saith are matter of scandall to Christians eyes those eye-sores which wound the inward man with the sting of anguish Now what receit better or more soveraigne to cure this malady than to take away the cause which begets this infirmity And what may wee suppose the cause to be but the complacency of the flesh when wee labour to satisfie our desires and give easie reines to our affections For the flesh while shee is obedient becomes a servant to the soule shee governeth the other is governed this commandeth that is commanded but having once begun to usurpe shee will scarcely ever become a faithfull and loyall subject What necessity then is there injoyned us to stand upon our guard when we have a Tarpeia within our gates ready to betray us to our professed enemy With what continuall and incessant labour ought wee to imploy our selves that this untamed Iebusitâ— might bee so tired and wearied that all inordinate motions might bee extinguished which by sloth and want of imployment are ever cherished Let us then embrace Continence and by power of so good a spirit dispossesse the bad Let us not entertaine those dangerous motives to sinne which like a Snake in the bosome will wound us to death And what bee those motives Wanton thoughts and wanton words which corrupt mens manners with wicked workes It is a sure note and worthy observance Whensoever any thought is suggested to you which tasteth of evill make the doore of your heart fast lest you give actuall possession to the Divell Wanton words likewise are dangerous motives to incontinence the habit whereof being once attained will hardly be relinquished So as Speech which Democritus cals the image of life being exercised in scurrility seemes to deface that Image by laying on it the darke and sable colour of death For as muddy water is an argument that the fountaine is troubled so filthy words are witnesses that the heart is corrupted A good Tree brings forth good fruit a pure Spring cleare water and an uncorrupt heart words tending to the edification of the hearer Now hee who useth his tongue to filthy communication incurres a threefold offence First in dishonouring God Secondly in sinning against his own soule Thirdly in ministring matter of scandall or offence to his brother How necessary is it then to keepe a watch upon our mouth and a gate of circumstance unto our lips that we offend not with our tongue which like the poisonous Adder stings even unto death wounding the soule with an incurable dart Neither doe I speaking of wantonnesse onely restraine my discourse to incontinence but to whatsoever else may properly tend to the complacency or indulgence of the flesh as to tender obedience to her in the desire of luscious and lascivious meats or the like including all such as turne the grace of God to wantonnesse making a profession of faith but denying the power thereof in their life and conversation Thirdly Pride that Luciferian sinne whose airie thoughts are ever mounting must be subdued by the spirit of humility We would hold it to be no faithfull part of a subject to make choice of no livery but his who is a profest foe to his Soveraigne And what I pray you doe we when we attire our selves in the habiliments of Pride not onely outwardly in gorgeous apparell choicest perfumes and powdred lockes but likewise inwardly in putting on the spirit of Pride attended by scornefull respects disdainfull eyes and haughty lookes Can wee bee truly termed Subjects May wee wearing the Divels crest partake of the seamelesse coat of Christ May we expect a Crowne after death that oppose him who wore a thorny Crowne to crowne us after death No as the Souldier is knowne by his Colours the Servant by his Cognizance the Sheepe by his marke and coine by the stampe so shall we bee knowne by our Colours if wee be Christs Souldiers by our Crest or Cognizance if his followers by our marke if his Sheepe and Lambkins by our stampe or superscription if his Coine or Sterling O know how much wee are the humbler by so much to our Beloved are we the liker Let us resemble him then in all humility that afterwards wee may reigne with him in glory Lastly that wee may become conformable unto him whose Image wee have received wee are to learne of the blessed Apostle in all things to bee contented Content saith the Proverbe is worth a Crowne but many Crownes come farre short of this content Now to propose a rule how this Content may be acquired were a Lesson well worthy our learning which I could wish might bee as soone learned as proposed for Content briefly consists in these two To bee free from desiring what wee have not to bee free from fearing to lose what wee already have Now hee who seeth nothing in the world worthy desiring cannot choose but be free from feare of losing being so indifferent touching the world or whatsoever else hee hath in enjoying For he that neither hath nor seeth ought in the world which he esteemes worthy his love enjoyeth nought but hee can willingly bee content to leave for no man feareth the losse of that which he doth not love But to draw neerer a point these two passions or affections of desire and feare desire of having more than wee have feare of losing what wee already have may be properly said to have a threefold respect To the goods or endowments of the Minde of the Body and of Fortune For the first Plato in his Timaeo saith If a man lose his eyes or feet or hands or wealth we may say of such an one hee looseth something but hee who loseth his heart and reason loseth all For in the wombe of our Mother the first thing which is ingendred or participates forme is the heart and the last which dieth is the same heart So as properly it may be called Reasons Treasurie or store-house where those divine graces are seated which conferre the best beauty to man giving him a note of distinction from other creatures the more to dignifie man For howsoever all creatures have hearts yet only to man is given an understanding heart Other creatures have hearts indeed sensible of present paine but they cannot recall to minde what is past or probably collect by what is past the seasons of times or issues of affaires likely to ensue In the heart of man there is the reasonable power with which hee governeth himselfe the irascible power with which he defendeth himselfe and concupiscible by which he provideth for things necessary to releeve himselfe Now admit wee were deprived of that principall blessing the intellectuall part so as like raving and raging Orostes we were forced to take many blinde by-paths wanting the means of direction by reason of our wofull distraction and crying out with Octavia in Seneca O to the spirits below that I were sent For death were easie to this punishment Admit I say all
wipe their mouthes as if they were innocent but behold this Haman-policy shall make them spectacles of finall misery wishing many times they had been lesse wise in the opinion of the world so they had relished of that divine wisdome which makes man truly happy in another world even that wisdome I say who hath built an everlasting foundation with men and shall continue with their seed neither can this divine wisdome chuse but bee fruitfull standing on so firme a root or the branches dry receiving life and heat from so faire a root Now to describe the beauty of her branches springing from so firme a root with the solidity of her root diffusing pith to her branches The root of wisdome saith the wise Son of Sirach is to feare the Lord and the branches thereof are long life This feare where it takes root suffers no wordly feare to take place Many worldlings become wretched onely through feare lest they should bee wretched and many die onely through feare lest they should dy but with these who are grounded in the feare of the Lord they neither feare death being assured that it imposeth an end to their misery nor the miseries of this present life being ever affied on the trust of GODS mercy How constantly zealously and gloriously many devout men have died and upon the very instant of their dissolution expostulated with their owne soules reproving in themselves their unwillingnesse to die may appeare by the examples of such whose lives as they were to GOD right pleasing so were their soules no lesse precious in their departing upon some whereof though I have formerly insisted yet in respect that such memorable patternes of sanctity cannot be too often represented I thought good purposely as usually I have done in all the Series of this present Discourse where any remarkeable thing was related to have it in divers places repeated to exemplifie this noble resolution or contempt of death in the proofe and practice of some one or two blessed Saints and Servants of God Ierome writeth of Hilarion that being ready to give up the ghost hee said thus to his soule Goe forth my soule why fearest thou Goe forth why tremblest thou Thou hast served Christ almost these threescore ten yeares and doest thou now feare death Saint Ambrose when hee was ready to die speaking to Stillico and others about his bed I have not lived so among you saith hee that I am ashamed to live longer to please God and yet againe I am not afraid to die because wee have a good Lord. The reverend Bede whom wee may more easily admire than sufficiently praise for his profound learning in a most barbarous age when all good literature was in contempt being in the pangs of death said to the standers by I have so lived among you that I am not ashamed of my life neither feare I to die because I have a most gracious Redeemer Hee yeelded up his life with this prayer for the Church O King of glory Lord of Hostes which hast triumphantly ascended into heaven leave us not fatherlesse but send the promised Spirit of thy truth amongst us These last funerall Teares or dying mens Hymnes I have the rather renued to your memory that they might have the longer impression being uttered by dying men at the point of their dissolution And I know right well for experience hath informed me sufficiently therein that the words of dying men are precious even to strangers but when the voice of one wee love and with whom wee did familiarly live cals to us from the Death-bed O what a conflict doe his words raise How strongly do griefe and affection strive to inclose them knowing that in a short space that tongue the organs whereof yet speak and move attention by their friendly accents was to bee eternally tied up in silence nor should the sound of his words salute our cares any more And certainly the resolution of a devout dying man being upon the point of his dissolution cannot but bee an especiall motive to the hearer of Mortification Which was one cause even among the heathens of erecting Statues Obelisks or Monuments upon the Dead that eying the Sepulchers of such noble and heroick men as had their honour laid in the dust they might likewise understand that neither resolution of spirit nor puissance of body could free them from the common verdict of mortality which begot in many of them a wonderfull contempt of the world Albeit it is to bee understood that Christians doe contemne the world much otherwise than Pagans for ambition is a guide to these but the love of God unto them Diogenes trod upon Plato's pride with much greater selfe-pride but the Christian with patience and humility surmounteth and subdueth all wordly pride being of nothing so carefull as lest hee should taste the Lotium of earthly delights and so become forgetfull with Vlysses companions of his native Countrey Meane time he sojournes in the world not as a Citizen but as a Guest yea as an Exile But to returne to our present discourse now in hand in this quest after that soveraigne or supreme end whereto all Actuall Perfection aspireth and wherein it resteth wee are to consider three things 1. What is to bee sought 2. Where it is to be sought 3. When it is to be sought For the first wee are to understand that wee are to seeke onely for that the acquisition whereof is no sooner attained than the minde whose flight is above the pitch of frailty is fully satisfied Now that is a blessed life when what is best is effected and enjoyed for there can bee no true rest to the minde in desiring but partaking what she desireth What is it then that wee seeke To drinke of the water of life where our thirst may bee so satisfied as it never be renued our desires so fulfilled as never higher or further extended Hee that hath once tasted of the fountaine named Clitorius fons and choice is the taste of such a fountaine will never drinke any wine no wine mixed with the dregs of vanity no wine drawne from the lees of vaine-glory the reason is hee reserves his taste for that new wine which hee is to drinke in his Fathers kingdome And what kingdome The Kingdome of heaven a kingdome most happy a kingdome wanting death and without end enjoyng a life that admits no end And what life A life vitall a life sempiternall and sempiternally joyfull And what joy A joy without sorrowing rest without labouring dignity without trembling wealth without losing health without languishing abundance without failing life without dying perpetuity without corrupting blessednesse without afflicting where the sight vision of God is seene face to face And what God God the sole sufficient summary supreme good that good which we require alone that God who is good alone And what good The Trinity of the divine persons is
