Securitie Epicurisme Contempt of Gods iudgements and the like Nor let vs by the example of the greater number suffer our selues to bee seduced and carried away with the streame of wicked workes to pollute our selues with such like wickednesse and scandals Luc. 21.34 Take heed saith our Sauiour least at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and so that day come vpon you vnawares 4 Let vs with an ardent zeale embrace and exercise the contratie Vertues Temperance Frugalitie the Feare of God Vigilancie Sobrietie and constantly set forewards in the course of true pietie according to that precept Watch alwayes and that also Luc. 21.11 2 Pet. 3.12 What manner persons ought wee to bee in holy conuersation and godlinesse looking for and hasting vnto the comming of the Daie of the Lord 5 Let vs daily cal vpon God to kindle in our hearts this care of vertues and desire of eternall life in the course of pietie to gouerne and confirme vs with his Holy Spirit to mitigate the calamities of his Church which goe before the end of the World according to that Watch and pray Mat. 26.41 that you enter not into temptation Pray that you may be found worthie to escape the things that are to come Luc. 21.36 and stand before the Sonne of man 6 To conclude Let vs so liue that euerie moment we may expect the comming of the Sonne of God to iudgment and may with a true faith and good conscience appeare ioyfully before him as wee are commanded to liue soberly godly and righteously in this present World looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the mightiâ— God and also according to that of the Apostie giue diligence Tit. 21.12.13 2 Pet. 3.14 that you may be found without spot and blamelesse before him in peace Two Rules neuer to bee forgotten 1 THou must neuer forget that the Son of God died for thee Secondly That thou thy selfe though thou liuest long art shortly to die If thou shouldest liue in the vtmost parts of Ethiopia where men for long life are called Macrobians yet die thou must nor canst thou know where when or how Hence it was that Hormisda answered the Emperour Constantine demaunding him of the beautie of Rome stately buildings goodly statues and sumptuous Temples if he thought that in all the World were any such Citie Surely said Hormisda there is indeede none comparable to it yet hath it one thing common to all other Cities Men die heere as they die in other places The death then of the Sonne of God who died to acquite thee from eternall death and thy owne death being so certaine not to be farre off must bee as two spurres of loue to driue thy horse through the short race of this momentanie life vnto the goale of eternall happinesse Remember then First That the time wee haue to liue is lesse then a Geometricall point Secondly How wicked the enemie is who promiseth vs the Kingdome of this World that hee might take from vs the Kingdome of Heauen Thirdy How false pleasures are which embrace vs to the end to strangle vs. Fourthly How deceitfull Honors are which lift vs vp to cast vs downe Fiftly How deadly riches are which the more they feed vs the more they strangle vs. Sixtly How short how vncertaine how wauering how false how fantastique all that same thing is which all these thinges if wee had them all at out owne desires can performe vnto vs. Seuenthly How great precious and vnvaluable things are promised and prouided fro those who despising the present thinges seeke for that Countrie in the Heauens whose King is Deitie whose Law is Charitie whose manner is Eternitie With these and such like cogitations we must occupie our mindes which will stirre vs vp from slumbering and sleeping in our sinnes kindle our zeale cooling in Religion confirme our weaknesse staggering in opinions and giue vs wings of most godly loue lifting vs vp to the glorie of Heauen The twelue weapons for the Spirituall battell euer to be had in memorie when the desire of Sinning tempts man 1 OF Sinne the pleasures short and small 2 The Companions Loathsomenesse and Anxietie 3 The losse of a greater good euen God himselfe 4 That life is but a sleep and shadow a winde a vapour a bubble and as a tale that is told 5 That death is at hand and sudden and comes like a Theese in the night 6 The doubt and danger of impenitencie 7 Eternall reward and happinesse and eternall torments 8 The Dignitie Honour and nature of man 9 The peace of conscience which is that peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding namely a full assurance that God is through Christ at peace with him remitting all his sinnes 10 The benefits and graces of God bestowed on him both inwardly and outwardly 11 The Crosse Agonie Passion and bloudie sweat of Christ for his sinnes 12 The testimonie of Martyrs and examples of Holy men who ouercame Sâ—than â—nd all his suggestions to sinne by the bloud of the Lambe and the word of their testimonie for they loued not their liues vnto the death The twelue conditions of a true louer whereby to know in what degree of the loue of God we stand 1 THE first degree of loue is to loue one onely and to despise all other things for him 2 To thinke him vnhappie that is not with his beloued 3 To suffer all thinges yea death to bee with him 4 To adorne and decke himselfe with such things as may please him 5 To be with him in all sorts that we may if not in bodie yet at the least in minde 6 To loue all thinges that please him his counsailes his precepts his doctrine 7 To seeke his honour and praise and not to suffer any to doe him reproch and dishonour 8 To beleeue the best things of him euermore and in all thinges desiring all men so to beleeue 9 To be willing to suffer any discommoditie for his sake taking it in verie good part 10 To shed teares for him often either for griefe if he be absent or for ioy if he be present 11 To languish often and often to be inflamed with his loue 12 To obey him in all thinges neuer thinking of any reward or recompence Now this wee are induced to doe for three causes specially First when the seruice is such as of it selfe is to be desired Secondly when he whom we obey is of himselfe so verie good and amiable that we euen loue and reuerence him for his vertues Thirdly when before we beganne to serue him hee bestowed on vs great benefits And these three causes we finde abundantly in God for which wee should loue and obey him For First there is no trauaile not paines taken for his seruice that is not good both for bodie and soule for to loue and obey him is but to direct our selues to him that is the chiefest good Secondly He is
