates is contemned, superfluitie is affect [...]d, and varietie is desired. Desire of gredinesse knoweth no ende, and varietie excedeth mesure. The mind is ouercharged, the stomacke is troubled, and the sense tho­rough them both is opprest. Glutony is an enimie to health, a friend vnto sicknesse, the mother of wanton lust, and the instrument of death. Be not greedy sayth the wise man at any banquet, ne [...]eede not on euery dishe,Booke of Iesus. 37. for with diuersitie of dishes the health is en­dangered, & through ye surfet of wine many haue perished.1. Corin. 6. Meate is ordained for the be­lie, and the belie to receyue meate, but God shall destroy the one and the other.

Ex [...]mples against Glutonie. Chap. 18.

GL [...]tony requireth a costly and charge­able tribute, but it yeld [...]th a verye base and most vile rent. For howe muche more delicate the foode is, so muche more odious are the fruites therof. Glutony distempereth the bodye, cor [...]upte [...]h the stomake, & maketh all partes noysome.Gen. 3. Gluttony did shutte vp the gates of Paradyse agaynst mankynde: Glutonye caused Esau to sell his inheritance:Gen. 25. Glutonye was the mayne pathe that ledde Pharao his baker to the gallowes.Gen. 40. Glutony was the instrumente that wrought Iohn Baptists death.Mat. 14. Nabuzardan the chief cooke of the King of Babilon, 4. Reg. 2 [...]. burn [...]e the Temple and destroyed Ierusalem. Balthasar the King of Babilon in his greate & sumptuous ban­ket,Dan 5. saw a hand writing on the wall, Mane, Thetel, Phares, & the same night he was kil­led by ye Chaldeans. Num. 11. Psal 77. The people of Israel sate downe to make good cheere, and rose vp to playe, but whilest the meat was yet in their mouthes, the wrath of God sel vppon them, and destroyed them. They which fed volup­tuously dyed in the highe wayes. The riche man which did feast & banket,Lamēt [...] of Iere. 4. & abounde in worldly pomp & vanitie,Lu [...]. 16. was bury [...]d in h [...]l.

Of Dronkennesse. Chap. 11.

WHat is more vyle and lothsome than is the dronkarde? whose mouthe is the lodge of poysoned sauours: whose bodye through excesse doeth tremble and shake:Prou. 3 [...]. whose promises are large: whose tongue bewrayeth secretes: whose minde is soone chaunged: whose countenaunce is transfor­med. For where dronkennesse is the myste­resse, there secrecie beareth no maistrie. For commonly when the heade is full of wyne, the tongue is set at libertie. Besides this, wyne only doth not suffice a dronkard, ney­ther is he content with many sorts of wine, as Cysar, Bastard, Hypocras, and such like: but he drowneth his senses in al varietie of liquor, making him selfe the monster of ex­cesse. This is the nurserie of al cōtention and strife. For as ye wise man saith,Booke of Iesus [...] 31. much drin­king of wine kindleth ye coales of wrath, & is ye roote of all mischief & ruine:Ose. 4. & ye sequele therof is fornication: yea fornication, wine, & dronkennesse, [...]ereaueth noble minds of all strength & courage And therefore ye Apostle writeth:Prou. 20. be not drōk wt wine wherein is wā ­ton lust.Ephe. 3. And ye wise king sayth, yt wine is a lecherous thing,Luc. 1. & that dronkennesse is ful of s [...]rife & dissētiō:Hie [...]. 35. The childrē of Rachab, & the son of Zacharie drank no wine, nor Cisar, ne [Page] other kinde of drink yt might make thē drōk.

Exemples aga [...]nst Dr [...]nke [...]sse. Chap. 20.

DRonkēnesse did discouer ye priuie parts of Noe, Ge. 9. & 19. & caused Loth to [...]ōmit incest. Dronkennesse slewe Ammon king Dauids 2. Reg. 13. son, & murdered Holofernes chief captaine of the armie. True then it is yt Salomon sayth,Iudeth. 13. They which are giuē to drinke,Pro. 23 & [...] 22 & to spēd rio­tously shall be speedily brought to b [...]ggery. And the prophet Esay crieth out vppon suche men, saying:Esa. 5. woe be vnto you which rise vp early in the morning to drinke your selues dronk, & to t [...]pple vntill night, yt you b [...]me hote & boyling wt wine: hauing also in your bankets diuers & su [...]dry i [...]struments [...] & plē ­of wyne: woe be vnto you which be migh­tie, & able to drinke stoutly in [...]as [...]s:Esa. 28. & are ex­pert to set vp dronkēnesse: be [...]olde your ioy & felicitie is to kil calues and [...]at weathers to [...]ate of diuers sorts of flesh, & to drink wine: let vs eat & drink say you, [...]or we shal dye to morow. And ye voice of ye lord (saith h [...]) is reueled in mine eares, yt this iniquitie s [...]all not be purged frō you vntill death:Esa. 2 [...]. wo be vnto ye crown of pride, e [...]ē to ye dro [...]ē p [...]ple of E­phraim. The priest & the prophet knowe not what they do for dronkēnes: they are a [...] swa­lowed vp wt wine, they know not [...]im yt lo­keth [Page] on them, they stumble and are become ig­norant in their iudgements,

Of Leacherye. Chap. 21.

GLutonye the mother of vncleanenesse, bringeth forth a more vncleane daugh­ter:Apoc. 21. For it is very agreeable to reason, that he which is already vncleane, should become as yet more disparged with vncleannesse.O [...]e. 7. For all those which commit fornication, are lyke vnto the bakers ouen made hote with fyre. The Princes and rulers began to rage through wyne: for the belly which is dain­tily fed, most willingly of it selfe imbraceth carnal pleasures. O extreame rage of le [...]de lust, which do [...]th not onelye effeminate the mynde, but also weakeneth the body: which doth not only endaunger the person in this lyfe, but bringeth both body and soule in pe­rill of damnation in the lyfe to come. For all the sinne which man doeth commit,1. Cor. 6. is without the body, but hee that offendeth in fornication, procureth offence against hys owne body. Heate and lust are the [...]arben­gers of fornication, and [...]hee is alwayes ac­companied with vncleanenesse and vnde­centnesse, [Page] but sorow and repentance do spee­dily ouertake [...]ir: For the lippes of an [...]ar­lot (sayth Salomon) are lyke vnto a drop­ping hony comb,Prou. [...] and hir throte is more neat and clearer than oyle: but the end and later dayes of hir, are as bitter as wormewoode, and hir tong is a sharpe two edged sworde.

Of the generalitie of Leache­ry. Chap. 22.

THe wicked daughter of Glutonye,Leachery. is our familiar enimy, not dwelling far from vs, but neare at hand, not without, but within vs.Iob. [...]. Hir violence and force is in our loynes, and hir [...]trength is placed in ye mid­dest. Shee is neuer driuen away but when she is eschued, and she is neuer put to [...]light, but when shee is kepte at harde dyet. Two things she requireth to worke hir force and vyolence, libertie and saturitie: and she put­teth hir will in practise by company, and o­portunitie. She prouoketh all ages, [...]he con­foundeth euery sexe, [...]hee breaketh all order: [...]hee peruerteth each degree, shee doth assault man and woman, yong & olde, the wise and the simple, the high and low estates, the base and the best degrees.

Of many w [...]ich haue perished through Leachery. Chap. 23.

WHo is able to set forth and sufficiently to declare ye multitude which haue pe­rished through this wicked sinne?Gen. 17. For lea­chery ouerthrew Pentapolis, and the coun­trey neere adioyning.Gen. 19. &. 34. Leacherye destroyed the Sodomits, & Sichem, with all the peo­ple therin.Gen. 38. Through lecherye were those that rauished Dyna murthered. Leachery ouer­threw Her and Onam the sonnes of Iuda. Num. 25. Through leachery ye vncleane Israelite and Madianite perished both at once.Iudicū. 19. &. 20. Leacherye caused the fornicators of the tribe of Benia­min cleane to bee rooted out.Reg. 2. &. 4 Leachery de­stroyed ye vnreuerent sonnes of Hely ye priest, and killed those whiche defloured Amon at the banket.2. Reg. 11. Leachery was the death of Vri­as, Dan. 13. and brought y• two elders which falsely accused Susanna to an ignominious & most shamefull end. To conclude this leude luste did curse Ruben, Gen. 35. &. 49. seduced strong Sampson, and assotted wise Salomō. Iud. 16. It is therfore true which wee reade:3. reg. 11. that many haue perished through be [...]utie. For wine and women doe cause wise men to dote & play ye Apostates,Booke of Iesus. 9. & putteth mē of vnderst [...]nding to reproofe.Ibidem. 1 [...]. This [Page] foule desire hath destroyed many lustie Ly­bertines: and many stout and valiāt captains haue perished by hir meanes. The way to [...]el is hir house which leadeth men headlong to the inwarde parts to death: She weakeneth mans strength, impayreth his senses, shorte­neth his life, was [...]eth his s [...]bstance & wealth.

Of the Ambitious man. Chap. 24.