where wee are to seeke Where in Heaven the house of God the Citie of the great King the inheritance of the just the portion of the faithfull the glory of Sion Where not without us but within us for the Kingdome of God is within us So as I may say to every faithfull soule Intus habes quod quaeris That is within thee which is sought of thee It is God thou seekest and him thou possessest thy heart longeth after him and right sure thou art of him for his delight is to bee with those that love him Lastly when on Earth when in this life when while wee are in health while wee are in these Tabernacles of clay while wee carry about us these earthly vessels while wee are clothed with flesh before the evill day come or the night approach or the shadow of death encompasse us now in the opportunate time the time of grace the time of redemption the appointed time while our peace may bee made not to deferre from youth to age lest wee bee prevented by death before wee come to age but so to live every day as if wee were to dye every day that at last wee may live with him who is the length of daies What remaineth then but that wee conclude the whole Series or progresse of this Discourse with an exhortation to counsell you an instruction to caution you closing both in one Conclusion to perswade you to put in daily practice what already hath beene tendred to you Now Gentlemen that I may take a friendly farewell of you I am to exhort you to a course Vertuous which among good men is ever held most Generous Let not O let not the pleasures of sinne for a season withdraw your mindes from that exceeding great weight of glory kept in store for the faithfull after their passage from this vale of misery Often call to minde the riches of that Kingdome after which you seeke those fresh Pastures fragrant Medows and redolent Fields diapred and embrodered with sweetest and choicest flowers those blessed Citizens heavenly Saints and Servants of God who served him here on Earth faithfully and now raigne with him triumphantly Let your Hearts bee exditers of a good matter and your voices viols to this heavenly measure O how glorious things are spoken of thee thou Citie of God as the habitation of all that rejoyce is in thee Thou art founded on the exaltation of the whole Earth There is in thee neither old-age nor the miserie of old-age There is in thee neither maime nor lame nor crooked nor deformed seeing all attaine to the perfect man to that measure of age or fulnesse of Christ. Who would not become humble Petitioner before the Throne of grace to bee made partaker of such an exceeding weight of glory Secondly to instruct you where this Crowne of righteousnesse is to bee sought it is to bee sought in the house of God in the Temple of the Lord in the Sanctuary of the most High O doe not hold it any derogation to you to bee servants yea servants of the lowest ranke even Doore-keepers in the House of the Lord Constantine the Great gloried more in being a member of the Church than the Head of an Empire O then let it bee your greatest glory to advance his glory who will make you vessels of glory But know that to obey the deligths of the flesh to divide your portion among Harlots to drinke till the wine grow red to make your life a continued revell is not the way to obtaine this crowne Tribulation must goe before Consolation you must clime up to the Crosse before you receive this Crowne The Israelites were to passe thorow a Desart before they came to Canaan This Desart is the world Canaan heaven O who would not bee here afflicted that hee may bee there comforted Who would not be here crossed that hee may bee there crowned Who would not with patience passe thorow this Desart onely in hope to come to Canaan Canaan the inheritance of the just Canaan the lot of the righteous Canaan a fat Land flowing with milke and honey Canaan an habitation of the most holy Canaan a place promised to Abraham Canaan the bosome of Father Abraham even Heaven but not the heaven of heaven to which even the earth it selfe is the very Empyraean heaven for this is heaven of heaven to the Lord because knowne to none but to the Lord. Thirdly and lastly that I may conclude and concluding perswade you neglect not this opportunate time of grace that is now offered you I know well that Gentlemen of your ranke cannot want such witty Consorts as will labour by their pleasant conceits to remove from you the remembrance of the evill day but esteeme not those conceits for good which strive to estrange from your conceit the chiefest good Let it bee your task every day to provide your selves against the evill day so shall not the evill day when it commeth affright you nor the terrours of death prevaile against you nor the last summons perplex you nor the burning Lake consume you O what sharpe extreme and insuperable taskes would those wofull tormented soules take upon them if they might bee freed but one houre from those horrours which they see those tortures which they feele O then while time is graunted you omit no time neglect no opportunity Bee instant in season and out of season holding on in the race which is set before you and persevering in every good work even unto the end Because they that continue unto the end shall bee saved What is this life but a minute and lesse than a minute in respect of eternity Yet if this minute bee well imployed it will bring you to the fruition of eternity Short and momentany are the afflictions of this life yet supported with Patience and subdued with long sufferance they crowne the sufferer with glory endlesse Short likewise are the pleasures of this life which as they are of short continuance so bring they forth no other fruit than the bitter pils of repentance whereas in heaven there are pleasures for evermore comforts for evermore joyes for evermore no carnall but cordiall joy no laughter of the body but of the heart for though the righteous sorrow their sorrow ends when they end but joy shall come upon them without end O meditate of these in your beds and in your fields when you are journeying on the way and when you are so journing in your houses where compare your Court-dalliance with these pleasures and you shall finde all your rioting triumphs and revelling to bee rather occasions of sorrowing than solacing mourning than rejoycing Bathe you in your Stoves or repose you in your Arbours these cannot allay the least pang of an afflicted conscience O then so live every day as you may die to sin every day that as you are ennobled by your descent on earth
a kinde of frenzy it admires that now which it will laugh at hereafter when brought to better temper Civility is never out of fashion it ever reteines such a seemely garbe as it conferres a grace on the wearer and enforceth admiration in the beholder Age cannot deface it contempt disgrace it nor gravity of judgement which is ever held a serious Censor disapprove it Bee thus minded and this Complement in you will bee purely refined You have singular patternes to imitate represent them in your lives imitate them in your loves The Corruption of the age let it seize on ignoble spirits whose education as it never equall'd yours so let them strike short of those nobler indowments of yours labour daily to become improved honour her that will make you honoured let vertue be your crowne who holds vanity a crime So may you shew holinesse in your life enjoy happinesse at your death and leave examples of goodnesse unto others both in life and death COurts and eminent places are held fittest Schooles for Complement There the Cinnamon tree comes to best growth there her barke gives sweetest sent Choice and select fashions are there in onely request which oft-times like those Ephemera expire after one dayes continuance whatsoever is vulgar is thence exploded whatsoever novell generally applauded Here bee weekely Lectures of new Complements which receive such acceptation and leave behinde them that impression as what garbe soever they see used in Court publikely is put in present practise privately lest discontinuance should blemish so deserving a quality The Courts glosse may bee compared to glasse bright but brittle where Courtiers saith one are like Counters which sometime in account goe for a thousand pound and presently before the Count bee cast but for a single penny This too eager affection after Complement becomes the consumption of many large hereditaments Whereto it may bee probably objected That even discretion injoynes every one to accommodate himselfe to the fashion or condition of that place wherein hee lives To which Objection I easily condescend for should a rusticke or boorish Behaviour accompany one who betakes himselfe to the Court hee might bee sure to finde a Controuler in every corner to reprove him or some complete Gallant or other pittifully to geere and deride him But to dote so on fashion as to admire nothing more then a phantasticke dressing or some anticke Complement which the corruption of an effeminate State hath brought in derogates more from discretion then the strict observance of any fashion addes to her repute This place should bee the Beacon of the State whose mounting Prospect surveyes these inferiour coasts which pay homage and fealty unto her The least obliquity there is exemplary elsewhere Piercing'st judgements as well as pregnant'st wits should bee there resident Not a wandring or indisposed haire but gives occasion of observance to such as are neere How requisite then is it for you whose Nobler descents promise yea exact more of you then inferiours to expresse your selves best in these best discerning and deserving places You are women modesty makes you completest you are Noblewomen desert accompanying your descent will make you noblest You may and conveniency requires it reteine a Courtly garbe reserve a well seeming State and shew your selves lively Emblemes of that place wherein you live You may entertaine discourse to allay the irkesomenesse of a tedious houre bestow your selves in other pleasing recreations which may no lesse refresh the mind then they conferre vigour and vivacity to the body You may be eminent starres and expresse your glory in the resplendent beames of your vertues so you suffer no blacke cloud of infamy to darken your precious names Shee was