A divine herbal together with a forrest of thorns In five sermons. ... By…A divine herball together with a forrest of thornes In five sermons. ... By…

2 Inward. The godly on earth is (as it were) in the suburbs of heaven;¹ whose kingdom consists, not in meat and drink, but righteousness, peace of conscience, and joy of the holy Ghost. Could his life be as full of sorrows, as ever Lazarus was full of sores, yet he is blessed. The Sun-shine of mercy is still upon him; and the blessing of GOD makes him rich. Let the air thunder, and the earth quake, and hell roar; yet He that walketh uprightly, ²walketh surely. Qui vadit plane, vadit sane. I have read it storied of a young Virgin, that at a great Princes hands had the choice of three vessels. One whereof should be freely given her, even that she should choose. The first was a vessel of gold, richly wrought, and set with precious stones; and on it written. Who chooseth me shall have what he deserveth. The second was of silver. superscribed thus. Who chooseth me shall have what nature desireth. The third was of lead; whose motto was this. Who chooseth me, shall have what God hath disposed. The former pleased her eye well, but not her understanding. It offered what she deserved. She knew, that was just nothing: therefore refused it. The second considered, offered what Nature desires. She thought that could be no solid good; for Nature desires such things as please the carnal lust. This she also refused. The third had a course outside, but ⟨p. 96⟩the sentence pleased her well; offering what God had disposed. So she faithfully put her self upon Gods ordinance, and chose that. This Virginis mans soul. The golden vessel is the worlds riches; contentf•ll to an avarous eye. Too many choose this: but being opened, it was full of dead mens bones, and a fools babble. To testify them fools, which cleave to the world: and at last all their hopes shall be rewarded with a babble. Neither is this all. Though their inward thought be, that their houses shall continue for ever; yet they shall be laid in the grave like sheep, ³and death shall feed on them. The silver-vessel is the lusts of the flesh; those fond and vain delights, which concupiscence seeks. So saith the Motto: It gives what nature desireth: but corrupt nature affects nothing, but what gives complacency to the flesh. This vessel opened was full of wild fire, and an iron whip.