THe couetous man gathereth riches, and the nigarde keepeth them togither: the Glutton delighteth in belly cheart, and the Leacher dwelleth in his lust. He that is am­bitious affecteth honours: and he yt is proude doth extoll and magnify him selfe. The am­bitious man is alwayes fearefull & circum­spect, least by worde or deed he should offend in common audience: [...]e pretendeth humili­tie, and maketh assemblance of greate hone­stie: he sheweth him selfe gentle in hearing, curteous in talking, and boūtiful in doing: he foloweth his betters with counterfet cur­tesie: he boweth and coucheth vnto eache one: hee frequenteth the courts of Princes: he vi­siteth noble personages, making great shew of duetie & obeysance,Ouidi [...]. and always appro [...]eth what they doe affirme, seeking by flatterye [Page] to please their humours. Not ignorant of the Poets saying: although there be no dust vppon the garment of thy better, yet pre­tend a kynde o [...] double diligence, and seeme to shake off that that is not. He is ready and diligent where he knoweth to please: but slow, and not earnest where hee feareth dis­pleasure. He seemeth to reproue th [...]ngs that be euil, and cunningly detesteth things that bee vniust. He speaketh things plauisiblye to those that giue [...]are: and applyeth him selfe to euery company, [...]eaping thereby a fruit­lesse prayse, and a colourable commendati­on. Often tymes hee doeth sustayne a harde conflict [...]th him selfe, whilest iniquitie mo­ueth his mynde: and ambition s [...]ayeth hys hand, whilest ambition doth not permit that to be done, which hir mother iniquitie doeth put hyr in mynde of. But yet for all this, the mother and the daughter vse couine togi­ [...]her. For the mother openlye mayntayneth hir purpose, and the daughter in secrete doth not resist. The mother before all men clay­meth vnto hir that whiche is manifest, and of right dutifull: but the daughter affecteth that which is close and couerte. And there­fore the ambitious man doth alwayes most [Page] willingly i [...]treat vppon soueraintie: whiche with greedy desire hee foloweth, saying: O when shall [...]ee rule and haue the sworde in hand, who woulde be seuere in iudgement, meeke in mercy: who would frame his wil to reson: whō loue nor fauour cannot with­drawe from doing iustice: whom prayer can not intreate, nor hire corrupte: who woulde giue credite to those that be faithfull, and [...]are to those that be humble: Who in fine would bee louing and gentle, liberall and curteous, stedfast, prudent, patient, and po­litike.

Of the excessiue desyre of am [...]ous men [...] Chap. 25.

THe ambitious man if possibly he do not profite by this meanes: then hath hee re­course vnto some skilfull mate, that can cun­ningly playe the parte of Symon Magus, or else he vseth the helpe of Giezi the bribe ta­ker. And by Symon whome hee maketh a daungerous instrument for a diuelish pur­pose, he p [...]rchaseth that which of [...]ym selfe he coulde not attaine: then is he liberall in gi­uing, and full of rewardes: then with fayre words he tryeth his friendes & maketh large [Page] promises: and then doeth hee leaue no pathe vntroden to win grace or fauour to obtayne his purpose. But if by this meanes it com­meth not to passe, hee vyolently inuadeth e­state of honor, and impudentlye vsurpeth the place of authoritie, and beeing supported by the hope of friendes, and partly prickt for­ward by the helpe of parentage, hee is so in­flamed with the desire of honour, and so deepely drowned with the inordinate affecti­on to beare rule, yt neither he abhorreth to fal into scysme, nor feareth to commit any scan­dalous acte. [...] Reg. [...] But Giezi was striken with a leaprosie:Act. 8 And Symon peryshed togy­ther with hys money: the fyre consumed Chore and his companions: and the earthe deuoured Dathan and Abyron.Nu 16. Let no man therefore take vppon him honour,Heb. 5 vn­lesse hee bee called by GOD, as Aaron was.

Au example of an ambitious man. Chap. 26.

WEe doe finde an euident and manyfest example of ambition in Absolon, [...] Reg. 15 who when hee dyd aspire to the kingdome of his father, made for him selfe Chariotes, and [Page] prouided horsem [...]n, and ordained men of war to goe before [...]im: And rysing vppe earely in the morning, hee stoode (as the sto­ry sayeth) neare vnto the entrye of the gate, and he called vnto him euery one yt had busi­nesse in the Kings iudgementes, and asked, Of what Citie arte thou? who making an­swere sayde: I am of one of the Trybes of Israel, and your seruaunt: your request seemeth to me good and reasonable sayd A [...] ­s [...]lon againe, howbeit there is no iudge ap­poynted by the King to giue you audience: but who will make mee a Iudge vppon the earthe (sayeth hee) that all those whiche haue businesse myghte come vnto mee, as vnto an vpright Iudge? And as there came a certayne man to salute hym, hee stretched foorth his hande, and taking hym thereby, embraced & kyssed hym: and the lyke hee did vnto all the people of Isra [...]ll, which came to iudgem [...]nt [...], [...]nd to haue audience of the Kyng his father: and heereby hee withdrew [...] the heartes of the Israelytes from his father. And when [...]ee wente to Ebron, he sente out priuy [...]coutes amongst the Tribes of Israel, saying thus vnto them: [Page] as soone as you shal heare the sounde of the trumpet, say vnto the Israelites, Absolon reigneth in Ebron. And there was a strong conspiracie, and their company great­ly increased.

Of the shorte and mi [...]erable life of noble men. Chap. 27.

BUt admit that the ambitious man bee exalted alofte, and promoted to the highest place: his charges doe increase, hys cares are multiplyed: his times of abstinence are prolonged, and his quyet nightes from reste, are turned to watching: whereby the bodye is distempered: nature is wea­kened, and the vitall spirites made feeble. And through suche distemperatures, the sleepes are broken, the appetyte is loste, the strength decayeth, and the bodye con­sumeth: And languishing in him selfe perhappes he li [...]th not halfe his dayes, but quickely shorteneth his mis [...]rable life, with a more miserable [...]nde. The saying of the Poete in him is verifyed: Thynges that are great in them selues doe soone fall: and greate men ha [...] [...]t permitted to con­tinue [Page] long in their estates, and they b [...] exal­ted, that they may come down with a grea­ter fall.

This saying of the Prophete also by them proueth true,Psal. 36. I did see (sayeth hee) the wicked man highly aduanced and set alofte, yea euen as high as the Cedar trees of Li­banus: but I passed by, and beholde there was none that woulde know him [...] I sought him, and in the place of his dwelling hee coulde not bee founde. His dayes shall bee abridged and shortened: hee shall bee stryken as the vine in the fyrste floure of hys Grape, and as the Olyue when it bryngeth foorth flowers,Booke of Iesus. 10. according to the saying of the wise man. The lyfe of euery potentate is but shorte.

The properties of a proude man Chap. 28.

AS soone as the ambitious man hath a­spired to honour, [...]ee is straight wayes puffed vp with pride, and without all mea­sure bee breaketh into bragges and boastes sounding to his owne prayse and credite: Hee bendeth not hys minde to doe good vnto others, but gloriouslye to blas [...] oute [Page] hys power and prerogatiue: Hee pre­sumeth hys person to bee made muche better, bycause hee hathe gotten superio­ritie. But alas, highe degree maketh not a good manne, nor honour, nor dignitie ma­keth a manne better: but the honestie and vertue wherewith hee is endued. Fur­thermore, the ambitious man exalted on high, contemneth the companye of his olde friendes, and disdayneth the sight of his for­mer famyliars, and turneth hys face from his wonted acquayntaunce: hys counte­naunce is proude, his ga [...]e is glorious, hys mouthe is filled wyth haughtie ter­mes, hys mynde is fixte vppon waightye matters. Hee is impatient of subiection, and desirous to beare rule: hee is a clogge vnto the cleargye, a greate burthen vnto hys subiectes, and a heauye yoke vnto hys neyghbour. Hee can not patiently beare any greeuous thing that shall touche hym selfe, nor delaye that whiche hee hath con­ceiued in his minde: but he is rashe, bolde, boasting, arrogant, soone moued, and verye importunate.

Of the fal of Lucyfer, the father of pryde. Chap. 29.

O Pryde whiche no man can beare: thou arte [...] intollerable and odious vnto all men: and amongest all vices, thou always arte the firste and laste: where thou [...]om­mest, euerye other sinne doeth folowe, and when thou takeste thy leaue the other are forsaken. For it is written,Booke o [...] Iesus. 1 [...]. Pryde is the beginning of all sinne, and the firste begotten and eldest daughter of deathe. For this wicked daughter, Pryde, in the very beginning of things did s [...]irre vp the cre­ature agaynst the creatour that formed and made hym: the Angell against God: but God threw hym down from the heauen, bi­cause hee dyd not continue in the trueth: hee threwe hym downe from the state of innocencye into sinne: from sinne into myseries: from the brightnesse of hea­uen, into the darke and mysti [...] ayre.Esa. 14 Hear­ken what the prophet saith of this fall. How arte thou fallen down from heauen (O Lu­cifer) which didest rise in y• morning? thou which diddest wound all nations, are now [Page] fallen vnto the earthe: thou (I say) whiche saydeste in thy hearte, I will ascende in [...]o the heauen and will exalte my selfe a­boue the starres: I will sit in the moun­tayne of witnesse, in the sides of the North, and I will ascende aboue the heigth of the cloudes, and will bee like vnto the mo [...]te highest. Thou waste the Image of hys lykenesse, beyng full of wisdome [...] and per [...]ite in comelynesse: thou waste the dearling of Gods Paradise. Euery pre­cious stone was in thy garmente: the Za [...] ­donicke, the Topase, the Iasper, the Cry­soly [...]e, the Onixe, the Beryll, the Car­buncle, the Saphyre, and the Emrode, yea the verye Golde it selfe: to bee shorte, all these thinges (O Lucyfer) were pre­pared in that day that thou waste created, for the setting forthe and trimming of thee. Thou wast that Ch [...]rubine, whose wings were stretched foorthe: And I placed thee vppon the holye Mountaine of GOD. Thou diddest walke in the middest of the stones set on fire, thou wast p [...]rf [...]t in thy pro­cedings from the day of thy creation vntill sinne and iniquitie was founde in thee: but when thou diddest transgresse, I did cast [Page] thee out of the holy mountaine. Thy harte was exalted & puffed vp through thy beau­tie and brightnesse, and nowe I haue caste thee downe vppon the grounde. The Cedar trees were not higher than hee was in para­dise: the fyrre trees did not match his heigth, and the Palme trees were not equall wyth his boughes: there was no tree of Paradise comparable vnto his bewtie, bycause God made him comely and goodly to beholde a­mongst many. And he is now become king of the children of Pride: He is that greate redde Dragon whiche hathe seuen heades, whose tayle drewe after it the thirde parte of the Starres of the firmamente, and set them vpon the earth.Iob. 41. And hee is that greate Dragon and olde Serpente whiche was throwen downe,Apoc. 11. and is called the Diuel or Satan, who seduced the whole worlde, and is caste vppon the grounde, and his Angells also with him: Of whome our Sauiour saith:Luke. 10. I did see Sathan like vnto the light­ning falling downe from heauen. For euery one that exalteth him selfe, shall bee made lowe: and he [...] that humbleth him sel [...]e, shal be exalted.

Of the Arrogancie of men. Chap 30 [...]