a Princely Christian Courtier who never approached the Court but shee meditated of the Court of heaven never consorted with her Courtiers but shee contemplated those Citizens of heaven nor ever entred the Presence-Chamber but shee thought of the presence of her Maker the King of heaven And how shee was never conscious of that thought which redounded not to her Subjects honour which shee preferred next to the love of her Maker before the fruition of an Empire Such Meditations are receits to cure all inordinate motions Your Lives should be the lines to measure others Actions Vertue is gracious in every subject but most in that which the Prince or Princesse hath made gracious Anciently the World was divided into three parts whereof Europe was held the soule properly every Politike State may be divided into three Cantons whereof the Court is the Sunne You are Objects to many Eyes be your actions platformes to many lives I can by no meanes approve that wooing and winning Complement though most Courts too generally affect it which makes her sole Object purchase of Servants or Suitors This garbe tastes more of Curtezan then Courtier it begets Corrivals whose fatall Duello's end usually in blood Our owne State hath sometimes felt the misery of these tragicke events by suffering the losse of many generous and free-bred Sparkes who had not their Torches beene extinguished in their blood might to this day have survived to their Countries joy and their owne same So great is the danger that lyes hid in affable Complements promising aspects affectionate glances as they leave those who presumed of their owne strength holding themselves invulnerable many times labouring of wounds incurable Be you no such Basilisks never promise a calme in your face where you threaten a storme in your heart Appeare what you are lest Censure taxe you of inconstancy by saying you are not what you were An open countenance and restrained bosome sort not well together Sute your discourse to your action both to a modest dispose of your affection Throw abroad no loose Lures wandring eyes strayed lookes these delude the Spectators much but the Actors most A just revengeâ— by striving to take in others they are taken by others How dangerous doe we hold it to be in a time of infection to take up any thing be it never so precious which wee find lost in the street One of your loose lookes be it darted with never so Complementall a state is farre more infectious and mortally dangerous There is nothing that sounds more cheerefully to the eare or leaves a sweeter accent nothing that conveyes it selfe more speedily to the heart or affords fuller content for the time then conceit of love It will immaze a perplexed wretch in a thousand extremes whose amazed thoughts stand so deepely ingaged to the Object of his affection as hee will sustaine any labour in hope of a trifling favour Such soveraignty beauty reteines which if discretion temper not begets such an height of conceit in the party beloved as it were hard to say whether the Agent or Patient suffer more To you let me returne who stand fixed in so high an Orbe as a gracefull Majesty well becomes you so let modesty grace that Majesty that demeaning your selves like Complete
begin with short flights till weathring bring them to endure longer Pigmalions image received not life in all parts at once first it took warmth after that vitall motion Is love coole in you let a kindly warmth heat that coldnesse Is Love dull in you let a lively agility quicken that dulnesse Is love coy in you let a lovely affability supple that coynesse So in short time you may have a full rellish of loves sweetnesse Now wee come to the attemperament of these wherein wee are to extract out of grosser metals some pure Oare which wee must refine before it can give any true beauty to this specious palace of love Draw neare then and attend to what of necessity you must observe if ever you meane to deserve HER love whom you are in Civility bound to serve In Sicilia there is a fountaine called Fons Solis out of which at Mid-day when the Sun is nearest floweth cold water at Midnight when the Sunne is farthest off floweth hot water This should bee the lively Embleme of your state Gentlewomen who now after those cooler vapours of your frozen affection dispersed those lumpish and indisposed humors dispelled and those queasie risings of your seeming coynesse dispossessed have felt that chaste amorous fire burne in you which will make you of shamefaste Maids modest Matrons When the heat of passion is at Mid-day I meane his full height with those to whom faith hath engag'd you and love before the hostage of that faith confirm'd you then are you to resemble the quality of that fountaine by flowing with cold water of discretion and sweet temper to allay that heat lest it weaken those you love by giving way to passion which patience cannot chuse but loath Againe when heat is farthest off and providence begins to labour of a lethargy when servants remit their care neglect their charge and the whole family grow out of order through the coldnesse of a remisse Master resemble then that fountaine by flowing with hot water win and weane these whom love and loyalty have made yours with warme conjugall teares to compassionate their neglected estate and by timely prevention to avert the fate of improvident husbands Or thus if you please may you make your selves gracious Emblemes of that fountaine Doth the Sun shine at Mid-day and in his fullest height on you Do the beams of prosperity reflect brightly on you Flow with cold water allay this your heat and height of prosperity with some cooling thoughts of adversity lest prosperity make you forget both the Author of it and in the end how to bestow it Againe doth the Sunne shine farthest off you Doth not one small beameling of prosperous successe cheere you Flow with hot water vanquish adversity with resolution of temper Desist not from labour because fortune seconds not your endevour To conclude as your wild fancy if you were ever surpriz'd of any is now rectifi'd your coolenesse heatned your coynesse banished so conforme your selves to them whom one heart hath made one with you as no cloud of adversity may looke so blacke no beame of prosperity shine so cleare wherin you may not with an equall embrace of both estates beare your share THE ENGLISH GENTLEVVOMAN Argument Gentility is derived from our Ancestors to us but soone blanched if not revived by us Vertue the best Coat A shamefaste red the best colour to deblazon that Coat Gentility is not knowne by what we weare but what we are There are native seeds of goodnesse sowne in generous bloods by lineall succession How these may bee ripened by instruction GENTILITY GENTILITY consists not so much in a lineall deblazon of Armes as personall expression of vertues Yea there is no Ornament like vertue to give true beauty to descent What is it to be descended great to retein the priviledge of our blood to bee ranked highest in an Heralds booke when our lives cannot adde one line to the memorable records of our Ancestors There should bee no day without a line if wee desire to preserve in us the honour of our Line Those Odours then deserve highest honours that beautifie us living and preserve our memory dying Should wee call to mind all those our Ancestors who for so many preceding ages have gone before us and whose memory now sleeps in the dust wee should perchance finde in every one of them some eminent quality or other if a true survey of their deserving actions could bee made knowne unto us yea wee should understand that many of them held it their highest grace to imitate their Predecessors in some excellent vertue the practice whereof they esteemed more prayse-worthy than the bare title of Gentility Now what just reproofe might wee deserve if neither those patternes which our Ancestors had nor the vertuous examples of our Ancestors themselves can perswade us to be their followers Their blood streames through our veynes why should not their vertues shine in our lives Their mortality wee carry about with us but that which made them immortally happy wee reteine not in us Their Gentility wee clayme the priviledges they had by it wee reteine Meane time where is that in us that may truly Gentilize us and designe us theirs What a poore thing is it to boast of that our blood is nobler our descent higher Tell me can any one prescribe before Adam And what shall hee finde in that first Ancestor of his but red clay The matter whereof hee was made it was no better nor can wee suppose our mortar to bee purer Hee most emphatically described our Genealogy who cryed Earth Earth Earth Earth by Creation Condition Dissolution No lesse fully understood hee the quality of his Composition with the root from whence hee tooke his beginning who called Earth his Mother Wormes his Brethren and Sisters His kinsfolkes hee could not much boast of they were such inferiour Creatures no Strutters in the street but despicable Creepers Let me now reflect upon you Gentlewomen whose generous birth should bee adorned with vertuous worth and so make you moving Objects of imitation both in life and death Are you nobly descended Ennoble that descent with true desert Doe not thinke that the privilege of greatnesse can bee any subterfuge to guiltinesse Your more ascending honour requires more than a Common lustre In places of publike resort you challenge precedency and it is granted you Shall the highest place have the least inward grace No let not a word fall from you that may unbeseeme you Others are silent when you discourse let it bee worth their attention lest a presumption of your owne worth draw you into some frivolous excursion There is not an accent which you utter a sentence you deliver any motion in your carriage or gesture which others eye not and eying assume not Your retinue is great your family gracious your actions should bee the life of the one and line of direction to the other To see a light Lady descending from a noble
But me thinkes we decline rather to Knowledge than Action let us therefore presse this point a little further and returne to where we left During that prosperous and successive time of victorious Sylla Pompâ—y the great then a young man and serving under him received such seasoning from his military discipline as made him afterwards chosen amongst so many brave Spirits to try the hazards of fortune with the victorious Caesar. Nor was his judgement inferiour if we may build on the credit of History to his potent Adversary though Fortune made him her Slave tryumphing no lesse in the quest of his death than view of his conquest Themistocles whose name as wee have oft repeated so in all Records worthily renowned having been trained from his Infancy in the discipline of warre became so affected and withall so opinionate in himselfe of Martiall affaires as being moved on a time at a publike feast to play upon the Lute answered I cannot fiddle but I can make a small Towne a great Citie See what long use in experiments of warre had brought a Noble Souldier to His actions were for the publike state his aimes not to delight himselfe or others with the effeminate sound of the Lute but to strike terrour in his foe with his sharp pointed Launce Now what should we thinke of these whose more erected minds are removed from the refuse and rubbish of earth which our base Groundlins so much toyle for but that their thoughts are sphered above the Orbe of feare Death cannot amate them imminent peril deterre them disadvantage of place or inequality of power discourage them this is their Canto and they sing it cheerfully The onely health what 's ever doe befall That we expect is for no health at all This might be confirmed by sundry Histories of serious consequence especially in those memorable Sieges of Rhodes Belgrade Vienna