The yong mans gleanings Gathered out of diuers most zealous and deuout fathers, and now published for the benefit of euerie Christian man, which wisheth good successe to his soule at the later day. Containing these foure subiects. 1 Of the mortality of man. 2 The poore mans harbour. 3 The mirror of vaine-glory. 4 Saint Barnards sermon on the passion of Christ. Whereunto is adioyned a most sweete and comfortable hymne, expressing the euerlasting ioy of a glorified soule. By R.B. gent.

OF THE MORTALITIE OF MAN.

WHat art thou (O Man) and from whence hadst thou thy beginning? What matter art thou made of, that thou promisest to thy selfe length of daies: or to thy posterity continuance. I haue read the truest computer of Times, and the best Arithmetician that euer breathed, and he reduceth thy dayes into a short num∣ber: The daies of Man are threescore and ten. That reuerend Patriarch Iacob, (though he had liued a long and prospe∣rous time) yet he confesseth his daies to be few and euill: the life of Man (saith the Prophet) is as the grasse that soone

withereth: it is as swift as a Dromeda∣rie, continuing not, but passing from this pilgrimage of earth, aimeth at the centre, to which all flesh is limitted, this earthly mansion from whence we had our Beginning; Homo abhumo na∣tus. Man is borne of the earth, from whence he had his birth, and shall con∣clude the date and period of his daies. What is it to enioy honour vpon earth, or to be graced by the royall aspect of Potentates, their maiestie cannot au∣thorise thy sinnes, nor exempt thee from the iudgement of the Almighty. It is not the King, but the King of Kings shall iudge, who holdeth his iron rod in his hand, to be auenged of him that worketh wickednesse before him. He cannot endure the waies of the vnrigh∣teous, but will either looke vpon thee, with the eyes of his mercie, or giue thee the wages of sinne, to liue with repro∣bates and sinners in the neuer quenched fire of his wrath, there to be punished eternally. But remember thy mortality, be not puffed vp with a selfe conceipt of thine owne excellence: The Swanne may not be more ashamed of her blacke

feete, then thou of the vlcers and blemi∣shes of thy soule distained with all im∣purities. It was the Phylosophers say∣ing: It were better not to be, then to be miserable, thy being is most miserable, thy state lamentable, and thy case irre∣parable: if thou meditate not of thy cre∣ator, acknowledge thy redeemer, and haue recourse vnto thy mercifull pro∣tector: who preserueth thee daily with his grace, reuewing in thee his Image, quite defaced and abolished by reason of thy transgressions. Wherefore as there is noe moment nor article of time, wherein thou stands not in need of his prouidence, so ought there to be no time omitted wherein thou should not ascribe all praise, and gloie to his excellence. He created thee being no∣thing, he recreated thee being worse then nothing, and he preuents thee with his grace, that art like to fal againe to nothing. O consider wherein thou hast offended, and how many and sun∣dry times thou hast beene pardoned for the selfe same sinne: let thine eyes therefore be dissolued into an ocean of teares, crauing remission with entire

contrition. It is recorded that the teares of the vine will cure the leprosie: teares of hearty and vnfained repen∣tance will cure the leprosie of sinne, restore thee to the Throne of grace, and in the end conduct thee to the King∣dome of glory. Thou art farre trans∣planted from thy natiue Country: in a desolate and remote place: farre from comfort or hope of rest, till this Taber∣nacle of sinne shall be dissolued, this roabe of flesh shall be diuided from that spirituall stole of purity, whereby thou may ascend the pallaces of eternall glorie. There is none that liueth in ex∣ile, but would haue the censure of Ba∣nishment reuoked: thou art in a place of exile an inhabitant with Wolues and Tigers: for better were it (saith Dio∣genes) to liue with Wolues, Tigers, and all sauage Beasts of the Mountaines, then with Sycophants, flatterers and such tame beasts in the Citie. Thou art inuironed with many sharpe encoun∣ters inuaded with many turbulent passi∣ons, thought▪ feare, desire, and the like: all which as so many waspes doe conti∣nually infest and annoy thee. Thou art