O Proude presump [...]ion, O presumptuous pride, whiche diddest not only attempt to make the Angell equall with God, but hast presumed also to make men as Gods. Yet suche is the fickle fauoure of pride, that whom she setteth vp alofte, [...]he quickly pul­leth downe agayne, and whome she dothe exalt, she soone embaceth ye same Where [...]p­pon our Lorde sayde vnto the Prophete, Thou sonne of man, say vnto the Prince of Tyrus,Ez [...]chie. 28 thus saith our Lorde, bycause t [...]y hart is lift vp as though it were the harte of a God, and for that thou haste sayde, I am God, when thou art but man. I will bring therefore vppon thy necke the strongest of the Gentiles, and I will destroy thee, and thou shalte die in the ouerthrowe of them whiche shall be slaine, and thou shalte perishe a­middes the Seas: Nabuchodonozer, by­cause hee dyd proudely bragge vppon hys power and strengthe, and sayde: Is not thys Babylon whyche I dyd builde for the place of my kyngdome: in the strength of my power, and in the glory of myne ho­nor? [Page] And as the worde was yet in the Kings lippes, there came a voyce from Heauen, saying, Kyng Nabuchodonozer, it is spoken to thee, Thy Kingdome shall goe from thee,Daniel. 4 thou shalte be cast out from amongst men, and shalte haue thy place with the wilde and brute beastes: thou shalte eate haye as dothe the Oxe, and shalte haue seuen yeeres vppon thee, vntyll thou knowest that the hyghe and myghtie dothe rule in the kingdome of menne, and giueth it to whome so euer hee will. And the verye same houre this sayeing was ful­filled vppon the King: for [...]ee was caste out and dyd eate hay with the Oxe. It is then true, whych is sayde in the Psalme,Psalm. 48 Man when hee was in honour vnderstoode it not, hee was compared vnto the brute beastes, and made like vnto them.Genes. 11. Pryde ouer­threwe the Towre of Babylon, and con­founded the tongues.1. Reg. 17 Pride slewe Go­lias the Giant, and hanged vp Haman. Pride ouerthrewe Nicanor, Hester. 7 and was the destru­ction of Antiochus. 2 [...] Mach. 1 [...] Pryde drowned Pharao in the redde Sea,1. Macha. 6 [...] Exod. 14 and murthered Senna­cherib the King of Assyrians in the Tem­ple of his false God.4 Reg. 18 Pride cutte off [Page] Holofernes head,Iudith. 13. when he thought him selfe furthest from feare:Booke [...]f Iesus. 10. and to bee shorte, God hath suppressed the seates of proude Princes and rulers,Ibidem. and hathe dried vp the rootes of insolent nations.

Of the abhomination of Pride. Chap. 31.

HOw detestable a thing Pride is, God him selfe doth witnesse by the mouth of his Prophet saying, I detest and abhorre the pride of Iacob:Amos. 6. And againe, our Lorde hathe sworne against the pride of Iacob, Amos. 8. I will not vntill the end forget all their works. And hereupon amongst al the sinnes which God doth hate,Prouerb. 8. the wise man reciteth for the firste of them, proude and loftie lookes. And the Prophet sayth, the day of the Lorde of [...]osts shall come vpō euery proude and high min­ded man,Esay. 5 and vpon euery arrogant person, and such shall be cast downe and made low: It shall come vpon the Cedar trees of Ly­banus, which be both high and strong, and vpon all the Okes of Basan, and vpon the high mountayns and all the loftie hilles, and vpon euery tower and wall that is for­tified, and the statelynesse of men shall be [Page] shaken downe, and the stoutnesse of the va­liant & courageous shall be abated. There­fore hath Hell encreased his power, and hath enlarged his mouth,Esay. 2. and shee shalt deuoure all the proude and vainglorious persons. The Lorde of hostes hathe determined this,Esay. 3 that he might c [...]t off the pride of the inso­lent. Holy Iob also saith,Iob. 20. If pride shal moūt vp into the firmament and the proude mans heade shall touch the Cloudes, yet shal he in the end consume away, and come to corrup­tion as the dirt.

Against the arrogancie of proude men. Chap. 32.

EUery vitious man for the most parte loueth his like, but the proude man ha­teth him that is proude and lo [...]tie.Prouerb. 13 Prouerb. 11 Herevpō sayth the wise man: There is always strife and deb [...]te [...]mongst proude men, and wher Pride raigneth, there commonly is disdain and reproch. The proude mā desireth glad­ly strange things, whervnto he hath bin ac­customed, and he accounteth wonted things as lothsome. He thinketh the party to whom he vseth speeche, thereby to reape profite and great commoditie: but if with curtesie hee [Page] embrace any man, hee presumeth his coun­tenance, to gaine hym great c [...]edite. He sel­dome vseth any friendly affection, but al­wayes imperiously dothe shewe his autho­ritie His Pryde, his arrogancie, and hys disdaine [...] is of more force wyth hym, than courage, or manhoode. But let hym remem­ber the words of the Gospell,Luke. 22 There arose a contention amongst our Lordes Disciples, which of them shoulde be taken for the grea­ter, but Iesus sayd vnto them, the Princes of nations & people do rule ouer them, & they which haue power amongst thē be called be­neficiall or bountifull: but you be not so, for he yt is greatest amongst you, shall be as ye yonger, & he that hath the preheminence, shal be as the seruant. And as ye Apostle sayeth,1. Pet. 5 [...] you shall not be as hauing gouernement o­uer the cleargie, but an example and patrone to the flocke willingly. The [...]a [...]th is the Lordes,Psal. 23. and the whole worlde, and all that dwell in it is his encrease and abundance. There is then but one Lorde, and one God, and others which beare the names of Lords be but only seruants, vnto whome domini­on is not proper, but seruice is appoynted. And therefore sayeth the wiseman, If they [Page] haue apointed thee a ruler, shew not thy selfe proude nor stately,Booke of Iesus. 10. but be amongst them as one of them.

An example againste the deceyte of am­bitious men. Chap 33.

THe mother of the sonnes of Zebedie made petition vnto our sauiour Christ, saying, Cōmaunde that th [...]se my two sons may sitte with thee in thy Kingdome,Math. 20 the one on thy right hande, and the other on thy left: to whome Christe made this aunswere: You knowe not what you aske, for a King­dome is not gotten by honor, but by charge. And therefore dothe our Lorde adde in the same place: It is not mine office to gyue rule and dignitie vnto you. As though h [...]e shoulde saye, It is mine to giue, but not to you, that is, to suche ambitio [...]s persons: For althou [...]he all power and authoritie com­meth from God, yet is not the gouerne­mente of the proude allowed of the high­est, according to the saying of the Prophete, They raigned and bore the sword,Osc [...]. 8 but they had it not of me, They were rulers and I did not knowe them.

Of the properties of arrogante men. Chap. 34.

THe proude man affecteth the highest seate in the sinagogues,Math. 23. and to be firste placed in fea [...]ts: he liketh well to bee saluted in open sight, and to haue great reuere [...]ce in publike assemblies: the title of mastership pleaseth him much, and the proper name of his person or parentage be cannot abide, but desireth to be called by the name of his dig­nitie, which fortune hath lent him: for he lo­ueth not to bee honored after the common [...]rte. And when he is placed in high degree [...]e vseth stately gate, and looketh for reuerence on euery side, and sometimes most cūningly he cr [...]ueth curte [...]ie [...] There was a certayne king vehemently noted for Pride by a graue Philosopher, whome when the wise man sawe in his stately throne of soueraintie, hee lay prostrate before him, and in most hum­ble manner adored the King: that done, hee arose and sate downe by him: the King di­ [...]liking his disloyall demeanor, bycause hee knew him to be a Philosopher, demaunded what he meant: the Philosopher answered, thou art either God or mā, if thou be a God [...] I ought to adore thee, but if thou bee a man [...] [Page] I may well sit by thee. But the King chec­king the Philosopher wyth hys owne cal­ling, made this aunswere: I am in very deed a man, and therefore thou oughtest not to worship me, but if I were a god, it besemes thee not to sit by me.

Of superfluous Apparell. Chap. 35.

IN the beginning of the worlde after the offence cōmitted in Paradise,Genes. [...]. our for [...]fathers wore garmentes made of beastes skinnes:Math. 1 [...] Our Sauioure Christ also to auoid the excesse of apparel, sayth vnto vs, you shal not haue two coates, but according to the counsayle of Saint Iohn, he that h [...]th two coates,Luke. [...] let hym giue one of them to hym that needeth. But the proude man, to set out hys glory, delighteth to haue sundrye sortes of gorgeous apparell, and to be clothed in silks or veluet, & to be deckt with pretious stones. Yet what other thing is a manne decked w [...]th gorgeous garmentes, than a paynted sepulchre, whose outwarde shape is fa [...]re, but full of corruption & vncleanesse wythin. The pretious stone and the purple, the silke and the veluet, doe all consume in the mudde. [Page] Golde, siluer, and pretious stones bee they neuer so sumptuous, waxe [...]oule and vn­cleane in myre: Dignitie and authoritie are euill placed in the dust: Honor and glo­ry hath no good seate in the ashes:Math. 23 why then doest thou set forth thy borders, the instru­ments o [...] Pride, Why doest thou exalt hyr gay wealts and garments?Luke. 16 The riche man that was clothed in purple and sylke, was buried in Hel.Genes. 34 Dyna the daughter of Iacob the Patriarche before she went foorth to buy ornament [...]s of forrayne women (as Iose­phus writeth) continued a mayde,Ioseph. an­ [...]iq. lib. cap. 28 but after she wente out from amongst them, Sichem sonne to the king of the Ammorites dyd violently rauishe hyr.Iudith. 13. Holofernes whyche sate vnder the riche and pretious Canapye wrought with Gold, stones and purple, was slayne of Iudith, who left off hir sackclothe, and put on the apparell of mirthe and ioy. Therefore sayeth the wise man,Booke of Iesus. 10. 1. Timo. 2 Boast ne­uer of thy apparell. And the Apostle forbid­deth women to bee hygh mynded in theyr gorgeous garmentes, and that they shoulde not shewe foorthe their frisled heare, or to set out theyr cau [...]es with golde worke, [...] Pet. 3 or to vse any trimming or brauery in their robes.

