9 These days shall not continue always, but there shall come a day wherein the conscience1 shall be dismayed, a day of death, wherein we will not care for riches, beauty, learning, praise, or estimation. And yet there be some that care not for this: which love as Tully saith of Verres, silver better then heaven, they think it a greater matter to live in a beggarly estate, then to loose their souls. But this is folly, proved by two reasons. First, thus do the beasts: Balaam's wisdom, and his A•es wisdom is all one. For the Ass which hath but a soul of one life, & when he dieth, his soul vanisheth into the air, if he have a good pasture, and then get a Lyons skin to make the beasts of the field afraid of him, & can kick one with his heels, and make him lie before him, this is a beasts honour: but the honour of a man is greater, which hath two lives, to whom this life ought only to be for the surety of the soul; and rather a way to another life, then a life it self. This hath been answered by the Fathers; I will deal so with the world that I may remember God, but a learned2 father saith, Thou must put in first & more, or else leave out, I will remember God Deceive not thy self, thou givest all to the world: God will not only be served, but in his order. Malachi calleth him a great King, and therefore he looketh for the first service, and Daniel calleth him the Ancient of days, a great Senior, and therefore he will be served before his Juniors, Luc. 17. The servant that had laboured all day, is not bidden first to eat and3 drink, but to serve his master, and then to take his repast. Contrary is our practise, as in marriage, we look for beauty and riches first, and then after our religion comes in for a corollary, we will not be much against it. Jonathan must carry Sauls armour, and Mephibosheth must look to the Ark. We make choice before God: we bestow our first years on our selves, and then the rest we bestow on God. Those are vain men which will first seek the adjectives, & caetera, then the kingdom of GOD. Augustine saith, if thou wilt4 needs, thou mayest seek, but thou shalt never find.
9 These dayes shall not continue alwayes, but there shall come a day wherein the conscience1 shall be dismayed, a day of death, wherein wee will not care for riches, beautie, learning, praise, or estimation. And yet there be some that care not for this: which loue as Tully saith of Verres, siluer better then heauen, they thinke it a greater matter to liue in a beggerly estate, then to loose their soules. But this is follie, prooued by two reasons. First, thus do the beasts: Balaams wisdome, and his A•es wisdome is all one. For the Asse which hath but a soule of one life, & when he dieth, his soule vanisheth into the ayre, if he haue a good pasture, and then get a Lyons skin to make the beasts of the field afraid of him, & can kicke one with his heeles, and make him lie before him, this is a beasts honour: but the honour of a man is greater, which hath two liues, to whom this life ought onely to be for the suretie of the soule; and rather a way to another life, then a life it selfe. This hath bene answered by the Fathers; I will deale so with the world that I may remember God, but a learned2 father saith, Thou must put in first & more, or els leaue out, I will remember God Deceiue not thy selfe, thou giuest all to the world: God will not onely bee serued, but in his order. Malachie calleth him a great King, and therefore he looketh for the first seruice, and Daniel calleth him the Ancient of dayes, a great Senior, and therefore hee will be serued before his Iuniors, Luc. 17. The seruant that had laboured all day, is not bidden first to eate and3 drinke, but to serue his maister, and then to take his repast. Contrarie is our practise, as in marriage, wee looke for beautie and riches first, and then after our religion comes in for a corollarie, wee will not be much against it. Ionathan must carry Saules armour, and Mephibosheth must looke to the Arke. We make choise before God: we bestow our first yeeres on our selues, and then the rest wee bestow on God. Those are vaine men which will first seeke the adiectiues, & caetera, then the kingdome of GOD. Augustine saith, if thou wilt4 needes, thou mayest seeke, but thou shalt neuer finde.
- 1It is a fool•, choice to choose earthly things before, and rather then heaven•• things, & to make God the last, & least part in our desires.It is a fool•, choise to chuse earthl• things before, and rather then heauen•• things, & to make God the last, & least part in our desires.
- 2Caelarum Arge••um.
- 3Priùs & plus.
- 4Covetousness, in the ministry.Couetousnes, in the ministerie.
