The Christian Warfare Part 2, Book 2 · Chapter 32
CHAP. XXXII.
That worldl-things immoderatly loued, are the causes of many euils in respect of our neighbours: as of iniustice, wrongs, pride, and insolencie.
ANd thus hauehave I shewed that these worldly§. Sect. 1. That worldly things immoderately loued a…e the cause of all kind of iniustice. things, being ouerualued in our iudgements, and too much loued in our affections, are the causes of many sinnes committed directly against God himselfe. Now we are come to speake of those euils and mischiefes which they cause, both to our neighbours, and our selues. And first for our neighbours, these worldly things are the chiefe causes and occasions of all iniustice, wrongs, and iniuries which are offered betweene man and man; and as it were the diuels wages which he giueth to worldly men to vndermine one anothers safetie, and to supplant their neighbours, that they may raise their state by their fellowes fall, and build their owne greatnes out of others ruines. These are the causes why Iudges and Magistrates peruert righteous iudgement, acquitting the guiltie, and condemning the innocent, calling good euill, & euil good; right wrong, and wrong right; namely, that they may hereby attaine their worldly ends, and aduance their prosperitie, and earthly estates. These are the hire of all corruption, oppression, and crueltie, which are exercised of superiours towards their inferiours, rulers towards their subiects, and landlords towards their tenants, that they may maintaine their greatnesse, and increase their wealth, or carnall pleasures. In a word, there is almost no vniustice committed, if it do not proceed from malice, and desire of reuenge; which is not caused and occasioned by these worldly things immoderately loued: men not caring what they do, nor what meanes they vse, whether they be good or euill, right or wrong, so they may maintaine the prosperitie of their estate, and encrease their worldly happinesse. Neither is any man priuiledged in this kind from being thus wronged and oppressed by these vn…ust courses; for if the wages of these worldly vanities be offered for their hire, the true louers of them are readie to lay aside all respect of persons, and desperately to breake all bonds of nature, countrie, kindred, friendship and common humanitie, dealing vniustly with all men, when by their vniustice they may gaine this wages of iniquitie. Thus for the attaining of worldly honors, Magistrates are readie to peruert iustice, to gaine the fauour of superiour powers; and to oppresse maligned innocencie, to get the applause of the common people. Neither is it their present greatnesse that can satisfie them, and make them to hold on in a iust course; for the higher an ambitious man is, the more eager he is of rising still till he come to the highest, and the more readie to vse all vnlawfull meanes, to raise him to the height of his proud hopes; and as an image or building the higher it is, the more subiect it is to falling, if it do not stand vpright; so the higher a man is aduanced in place and dignitie, the more prone he is to fall into any sin or euill, if his heart stand not vpright before God, when as by his wicked meanes he may aduance or strengthen his estate and reputation:Facilimè ad res iniust …s impellitur, vt quisque est altissimo animo & gloriae cupido. Cicer. Offic. lib. 11. and the more haughtie a mans heart is, and the more ambitious and desirous of glorie, the more easily is he moued to do vniustly, as the Heathen Orator well obserued. And the like vniustice is vsed by more priuate persons, whilest with immoderate desire they seeke for aduancement, being read…e to lie and dissemble, sweare and forsweare, backbite and slander, accuse and betray, all those who stand in their way, and doe but seem to hinder them in attaining vntounto their desired prefermēts, measuring all friendship and emnitie, not according to nature, familiaritie or desert, but as they are helpes or hinderances in setting forward, or putting backe their proud desires. Thus also voluptuous pleasures immoderately loued and desired, moue men to vse all iniustice to their neighbours, making them to defile the mariage bed, to racke their inferiours, and out of their want and miserie, to sucke the sweetnesse of pleasure and delight; to take away their necessaries, and to pinch their backes and bellies, that they may exceed in superfluous dainties, and proud brauerie; and with Ahab to spoile those poore Nabothes that dwell neere them, of their inheritances, to make them parkes of pleasure and gardens of delight. But aboue all, worldly riches when men set their hearts vponupon them, are the most ordinarie and powerfull meanes and inducements, to aduance iniustice, and suppresse all law and right; for when men couet them with vnsatiable desire, they become the measure of allCui nihil satis est, nibil…urpe est. their actions, accounting that iust which they find profitable, and nothing dishonest that bringeth in gaine. To which purpose one saith, that whilest men are greedie in increasing wealth, in multiplying their treasures, and in getting the whole land into their possession, desiring to excell all others in richesAmbros. lib. Offic. cap. 28. Nihil est tam sanctum, quod non violari; nihil tam munitum quod non exp…gnari p…cunia possit. Cicer. 