Against the vaine decking and trim­ming of the body. Chap. 36.

HEarken what the Lorde speaketh by the mouthe of hys Prophete agaynste superfluous decking.Esay. 3 For asmuche as the Daughters of Syon, are become loftye, and haue walked with their neckes stret­ched foorthe to be seene, twinkeling theyr eyes as they passe by, the Lorde will make their neckes deformed, and will leaue them no heare, and in that day the Lorde wyll take from them the decking and ornam [...]nts belonging vnto them: as theyr howpes of Golde, their chaynes, theyr owches, their bracelettes, theyr scarfes, the instru­mentes wherewith they shedde theyr hear [...], theyr fyne garters, theyr small cheynes, theyr nosegayes and sweete perfumes, theyr lit­tle gimmolles that goe throughe theyr eares, theyr rings, theyr pearles or pretious stones whiche do hang at theyr foreheads, theyr sutes of apparell, theyr shorte clokes, theyr fyne lynnen, theyr crisping pynnes, their looking glasses, theyr fyne cambricke, theyr headbands and their vayles of lawne: [Page] and they shall haue for their sweete perfumes a lothsome sauoure, for their fine girdles a cowrse corde, for their curled heare, a balde pa [...]e. Beholde this punishmente is giuen them for their sinnes, that wherein they haue had delight, therein they may be punished. Giue eare also vnto the Prophet Ezechiel, who sayeth vnto the people of Tyrus: O Tyrus, diuers sortes of silkes are wouen for thee in Egypt,Ezechiel. 27 to make thee vayles and co­uerings. Blew silke and purple are brought from the Iles of Elishah, and ordeyned for thy attire. The marchantes of the I­landes haue changed theyr combes of Iuo­rie and Ebonye with thee at thy pryce. For the multitude of thy workes, and for thy vse, they haue set forth in thy fayres pretious things to sale, as Emeraudes, Purple, Da­maske, embrodered workes, fine flaxe, silke, and chorall. The factors of Dedan haue brought to thee riche tapistrie and carpette workes, for the garnishing of thy seates. And thou art replenished with all thyngs, and too muche glorifyed. But nowe thou art consumed and eaten with the Sea, and thy goodes in the bottome thereof, and ouer­whelmed in the waters, and thou arte come [Page] to nothing, and shalt neuer rise againe.

That more fauoure is shewed vnto a man for his apparellsake, than [...]or his vertue. Chap. 37.

WHen a certayne Philosopher in very meane apparell came vnto a Princes gate, beeing long stayed thereat, and not suffered to enter in, he went backe and chan­ged hys habite and deckt him selfe in gorge­ous attire: afterwardes returning agayne vnto the gate, he was at the firste permitted to enter in: who comming in presence of the Prince, beganne to kisse and reuerence hys garmente, wherea [...] the Prince not a little maruelling, asked the cause why hee did so: to whome the Philosopher answe­red, I doe honor hym (sayth he) that hathe done me honour, for that which vertue could not obtayne, my garmente hathe broughte to passe. O vanitie of all vanities, that gorgeous garmentes shoulde be more ho­nored than vertue, and beautie more estee­med than hon [...]stie.

O [...] the p [...]inting of the face to decei [...]e the ey [...]s. Chap. 38.

THrough the proude and vayne desire to set out our beautie, many times the naturall face or shape is couered, and an ar­tificiall co [...]ntena [...]nce framed thereon, as though the counte [...]fet colours of mans in­ [...]ention did much excel ye cunning or worke of God. But manne h [...]rein is deceyued, for fayth Christ, consider and beholde the lylies of the fielde how t [...]ey growe, they do neither labour nor spi [...]ne,Math. 6 and I say vnto you, that Salomon in all hys glory and tryumphe, was neuer clothed as any one of those bee: for it is not to be thoughte, that a framed or fayned coloure, is comparable to a naturall or true coloure: For when the face is [...]x­ternally paynted, the inwarde parts are th [...]r­by corrupt [...]d & made noysome. Al men and women are nothing else but vanitie.Psal. 38 For what is more vaine, than to trimme & frizle y• heare, than to colour and paint ye checkes, & to stretch out the browes?Prou. 30 seeing that ye glo­rie of this life is deceitfull, and that beuty is but vaine. All fleshe is but as the grasse, & the glory ther [...]of as the floure of the field,Psal. 3 [...] Esay 40 which dothe quickly wither and vade away, and [Page] [...]hall soone decay as the pothearbes. And to omitte the speaking any more of this mat­ter, least I shoulde seeme malitious [...] what is more vaine than to adorne the table with fine and imbrodered clothes, with Iuorie trenchers, with long carpettes, wyth flagons of siluer and golde, and a number of preti­ous and gorgeous ornamentes? or what [...] ­uayleth i [...] a man to paynte his chamber, to gilt ye postes of his [...]edde, to prouide a fai [...]e or sumpt [...]ous portall to enter therein [...] to make the pauement shine, to fyll hys bedde full of feathers to couer it wyth silke, or else to decke it wyth curtaynes or canapye? for it is written: whē he dy [...]th,Psal. 48 of al these things nothing shall [...]e receyu [...], ne yet his glorye or pompe [...]hal folowe him.

Of the vncleann [...]sse of mans hart. Chap. 39.

THere is no man that can boaste of the cleanenesse and puritie of his heart:Ia [...]o. 3 for as muche as euery one of vs,1. Iohn. [...] hath offended God in many things. And if wee shall saye wee haue no sinne, wee deceiue oure selues and the trueth reste [...]h not in vs. What manne is hee that can saye with the1. Cor. 4 [Page] Apostle: I do not knowe my selfe guiltie in any thing, and yet for all that I am not iu­stifyed? who is he that can say thus? if there bee any suche,Iob. 15 wee may well prayse hym. Beholde euen amongst the Saintes of God there haue b [...]ne [...]ounde some chaun­geable: and the very heauens are not cleane in hys syghte,Iob. 4 no not his Angels, for in them hee hathe founde wickednesse. Howe muche more then is man ab [...]ominable and vnprofitable in the sighte of God, whyche hath drunke (as it were the water of iniqui­ti [...]) sinne:Genes. 6 Therefore dyd it repente GOD that hee hadde made man, by­cause hys malice and frowardnesse was greate vppon the earthe, and his thoughts were alwayes enclined vnto euill [...] for thys cause beeyng inwardly moued with sorow, hee destroyed man whome hee hadde made in the fyrst age.

But yet for all thys, the iniquitie of manne dyd abounde, and the charitie of many wa [...]ed colde.M [...]th. 24 Psal. 13 [...]52 All men wente a­straye, and were become vnprofytable; and there was not one that dyd good [...] no not one. For the whole lyfe almost of mortall men, is full of sinne and iniqui­tie, [Page] in so muche that scantely one can bee founde whiche doeth not declyne on [...]he left hande: whych doeth not returne to hys for­mer wickednesse agayn [...],Rom. [...] and pyne away in vncleane corruption: but rather to increa [...]e their off [...]nces, they doe bragge and boaste, when t [...]ey haue done amisse, and reioyce i [...] their wicked doings: they are replenished with [...] pride of abomination: as with ma­lyce [...] [...]or [...]ication [...] couetousnesse and pryde: [...]ey [...]e also fraught wyth e [...]y, manslaugh­ter [...] contention, de [...]e, [...]ill will, and [...]a­tred [...] they may be whisperers, [...]ale bearers, [...] seditious p [...]rsons: [...]atefull to God, contu­melious [...] pro [...]de [...] [...]igh mynded, in [...]entors of mischi [...], probedi [...] to t [...]ir parents, wi [...] ­out di [...]cretion [...] without order, without loue [...] without keeping of league or promise, and with [...] With [...] and with wor [...], the [...] abounde as with men of sundry sectes with tyrants, dis­loyall s [...]biectes [...] committers of Symonye, [...] [Page] deceytfull menne, wyth sowers of debate and subtyle persons, with glu [...]tons and dronkardes, with adulterers [...] and inces­tuous persons, with effeminate and leude men, wyth inc [...]e as bee slowe and neg­ligent to doe good, wyth suche as bee vayne and prodigall, f [...]r [...]ous and angrye, im­patiente and vnconstante, wyth sor [...]erers and southsayers, wyth periu [...]ed [...]nd cur­sed menne, wyth presumptuous and arro­gante, with those that [...]ee [...]arde of beeliefe and desperate, and to conclude, with all kynde of ambiti [...]us menne. But as the smoke vanysheth awa [...]e,Psal. 67 euen so shall they decaye: and as the wa [...]e doeth melt before the fyre, euen so shall sinners before the face of God.

Of the gri [...] and [...]orments which euil [...]en doe suff [...]r at the houre of death. Chap. 40.

THe euill li [...]er [...] doe suffer [...] pai [...]s at their death: The [...]rste is the an­guyshe of the bodye [...] whiche is so greate and so [...]treame, that the lyke n [...]r was, nor is felte in t [...]is lyfe at any time [...] before [Page] the dissolution of the soule from the body. For it seemeth in some men through the greate payne they do sustain in their traunce, without any motion, yt t [...]ey do make away them selues: for the violēce which they suffer is so strong & incōparable, bycause those na­turall bonds & knots betweene ye body and the soule are broken in sunder. Wherevppon the prophete lamenting, saieth thus in hys Psalmes:Psal. 17 &. 114. The torments of death haue be­set me [...]ounde about: there is not so much as an [...] member, no not one ioynte in the whole body, which is not s [...]retched in yt intollerable dol [...]r & pang. The second paine is, when the body bring altogither wearied & spoyled of [...]is strēgth, y• soul doth see in a momēt more freely & with much more libertie all the good and euill deeds which the man hath done in all his life time, which al are presented before the inwarde eyes of the soule [...] And this tor­ment is so greate, & the calling of things past to re [...]ēbrance is so gr [...] yt ye soule it s [...]lfe beeing thereby [...]ery much [...] is forced to declare & reherse it [...] [...]herupo [...] the Psal­mist saith:Psal. 1 [...] The [...]lowing or running s [...]re [...]es of inquitie haue troubled [...]e for as ye rūning strea [...]es come wt great violence and force, [Page] and seeme to ouerthrow and cast downe all things they fynde in the way: euen so shall the naughtie man at his death sodainely be­holde the workes which he hath don, be they good or euill. The thirde payne is, when the soule beginneth to iudge iustly and doeth see all the tormentes of hel (which bee dewe vnto him for his sinnes) approch neere, and as it were ready to [...]all vppon him: where­vppon the Psalmi [...]t sayeth: The dolors of hel haue compassed me aboute.Psal. 17 The fourthe torment is, when the soule yet remayning in the body doth beholde and see wicked spirits readye to receyue it: at which instante the griefe and torment is suche, and the feare so greate, that the silly soule being in great an­guish, returneth and recoyleth backe agayn, so long as it may, into the body, that thereby [...]t may redeeme some parte of the tyme, in the which it shall be in captiuitie.

