Mystical bedlam, or the world of mad-men. By ThoMystical bedlam, or the vvorld of mad-men. By Tho

2 That he doth not pay the rent of Gods house. God rich in mercies, lends and (as it were) lets to farm divers possessions; as the graces of the Spirit, the virtues of the mind, gifts of the Body, goods of the world; & for all these requires no rent, but thanksgiving: that we praise him in heart, tongue, and conversation. But so long as Madness is in any of these Tenements, God cannot have this little rent of his Farm. They are mad, that think they may enjoy Gods blessings without rent, ⟨p. 75⟩or the due payment of an accountant tribute.

2 That hee doth not pay the rent of Gods house. God rich in mercies, lends and (as it were) lets to farme diuers possessions; as the graces of the Spirite, the vertues of the mind, gifts of the Body, goods of the world; & for all these requires no rent, but thanksgiuing: that we prayse him in heart, tongue, and conuersation. But so long as Madnesse is in any of these Tenements, God cannot haue this little rent of his Farme. They are mad, that think they may enioy Gods blessings without rent, ⟨p. 75⟩or the due payment of an accountant tribute.

3. That he doth suffer Gods Tenement to decay: he doth ruinate where he dwells. For the out-houses of our bodies, madness doth strive either to burn them with lust, or to drown them with drunkenness, or to starve them with covetousness. For the spiritual and inward building, the foundation of Gods Tenement in our soul is faith, the walls hope, the roof charity. Now madness continually endeavours to raze our foundation, to dig through our walls, to uncover our roof: that having neither faith in God, nor love to men, our soul may be without hope, exposed to the tempests of the devil. Shall not madness account for these dilapidations?

3. That hee doth suffer Gods Tenement to decay: he doth ruinate where hee dwels. For the out-houses of our bodies, madnesse doth striue eyther to burne them with lust, or to drowne them with drunkennesse, or to starue them with couetousnesse. For the spirituall and inward building, the foundation of Gods Tenement in our soule is faith, the walles hope, the roofe charity. Now madnes continually endeuours to raze our foundation, to digge through our walles, to vncouer our roofe: that hauing neyther faith in God, nor loue to men, our soule may bee without hope, exposed to the tempests of the deuill. Shall not madnesse account for these dilapidations?