2. Act. in Vetrem. and abundance; they lay aside all iustice, and lose common humanitie. For how can he be iust which studieth to take from another, that which he desireth to inioy himselfe? This is the cause of all publike iniustice committed by Magistrates in suppressing rights and maintaining wrong, defending the guiltie and supplanting the innocent: for when louelove of money hath once seazed vponupon their hearts, they become like a paire of ballance, not weighing the equity of the cause in an vpright iudgement, but whether bribe is heauier, that they may in giuing sentence incline to that side. So it is said of the sons of Samuel, 1. Sam. 8. 3.that they walked not in their fathers waies, but turned after lucr…, and tooke rewards, and peruerted iudgement. And thus corrupt Felix hoped to receiue a bride from the Apostle Paul, but failingAct. 24. 27. of his expectation, he left him still in prison, though he knew the Iewes malice, and his innocencie. This is the cause of the simonie of vnconscionable Ministers and Patrons, of the extortion amongst officers, of the preuarication of Lawyers, of the oppression of Land-lords, of vsurie, fraud, lying and swearing, cosening and circumuenting, which are commonly vsed betweene man and man. And were it not for this greedinesse of gaine, the Iudge would for the most part do iustice, and execute righteous iudgement; Officers would be content with common fees; Lawyers would neither betray their clients cause, nor tire them with delayes; Patrons would giuegive their liuings freely, and make choice of the worthiest persons, and such as best deserue to be preferred: then would vsurie be banished, fraud and deceit be abhorred, simplicitie and truth be entertained and embraced. In a word, then should we hauehave another golden age, wherein all men would louelove iustice, merciemercy, bountie,Nullum est officium tam sanctam at{que} solenne, quod non auaritia comminuere atque violare soleat. Cicer. Orat. pre Quintio. Ier. 6. 13. vpright dealing, and all other commendable vertues and good parts; whereas now through the immoderate louelove of money, they are vtterly neglected of the greatest number; and fraud, crueltie, oppression, and all manner of iniustice is committed, and commonly practised, when they will bring in any gaine. And thus the Prophet ioyneth these together: from the least of them (saith he) to the greatest of them, eueryevery one is giuen vntounto couetousnesse, and from the Prophet euen to the Priest, they all deale falsely. The which vniustice and oppression they do not exercise against some few, or strangers and enemies only; but against all without exception, there being no bond so neere which couetousnesse will not breake and violate; no estate so pitifull and worthie of compassion, which they will not oppresse for their owne aduantage. To which purpose oneAugust. de verbo Domini. saith, that the couetousnesse of rich men is vnsatiable; they are alwaies raking and neuer full, they neither feare God, nor reuerence men; they spare not their owne father, nor acknowledge their mother, nor regard their brother, nor keepe their fidelity to their friend. They oppresse the widow, and spoile the fatherlesse, they make free-men their bond-slaues; and for their profit giuegive false testimonie, &c. But what madnesse is this, to lose life, and desire death, to get gold, and lose heauen? But as they are vniust to all, so commonly most of all to the poore, both in taking away from them, that which is their owne, and alreadie in their keeping; and by withholding that which of right appertaineth to them. For as one saith, Is he only to be esteemed aBasil. Serm. 1. in Diuit…s auaros. a robber, and common spoiler, who taketh by violence other mens goods? and not he also, who appropriateth to himselfe those things, which he hath receiued to this end, that he should dispence and distribute them for the good of others? is not the Almner to be accounted a theefe, who hauing receiued from his Soueraigne store of money for the reliefe of the poore, doth put it into his owne purse, and appropriate it to his owne priuat vse? shall he be accounted a spoiler, who taketh away the poores garment; and shall hee bee acquitted, who doth not clothe the naked, if he hauehave abilitie? thy spare bread is not thine owne, but belongeth to the hungrie; thou hast no true right to thy superfluous apparell, but they appertaine to the cold and naked; thy moulded shooes belong to those who go barefoot; and thy hid and cankring siluer, to those who want money to buy necessaries: and in a word, thou offerest iniuries, and doest iniustice, so often to the poore, as thou dost neglect him, when thou art able to helpe him. And this our Sauiour Christ sheweth in the sentence of condemnation, which shall be pronounced against the wicked at the day of iudgement, whereby they are adiudged to hell torments, not for spoiling the poore of that which they had, but because they did not supplie their necessi…ies,Matth. 25. 42. by giuing vntounto them that which they wanted. And the Apostle Iames telleth rich men, that they had cause to howle and crie, not only because they had spoiled the poore of their money, but because their owne corrupted riches, moatheaten garments, and cankered gold and siluer, would be a witnesseIames 5. 1. 2. 3. §. Sect. 2. That worldly things thrust men on to the committing of outragious wrongs. against them, eate their flesh as fire, and bring vponupon them many miseries, seeing they should not hauehave kept by them these superfluities, but hauehave …aid them out for the reliefe of the poore.
