The Christian Warfare Part 2, Book 2 · Chapter 22
CHAP. XXII.
Of the manifold miseries which do accompanie worldly vanities, in the whole course of mans life.
ANd thus hauehave I shewed the vanitie and vnprofitablenesse§. Sect. 1. That all worldly benefits are embittered with manifold miseries. of these worldly things, which were sufficient to weane our hearts from them, though there were no other reasons: for who would affect these worthlesse vanities, which neither satisfie, nor profit those that hauehave them? But though it should be granted, that they were not thus vaine, but in their owne nature of some worth; say that in themselues they were profitable, and therefore to be desired; yet let vsus further know, that they are so mingled with miseries, and so distasted with the bitternesse of adherent euils, as that there is no reason why we should much esteeme them, or set our hearts vponupon them: for let vsus put into the one scole, those things that we thinke worthie the name of good, which is to be desired; and into the other, the miseries, euils, inconueniences, and discontentments which alwaies do accompanie them; and we shal find that there is no proportion, betweene the huge heape of the one, and the little graine of the other, betweene the ocean of miserie, and small drop of true delight and happinesse. It is true that this notable hypocrite the world is alwaies readie to deceiue vsus, by promising vntounto vsus excellent benefits, and things sincerely good, without the mixture of any euill; but when it commeth to performance, behold it tempereth a dram of honie with a pound of gall; it promiseth all good, but it payeth vsus with euill, or at least mixeth it with so little good, that it serueth but to giuegive vsus a more quicke taste and true rellish of these euils which accompany it: it promiseth life and payeth death; it proffereth ioy, but behold it giueth sorrow; and commonly if we hauehave but one good meale of delight and comfort, we must walke in the strength thereof many daies, and hauing nothing to seed vponupon but trouble and discontent, lose all that former pleasure many times ouer, with griefes and crosses, before our comforts be againe renued. And thus doth ye world, like a stately built sepulchre, make vntounto vsus outwardly a goodly shew, though there be nothing within but rottennes and putrefaction; and like a subtile merchant, it offereth vsus a good sample of bad wares, and outwardly presenteth to our view the best end of the stuffe, whereas the inmost and middle parts are course and slight; and placeth the purest and choicest commodities in the vpper part of the vessell, whereas in the middle and the bottome, it is mixt, counterfeit, and purposely falsified to deceiue vsus. Neither in truth is it more apt to deceiue, then we to be deceiued; for as those who are borne in a mill are so well acquainted with noise, that it little disquieteth them; and as they who are bred and brought vp in a prison, are not much troubled with their restraint, nor offended with their little light, not grieued to carrie their giues and bolts; yea contrariwise, when their irons are but a little lightned, they are comforted and refreshed, as though they were set at libertie, and think a little bettering of their scant & hungrie meales, a great feast and daintie banquet: whereas those who hauehave bin brought vp in great plentie and full libertie, sorow at the others ioyes, and are tormented with griefe, in the middest of their wretched comforts. So because we are from the first moment of our birth brought vp and inured to this noise of miseries; because we had our first being, and breeding in this wretched prison of the world, we are readie to louelove and reioyce in our little inlarged imprisonment, as though wee had attained vntounto perfect libertie, and to account our least miseries our greatest happinesse: whereas if either with our first parents we had euer tasted of the ioies of Paradise, or had but only in vision with the blessed Apostle, the least glimpse of our heauenly glorie, the worlds greatest libertie would appeare to be a thraldome, and his most delicious sweets would be as bitter as gall, and as loathsome to our taste as the infusion of worme wood, yea in truth as the chymicall extraction of Colyquintida.