Of the comming of Christ at the houre of e­uery mans death. Chap. 41.

BOth good and euil mē, before the soule depart out of the bodye, doe see Christ vppon the crosse. The euill and wicked man doth see him to his con [...]usion, that he may be [Page] ashamed and blush, in that he is not saued by the bloud of Christ, his offence so requyring: and therfore in the Gospel it is [...]ayde to wic­ked and euil men: They shal behold and see him whom they haue persed and wounded:Iob. 1 [...] Z [...]charie. 1 [...] whiche is vnderstoode at the comming of Christ to iudgemente: and also at hys com­ming at the day of euery mans death. But the good man doth beholde Christ vppon the crosse to his greate ioye:1. Ti. 6 as we gather by the wordes of his Apostle whiche sayeth: vntill the day of death, when Christ vpon the crosse shall appeare vnto the good and euill. And Christ himselfe sayth of saint Iohn the E­uangelist:Iohn. 2 [...]. I will that he remayne so vntill I come, that is to witte, I will that hee re­mayne in his virginitie vntill I come to hys death. Wee reade of foure commings of Christ: two of them be visible, and two in­uisible [...] He came visibly in [...]umilitie, to re­deeme the world: and hee shall come visibly in his maiestie to iudge the world. Of hys i [...]uisible commings the firste is when [...]ee commeth into the minde of man by grace. according to the saying of our Lord in saint Iohns Gospell:Iohn. 14 wee shall come vnto hym and dwell with hym: The seconde is at [Page] the death of euery man. And therefore [...]aith Saint Iohn in his Apocalipse,Apocal. 2. come vn­to mee Lorde Iesus. At whose comming that we may bee founde watchful and dili­gent seruantes, let vs endeuor our selues to serue and feare him in holinesse and pure­nesse of life, to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour, maiestie, glory, power, and dominion for euer and euer:

¶ The thirde Booke of the Mirror of man [...] lyfe.

Of the putrifycation of the body when the soule is departed. Chap. 1.

THe soule of man (sayeth the Prophet) sh [...]ll depar [...]e from him [...] Psal. 145 and hee shall returne again [...] into earth [...]ō whence [...]e [...]a [...]e. In that day al hys thoughts & worldly inuen­tions shal perish. O how many & how wō ­derful greate are ye Imaginations of mortal men aboute worldely prouision: but when death shall preuent them, al theyr deuises and inuentions shal soone vanish away, and they shall quite decay, euen as the shadowe when it declyneth, or as the Grashoppers whyche soone are shaken from the graine.Psal. 108 Further­more, when the body and soule are separate asunder [...] thē shal they forsake wt great griefe & sorow such things as they loued in this life most derely.Iob. 14 Psal. 103 For there is a terme appointed thē which can not be escaped, at what time earth [...]hal returne into earth, as it is writen: [Page] Thou arte earthe, and shalt re [...]urn into [...]ar [...] [...] agayne.Gen. 3 Bycause it is agreable to the course of nature, that euery mortall thing shoulde be resolued againe into the selfe same sub­stance, whereof it was earst made:Psal. 103 Therfore (sayth Dauid) the spirites of men shall bee taken away from them, and they shall re­turne in [...]o dust.Booke of Iesus. 10. But when man shall dye, his inheritaunce shall bee with brute be [...]stes and serpents,Iob. 21. for all men shall sleepe in the dust,Esay. 31 and the wormes shall eate their fleshe, euen as the mo [...]h the garment, as hee doeth deuoure the woolle. I shall be consumed (sayth Iob) as corruption,Iob. 13 and as the gar­ment which is eaten of the mo [...]he: I sayde vnto rottennesse,Iob. 17 thou art my father, and I called the wormes my mother & sister. Man is but a masse of putrifaction,Iob. 25 and the sonne of man is but corruption. O what a loth­some parentage is that, where rottennesse is the father? and what an vncleane stocke is that, whiche is vnited with worms? For man is conceiued in corruption, and in the bur­ning heate of foule luste, vppon whose dead carkasse the wormes doe waite as mour­ners. In his lif [...] time he bringeth forth trou­blesome and tedious v [...]rmyn [...], & after death [Page] his fleshe engendreth wormes: whilest hee liueth, his body yeldeth noysome & odious things: and when hee dyeth hee becommeth a lumpe of foule and vncleane corruption. During this lyfe his only care is to nourish and maintaine one, but when he is dead, he shall feede & sustayne a number of wormes. For what is more vgly and filthy to behold than is the vyle corpse of a dead man? And what is more horrible vnto the sight, than is the body, whē the soule is parted? Hee whose embracings to vs were plesaunte whilest lyfe endured, the verye sight of hym after death shall bee moste noysome. What profitte then may wee reape of our ryches? what good shall wee fynde of our dely­cate bankettes? or what then shall auayle vs our dayntie dyet? They shall not dely­uer vs from the daunger of death: they sh [...]l not defende vs from the hungry wormes: they shall not preserue vs from loa [...]hsome sauours. Wee haue seene hym despysed and cast into graue, whiche of late sate most glo­riouslye in his princely throne. The courte­er that walked in sumptuous attyre, lyeth nowe in the earth vnseemely to beholde: and hee that was fedde with delicate fare, is [Page] nowe to bee deuoured of wormes in the grounde.

Of the heauy remembrance of the dam­ned soules. Chap. 2.

Booke o [...] Iesus. 7THe torments of wicked men shall bee the worme, and fire. And both of these haue sundry operations: For the one worketh inwardly, & the other tormēteth outwardly. The worme which worketh inwardly doth alwayes eat & deuour ye hart: & ye fyre whic [...] tormenteth outwardly, doth alwayes burn [...] & consumeth ye body. The worme of thē (sait [...] the Prophet) shall neuer dye,Esay vlt. and theyr fyr [...] shal not be quenched.Iudeth. 16. Our Lord wyll send [...] fyre and wormes for theyr fleshe, that the [...] may burne and feele the smarte for euer [...] The worme of conscience shall vexe them repentaunce shall trouble them, and per [...]plexitie of minde shall torment them. F [...] they beeing fearefull and tymorous, sha [...] call to remembraunce theyr sinnes, a [...] theyr owne wickednesse shall bewr [...]y then and thus they shall saye within the [...] selues:Booke of. Wi [...]do. 4. What goodnesse haue wee pr [...]cured by our pryde?Wisdom. 5 or what profite h [...] wee obtayned by worldly pompe and [...]ni [...]ie? [Page] and what can our riches nowe auaile vs? All these things are gone & paste, euen as the shadowe, or as the shippe which passeth ouer the raging waues, whose track is neuer seene agayne. So wee mortall men whiche are borne into this world, doe quickely pe­rishe and decay, and swiftly approche vnto our ende. Of [...]ertue, wee are scarcely able to shewe any signe at all, but wee are con­sumed in our owne malyce and wicked­nesse. Therefore with greate vexation of mynde shall the damned soules often re­mēber those things, whych with great mirth and ioylitie, they did commit in thys li [...]e: that the remembrance at all ma [...] augment th [...]yr payne, whome the styng of sinne pro­uoked to wickednesse.

Of the vn [...]ro [...]itable repentance of the damned. C [...]ap. 3

THey shal say vnto them selues repēting:Wisdom. 5 we haue gone astray from the waye of truth, and the lighte of righteousnesse hathe not shyn [...]d vppon vs. [...]uc 23. T [...]en shall they crye vnto the mountayns, and say, [...]. 6. O you moun­taynes fall vppon vs, and you hilles cou [...]r vs. They shall repent to their p [...]in, but thei [...] cōuersion shall not obtai [...] pardon. For it is [Page] according vnto iustice, yt those which would not repent when they might, shal not (when they desire) obtaine mercie. God gaue them oportunitie and space to repent, and they a­bused his time of long sufferance. And ther­fore sayde the riche man which was tormen­ted in hell:Lu [...]. 16. O father Abraham, I beseeche thee, that thou wouldest sende Lazarus vnto my fathers house, that he may signifie vnto them what is become of mee, leaste tha [...] they also fall into this place of tormentes: vnto whom after it was aunsweared, that they had the lawe and the Prophets, let them heare them: hee did immediatly replye say­ing: No father Abraham, they wyl not gi [...]e [...]are vnto them, but if anye of those that bee dead shall goe vnto them, they wyll repent. The riche man then being in hell, did repent him: But bycause he knewe that his repen­taunce did nothing a auyle [...]ym, hee desired it might bee declared vnto his bretherne, that they might doe fruitfull repentaunce in thys world. For that it doeth then profite a man of sinne to repent him, whilest as yet he may commit any sinne.

Of the manifolde and diu [...]rs paynes of Hel. Chap 4.