trauelling a dangerous way, where ma∣ny obiects seeme to seduce thee from the high-roadeway, to the flourishing by-paths of vanity, being neuer lesse se∣cure, then when thou seemest most se∣cure. Thou art sailing betwixt two pe∣rilous rockes, two calamitous shelfs, Scilla and Charybdis, Presumption and Despaire. Thou hadst need of an expert and vigilant Pilote to direct thee, a faithfull friend to comfort thee, and a prepared minde within thee: thou fishest in a troubled streame, and many things I could caution thee of, which not fore∣seene may endanger shipwracke to thy crasie and surcharged Barke. Oppose not thy selfe to all extremes, but fix the Anchor: it would hold against all tem∣pests, and prouide a repose in time for thy poore vessell, least vanquished and oppressed with violence of Billowes, and extremity of aduerse waues, shee be enforced to split, loosing both thy selfe and thy fraight: spread not thy sailes too broad for the windes (thy vi∣olent affections) are most forced, when thy sayles, (thy ambitious thoughts) are most extended. Ballace it light, least it

sinke with her Burden: It is better to loose the fraight then the Merchant: and the Phylosopher Mymus chused rather to lose his gold then himselfe. Enter not thy Barke with any prophane man: if his company doe not ruinate thee, it may well depraue thee: and when Bias came into any shippe or ves∣sell with a wicked man, where he was in danger of shipwrack, he would neuer suffer the prophane man to pray, say∣ing, take heede least the Gods heare thee, for then wee can expect for no mercie. But aboue all let the sterne (the principall Organs and faculties of the soule) bee euer with all vi∣gilancie attended, wisely gouerne∣ned, and industriouslie employed. Thou art to saile by Syrens (those three daughters of Achelous and Callyope) a naturall euitation of that which is good, a naturall inclination to that which is euill, and a naturall deprauati∣on of the will: reiect the pernicious em∣braces of sinne and impietie, stop thine eares to the Syrens melodie, and reduce thy thoughts to that retired harbour of tranquilitie, a sincere and secure con∣science:

it is a Christians brasen wall, it makes vs secure of things past, it ad∣uertiseth vs of things present, and pre∣pareth it selfe for things to come: No Monument so glorious, no statue so spe∣cious: for what will curious Sepulchers auaile vs, when infamie perpetuates the memorie of vs. Vita mortuorum in Me∣moria viuentium posita est. And vertue liueth after death; The Ancient Patri∣archs returned to the sepulchers of their Auncestours, but that had beene but lit∣tle, if their vertues had not equalled their auncestors. Desirest thou to haue the excellencie of this painted world, the beautie of this earthlie Theatre cha∣ractred and displaied to thee in her co∣lors? Thou shalt see in her many see∣ming flourishes of happinesse, many faire promises of a continuated emi∣nence: but shee failes in her perfor∣mance: her fruits are but flowers, and her haruest soone tipe, and soone rotten. Sodoms apples were faire to the eye, touch them, & they turne to dust. Pain∣ted Sepulchers shew much beautie, and seeme as if they would outliue time, yet continuance defaceth them, remaining

memorable in nothing, saue that they were once memorable. Starres fixed shine the brightest: fix thy thoughts vp∣on the morning Sun of righteousnesse, and like the Sun, thou shalt shine more bright at thy setting, then at thy rising, at thy death then thy birth, let thy mind be established on that which can suffice it: no terrestriall respect of earths vani∣tie, but an expectance of heauens eterni∣tie, to receaue that Crowne for which it was created, and not the wages of sinne, for which shee was not ordained. Thou hast many difficulties to passe in this wildernesse, ere thou can see the Land of promise; Thou must thirst, hunger, and wander; thirst, but for the well of life; hunger, but for the staffe of spirituall Bread; wander but at last (with the good Shunamite,) to returne from the moun∣taines of Gilboa, to the vale of Bethlem, the poole of Bethesda: to the vale of Bethlem, where thou may repose, to the poole of Bethesda, where thou may take repast: yet must thou not murmure in this long peregrination: Thou art but as thy forefathers haue beene: if affli∣cted, so was thy master Christ: if temp∣ted,

so was he: if persecuted, behold the whole Colledge of those blessed Apo∣stles, making their whole life a persecu∣tion, a very martyrdome to propagate their masters glorie, and to performe that worke for which they were sent. Thou must not make profit of thy pro∣fession with Magus, nor make sale of thy conscience with Demas, nor sell thy Sauiour with Iudas. Thou art inuested with Christs owne Garment, endewed with more especiall priuiledges, and prerogatiues then many of thy bre∣thren, boast not of that thou hast recea∣ued, he that did giue them thee, can take them from thee, and make thee naked, that was once garnished with such sin∣gular ornaments, bestowing them on o∣thers that shall better vse them, since whilst thou hadst them, thou didst abuse them. Enuie not anothers gifts, but ra∣ther thanke God for his ample benefits extended vpon thy brother: that perni∣cious vice of enuie is the corrupter of many singular vertues: and to describe her more perspicuously, heare the ancient fathers how they decypher this vniuersall contagion of the world. En∣uie