But the miseries of the world and worldly things may be§. Sect. 2. The miseries of worldly things shewed by testimonies. more clearely shewed, by considering the testimonies of those who hauehave spoken vponupon their owne experience, and as they hauehave been guided by Gods Spirit, which can neither deceiue nor be deceiued; as also by insisting in some speciall instances of these miseries, wherewith all men generally are acquainted. The holy Patriarch Iacob speaking as he had found by lamentable experience, telleth Pharaoh, that the Genes. 47. 9.daies of his life had been few and euill: and this Iob inlargeth to all the sonnes of men, saying, that man who is borne of a woman, Iob 14. 1.is of short continuance and full of trouble: yea the Wise man himselfe who had taken the deepest draught in the golden cup of the worlds prosperitie, euen after he had gluttedEccles. 2. 13. 23. himselfe with voluptuous pleasures; concludeth that all is not only vanitie, but also vexation of spirit, and that all mans daies are sorrowes, and his trauaile griefe, so that his heart can take no rest, no not in the night, which time is purposely destinated to rest and quietnesse: and elsewhere he affirmeth, that the misery of man is great vponupon him. With which heauenlyEccles. 8. 6. oracles of diuine truth, agree the manifold testimonies of the wiser sort of men. The Sonne of Syrach saith, that great trauaile is created for all men, and an heauie yoke for the sonnes Ecclesiasticus 40. 1. 2. 3.of Adam, from the day that they go out of their mothers wombe, till the day that they returne to the mother of all things. Namely their thoughts, & feare of heart, & the imagination of the things they wait for, & the day of death. From him that sitteth vponupon the glorious throne, vntounto him that is beneath in the earth and ashes. From him that is clothed with blew silke and weareth a crowne, euen vntounto him that is clothed in simple linnen: wrath and enuie, trouble and vnquietnesse, feare of death, rigour, strife, &c. With him agreeth another, who was herein more wise and learned, because he saw and acknowledged his owne ignorance; O Lord my God (saith he) this life present is full of labour andIdiota inter orthodoxogr. de patient. verae contemplat. lib. cap. 2. tribulation, as being led with bitter mourning, and lost with brackish teares; yea so great is the affliction of this wretched life, that it deserueth to be called rather a death, then life; or some thing else which is worse then death; seeing scarce any man passeth a day thereof, without combersome crosses, and cause of griefe. Behold (saith another) the world in passing by troubleth vsus, and yet we louelove it; it deceiueth vsus, and we account it faithfull; it killeth vsus, and yet as life it selfe it is affected and desired; it windeth from vsus, and we embrace it. OAugust. Tom. …0. Serm. 31. de …allacia mundi. defiling world, how wouldest thou rauish thy louers with delight, if thou diddest flourish? but flourish thou doest not; seeing thou hast no sincere ioy, or stable constancie, but thy hony and sweetnesse hath it bitternesse, false delights, certaine griefe, vncertaine gladnesse, hard labour, fearefull rest, replenished miseries, and an emptie hope of happinesse. And elsewhere, This present life is fraile and miserable; vncertaine,August. ad fratres in eremo. Serm. 67. deceiuing, and vnsatiable: we are borne in paine and sorrow, we are nourished in miserie and difficultie, we liue in labour and die in griefe; and in the end (which is most to be lamented) if we depart impenitent, we plunge our soules into perpetuall torments.
But this miserie of mans life will better appeare, if we consider§ Sect. 3. The miseries of mans life in respect of sinne. it in the parts thereof, which are chiefly two, sin and punishment; for the former, we are euen in our first conception, so wholly defiled with that corruption of nature which hath been deriued vntounto vsus from our first parents, that we are onelyonly aliue to sinne, but dead to grace and all goodnesse; vnable so much as to moue in the way of righteousnesse which leadeth vntounto life, although we runne with headlong hast in the way of wickednesse, which bringeth those who goe in it, to perdition and eternall death. And from this fountaine of originall sinne, issue the poysonous streames of actuall transgressions, whereby wee breake continually, through the whole course of our life, all the commandements of Almightie God, omitting the duties which hee hath commanded, and committing the sinnes which hee hath forbidden. In which misery of sin we are wholly plūged before we are called and conuerted vntounto God, committing all maner of wickednes with ful swinge & cōsent of wil, delighting our selues and reioycing in our rebellion; by reason whereof wee are naturally strangers and enemies vntounto God, subiect to his wrath, to the curse of the law, and to al those feareful plagues and punishments, which therin are denounced against transgressours, the slaues of sinne and Satan, and heires of eternall death. Yea and after wee are conuerted vntounto God, the flesh continually lusteth against the spirit, and the corruptions ofRom. …. nature remaine so strong in vsus, that we cannot doe the good we would, but the euill which we would not doe, that doe we. And as we are by this law of our members rebelling against the law of our mind, daily led captiue vntounto sinne; so are we thereby in such sort disabled, that wee cannot, to the day of our death, offer vntounto God any one pure and perfect dutie, without the filthy spots and staines of our corruption. Now what a miserie is this, that we who were created Gods glorious creatures, according to his owne image, to the end that we should serue him in holines of life, should, as though wee had forgotten the end wherefore wee came into the world, neglect all dutie to our Creator, and become voluntarie slaues to sinne and Satan, ready to doe his will; though we hauehave nothing for our wages but eternall death? yea euen after wee are called and reconciled vntounto God, how great is our miserie whilest wee continue in this life, seeing wee are daily intangled in the snares of sin, and hauehave our best actions so imperfect and stained with our corruptions, that if the Lord should examine them according to his righteous iudgement, they would deserue a curse rather then a blessing, and punishment rather then a reward? What a miserie is this, that after we hauehave with Iacob preuailed with God, we should halt of our corruptions to the day of death; and after we hauehave broken out of the prison of Satans bondage, and shaken off the chaines of his subiections, al our ioynts should be so stiffe and benummed, that wee should to the very end of life, lamely performe all holy duties, and halt like wretched creeples in the waies of God? Finally, that the more time is added to our daies, the more wee should adde to the heape of our sinnes, and prouoke our good God to iust displeasure, who hath so tenderly loued vsus, that hee gaue his owne deare sonne to death for the perfecting of our redemption?