of your honour and increase of your future happinesse Wherein I truly put on the person of both these PresideÌ„ts though happily I shal be distinguished from them in the successe as I differ from them in deportment for my tunne and all that is within mee shall neuer leaue tumbling and toyling to tender my seruice in the care of your preseruation therin I am like Diogenes but haue nothing left me by the malice of the time but an handfull of water and therin like Syneta Now seeing one way onely of accommodating my selfe to your seruice is left mee namely to represent to you the things that haue beeue prudently written by others of well gouerning aswel the priuate life as publique affaires I could not be wanting in that duty I tender not therfore long perplexed disputes of well managing the life and Republique but most sweet Meditations briefe Aphorismes and Rules concerning the gouernment of both and discouerie of such rocks and dangers as vsually dash the consciences of men and states of greatest Kingdomes in peeces and those not dubious and naked but cloathed and confirmed with the iudgemeÌ„t of most graue writers whence they were collected and approued by the practise and example of great persons hauing the witnesse of all prudent men and times whereby to adde more power and faith to their excellencies Nor may this slender present happily be intempestiue or vnpleasant for as sudden stormes and vnexpected alterations of weather do often driue the most skilful Pilots to great perturbations in their Art in somuch that they know not into what hauen to flie or what shore to fetch so albeit these HalcioÌ„ and blessed times of peace seeme to promise no stormes yet if the great persons be not soundly instructed with diuine and wise precepts to entertaine a gust when it falles or to decline it that it hurt not when it commeth such stormes may so sodainely arise euen when we say peace peace as will put the wisest Polititians and best Leaders to their wits end Therfore that your Highnesse may bring to a safe hauen aswell this noble baâ—ke of your body and soule as the great ship of this Kingdome and these glorious countries and people whereof as God hath made you the most hopefull heire apparant so the same God make you and yours long and happie gouernours cast I besetch you your gracious eye sometimes on these short parcels of instruction and entertaine them into your Princely heart so shall your gouernment be most happie and peaceable your end glorious and for euer blessed your memorie honourable neuer dying which shall euer be the vote and vowed labour of Your Highnesse most humble obseruer RICH. MIDDLETON The Contents of this Booke 1 A Diuine Meditation vpon the foure last things Death Iudgement Hell and Glory as the strongest motiues to make an impression in the soule of detesting all sin but chiefly intemperance and vncleannes and adding wings to our faint desires of heauens glory 2 Of truewisdome what it is and wherein it consils 3 Of the pleasures of the bodie 4 Of things concerning the endowment of the mind 5 Of Religion 6 Of Charitie 7 Of Conuersation 8 How to vse all sorts of men 9 How to carry a mans self towards himself 10 Of a Prince and his whole deportment in fiftie seuen Aphorismes 11 Of the things that preserue Kingdomes 12 Of the things that ruine Kingdomes 13 Prognosticks of the anger and scourge of God to be at hand or of the finall periods of Kingdomes and States 14 That the conuersions euersions and ruines of Kingdomes and States may be foreknowne aswell as the death and dissolution of a dying man may be foreknowne by a skilfull Physition 15 Why men are so blinde that they cannot see their owne ruine and Gods anger hanging ouer them 16 Eight Aphorismes or Rules containing the summe of a happy life blessed death 17 How to obtaine eternall life and auoid eternall death 18 Two Rules neuer to be forgotten restraining man from the pursuite of his carnall and bestiall desires 19 The twelue weapons for the spirituall battell euer to be had in memorie when the desire of sinning tempts vs. 20 The twelue conditions of a louer wherby to know in what degree of the loue of God we stand 21 The twelue abuses of the world 22 The true Anatomie of Contemplation shewing what it is wherein it consists and how worthy a worke it is for a Prince and also for euery good Christian 23 The fruitfull admonition of Isocrates to Demonicus containing eightie fiue most excellent morall precepts neuer before translated out of the Greeke 24 The institution and description of a good Prince by C. Plinius directed to the Emperour Traian neuer before turned out of Latine THE CARDE AND COMPASSE OF LIFE MEDITATION I. A Meditation on the foure last things Death Iudgement Hell and Glorie To restraine sinne and increase pietie WE must not make this Meditation a naked discourse or bare reading onely but a vehement application of the minde to the things themselues with an inward sense of heart all the distractions of our thoughts being abandoned First then that thou maiest meditate profitably of Death put thy selfe humbly in the sight of God who beholdes thee in all thy actions and begge of him thus present that al thy thoughts words workes and all thy strength may wholly be directed to his glorie and thy saluation And here first conceiue thy selfe to be lying vpon thy bed neere vnto death the Physicions despairing of thy health and thy friends sorrowing for thy departure the soule being now readie to giue the last gaspe Secondly entreate God with hartie affections to giue thee grace that thou maist take profit by the consideration of death The first point here to be meditated is that death is ineuitable and certaine the houre of death most vncertain the place and manner of death vnknowne and that this is the common lot and portion of all men of what degree or condition soeuer Therefore it is extreme madnesse for men knowing these things to liue so securely as they do building vnto themselues I know not what Imaginarie Worlds and Castles in the Aire as if all were but fables that are written of death when in the meane time death suddenly seiseth vpon them vnthought on and vnprepared for his stroke which vnto many is the cause of eternall damnation The second to bee considered is that in death by little and little the speech and all the powers of the senses are lost Nor when thou commest to this straight shalt thou vnderstand or know any man any more not canst thou remooue thy selfe from this bedde of death in which thou liest left of all seeing Friends nor Physitions nor any other can helpe thee nor gold and siluer or nobilitie or that great expectation and estimation that all men had of tâ—ee shall profit thee Thy vnderstanding by the strength of griefe and sicknesse shal be obscured
thy memorie blurred and thou so astonished and senselesse that thou shalt not know in what place and what case thou liest and with much difficultie shalt thou be stirred vp to any sense or sorrow for thy sinne This consideration will not a little astonish thee that thou shalt haue at that time more then euer in all thy life more doubts and scares suggested thee of the certaintie of thy saluation â—â—st in respect of the multitude of thy sinnes secondly in that thou shalt then haue the memory of thy sinnes represented to thee which obliuion and custome of sinning had stolne from thee thirdly in that the sins which then thou thoughtest to bee little and light doe now appeare great and grieuous fourthly in that thy repentance dying is not so secure as when thou art in health Hence it will fall out that thou shalt bee so amazed that thou wilt not know which way to turne thee To returne backe the grieuousnes of thy sicknesse will not suffer thee To goe forwards is of all fearefull thinges the most fearefull To stand still in that estate God will not suffer who hath numbred all thy dayes from eternitie and will haue this to bee the last houre of thy life If thou beholdest God hee will appeare to thee angrie with the sword of his most iust vengeance drawne against thee for thy impenitent life If thou cast downe thy eyes thou shalt see nothing but a stinking graue for thy bodie which thou so much louedst and pamperedst and the gates of Hel standing open to entertaine thy soule which in thy life thou so little regardedst If thou enter into thy selfe what shalt thou finde but a confused infinite masse of thy sinnes the conscience whereof doth worthily adiudge thee to eternall torments If thou lookest about thee what shalt thou see miserable wretch but an