1 COnsider first , these words of the Scripture Formauit Deus hominem de limo terra ; God formed man of the slyme of the earth . The earth is the lowest and basest of Elements , euer trodden and trampled with the feet of men and beasts ; but mud , slime , or clay is so low and foule , as both men and beasts flie and auoyde it , knowing how euery light touch thereof defileth : yet of this earth , of this clay , how foule , how slimy soeuer , are formed and framed the tallest , the stoutest , and most beautifull bodies of the greatest Monarchs , and Ladies of the world : nay durt and clay are more noble , then such bodies , if antiquity be a signe of nobility : Vt quid superbis puluis & cinis ? vt quid superbis ? vvhy art thou proud thou dust and ashes : vvhy art thou proud ? be ashamed , seing all the world knoweth thy beginning , be as hamed I say , to carry thy selfe so bigge , so splendidous , as if no lesse then gold and precious stones were the ingredients of thy being : paint it ouer as much as thou pleasest , it is but earth , but durt and slime : vnlesse thou will perhaps say ; t is true , Adam was no better , being framed of the clay of the earth ; but I not soe , being begotten of another fashion , and complexion : poore gallant , deceiue not thy selfe ; for the manner of thy begetting is so foule that the name , nay the lightest thought of it , defileth the purest minde , so that our B. Sauiour refused none of our miseries , but onely that ; and the matter so horrid , so foule , that all other dung is pleasant and gratefull in respect of it ; nay we dare not in discourse giue it a name , for our owne shame & others offence .

Conclude hence with thy selfe neuer to boast nor grow proud of thy strength , comelinesse & beauty , nor of thy ancient stock and nobility , since the ground worke of all is euer clay and durt , or if thou wilt needs striue further , thou wilt find for the fountaine-head iust nothing , Nam ex nihilo omnia : for all are out of nothing . Hence beginne a true knowledge of thy selfe .

2. Consider secondly , what mans body is in the wombe , in the cradle , and in the rest of its life : I cannot imagine any prison so darke , so straight , so loathsome , as the wombe of a woman , in Which the child is inclosed , & enwrapped in most foule , bloudy and matterous skinnes or membranes , for no lesse , then nine whole moneths ; so straighned & pressed , that neither hand nor foot can he stirre or moue : his food , the filthy menstruous bloud of his mother , a thing so nasty , and poisonous , as that what soeuer it toucheth , it infecteth , like the plague or lepry ; such is his house , such his diet . Now at his birth , ô how miserable , how poore , how naked ? couered onely with a thin but most foule and bloudy net ; out of which being vncased , the first thing must be done , is to wash it , ere it can be well touched or viewed : and then so weake and seeble , that it can neither moue , not helpe it selfe ; all that it can doe , is to cry and bewayle the generall miserie of man kind ; and in this estate , accompanied with a thousand more miseries , and dangers , it passeth its cradle & infancie . Being growne vp to mans estate , I will grant it thee , let it be the strongest , fairest , and best tempered body , thou wilt or canst imagine ( which yet is granted to verie few ) thou shalt find it but a painted wall , or a sepulcher pargetted with chalke , white without , but within more stinking , then any dunghill , more foule , then any puddle ; witnes the filth , that continually flowes from all its conduits & pores , witnes the sweetest meats , no sooner , eaten , then turned to the loathsomest froth or ordure in the world &c.

Conclude as formerly a true iudgement of what thou art , and imprint it so in thy mind , that it may euer check all rising fancies to the contrary .

3. Consider thirdly the condition of mans body after death ; the soule being once departed , behold how pale , how starke , how griesely the body remaineth , how gallant and faire soeuer it formerly had beene ; a man can hardly see or touch it without a certaine horrour of mind : no sooner stiffe and cold but presently it beginnes to corrupt & smell , hence is that great hast and bustling of its dearest friends and kindred , to heaue it soone out of doore , and lay it low vnder ground , for feare of infecting the aire , and causing pestilence ; whereas a dunghill may lie for weekes behind the doore without offence , and in the streets a dead dog or cat without much annoyance . Consider now the graue , its second wombe ; some what larger , I confesse , then the former , but in other respects I see no great choice ; as darke , as foule , as that , besides swarmes of wormes & maggots for our restles bedfellowes : ô were it but opened after some twenty dayes , what a sight , what a sent should we haue ; let him , that can , expresse it . It is sayd that a certaine Tyrant tyed dead bodies to the quicke for a torment' : surely he was Master in that blacke art , for the embracements of snakes , and the kisses of toades are farre more tolerable , then those of mans carcasse halfe corrupted .

Conclude , neither to esteeme , nor pamper thy body , sincé it is all at last but foôd for wormes : remember allwayes the words of our holy mother the Church ; Memento homo quod puluis es , & in puluerem reuerteris : Remember ô man , that thou art dust , & into dust thou shalt returne . If dust be my beginning , and dust my end , what doe I deceiue my selfe or others , as though I carried about mee some rich cabinet of pearles , or pretious stones ? when being opened , I am found so stinking a puddle .