And this is the chiefe part of all our miserie, as being that§. Sect. 4. That the things of this life are commended onelyonly by necessitie. cursed fountaine from which all the rest spring and flow; for by reason hereof all the creatures in the world are made subiect to corruption, and being made for blessings, they are turned into punishments; and though outwardly they seeme excellent and desireable, yet this hidden poyson of sinne secretly lurking in them, maketh vsus to cast them vp with griefe, when with great pleasure we hauehave swallowed them downe. So that euen those things which we chiefly affect are full of wretchednesse, besides those innumerable miseries ioyned with them, which all taking notice of, doe abhorre and shun. And though the things we desire were freed from outward and accidentall euils; yet themselues bring with them miserie enough to make them iustly loathsome to all that iudiciously taste and rellish them. For the chiefe goodnesse of these worldly things which we desire, consisteth not in any absolute excellency that is in themselues, but onelyonly as they are present helpes to free vsus for the time from the euils which we feare; and no other worth or esteeme hauehave they but as they come commended by some vrgent necessity: thus wee desire riches, not so much for any excellencie we see in them, as because we feare and shunne pouerty; thus honours are esteemed, because we feare disgrace; thus meate hath onelyonly so much goodnesse in it, as men hauehave hunger that feed vponupon it, and drinke hath it worth from thirst; thus summer is commended vntounto vsus, by winter, warmeth by our cold, and the coole aire, by intemperate heate. In a word, nothing in the world is esteemed good, but onelyonly so far forth as it bringeth letters of commendations from necessity, and serueth as a present meanes to free vsus from some euill, and to make vsus lesse miserable. And if wanting the praise which need imparteth vntounto it, it offer it selfe vntounto vsus, it is vnwelcome, and we forthwith loath and dislike it. If meate come before hunger hauehave made way for it in our desires, who is not glutted with the sight of it? If drinke be not commended by thirst, who regardeth it? If we hauehave more clothes laid on vsus when wee are hot enough, we esteeme it a burthen and not a benefit: If abundance of wealth were offered vntounto vsus, not hauing before any want of it, and consequently no desire, wee would not much value it: Finally, so much worth and esteeme these worldly things hauehave, as we hauehave first want and miserie. So that in truth he who hath most need, and is most wretched, he hath most ioy and comfort by these earthly vanities when he hath liberty to inioy them; he who is most hungrie, hath also most pleasure by meate; hee that is thirstiest, hath most delight in drinke; and we must first want in state, or at least in mind, before riches hauehave any great welcome: yea pleasure it selfe hath no sweet rellish till our appetite bee sharpened by the sharpe sauce of miserie and affliction, neither would any man thinke himselfe more happie for the acccesse of worldly things, vnlesse it were for former felt, or future feared vnhappinesse.