infinite troupe of Diuels striking horrour into thy conceit and reading the bookes and billes of all the sinnes of thy life and like Lions whome long famine hath enraged expecting for thee their prey How suddenly then will Honours Riches and Pleasures of thy whole life seeme to haue fled from thee How euidently but late if not too late shalt thou then know that all the things of this life vnder the Sunne are nothing else but Fopperies Dreames Fraudes shadowes which like a vaine apparition haue nothing in them certaine solid sure How wouldest thou desire a little euen the least staie and breathing to collect thy selfe and correct thy wayes But al too late The fourth point is to consider that what in this world is most deare to thee must then bee left behinde thee heere Then thinke with thy selfe what sorrow those things will bring vnto thee which thou most esteemedst and valuedst aboue al others thy Parents and Friends wil but accompanie thee to the graue thy rich garments shal be left behinde thy goods thy heires will seize on and reioyce at the purchase thy bodie will be ill entreated with Wormes Toades and Serpents onely thy works wil accompanie thee into the entrance of another life most happie or most miserable such as thy workes haue beene good or euill On the other side consider how diuerse from these and how secure the death of the righteous is These when they feele themselues to draw neere their end with a few defects but with much repentance and a heart abstracted from earthly thinges hauing euer had their conuersation in Heauen reioyce that all their liues long they haue laboured for so plentifull an haruest they enioy the testimonie of a good conscience reioyce to behold the troupes of Angels that come out to meet them and are so much the more rauished with ioy as they draw neerer vnto death by which they are deliuered from the prison of the flesh the difficulties of life the flouds of miseries the infinite snares and deceits of the enemies and draw neare to the reward of their labours the Crowne of glorie and fruition of eternall rest and felicitie with the Saints of God which they haue desired and laboured for and hoped to attaine The last point is to ponder with thy selfe what then thou wouldest that thou haddest done when being neare to death thou hast no more time to liue and the same thing which thou wouldest wish thou haddest done when thou art at the point of death the same thing without delaie doe whilest thou meditatest hereof that thou maist be euerie houre ready to imbrace the message of death as Seneca perswades Mors vbique nos expectat tu si sapiens eris vbique illam expectabis Death euerie where expects vs therefore if thou be wise doe thou euery where expect death So shal it neuer take thee at any aduantage To this end remember Augustines admonition Be affraid to liue in such an estate as thou art afraid to die in Conclude this Meditation with a friendly conference with God in which demaund of him that by his grace these things may penetrate into the bottom of thy heart and there be so fixed that they neuer may bee quenched and that from this time forwards thou maist make such vse of the preaching and hearing of his holy word of the coÌ„sortable Sacraments of his Church and all other the good meanes of thy saluation that thou maist begin now to walke with a better conscience before him and in the peace of a quiet conscience thou maist arriue at the Hauen of glorie MEDITATION II. The second Meditation is of the last Iudgement HEre must a preparatorie Prayer be made as before in the Meditation of death And first conceiue thou seest a most ample goodly spacious place where all the Nations of the Earth shall be gathered together to receiue their doome of eternall blisse or eternall torments Secondly aske of God from thy heart that so great and vnvsual a spectacle may bring some profit to thy sinfull soule The first point to bee meditated is to consider the diuerse and most horrible and fearefull signes going before the last iudgment First in the Angels for the powers of Heauen shall bee moued and they shall come with a great sound of a Trumpet and shall gather the elect from the foure windes and from the one end of Heauen to another summoning the whole Worlde with that fearefull Trumpet Arise yee dead and come to Iudgment Secondly in the Deuils whose bands shal then be loosed so that he shal rage more then euer before Thirdly in the Waters which happily may rise aboue the tops of the Mountaines whose noise and horrible roaring of the Sea shall confound the hearers Fourthly in the Earth whose most inward parts shal then by horrible motions bee shaken with cracking of stones traiection of mountaines and complanation of vallies insomuch as all Creatures shal be strucke into sorrow Fiftly in the Heauen the Sunne and Moone shall fall from Heauen and threaten eternall ruine to the Earth Sixtly in men Then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man
in Heauen and then shall all the kindreds of the Earth mourne and the wicked shal be with horrour so confounded that they shall runne by the way like mad men and crie vnto the mountaints Cadite Cadite fall fall and hide vs from the Lambe and the fury of his wrath Seuenthly in the fire whose power shal be so great that it shall suppe vp as it were with one deluge all the other Elements and all men and Creatures shall it suddenly turne to dust and ashes so that there may be a new Heauen and a new Earth The second point to be meditated is That The Sonne of God shall appeare with power and great Maiestie accompanied with an Armie of Angels his aspect to the wicked terrible to the godly most comfortable For their redemption draweth neare Then shall hee take the good to his right hand and place the wicked at his left where such griese shall inuade them as neuer in all their liues before seeing themselues in that miserable estate which they neuer dreamt on euen there where with a most iust ballance all the thinges that euer they haue done spoken or thought all the good they haue omited shal bee weighed and no man not so much as in one word can patronize them It will much increase their torment when they shall see the signe of the Sonne of Man the nailes as most sharpe arrowes shall wound their hearts when they shall vnderstand that they haue all their life long trampled vnderfoot by the turpitude of their liues that pretious bloud shed for the redemption of the World and made a mocke of it And the more to shame them the Iudge shal open his wounds from which his most precious fountaines the water and bloud issued most plentifully to wash them from their sinnes if they would haue taken hold of it in time Now conceiue what miserie the wicked shall thinke themselues in to be placed at the left hand a most infallible signe of damnation and what ioy and securitie to the godly at his right hand a sure token of eternall saluation Now meditate that the consciences of the whole World shall be laid open the books shal be read and there was neuer any thing so secret which shall not be reuealed And if small erreurs committed now in the sight of great persons do make vs blush what shall then they grieuous sinnes which are so sul of turpitude that not onely in the sight of others thou blushest but euen thâ— selfe alone doest blush to thinke on them seing there all the men of the World shall see them There will be made no reckning of Nobilitie or wit no account of riches grace fauour and splendour thou once haddest no care had of any naturall or supernaturall giftes