Meditations Upon the Misery of Mankind 2, Part 1 – Part 2
The vanity of the Nature of man.
FIrſt to ſpeake of mā in his originall; The moſt noble The birth of Man.of them, yea if he be the ſo…ne of an Emperor, doth rece…ue his forme betweene the two baſeſt excremēts of Nature, & there he is nouriſhed for time with the moſt impure bloud of all. He is there ſubiect to be bruiſed by the leaſt fall of his mother, or ſti…d by the ſavour, which proceeds from an extinguiſh…d Lampe; his birth is ſhame…, in ſo much that womē bl… to bee publiquely ſeene … childbed. It is alſo reputed an honour to kill a man, & therfore Duells adde to one much reputation; becauſe as it is … ſhame for a man to be borne into this world; ſo it is an honour to ſend him out of it. A manifeſt proofe that the life of man is evil, ſince that it is ſo great a diſhonor to beget it, and a greater glory to deſtroy it; ſeeing that alſo hee doth begin his life with ſorrow, and beeing borne immoueable, tumbleth into his owne filth; whereas other living creatures, are no ſooner out of the wombe, but they fal on their feet, and are ready to goe, nor out of the ſhel, but they run for meate. He againe is borne vntounto ſuch neceſſity, that he is compel'd to gaine his own liuing with the ſweat of his browes, whereas other liuing creatures doe find all things ready prepared for thē, man only hath need of habiliments: for hee which is the moſt noble in the world, is aſhamed to ſhew his nakedneſſe, & therefore hideth himſelfe vnderunder the ſpoiles of other Creatures. Hee is ſubiect to more maladies, then all the Beaſts together; to which the obſcureſt fogges or evening dew doe no hurt. They neuer bleed at the noſe, although they goe alwaies declining toward the earth; They are ignorant what the Catarre, Calcul, & diuers ſorts of Agues, meane: Man only is capable to diſcerne theſe differences, and to feele their effects. For if there bee any beaſts which are more afflicted with diſeaſes, they are ſuch that liue limited within the precinct of ſome houſe, & ſo receiue it by Cōtagion.
But ſome will obiect, that man hath reaſon aboue the beaſtes, which is indeed the reaſon of his tormēt, in winning him to practiſe dangerous, & pernitious deſignes: to be ſubtill in contentions, to winde himſelfe into other mens affaires, & being once ſatisfied, to ſtirre vp an artificiall appetite, and a deſire to drinke without thirſt. I am ignorant what the reaſon is, but we are much more ſenſible of ill then good, and that griefes doe more diſturb vsus, then pleaſures can content vsus. Scarce can we thinke of an abſolute health, but ſome torment or other doth preſētly poſſeſſe vsus, as the Toothach, or paine in the fingers end One drop of Gall will diſtaſt a whole veſſell of Sweetes: How much then of happy fortunes is required, to digeſt one affliction?
The vanity of man in his Actions.
MAn being borne ſo Infancie.poore, and baſe into this world, how many years ſteale from him before he receiue ability to cōduct himſelfe? How long, and laborious is his inſtruction? What time is conſumed, while hee trembleth vnderunder Maſters, for to gaine vnprofitable words and ſome little ſuperficiall knowledge? Alſo who doth not diſcerne in this part of his age, an vntoward perverſitie, a contradicting humour, and in one Infant ſpirit, all the vices of man, as buddes, and graines of ſome future infelicity? The onelyonly meane to appeaſe children, is to correct ſome one before them. If any doe but touch one of their toyes, they overturne al the reſt for deſpite. The louelove and reſpect which they giuegive to ther poppets are eminent ſeeds of Idolatry. Such are the infants, that are begotten of the beſt of mē: a graine of corne well vſed in growing produceth ſtraw, a mā circūciſed begetteth an Infant vncircūciſed. Therfore you may know by the perverſity of your childrē, the image of your corruption.
