Heraclitus, or, Mans looking-glass and survey of life written in French by Peter du Moulin ; and translated into English by Sir H. L'Estr.

Vanity of Man in his Actions.

Man being born thus poor and miserable, what a while it is before he can guide him∣self? how long and labori∣ous his Instruction? what a while he trembles under the Masters awe to learn vain words, and knowledge, that will deceive him? and in the end of all this travel, who sees not a froward humor, and a despightfull perversity; and in a Child all the vices of a man, as in a seed or kernell? the onely way to quiet a Child, is to beat another be∣fore him: if any touch but

one of his toyes, he flings a∣way the rest for anger; the love and liking which they bear to their Babies, are plain seeds of Idolatry, and such are the Children of the best Parents. A grain of Corn, though never so clean dressed, makes straw when it springs again. He that is cir∣cumcized begets a Child with a foreskin on; thus we are driven to acknowledge, in the frowardness of our own Chil∣dren, the picture of our own corruption.

After Childhood comes Youth, which is a brisque hu∣mour, a rash heat, that runs into all riot, rushes head∣long into dangers▪ and re∣jects all admonitions: Oh! what a number perish in that way? how many in this age

are poysoned with sensuality, which lulls them in the lap to strangle them? treacherous Dallilah, that dallyes with them, to betray them to the Devil, an enemy far worse than the Philistims; those pleasures are Golden Pills, which hide their bitter under their beauty; and like fresh Rivers that lose their pleasant rellish in saltness, and drown their sweetness in the Sea.

Godliness cannot live un∣der so dainty a dominion; the knowledge of God (which comes from Heaven) will not be subject to the Belly, nor dwell in Swine; that lodging is fittest for the Devil, who (by the suffe∣rance of our Saviour) en∣tred into the Swine, and ran them headlong into the Sea.

The Devil feeds the prodi∣gall Children with these husks of pleasure, instead of the bread of life, which is the Word of God.

This heat a little cooled with years, and man grown ripe, now see what other Vanities follow him less boy∣sterous, but more sullen and obstinate; Then come Cares chained together, domesti∣call vexations, thoughts of a Family, troubles of sute, travells of a painfull Trade to get maintenance for Chil∣dren, who suck away all the substance, and to receive at length nothing but Reproach and Ingratitude.

These Evils make men ever distast the present, and rely upon the future; alwayes travelling to get a good,

which flies from us, and be∣ing gotten, it melts in our hands, and vanisheth away; if kept it contents us not, it helps not our fear, nor quen∣cheth our thirst; this Evil looks many wayes.

There are many men who hazard their life to get their living, and miss the End to obtain the Means, as he that sells his Sword to buy a Scab∣berd, or his Horse for Hay, and again, to get money, and not therwith to serve his turn, but rather to serve his money; to have Goods as one hath an Ague, which rather gets the sick Man, than he, It; or like the Dogg in the Man∣ger which eats not the Hay, but grinns if another come neer it: Wretched people, who live poor to die rich, who

covet most when they are most in years, that is, make greatest provision when they are at the end of their journy: He that fears God to disman∣tle himself of so great a mis∣chief, will consider with him∣self what the price & valew of Riches are, and will thus rea∣son; The Devil offers these, but he never offers Piety, or the knowledge of God; God shewes what account he makes of Riches, when he gives them most abundantly to the Wicked, into whose bosome they fall, as a Purse in to a privy. Our Saviour shews what account he made of mo∣ny, when he gave Iudas his Purse, but to his blessed A∣postles he gave his Holy Spi∣rit; had he thought riches the true Good, sure he would

have provided enough for himself; but he had not where to rest his head; he honou∣red poverty by his own ex∣ample, and the Lord & So∣veraign of the World, would have nothing in the World, to teach us to contemn the World; A little wealth serves to live well, and less to dye well; Godliness is great gain if a man be content with that he hath; Naked we came into the World, and naked we shall goe out. Quiet poverty, is better than troublesome Riches, yet such is the silly nature of man, that he had rather fetch water from a raging and violent stream, with ha∣zard and perill, than from a small Brook or rivulet with ease and safety; To get a mass of money with danger and