of bodie or minde In a point of time shall bee set before thee all thy most secret thoughts and wordes of Lust Pride Hatred Enuie and all the rest yea euen all the good thou hast omitted to doe shal be put on thy score to increase thy damnation O miserable and thrice miserable wretch thou art in thy owne conscience damned thou art destitute of all patrocinie and defence not onely of men but of Angels who were once inployed whilest thou liuedst for thy good but are now by so much the more become thy aduersaries by how much once they loued thee more Nay to conclude forsaken of Christ who onely therefore sits in Maiestie to iudge and condemne thee for if the iust bee scarcely saued 1. Pet. 4. where shall the wicked and vngodly appeare The fourth point considerable is what kind of Iudge he is First most wise and cannot be deceiued Secondly most iust and will not bee inclined Thirdly most powerfull and will not bee resisted Fourthly full of anger and indignation and will not bee appeased so that the Kings of the Earth shall tremble and crie to the rockes Fall vpon vs fall vpon vs and couer vs. Fiftly fierce and inexorable and cannot bee mollified Apoc. 6. 1. Sam. 15. For the strength of Israel will not lie nor repent Thinke that Christ hauing duly examined euery cause hee will then pronounce that fearefull sentence as a thunder against the vngodly Depart from mee yee cursed into eternall fire prepared for the Deuil and his Angels O most vnhappie sinners then will they crie but none will heare weep but none will haue mercie on them then shall they seeke God but shall not finde him because they hated knowledge Pro. 1. and did not seeke the feare of the Lord the shall they damne all wicked wayes and curse the societie of sinners and madding shall grow franticke with the furie of their sinnes which for most vile pleasures they committed On the other side the iust shall be surprised with vnspeakeable ioy when that blessed sentence shall be read Come ye blessed of my Father receiue the Kingdome ordained to you from the beginning of the world Then shal their mouths runne ouer with praises and their hearts beefilled with vnutturable ioy Then shal the ignominie of the Crosse be counted an exceeding glorie austeritie of life wonderfull sweetnsse and the despising of all the pleasures of the World and the flesh most vnspeakeable pleasure Thinke that thy particular iudgement when thou commest to death shall bee like to this generall therefore now whilest thou hast time labour to doe those things whereby thou maist assure thy soule that thou shalt receiue that blessed reward and escape that fearefull punishment Now direct thy speech to God who shall bee thy Iudge and pray that in this life he will lay his iudgments vpon thee as Saint Augustine Domine hic vre hic seca me ne in eternum peream Lord burn mee here cut mee here that I perish not for euer And also pray that these Meditations may take such roote in thy heart that thou maist iudge thy selfe that thou maist bee chastened of the Lord least thou bee Condemned with the World I. Cor. 11. MEDITATION III. Of Hell THis Meditation must take his rise from a preparatiue Prayer as in the former in which wee must first propose to our selues a most vast and bottomlesse gulfe hideous to behold in darknesse most dungeon-like in paines and torments most horrible in smel most odious as it were a Sea breathing out flames and smoke whereof we may represent to our imagination a modell by calling to minde that horrible mountaine of Aetna in Sicilia and Vesuvius in Naples both which belch out the inward bowels of the Earth with stones flames fumes and ashes and that in such surie as if it imitated the Giants warre and meant to ouerthrow the God of Heauen and all his Saints to draw the Sunne downe to the Earth and turne the night into day The burning ashes of this hellish Vesuvius as Dion Cassius notes in the time of Titus his Empire were not onely carried to Rome but to Affrica and Aegypt when in the boyling Seas fishes were boyled to death
wicked the sense of the horrible anger of God against their sinnes the most sorrowfull feare confusion flight roaring indignation biting and gnawing of conscience arising from the recordation of their sinnes now laid open to the whole world and with the most direfull thunder of Gods anger inflicted vpon them The wicked perceiuing themselues for euer with the Diuels cast off from God and his horrible wrath powred out vpon them all their turpitude and malice to all the Angels and men demonstrated and all occasions of flying these punishments and mending of their manners in this life intercepted acknowledging godly men enioying with God eternall ioy and glorie to be for euer blessed so all houle and lament for their carnall securitie and final impenitency and amongst these infinite torments of bodie and soule with horrible lamentations eiulations sobbes and sighes and in perpetuall mourning anguishâ— trembling shame ignominie gnashing of teeth and desperation ration shal euery moment in vaine wish that these sorrowes and torments might by death be cut off and they themselues to be redacted into nothing but all this I say in vaine Apoc. 9.6 For Cupient mori mors fugiet ab eis they shall desire to die but death will not be acquainted with them This is eternall damnation this is eternall fire O horrible eternitie whom the consideration of thee may not moue to forsake all euill and follow all that is good I will speake it in a word but I will speake it truly he hath no faith or if any sure he hath no heart or if any sure hee he hath no hope of saluation Close vp this Meditation with a sweet colloquie and speech with God desiring him so to inflame thy heart with a true zeale of seruing him in holinesse and righteousnesse of life that all thy life long thou maist be out of the feare of this eternall death and in the death of thy bodie thou maist enioy the fruit and Crowne of righteousnesse eternall life MEDITATION IIII. Of Coelestiall glorie CAst downe thy self before God and begge of him that he will direct all thy thoughts words and workes to his glorie and thy saluation First cast thy conceit earnestly vpon that description of the holy Citie Apoc. 21. New Hierusalem where is represented to thee a place full of all glory pleasures and excellencies that heart can imagine and all those perdurable and for euer Secondly aske of God to giue thee grace intimously and from the heart to vnderstand the glory of this heauenly countrie and so to be affected and rauished with the desire thereof that euer and euery where thou maist be stirred vp to serue him in purenesse of life and also labour to bring as many to this glorie as thou canst The first point is to consider what kind of place it is that the blessed doe inhabite in site most high in space most ample in matter most sumptuous in shew and beautie most specious and glorious whose foundations are precious stones and the whole Citie of most pure gold the gates of Smaragds and Saphyres and the streets of no lesse price and beautie There is no night nor darknesse for the Sunne of righteousnesse which knowes not to be hid doth euer send his beames into it Now if the fabricke of this world which is but a stable for beasts an exile and valley of teares to men hath so much beautie and excellency that it strikes him that contemplates it into admiration and astonishment and such plentie of good things that no sense can desire more such varietie of beastes fishes fountaines townes cities prouinces disagreeing in institutes manners and