and many other where the resolution of their Governours sleighted the affronts of that grand Enemy of Christendome the Turke and by their valour purchased to themselves both safety and Honour Thus farre have we proceeded in our discourse of Education which we have sufficiently proved to be a Seasoner of Action as well as of Speech or knowledge Neither in actions military onely but in all Manual Arts practised in Rome during her glorious and flourishing State from which even many ancient Families received their name beginning and being As the Figuli from the Potters the Vitrei from the Glaziars the Ligulae from the Pointers the Pictores from the Painters the Pistores from the Bakers All which as wee may reade in most of the Roman Authors had applyed themselves even in the first grounds of their Education to these Arts wherein they grew so excellent as they inriched their posterity by their carefull industry But to speake truly of Action as it is generally taken neither Speech nor Knowledge of which wee have heretofore spoken can well want it Wherefore Demosthenes defining the principall part of an Oration said it was Action the second the Same the third no other than Action Isocrates for lack of a good voyce otherwise called the father of Eloquence never pleaded publikely And Cicero saith some men are diserti viri but for lack of Action or rather untowardnesse habiti sunt infantes Whence it is that Sextus Philosophus saith our Body is Imago animi For the Mind is ever in action it resteth not but is ever lâ—bouring plotting or contriving addressing it selfe ever to imployment The like affinity hath Action with knowledge which is not reduced to Action Whence it is that many too many heaven knows bury their knowledge in the grave of obscurity reaping content in being knowne to themselves without communicating their Talent to others But this is hiding of their Talent in a Napkin putting their Candle under a Bushell resembling the envious spitefull man who wil not open his mouth to direct the poore Passenger in his way or suffer his neighbour to light his candle at his for both imply one thing as the Poet excellently singeth Who sets the trav'ller in his journey right Doth with his candle give his neighbour light Yet shines his candle still and doth bestow Light on himselfe and on his neighbour too For this burying or suppressing of knowledge it may be aptly compared to the rich Miser whose best of having is onely possessing for that Communicative good hee knowes not but admires so much the Golden Number as he preferres it before the Numbring of this dayes Yea as it is much better not to have possessed than to mis-imploy that whereof wee were possessed so is he in a happier case who never knew any thing than such a Man who knew much yet never made a Communicative or edifying use of his Knowledge As may appeare by the Parable of the Talents The Contemplative part indeed affords infinite content to the Spirituall man whose more erected thoughts are not engaged to the Meditations of earth but are spheared in a higher Orbe This mans Minde like Archimedes ayme should Enemies invade him death and danger threaten him inevitable ruine surprize him his desire is onely to preforme his taske and that taske the highest pitch of a soule-solacing Contemplation And this kinde of Rapsodie or intrauncing of the Soule as I may terme it ministers unspeakable delight to the Minde of that man who is usually affected to these divine aspirations as a godly Father termes them Yet these contemplative persons whose retirednesse of estate immunitie or vacation from publike governement have drawne their affections wholly from the thought of earth or conversing with men as they relish more of the Cloister than society of Nature more of the Cell or frocke than Community which affords the most fruit so they never extend further than satisfying their owne disconsorting humor I confesse indeed their contemplations farre exceed the wordly mans for his are to earth confined or the voluptuous mans for his are to pleasures chained or the ambitious for his are to Honours gaged or the deluded Alchymist whose knowledge is a palpable mist for his are to impossible hopes restrained yet as profit and pleasure make the sweetest Musicke so Contemplation joyned with Practice make the fruitfullest knowledge To conclude our Discourse touching Education on which as the principall'st Seasoner of Youth wee have long insisted may the first Seeds of your more hopefull harvest worthy Gentlemen be so sowne as they may neither by extremity of Winter that is by too awfull rigour be nipped nor by the scorching heat of Summer that is too much connivencie of your Tutor parched So may your Countrey reape what shee hath with long hope expected and receive a plentifull croppe of that which shee her selfe by hopefull Education hath long manured THE ENGLISH GENTLEMAN Argument Of the necessity of a Vocation No man is exempted from it of Vocation in generall Of the Vocation of a Gentleman in particular
ever living never dying yea that worme which gnaweth and dieth not that fire which burneth and quencheth not that death which rageth and endeth not But if punishments will not deterre us at least let rewards allure us The faithfull cry ever for the approach of Gods judgement the reward of immortality which with assurance in Gods mercy and his Sonnes Passion they undoubtedly hope to obtaine with vehemency of spirit inviting their Mediator Come Lord Iesus come quickly Such is the confidence or spirituall assurance which every faithfull soule hath in him to whose expresse Image as they were formed so in all obedience are they conformed that the promises of the Gospell might be on them conferred and confirmed Such as these care not so much for possessing ought in the world as they take care to lay a good foundation against the day of triall which may stand firme against the fury of all temptation These see nothing in the world worthy their feare This only say they is a fearefull thing to feare any thing more than God These see nought in the world worthy either their desire or feare and their reason is this There is nothing able to move that man to feare in all the world who hath God for his guardian in the world Neither is it possible that he should feare the losse of any thing in the world who cannot see any thing worthy having in the world So equally affected are these towards the world as there is nothing in all the world that may any way divide their affection from him who made the world Therefore may we well conclude touching these that their Light shall never goe out For these walke not in darknesse nor in the shadow of death as those to whom the light hath not as yet appeared for the Light hath appeared in Darkeness giving light all the night long to all these faithfull beleevers during their abode in these Houses of Clay Now to expresse the Nature of that Light though it farre exceed all humane apprehension much more all expression Clemens understandeth by that Light which the Wise-woman to wit Christs spouse kept by meanes of her candle which gave light all the night long the heart and he calleth the Meditations of holy men Candles that never goe out Saint Augustine writeth among the Pagans in the Temple of Venus there was a Candle which was called Inextinguishable whether this be or no of Venus Temple wee leave it to the credit of antiquity onely Augustines report we have for it but without doubt in every faithfull hearer and keeper of the Word who is the Temple of the Holy Ghost there is a Candle or Light that never goes out Whence it appeares that the heart of every faithfull soule is that Light which ever shineth and his faith that virgin Oile which ever feedeth and his Conscience that comfortable Witness which assureth and his devoted Zeale to Gods house that Seale which confirmeth him to be one of Gods chosen because a living faith worketh in him which assures him of life howsoever his outward man the temple of his body become subject to death Excellently saith Saint Augustine Whence comes it that the soule dieth because faith is not in it Whence that the body dieth because a soule is not in it Therefore the soule of thy soule is faith But forasmuch as nothing is so carefully to be sought for nor so earnestly to be wrought for as purity or uprightnesse of the heart for seeing there is no action no studie which hath not his certaine scope end or period yea no Art but laboureth by some certaine meanes or exercises to attaine some certain proposed end which end surely is to the Soule at first proposed but the last which is obtained how much more ought there to bee some end proposed to our studies as well in the exercises of our bodies as in the readings meditations and mortifications of our mindes passing over corporall and externall labours for which end those studies or exercises were at first undertaken For let us thinke with our selves if we knew not or in mind before conceived not whither or to what especiall place wee were to run were it not a vaine taske for us to undertake to runne Even so to every Action are wee to propose his certaine end which being once attained we shall need no further striving towards it being at rest in our selves by attaining it And like end are wee to propose to our selves in the exercise of Moderation making it a subduer of all things which sight against the spirit which may bee properly reduced to the practising of these foure overcomming of anger by the spirit of patience wantonness by the spirit of continence pride by the spirit of humility and in all things unto him whose Image we partake so neerely conformed that like good Proficients wee may truly say with the blessed Apostle Wee have in all things learned to be contented For the first to wit Anger as there is no passion which makes man more forgetfull of himselfe so to subdue it makes man an absolute enjoyer of himselfe Athenodorus a wise Philosopher departing from Augustus Caesar and bidding him farewell left this lesson with him most worthy to be imprinted in an Emperours brest That when hee was angry hee should repeat the foure and twenty Greeke letters Which lesson received Caesar as a most precious jewell making such use thereof as hee shewed himselfe no lesse a Prince in the conquest of this passion than in his magnificence of state and majesty of person No lesse praise-worthy was that excellent soveraignty which Architas had over this violent and commanding passion as we have formerly observed who finding his servants loitering in the field or committing some other fault worthy reproofe like a worthy master thought it fit first to over-master himselfe before he would show the authority of a Master to his servants wherefore perceiving himselfe to be greatly moved at their neglect as a wise Moderator of his passion hee would not beat them in his ire but said Happy are ye that I am angry with you In briefe because my purpose is onely to touch these rather than treat of them having so amply discoursed of some of them formerly as the Sunne is not to goe downe upon our wrath so in remembrance of that sonne of righteousness let us bury all wrath so shall we be freed from the viols of wrath and appeare blamelesse in the day of wrath For in peace shall we descend to our graves without sighing if in peace we be angry without sinning Secondly wantonness being so familiar a Darling with the flesh is ever waging warre with the spirit she comes with powdred haire painted cheeks straying eyes mincing and measuring her pace tinkling with her feet and using all immodesty to lure the unwarie youth to all sensuality These light professors as St. Ierome to Marcella
