A deuoute mans purposes Being zealous and comfortable meditations, to weane a man from this world, and the vanities thereof.

Meditation 2. Of worldly riches.

IF thy riches in∣crease, set not thy heart vppon them, saith the prophet Dauid: therefore the seruant of Iesus Christ ought to abhorre all such things as would withdraw him from God. Seeme

not these worldly riches vaine vnto thee, that haue their ending altogether vayne? The rich men haue slept their sleepe, and nothing left to bee founde in their handes: Then doubt∣lesse most vaine are all those thinges, that would hinder thee from an end so much to bee desired, I meane the true passage to thy heauenly habitati∣on.

Those kingdoms & Cit∣ties which the deuil shew∣ed to our Sauiour Christ vpon the mountaine, were not true riches, but fanta∣stical & sightly in the eie: euē so all the riches, honor, and glorie of this world, are no perfecte goodes, but fained, dissembled,

and (as Saint Iames saith) a vapour that appears a while and in a moment is dispersed. Then set not thy affection on such transitorie thinges, which bring nothing else but a desire of them, be∣cause few or none wrappe themselues vp among ri∣ches, but their hartes are soundly attainted with the corruption of them.

Blessed is the riche man, that is founde without ble∣mish, and hath not gone af∣ter golde, nor hoped in money and treasure. Who is he, & we will commende him? If there bee not one, in what danger are they then that lincke and fasten them∣selues to such folly? The way to heauen, is narrowe & troublesome, not to be

found without the especial fauour of God: then thou rich man whatsoeuer thou art, craue thou the mightie & wonderful assistance of Gods fauour to bee thy guide, & all little enough, yet the poore in spirit find the way readily, by the ve∣ry least helpe of their Lord & maisters grace.

Then if the rich will be saued, the greatest and most excellent fauour of God is needfull for them, for their perill and danger of saluatiō being so great, the meanes to obtaine the same must bee much grea∣ter: hence is it that riche men are called wicked, & the heires of euill, because they resemble the ful gor∣ged Faulcon, that will not

know her maister, & turne vnto him.

The prodigall sonne no sooner became rich, but he forsooke both his father & his house•• necessitie & mi∣sery came & but pinched him, then he sorrowed and wold needs returne to his father: wherby we may ga¦ther that riches seperat•• men from God, & pouert•• bringeth them back agai•• vnto him. The children o•• Reuben and Gad desire•• Moses that he wold leau•• thē there in the country o•• Iordane, where was goo•• feeding for their cattel: ne¦uer caring to go to the lan•• of promise. In like mane•• there are many that refus•• the kingdome of heaue•• promised them in perpet••¦al

possession, for the loue of riches and corruptible goodes they enioy in this false world. If therefore thou wilt truely giue thy self to God, despoyle thee of all loue and affection to worldly thinges, because thou art busied and trou∣bled about many matters, and yet but one thing is one∣ly necessary, and if thou haue that, giue present discharge to al other what∣soeuer.

Whē our first parēts were in the state of innocencie, & busied onely with spiri∣tuall consideratiō of God, ••hey had so little minde of their bodies, as they neuer saw themselues to bee na∣ked: they had no sooner sinned, but they discerned

their nakednes & misery, & presently sought means to couer themselues with∣all. Paul the Apostle rapt vp to the thirde heauen, said himselfe, he knew not whether he were in bodie, or diuided from himselfe, therfore they make no rec∣koning at all of their bo∣dies, that are lifted vp to heauenly thinges, where they are so busied in spirit, that the bodie is quite for∣gotten. This forgetfulnes is reputed a weightie con∣sideration, and thus not to know our selues, is verie great wisedome.

The disciples of Christ being busied in the doc∣trine of their diuine may∣ster, gaue no regard to ex∣teriour occasions, and so

forgot to wash their hands when they sate downe to the table: but the Phari∣ses minding outwarde ce∣remonies, woulde needes know of Christ, the cause why his disciples washed not their handes. Where∣fore the seruantes of this worlde, troubled about base and slender matters, giue no attention to the great and higher: so that by trifling about bodily businesse, they want time to thinke on the affaires of the soule. Hence is it, that fruitles thoughtes are the children of riches, and the works they bring with them, doo nothing els but choake and confound the spirite. Therefore thou shalt do well in making no