disquiet, rather than a small summe with peace and secu∣rity; and at the end, he shall be nothing the more satis∣fied, nay still further off, and thinks all is lost that he gets not; and this greediness is alwayes mixed with Envy; If he happen to lose his goods (as Solomon saith, Riches ta∣keth to her wings, and flees a∣way) it is as much as if he lost his sences; for to rob and spoyl a covetous man, is as it were to flea him; and to take away his money, is to pluck out his heart, because he sets his heart all upon his money. The Godly man when he considereth these things, will say with the Wise Man, This is Vanity & Vexation of Spirit.

To this Vanity we may re∣semble that of many persons

who extremely toyl them∣selves to get honour and greatness; In this throng of people which press to get up. Those behind would fain tred down those before; three∣quarters of them are enfo••ced to stay behind with anger and despight▪ those that have got to the top of honour pluck the Ladder after them, lest o∣thers should get up by it, and when they are gotten to the top, then they shew their tricks, like Apes got upon an House or a Tree, making fa∣ces at those that are below, & set the people on gazing & gaping on them; for there, their weakness best appears, and their vices are most in view. Add also, that in this height they meet with more cares than before; Trees

shake most at the top; Pina∣cles of high Towers are ofte∣nest struck with Tempest and Lightning; we sleep worst upon the richest and embroy∣dered Beds; we are in most danger of poyson at the fullest Feasts: but you never heard of any poysoned in a woo∣den dish; after innocent la∣bor, sleep is sweet upon a lock of Straw; This is also Vani∣ty and Vexation of the Spi∣rit.

This Vanity, joyned with a like corruption, appears e∣specially in the Court, where prime Slavery goes under the colour of Greatness and Gol∣den Shackles are counted a Noble Imprisonment; He that lives there, must make account to be alwayes mask∣ed; to play twenty severall

parts in one hour; to have a number of Servants, but ne∣ver a Friend; there, Inno∣cence is called Silliness, and a simple Affirmation is a signe there is no such matter; Two hate one another, and both know it, yet each strives to seem to serve the other first, who shall begin, and who shall be last; and with these complements they make an Enterlude: Envy is never to seek for, but ever in fashi∣on there, either to supplant, prevent, or to nibble at one another, and no means but by slavery to avoid it; de∣bauched tricks, and beastliness among Courtiers, become Lawes, and turn into com∣plexion. One had need have more Faith than a grain of Mustard seed to keep himself

there from Corruption; as Ravens build on high Trees, so the Devil nestles among great ones, and there he hatcheth and discloseth his Young, which are Vices, be∣cause there they are better seen, and shew themselves with Authority; There you shall meet with some that kill one another in bravery, upon the construction of a word; a plain proof that their Life is little worth, which they set at so low a rate, but these brave Ladds would be soon gone if they were to suffer for Gods Cause: Sure it would ask a number of those Gallants to make one true E∣vangelical Martyr. Alas! how wretchedly do they under∣stand the true point of Ho∣nour: This is also an Evill

Travell, and an extreme Va∣nity.

To this also we may adde the Vanity of the other Sex; For the greatest part of Wo∣men are vain, not onely through frailty and exam∣ple, but by express profession.

All their study is to set up Vanity, and upon that they are in Emulation with one another; for amidst all this worldly glory and lustre, you shall see some women swal∣low'd up of pleasures, slaves to other Fashions & Faces, who out of daintiness have almost lost the use of their Feet with mincing, who bestow a quar∣ter of their Life to make them ready; who buy their hair, borrow their face, make Idols of their bodies, yet tor∣ture them again by a just

judgement; who know no∣thing, yet study to speak well; who look in the Glass a thou∣sand times a day, and call a Counsell about an hair. Poor Souls! who changing the colour of their hair, and raising themselves upon their Chappins, would make Christ beleeve he did not well un∣derstand himself, when he said, Man cannot make an hair white or black, or adde one cubit to his stature. If a man could summe up all the time that a dainty Lady be∣stowes in dressing of her self all her life time, it would prove a dozen years; such Curiosity is next to Slavery: But who would bestow so much to any good end or purpose? How comes it to pass, that clothes (which