THe paynes of Hel are many and of di­uers sortes,Math. 13 The firste payne is the payne of fyre. The seconde is the payne of colde. Of the [...]e two our Lorde speaketh in the gospell, where he [...]ayeth: there shal be we­ping & wailing wt gnashing of teeth, which is by reason of the colde. The thirde paine of hell is the foule sauour:Psal. 10 and of these three paines ye Psalmist maketh mention whē [...]ee saith, fire, brimston [...], and the spirite of great tempests. The fourth paine shall be worms. which shal neuer cease. Whereof the prophet (saith thus) Their worme shall not dye, and their fire shall not goe out,Esay. cap. vlt, for it shall neuer be extinguished. The fifth payne shall be the sharpe whips of the torm [...]nters: wherevpon the wise man saith thus:Prou. 1 [...] Iudgementes ar [...] prepared for blasphemers, and beating ham­mers are made readye f [...]r the bodyes of the foolish. The sixt payne shal be sensible dark­nesse, both inward and outward, which [...]ob meaneth when he sayth,Iob. ca. 10. The land of misery and darknesse, where is ye shadowe of d [...]ath. Of the damned soule speketh also ye prophet Dauid in this sorte.Psal. 143 And hee shall neuer [Page] see light. And in anoth [...]r place it is writ­ten thus of the dam [...]ed:1. King. [...]. The wycked ma [...] shall keepe sil [...]ce in darken [...]sse. The seuenth payne shall bee the confusion of [...]inners:Dan. 7. for then as it is written in Daniel, The bookes of mans conscience shall bee o­pened,Apocal. 5 and all hys doyngs shall bee made mani [...]st. The eight payne shall bee the hor­ [...]ble sight of diuels, which shall bee seene through the sparkes rising out of ye vnquēch­a [...]le fire. The ninth shal bee the fiery chaynes wherewithall ye partes of ye vngodly shal be linked. The [...]e hellishe paynes are ordeyned for the wic [...]d and sinful persons: w [...]erwith shal be tormented those that folowe lewde desir [...]s and fl [...]shly lustes: those that are ex­tortioners and spoylers of their neyg [...]bours: tho [...]e that ar [...] puft vp with en [...]ie and malice: [...]ose that haue prouoked Gods vengeaunce through t [...] multitude of their sinnes:P [...]al. 9 those that are despisers and neglecters of the truth: those tha [...] are impenitent and wilful offen­ders: and those that are commi [...]ters of mis­chiefe and foule acts, folowing the wanton [...] affec [...]ions of the fleshe.

Of the vnspeakable anguish and tormen [...] of the damned. Chap. 5.

THe reprobate whilest they beholde the blessed soules,Booke of Wisdom. 5. shall be tormented with horrible feare, weeping & lamenting for v [...]ry griefe of minde: and thus shall they say vnto themselues: These be those whom somtimes wee made our laughing stocks and alwayes hadde them in derision: wee beeing with­out sense, did accompte their life madnesse, & theyr ende to become obscure and with [...]t honour: beholde nowe they are numbred a­mongst the children of God, and their por­tion is amongst ye saints. It shall be a great punishment vnto ye wicked, to behold ye glo­ry of ye blessed. And it may be that the blessed soules after the ende of iudgement, shall see the reprobate in their torments, according to the place of scripture which sayeth,Psal. 57 The iust man shall reioyce when hee shall see [...]he tormente of sinners: But the repro­bate shal not see the blessed in theyr glorye, as the prophet witnesseth, saying:Esa [...]. [...]6. Wisd. 5. The wic­ked shall not see the glory of God. And such sh [...]ll be the talke of sinners in Hell: for [...]hat the hope of the vngodlye is lyke vnto sawe duste, whiche is quyte caryed away wyth the [Page] wynde: or lyke vnto the froath of the earth which is dispersed & [...]cattered abroad by the tempest: and as the smoke which is spred a­broad with the winde: and as the remem­braunce of a guest of one day.

Of Hel fyre. Chap. 6.

THe fire of Hell is neither nourished wt wood, nor yet kindled by the helpe of a­ny. But it is created of God, and is made vnquencheable from the beginning of the worlde.Ezech. 20 For it is written: Hee shall bee deuoured with fire whiche is not kyndled. This hellishe fyre is supposed to bee vnder the earth according to the place of Esay, where he sayth:Iob. 20 Esay. 14 the Hell whiche is vnder the earth is vexed and disquieted agayns [...]e thy comming: but euery place is p [...]nall to the re [...]robate, which [...] alwayes & in all places ca­rye their paine and torment againste them­selues. I will bring forth from ye middest of thee (saith God,Ezec. 28) by ye mouth of hys prophet, fire whiche shall deuoure thee. The fire of Hell shall alwayes burne and shall neuer giue light: it shall alwayes yeelde thee an extreame heate, and yet shall it neuer con­s [...]me that which it burneth: it shal always [Page] afflict and neuer fayle. In Hell the darke­nesse is exceeding greate, the bytternesse of paynes passeth all measure, and the continu­ance in miserie is without ende [...] Math. 22 Caste [...]ym bounde hand and foote (sayeth our Sauioure speaking of the sinner [...]) into vtter darkene­nesse, where there shall b [...]e weeping, way­ling, and gnashing of teeth. Euery parte of the body shall sustaine [...]or his synnes a pro­pre torment, that the wicked may bee puni­shed in that wherein hee hath offended. For it is written:Wisdo. 16. Man shall bee tormented in those things by the whiche he hath transgr [...]s­sed. Wherefore he that dyd synne with his tong, was punished in hys tong.Luke. 16 And there­fore did the proude riche man cry, saying: fa­ther Abraham haue pitie vppon me, and s [...]nd Lazarus vnto mee, that he maye dyppe the toppe of his finger in water, and coole my tong, wherein I am tormented in thys bur­ning flame.

Of the darknesse of Hell. Chap. 7.

THe reprobate and damned soules shall not on [...]ly bee couered with outwarde [Page] darknesse, but they sh [...]ll bee also enwrapped in inward darknesse, for so muche as they shall be depriued both of the spirituall & cor­porall light.Esay. 26 [...]say. 60. For it is written: Let the wic­ked man be [...]aken away, that hee do not see ye glory of God, who only shall then be for an euerlasting light. Th [...] reprobate truly shal suffer such griefe and sorow of mind in their paynes, that their thoughts shal be fixt on no other thing but only vpon the vehement an­guish & greefe of torment, which they shall feele. It is reported, that a certaine Scholer after hys death did appeare vnto his maister, and declared vnto him t [...]at he was a dam­ned soule: foorthwith his master demaunded of him, whether there were any quest [...]ons or controuersies moued amongst the damned soules in Hel: vnto whom he made answere that there was nothing in hell, but paine and tormente. Solomon also speaking of the worldling, sayeth thus:Booke of the Prea­ [...]her. 6. In Hell whether thou makest hast to go, is neyther worke nor reckening: knowledge, nor yet wisedome: for there shall be so great forgetfulnesse in ye reprooued of God, wyth suche blindnesse of hart, and so maruellous a confusion of rea­son, that neuer or seldome they shal haue a­ny [Page] good thought of God, nor scarcely shall take their breath, to confesse his [...]oly name:Booke of I [...]sus. 17 For from the dead man all acknowledging of God doth vanish away, euen as from one that is not at all. For it is written,Psal. 113 the dead shall not prayse thee O Lorde, neyther shal they whiche goe downe into Hell exalte thy name. Hell shal not con [...]esse thee O Lord,Esay. 38. and death shall not set foorth thy prayse.

Of the confusion of paynes. Chap 8

GIue me leaue (sai [...]th Iob Iob. 10) that I maye bewayle a w [...]ile my greef before I goe into the land of darkenesse, a lande couered with the dimnesse of death, a land I say full of misery and darknesse, whe [...]e is the sha­dowe of death, and where is no order but eu [...]las [...]ing t [...]rror, and quaking for euer. There shal bee an order in the quantitie of those hellish paynes,Luke. 6 bycause in what so euer mesure you haue mesured to others in this life, in the same measure shall it be measured you againe, to the end they which haue most greuously offēded, may be ye sorer punished. For they whyche are mightye, shall suf­fer mighty and great torments.Wisdom. [...]. But there shall be no order in the qualitie of thyngs,Iob. 10 [Page] bycause suche miserable sinners shall goe from the extreame colde water of snowe, vnto exceeding greate heate of burning fire,Iob. 24 that the s [...]ddaine mutation of those contra­ries, may make their torment the more ve­hemente. For I haue seene it tryed by ex­perience, that if any colde thing be presently added to the place whiche is bu [...]nte, it shall cause the party foorthwith to sustayn a more ard [...]nt and greeuous payne,

Of the continuance of the paynes in Hel. Chap. 9.

Ps [...]l. 48THe wicked (saith ye Prophet) are thruste into Hell like sheepe, and deathe shall deuoure them. This is spoken after the simi­litude of brute beastes, whiche do not pull the grasse vp by the rootes, but feede onely vpon the toppes thereof, that the grasse may growe againe for their pasture. Euen so the vngodly, beeing as it were foode vnto death shall alwayes reuiue againe to death, that they ma [...] be euer dying. Like as ye Po­et sayth of Titius, whiche alwayes consu­meth in Hell, and yet reuiueth againe, so that still in suche sorte he is languishing, that he may euer perishe [...] Then shal death be im­mortall, [Page] and the deade shal liue, whiche ar [...] deade to life: they shall seeke after death and shall neuer finde it, bycause they had life, and lewdely they lost it. Hearken vnto Sainte Iohn who sayth,Apocal. 9 [...] in those dayes men shall seeke for deathe, and shall not fynde it, they shall desire to die, and deathe shall flie from them. O deathe howe sweete and pleasaunte shouldest thou be to them, vnto whom thou [...]ast bene bitter? they shall moste desire thee which did most abhorre thee.

Of the euerlasting paynes of the dam­ned soules. Chap. 10.