And thus hauehave I shewed that these worldly things being immoderately loued, are the causes of all iniustice, which comprehendeth vnderunder it all maner of sinnes and offences, which are committed by one man against another: For not only doth the excessiue louelove of these earthly vanities make men to commit some kinds of legall iniustice, couered and coloured with some shew of right, or some slight and tolerable wrongs which greatly hurt not; but if men once set their hearts vponupon them, they are the common causes of the most grosse and grieuous iniuries, raging crueltie, open violence, treason and bloodshed, whereby they consume and destroie one another. In which respect the world is comparedQuod quisque facit patitur; authorem s…lus repetit, su…que premitur exem▪ plo nocens. Senec. in Her…. futen. to a sea, and worldly men to fish, which deuour one another, the greater feeding vponupon the lesse, and himselfe againe becomming the prey of another which is greater then hee. For that which a man doth to one, hee suffereth of another; wickednes rebounding vponupon the author, and the oppressor being oppressed by that example which himself hath giuen. But this wil better appeare in the speciall instances: and first for honours; there is nothing more then they, being immoderately loued, which wil thrust men into all outragious and pernicious courses for the obtaining of them. For when the ambitious man wanteth true worth and lawful means to aduance himself into ye seat of honor, he is ready to make steps, whereby he may ascend, of any mischiefe or villanie; betraying those that trust him, treading on their necks who helped him to rise, falsly accusing, supplanting, yea poysoning, & secretly murthering those who stand in his way, and hinder his preferments. To which purpose one saith, that nothing dothChrysost. in Mat. 12. Homil. 21. make men more madly & outragiously iniurious, then when by their proud ambitiō they are moued to desire immoderately vaine glory & earthly aduancement; and contrariwise nothing doth make them more honest, resolute, and like the adamant impenetrable by any vice, then when they do neglect and despise it. Neither doth the ambitious man in this his outragious pursuit, suffer any thing to stay him; but runneth ouer friends and enemies, kindred and strangers, acknowledging neither father nor mother, wife nor the child of his bowels, but treadeth al vnderunder foot without difference, if they stand in his way, and hinder his proud march. Thus Ioab stabbed Ab…er and Amasa when he professed greatest friendship, yt they might not be preferred to his place of captain general. Thus Kain killed Abel because he was preferred before him. Thus Abimelech murthered all his brethren thatIudg. 9. 2. 5. he might reigne alone. This was the cause of Corahs conspiracie against Moses; of Absalons rebellion against his owne father; of Ath…liahs murthering all the kings seed; that hauing2. King. 11. 1. supplanted them, they might aduance themselues into the royall throne, and weld the scepter of the kingdome. So likewise these worldly riches are the causes and occasions of all maner of mischiefe and outragious iniurie to those that set their hearts vponupon them; in regard whereof the Wise manPro. 10. 16. saith, that as the labours of the righteous tend to life, so the reuenues of the wicked to sinne. Seeing there is no outrage or wickednesse which they are not ready to commit for the increasing of their wealth. Thus by their hoording, they bringEsa. 32. 6. vponupon the whole countrie a common dearth; and cause an vniuersall pouerty, for the filling of their priuate purse. ThusIam. 2. 6. for their priuate gaine they are ready to offer all grosse iniuries,1. Sam. 2. 13. 14. 16. and that without colour of reason, vponupon meere will by tyrannie and violence; as wee may see in the example of Hophni and Phinehas the sonnes of Eli, who tooke by force what they listed from the people, when they came to offer sacrifice. As also to exercise grosse deceit and extreme cruelty towards inferiours, that they may increase their worldly wealth; as appeareth in the example of the Israelites, whoMicah 6. 11. 12. Hos. 12. 7. vsed vnequall and wicked ballances, and the bag of deceitfull waights, and in all their cariages were full of crueltie. Finally, this immoderate louelove of siluer maketh men …recherously to betray euen those vntounto whom they are most beholding, with Iudas setting them out to sale for a little money:Mat. 26. 