wisdome is much griefe and hee that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow For should man labour to engrosse all learning knowledge and wisdome his labour were but vaine and his search fruitlesse seeing he whose understanding was deepest conceit quickest and wisdome greatest of all them that were before him in Ierusalem hath thus concluded All this I have proved by wisdome I said I would be wise but it was farre from me Adding the reason hereof That which is farre off and exceeding deepe who can find it out For be our search never so curious our desire covetous in the pursuit of knowledge wee shall find by daily experience our own weaknesse where though our wils be strengthned our abilities are weakned being ever more hopefull in our undertakings then powerfull in our performance yea it is a property inherent to us and naturally ingraffed in us to have an itching desire of knowing all things but of doing nothing yet neither in knowledge nor Action may wee satisfie our desire or affection vaine and endlesse therefore is our search in the former as weake and fruitlesse is our pursuit of the latter There is no end of writing many bookes no end of reading many bookes no end of storing our Libraries with many bookes for under the cover of these much covetousnesse oft-times lurketh These are not of that inestimable price though they containe much spirituall comfort as may fully store or enrich the heart fully replenish or satisfie the heart fully settle or establish the heart for where the desires of the heart are not fulfilled how can shee hold her selfe sufficiently enriched Or where her desires are not accomplished how may shee rest satisfied or being not there seated where her desires are settled how can shee bee quieted Hence it is that a devout Father compares his Heart unto a Mil For as a Mil saith he swiftly wheeleth and turneth about and refuseth nothing but whatsoever is put upon it it grindeth but if nothing be put upon it it consumes it selfe so is my unstable heart alwayes in motion and never resteth but whether I sleep or wake it dreameth and thinketh of whatsoever it encountreth Can then neither Honour nor Wealth nor Pleasure satisfie his unconfined Heart can neither Honours surprize her wealth enjoy her nor pleasure intraunce her No these are vanity and lighter then vanity receiving their true colour from the Poet who bestoweth on them this portraiture Wealth is a wave Honour a bait of death Catching at which were catcht and choak't therewith For tell me is not the Ambitious man as fearefull to incurre disgrace after hee is received to his Princes favour as hee was jealous of a Competitor before hee got into favour againe is not the miserable rich man who reposeth all comfort in his substance all his consolation in his riches as fearefull to lose what hee already enjoyes as hee was doubtfull of prevention in what hee now enjoyes Or is not the voluptuous carnall man whose onely delight is daliance with his perfidious Dalilah stinged with as much griefe after his desires are satisfied as hee was stirred with delight before his pleasures were effected Or is not the Contemplative man whose aimes being higher should tender him content in fuller measure afflicted in mind when hee finds himselfe come short in knowledge of what hee expected and reads every day something which hee never before observed What content then in these flourishing May-buds of vanity which in repentance and affliction of spirit doe onely shew their constancy So as one well observeth If man should not be afflicted by God yet should hee be afflicted by himselfe consuming himselfe with his owne envie rancour and other distempered affections which have more fury and torment attending on them then the evill it selfe which procureth them Yet behold the wretched condition of unhappy man Though neither Honour bee permanent nor from perill freed nor Riches prevalent to make him after death the better friended nor pleasures so excellent as to free him from affliction when they are ended yet are they for most part preferred before those heavenly honours which are ever permanent and never altering before those incorruptible riches which inrich the soule after death without decreasing and before those ineffable pleasures where neither desires breeds longing nor satiety loathing So as I cannot more fitly compare the actions of these sensuall affected men then with that childish act of the Emperour Honorius who taking especiall delight in a Hen called Roma upon a time understanding by report of such as told him that Roma was lost he exceedingly lamented whereupon some of his familiar friends and such as were neere-him noting his terrour It is not your Hen that is lost but your Citie Roma that is taken by Alaricus King of the Gothes Wherewith comming a little to himselfe hee seemed to beare with much more patience the surprize of the one then the losse of the other O childish simplicity you say well yet the like is in us Wee cannot endure that any one should steale from us our silver yet either honour riches or pleasure may have free leave to steale away our heart Wee would by no meanes be defrauded of our treasure yet it troubles us little to be depraved with errour Wee avoid the poysons of the body but not of the mind intending more the diet of the body then the discipline of the mind Since then in these externall desires this Actuall Perfection whereof wee have formerly treated may receive no true rest or repose for to those it only aspireth wherein it resteth wee must search higher for this place of peace this repose of rest this heavenly Harbour of divine comfort wee are to seeke it then while we are here upon earth yet not on earth would you know what this soveraigne or absolute end is wherein this Actuall Perfection solely resteth wherein the Heart onely glorieth and to the receiver long life with comfort in abundance amply promiseth Hearken to the words of Iesus the Sonne of Sirach It is a great glory to follow the Lord and to bee received of him is long life Nor skils it much how worldlings esteeme of us for perhaps they will judge it folly to see us become weaned from delights or pleasures of the world to see us embrace a rigorous or austere course of life to dis-esteem the pompe and port of this present world This I say they will account foolishnesse But blessed are they who deserve to be of that number which the world accounts for fooles God for wise men But miserable is the state of those forlorne worldlings whose cheefest aime is to circumvent or intrap their brethren making their highest aimes their owne ends and accounting bread eaten in secret to bee the savourest and stolne waters the sweetest for these never drinke of their own Cisterne or feed of the flesh of their owne fold but partake in the spoile of others yet
Nation To allay which fury attemper which frenzie I hold no receipt more soveraigne then to enter into a serious meditation of your frailty As first to consider what you were before your birth secondly what from your birth to your death lastly what after death If you reflect upon the first you shall find that you have beene what before you were not afterwards were what now you are not first made of vile matter see the Embleme of humane nature wrapped in a poore skin nourished in an obscure place your Coate the second skinne till you came to a sight of the Sunne which you entertained with a shreek implying your originall sinne Thus attired thus adorned came you to us what makes you then so unmindfull of that poore case wherein you came among us Hath beauty popular applause youthfull heate or wealth taken from you the knowledge of your selves Derive your pedigree and blush at your matchlesse folly that pride should so highly magnifie it selfe in dust or glory most in that which brings with it the most shame Why doe you walke with such haughty necks why doe you extoll your selves so highly in these Tabernacles of earth Attend and consider you were but vilde corrupted seed at the first and now fuller of pollution then at the first Entring the world with a shreeke to expresse your ensuing shame you became afterwards exposed to the miseries of this life and to sinne in the end wormes and wormes meat shall you be in the grave Why then are you proud yee dusty shrines yee earthen vessels seeing your conception was impurity birth misery life penalty death extremity Why doe yee embellish and adorne your flesh with such port and grace which within some few dayes wormes will devoure in the grave Meane time you neglect the incomparable beauty of your soules For with what ornaments doe ye adorne them With what sweet odours or spirituall graces doe yee perfume them With what choyce Flowers of piety and devotion doe yee trim them What Habits doe yee prepare for them when they must bee presented before him who gave them How is it that yee so dis-esteeme the soule preferring the flesh before her For the Mistresse to play the Handmaid the Handmaid the Mistresse is a great abuse There can be no successe in that family where the houshold is managed so disorderly O restraine your affections limit your desires beare an equall hand to the better part The Building cannot stand unlesse you remove the rubbish from the foundation The Soule in the body is like a Queene in her Palace If you would then have this little Common-wealth within you to flourish you must with timely providence suppresse all factious and turbulent molesters of her peace your passions especially those of vaine glory must bee restrained motives to humility cherished chaste thoughts embraced all devious and wandring cogitations excluded that the soule may peaceably enjoy her selfe and in her Palace live secured Whereto if you object that this is an hard lesson you cannot despise the world nor hate the flesh tell mee where are all those lovers of the world cherishers of the flesh which not long since were among us Nothing now remaineth of them but dust and wormes Consider diligently for this consideration will be a Counterpoize to all vaine-glory what they now are and what they have beene Women they were as you are they have eat drunke laughed spent their dayes in jollity and now in a moment gone downe to hell Here their flesh is apportioned to wormes there their soules appointed to hell fire till such time as being gathered together to that unhappy society they shall be rowled in eternall burnings as they were before partakers with them in their vices For one punishment afflicteth whom one love of sinne affecteth Tell mee what profiteth them their vaine-glory short joy worldly power pleasure of the flesh evill got wealth a great family and concupiscence arising carnally Where now is their laughter Where their jests Where their boasting Where their arrogance From so great joy how great heavinesse After such small pleasure how great unhappinesse From so great joy they are now fallen into great wretchednesse grievous calamity unsufferable torments What hath befallen them may befall you being Earth of Earth slime of slime Of Earth you are of Earth you live and to Earth you shall returne Take this with you for an infallible position in these your Cottages of Corruption If you follow the flesh you shall be punished in the flesh if you bee delighted in the flesh you shall be tormented in the flesh for by how much more your flesh is cockered in this world with all delicacy by so much more shall your soules bee tormented in hell eternally If you seeke curious and delicate rayments for the beauty and bravery of your rayments shall the moath bee laid under you and your Covering shall be Wormes And this shall suffice to have beene spoken touching Delicacy of Apparell wee are now to descend briefly to the second branch Superfluity whereof wee intend to discourse with that brevity as the necessity of the Subject whereof wee treat shall require and the generality of this spreading malady may enforce DIvine is that saying and well worthy your retention The covetous person before hee gaine loseth himselfe and before hee take ought is taken himselfe He is no lesse wanting to himselfe in that which he hath than in that which he hath not He findes that he lost not possesseth that he owes not detaines that he ought not hates to restore what he injuriously enjoyes So unbounded is the affection or rather so depraved is the avaritious mans inclination as he cannot containe his desires within bounds not enter parley with reason having once slaved his better part to the soveraignty of a servile affection This may appeare even in this one particular Food and rayment are a Christians riches wherein hee useth that moderation as hee makes that Apostolicall rule his Christian direction Having food and rayment I have learned in all things to bee contented But how miserably is this golden rule inverted by our sensuall worldling Competency must neither bee their Cater in the one nor Conveniency their Tayler in the other Their Table must labour of variety of dishes and their Wardrobe of exchange of raiments No reason more probable than this of their naked insides which stand in need of these superfluous additaments What myriads of indisposed houres consume these in beautifying rotten tombes How curious they are in suiting their bodies how remisse in preferring their soules suit to their Maker How much they are disquieted in their choyce how much perplexed in their change how irresolute what they shall weare how forgetfull of what they were This edging suits not that purle sorts not this dressing likes not off it must after all bee fitted and with a new Exchange lesse seemely but more gaudy suited The fashion that was in prime request but yesterday