lawes such choise of all stones of value gold siluer and exquisite silkes naturall and artificiall if I say this building of so small a frame of the Sunne Moone and Starres shine with such brightnesse what shall then our heauenly countrie doe not now the habitation of seruants but sonnes not of beasts but blessed soules where is the Hall of the great King of Kings the omnipotent God who can and will performe to his beloued children much more then they can conceiue what things will not he frame in his eternall Palace for his sonnes Psal 84.1.2 How amiable are thy dwellings thou Lord of Hostes My soule hath a desire and longing to enter into the Courts of the Lord. What ioy shall that bee when they shall come from the East and from the West from the North and from the South Luc. 13.29 sit at table in the kingdom of God Thou shalt consider what kind of house Gods house is wholly pleasant wholly desirable remoued from all euill replenished with all good in which as Angustine there is a life prepared of God for his friends a secure life a quiet life a beautifull life a cleane life a chast life a holy life a life that knowes not death a life without straitnesse without necessitie without sorrow without auxietie without corruption without perturbation without varietie without mutation a life full of beautie and honour Where as Bernard saith there is nothing present that offends nothing absent that delights How louely a house is this where is perfect loue and no feare eternall day and all one Spirit where God is seene face to face Blessed are all those who so liue in this world that departing hence they may be assured to remoue to so blessed a home Then contemplate that blessed society of most pure minds in their seueral quires described Angels Archangels Principalities Powers Dominions Vertues Thrones Cherubins and Seraphins Whereof there is such a multitude that Daniel saith Dan. 7. Thousand thousands serue him ten hundred thousands assist him Behold with these so many most holy soules of men and women Patriarches Prophets Apostles Martyres Virgins Innocents so many that Iohn said Apoc. 15. They could not be numbred Behold the beautie of euery one and so great charitie that they no lesse reioyce of anothers glorie then their owne Conceiue what is the exercise of the blessed to see God face to face First to know the diuine Essence in three persons Father Sonne and holy Ghost with which knowledge they are so illumined and inflamed that incessantly they sing Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbath Isa 6. In the diuine Essence they know themselues and all things else and do not onely see God but also loue him with a vehement loue a full loue a perfect loue with all the heart and all the strength and in louing they enioy him and in enioying with an inexplicable ioy are rauished No cessation of praises admiration thanksgiuing and ioy which they receiue by the presence of God whom with all reuerence and rest they assist and by that societie of so many Saints with whom they see themselues in glorie in a place so sublime secure and pleasant doe eternally reioyce Consider withall the multitude and fulnesse of those ioyes so many that God can onely number them so great that onely he
all false and diuellish diuinations which the Scripture forbids ought to be farre from all good Christians namely 1. That of the obseruation of the flying of foules Deut. 18.10 2. That of dreames 3. That of forceceries or lots 4. That of Pythonists Leâ—it 19. and diabolicall inspiration 5. That of illusions 1. Sam. 21. and fained apparitions of the diuell Thus if we will wisely consider of the precedent discourse wee shall find many arguments rules and obseruations touching most probable coniectures of Kingdomes ruines and changes and such as the wisest Antiquaries and Sages of all times haue not lightly weighed and cast of the euents of such things in many pregnant and notable particulars answering the ground of the same rules obseruations which are as lights to guide our iudgements the better to conceiue what shall fall out in the changes of Kingdomes and ruines of States though not to diuine of things to come against Gods power and authoritie and also spurres to incite vs to abandon such things as haue euer brought with them the Countries ruines where they were committed that we seeing a fâ—rre off the rod of Gods anger shaken at vs and his sword readie to bee drawne â—ay meete him by a repentance neuer to be repented of And tâ—at we of this Nation for whose good this taske slender as it is was vndertaken may take the profit that was intended by it let vs apply it to our present times and deare countries wherein we liue and take such measure of our selues and times thereby as becommeth honest and vnpartiall Iudges and if we be such as we should be then must wee be such as I wish with all my soule we might bee and that is that we may be but such as may iustly contend with Pagans and Heathens for sinceritie integritie and pietie such as the seuen Ambassadours commended in their seuerall Commonwealthes vnto King Ptolomie Plutar. lib. de Exiliâ— euery one vanting of the vertue of their State by the comparison of three excellent things 1 The Ambassadour of Romes commendations were That their Temples were honoured their Gouernours obeyed their wicked punished What honour is now done to Temples with vs or to the soules of the Temples God and his Ministers is so little that if that little were not in some sinceritie it were nothing the obedience to the spirituall Gouernours so little that none but the little ones and crawling contemptible wormes doe them any albeit the holy Ghost hath giuen a charge to obey them that haue the ouersight of vs Heb. 13.17 and submit to them for they watch for our soules The punishment of little ones and little sinnes is not omitted but great men and grosse offenders who dare touch 2 The Ambassadors of Carthage vanted that their Nobilitie was valiant to fight their Commonaltie to take pains their Philosophers to teach I will leaue the application 3 The Sicilian Ambassador his praises were that their countrie executed Iustice loued Truth and commended Simplicitie 4 The Rhodian Ambassador said that their old men were honest their young men shamefast and their women peaceable 5 The Ambassador of Athens That they consented not that their rich should be partiall their people should be idle their gouernours should be ignorant 6 The Lacedaemonian Ambassador That with them there was no enuie for all were equall no couetousnesse for all was in common no idlenesse for all did labour 7 The Ambassador of Sicyonia iustly gloried in these That they admitted no Strangers inuenters of new toyes that they wanted Phisitions to kill the sicke and Aduocates to make their pleas immortall I will not aduenture to make the comparison nor to lay my square to this building but will leaue the particular application to each religious and iudicious conceit concluding it with the blessed Apostle 1. Cor. 10.15 I speake as to them that haue vnderstanding Iudge you what I say Neverthelesse my hearts desire is and my prayer euermore shall be that England might be such as may truly glorie if not in these morall respects yet in that which is farre better euen that as it hath receiued from God infinite and vnspeakable benefits and deliuerances benefit vpon benefit and deliuerance vpon deliuerance God hauing watched ouer it to doe it good Isa 5. not hauing more blessings to do for his Vine but that he hath done sauing the continuance of the same mercies