After mans infancy followeth Youth.his youth, which is an vnbridled humour; a violent heate, that provoketh him to vndertake things vnfit that leadeth him into al dangers, and that induceth him to reiect all inſtructions. O how many men doe wander in this way? How many perſons in this age are corrupted with too much pleaſure, lulling themſelues a ſleepe in the lap of ſuch, that ſeeke to ſtrangle them? O traitreſſe Dalilah, which ſeekeſt by thy inticing flatteries to deliuer vsus to an enimy far worſe thē the Philiſtins, which is the Divell himſelfe! Such pleaſures are like vntounto guilded pils; which vnderunder their external beauty include bitternes. They are alſo like vntounto freſh Rivers, that end their courſe in the ſea, looſing their ſweet reliſh in an Ocean of ſaltnes. True zeale cannot flouriſh vnderunder ſo nice and delicate a government; nor cā the perfect knowledge of God, (which is a celeſtiall guift) be ſubiected to the belly, it cannot remaine amongſt ſwine that habitatiō is only agreeable to the Divell; who b… the permiſſiō of Ieſus Chriſt hauing entred into a hear… of ſwine, compelled them to runne headlong vntounto thei… owne ruine, and who (as it i… recorded in the holy writ nouriſheth prodigall childr… with the huskes of pleaſure inſteed of their parēts brea… ▪
This heat being ſomwha… Ripe age.allayed by age, and man no… come to his maturity, behold other vanities, which a… tend on him, although no altogether ſo violētly ſcho… ching; yet more opinionated, & troubleſome. For the comes irremoueable care domeſtique troubles, the knowledge of husbandry, contentions in law, and the labour of painefull Mechanique Arts, all to the end, that he may gaine ſomwhat for his children, who ſucking from him al that he hath it may bee, is onelyonly requited with ingratitude, & reproch. Theſe infelicities are the occaſion, that man is alwaies wearied with the things preſent, deſiring onelyonly things to come, & continually endeavouring to catch at ſōewhat that is already eſcaped; whereas if by chance they obtaine it, it diſſolveth to nothing, as it is in their handes, or if they enioy it, it yeelds no contentment, nor doth any way appeaſe their fear, or ſatisfy their deſire. This evil… hath many inconveniences.
There are many men, Couetouſneſſe.which will hazard their life to win a little mony, that is to looſe their being, for to gaine the meanes to bee which miſſe the end, to obtaine the acceſſories: As he which ſelleth his ſword to buy a ſheath: or his horſe to hauehave ſome provender: and to gaine worldly pelfe, not to ſerue his occaſions, but rather for himſelfe to ſerue it; to hauehave riches as one hath a feauer, which doth more often poſſeſſe the grieued then the grieued it. To bee like vntounto a greedy dogge, which lying vponupon hay, and not eating it himſelfe, will ſnarle when any other commeth neere vntounto it. O miſerable people, that liue poorly to dy rich! that are moſt couetous in their declining age, which is to prouide for a tedious iourney, when it is euen finiſhed! But a man that feareth God, for to avoid ſo great an inconuenience, will conſider in himſelfe, what is the worth, and eſtimation of ſuch droſſe; and will conceipt, that the Divell is the only giuer of theſe things, & and ſeducer of mindes from true piety, and the diuine knowledge of the Almighty, who ſheweth vsus what eſtimation wee ſhould hauehave of riches, in giuing largely to the wicked, within whoſe breaſts it doth fall, as a purſe into a ſtinking privie. Ieſus Chriſt doth giuegive vsus an example, what repute is to be held of it, in committing his purſe to Iudas, when as he gaue his holy ſpirit to his faithfull Apoſtles. And if he had thought wealth to hauehave bin the true felicity, no queſtiō he would hauehave gathered it more abundantly: but hee had not ſo much where to lay his head on. He hath willed vsus to honour poverty by his example. And the great King of Luk. 9.the worlde will deſpiſe all things, that ſhall intice vsus to affect the contrary. A little wealth will ſuffice vsus to liue well, and leſſe to die happily: godlineſſe with contentment is 1. Tim. 6.a great gaine; wee are come naked into the world, & naked ſhall wee goe out: peacable pouerty is much better then troubleſome riches. But mā is ſo fooliſh, that he had rather draw water out of a great diſturbed riuer, with difficulty and perill, then frō a little cleere brook with facility and eaſe; had rather take a great maſſe of gold vvith torment, and danger; then a little with peace and ſecurity; and in fine, hee will be nothing the more ſatisfied. Moreouer he oftē thinketh that to bee loſt, vvhichwhich was neuer gained by him: this kind of auarice is alwaies linked vvith enuie. If peradventure a mā loſe his worldly fortunes (according vntounto that vvhichwhich Salomō ſaith that Prou. 23. 5Riches taketh her to her wings) it doth ſomtimes diſtract humane ſenſe, for to ranſake a couetous perſon, is to flea his skin frō his body, to take from him his riches, is to depriue him of his heart, ſince that ſuch doe vvholy deuote both heart and affection to their vvealth. The faithfull conſidering theſe things, wil ſay vvith the wiſe man, that This is alſo a vanity & affliction of ſpirit.