consumes all vertues: by enuie was Christ crucified, the historie whereof is mentioned vnto thee, enuie and malice aboue all other vices inebriate the soule. Where there is enuie, there can be no Brotherly loue. Who enuieth lo∣ueth not: the law of the Diuell is in him, because the diuell by enuie fell. There∣fore enuie is knowne by this, that shee is neuer in charitie. For by enuie was Christ crucified, and consequently who enuieth his brother, crucifieth Christ. Aug: Enuie alwaies followeth vertue: he is a valiant man that can conquer enuie with humility. Hier: Hee is sure an enuious man that taketh pleasure in seeing another mans dammage or pu∣nishment: Ambros: the error of enuie doth not onely inuade the Synagogues of the impious, but the cels of the religi∣ous. Euseb. Enuie manifesteth that we haue not the loue of God in vs. Ef∣frem.

It is a rare thing to want enuie in prosperitie. Iosephus: where the good man profiteth, there the enuious repi∣neth: as the Poet saith: Inuidus alterius, &c. Isidorus.

Here thou feest enuie dismasked: who euer with Ctesyphon kicketh a∣gainst the Moles heeles: there is no ver∣tue can passe vncensured: no exquisite worke vnreproued: necesse est quôd Mo∣mum aut Mimum habet, qui vertutem amat. But run thou a religious course inclining neither on the right hand, nor on the left: on the right hand thou may be too precise in being too regular, on the left hand, insuccessiue, being too si∣nister. The Goulden mediocritie, is as good a way, and as secure as the Phylo∣sophers Galaxia, their milke way: here is true consolation in spirit: for the righteous bee glad and reioyce in it: walke in this way, and the suggestions of Satan shall not seduce thee, for thou art in the way that leadeth vnto life, not intangled in the Brakes of this world, but expecting the glorious possession of those Ioyes aboue. Continue in per∣fect charity with thy brother, it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the fulfilling and perfecting of the Law: it reconciles vs vnto God, appea∣seth his indignation conceiued against vs, and assures vs of the performance of his promise, made vnto vs in his sonne.

By the loue of God is the loue to our Neighbour ingendred, by the loue to our Neighbour, is the loue of God nou∣rished: here is a mutuall and reciprocall loue: a threefold Cord is hardly broken. But thou obiectest thou hast felt the heauy hand of God, thou hast tasted of the bitter cup, and drunke deepe of the Cup of affliction: what then? where is thy conclusion? doest thou reason hence that thou art depriued of the fa∣uour of God, and excluded from his sheepfold? God forbid: these afflicti∣ons doe rather approue and testifie his exceeding loue towards thee: whom I loue saith the Lord, those I chastice and correct: he is not a father, where thou art not a sonne, nor is he a sonne that is incorrigible: he must bow his necke vnto the yoke, and presse his shoulders with the Burden, he must not argue that the burden is heauie, or the yoke not easie: but with all patience sustaine all, and support all, that God may be glori∣fied in all. This resolution will arme thee with a serious preparation against all difficulties, calling to minde, how the Apostler (after the death and passi∣on

of Christ Iesus) were as a puissant armie constant amidst all tribulations. Their afflictions, their stripes, their im∣prisonments, were experiments to trie them not affrightments to dismay them: By them they were proued and in their resolution approued, because they fought valiantly the Lords Battell, to increase the number of the faithfull, to breake the bread of life, to such as were appointed vnto saluatiō: weakning the power of Antichrist, and discomfiting sinne. Fight thus (deere Christian) and thou shalt raign where those victorious champions raigne already: the vale of this earthly habitation shall be dissol∣ued, and thy spirituall Temple renewed, to supplant the whole body of sinne, and to receiue a glorious diadem of e∣ternitie, by subiecting thy selfe to the materiall sword, to be nourished with that spirituall foode of Gods word vn∣to eternall life: for whosoeuer will raigne with Christ, must likewise suffer with Christ. He was crucified that we might be saued, and shall we be exemp∣ted from that which he suffered? No, rather let vs put on the complete Ar∣mour

of righteousnesse, with slings in our hands to wound that malicious Goliah, that terrible Philistine in the head: that is, vtterly to discomfit him: that we who haue receiued so glorious an inuestiture, the speciall indowments of his Grace, may by the operation of his spirit effectually working in vs ar∣riue at the Kingdome of glorie. That what is here inchoate, may be there consummate; of Christ we are called Christians: if we be Christians of Christ, we should follow Christ: that ascending with him to the Crosse on Mount Cal∣uarie, we may likewise ascend with him to his Throne exalted with maiestie.