so it might not onely neuer forget such admirable fauours but also in the sincere profession of the Gospell of eternall peace and holy conuersation such as becomes the glorious Gospel of peace it may out-strippe not onely all Nations of the world 1. Pet. 2.9 but all times future present and past as a chosen generation a royall Priesthood a holy Nation a peculiar people to shew forth the vertues of him that hath called it out of darknesse into this maruellous light That Conuersions and Ruines of Kingdome may be knowne before hand not by Apodicticall and demostratiue necessitie but by Topicall probability WHereof let this be the foundation That there is euer a reall relation of the cause and the effect insomuch that euermore sufficient causes being put there must follow the effect of necessitie Physitions deliuer precepts of Art by which diseases against nature may be cured or eased Why should not then a wise Gouernour of the Re-publique foresee the Sun-setting of a Kingdome why should he not procure the good of it Or if the furie of iniquitie be so great and the streame of impietie so strong that by no wisedome it can be withstood yet why should hee not obtaine so much as a skilful Physition doth who by the decretorie daies and from the cause of the disease doth fore-iudge of the death of a sicke patient in what sort it shall be And albeit that as touching the secrets of the diuine prouidence for the most part they are insearchable for who knowes the minde of the Lord which thing also Reason teacheth vs yet in the meane time by obscure tokens it sometimes sheweth his effects sometimes by prophetical answeres foreshewing the translations of Empires and sometimes by miraculous ostents So saith Iun. quast pol. 5. Before the destruction of Domitian a Crow cried in the Capitoll 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things are well Suetonius So Vultures renting in peeces the young vnfeathered Eagles portended death to Tarquinius Superbus Alex. ab Alexandro 5.12 So Snakes shewed the captiuitie of Croesus Here. dot 1. So in the Citie of Aurenge when the foundations of certaine edifices were laid a propheticall stone was found wherein was written in foure French verses all the calamitie which arose after the destinie of Henrie King of France Tar. Bizarr de Bello Pann So a brasse â—â—ble was found in the riuer by a boy playing in which the miserie and calamitie of the Citie of Swetssons before it came to passe was described Maieri in Annal. fol. 275. But in these things
so shall it deifie you in Heauen for as Augustine saith truely Qui nòn tumet vento superbiae nòn cremabitur igne gehennae He that swels not with the puffe of pride shall neuer bee burnt with the fire of Hell To conclude Let the iudgments of God vpon his own people for these verie sinnes and abused strange customes so largely set forth by that worthie Court-preacher Isay bee Englands Map Esay 3. wherein to beeholde her owne desolation if shee repent not for them Of Contemplation what it is wherein it consists and how worthie a Worke it is for a Prince and also for euerie good Christian. Bernard sath that Contemplation is a lifting vp of the minde resting vpon God and tasting the ioyes of eternall sweetnesse And indeed it is nothing else but as it were a certaine spirituall vision and sight of that Truth which we know and approue ioyned with the prayses of God with most high admiration pleasure of the spirit and ioye of heart For as by the eye of the bodie we see corporall thinges so by the minde which is the eye of the soule wee contemplate heauenly thinges Therefore Contemplation is nothing but the vision and sight of the minde This if it be sober makes vs haue our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Phil. 3.30 our conuersation in Heauen and so to finde an Heauen vpon Earth and to be sure of Heauen whilest wee liue on the Earth Some conceiue that this word Temple is deriued hence because it is a place destinated to contemplation For as wee ought in the Temple of God to recollect all our affections cogitately to meditate and thinke vpon God and his holy mysteries and ordinances so indeede this Contemplation of which wee speake is nothing else but a true and perfect collection of all our affections and powers of the soule to know something with admiration and delight of minde concerning the nature of God namely touching his power his wisedome his goodnesse his loue his nobilitie and bountie c. or touching the hidden iudgments of God or his most holy will or some other excellent obiect by which we bend and direct our selues to God Before wee come to handle the members and parts of Contemplation we wil shew First the difference betwixt Contemplation Meditation and Cogitation Secondly the inducements to Contemplation Thirdly the arguments and tokens of true Contemplation Fourthly the impediments of contemplation First The difference is in that wee shall finde in Cogitation there is an evagation and wandring of the minde in Meditation an investigation of the minde but in Contemplation and Admiration of the mind Cogitation is without labour and without fruit Meditation is with labour and with profit Contemplation is without labour and with profit Greg. lib. 2. in Ezech. Hom. 17 Secondly Those three degrees of which Gregorie speaketh ought to induce vs to the Contemplation of God First That the soule collect it selfe to it selfe Secondly That being collected it may see what an one it is Thirdly That it rise aboue it selfe and doe subiect it selfe intending to the contemplation of the invisible Authour of it selfe But it cannot collect it selfe to it selfe by no meanes except first it learne to driue from the eye of the minde all fancies of Earthly or Heauenly formes and to despise and tread vnder foot whatsoeuer occurres the Cogitation concerning the corporeall eye eare smell tast or touch in as much as he seeks himselfe to be such within as he is without these For when he thinkes of these thinges he doth within himselfe as it were handle certaine shadowes of bodies Therefore all these by the hand of Discretion are to bee driuen from the eye of the minde as much as may bee in as much as the soule considers it selfe to be such as it was created vnder God aboue the bodie Besides the ineffable sweetnesse which is in contemplation perceiued the admirable perfection which is there learned and the beginning of nil happinesse which is there found ought to induce vs therevnto For there the most high GOD the fountaine of all happinesse is knowne and that which is knowne is beloned and that which is beloued is desired and laboured for and that which is carefully laboured for is acquired and when it is at length acquired Ber in Ser. 35. in Can. it is with interminable and endlesse delight possessed such delight as that Bernard saith That the soule which hath once learned and receiued of God to enter into it selfe and in his very inwards to long for the presence of God euer to seek his face for God is a spirit and those that seeke him the must walke in the spirit and not hue after the flesh such a soule I say I know not whether it account it more horrible and painefull to suffer Hell it selfe for a time then after the sweetnesse of this spirituall studie once tasted to goe out againe to the pleasures or rather the grieuances of flesh and to seeke againe the insatiable curiositie of the senses Ecclesiastes saying Eccles 1.8 The eye is not satisfied with seing nor the Eare with hearing Behold a man well experienced Thou art good Oh Lord to them that hope