were given because of Sinne) are now turned into Sinne? that man makes that a mat∣ter of glory, which God gave to cover his shame? that an argument of humility should now become a matter of pride? There is nothing more opposite to the zeale of Gods glory, than this loose Vanity: Could a Wo∣man that wears a pair of pro∣digious Chappins, fly into ano∣ther Country for the cause of Religion? Could so delicate a skin endure the cold and hard Prison for the testimo∣ny of the Gospell? She that cannot endure the heat of the Sunne, because of her painting, could she abide the Fagot for Gods Word? you see how we prepare for suffe∣rings, what Apprentises we

are for Martyrdom? Salo∣mon saw none of this in his time, and the Vanity of Va∣nities whereof he speakes, comes far short of the Vanity of our Age.

But now behold another kind of Vanity wherein men toyl themselves, a bawling, roring and tumultuous Va∣nity, which is armed with stings, and covered with sub∣tilty, which bestowes the greatest part of the time in br••bbles, and pleads up and down by rote; Goe but in∣to Guild-Hall, or Court of Assizes, you will wonder at the confused turmoyl, and the Arts of Cozenage, such toylsom trotting up and down, such a dustie eager∣ness, and you will truly say, in all this crowd of Lawyers

(who sometime speak all at once) not any one once names God, unless it be in an Oath.

There, while two devour one another in sute, a third man runs away with the prey, and the charges sur∣mount the principall. What a world of people live upon the wickedness of other men? What a number should fast, if others (who worrie one ano∣ther) should lay their malice aside? Mee-thinks when God looks down upon this braw∣ling aud confused throng of Lawyers, and their followers, they appear like Ants upon a Mole-hill, which stir pell mell up and down without order or reason; This is also an Evill Travell, a Vanity, and Vexation of Spirit.

Some will confess that these things are true, but will say, yet there are some ho∣nest studies in the World, some commendable know∣ledge, and many Civill and Religious vertues which can∣not be comprehended un∣der this Vanity, but are worthy of praise: yet even in this, the Vanity of man principally appears; for if the best of our actions be vain, how much more the Vanities themselves. Let us begin with Arts and Sci∣ences.

Now a dayes Vnderstan∣ding consists in the Know∣ledge of Tongues▪ the Lear∣ned busie themselves to know what the Women of Rome spake 2000 years since, what Apparell the Romans did

wear, in what ceremony Stage-play's were beheld then among the people, and to new furbish over, and refine certain Latine or Greek words, which Antiquity hath long buried in dark∣ness; this is to rake a Dung∣hill with a Scepter, and to make our Vnderstanding (that should command) a Drudge to a base Occupa∣tion; as if a man should make all his Meal of Sawces; the knowledge of these things is good to season, but not to nourish. Some again hunt after words in their old age, when they should have the things; many learn their Grammar with Spectacles, they study to speak true La∣tine, and are barbarous in their own tongue, and their

whole life a continuall Incon∣gruity.

Philosophy and the Arts as they are somewhat higher, so they are somewhat harder, as the Pine Apples upon the top of the Tree: many fall that climbe for them, many when they have got them break their teeth with crack∣ing; as they teach to know more, so they perplex more; He that increaseth Know∣ledge (saith Salomon) increa∣seth Sorrow. Ignorance hath some commodity; and when all is done, this Knowledge goes not far: For no Man by Philosophie can clearly tell the nature of a Fly, or an Herb, much less of himself; our Spi∣rits travell every where, and yet we are strangers at home, we would know all, but doe

nothing, for (to speak pro∣perly) our study is no labour, but a curious la••iness which tires it self, and goes not for∣ward, like Squirrells in a cage, which turn up and down, and think they goe apace, when they are still where they were; we learn little with great labour, and that little makes us little the better, nay, many times worse; a drop or dram of di∣vine Knowledge is more worth than all humane what∣soever.