15. yea it is the cause of cruell murther and bloodshed, couetous misers being ready to bring men to the shambles, and like cruel butchers to cut them into gobbets, and sel them peecemeale for a little gaine. So the Prophet Ezechiel complaineth that there were among the people such, as did take gifts Ezech. 22. 12.to shed blood. And the Prophet Micah saith, that they did plucke off the peoples skins, and their flesh from their bones, and Micah 3. 2. 3.that they did eate their flesh, breake their bones, chop thē in pieces as for the pot, and as flesh in the caldron. And hence it is that in the Scriptures couetousnes and bloodshed are ioyned together: I hauehave smitten mine hands vponupon thy couetousnes which Ezech. 22. 13.thou hast vsed▪ and vponupon the blood which hath been in the middest of thee. And in another place: Thy eyes and thine heart Ier. 22. 17.are but onelyonly for thy couetousnes, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for destruction. The like also might bee said of carnall pleasures, which if they bee immoderately loued, cause men to commit any iniuries or outrage, and that euen to the taking away of the precious life of their neighbours. For so the Apostle Iames saith: Yee hauehave liued in pleasure Iam. 5. 5. 6.on the earth and in wantonnesse: yee hauehave nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter; ye hauehave condemned and killed the iust, and he hath not resisted you. An example whereof wee hauehave in Dauid, whose carnall pleasure in the end brought2. Sam. 11. him to the committing of cruell murther; as also in Ahab, who to get ground for a pleasant garden, procured the death1. King. 21. of innocent Naboth.
And these are some of those manifold wrongs and grieuous§. Sect. 3. That worldly things procure enuy and malice iniuries, which men through the immoderate louelove of these worldly vanities do vsually offer vntounto their neighbors; which although many about them may escape, yet all hauehave iust cause to feare, seeing in offering a wrong to one, they threaten it against all; especially if their power be answerable to their will, they being so mighty in themselues, or so backed with their potent friends, that no man dare make resistance,Qui vni facit iniuriam omnibus minatur. or once call their actions in…o question. But if they be wanting in this power and ability, so as they cannot doe what they would; yet are their wils neuer wanting to doe what wrongs they can; and when they are able to doe no more, they cease not to enuie and maligne those who exceed them in worldly prosperity, hauing in their possession those things which they desire, and inwardly they repine at them, because they hauehave that which themselues want, whom selfe-louelove maketh them beleeue to be much more worthie. And thus those who dote vponupon worldly honours enuie and hate all those who are preferred before them, desiring nothing more, then that they may outgrow them in aduancements, or if not so, yet that the other may fall and so become equal vntounto them. So also they who set their harts vponupon riches are filled with enuie and hatred, when they see others thriue faster, and to abound in greater plentie; and though they hauehave no other quarrell against their neighbour, yet this is cause enough of a deepe conceiued grudge, if they exceed them in wealth; which enuie and repining they cannot commonly take away by al the humanity they can shew towards them, neither is there any thing but their losses, want, and miserie that can giuegive them contentment, and worke a reconciliation. To which purpose one saith, that the couetousChrysost. in Mat. 26. homil. 81. man hateth all men both poore and rich. The poore, fearing lest they will beg of him; the rich, because they hauehave that which hee would possesse. For he thinketh that all men enioy those things which of right appertaine vntounto him; and therefore as though he were hurt of eueryevery man, hee is angrie with all. The like also might bee said of worldly pleasures, which are the common causes of this enuie and hatred, to those that set their hearts vponupon them. They being ready to grudge and disdaine if any exceed them in daintie fare, and full tables, or in more stately shewes, maskes, and reuels, or in variety of delightfull sports and pastimes.