in thee to the soule that seeks thee If any man labour to turne his soule from this good I suppose hee will iudge it no other then if hee saw himselfe thrust out of Paradise and from entrance into glorie This is the same Dauid that answered the Lord bidding him seeke his face Thy face Lord will I seeke Therefore nothing is so much to bee feared of him that hath once receiued this benefit as that being relinquished of that grace he be againe inforced to goe out to the consolations of the flesh nay rather the desolations and againe to suffer the tumults of the carnall senses In this Contemplation was Augustine when he said That whatsoeuer he did in the World displeased him Thirdly The tokens of true Contemplation is to loath any longer to liue in the miserie of this World Thobias 3. with Thobias It is better for me to die then liue with Iob My soule loatheth my life Iob. 10.1 Rom. with Paul Wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death also to thirst after the fountaine of life with the Prophet Psal 41. As the Hart desiros the water-brookes so my soule longeth after thee ô God with all the minde to retaine the loue of God and man to cleaue to the onely desire of his Maker all cares trodden vnderfoot burning in desire to see the face of his Creatour Fourthly The impediments of Contemplation As in the eye of the bodie three thinges doe hinder the sight of if so there are three which doe hinder the sight of the eye of the mind The bodily eye may be sound yet if it want the outward light it sees nothing It may also haue the light present and yet some bloud or humour
labour is not for base and contemptible things but for true honours the Kingdome of God and the vnspeakable glorie thereof Whence it doth manifestly follow that seeing nothing in this world is more abiect then sinne nor any thing of more excellency and magnanimitie then vertue Princes and great ones are much to bee blamed if they suffer themselues to be ouercome of any sinne or doe depart from the more noble life of vertues and contemplation Yet it is to be obserued that this vertue of Magnanimitie is in this world mightily obscured and troden vnder foote by the blindnesse of men For albeit many are by nature magnanimous yet because they make great account of the prosperities and honours of this world forgetting the more sublime and excellent honour of vertue it selfe and chiefely of Fortitude which consists in this That a man doe vanquish himselfe and also forgetting that most high reward which in heauen is prepared for them that giue themselues to a spirituall life Thus whilest they magnifie the things of this world and are with all their hearts and strength occupied in them they disesteem that in which true Magnanimitie consisteth namely Vertue and the contemplation of heauenly things And they hence take a pretext and colour of this their complacency worldly comportment from the common vse and practise of this kinde of life amongst the most high and noble persons who for the most part ire besotted with these sublunarie and base fooleries nor in the meane time doe they obserue that the truly-wise do laugh them to scorne euen as those most high celestiall Princes and all the Courtiers of his Court the least of whom hath a greater regall pompe then al the Caesars Courts of this brittle world which onely is as it were but a little village and yet doth so delude their vnderstandings From this will manifestly arise thus much That in very deed they are most abiect and vnworthie of honour albeit they are held for great in this world who doe not exercise all their powers in the spirituall life and seruice of the most high King and God from whom onely they may obtaine those so excellent benefits which in heart they so much desire It is also euident that Princes and great ones haue a greater Obligation to this vertue of Magnanimitie and to all that proceeds from the same and therefore it may truly be said that for this Obligation and Magnanimitie all doctrine which concernes a spirituall life doth more appertaine to them then to others whose pusillanimitie and weaknesse of minde doth not lift vp themselues to desire and procure so difficult and great matters Surely if it be a base thing for Princes and Great ones to be exercised in gatheting vp the small crummes of Sugar that fall from the ballance much more abiect and base it is to place the minde in the vaine sweetnesse of delights and prosperities of this world seeing hence doth follow not onely obliuion but also the perdition of the most high honour and glory for the which was giuen them that great and generous minde they haue and that mightie power and great place they hold Of all these things that most glorious King of the vniuersall heauenly and earthly Court our Lord Iesus Christ hath giuen a most cleare example who offered his most regall person to innumerable iniuries and afflictions for those wonderfull things of heauen who for the ioy that was set before him endured the Crosse despised the shame Heb. 12.2 and is set at the right hand of the Throne of God who also with a minde truly great and glorious Mat. 4.10.6 despised the Kingdomes of this world when they were offered him Surely I know not by what title or right he will call himselfe an illustrious Lord in this world who spends his life in acquiring the honours of this world seeing he may behold his King to desire death whereby to set him free from the vaineâ— loue of mundane honours and transferre him to heauenly honours Againe I know not how he dare number himselfe amongst great and excellent men who lets fall his heart vpon things so abiect and base seeing in very truth that abiect things are farre distant and vnfit for sublime great and generous spirits This Magnanimitie ought singularly to induce Noble and Heroicke persons neuer to commit sinne seeing sinne is the most abiect vile thing in this world in respect that it is aduersant to the fidelitie they owe to God and vilifieth them in the sight of God and all good men Surely no tongue nor hand of another man can so affect vs with any iniurie as our owne sinnes doe defile and shame vs which we daily commit before God before whom we are euer present This Magnanimitie also must haue this effect in great ones not to feele any aduersitie from whomsoeuer it come seeing it cannot hurt a wise man any further then he will in his minde estimate it But a true magnanimous esteemer of things doth not reckon any thing for any great euill which doth not concerne the soule for all the rest where that is had must be committed to obliuion and where that hath past away it must no more moue vs then that which for the vilitie of it deserues to be committed to forgetfulnesse Vnto all these things which I haue spoken great men and Rulers ought to inuite and moue their subiects by all possible meanes and that for many reasons First for that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords did so Secondly for that chiefely euen for this cause principalitie and power is giuen vnto them in the earth seeing all good gouernment is to this end disposed of God vnto which good gouernement they stand obliged Thirdly for that vnto great men is due a great and excellent societie which cannot bee vnlesse their people be godly and vertuous Furthermore amongst all men vertue and good life is most glorious which things of a suretie no Preacher can with so great facilitie and such felicitie plant in any Region or Kingdome as those that gouerne it if they would marke and do the things wee houe declared and those that will not so doe but thinke that the studie of vertue religion and contemplation are vnsutable for Princes and great persons I may say as the blessed Apostle saith That they are worse then Infidels For as the soule and spirituall life is by so much more louely by how much the whole world with the riches thereof is to be preferred before a basket of dung as our Lord taught vs who led a life full of calamities and died a death full of sorrowes and ignominies teaching vs to liue a spirituall life and little to esteeme of this corporall so those that are greatest amongst men ought to chuse and bee exercised in the greatest and best things that is in consummating a spirituall and heauenly life contemning the vaine glory of this world as a thing most vnworthie of a generous
