Seven treatises containing such direction as is gathered out of the Holy Scriptures, leading…Seuen treatises containing such direction as is gathered out of the Holie Scriptures, leading…

¹But to join the next companion of faith to this, from which it cannot be separated. This maketh us sigh oftentimes, and to desire to go hence, and (that which we thought would never have been) to become strangers and pilgrims here, and so to have no more to do in this world, then we needs must. And this I may truly say, is more then was like ever to have been, if it be considered,² §Ihow exceedingly we have been tied to the world, what pleasure it hath been to us, to think what we have here, and may have: how we have sought to fulfil the lusts of our heart, the lust of our eye, and what pride, and what glory we have had in the things which we have loved best: yea and how like unto mad men, we have nestled, and delighted our selves here (where yet we have had no certainty of abiding till to morrow) as though we should have continued always: and yet who seeth not, that even then when we joyed most in our life, we were but as the bankrupts, which flourish in their kind, and occupy with other mens goods? So that, in which we gloried, was not our own: goods, and glory which we took such pleasure in, they were another's,³ §Kthey were but borrowed: In which times, God was not known of us, nor the daily course of his liberal dealing with his faithful ones, was not once dreamed of. And therefore we being earthly minded, could not savour of heavenly things, but only of the earth.

¹But to ioyne the next companion of faith to this, from which it cannot be separated. This maketh vs sigh oftentimes, and to desire to goe hence, and (that which we thought would neuer haue been) to become strangers and pilgrimes here, and so to haue no more to doe in this world, then we needes must. And this I may truly say, is more then was like euer to haue been, if it be considered,² §Ihow exceedingly we haue been tied to the world, what pleasure it hath been to vs, to thinke what we haue here, and may haue: how we haue sought to fulfill the lusts of our heart, the lust of our eye, and what pride, and what glorie we haue had in the things which we haue loued best: yea and how like vnto mad men, wee haue nestled, and delighted our selues here (where yet we haue had no certaintie of abiding til to morrow) as though we should haue continued alwaies: and yet who seeth not, that euen then when we ioyed most in our life, we were but as the bankerupts, which flourish in their kinde, and occupie with other mens goods? So that, in which we gloried, was not our owne: goods, and glorie which wee tooke such pleasure in, they were anothers,