Lastly, this earthly prosperity, and abundance of worldly§. Sect. 4. That worldly things make men proud and insolent towards their neighbors. blessings, being ouerualued and immoderately loued, doe puffe men vp with pride, and make them carrie themselues insolently and disdainefully towards their neighbours; vying with their superiors as though they were their equals, neglecting their equals, as though they were their inferiors, and proudly insulting ouer their inferiours as abiects, and base vnderlings. And as waterish humours abounding in the bodie doe cause a dropsie, which swelleth it much aboue the ordinarie measure, and filleth it so full, that it is neere vntounto bursting: so these worldly and waterish vanities do make mens hearts and minds subiect to this dropsie of pride, wherby they are so swelled and puffed vp, that they are much greater in their owne conceit, then they were before, and thinke all their gifts and good parts though neuer so meane and superficiall, of such worth and excellencie, that no man may be compared with them. So that a man shall discerne a meruellous alteration in the same person, in respect of his different estate and condition; for whereas when hee was but of meane qualitie, or touched with some affliction, he was humble, affable, and ful of courtesie; when the crosse is remooued, and he aduanced, flourishing in prosperity, and euen wallowing in his abundance; presently his cariage and behauior is quite changed; and now he swelleth with pride, ouer looketh all that meete him, scarce vouchsafeth a side glance, or a complemental salutation vntounto those, with whom formerly he was most familiar, and will scarce know his best benefactors, lest his proud heart should be disquieted, whilest hee is forced to remember that hee was beholding; or those of his acquaintance, who were formerly much better then he, lest his pride should receiue any checke, whilest he is put in mind, that he was an vnderling. Which as he would hauehave all men to passe by, without taking notice of it; so would hee faine (if it were possible) forget it himselfe, and hauehave his memory in this as vn…aithfull and slippery, as his honestie and friendship, that so his pride might goe with full sailes, and without any occasion of blushing, carry it selfe insolently and disdainefully in al his courses. It is true, that all men are proud by nature, vntill grace do subdue it, and bring humility; but yet there are many, who make no shew of it in a meane estate, wanting meanes and opportunity, which might, as it were, set fire to the powder of their corruption. And as the Serpent may bee safely handled when hee is stiffe and benummed with cold, though all his poison be still in him; but beginneth to hisse when hee feeleth the least warmth, and is ready to sting those, when he is throughly heated, who for pitie tooke him vp and put him into their bosoms: so this poison of pride lurketh secretly and lieth hid in mens hearts, when it is pinched, and, as it were, benummed with aduersitie; but no sooner hath it had the feeling of the warmth of prosperitie, but it beginneth to hisse in proud boasting, and to sting and empoison with many insolencies, those who were the first meanes of their welfare and aduancement. And howsoeuer in their low estate they might easily hauehave been ruled and led, and like ships without sailes and tackle, were readie to yeeld themselues ouer to the streame and tide of other mens desires, and ouerruling perswasions; yet now hauing attained vntounto prosperitie and worldly abundance, as it were, vntounto their full sailes; they are onelyonly carried with the wind of their owne pride,Nihil tam superbum, intractabile ac morosum est, quam homo quem foelicitatis opinio corruperit. Plutarch. comment. in princ. requir. doctr. tom. 3. Genes. 16. 4. going against the tide of reason, and crossing the current of all other mens desires; no man now being more insolent, churlish and vntractable, then these who lately were so pliable and curteous, after they are once corrupted with worldly felicitie. An example whereof we hauehave in Hagar, who caried her selfe as became a seruant, whilest she was in this base condition; but being made her masters concubine, and hauing borne a child vntounto him, shee presently begins to despise her mistresse, who was the onelyonly cause of her aduancement. Neither doe they now mislike this pride, and desire to be freed from it, as being an infirmitie or blemish, which ill beseemes them, but as the Psalmist speaketh, their pride isPsalm. 73. 6. a chaine vntounto them, and they voluntarily put it on as a chiefe ornament. And as these worldly things bring them to this height of pride and insolency when they abound with them; so when as they hauehave raised them to their heighest pitch, … if they then faile, and are taken away, they presently fal downe againe, like a ruinous house, when the props that beare it vp are pulled from it, and become more abiectly base, and seruilely pleasing then euer before, now scraping vp the old fragments of their before skorned acquaintance, soothing and flattering those, euen in their contradictorie speeches, ouer whom not long since they proudly insulted. So that these worldly vanities are the borrowed feathers and wings of pride, whereby men soare aloft in the high pitch of their owne conceits; which when they are pulled, or clipt by some aduerse accident, they come tumbling downe againe, like a bird, which in his high flight is smitten with a shot.