In which respect our life is most fitly compared to a continuall§. Sect. 5. That mans life is a continuall disease, and worldly things, medicines to ease it. Nasci hîc in corpore mortali in…i…re agr… tare est. Aug. in Psal. 102. En…rrat. disease: for when we begin to liue, we begin to be sicke; and these worldly things which we so much esteeme, are but medicines for our maladies, and plaisters for our sores, which do not perfectly cure vsus, but onelyonly giuegive vsus some present ease. For in truth the diseases are natural, here ditarie, rooted in our first principles, & hauing settled themselues in our bones and marrow they are incurable. And therefore as that is esteemed the best medicine for the gout which remoueth the fit, and that the best salue which keepeth the incurable vlcer cleane and sweet: so those are esteemed best among worldly things, that for the present serue as medicines to ease our naturall miseries, which it is altogether impossible fully to heale and cure. This will better appeare if wee consider of some speciall instances; for what is hunger but a disease, which will consume a man in a few daies, like that called the wolfe, which if it bee not fed with outward things, feedeth vponupon the body till it hauehave destroyed it? And what is meate but the medicine of this sicknesse, which because it cannot perfectly cure it, therefore it is continually applied to remoue the fit, and to asswage the present paine? What is thirst but a sicknesse, which would soone dispatch vsus, vnles drinke as a physicall potion did for the instant serue for a remedie? So what is watching but a naturall disease? and what is sleep but the medicine, that for the time helpeth it? What is couetousnesse but the soules feauer? and what riches, but as a medicine which sometime easeth the fit for the present, though afterwards it bee more raging? what ambition, but the hearts tympanie? and what honours, but an instant refreshing, which for a while allaieth the griefe, though it rather increaseth then abateth the swelling? What is voluptuousnesse, but as the Wise man calleth it, a merrie madnesse, which hath some present comfort, by pleasures and delights? What is labour, but a sicknesse, which rest easeth? what standing, but an infirmitie, which sitting mitigateth? and this also long vsed becommeth of a medicine a disease, which another kind of disposition or placing of the body doth for the time refresh? All which though custome make them so familiar, that we doe not take any serious regard of them, yet if we could possiblie bee freed from them but one yeere, and liue without hunger, thirst, cold, heate, labour, concupiscence, we would account them as troublesome diseases, if againe they should sease vponupon vsus.
And thus …an first made miserable by sinne, doth but shew§. Sect. 6. Of the loathsome satiety which man findeth in worldly things. his wretchednes whilest he frolickes it out in the fruition of those things wherein he chiefly delighteth: and being sicke of innumerable maladies, he is perfectly cured of none, but onelyonly is eased for the time by often changing his miseries with one another, hungring and eating, and after eating, againe hungring; interchanging waking with sleeping, and sleeping with waking, like a sicke man turning from side to side, to find some short repriuall of his paine; or as if one should leape out of the scorching heat, into the chilling cold, and often interchange the one for the other, accoūting both his refreshing, whereas in truth they are both his torment. For so is man naturally besotted on these earthly trifles, if he be ignorant of true happinesse, and hath not fixed his heart on God and heauenly things, that he laboureth to hauehave them in abundance, which he hath no sooner attained vntounto, but he hath also the vsuall companion thereof, glutting satietie and loat…some wearines: and no sooner is he thus cloyed, but presently he seeketh to refresh his dulled appetite with varietie and change; one while desiring motion, and another while rest, now affecting mirth, and soone after solemne grauitie; in the night wishing for day, and in the day for night, in heate for cold, and in cold for heate; eating and fasting, waking and sleeping, dressing and vndressing, sitting and standing, walking and lying, with such often iteration, as might well cause a loathing satietie, when as he is alwaies in the same motion, like the horse in the mill, and (as the Wise man speaketh) seeth no new thing vnderunder the Sunne.Ecclesiasticus 1. 9. §. Sect. 7. Of the adherent euils which are incident to mans life.