To what purpose doth an Attorney follow another mans cause, when himself is at sute with God? To what end doth a Physician under∣take to judge of anothers health, if he does duely ob∣serve the pulse of his own

Conscience? What are we the better to know by Hi∣story what was done a great while since, and know not what to doe now? or by A∣stronomy to learn the moti∣ons and influences of the Hea∣vens, and know not how to come thither?

Others undertake long voyages, to have many Hosts and few Friends; they pro∣mise to learn much, but re∣turn more Fools than they went, as if they had dropt their Wits by the way, and having painfully trod over a great deal of ground, at length Death tumbles them into it, as Flies that are so long busie with the flame, that at last they rush in, and when they have surveyed so much ground, a handfull will

cover them. Those are be∣witched with this Vanity, who goe long Pilgrimages to some Saint to have Children, and when they are come home, they find some officious Neighbour hath eased them of the care, This is also Va∣nity and Vexation of the Spi∣rit.

It may be our Civill Vir∣tues have some more sub∣stance in them, but therein Vanity displayes it self most, because many of those Vir∣tues are but Vices Brats: Choler whets on Valour; Cowardise makes a Man ad∣vised and wary; Ambition, Avarice, and Envy, are spurs to Study and Industry; fear of disgrace and defamation, makes many Women Chast; niggardness makes many mo∣derate,

others, necessity; friendships are contracted ei∣ther for profit or plea∣sure; whereof the first is a Frippery, the last a Mar∣ket.

Religion it self is often used to serve our covetousness; many follow Christ in the Wilderness for bread, this is to make the Vnderstanding a slave to the Belly, and the Prince and Commander of all Virtues, a Servant to the basest of Vices: Nay, I know not which is worst, to forsake Christ, or to follow him for gain; to serve Christ for mo∣ney, or the Devil for nothing; unless we doe God less injury to forsake Christ, than to fol∣low him to doe him injury, and to make him a Servant to our Avarice. If these be

our Virtues, what shall our Vices be? and what Virtues can these be that thus dance after the Devills pipe? This is also Vanity, and a vexati∣ous Corruption.

This makes some men, (when they consider that Vanity hath over-spred all Worldly things, that Vice and Wickedness have infect∣ed all estates and conditions of men, to the intent to wind themselves out and get away) confine themselves to De∣serts and a perpetual solitude, there to remain in extreme silence, and to speak with none but God and them∣selves; and though this soli∣tary humor in diverse proceed from a savage disposition, in others from a weakness, and spirit not capable of the socie∣ty

of men; in others, from an ambitious desire to be no∣ted for some extraordinary profession, because they could not be seen enough in the Common Crowd; in others, from anger and despite, that they have so long tyred them∣selves in striving against the stream, and to be crossed in every thing; So I doubt not but there are some who pur∣posely withdraw themselves, and take upon them this soli∣tary condition, to get out of the crowd of Vices, and to serve God with more liberty; but even these are deceived, and when they think to goe out of the World at one door, they come in at ano∣ther: for griefs of mind, per∣plexed thoughts, lumpish la∣ziness, windie Hypochondria∣call

Melancholy, despair, pre∣sumption, and self-admirati∣on steal insensibly into the mind under a profession of extraordinary Sanctity, which pines the spirits of the peevish∣ly arrogant, and of peremp∣tory devotion, which degene∣rates oftentimes into folly or brutishness.

The Solitary Man hath none to comfort him in his heaviness, and having none to compare withall, thinks himself the most excellent: then also inordinate desires multiplie upon him, for Man ever thinks that best that is furthest off. So St. Jerome in the midst of the Wilder∣ness, and in abstinent solitude, yet burnt with incontinent affections, and his mind ran most on dancing with Maids,

and when the Devil followed Christ into the Wilderness, he thought that the fittest place for temptation and if the Devil set upon the Sonne of God in the Desert, what Monk or Cloysterer thinks to goe free? The safest way is to goe out of the World, not with feet, but affections, and first to keep the World from nestling in our hearts or near us, lest when we goe out of the World we carry it with us; for as a Man may be Worldly and Wicked, though he make a shew to live out of the world, so he may leave the World and yet never come in the Wilderness, and live among a multitude as if he were alone, and even in a Court or Palace behold the evill travell of men, and have