LEt no manne flatter him selfe and saye,Psal. 102 that God will not alwayes be angry, and that hee will not be offended with sin­ners for euer, but that hys mercies are aboue all his workes:Psal. 144 bycause that God when hee is offended with sinners, will not forget to haue mercie vpon them:Wisd. 11. neyther doth he hate any thing that he hath made. Let no man I say, reason in this sort, making that an ar­gument of his error [...] which our Lorde sayth by the mouth of his Prophete: They shal bee gathered togither euen as a bundel, into the lake, and there shall they be shut in prison, & [Page] after many dayes they shal bee visited: for ma did sinne but for a time, and therefore God will not punish him for euer. O vaine hope [...] O false presumption of the damned soule. Let him not be deceiued through this vayne error, that hee can bee redeemed for anye pryce, bycause that in Hell there is no re­demptiō. Sinners shal be gathered togither in ye lake, & shall be shut vp in pryson, that is to say, in Hel, where they shal be to [...]mented without their bodies, vntil ye day of Iudge­mēt: & after many dayes, that is to say, af [...]er they haue appered with their bodies in iudgement, they shall be visited, not to their salua­tion, but to their greater punishment: for af­ter that daye they shall be more greeuously tormented.Psal. 8 [...]. And in an other place it is thus sayde: I wyll visite their iniquities with the rod, & their sinnes with stripes. God there­fore is angrie wt his predestinate for a tyme, bycause he doth chastise euery childe that he loueth, of whome that place is vnderstoode, where it is sayd [...] He will not be angry with them for euer. But God is angry with the reprobate for euer, bycause it is moste agre­able to iustice, that the vngodly whyche doth offend God for euer, shold suffer his reuenge [Page] eternally. For although power to sinne doth fayle ye sinner, yet doth he neuer shake off the wicked wil to sin: for i [...] is writtē [...] Psa 7 [...] The pride of them which ha [...]e thee O Lorde, dothe al­ways encrease & ascē [...]. The reprobate being become desperate, & without hope of obtay­ning pardone at Gods handes, shall not be made humble and mee [...]e, but the hatred and malice of thē shal so encrease, that they shal wish he wer not, by whose means they ha [...]e such an vnhappie being:Apocal. 1 They shal curse the most highest, & shall blaspheme the great and mightie God, complayning against him in that he hath created them to sustayn punish­ment, and doth neuer encline himself to take mercy on them, or else to graunt them par­don. Hea [...]e what S. Iohn sayth: There did a greate hayle (saith hee) fall downe from Heauen vppon menne,Apocal. 1 and they did blas­pheme God for the stroke of thys hayle, bycause it was maruellous sore. The damned Soule therefore, althoughe hee haue loste the power and force of syn­ning, yet alwayes shall hee ha [...]e the affection of wickednesse, and the sling of malice still remayning in hym: and that [Page] which was sinne to him in this world, shal be his punishmente and tormente in Hell: And perhappes it may bee reputed there also as synne, but not the [...]eserte of sinne. And therefore shall the wicked man through the g [...]ilte of conscience procured by synne, feele alwayes besides his payne, an inward greefe and torment againste hym selfe. For that whyche in his life time hee did not wipe a­way by repentance, God doeth not forgiue it afterwardes by pardon or indulgence.Esdras. 9. It then appertayneth vnto the greate iustice of hym that iudgeth, that they neuer wante the payne of hell, w [...]o in their life were neuer withoute synne. T [...]ely they w [...]lde (if they coulde) haue liued for euer, that they mi [...]t haue sinned without ende or ceasing. For [...]e that forsaketh not sinne in thys life, seemeth alwayes de [...]irous for sinnes sake to liue.

Testimonies of the eternal punishements and torm [...]nts of hell. Chap. 11.

WHich of you (sayth the Prophet) is able Esay. 33 [...]o dwell wyth perpetuall deuouring [Page] and euerlasting fire? or which of you will [...]oiou [...]e wt heates whiche neuer shall cease? They shallbe (sayth he) smoke in my furie,Esay. 65 and as a burning fire all the day long, why­che shall not be put out in the nighte, but the smoke thereof shall rise and encrease for e­uer. I will giue you to bee a perpetuall re­proche (sayth our Lorde by Hi [...]remie his Prophet:Hier. 23) and an euerlasting ignomie whyche s [...]all neuer be blotted out through obliuion. And they whiche haue slept vpon the dust or the earth, shal watch (sayth Daniel, Daniel) some to obtayn life euerlast [...]ng, othersome to become a reproche, that they may always see it. And the wise man [...]aith, that after the wicked and vngodly man is departed out of thys life, there shalbe no more [...]ope of him:Prou. 11 Prou. 6 but his perdition shal f [...]l vpon him out of hande, and he shall be suddenly torne in pieces, and neuer shal finde any medicine or remedie therof a­gayne.Apocal. 14 If any shal adore ye beast and [...]ir I­mage he shall (sayth S. Iohn) drinke of the vine of Gods wrath, and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone: and the smoke of his tormentes shal rise and encrease for euer: neyther shall bee rest day nor night, whyche shall worship the beast and hir Image:Math. 2 [...] The [Page] truth it selfe shall confirme this saying, whē he shall come to iudgement, and reprooue the reprobate in these wordes: Goe you accursed into euerlasting fire, whiche is prepared for the Deuil and his angels. If therefore ac­cording to Gods iudgement all credit doth consist in the persons of two or three, howe much more then shall that appeere euidente and cleere which is witnessed by the mouth of so many concerning this truth proponed.

Of the day of iudgement. Chap. 12.

BEhold therefore (sayth the Prophet) the day of our Lorde shall come cruelly, full of wrath,Esay 13. ful of anger and fury, to bring the earth into a desert, and to destroy the sin­ners thereof. Bycause the Stares of Hea­uen and the brightnesse of them, shall not appeare or be seene, and the Sunne shall be darkned in his rising, and the Moone shall not giue foorth hir light. And I will visite the wickednesse of all the world, and the in­iquitie of the vngodly. I will also cause the Pride of the vnfaithful to ceasse, and wil plucke downe the arrogancy of the mighty. For al powershall be dissolued, and the hart of euery man shall cons [...]me & wast away. [...] [Page] Torments and greefes shall possesse them,Ibidem. they shall mourne as women do in childe­bed, euery one of them shall bee astonyed at his neighboure, and their countenances shall be defaced with fire.Sophonia. 1 That day shall be a day of anger, a day of tribulation and anguishe, a day of calamitie and miserie, a daye of darknesse and obscuritie: yea it shall bee the day of trumpets and of noyse, bycause oure Lord wil with hast make an end of al those that do inhabite the earth.Luke. 21. And that day shal suddenly come vpon all such as dwel vpon the face of the earth, euen as a snare.Math. 24 For as lightning cōmeth out of ye East, & goeth in­to the West, euen so shall the comming of ye sonne of man be:1. The [...]. 5. And as ye Thefe commeth vnloked for, euen so shal ye son of man come in ye night, and when they shal say amongst them selues peace & securitie, then shal a sud­daine death come vpon them, as dothe the payne of a woman with childe, and they shall not escape.

Of the tribulation that shal goe before the day of iudgement. Chap. 13.

THere shall great tribulation goe before ye day of Iudgemēt,Math. 24. such as neuer was frō [Page] beginning of the world vnto this time, ney­ther shall be. And vnlesse those dayes were shortned, there shoulde be none saued. For nation shall rise aganst nation,Luke. 2 [...] and king­dome against kingdome, & there shalbe great earth quakes euery where, there shalbe pesti­lence, hunger, terror, and diuers signes shall appeare in the heauens: as in the Sunne, the Moone and the Starres, ther shalbe oppres­sings of people vpon the earth, and through ye noise of the raging seas & flouds, and tho­rough ye expectation of such horrible thinges as shall come vpon the world, men for feare shall w [...]ther away. Ther shall arise vp false Prophets, and they shall giue great signes & wonders,Math. 24 so that the very elect of God (if it were poss [...]ble) should be brought into error.2. Thes [...]. 2 Then shall the man of sinne ye sonne of per­dition be reuealed,2. Thess. 2. which [...]etteth him selfe a­gainst God, [...]bidem. & extolleth himselfe aboue that which is called or worshipped as God, inso­m [...]ch yt he shal sit in the temple of God, she­wing him selfe as though hee were God, whome our Lord Iesus shall destroy with ye breath of his mouth.E [...]ay. 11. But before the great and horrible day in the which our Lord shal come,Ma [...]c. 4. Ely the Prophet shall be sente, and he [Page] shal cōuert the harts of the fathers towards their children, and the harts of the childrē to­wards their parēts: with whom also Enoch shall come, and they shall prophecy a thou­sand two hundreth & threes [...]ore dayes, clo­thed with sackcloth: & when they shal finishe their testimonies,Apocal. 1 [...] ye beast which shall rise vp from ye botomlesse pit, shall war against thē & [...]hall ouercome and destroy them, and their bodies shal lie in the street [...]s of the great ci­tie, which is spiritually called Sodome, or E­gipt, wher our Lord was crucifyed. And af­ter three dayes and a halfe, the spirite of lyfe [...]hall enter into them agayne.

Of the signes going before the latter day. Chap. 14.

IMmediatly after the tribulation of the dayes which we haue mentioned,Math. 14 the Sunne shall bee darkned, and the moone, shal not giue hir light: the Starres shall fall from the heauen, and the powers of the hea­ [...]ens shal moue, and then shall the sign [...] of the sonne of man appeare in the heauen. Then [...]hall all the tribes of the earthe be­wayle them selues.Apocal. 6 The Kings and Prin­ces of the earthe (saith Saint Iohn) the tri­bunes and riche men, the mightie and the [Page] strong: to be short, euery man be [...]e bonde or free, shal seke to hide themselues in dennes, amongst the mountaynes, or rockes, and they shal say vnto the mountaynes fall vp­pon vs, and hide vs from the face of hym which sitteth vpon the throne, and from the wrath of the Lambe, bycause the day of hys wrath is come. And who shall be able to endure it?Math. 24. He shal send his Angels with a trumpet or loude voyce, and they shall call together his elect, and gather them from the foure winds,1. Thes. 4. and vppermost parts of ye hea­uens, euen vnto the ends of the earthe. Then shall our Lord him selfe (saith the Apostle) at the voyce of an Archangel, and at the sound of the trumpet of God,Iohn. 5 come from his hea­uenly throne,Rom. [...]. and al they which be in theyr graues, shal heare the voyce of the sonne of God, & the good shall proceede to the resur­rection of life, but the euil to the resurrection of iudgement & damnation. Death & Hell shall surrender their deade which shall be in them,Apocal. 20 & euery eye shal see, yea euē they whi­che haue prickt against him: and al the tribes of the earth shal mourne.Luke. 21. Then shal they see the sonne of man comming in a cloude with greate power and maiestie. But oure [Page] Lord shal come to reuenge the wickednesse of the worlde, not with his Apostles onely but also with the senators of his people: whervpon the wise man saith thus,Prouer. 31 Her [...]usbande a noble man in his gates, when [...]e shal sitte with the senators of the earth &c. For they al­so shal sit vpon the twelue seates of the tribes of Israel.Math. 10. I did looke saith the Prophet Da­niel, vntil the thrones were set vp,Capit [...]. 7. and the auncient of the dayes satte him downe: hys garmente was as white as snowe, and the heares of his heade were as cleare and as white as wooll: his throne were the flames of fire, and the wheeles thereof were bur­ning fire: and from his countenaunce proce­ded a raging streame of fire [...] Thousandes of thousandes did minister vnto him, and tenne hundreth thousands did assist him.Psal. 49. Our Lord (saith Dauid) will come openly, hee is oure God and wil not keepe silence: fire shall burne in his syght, and there shal bee a mighty greate tempest rounde about him. He hathe called vppon the heauen from a­boue, and the earth below, to iudge or dis­cerne his people.Matth. 2 [...] Then shall all nations bee gathered togyther before hym, and hee shall separate the one from the other [...] [Page] as the shepheard doth separate his sheepe frō his kiddes, and he shall set the sheepe on the right hande, and the kiddes on his lefte.