will become such a firme Cement or ligament to their affection as their mutuall supplyes may produce reciprocall tyes by which harmonious freedome or propriety of living one may enjoy the others society without the least conceipt of a too tedious beholding In the disposing too of your estates let me advise you not to neglect opportunity of doing good to your owne now while it is in your power to dispose of your owne Many by deferring the settling of their estates to their death become abridged of their intents by being prevented with the inopinate arrest of death and so leave their distracted estates to be determined by Lawyers who being sed with fat fees make fooles of your intended heires leaving them after many an humbly complayning to bemoane their leane fortunes when they fall into consideration how their extracted estates by those numerous Suite atoms are resolved into papers And how their long practise in a litigious kind of Alchimy by a precious pragmaticall pouder has reduc'd all their Chymicall fortunes into the Remaines of a greater Worke the Elixir of poverty Sicknesse is a sufficient burden of it selfe disburden then your selves by disposing of your estates before sicknesse commeth not by dis-possessing your selves of them for so you may give others power over you but by a discreâ—t and deliberate disposure of them that temporall cares may lesse intangle you when sicknesse shall surprize you and your inward house be set in such order as your composed Soules may receive rest to your comfort and Gods honour Thus farre have wee enlarged our discourse in laying before you the care which you are to have in spirituall affaires for improving your Children in that best knowledge which may truly enable them for their highest inheritance as likewise how you are in a conscionable provision to addresse your inferiour care for their temporall subsistence In which two respects as you shall performe the office of prudent and affectionate Parents so shall those rich treasures which you Deposit in succeeding hopes of your Children crowne your silver haires with incomparable comfort For as this religious care was sincerely discharged by you so shall you receive those filiall Offices from yours as may amply recompence your care and as you shall now heare returne to their Labourer a deserving hire YOu have heard what is required of Parents to their Children their incessant cares jealous feares and these intermixed with such doubtfull hopes as not one houre without a corroding care nor a promising hope without a threatning feare It was observed in Augustus that so long as his two daughters Iulia and Livia were in his presence hee could never returne any expression to his Councell with much resolvednesse His mind was not fixed upon an Answer but upon his daughters behaviour Where he collected by the company they frequented how their affections were inclined If Iulia converse with a Ruffian it becomes no lesse a sting to her fathers heart then a staine to his daughters reputation Whereas if Livia enter into discourse with any grave Senatour this pleasing object redounds equally to his solace as well as her honour Now to recompence these numerous cares and anxious feares which become constant companions to Parents hearts let Children returne a gratefull remonstrance of their duty and zeale in these three distinct respects First in tendring them the sacrifice of Obedience Secondly in performing that filiall office with all reverence Thirdly in affording them if necessity should thereto enforce them their best supportance Of these we shall take occasion to treat severally and with that perspicuity as the very youngest and rawest in these offices may vnderstand his peculiar duty It was an excellent admonition of that sonne of Sirach Honour thy Father from thy whole heart and forget not the sorrowes of thy Mother Which admonition in the next ensuing Verse he strengthneth with this Emphaticall remembrance Remember that thou wast borne of them and how canst thou recompence them the things that they have done for thee This confirmes that Maxime of the Stagyrite To our Masters our Gods and Parents can never be rendred an equivalence And if that divine rule hold that the obedience we exhibit to our Superiours we even exhibit to God himselfe who is the Lord paramount and in whose presence the highest Potentates are inferiours what superiority in a degree of such propinquity exacts of us a more filiall duty whence it was that blessed Basill falling into a serious contemplation of this tender native affection affirmeth That we are bound to love our Parents as our owne proper bowells So as hee well deserveth saith Saint Gregory to bee punished with blindnesse which lookes vpon his Parents with a louring count'nance or with proud eyes offends the Piety of his naturall Parents Canst thou looke said that excellent Morall vpon those who brought thee forth into the world with a contemptuous eye as if they were not worthy to live in the world Must those who bred thee breed a distaste in thee Art thou by being a man of place ashamed of thy birth which gave thee a being upon Earth Must thine honour so degenerate from nature as nature must veile to honour and make the affluence of a fading state to soveraignize over her Are these arguments of Obedience when creditors become debters and Parents servants to their Children As every family is a private Soveraignty so ought there to bee a disposition order or apt symmetry in every member of that family The Members are Ministers unto the Head so are Children and Servants to the Master of the House Should the least Member surcease to minister the Head could not chuse but infinitely suffer Now how unnaturall bee those Tendrells how adulterate those Scienes which decline from that Stemme which gave them growth from that parentall Stocke which render'd them their first birth The Philosopher indeed gives a reason why Parents love their Children more then Children their Parents and why they know more then those Children that derive their being from them because sayes he as water is the purest which flowes from the Fountaine Head the nearest so that love which descends from the Originall root is ever the dearest and for as much as true love is ever grounded upon knowledge for otherwise it merits rather the title of folly then fancy in regard Parents know us better to be theirs then we our selves know us to be theirs so much more as their knowledge is surer so much is their parentall affection purer Whence the Poet delivers this for a knowne experiment Nature do's oft descend but seldome mount Parents areeres fall short in their account But if Children would consider how they have received their native being from them againe those incessant cares which attend them with those promising hopes which they have treasured in them they would hold it one of the highest taskes and noblest Acts of piety to be imployed in those offices
magnanimous man as reproach and shame Oh then deferre no time but seasonably apply your taske by infusing into his breathing wounds some balmy comfort such as that Cordiall was of a divine Poet Nulla tam tristis sit in orbe nubes Quam nequit constans relevare pectus Nulla cordati Scrinio Clientis Ansa querelis No Cloud so dusky ever yet appeared Which by minds armed was not quickly cleared Ne're Suit to th' bosome of a Spirit cheered Sadly resounded Againe should you find him afflicted with sicknesse which hee increaseth with a fruitlesse impatience wishing a present period to his daies that so death might impose an end to his griefes Suffer him not so to waste his Spirits nor to dishonour him who is the searcher of Spirits but apply some soveraigne receipt or other to allay his distemper which vncured might endanger him for ever Exhort him to possesse his soule in patience and to supply this absence of outward comforts with the sweet relishing ingredients of some mentall or spirituall solace Ingenious Petrarch could say Be not afraid though the out-house meaning the body be shaken so the soule the Guest of the body fare well And he closed his resolution in a serious dimension who sung He that has health of mind what has he not 'T is the mind that moulds the man as man a pot Lastly doe you find him perplexed for losse of some deare friend whose loyall affection reteined in him such a deepe impression as nothing could operate in him more grounded sorrow then such an amicable division Allay his griefe with divine and humane reasons Tell him how that very friend which he so much bemones is gone before him not lost by him This their division will beget a more merry meeting Let him not then offend God by lamenting for that which he cannot recall by sorrowing nor suffer his too earthly wishes for his owne peculiar end to wish so much harme to his endeared friend as to make exchange of his seat and state of immortality with a vale of teares and misery Admit he dyed young and that his very prime hopes confirmd the opinions of all that knew him that a few maturer yeares would have so accomplish'd him as his private friends might not onely have rejoyced in him but the publique state derived much improvement from him His hopefull youth should rather be an occasion of joy then griefe Though Priam was more numerous in yeares yet Troilus was more penurious in teares The more dayes the more griefes No matter whether our dayes be short or many so those houres we live be improved and imployed to Gods glory But leaving these admit you should find him sorrowing for such a Subject as deserves no wise mans teares as for the losse of his goods These teares proceed from despicable Spirits and such whose desires are fixed on earth So that as their love was great in possessing them so their griefe must needs be great in forgoing them Many old and decrepit persons to whom even Nature promiseth an hourely dissolution become most subject to these indiscreet teares For with that sottish Roman they can sooner weepe for the losse of a Lamprey then for the very nearest and dearest in their Family At such as these that Morall glanced pleasantly who said Those teares of all others are most base