no share with them, and where the greatest talk is, there to talk with himself a∣lone and confer with God; and to imploy himself to the edifying of the Church, to di∣rect those right that are wrong, and to bring them again into the way to Heaven, and by no means to hide the talent in the ground, and to lop himself off (as an un∣profitable branch) from the Bodie of Civill Society, thus the Apostles did, and all those lights who brought so great glory to the Church, and yet shine after their death.

I know that Aristotle spake true in the first of his Poli••. that he that is disposed to So∣litariness is either of a divine, or a base spirit, as much as

to say, He forsakes the com∣pany of men, either because his Virtues are above them, or he inferiour and not wor∣thy to come among them; But I say, that he that loves Solitude because he excells o∣thers in Virtue, or Know∣ledge, ought to subdue him∣self, and to descend (by hu∣mility and gentleness) to o∣thers imperfections, bestow∣ing himself every way in word and action to the good of the Church and Com∣mon-wealth.

For what are all our per∣fections, but poor shadowes and obscure traces of the per∣fection of Christ? yet he be∣came like unto men, and con∣versed among men, that he might save men: From all which I gather this conclusi∣on,

That if it be a Vanity to forsake the World, then much more to follow it, and if Vi∣ces (with all their mischiefs) nestle in the Deserts, much more in the common crowd: Surely if Vanity be thus found every where, we may well say, All is Vanity and Vexa∣tion of Spirit.

Now, while Man busies himself about all his vain travell, while he thrusts time forward with the Shoulders, every day begins a-fresh to rise up, and lye down again, to fill and empty his belly like a Spunge, and goes round like a Mill-horse in the circle of of the same tedious occupa∣tions, Behold old Age comes stealing on, which yet but a few attain unto; Every one desires to come to it, and

when they are at it they wish it farther off: This is as it were the sink and setlings of mans life, the worst of all to the Worldly, and the best to the Godly; then are World∣ly men more way-ward than ever, then they grow fearfull and froward, and (to speak truly) weak in Judgement▪ for we cannot properly call that humour wisdom, which is any way irksome, nor want of power, Sobrietie; an old Man does not leave pleasures, but they leave him; he com∣plains without cause, that the Fashions and Manners of Men are changed into worse; 'tis himself that is altered: when he was young, every thing pleased him, though never so had, when he is old, nothing can please him, though never

so good; like a Man in a Wherry, who thinks the shore moves, when 'tis himself. It is also a fault of old age to talk much, because they can doe little, therefore they think 'tis their part to teach young Men, and to tell of old matters done a great while agoe; So towards the decli∣ning of a State (as of the Roman Empire) much talke but little actions. In the Worlds old age, many curious Disputes, but little piety and solid Religion. Old Age is covetous, and worldy cares then come a fresh, every thing growes gray and withered save onely Vice. The old Man the Apostle so often speaks of, growes not old to the World, but is then in his prime; he sees Death at hand,

and holds Life but like an Eel by the tayl, yet he devises long-breathed plots, and ga∣thers and heaps up riches to∣gether, as if Death were a great way off; then is Man loath to leave his Life when it is least worth, and little left but Lees: He never thinks of Death, though his Age gives him warning of it and every grey hair serves for a Summons: Nay, Death often∣times takes an earnest of him, by the loss of an Arm, or an Eye, or a Legge, to put him in minde that shortly after he will have the rest. Again, old Men are besotted with the World through long custom and acquaintance, and are loth to leave it, though they find no good in it; This is also a Vanity

and Vexation of the Spi∣rit.