Of the pow [...]r, wisdome, and iustice of the Iudge. Chap. 15.

Luke. 21 O Howe greate shall the trembling and feare be in that day? O what wéeping and wayling shall then be hearde?Iob. 26. For if the pillers of heauen do tremble and shake for feare at his comming,Esay. 33. if the Angels of peace shall then weepe bitterly, what shall sinners doe? if the iust man shall very hardly be sa­ued, how then shall wicked and sinful men shew their faces?Psal. 142. Therfore dothe the Pro­phet Dauid ex [...]lame and say, Lorde enter not into iudgement with thy seruant, for in thy syght no man shall bee iustifyed: and a­gayne,Psal. 129. If thou O god shalte obserue and marke iniquities, O Lorde who shal be able to sustayne it? For what is he that doth not [...]eare a most iust, a wise, and most migh­tie iudge? I call hym a most mightie iudge, bycause no man can auoyde his sight: hee is a wise iudge, bycause the faultes of men cannot be hidden from him: And hee is a most iust iudge, bycause no man can [Page] corrupt him. If we looke for courage, he is most strong in [...]orce, and wise in hart.Iob. [...]. If e­quitie in iudgement should be required, there is none that dareth beare witnesse for mee. If I should iustify my selfe, my owne mouth will condemne mee.Baruch. 3. If I shal shew my selfe as an innocent,Psa. 32.14 [...] it shall declare mee to bee but froward and wicked, although I doe appere simple. He sayd the worde, and all things were made: He gaue commaun­dement, and they were created:Baruch. [...] He calleth vpon the starres, and they answere, wee bee heere: He maketh his Angelles spirites, and his m [...]nisters a flame of fyre.Psal. 103 [...] Rom. 9. Unto whose will nothing doth resist, and vnto whome no word is impossible:Ibidem. And at whose name euery knee doth bowe, as well of those that bee in heauen as vpon the earth,Rom 14. and vn­der the earth.Philip. [...]. His sight no man can flye (as the Prophet sayeth) For if I shall (saith he) ascend vp into the heauen, thou arte there:Psal. 13 [...] Hebr. 4. if I shal descend into hell,Hier. 1 [...]. thou arte at hand also, Hee is the searcher of the reynes and hartes: vnto his eyes all things are open. Hee numbreth & telleth the droppes of rayne, and the sands of the Sea.Eccle. 1 [...]. God is the Lord of knowledge, for he hath the knowledge of [Page] all things before they come to passe. Hee is priuy vnto euerye thing, and a searcher oute of secrete and hidden things. No man can be hidden from him, as the Apostle sayeth: There is no creature inuisible in his sight: He is a iust and a stoute Iudge,Hebr. 4. and a long sufferer:Psal. 7. who neither for prayer nor for hire for loue nor hate, doth once decline from the pathe of righteousnesse,Boetius lib de consol. Philoso. but alwayes mar­ching in the high way, passeth ouer no euill vnpunished, ne leaueth any good deed vnre­warded. Therefore can no man corrupt him, according to the Psalmist.Psal. 61. Iere. 18 Thou O Lord rewardest euerye one according to hys de­sertes.

Of Gods Iudgement. Chap. 16.

WHat is he that will not feare that kind of examination, wherein the selfe same shall bee both the accuser, the aduocate, and the iudge? for he shall be the accuser, when [...]ee shall say vnto the wicked: I was hun­gry, and you did not giue mee to eate:Mat. 25. I was thirstie, and you gaue me not to drink. He shall play the aduocate, when he sayeth: As long as you did it not to anye one of these little ones,Ibidem. so long you dyd it not to [Page] me. He shall sustayne the person of a iudge, when he dothe inferre this of that which hee sayde before, Get you hence away from mee you accursed, into euerlasting fyre. No witnesse shal be necessary in that iudgemēt: For that then the secretes of darkenesse shall be most manifest. For there is nothing hyd­den which then shall not be reuealed. The bookes of mens conscience shall then be ope­ned:1. Cor. 4 Daniel. 7 then shall the deade bee iudged of those things which be written in the booke: for their workes shal folowe them.Apocal. 14 Rom. 2 O Lord what greate shame or abashment shall then bee amongest sinners? What confusion shal there be, when their most detestable crymes shall be euident and manifest vnto all men. Blessed be they (sayeth the Prophete) whose sinnes are forgiuen them,Psal. 31. and whose offen­ces are couered. For there can be no appeale made frō that sentence.Iohn. 5. Bycause the father hathe giuen all iudgement vnto hys sonne: who shutteth and no man openeth: who openeth and no man shutteth:Apocal. [...] for the mouth of our Lord hath spoken it.

That nothing shall [...]rofyte the da [...] ­ned soules. Ch [...]p. 17.

THen shall not riches profite them, their worldely honours shall not defende th [...]m,Ezech. 7. their friendes shall not helpe them, nor their golde and siluer shall not bee able to deliuer them in the day of our Lordes fury. All the Kings of the earth shall weepe and lament,Apocal. 18 when they shall see the smoke of the fire, for feare of their torments. What then shall you doe in the daye of our Lordes fu­ry? in the day of visitation and calamitie comming a farre off? vnto whose helpe wil you haue recourse?Gala. 6. Euery man shall beare his owne burthen:Eze. 18. The soule that [...]inneth shall dye. O straight iudgemente wherein men muste make an accompte, not of theyr deedes only, but of euery idle worde which [...] they haue spoken.Math. 12 This must they doe in the day of iudgement, on the which day the debt with the interest shall bee demaunded of them, euen vnto the last farthing.Math. 18 Who can therefore flye away from the wrath of hym which shall come? The sonne of man shall sende his Angels,Luce. and they shall weed from his kingdome all scandalles and offences, and those also which haue committed wic­kednesse: [Page] and they shall also bynde bundels or faggots to burne, and shall putte them into the chimney of the hote burning fir [...], where there shall be weeping and wayling with gnashing of teeth: mourning and cry­ing with terrible payne: noyse and clamor: feare and trembling: griefe and sorowe: darkenesse and anguish: bitternesse and mi­sery: penurye and torment: with griefe of mynde, sadnesse, and forgetfulnesse, confusi­on, wrestings, pinchings, [...]harpenesse and terror, hunger, thirst, colde, and heat, brimstone and burning fyre, which shall endure for euer and euer.

FINIS.

Speculum humanum. Made by Stephen Gosson.

O What is man? or whereof might he vaunt?
From earth and ayre, and ashes first he came:
His tickle state, his courage ought to daunt:
His life sh [...]l [...]lit, when most [...]e trustes thesame.
Then keepe in minde thy mould and fickle frame:
Thy selfe a naked Adam shalt thou fynde.
A babe by byrth both borne and brought forth blynde.
A drie and withered reed that wanteth sap,
Whose rotten roote is re [...]t euen at a clap:
A signe, a shewe [...] of greene and pleasant grasse,
Whose gliding glorie sodenly doth pas [...]e.
A lame and lothsome lymping legged wight,
That dayly doth Gods froune and furie feel [...]
A crooked cripple, voyde of all delight,
That haleth after him an haulting heele,
And from Hierusalem on stilts doth reele:
A wr [...]tch of wrath, a sop in sorow sowst,
A bruised barke with billoes all bedowst.
A filthie cloth, a stinking clod of clay,
A sacke of sinne, that shall be swallowde aye,
Of thousand hels, except the Lord doe lende
His helping hand, and lowring browes vnbende.
The prime of youth, whose greene vnmellowde yeares
With hoysed head, doth checke the loftie skies,
And settes vp sayle, and sternelesse ship ysteares,
With winde and waue at pleasure sure it flies:
On euery syde then glaunce his rolling eyes:
Yet hoarie h [...]ares doe cause him downe to drowpe,
And stealing steppes of age, shall make him stowpe.
Our health that doth the web of woe begin,
And pricketh forth our pampred flesh to sin,
By sicknesse soakt in many maladies,
Shall turne our mirth, to mone, and howling cries
The wreathed haire of perfect golden wire,
The cristal eyes, the shining Angels face
That kindles coales to set the heart on fire,
When we doe thinke to runne a royal race,
Shal sodeynly be gauled with disgrace.
Our goodes, our beautie, and our braue araye,
That seeme to set our heartes on [...]oygh for a [...]e:
Much like the tender floure in fragraunt feeldes,
Whose sugred sap sweete smelling sauours yeeldes:
Though we therein do dayly lay our lust,
By dint of death shall vanish vnto dust.
Why seeke we then this lingring life to saue,
A hugie heape of bale and miserie?
Why loue we long [...]r dayes on earth to craue,
Where cark, and care, and all calamitie,
Where nought we finde, but bitter ioylitie?
The longer that we liue, the more we fall,
The more we fall, the greater is our thrall:
The shorter life doth make the lesse account,
To lesse account the reckning soone doth mounte:
And then the reckning brought to quiet ende,
A ioyful state of better life doth lende.
Thou God therfore that rules the rolling skie,
Thou Lorde that lendes the props wheron we stay,
And turnes the spheares, and tempers all on hie,
Come, come in haste, to take vs hence away:
Thy goodnesse shal we then engraue for aye,
And sing a song of endlesse thankes to thee,
That deignest so from death to set vs free:
Redeeming vs from depth of darke decay.
With foure and twentie elders shal we say,
To him be glorie, power [...] and praise alone,
That with the Lambe, doth sit in loftie throne.
FINIS.
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