But besides these inherent euils which make these worldly vanities so much desired, in themselues distastefull, they are conioyned and mingled with innumerable other miseries which adhere vntounto them; the which so farre exceed in number, quantitie and qualitie, all the earthly delights and comforts which we enioy, as the brambles the roses, or the field weeds, the garden flowers. For who seeth not, yea who cannot speake vponupon his owne feeling experience, that no day passeth without a number of miseries attending on it, whilest either the euils we feare do fall vponupon vsus, or the good things we hoped for faile vsus, and deceiue our expectation, or the comforts which we presently enioy are either indeed lost, or at least we in some danger, and feare of losing them? InRaro miseri… prodeunt incomitatae. which respect the miseries of this life may fitly be compared to Iobs messengers, of which one had no sooner made an end of speaking, but another presently beginneth his tale, or like vntounto the billowes of the sea, which without intermission come tumbling one in the necke of another, giuing vntounto vsus scarce time of breathing, till we rest in the hauen of death. It is true that some of these miseries do one so much exceed another, that the lesse is swallowed vp of the greater, like the riuers by the sea, and is not discerned, though if it came alone, it would force complaining: and so predominant are some griefes, that the lesser appeare no more, then the Stars when the Sunne shineth, not that they are taken away, but because the greater working a more vehement impression, maketh vsus insensible of the lesse: yea so are we for our sins iustly scanted of things truly good, that to make some little equalitie to our owne comfort, we are faine to fill vp the number by putting into the ranke of good things, those which we thinke least euill, and things truely desireable failing vsus, to make choice of such as are least worthie to be refused. Herein behauing our selues like vntounto politike Commanders, who seeing the armie of their enemies far to exceed their owne partie in strength and number, hauehave, to fill vp places, and to increase their multitude, made shew of women in stead of men, and set vp a far off on stakes puppets and skare-crowes for fighting souldiers, to dishearten the enemie, and encourage their owne followers. So we being incountred with innumerable euils, and hauing few things truly good to refresh and cheare vsus against their assaults, are faine to make choice of shadowes in stead of substances, and to make many things good only by reputation and imaginarie esteeme, which a a sound and vnpartiall iudgement scarce thinketh tollerable euils. Now if we further consider, that as our miseries do infinitly in number exceed our comforts; so also one of them is sufficient to infuse such bitternesse into a multitude of our most desired delights, that we cannot rellish their sweetnes, that one ounce of this gall of miserie, maketh loathsome a whole pound of our sugred ioyes, and that a small dram of this Colyquintida, is enough to distaste a whole pot of pottage, making it to sauour of death; then how little sweetnes of comfort must we needs hauehave, when as the part which we loath and abhorre, so innumerable degrees exceedeth that which we like and louelove? But who seeth not that one tooth aking doth more vex vsus, then the health of all the rest of the bodie can delight vsus? that we are more tormented with a small losse, then comforted with great possessions? that when but one friend of many is taken away, we hauehave more true griefe by him which is lost, then ioy and contentment in all the rest? that we are more disquieted with one disgrace, then delighted with many honors? and that we are not so much pleased in the fruition of many things loued and desired, as we are displeased when we are cut short of our hopes, or are troubled and combred with some euill which we loath and hate? and the reason is, because miseries doe make a much deeper impression in vsus then our comforts, partly because they being in this vale of teares, as it were in their own place and element, hauehave more vigour and strength in them, one increasing the force of another, as diuers sticks in the same fire; and retaine their owne nature without alteration; whereas good things are more weake and feeble in this place of banishment, as being not proper to them, and lose much of their puritie and vertue, through the mixture and tainture of adhering euils: and partly, because by reason of our vnthankfulnesse, we are alwaies readie to extenuate Gods blessings, and neuer almost thinke of them, but when they are taken from vsus; and contrariwise, if we hauehave the least sparke of euil, we are apt and willing to blow vponupon it with the f…ame of our impatiencie, vntill we hauehave made it a great fire, which inflameth and consumeth our hearts with griefe and anguish.