At the end of all this tedi∣ous and unprofitable travell Death comes, which takes e∣very man away before he knowes how to live in the World, much less to leave it; most men goe out of the World, before they consider why they came in; they would fain adjourn time, but Death will not listen to any composition; His feet are of Wooll, but his hands of I∣ron; he comes stealing in, but what he layes hold of he never lets goe. Man makes as slow hast thither as he can. If a Ship split 100 Leagues from Land, every one swims as well as he can▪ not so much to save himself from drowning, as to set the

clock a little back for some minutes, and perswade Death to give Nature a little longer time to pay the debt; this e∣very one sees, and yet none can resolve himself; The very remembrance of Death or Fu∣nerals, or the reading of an Epitaph, makes the hair stand right up, and daunts and frights us; We picture Death stern and starved; It mingles our compassion with horrour when we think of any that late glistred in gold and glo∣ry, now crawling full of Worms, and intolerably stin∣king, while his Heir laughs in his sleeve, and enjoyes the fruit of that labour which himself never could; and in the midst of all this dust and dirt Ambition thrusts up the head, and Pride nestles in

he very Coffin; for they make sumptuous Sepulchers, speaking Stones, stately Stiles, upon a Tomb stuck full of lyes, that they which goe by may say, Here lies a fair Stone and a foul Body, Surely this is a Vanity of Vanities, and an extreme Vanity.

But all these are but Roses to the Thorns that follow, for the most irksom vanities and traveil of his temporall Life, are pleasant in respect of the torments of eternall death, which is the common Inne and End of most men: That is the broad way that leads to damnation, few men find the narrow way to salvati∣on.

Death comes to make a Press for 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and enrolls great and small, wise and foo∣lish,

rich and poor, and some too that goe for Saincts, and mask under a fine cloak of hypocrisie, as if they meant to steal to Hell without any noise, or trouble by the way.

Hell is all Fire, yet there is nothing but darkness, where Souls live to be al∣wayes dying, but never dead; where they burn, but are ne∣ver consumed; complain, but are not pitied; are afflicted, but never repent; where the torment hath neither end nor measure.

There wicked Dives (who denied Lazarus a crumme of bread,) now begs but one drop of water, though all the Rivers in the World can∣not quench his thirst: But if those fatherly rods where∣with

God chastiseth his Chil∣dren have brought some of them to the brink of the pit of Desperation, and to curse the day of their Birth (as Job, and Ieremy did) how shall his enemies endure the Flails of his Indignation? It is a fearfull thing (sayes the A∣postle) to fall into the hands of the living God▪ and hear also what he sayes in his an∣ger, Deut. 32. If I lift up my hand to Heaven, and say I live for ever, If I whet my glitte∣ring Sword, and mine hand take hold of Iudgment, I will execute Iudgment on mine ene∣mies, and will reward them that hate me.

Blessed be God, who hath delivered us from this fierce wrath and furnace, by his Sonne Iesus Christ, who, as

S. Paul sayes, was made a curse for us, and hath called us from darkness to his marvellous light: God grant that we may never know what that torment means, and study to learn no more than may serve to keep us in his fear, and to make us acknowledge the greatness of his savour, and the excellency of our re∣demption in Christ Iesus his Sonne, blessed for e∣ver.

This precedent Discourse hath led us along through all ages and ordinary conditions of humane life, and in our whole travell and survey we have found nothing but Vanity and Vexation of Spi∣rit, which more manifestly ap∣pears, if we consider the gui∣dance & providence of God,

who from the highest Hea∣vens looks down upon our actions, not as an idle specta∣tor, but as a sage conductor and just Iudge: He derides from aloft the plots of great men, he blasts their devices, he confounds the tongues and spirits of the re-builders of Babel, bruises the mighty ones, breaks Scepters into shivers, and all to make man know that he is but dust, his wis∣dom ignorance, that he may learn to contemne the World, to transplant his hopes from Earth to Heaven, and ha∣ving seen some of the bright∣est beams of earthly glory (which like a flash of light∣ning is soon gone) He may never say with Peter, It is good for us to be here, let us make us Tabernacles; Blessed