1. COnsider first , how that , if thy body were originally clay and durt , thy soule , before God created it , was iust nothing , that is , a pure priuation of all being , and of all those things which accompany a being : ô who can describe vnto mee , what or where this nothing is ? It is neither in heauen , hell , nor earth , nor in any of the vnknowne worlds ; it differs more from the least sand , the least moat in the sunne , then the heauens vast orbes from an emmot , then the infinity of God from the least of his creatures , for here at least we find something to ground a comparison ; but nothing ? good Lord what can be made of it , but iust nothing ? vnlesse thy omnipotent hand descend powerfully into its abysse , and draw thence this my soule into a noble , spirituall , and intellectuall substance , little lesse then the Angelicall , nay representing thy owne immense Essence ? but couldest thou merit or procure this thy being from his hand ? ô nothing lesse , for nothing can say and doe nothing : it was his gratious bounty and liberality , that freely bestowed this being vpon thee , otherwise thou wouldest haue remained for all eternitie as thou wast , nothing ; nay should God but for one minute withdraw from thee his conseruing hand , in that very same instant wouldest thou fade away into thy owne habitation of nothing : bragge hence forward vaine man of nothing , but thy owne , that is , of thy nothing in being , & againe vanishing into nothing .

Conclude and say with the Apostle , Quid habes , quod non accepisti , si autem acceperis , quid gloriaris ? VVat hast thou , that thou hast not receiued ? and if thou hast receiued , vvhat doest thou glorie , and vpon this bottemlesse ground of thy nothing lay the pure foundation of thy spirituall building ; for all besides is not thy owne , but giuen , but lent by thy Maker .

2. Consider secondly how true that sentence of the Wiseman is ; Corpus , quod corrumpitur , aggrauat animam , & terrena inhabitatio deprimit sensum multa cogitantem : the bodie , that is corrupted burdeneth the soule , & the earthlie habitation presseth dovvne the vnderstanding , that thinketh many things . And marke how many wayes this is true ; first , at her first vnion with the body shee is defiled & spotted with originall sinne , & so subiect to all the miseries both tēporall , & eternall , which spring from that source : then for the first eight or nine yeares , in what , J pray , doth the soule of a child differ from that of a beast , in any exteriour action or discourse ? Afther that pretious iewell obtained , the vse of reason ; who is able to recount the darknes , ignorance and errours of our vnderstanding ? the backwardnes of our will to good , & pronenesse to ill ? the distractions and failings of the memorie ? the tempestuous stormes & conflicts of the inferiour powers , both irascible and concupiscible ? and the poore soule , like a boat betwixt two waues , tossed and beaten from the one to the other , from loue to hatred , from hope to feare , from ioy to griefe , from anger to pusillanimitie &c. hardly settled or quiet for a moment ; and these waues of passions bring her at last , not to know what shee would haue ; this euery one will feele in him selfe , more or lesse , if he will sincerely examîne and ponder his inward dispositions and daylie inclinations , hither and thither .

1. COnsider first both the shortnes and vncertainety of mans life : make the longest a hundred yeares ( and yet not one in a hundred thousand doth attaine thither ) vvhat is that compared to Eternitie ? not so much as a moment , or the twinkling of an eye ; looke backe on vvhat is passed , and thou vvilt scarce find a dreame , a shadow : but stay ; out of these hundred yeares , vve must yet cut of a large share , first the time of childhood , vvherein it cannot bee sayd , vvee liue like men : then the time of sleepe , a full third part vvith most men , of the sayd hundred ; next vve may vvell cut of the latter part of old age also , vvhich is not vita , life ; but labor labour , and dolor , griefe ; and senex an old man : you know is bis puer : vvice at child : J dare not discount all the time vvhich is comonly lost or ill spent , least J should leaue nothing , and yet it may very vvell bee done . The Wise man compareth it to a shadow , to a post riding by , to a ship vnder full saile , to a bird vpon the vving , to an arrow from the bow ; Sic & nos nati continuò desiuimus esse . Soe vve alsoe being born , forthvvith ceased to be . Yet vvere this shortest moment of life but sure and certaine , some small comfort might be fancied : but alás ! nothing in the vvorld stands so ticklish and vncertaine ; daylie chances teach vs sufficiently , vvhat ground vvee stand vpon : Neque diem neque horam scimus . Neither the day nor the hour doe vve knovv .

Conclude therefore to play both a good Merchant . and a good souldier : a good merchant in prouiding rather for Eternitie , then for this present moment : a good souldier , in keeping a vigilant sentinell vpon this our Castle , least the enemie assayle vs , as commonly he doth , vnavvares , or a sleep : ô take heed , for on this moment depends Eternitie .