Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	good_a	work_n	write_v	2,667	5	5.4737	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A56530	Politick discourses written in Italian by Paolo Paruta ... ; whereunto is added a short soliloquy in which the author briefly examines the whole course of his life ; rendred into English by the Right Honorable Henry, Earl of Monmouth.; Discorsi politici. English	Paruta, Paolo, 1540-1598.; Monmouth, Henry Carey, Earl of, 1596-1661.	1657 (1657)	Wing P639; ESTC R19201	289,485	232

having the luck to light upon excellent Masters I made some advancement I will not say that now I am sor●ie for it for the fear least the time that I imploied therein might have been spent worse but surely I cannot deny but that I did thereby foment that affection which doth sometimes preva●c●●e better to wit to the desire of praise and of self-estimation Knowledge doth oft-times puff up him that is master of it so as he forg●●s to glory in the Lord I dare not say I possessed it for hardly could I taste the waters of the over-flowing fountains of learning through the shallowness of wit and other affairs that I was busied in yet man doth easily flatter himself and attributes unto himself more then falls to his share Which is the cause why ambition is seen to get into all places yea even into their most secret retirements who forsake the world being a vice which is the harder to be cured for that it keeps close and hidden But what shall I say more What could I answer if I should be asked what fruit I reaped by these my studies I might peradventure say that the little of Philosophie which I learnt hath more awakened my understanding in knowing the truth of things But say I pray what need hath he to have recourse to the candle light of humane knowledge who hath the bright Sun-shine of Grace in him and to whom infallible truth is revealed I did for a while give my self to study Moral●ie wherein I took such delight as I wrote a book thereof which I was afterwards perswaded to print and so to impart it unto others I learned how to become morally good it is true I did but is not the first precept in this knowledge that the doctrine of manners is it of self very vain For it consists in doing in action not in knowing it had been much better that setting his commandements before mine eies who is the true and real Master of that Christian life which I live and have yet to live I should have imploied my time in observing the precepts of the divine Law rather then in collecting the Documents of Philosophers who wanting the taste of that truest chiefest and most excellent vertue which divine love doth so much the more afford as it is the more ardently inflamed applied themselves to a certain mediocritie which is better discerned or known in their Idea or in their writings then in the affections or actions which they go about to moderate Afterwards when I was come to mans Estate being commanded so to do by him whom I ought to obey and it being a thing also which I my self did much desire I betook my self to write the History of my Country a good and gallant work But what proportion can the good reward which I hoped for thereby bear with the pains I took which was truly very great Had I spent part of the time and study which I imployed therein in the reading of divine Books I cannot doubt but that I should have been inflamed with the love of spiritual things which for so long a time I did so little relish And to pass by other things I cannot deny as best knowing mine own intrincecal affections but that whilst I labored so much to celebrate the fame and glory of others by these my Writings I often felt within my self a certain tickling and delight out of the hope which I flattered my self withal and wherewith I nourished my thoughts that by these my labors I my self might likewise reap some honor and as the Poets say live in my fame after my death Oh gross vanity and when this affection with which I must confess I was sometimes drunk gives place to reason I acknowledge that amongst all vanities none is greater then wordly glory which is vain because man glories of that which is none of his for he hath received every good thing especially the endowments of the soul from God Vain because it is nothing of it self it hath no true existenc●e it is made up of various opinions of men and of theirs most who know least Vain because it reflects upon that which is not in us upon that which is a trivial and common accident to wit our Fame the memory whereof we do with so much vanity desire to propagate Tell me thou humane soul which are so much ●●amored of this bare shadow of good which doth not at all belong unto thee if after thou art departed out of this world thou couldst have any thing to do with humane affections what good would this folse glory do thee which thou dost so much do●e upon as thou dost sometimes lose the way which leads to true heavenly glory If thou shalt be damned and in the eternal torments of Hell thinkest thou that the satisfaction of this thy glory shall be able any waies to ease those immense and unconceivable Torments and in thou shall be fixt in heavenly bliss what need in that abode hath he of worldly glory who is glorified with eternal glory who is satisfied who is content who is for ever blessed But since I examine mine own waies I return to consider my life Some few years since I gave myself to the government of my Country wherein I found the way so plain and easie and the savor and grace of my Country so far above my merits as I soon got into great Honors and into the chiefest Imployments which I still containe in and do imploy my time But my Talent is so small as though I spend it all I know it is but little And if I spend all how can I according to humane respect be blamed Or what reason have others to complain more of me then I have of my self Since so little a part of my life remains or almost none at all wherein I may recollect my thoughts what time have I to think of my end to repent me of my sins to endeavor amendment and yet I see I am not diligent in doing any thing The most troublesom yea and the most contented thoughts wherewith my mind is now incumbred will vanish as a shadow or as smoak before the winde and shall be withered as flowers by the Suns beams and yet whilst this mind of mine is continually involved in these afficuous cares it is so filled with the fantasms of those things wherein I imploy my self all the day long as I most meditate onely upon them and though unwillingly have them alwaies before mine ties at all times in every place and upon all occasions So as all contemplation of nobler and better things which I sometimes turn my self unto is alwaies mixt with these base affections and troubled with these clouds of worldly thoughts Alas how hard is it to serve two Masters God and the World The world measures its actions by its worldly respects he who makes that his stay who lives acco●d●ng to that can make no new laws to himself but must govern himself by