But let vsus descend to some particulars, and for orders sake§. Sect. 8. Of the miseries incident to a mans state. distinguish the miseries of mans life into some kinds; not that it is my purpose to speake largely of all, seeing they are so many and innumerable, that it would require a mans whole life to make but a bare catalogue or relation of them: but only so many of them briefly, as may serue to weane our hearts from the world which aboundeth with such miseries; and to fixe them on God his spirituall graces and heauenly happines, which bring vsus sincere ioy, without the mixture of any euils. The miseries then of mans life either respect him generally, or his seuerall ages and estates. The generall miseries vntounto which mans life is subiect, are either those which are his own directly, or else his friends, which are his by sympathie, compassion and fellow feeling. Concerning the former, if we do but take a slight view of those miseries to which our fraile life is subiect, we shall find that euen a large world of wretchednesse, doth ouerwhelme this little world of man, and that whether we respect his state or person. For first, vntounto how many miseries is man subiect about his state, whilest he seeketh to preserue and maintaine, or to aduance and better it? with what painfull labours doth he spend his strength in the workes of his calling, that he may prouide sufficient for himselfe and his charge, which dependeth vponupon him? what cares, what watching, running, riding, buying, selling, plowing, sowing, reaping, and turmoiling to get a poore liuing? And this miserie Eliphaz pointeth at; Miserie (saith he) commeth Iob 5. 7.not from the dust, neither doth affliction spring out of the earth; but man is borne vntounto trauaile, as the sparkes flie vpward. With all which labours when as he hath worne out both bodie and mind, oftentimes for want of Gods blessing he hath no successe, and hath iust cause to complaine, that he hath spent his strength in vaine, seeing with all his industrie and labour he cannot attaine vntounto the things which he laboureth for; but notwithstanding all his diligence pineth with want, or hauing found that he sought for, how is he troubled in the possession, how grieued with his losses, whilest God blowing vponupon that he hath, notwithstanding all his care and labour, it vanisheth like smoake, leauing him in pouertie, who ere whiles was rich, and in contempt and disgrace, who not long since was respected and esteemed of all? Againe, how innumerable are our wants aboue all other creatures in the world, & what care and paines is required to make a supplie, and to furnish vsus with necessaries and sufficiencie? what adoe to prouide vsus nourishment, what catering and cooking, boiling, roasting, baking, saucing? and when it is set before vsus how ignorant are we of the measure of our owne bellies, how hardly doe we keepe a meane in our diet, feeding sufficiently without surfetting? What care and cost is required to furnish vsus with apparell, housing, lodging, bedding, and other furniture? What dieting and watching ouer our appetite that it doe not make vsus ouer greedily to feed vponupon that which we too sondly affect, and so impaire our health? and being lost, what physicke, medicines, bitter pilles, and loathsome potions, cautherizing, cutting, lanching, and plaistering are we faine to vse that wee may recouer it? Whereas the brutish creatures either want not these things, or easilie supplie their need without care or labour. What lands and possessions are needfull for mans vse? what purchases, writings, conueiances, suits in law, troubles and contentions, to hold that he hath, and secure his right? It were infinite to particularise those things which man wanteth, all which are so necessarie vntounto him, either in truth, or in his owne opinion, that his life without them cannot bee comfortable; and looke how much of them is lacking, and so much is detracted from his happinesse, and added to his miserie.
Let vsus adde to the miseries of state, the miseries of person,§. Sect. 9. Of the miseries incident to a mans person, and first in respect of his body. and that both body & soule. The body of man is continually subiect to many miseries; as hunger, thirst, heat, cold, watching and wearines; and that which is more cumbersome and grieuous then al the rest, vntounto innumerable sorts of sicknesses and diseases: for how many maladies are peculiarly incident to eueryevery time of the yeere; as spring, summer, autumne, and winter, to eueryevery countrie and region, sex and age? how many diseases which ouerthrow the health of the whole body, as plague, feuers, agues, consumptions, palsies and the rest; yea how many are incident to eueryevery seuerall part, and as it were in whole troopes attend vponupon eueryevery particular member of mans body? surely so innumerable are they, that physitians to this day cannot discouer, much lesse cure them; and howsoeuer they hauehave filled many large volumes with them, yet they come farre short of their infinite number, though those which they hauehave already found, would make a man sicke but barely to reckon them: many of which though some escape, yet few or none are exempted from them all; it being a thing impossible, though we were all an eye, to keep such narrow watch ouer our health as may bee sufficient to preserue it from the violence of so many enemies which assault vsus on all sides, within vsus, without vsus, and round about vsus. VntoUnto which we may adde the tedious trouble and loathsome remedies which we are faine to vse when our health is impaired, when as we are bound to forbeare the things which wee chiefly desire, and to vse those which our nature abhorreth, pining our bodies with abstinence, which were oppressed with fulnesse, and swallowing into our stomackes loathsome medicines, which wee hauehave first distempered with licorous meates. Whereby it is hard to chuse whether the physicke or disease, the medicine or the maladie be the worse: seeing our cure it selfe is a sicknesse, our helpes hurts, and our medicines torments; neither can we be deliuered from our griefs, but by suffering more griefe, nor free our selues from these kinds of punishments, vnlesse we be content to bee further punished.