acceptable And thou shalt be gentle if thou be neither litigious nor froward nor a wrangler in any thing if neither thou doe too sharply oppose thy selfe against the anger of them with whom thou hast to doe albeit they be angrie without cause but so farre giue place to the fierce till their mindes being composed and setled thou shalt chastise them 56 Handle not serious occasions in ridiculous thinges nor in serious thinges follow sportes for whatsoeuer is intempestiue is euery where vnsavourie 57 Place not thy benefits beyond deserts which chanceth vnto the vulgar sort which that they may doe yet vnwilling doe helpe their friends 58 Be not quarrellous for it is a grievous thing nor take a pleasure in reprouing for this begets anger 59 Chiefly shunne the occasion of drinking but if the time require it rise before thou bee drunke Fore the minde oppressed with drunkennesse is not vnlike the Chariot that hath cast her driuer for as it is violently carried headlong destitute of a guide so the minde when the power of reason is corrupt doth often impinge and dash against the rocke 60 Expresse the condition of the immortall by moderately enioying thinges gotten 61 Thinke dexteritie in doing things so much to excell vnskilfulnesse by how much as all men who follow other advantages and short courses doe wickedly but besides also runne into losse instituting any thing vnluckily for often whom they haue in wordes offended to them they doe indeede pay punishment 62 See thou thinke and speake Honourably amongst such as are the messingers betwixt you of such as thou wouldest make thy friends for praise is a signe of friendshippe dispraise of grudge 63 When thou shalt take counsaile make cases past the examples of future thinges for whatsoeuer is obscure shall most spedily be knowne by that which is manifest 64 Slowly consult but the thinges thou haft once determined speedily execute 65 Thinke that the greatest gift wee haue from God is prosperitie and from our selues Prudence 66 The thinges thou fearest franckly to professe and yet wouldest communicate them with some friend see thou frame thy speech as of some other thing for so shalt thou both know their opinion and shalt not openly beare thy selfe 67 If thou wilt consult with any of thinges belonging to thy selfe first consider how he hath managed his owne affaires for hee that hath not handled his owne businesse prudently will scarce euer conceiue well of other mens 68 So shalt thou bee much inflamed to take counsaile if thou obseruest what calamities Temeritie and Rashnesse bringes forth So haue wee the chiefest care of our health as often as wee call to minde the sorrowes that sicknesse brought vs. 69 Imitate the manners of Kinges and follow their studies for so shalt thou seeme both to approoue and aemulate them In which respectt thou shalt bee commended with the vulgar and also obtain the more constant fauor of Kings 70 Obey the Lawes made by Kinges whose manners are to be had in esteeme for most strong lawes For as hee that liues in a popular State must obserue the people so who liues vnder a Monarchie ought to haue the King in admiration 71 Hauing obtained Magistracie vse no man that is of knowne improbitie in the administration of things for whatsoeuer fault he committeth shall be ascribed to thee 72 Depart froÌ„ publike offices more glorious not more rich for to be praised of the vulgar is more woth theÌ„ great riches 73 Neyther thrust thy selfe into a wicked businesse nor yet patronize it for thou shalt be thought to commit such things thy selfe as thou doest fauour others committing them 74 So behaue thy selfe that thou maist receiue more then iust yet content to haue born that is equal that they may see thee follow iustice not because thou canst not but because equity doth so require 75 Preferre iust pouertie before riches vniustly gotten for iustice doth so much excell riches by how much as these onely helpe the liuing but that begets glory euen to the dead The vse of these is common to the wicked but it is denied the wicked to come neere that 76 Imitate no man that vseth ill acts but rather embrace those that suffer detriment in a iust cause for the iust man albeit in nothing else yet in a good life excels the vniust 77 Be busily imployed in the things that belong to the life of all men yet chiefely adorne thy wit by exercise for in the least things viz. in mans little bodie a good minde is the greatest thing 78 Striue earnestly thus farre That thy bodie may be desirous of labour and thy minde of learning that by this thou maist execute what thou determinest and by that fore-see what is fitting 79 Whatsoeuer thou wilt speake ponder first with thy selfe because many mens tongues runnes before their wits 80 Thinke that no humane thing is perpetuall or stable so shalt thou neither be transported with ioy in prosperitie nor cast downe with sorrowes when fortune plaies the step-mother 81 Propose vnto thy selfe two times of speaking the one of things well knowne to thee the other of necessary things For in these onely it is better to speake then be silent in others much better to haue beene silent then to haue spoken 82 If any good befall thee it is lawfull to reioyce if euill things thou must moderately sorrow 83 Take heede thou do not vtter thy selfe to others albeit in another mans businesse for it is absurd to keepe thy treatures shut vp at home and in publike to haue thy opinion disclosed 84 Feare infamie more then danger for ignorance ought to be no lesse fearefull to the good thâ—â— death to the wicked 85. Chiefely chuse to thyselfe a secure life but if at any time thou bee brought into danger demand thy safetie from high not with spotted fame but with excellent glory Surely fatall necessitie hath proposed to all men once to die but honestly to depart from this life is from Nature granted vnto good men by a certaine priuiledge Nor ought it to seeme strange to thee if of these aforesaid some doe lesse agree to thy present age for I am not ignorant of that seeing I had a purpose in the same worke to draw forth counsailes for thy present life and to leaue documents for time to come The vse whereof as thou maist easily learne yet thou shalt hardly finde such as from the heart will so counsaile thee Therefore least thou shouldest desire the rest of some other men but mightest from hence as from a storehouse draw them I haue thought it my dutie to omit nothing whereby I might giue thee counsaile Surely I shall think I haue receiued a great fauour from God if I faile not of that opinion I haue conceiued of thee For euen as wee see many more affected with dainties then wholesome meats so there are that rather apply themselues to their friends infected with the same contagion of vices then to such as doe rightly