THou hast here seene my brother, the true figure of thys world, although with another face, then it outwardly carri∣eth. Behold therefore now, what the felicity of the World is; how short,* 1.1 miserable, dangerous, blind, sinfull, and deceiuea∣ble; and according to these; what other thing is the world, but (as a certaine Phylosopher was wont so say) a Casket of sor∣rowes and grieuances, a Schoole of vanitie, a Laborinth of er∣rours, a dungeon of darknes, a market place of cousenages, a way beset with theeues, a ditch full of mud, and a sea continual∣ly tost and troubled with stormes and tempests? What other thing is the world, but a barren Land, a fielde full of thistles & weedes, a vvood full of thornes, a florishing garden, but bring∣ing foorth no fruite? What is the world, but a riuer of teares, a fountaine of cares, a sweet poyson, a tragedy pleasantly framed, and a delightfull phrensie? What good things I pray thee are found in the world, which are not counterfeit? and what euills which are not so in deed?
The worlds rest hath labour, the securitie of it is without ground, the feare of it is without cause, the labours of it vvith∣out fruite, the teares without purpose, and the purposes vvith∣out successe, the hope of it is vaine, the ioy fained, and the sor∣row true. By all which it is no difficult matter to see, how great the kindred is between the world and hell: for hell is no other thing but a place of punishments and sinnes, and what other thing els is seene in this world? The Prophet testifieth this whē he saith;* 1.2 Day and night iniquitie goeth about it vpon the walls ther∣of: both wickednes & mischiefe are in the midst of it. These be the fruites of the world, these the merchandize, this is the traffique of it, which at all times and in euery place is exercised: so that thou seest that the world may iustly be termed hell. In thys ac∣count Saint Bernard had thys world,* 1.3 when he said; But for that