And these are some of those manifold miseries which are§. Sect. 10. Of the manifold miseries of man in respect of his soule. incident to the body; the which are not more in number, or so grieuous and pernicious in their nature and quality, as those which trouble and torment the mind. For sinne is the sicknesse of the soule, and therefore looke with how many corruptions it is infected, and with so many spirituall diseasesIob 8. 9. it is endangered. The vnderstanding is subiect to the blindnesse of ignorance; so as we may say with the Prophet,Ier. 10. 14. that we are beasts by our owne knowledge; seeing we neither know God, nor his will, our selues, nor our owne soules. Our willes are crooked and rebellious, and so whirled about with a wilfull frensie, as neither reason nor religion can rule or gouerne them. Our memories are subiect to a spirituall lethargie, forgetting still what we should remember, and remembring what we should forget. Our consciences are either sicke of the dead palsie, hauing no sense or feeling of Gods mercies or iudgements; or else full of melancholicke feares and terrours, sores and wounds, so as they are ready desperately to crie out, when they hauehave the least touch. Our hearts are the harborow of almost all diseases, there lodgeth the swelling tumor of pride, the wolfe of ambition, the dropsie of couetousnesse, the madnesse of anger, and burning feuer of furious reuenge. In it dwelleth our tumultuous passions, which continually rebell against reason, and denie subiection to God and his law; there is the seate of carnall louelove, which setteth the heart on fire with the thing loued, and vexeth it with continuall torment when it cannot enioy it; there dwelleth enuie and hatred, the one tormenting a man with anothers happinesse, the other turmoiling him in plotting and contriuing his neighbours ruine, making himselfe presently miserable, because hee would hauehave another so in time to come. In it is mirth and mourning, ioy and sorrow, the one pulling open the heart, and letting in much vanitie; the other contracting and shutting it, that it may keepe out all comfort and contentment, and both like rackets tossing a man interchangeablie the one to the other, till hee bee tired, and euen worne out with wearinesse. There harboreth hope, the great deceiuer of mankind, which maketh him continually to expect better, though he still findeth worse; and causeth him daily to beleeue it, and to refresh his soule with false comforts, after it hath ten thousand times failed him, and innumerably often defrauded his hungrie desires. And there also dwelleth feare, which maketh a man presently miserable because he seeth a possibility of future miserie, and tormenteth him not onelyonly by aggrauating those euils which are present, but also by recalling those which are past, and by anticipating, and present apprehending those which are to come, many whereof are nothing so grieuous felt as feared, and many neuer happening at all: and yet these false feares beget true sorrowes, and cause no lesse griefe though they neuer happen, then if they were already happened, killing a man with an emptie sound, and as it were with paper-shot, and making him miserable in truth, because hee is so in his owne conceite. Wherein we are much more wretched then the brutish creatures; for they forget euils past, and flie from those which are present, and hauing escaped are secure for the time to come, quietly enioying their present delights without any perturbation of future dangers; whereas feare maketh vsus to engrosse all griefes, and as though we could not be miserable enough with present euils, it recalleth those which are past, and layeth hold on those to come: and whereas it were our wisest course to flie our sorrowes til they catch vsus, and to delay our miserie, which we cannot wholly escape, that we may prolong our comfort as long as may bee; feare maketh vsus foolishly to runne vponupon our owne ruine, and to meet our torments in the mid way, not staying for sorrowes vntill they come, but wilfully sending for them with posting speed, and haling them into our hearts before their time.
