Phile. But the holy scripture judgeth otherwise. For those voluptuous Epicures which in this world say:1 Come & let us enjoy the pleasures that are, and let us soon •se the creature, like as in youth. Let us fill our selves with good wine and ointment, and let there no flower of the time go by us. Let us crown our selves with roses afore they be withered. Let •here be no fair meadow, but our •ust go through it. Let every one of you be partaker of our voluptuousness. Let us leave some token of our pleasure in every place, for •hat is our portion, else get we no•hing. &c. Shall in time to come, •ry out on this manner & say:2 We •ave erred from the way of truth ⟨p. 58⟩the light of righteousness hath not shined unto us, and the sun of understanding rose not up upon us. We have wearied our selves in the way of wickedness & destruction. Tedious ways have we gone, but as for the way of the lord, we have not known it. What good hath our pride done to us? Or what profit hath the pomp of riches brought us? All these things are passed away like a shadow &c. Such words shall they that have sinned, speak in hell. For the hope of the ungodly is like a dry thistle flower that is blown away with the wind. &c. Therefore we may well conclude, that such as enjoy continual prosperity, live at their hearts ease, obey their sensual appetites, are free from all adversity, and as the Psalmo•graphe sayeth: come in no misfortune like other folk, neither ar• ⟨p. 59⟩plagued like other men: shall not reign with God in glory, nether have they any portion in the land of the living. For though they prosper for a little while in this world be puffed up with pride, swell for fatness, do what they list, rule as they will, have plenty of riches in possession, have the world at commandment. &c. Yet are they set in slippery places, and shall be cast down and destroyed Yea suddenly shall they consume, perish, and come to a fearful end. I have seen saith that Princelike Prophet,3 the ungodly in great power, & flourishing like a grieve bay tree. And he vanished away, and lo he was gone, I sought him, but he could no where be found. &c. For the wicked shall perish together, and the end of the ungodly, is everlasting damnation.
Phile. But the holie scripture iudgeth otherwise. For those voluptuous Epicures whiche in this world say:1 Come & let vs enioy the •leasures that are, and let vs sone •se the creature, like as in youth. Let vs fill our selues with good wine and oyntment, and let there no flower of the tyme goe by vs. Let vs crowne our selues with roses afore they be withered. Let •here be no fair medowe, but our •ust go thorowe it. Let euery one of you be partaker of our volup•uousnes. Let vs leue some token of our pleasure in euery place, for •hat is our porcion, els get we no•hing. &c. Shall in time to come, •ry out on this maner & saye:2 We •aue erred from the way of truth ⟨p. 58⟩the light of righteousnesse hath not shined vnto vs, and the sunne of vnderstanding rose not vp vpō vs. We haue weried our selues in the way of wickednes & destruction. Tedious wayes haue we gone, but as for the way of ye lord, we haue not knowne it. What good hath our pryde done to vs? Or what profit hath the pompe of riches brought vs? All these thīgs are passed awaye like a shaddow &c. Suche wordes shall they that haue sinned, speake in hel. For the hope of thungodly is lyke a drye thistil flower that is blown away with the wynde. &c. Therfore we may well conclude, that suche as enioy continuall prosperitie, liue at their heartes ease, obey their sensuall appetites, are free from all aduersitie, and as the Psalmo•graphe saieth: come in no misfortune lyke other folke, neither ar• ⟨p. 59⟩plagued lyke other men: shall not reigne with God in glory, nether haue they any portion in the lande of the liuing. For though they prosper for a litle while in this world be puffed vp with pryde, swell for fatnes, do what they list, rule as they will, haue plenty of ritches in possessiom, haue the world at commaundement. &c. Yet are they set in slippery places, and shal be cast downe and destroyed Yea sodenly shall they consume, perishe, and come to a fearful end. I haue sene saith that Princelike Prophet,
- 1Sap. ii.
- 2Sap. vi.
- 3Psal. 37.