is he who hath seen enough of this worldly Vanity, and is drawn nearer to God, that when the storm comes he may be in the Haven, and un∣der Gods wing and prote∣ction as under a safe shelter, he may behold the downfall of the wicked, the staggering of their purposes, the silliness of their hopes, and the ef∣fects of Gods Iudgement. Hereof the Prophet David cries out in the 92d Psalm, O Lord how glorious are thy works, and thy thoughts are very deep, An unwise man doth not well consider this, and a fool doth not understand it, when the ungodly are green as the grass, and when all the workers of wickednes do florish, then shall they be destroyed for ever. And herein we are al∣so

to observe, that this Psalm is a Song of the Sabbathday, to teach us that this Medita∣tion requires a setled and se∣questred mind, that gets out of the crowd of worldy thoughts to enter into Gods house, suitable to that in the 72d Psalm, where he profes∣seth, That he was grieved at the prosperity of the wicked, and that it vexed him to the heart, untill he went into the Sanctuary of God, then he consi∣dered the end of those men: For to know the summum bonum, and to un-mask this imagina∣nary happiness of the World, we must not goe to the Phi∣losophers school, and less be∣leeve common judgment, but we must goe into Gods house, and there enquire what man∣ner of Goods they be which

God doth ordinarily bestow, and what he reserves for his own Children; how uncer∣tain worldly happiness is, in respect of the certainties of Gods promises, with what easie and insensible chains the Devil hales men into Hell; how he triumphs over those that triumph most in this World, and think they stand sure, when they are at the point of down-fall.

So also he considers the vain-glory of men; One glo∣ries in his strength, yet a Bull is stronger; Another of his beauty, which is but a super∣ficiall Dye that covers the bones and the brain, things in themselves loath∣some and hideous to be seen, and age will spoil and marr it all, or perhaps sickness

before age comes. Another glories in his Honours and Dignity, but he is ever full of pensiveness and fear, and ne∣ver enjoyes any quiet; and imprisoned in his own per∣plexities, and so tyed to the top, as he can hardly come down without breaking his neck: Another glories that he is the bravest Drunkard of all his fellowes, but i•• his Belly hold more than theirs, an hogshead holds more than his Belly. All this is Vanity and Vilany, both alike.

These are Generall Va∣nity and Misery, common to all Men, and that's the fruit of Sin. Besides these, there are some Men examples of ex∣treme wretchedness; what a number of Beggars lie in the streets? how many Slaves in

the Galleys? what a sort of Hirelings and Mercenaries? the hundred part of Men de∣vour the rest, and the weak∣est are Meat for the strong∣est.

Among the Turks and Pagans (which are above three quarters of the world) Men are sold like Horses, he that buyes them notes their countenance, looks in their mouth, tries the muscles of their arms and legs; the Great Princes have thousands of Slaves kept in Chains to work in the Sugars, or in the Mines, or in the Gallyes, a misery more insufferable than death.

Some people have night six moneths together, who live in Caves through extre∣mity of cold, and have no

heat but what they get by cruelty.

Others again continually scorched with the Sun upon their naked sands, which are barren of fruits, and fruitfull of wild Beasts and Serpents; our climate is as natures gar∣den to those intemperatures; God gives us more of his bles∣sings, and we him the least thanks; and there is no where so great poverty and misery, as where such abundance of blessings are so plentifully showred down, and yet so ill handled and requited.

Notes

• Child∣hood.
• Youth.
• Manhood.
• Covetous∣ness.
• 1 Tim. 6.
• Amb••tion.
• Courtiers life.
• Vanity of Women.
• Mar. 5. 27. 6. 36.
• Pleadings at Law.
• The Au∣thor in∣tends no∣thing of Judges.
• Skill of Langua∣ges.
• Arts and Philoso∣phie.
• 1 Eccl. 18.
• Civil Vir∣tues.
• Solitary life.
• In his Ep∣to Eustoch.
• Old Age.
• Death.
• Hell.
• Matt••: 7. 13.
• Job 3. 1.
• Jer. 15. 10▪
• Hebr. 1••.
• Gal: 3. 13.
• Peter 1. 2.
• God bla∣steth mans purposes.
• Lu: 9. 33.
• Vain glo∣ry of men.
• The mise∣ry of cer∣tain condi∣tions of men and people.