Like to this former vanity, Ambition.is that of thoſe, which aſpire to honour, & greatnes, with an extreame deſire. Amōgſt that multitude of people, which preſſe themſelues in mounting vp, thoſe that follow, endeuour to march vpō them, which go before: and at length three partes of them, being driven to ſtay behinde, ſwell with envy, and griefe at the reſt; when as thoſe that hauehave attained to the height of honour, drawe vp after thē their ſcaling ladders, fearing that otherwiſe, ſome by aſpiring might parallel their worth. But oftentimes when they hauehave poſſeſt thēſelues with theſe dignities, they are like vntounto Apes which having once climbed to the top of a tree, or houſe, doe ſit and make ill fauoured faces at paſſengers, & retaine the people to gaze at their moppes: For then ordinarily their weakneſſe doth encreaſe, and their vices growe eminēt; in ſo much that they finde more care, and feare in that ſtate of greatneſſe, then whē they were moſt meane. The higheſt boughs are moſt ſhaken by the winde, and the points of ſteeples moſt beatē by ſtormes, & lightening. A man hath leaſt minde to ſleepe in beds of ſilke embrodered with gold. The greateſt feare of poiſoning is at Tables furniſhed with variety of delicate diſhes. Whereas on the cōtrary, it hath not beene heard, that any hath received hurt out of woodē cups. After an innocent travell, ſleepe ſeemeth pleaſing in a bed of ſtraw. This is alſo a vanity, and affliction of Spirit.
Aboue all that vanitie, The life of Courtierswhich corruption doth continually attend, there doth appeare in Princes Courtes a certaine noble captiuitie; where vnderunder the colour of greatnes, is the higheſt ſervitude, & thoſe gilded chaines, that fetter mens mindes. He which wil liue here, muſt alwaies be maſked, & prepared in one howre, to cōvert him ſelfe into twentie ſeveral ſhapes, to entertaine manie ſervāts, but no friends. There innocency is accoūted meere ſimplicity, and to affirme anie thing, is to diſproue the ſame. There are two ſorts of people in Court, which hate one the other, each knowing of it, notwithſtanding there is alwaies an emulation betweene them, which ſhould firſt attēpt any point of honour, to do the other ſervice; and bee the laſt that ſhoulde end it. But ſuch ridiculous complements, are like vntounto Antike actions. Envy which doth ſupplant, and deceaue his neighbour, or that doth ſnarle in ſecret, is there perpetually, and to appeaſe it there is no way but by miſerie. Vices & degenerat actiōs are eſteemed amōgſt Courtiers, as precepts, and part of their compoſition. Not to be corrupted by them, there requireth more faith then a graine of Muſtard ſeed. As Crowes builde their neſts in the higheſt boughes, ſo doth the Divel amongſt the higheſt of men, where ſpreading his wings, hee clocketh for his little ones, which are his vices; becauſe there they remaine, more expoſed to the ſight, and never appeare but vvith authority. There alſo ſhall you ſee Cavalieroes, which out of their gallant diſpoſition will kill one the other vponupon the interpretation of a word; a manifeſt cō feſſion, that their life is not much worth, which vvill ſell it ſo good cheape. Notwithſtanding theſe kinde of men that are in ſuch occaſions ſo valiant, doe flie away, vvhen they ſhal ſuffer any thing fo… Gods cauſe. Surely manie ſuch are required to make one good Martyr for the holy Goſpell. O how ill doe they vnderſtand the precepts of honour! This is alſo an vnhappy life, & extreame vanity.
