7iat the worldandmorldly thingsarezroaretrtasie, 6o1 muchbearing, hath not her ancient vertue and vigour in bringing forth her fruits for the vfe andnourifhment ofman; by reafonwhereofhe is much leffened ingrowth, enfeebled in firength,and obnoxious to manymore infirmities and dif- cafes then were his anceflors.All which Phew that the world isin it old and decrepitage,and not farre from death. For as in the little world oman, fo alto in this greaterr world and largevniuerle, there isa time ofyouth, and full ftrength,and a timeofoldage, and decrepit weakneffe; a timeoflife,and a timeofdeath. And as man in his youth is luflie and firong, Inninghis bones full ofmarrow,and his finowes offtrength; hisskinne full offlefh, his whole body full of naturali heate and moiflure, and quickened with vital! fpirits: but when age commeth, hisfirengthisabated, hisbacke crooked, his fpirits fpeut, andall parts fo full ofinfirmities and weaknes, that theyare notable to performe their naturali fun6tions and actions; till at laft the limbesbeing altogether unable to fupport the flaggering bodie, it ftumbleth and falleth at the threfholdofdeath: fo the world had it time ofyouth where- in it flourifhedin beautie, health,and flrength, and wasable to propagate a pofterisy like it felfe, and to nourifh and make it tat withall delights; but now it iscome to old age, wherein all the powers thereof are fa weakened and enfee- bled, that it,cannotbee but the death thereofneere appro- cheth; and therefore let vs notfet our hearts vpon that which , is ready to vanifh ; let vs not now foolifhly dote vpon the world in it witheredold age,wherein it bath loft all itbeauzatum tie, and is fo full ofwrinkles, infirmities,difeafes,andmani- taudo:di argue foldmiferies, that letting our dotage afide, it hath not fo.prsdicasdi,qui muchas a Phewofcomelineffe to allure vs, nor any bait of utásetiamcum beautie to entice vs.For looke howmuch thofe great wor_fnuudo Jiorers- thiesofanci enttimes,thePatriarchesandProphetsaretobetepert tan.. commended for contemning it, in itgreateft brauerie, refu- turn increpandi fing when it chiefly flourithed to flourifh withit; fomuch &accuíaadi are wee tobe blamedndcondemned, forefteeming and lo- a t quos me uing it,when all excellency being va'nifhed, and it now be- deleEiai Aug. ing full ofblemifh and miferies, bath nothing in it, worthie ad Armenia fomuch as carnall loue. rium.epitì.;fa , And
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