which proceed from the losse of a beast And these though their grounds of griefe appeare least yet many times their impatience breakes forth most Fearefull oathes and imprecations are the accustomablest ayres or accents which they breath These you are to chastise and in such a manner and measure as they may by recollection of themselves agnise their error and repeat what that divine Poet sometimes writ to impresse in them the more terror That house which is inur'd to sweare Gods judgements will fall heavy there These as they are inordinate in their holding so are they most impatient in their losing And it commonly sareth with these men as it doth with the Sea-Eagle who by seeking to hold what she has taken is drench't downe into the gulfe from which shee can never be taken It was the saying of sage Pittacus that the Gods themselves could not oppose what might necessarily occurre Sure I am it is a vaine and impious reluctancy to gaine-say whatsoever God in his sacred-secret decree has ordained His sanctions are not as mans they admit no repeale What availes it then these to repine or discover such apparent arguments of their impatience when they labour but to reverse what cannot be revoked to anull that which must not be repealed Exhort them then to suffer with patience what their impatience cannot cure and to scorne such servile teares which relish so weakly of discretion as they merit more scorne then compassion Now there is another kinde of more kind-hearted men who though in the whole progresse of their life they expressed a competent providence being neither so frugall as to spare where reputation bad them spend nor so prodigall as to spend where honest providence bad them spare Yet these even in the shore when they are taking their farewell of earth having observed how their children in whom their hopes were treasured become profuse rioters set the hoope an end and turne Spend-thrifts too and so close their virile providence with an aged negligence sprinkling their hoairy haires with youthfull conceipts and singing merrily with the Latian Lyrick Our children spend and wee 'l turne spenders too And though Old-men doe as our young men doe This I must ingeniously confesse is an unseemly sight That old men when yeares have seazed on them and their native faculties begin to faile them should in so debaucht a manner make those discontents which they conceive from their children the grounds of their distemper For as the adage holds it prodigious for youth to represent age so is it ridiculous for age to personate youth But for decrepit age as it is for most part unnaturall to bee prodigall so is it an argument of indiscretion for it to be too penuriously frugall For to see one who cannot have the least hope of living long to bee in his earthly desires so strong to be so few in the hopes of his succeeding yeares and so full of fruitlesse desires and cares what sight more vnseemely what spectacle more uncomely That man deluded man when strength failes him all those certaine fore-runners of an approaching dissolution summon him and the thirsty hope of his dry-ey'd executors makes them weary of him that then I say his eager pursuit of possessing more when as he already possesseth more then he can well enioy should so surprize him discovers an infinite measure of madnesse for as it divides his affections from the object of heaven so it makes him unwilling to return to earth when his gellied blood his enfeebled faculties and that poor mouldred remainder of his declining cottage as
what indifferencie doe they use these riches It may be you will object that Art hath not as yet showne her cunning amongst them so as their neglect of fashion meerely proceedeth from want of skilfull Artists to introduce the forme or fashion of other Countries by meanes of civill government more curious and exquisite to their people But I shall prove that by impregnable arguments how this contempt of pride is naturally planted in them yea with what scorne and derision they looke upon other Countries usually affected to this delicacie and effeminacie in apparell Such as have travelled and upon exact survey of the Natures of forraine Countries have brought the rich fraught of knowledge stored with choicest observations to their native home have confirmed this for they have found such contempt in other Nations touching these fruitlesse vanities wherein wee idolatrize our owne formes as it strucke admiration in them as their Records to this day extâ—nt doe apparantly witnesse To instance some whereof as the Ruffian Muscovian Ionian yea even the barbarous Indian it may appeare with what reservancie they continue their ancient Habit loth it seemes to introduce any new custome or to lose their antiquity for any vaine-glorious or affected Novelty with a joynt uniformity as it seemes resolved Tam in cultu Numiuis quà m apparatu corporis moribus legibusque uti praesentibus etiamsi deteriores sint But leaving them because we will a while insist upon prophane authorities let us reflect our dim eyes bleared with the thicke scales of vanity to those Divine Sages whose excellent instructions no lesse imitable than admirable merit our approbation and observation It is reported by Laertius that on a time Croesus having adorned and beautified himselfe with the most exquisite ornaments of all kinds that either Art or cost could devise and sitting on a high Throne to give more grace or lustre to his person demanded of Solon if he ever saw a sight more beautifull Yes quoth hee House-cockes Phesants and Peacokes for they are clothed with a naturall splendour or beauty bestowed on them by Nature without any borrowed elegancie The like contempt appeared in Eutrapelus who valued the internall beauty of his minde more than the adulterate varnish of Art Besides hee was of this opinion that hee could not doe his foe a greater injury than bestow on him the preciousest garments he had to make him forgetfull of himselfe and his owne frailtie whose nature the Poet excellently describeth thus The Sage Eutrapelus right wisely bad His foes should have the richest robes he had Thinking he did them harme himselfe much good For given they made him humble them more proud Amongst many profitable Lawes enacted by Numa the Law Sumptuaria conferred no small benefit upon the State publique For by that Law was prohibited not onely all profuse charge in Funerall expences but likewise the excessive use of Apparell whereby the Roman state grew in short time to great wealth labouring to suppresse those vices which usually effeminate men the most to wit delicacie in fare and sumptuousnesse in attire Now there be many I know who invent fashions meerely to cover their deformities as Iulius Caesar wore a garland of Laurell to cover his baldnesse withall and these seeme excusable but they are not for did not hee who made thee bestow this forme on thee Could not he have stamped thee to the most exquisite or absolute feature if it had so pleased thy Creator And wilt thou now controule thy Maker and by art supply the defects of Nature Beware of this evill I can prescribe thee a better and safer course how to rectifie these deformities Hast thou a crooked body repaire it with an upright soule Art thou outwardly deformed with spirituall graces be thou inwardly beautified Art thou blinde or lame or otherwise maimed be not therewith dejected for the Blinde and Lame were invited It is not the outward proportion but the inward disposition not the feature of the face but the power of grace which worketh to salvation Alcibiades Socrates scholar was the best favoured Boy in Athens yet to use the Philosophers words looke but inwardly into his body you will finde nothing more odious So as one compared them aptly these faire ones I meane to faire and beautifull Sepulchers Exteriùs nitida interiùs faetida outwardly hansome inwardly noisome Notable was that observation of a learned Philosopher who professing himselfe a Schoolmaster to instruct Youth in the principles and grounds of Philosophie used to hang a looking-glasse in the Schoole where he taught wherein he shewed to every scholar he had his distinct feature or physnomy which he thus applied If any one were of a beautifull or amiable countenance hee exhorted him to answere the beauty and comlinesse of his face with the beauty of a well-disposed or tempered minde if otherwise he were deformed or ill featured he wished him so to adorne and beautifie his minde that the excellencie of the one might supply the defects or deformities of the other But thou objectest How should I expresse my descent my place or how seeme worthy the company of eminent persons with whom I consort if I should sleight or disvalue this general-affected vanity Fashion I will tell thee thou canst not more generously I will not say generally expresse thy greatnesse of descent place or quality nor seeme better worthy the company with whom thou consortest or frequentest than by erecting the glorious beames of thy minde above these inferiour things For who are these with whom thou consortest meere triflers away of time bastard slips degenerate impes consumers of their patrimony and in the end for what other end save misery may attend them Heires to shame and infamy These I say who offer their Morning prayers to the Glasse eying themselves so long till Narcissus-like they fall in love with their owne shadowes And many times like that wrethed Lady if any deformity chance to blemish their beauty they no sooner eye their glasse than the discovery of their deformity brings them to a fearefull frency O England what a height of pride art thou growne to yea how much art thou growne unlike thy selfe when disvaluing thy owne forme thou deformest thy selfe by borrowing a plume of every Country to display thy pie-coloured flag of vanity What painting purfling powdring and pargeting doe you use yee Idols of vanity to lure and allure men to breake their first faith forsake their first love and yeeld to your immodesty How can you weepe for your sinnes saith Saint Hierome when your teares will make furrowes in your face With what confidence do you lift up that countenance to heaven which your Maker acknowledges not Doe not say that you have modest minds when you have immodest eyes Death hath entred in at your windowes your eyes are those cranies those hatefull portals those fatall entrances which Tarpeia-like by betraying the glorious fortresse or citadell of your