To this alſo there is linked the vanity of another ſexe. The vanity of women.For the moſt part of womē are vaine, not only out of weaknes, & example: but alſo by expreſſe profeſſion. All their ſtudy is howe to eſtabliſh vanity, and about this they hauehave great ſtrife, and emulatiō. For amongſt thoſe worldly luſters, you ſhall ſee women corrupted with delicacies, ſubiecting thēſelues to faſhions, and aſpects of others, looſing the vſe of their feet, by pleaſing their fancie vvith too much neatnes, imploying the fourth part of their life, in attiring themſelues: wearing haire bought out of Tyre-womens ſhoppes, painting their faces, Idolatrizing their owne bodies, yet nevertheleſſe crucifying thē with a iuſt puniſhmēt, ignorant of all things, yet ſtudying to ſpeake vvell, viewing thēſelues in a looking glaſſe a thouſand times in a daie, & calling conſultations vponupon: particular haire. Poore creatures, who in altring the colour of their haire, & adding ſomwhat to their height, by extraordinary ſhooes, would diſprooue the ſaying o… Chriſt, & that he vnderſtood little, when he ſought to verifie, that man could not mak… Mat. 5. 36. 6. 27.one haire white or blacke, no… adde one cub it to his ſtature. Make but a collection of the time, that a curious woman doth ſpēd through al her life in dreſſing her ſelfe, and you ſhal finde, that it is more thē a fourth parte of her age: This curioſity hath ſome affinity vvith ſervitude. Who amongſt them will apply ſo much time in doing good works? And how commeth it to paſſe, that thoſe habits, which were giuē vntounto mā for to hide his ſin, are now converted into ſin it ſelfe? What is the occaſion, that that vvhichwhich God hath ordained to cover mans ſhame; ſerues novv to ſet forth his glorie? That that vvhichwhich was an argument of humility, is novv become the matter of pride? There is nothing ſo contrary to the will, and glory of God, as that vaine vanity. For a womā that hindereth the going of her owne feet, by wearing ſuch nice, and high pantoffles, hovv cā ſhe fly avvay into a ſtrange coū try for Gods cauſe? A fleſh that is ſo delicate, how can it endure to take reſt, being impriſoned for the teſtimonie of the divine Goſpel? A woman which by reaſon of her painting cannot tolerate the heate of the Sunne, how can ſhee then endure the fire for the ſacred word of God? Obſerue our preparatiōs to ſuffer afflictions, & pervſe our apprētiſhip to Martyrdome; and in the end you will find that Salomon hath not ſeene ſuch things in his time, and that The vanitie of vanitie, vvhichwhich he ſpeakes of, is inferiour to the vanity of this age.
But novv behold another O… pettifogging ſtrifes in law.ſort of vanity, vvhichwhich doth much vexe and trouble man. A roaring, crying, & turbulent vanity, vvhichwhich is armed vvith ſtings, & couered with ſubtility: vvhichwhich emploieth al the beſt part of mans life in petifogging ſtrifes, and amongſt the controverſies of importunate proceſſe. Doe but enter into ſome greate Hall, or place of pleading, you vvill admire at the confuſed murmure, the corrupted diſcipline, the weariſome courſes, and contentious humours, & vvill truly perceiue that in carriage of all theſe things, there is no mention of God, vnleſſe perchance inſvvearing. And that there in the meane time, vvhile that two perſons doe conſume their eſtates, to gaine a proceſſe, commeth a third & beguileth thē both of the prey, and oftentimes their charge in follovving, ſurmounts the principall. O hovv many mē doe liue by the loſſe of others? How many would faſt without riches, if all thoſe that endevour to conſume one the other, ſhould but enter into familiarity & friendſhip? I doe thinke that God doth perceiue this confuſed & murmuring multitude, in the ſame faſhion, as vve doe ſee a litle hillock ful of Ants, running togither pell mell, vvithout order, or reaſon.