account of these corrupti∣ble treasures, that thou mayest the more freely giue thy selfe to God: for thou canst not flie vppe to him, except first thou cut the corde which hanges at thy heart, and still pluckes thee backe to the worlde and vaine wealth, whereto thou art fastned with too much affection. Then not to seperate thee from the loue of Iesus Christ, seeke after his sweetnes, and de∣spise this base worldes bit∣ternes. Oftentimes in good and sauorie meates is poy∣son receyued, and they that haue eaten thereof are forthwith ready for the graue: Sweete are the riches of this worlde to such as loue them, yet vn∣der

them is death hidden, because they make a man proude and vicious, and so he takes them with him to death eternall. We read in Ecclesiasticus: He that lo∣ueth riches, shall receyue the rewarde of his loue: & what reward that is, the Apostle Paule declareth, They that will bee riche, fall into the snares and tentations of the Deuill: for all creatures are alike vnto man, as man is to himselfe. Therefore ••he good mind cannot be contaminated or abused with thinges so farre diffe∣rent from it, nor can the wicked man any way help himselfe by them. Tell mee, what helpe is aboun∣dance of riches to this frail fleshe of ours, which is

borne to die, and putrifie in the earth? they cannot defend it from the corrup∣tion whereinto perforce it must fall, a constant and good minde is that, which is not subiected to riches. The Psalmist sayth, The proude and rich Lordes haue slept their sleep, but he doth not call thē Lords of their riches, because they are seruants, slaues & drudges thereto, and not maysters or controulers of their ri∣ches.

Gaine gotte with euill fame is reckoned for losse, and he is to dread it, that is affraide of pouertie. Ser∣uants serue their maysters but to ease them of labor, cares & troubles: bad ser∣uants then are money and goods

that not onely doo not les∣sen their maysters molesta∣tions, but encrease and lay more heauie loade vppon them. What els is gold, but rust, & drosse of the earth? What is siluer and precious stones, but very froth of the selfe same earth? what are our finest Veluets and silks, but excrements of vile worms? what are your purest cloth, but wool of beastes? what are your richest and most esteemed furres, but cases of dead beasts? what are painted pallaces, and great populous Citties, but meere earth? what is honor, but a winde? and in briefe what thing soeuer els in the world, but dust? Canst thou then loue all these earthly thinges, which the worlde

falsly cals goodes, when the very best of them is but a peece of vile earth? Seeke but to knowe the vanitie of those things the world pre∣sentes thee withall, and thy hart will hate to be set vp∣on such base matters. Aske but of the prophet Esay the worth of worldly thinges, and by this aunswere thou wilt somewhat be satisfied: All flesh is grasse, and all the glory thereof is as the flower of the field.

Why then, if the very best thing in the vniuersall world be man, and all the glory of man (as the prophet sayth) is but like the fieldes flower: whereto may wee compare all the rest beside, which thy self wilt confesse ••uch inferior to man. Now

here maiest thou learne thē some knowledge of thy selfe, that thou being so ex∣cellent a creature, created onely for the loue and ser∣uice of God, wilt so much imbase thy selfe, and shewe such want of spirit, as to for∣sake thy Creator, and dedi∣cate all thy endeuours to such vile and worthlesse things. Do but seeme once to haue a holy pride in thee, thinke thy selfe to be made for reasō, know the nobility & excellency of thy birth, which thou hast receyued frō God, loue noble things, (I mean spiritual riches) ac∣cording to y^e noble inclina∣tiō, w^t God himself endued thy royal hart withall, when (after his owne image and likenes) he created thee.

Consider what the value of gold and precious stones is, when Salomon (accor∣ding to the saying of our Sauiour) adorned with silks, iewels and precious stones, yea, in all his glorie and royal∣tie, coulde not come forth clo∣thed like one poore flower of the fielde. And yet wee ac∣count him a foole that ter∣meth grasse to be richer thē golde, which made the Queene of Saba meruayle at the wealth & wisedome of Salomon, but neuer a whit to wonder at the Lillie of the field.

Great is the fondnes and errour of men, that (like to thinges which onely seeme but faire) they iudge the beautie of them that are truely and really fayre in∣deed:

and this is the reason of our peeuish appetite, when wee fancy a gaudie shew, and make no account at all of the goodly sub∣stance. Thus it happens stil with vs, who (like greedy and couetous desires of we know not what) would seem heere more beautiful in our garments of golde, then the Lillie growing in the fielde: But if with the eye of t••uth we wold wel regard the case wee shoulde find our selues more whipt for our golden and silken garmentes, euen at mens handes that make them for vs, then the Lillie is at Gods hand, who made it: and yet all our brauery not equalling that one flow∣ers beautie. What is sayde of the Spouse in the Canti∣cles.

