Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

man's use? and art not thou Lord over the creatures, to use and enjoy them as thou pleasest? When thou art gone, all the world is gone to thee; therefore, take thy fill of them here.

And there is doctor Profit, he saith Friend! the best way for thee is, to get riches for thyself; this will do thee good when all thy friends will forsake thee; thou mayest then take thine ease; come times what will, thou hast goods laid up for many years. If thou bast riches, thou shalt be a man in esteem in the parish; hereby thou shalt become a great man; thou shalt be heard before another, and thou shalt be looked upon, and advanced; whereas, the poor, they are despised and trampled on, scarce suffered to speak for themselves, but every one tramples upon them at their pleasure; and they are glad to creep and cringe to every one, and dare not so much as hold up their heads, to be taken notice of.

And then comes doctor Honour, and he saith: What needs all this stir about religion? Canst not thou be content to go the old way thy forefathers went? Canst thou not be content to go that way the state goes; the way that kings, princes, and great men go; and the way that the most go? Then shalt thou be safe, and thrive in the world, and enjoy thine own; nobody will molest thee, and thou shalt be honoured for a wise man, and a prudent man. Do not the most go this way? And though thou art not so earnest in religion as some are, but goest along with the multitude, why, thou shalt do as well as they: there are none but a company of poor beggarly fellows, tinkers and coblers, schismatical and conceited fellows, that are so eager in religion, and they are every-where despised as it was said in derision, the last day I was here, that there were none came running out of the city, to hear me, but a com

1

pany of tinkers, coblers, weavers, and poor slight fellows. But truly, if this people, whom you so much despise, come after me with a hungering and thirsting after truth, I here profess, (be they what they will, rich or poor,) they are more welcome to me than so many princes or potentates: let them come and welcome; they are the auditors. I seek for ;. and, for aught I know, one of them, (for all their low. condition,) may enjoy more of God than a score of kings, princes or noblemen; and shall enter into their Master's joy, when many of the great ones of the earth, now so much in esteem, shall be thrust out. This is a digression, by the way; we return to our matter:

Saith doctor Honour: Be wise for thyself; art thou willing to be. counted such a fool, to be so taken up with religion? Do any of the learned, any of the great and wise men go this way? Canst thou not be content to go in a smooth, mo

derate way, and so shalt thou please all the world? If thou wilt go this way we go, and seek for honour, riches, &c. thou shalt be a man of some account; all the world shall respect thee, and thou shalt be accounted somebody else, if thou wilt not hearken and obey our counsel, thou art like to lead an obscure and beggarly life, and be slighted by all men. Friends, have: ye not these secret workings and ticklings in your thoughts? I am sure you have and thus these doctors will dispute against the ways of self-denial, and taking up the cross; which are of absolute necessity, if ever a man come to hea

ven.

:

Extracts from a Discourse on Where Christ feedeth and resteth.

Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth! where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon; for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions ?-Cant. i. 7.

WE must not imagine that this book of the Canticles contains any idle reverence, and foolish, wanton compliments, between a man and his wife, on whom either doted they are but the expressions of entire and vehement love between the Lord Jesus Christ, and his dear spouse, the Church. This is the eternal, everlasting sense; the other is but the letter, which is nothing. Though the whole book of the Canticles, therefore, be, in appearance, but a bridal or love-song, and consequently may seem to relish of nothing but sensual love, and carnal enjoyments; yet know, this is but the chaff that covers the corn; the cab

D

« AnteriorContinuar »