Moreouer, besides these miseries which accompanie euerie§ Sect. 11. Of the miseries of man, through the contrarie… and sight of his owne passions. single passion, those are no lesse grieuous and troublesome, which befall vsus through their opposition and fight, not onelyonly against reason, conscience and religion; in which conflict we are wounded notwithstanding our strongest and best approued armour, sometime with vaine glory, somtime with auarice, sometime with voluptuousnesse, often with anger, & desire of reuenge, and not seldome with many other vnrulie & violent affections; but euen we are no lesse turmoiled with that ciuill dissension, & intestine conflict which is among our passions & desires, the one against the other, which are so opposite & contrary among themselues, that no wisedom of man can reconcile them. Whilest ambition haleth vsus into the seate of honour, feare pulleth vsus backe, putting vsus in mind of the burthen, and danger which doth accompanie it, and whilest the former hath the vpper hand we condemne our cowardize, whilest the other wee exclaime against the mischiefes of ambition. So vaineglory persuadeth vsus to procure at the dearest rates the praise of bountie, and to purchase the louelove of all that are about vsus; but couetousnesse checketh this motion, and will not heare of parting with riches to buy smoke, and yet after auarice hath shut the purse, pride, whether it will or no, doth againe pull it open. So voluptuousnes inticeth vsus to follow pleasures, but desire of profit opposeth against it, telling vsus how foolish it is to spend vponupon the stocke, and how vnseasonable those pleasures are for time of strength, which is allotted to industrie and labour; and yet when we hauehave put our hand vponupon the plow, pleasure clapping vsus on the backe, maketh vsus looke behind vsus, and leauing our profit to follow our delights. Thus we desire the ease of a solitarie life, but loath, neglect and contempt, and are in louelove with the respect that accompanieth action, but hate the care and labour. Thus we desire the multiplication of our yeeres, but feare old age and death, as though we would be alwaies trauelling, and neuer be the forwarder in our way, and hauehave a daily addition, without any increase; for what is old age but the multiplication of many yeeres? and what is death but the hauen vntounto which we …aile, and the iorneyes end vntounto which we are alwaies trauelling? Thus we louelove learning and wisdome, but loath the paines of studie and obseruation; we desire to be rid of the tedious troubles of life, but presently vnsay that wee hauehave said, being incountred with the feare of death. And finally, we are rauished with ioy when we thinke of the fruition of God, and the kingdome of heauen, but when we heare that we must sell that we hauehave, and giuegive to the poore, forsake all, take vp our crosse and follow Christ, we go away sorrowfull; we would be conformable vntounto Christ in glorie, but not in his sufferings, and sit vponupon his throne on his right hand and on his left, but we cannot indure to drinke with him in the cup of affliction: and to conclude, we do not sooner with one affection desire any thing, then we are straight ready to vnwish our wishes, by reason of some inconueniences which crosse another.
And thus hauehave I shewed the manifold miseries which are§. Sect. 12 Of the miseries of mans life in respect of his friends. generally incident to mankind, in respect of themselues. From which if any plead immunitie, and that he hath not yet drunke of this bitter cup, let him know that he is only repriued and not acquitted; and howsoeuer he is not brought out to execution, yet the sentence of condemnation being passed vponupon him, as well as vponupon others, he doth but stay the Iudges pleasure till he calleth him forth. Let him consider that sayling in this world, as it were in a sea of miseries, he may for a time escape the tempest, but neuer the feare and danger; and that these miseries which are incident vntounto all, may happen vntounto any, though they be not yet happened: let them call toCui…s potest accidere quod …uiquam potest. mind, that commonly after a faire summer, followeth a …oule winter, and a blustring storme after a sun-shine calme; that prosperitie and aduersitie hauehave their changes, and that no man but the true Christian can be said to be happie before his death. But besides these miseries which respect a mans selfe, there are innumerable more which respect his friends; and to say nothing of false and pretended louelove, whereby men proue most pernicious enemies, whilest they professe the greatest friendship; to say nothing of the breaches, fallings out, and hot contentions which sometime happen betweene those who are coupled in the neerest bond of amitie; and to passe by all those discontents which are caused through the default of any partie: how many are the miseries which accompanie true friendship, euen when it is most wisely intertained, and religiously obserued? For who can see his friend thunder-strucken, and not tremble at the blow? who can behold him plunged into any miserie, and not in compassion, and fellow-feeling communicate with him in his griefes? who sorroweth not at his friends losses; who groneth not in his sicknesse, and bleedeth not at his wounds? Or though any man should be so happie as to hauehave his friends also exempted from these miseries, or so potent to deliuer them; yet how is he afflicted with his death; grieuing with so much more sorrow, by how much he was more worthie of his louelove; and neuer reioycing that he so long had him, but lamenting that he hath now lost him, and that sweet comfort which he took in his society? all which miseries though they be somwhat cased with the contrary comforts, yet considering that the griefes of this life do so farre exceed the ioyes, and the crosses and affliction, the profits and delights, therefore it must needs follow, thath he who hath most friends, communicates in most miseries, and by compassion and fellow-feeling participates in most griefes and perturbations.