soules have given easie way to your mortall enemie Vtinam miserrimus ego c. I would I poore wretch saith Tertulian might see in that day of Christian exaltation An cum cerussa purpurisso croco cum illo ambitu capitis resurgatis No you staines to modesty such a Picture shall not rise in glory before her Maker There is no place for you but for such women as aray themselves in comely apparell with shamefastnesse and modestie not with broided haâ—re or gold or pearles or costly apparell But as becommeth women that professe the feare of God For even after this manner in time past did the holy women which trusted in God tire themselves Reade I say reade yee proud ones yee which are so haughty and walke with stretched-out neckes the Prophet Isaiah and you shall finde your selves described and the judgement of Desolation pronounced upon you Because the Daughters of Sion are haughty and walke with stretched-out neckes and with wandring eyes walking and minsing as they goe and making a tinckling with their feet therefore shall the Lord make the heads of the daughters of Sion bald and the Lord shall discover their secret parts And hee proceeds In that day shall the Lord take away the ornament of the slippers and the calles and the round tyres The sweet balles and the bracelets and the bonnets The tyres of the head and the sloppes and the head-bands and the tablets and the eare-rings The rings and the mufflers The costly apparell and the veiles and the wimples and the crisping-pins And the glasses and the fine linnen and the hoods and the lawnes Now heare your reward And in stead of sweet savour there shall be stinke and in stead of a girdle a rent and in stead of dressing of the haire baldnesse and in stead of a stomacher a girdling of sack-cloth and burning in stead of beauty Now attend your finall destruction Thy men shall fall by the sword and thy strength in the battell Then shall her gates mourne and lament and shee being desolate shall sit upon the ground See how you are described and how you shall be rewarded Enjoy then sinne for a season and delight your selves in the vanities of Youth be your eyes the Lures of Lust your eares the open receits of shame your hands the polluted instruments of sinne to be short be your Soules which should be the Temples of the Holy Ghost cages of uncleane birds after all these things what the Prophet hath threatned shall come upon you and what shall then deliver you not your Beauty for to use that divine Distich of Innocentius Tell me thou earthen vessell made of clay What 's Beauty worth when thou must dye to day Nor Honour for that shall lye in the dust and sleepe in the bed of earth Nor Riches for they shall not deliver in the day of wrath Perchance they may bring you when you are dead in a comely funerall sort to your graves or bestow on you a few mourning garments or erect in your memory some gorgeous Monument to shew your vaine-glory in death as well as life but this is all Those Riches which you got with such care kept with such feare lost with such griefe shall not afford you one comfortable hope in the houre of your passage hence afflict they may releeve they cannot Nor Friends for all they can doe is to attend you and shed some friendly teares for you but ere the Rosemary lose her colour which stickt the Coarse or one worme enter the shroud which covered the Corps you are many times forgotten your former glory extinguished your eminent esteeme obscured your repute darkened and with infamous aspersions often impeached If a man saith Seneca finde his friend sad and so leave him sicke without ministring any comfort to him and poore without releeving him we may thinke such an one goeth to jest rather than visit or comfort and such miserable comforters are these friends of yours What then may deliver you in such gusts of affliction which assaile you Conscience shee it is that must either comfort you or how miserable is your condition She is that continuall feast which must refresh you those thousand witnesses that must answer for you that light which must direct you that familiar friend that must ever attend you that faithfull Counsellour that must advise you that Balme of Gilead that must renew you that Palme of peace which must crowne you Take heed therefore you wrong not this friend for as you use her you shall finde her She is not to be corrupted her sincerity scornes it Shee is not to bee perswaded for her resolution is grounded Shee is not to bee threatned for her spirit sleights it She is aptly compared in one respect to the Sea she can endure no corruption to remaine in her but foames and frets and chafes till all filth bee removed from her By Ebbing and flowing is shee purged nor is she at rest till shee be rinsed Fugit ab agro ad ciuitatem à publico ad domum à domo in cubiculum c. Discontentedly shee flies from the Field to the City from publicke resort to her private house from her house to her chamber Shee can rest in no place Furie dogs her behinde and Despaire goes before For Conscience being the inseparable glory or confusion of every one according to the quality disposition or dispensation of that Talent which is given him for to whom much is given much shall be required We are to make such fruitfull use of our Talent that the Conscience wee professe may remaine undefiled the faith we have plighted may be inviolably preserved the measure or Omer of grace we have received may be increased and God in all glorified Which the better to effect wee are to thinke how God is ever present in all our actions and that to use the words of Augustine Whatsoever we doe yea whatsoever it bee that wee doe he better knowes it than we our selves doe It was Seneca's counsell to his friend Lucilius that whensoever he went about to do any thing he should imagine Cato or Scipio or some other worthy Roman to be in presence In imitation of so divine a Morall let us in every action fix our eye upon our Maker Whose eyes are upon the children of men so shall we in respect of his sacred presence to which we owe all devout reverence Abstaine frome vill doe good seeke peace and ensue it Such as defil'd themselves with sinne by giving themselves over unto pleasure staining the Nobility splendour of their Soules through wallowing in vice or otherwise fraudulently by usurpation or base insinuation creeping into Soveraignty or unjustly governing the common-weale such thought Socrates that they went a by-path separated from the counsell of the gods but such as while they lived in their bodies imitated the life of the gods such hee thought had an easie returne to the place
this yet is the afflicted soule to bee content abiding Gods good leisure who as hee doth wound so he can cure and as hee opened old Tobiths eyes so can he when he pleaseth where he pleaseth and as hee pleaseth open the bleered eyes of understanding so with a patient expectance of Gods mercy and Christian resolution to endure all assaults with constancie as he recommendeth himselfe to God so shall he finde comfort in him in whom he hath trusted and receive understanding more cleare and perfect than before he enjoyed Or admit one should have his memorative part so much infeebled as with Corvinus Messala he should forget his owne name yet the Lord who numbreth the starres and knoweth them all by their names will not forget him though he hath forgot himselfe having him as a Signâ—t upon his finger ever in his remembrance For what shall it availe if thou have memory beyond Cyrus who could call every souldier in his army by his name when it shall appeare thou hast forgot thy selfe and exercised that facultie rather in remembring injuries than recalling to minde those insupportable injuries which thou hast done unto God Nay more of all faculties in man Memory is the weakest first waxeth old and decayes sooner than strength or beauty And what shall it profit thee once to have excelled in that facultie when the privation thereof addes to thy misery Nothing nothing wherefore as every good and perfect gift commeth from above where there is neither change nor shadow of change so as God taketh away nothing but what he hath given let every one in the losse of this or that facultie referre himselfe with patience to his sacred Majestie who in his change from earth will crowne him with mercy Secondly for the goods or blessings of the Body as strength beauty agilitie c. admit thou wert blinde with Appius lame with Agesilaus tongue-tied with Samius dwarfish with Ivius deformed with Thersites though blinde thou hast eyes to looke with and that upward though lame thou hast legges to walke with and that homeward though tongue-tied thou hast a tongue to speake and that to GOD-ward though dwarfish thou hast a proportion given thee ayming heaven-ward though deformed thou hast a glorious feature and not bruitish to looke-downward For not so much by the motion of the body and her outwardly working faculties as by the devotion of the heart and those inwardly moving graces are wee to come to GOD. Againe admit thou wert so mortally sicke as even now drawing neere shore there were no remedy but thou must of necessity bid a long adieu to thy friends thy honours riches and whatsoever else are deare or neere unto thee yet for all this why shouldest thou remaine discontented Art thou here as a Countryman or a Pilgrim No Countryman sure for then shouldest thou make earth thy Country and inhabit here as an abiding city And if a Pilgrim who would grieve to bee going homeward There is no life but by death no habitation but by dissolution He then that feareth death feareth him that bringeth glad tidings of life Therefore to esteeme life above the price or feare death beyond the rate are alike evill for he that values life to be of more esteeme than a pilgrimage is in danger of making shipwracke of the hope of a better inheritance and he that feareth death as his profest enemy may thanke none for his feare but his securitie Certainly there is no greater argument of folly than to shew immoderate sorrow either for thy own death or death of another for it is no wisedome to grieve for that which thou canst not possibly prevent but to labour in time rather to prevent what may give the occasion to grieve For say is thy friend dead I confesse it were a great losse if hee were lost but lost hee is not though thou bee left gone hee is before thee not gone from thee divided onely not exiled from thee A Princesse wee had of sacred memory who looking one day from her Palace might see one shew immoderate signes or appearances of sorrow so as shee moved with princely compassion sent downe presently one of her Pensioners to inquire who it was that so much sorrowed and withall to minister him all meanes of comfort who finding this sorrowfull mournes to bee a Counsellor of State who sorrowed for the 〈◊〉 of his daughter returned directly to his Soveraigne and acquainted her therewith O quoth she who would thinks thaâ— a wise man and a Counsellor of our State could so forget himselfe as to shew himselfe 〈◊〉 for 〈…〉 of his childs And surely whosoever shall but duly conâ—ider mans 〈◊〉 with deathe necessity cannot chuse but wonder why any one should bee so wholly destitute of understanding to lament the death of any one since to die is as necessary and common as to be borne to every one But perchance it may bee by some objected that the departure of their friend is not so much lamented for that is of necessity and therefore exacts no teares of sorrow being if spent as fruitlesse as the doome reverselesse but their sudden and inopinate departure Whereto I answer that no death is sudden to him that dies well for sudden death hath properly a respect rather to the life how it was passed or disposed than to death how short his summons were or how quickly closed Io. Mathes preaching upon the raising up of the womans sonne of Naim by Christ within three houres afterward died himselfe The like is written of Luther and many others As one was choaked with a flie another with a haire a third pushing his foot against the tressal another against the threshold falls downe dead So many kinde of wayes are chalked out for man to draw towards his last home and weane him from the love of the earth Those whom God loves said Menander the young yea those whom hee esteemeth highest hee takes from hence the soonest And that for two causes the one is to free them the sooner from the wretchednesse of earth the other to crowne them the sooner with happinesse in Heaven For what gaine wee by a long life or what profit reape wee by a tedious Pilgrimage but that wee partly see partly suffer partly commit more evils Priamus saw more dayes and shed more teares than Troilus Let us hence then learne so to measure our sorrow for ought that may or shall befall us in respect of the bodie that after her returne to earth it may bee gloriously re-united to the soule to make an absolute Consort in Heaven Thirdly and lastly for the goods or blessings of Fortune they are not to command us but to bee commanded by us not to be served by us but to serve us And because hee onely in the affaires of this life is the wealthiest who in the desires of this life is the neediest and he the richest on earth who sees little worth desiring on earth we