A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

Good things are known by their contraries, where they cannot be seen in their own perfections. To contemplate this glory, let us look lower than heaven, upon earth; lower than earth, upon hell; and so learn to judge of heaven.

Good things are knowen by their contraries, where they cannot bee seene in their owne perfections. To contemplate this glory, let us looke lower than heaven, upon earth; lower than earth, upon hell; and so learne to judge of heaven.

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: