Look upon this world, what is found in it but vanity, which is evil: misery, which is worse: iniquity, which is worst of all. For vanity, there have you some building houses, as the Ostriches lay eggs, or as children make ovens, to bake no bread in: there is vanity. Another wastes his time, brains, means, to find our ridiculous projects; only studies tricks: as if his soul could be made happy by a trick there is vanity. Another sweats, non pro solido auro, not for riches, which is also vaine: sed pro stolida aura, but for the barren air of empty commendation, which is most vain. The world it self is vanity, and a mistress that makes her Idolaters most vain. Blanditur oculis, seducit osculis: if you look upon her, she will beguile you if you kiss her, she will bewitch you. For miseries, one shakes a pained head, another roars for the torment of his reins, a third complains the racking of his gouty joints, another is half dead with a Palsy: that it may be said of him more truly than of sea-farers: he is neither amongst the living, nor amongst the dead. Which of this whole multitude can say he is so well, that he feels no distemper: Show me the man that says, he ails nothing: and I will answer, that he is in most danger: the proximity to death is the insensibility of sickness.1 Ingressus debilis, progressus lebilis, egressus flebilis. Our entrance is full of weakness, our proceeding full of wickedness, our departure full of wretchedness. If thy body be healthful, doth nothing about thy estate, thy friends, thy neighbours, thy children, trouble thee? lastly for iniquity; this is a moral corruption, worse than that mortal corruption. There fly a crew of oaths, like night-ravens: there stalks pride, blustering through the streets; the language of whose pace is, Who makes me? drunkenness is reeling to the ground, and uncleanness strives to hold it up, Hypocrites dare lye God in the face, as if he had no window into the heart: or he that hath eyes like a flame of fire, could see men no otherwise from heaven, than the half cured man in the Gospel, that saw them walking like trees. Profane persons swear, as dogges bark: non semper pro feritate, sed pro consuetudine; not ever for curstness, but for custom. If these external offences did not vex thee, yet thou hast enow at home:
Looke upon this world, what is found in it but vanitie, which is evill: miserie, which is worse: iniquity, which is worst of all. For vanitie, there have you some building houses, as the Estriches lay egges, or as children make ovens, to bake no bread in: there is vanity. Another wasts his time, braines, meanes, to find our ridiculous projects; only studies trickes: as if his soule could be made happy by a trick there is vanitie. Another sweats, non pro solido auro, not for riches, which is also vaine: sed pro stolida aura, but for the barren aire of emptie commendation, which is most vaine. The world it selfe is vanitie, and a mistresse that makes her Idolaters most vaine. Blanditur oculis, seducit osculis: if you looke upon her, she will beguile you if you kisse her, she will bewitch you. For miseries, one shakes a pained head, another rores for the torment of his reines, a third complaines the racking of his gowtie joynts, another is halfe dead with a Palsey: that it may be said of him more truly than of sea-farers: he is neither amongst the living, nor amongst the dead. Which of this whole multitude can say he is so well, that he feeles no distemper: Shew me the man that saies, he ailes nothing: and I will answer, that he is in most danger: the proximity to death is the insensibilitie of sicknesse.1 Ingressus debilis, progressus lebilis, egressus flebilis. Our entrance is full of weakenesse, our proceeding full of wickednesse, our departure full of wretchednesse. If thy body be healthfull, doth nothing about thy estate, thy friends, thy neighbours, thy children, trouble thee? lastly for iniquity; this is a morall corruption, worse than that mortall corruption. There flie a crew of oathes, like night-ravens: there stalkes pride, blustring through the streetes; the language of whose pace is, Who makes me? drunkennesse is reeling to the ground, and uncleanenesse strives to hold it up, Hypocrites dare lye God in the face, as if he had no window into the heart: or he that hath eyes like a flame of fire, could see men no otherwise from heaven, than the halfe cured man in the Gospell, that saw them walking like trees. Profane persons sweare, as dogges barke: non semper pro feritate, sed pro consuetudine; not ever for curstnesse, but for custome. If these externall offences did not vexe thee, yet thou hast enow at home:
- 1Bern.