Like the Lillie among the thornes, so is my loue a∣mong the daughters. Loue then true beautie, and the rich celestiall treasures, and neuer set thy hearte on the filth of the earth.

Oh Christian brother, why doest thou heate thy blood, grow impacient and desperate about temporall treasures, whē thou art pro∣mised heauenly & eternal? It is a matter too much in∣conuenient, that thou being ••o disciple of Iesus Christ, called and chosen for the i••y••s of heauen? shouldst e∣steeme such thinges as were contemned, euen by the Philosophers of the Gen∣ti•••••• alas, alas, thou louest mony much, & it helps thee but little. Admit thou hadst

in thy power all the trea∣sures of the worlde, shalt thou thereby be made more young, more wise, more strong, or more fayre then now thou art? Thou wilt tel me that by riches thou shalt attaine to many pleasures: Doo then but consider how vaine, swift and short they are, for true pleasure▪ & de∣light indeed is the onely re∣pose and tranquillity of the mind. Thou wilt tell mee, that with riches thou canst purchase honours: remem∣ber then withall 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that men admire not at thee, or honour thy person, but the garmentes and riches thou wearest, so then that honour is none of thine, but thy clothings.

But could men (at that very instant) beholde the poore naked beggerlinesse of thy soule, they woulde hardly iudge any creature in the worlde to bee more misera∣ble, because the true honor of man, is to be beloued of God, & not for vaine pomp, or to bee gazed on by men. Thou wilt say, that with riches thou canst gette thee friends▪ thinke then they be no true friends, but false, & thou gaynest nothing there∣by but manifest losse. Poor wretch, that thy riches which loues thee not, but deludes thee, that they who giue thee fayrest lookes, & friendlike huggeth neerest thee, should desire thy spee∣die departing, for nothing else but to enioy thy posses∣sions.

Thou wilt say, that ha∣uing riches, thou canst giue almes to the poore, and doe many other good deedes: indeede these are rich mens wordes, that promise most, and performe least: but if Christ were nowe on the earth and shoulde say to them, as he did to his Apo∣stles, Leaue all and follow me, he were more like to walke without Apostles, then they in any hast to parte from their riches. Ah open thine eyes (deare brother) & look on the deceytfull labyrinth wherin thou liuest, is riches, dung & dirt of the world so precious to thee? why loue selleth the louer for the thing beloued, so that he is no more his owne, but quite

giuen ouer to that he loues: so thou thy selfe valuing much more then this trashe which thou louest, commest to giue the better for the worse, and sellest away a precious iewell, for a matter of no estimation at all, euen thy hart which is Gods and none of thine, for mudde, drosse and filth, then which nothing is more base.

God commands, that we should loue him onely, not because he hath any need of our loue, but for our owne profit: Now if thou wilt sel thy selfe to God, loue him, thou shalt better thy self by the bargaine, giuing a trifle for that which is inestima∣ble, & a thing scant precious for y^e which no price can cō∣prehend. For true riches en∣creaseth

more by dimini∣shing couetous desires, then greedy gathering wealth to∣gether, which prooue often∣times most daungerous to them that possesse them: & such as God hath chosen to liue with him, hee is wont to depriue of so maine a hinde∣rance, lest their own folly o∣uercomming them with ri∣ches & vain prosperity, they should be blinded with the smoke of these friuolous ho∣nors, and so loose the inesti∣mable dignities & treasures laid vp for them in heauen. Cōsider withal in how smal esteeme God himself holds these earthly treasures, see∣ing on a sudden, and at the instance of Sathan hi•• enemy, he quite disposses∣sed his seruan•• Iob, being one whome h••e loued and

not a little esteemed.

Lift vp thine eyes (deare brother) and consider howe vile and contemptible worldly riches shoulde bee to thee, fasten not thy affec∣tion on such vanities, but on thy Sauiour Christ Iesus, pray him to change thy for∣mer wretched purposes, & with him that intirely wi∣sheth and desireth thy sal∣uation, lay hold on that which neuer will de∣ceiue thee.

Notes

• Psal. 61.
• Psal, 72
• Mat. 4
• Iam. 4,
• Eccle, 31.8.9
• Mat. 7.
• Luk. 15,
• Num. 32.
• Luk. 10.
• Gen. 3.
• Mat. 15
• Eccle. 1.
• 1, Tim. 1.
• Psal. 76.
• Isa. 40.
• Mat. 6
• 3. Reg. 10
• Cant. 2