And thus are mens hearts lifted vp in pride with worldly§. Sect. 5. That honours, riches and pleasures make men proud and insolent. Innocent. de vilitate condit. humanae. honours and preferments, insulting ouer their inferiours, and insolently disdaining al those, whom they hauehave outstripped, and in this race of honour hauehave left behind them. To which purpose one saith, yt as soone as the ambitious man is aduanced to honor, he is puffed vp with pride, & letteth the raines loose to arrogancy & insolence. Neither doth he care to profit, but glorieth that he is preferred, presuming that hee is so much better then others, as he is higher. He skorneth his old friends, and will not take knowledge of his ancient acquaintance, (lest he might seeme to hauehave bin their equall.) He consorteth himselfe with strangers, and contemnes those who were his familiars before his aduancement; he turneth aside his countenance, stretcheth out his neck, sheweth his haugh…ie hart, speaketh big, and meditateth of high matters; he is impatient of subiection, & aspireth to soueraigntie; to which when he hath attained, he is burthensome, arrogant, sterne, and insolent to those who are in subiection to him. An example whereof we hauehave in Rehoboam, who before hee could2. Chron. 10. 10. 11. hauehave the crowne set vponupon his head, insolently tyrannized ouer his people. And in Haman, who being highly aduanced in the kings fauor, was so puffed vp with pride, that he expected obeisance and dutie from all men, and could not indure that Mordecai alone should neglect him in this height of glorie. And hence it is, that the Lord feeling, like a skilfull Physition, the lofty beating pulses of great potentates, and finding them inclinable to fall into the frenzie of pride, appointeth Kings and Princes, for the tempring and abating of their proud spirits, to hauehave his law continually before them, that when the greatnesse of their place did lift them vp, they might be humbled by knowing, and continuall remembring, that burthen of dutie which did lie vponupon them. When (saith he) the King shall sit vponupon the throne of his Kingdome, Deut. 17. 19. 20then shall he write him this Law repeated in a booke, by the Priests of the Leuites, and it shall be with him, and he shall reade therein all the daies of his life, that he may learne to feare the Lord his God, and to keepe all the words of this Law, and these ordinances for to doe them; that his heart be not lifted vp aboue his brethren. So also there is nothing more then riches and abundance which puffeth men vp with pride, making them insolent and intollerable to all that are about them: and whereas before they were adorned, or after they are stripped of these rich furnitures, eueryevery one might rule and ride them; yet when they ruffle it out in their rich brauerie, their hearts are so high and haughty, that none but Kings and great Monarches can hauehave them at command; and being filled full with these golden spirits, they are readie to aduance themselues aboue their betters, thinking that their worth exceedeth as much as their wealth; and to offer wrongs and insolencies to all that are poorer, presuming that they can keepe them vnderunder with the waight of their gold, and hinder them from righting themselues, when they hauehave these pleasing orators to pleade against them. So the Psalmist saith, that they Psalm. 49. 6.trust in their goods, and boast themselues in the multitude of their riches. And the Wise man shewing the humilitie of theProu. 18. 23. poore, and the haughty pride of the wealthier sort, saith, that the poore speaketh with prayers, but the rich answereth roughlie. Whereof it also is, that the Apostle seeing the neere affinitie1. Tim. 6. 17. and acquaintance betweene pride and riches, the one being the mother and nurse of the other, would hauehave an especiall charge giuen to rich men, that they should not be high minded, because, of al others, they are most prone to fal into this sinne. The like also might be said of worldly pleasures, which being inioyed with immoderate louelove, and in excessiue measure, doe make men wanton, proud and insolent; like vnvnto pampred horses, which being fatted with prouender will stand on no ground, nor indure to be ruled with any rider; whose pride and brauerie lasteth no longer then they are well fed: for so these voluptuous wantons being pampered with carnall delights, grow proud of their pleasures, neither knowing themselues nor others: but when they are skanted of their full tables, and are depriued of that wherein they most delight, they presently strike saile, and the cresse of their pride is taken downe, hauing it birth and death, rising and ruine, with those carnall pleasures whereupon they hauehave set their hearts. And these, with many other, are the euils and mischiefes, which these worldly things too much esteemed and immoderately loued, cause men to fall into in regard of their neighbours. The which should serue as effectuall reasons to weane our hearts from the louelove of these vanities, and to moderate our affections towards them, seeing otherwise, they will become not onelyonly dishonourable to God, but also hurtfull and pernicious vntounto our neighbours, whom we ought to louelove as our selues, and tender their good, as much as we doe our owne.