our defect of credulitie and beliefe The eies of our soules as Bernard saith are intellectus affectus Our vnderstanding and affection But those two eyes are pulled out by Satan the God of the world who hauing blinded the minds of Infidels 2. Cor. 4.4 that the light of the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ which is the Image of God should not shine vnto thÌ„e takes frÌ„o them all faith that they should haue in the promises iudgements of God The time will come saith the Apostle and the time is say I when they wil not suffer wholesome doctrine 2. Tim. 1.3.4 and shall turne their eares from the truth they will not beleeue the truth and if they wil not heare and beleeue too Moses and the Prophets Luc. 16.31 neyther will they bee perswaded albeit one rose from the dead again And indeed the sinne of Infidelitie is the root of all our cecitie blindnesse and miserie For if wee beleeued Moses and the Prophets Iesus Christ and his Apostles we could not but see a farre off as the Apostle saith 2. Pet. 1.9.5 both Gods mercies to such as ioyne all vertues to faith also his iudgements against the wicked sinner that walkes on in the stubbornnesse of his owne heart How much this Infidelitie offendeth God wee may see in the example of Moses and Aaron Num. 20.12 Gods deare children who because they did not beleeue him to sanctifie him before the children of Israel in the desart he barred them from bringing the Israelites into the Land of Promise Euen as our Sauiour depriued his owne countrie of his great works Mat. 13.58 for their vnbeliefes sake How much the more then will he be offended with vs who stand not so highly in his fauour as these men did If one tell you of fables and narrations of many incredible things you beleeue them why will ye not then beleeue the truth 2. Tim. 4.4 3 The third cause of our blindnesse is the expectation of Gods long animity and patience Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to doe euill This the Apostle cals a Despising of the riches of Gods bountifulnesse patience and long suffering and a heaping vnto our selues wrath against the day of wrath and declaration of the iust iudgement of God Therefore Wise Siracides disswades this Sir 5.6 Say not the mercie of God is great hee will forgiue my manifold sinnes for mercie and wrath come from him and his indignation commeth vpon sinners Nor yet say I haue sinned Sir 5.4 and what euill hath come to me For God is a patient Rewarder and hee will not leaue thee vnpunished And as this presumption of Gods mercie blinds many so hope of long life doth the same As wee may beholde in the Rich man whose soule was taken from him Luc. 12.20 whilest he was building his barnes for his fruits Let vs remember what Bernard saith Maledictus qui peccat in spe Cursed is he that sinnes in hope 4 Fourthly Besides the outward appearance of goodnesse and the externall worship of God makes many so hood-winked that they cannot see the danger of their Estate Most doe thinke that God is pleased with the outward worke of his seruice praying reading hearing of Sermons wherein they carrie themselues as the Spirit speaketh of the Church at Sardi Apoc. 3.1 Thou hast a name that thou liuest but thou art dead they seeme to haue some Religion and deuotion but it is but hypocrisie for there are no fruits worthie amendement of life Of these you may say as the Prophet doth Beautie hath deceiued thee Dan. 13.56 so apparance of Religion hath deceiued and blinded them Of this Bernard speaketh thus Serpit super omne corpus putridalabes Hypocrisis moribus vtique damnabilis the rotten and stinking blemish of Hypocrisie hath dispersed it selfe ouer the whole bodie of mankinde in manners verily damnable Therefore let not any thinke that the outward workes of the Law alone are all that God requires of vs. For the end of the Commandement is Loue out of a pure heart 1. Tim. 1.5 a good Conscience and Faith vnfeigned 5 The last but not the least cause of our blindnesse is abundance of temporall blessings For euen as in the Moones Eclypse which is the interposition of the Earth betwixt the bodie of the Sunne and the Moone the Earth being a darke bodie detaines the beames that they cannot proceed and so the Moone is Eclypsed and looseth her light so in Man the loue of temporall thinges in the wil Eclypseth and hindereth the beames of reason and vnderstanding that they cannot inlighten the soule Hence the Hebrewes affirme that Couetousnesse so possessed Cain that he beleeued not there was any life after this and for this cause slew his brother who beleeued a life to come a reward for the good and punishment for the wicked in which contention Cain slew him Eight Aphorismes or Rules containing the summe of an happie life and blessed death 1 WEE rightly worship God with true faith daily invocation and lawfull obedience in the Sacrifice and obedience of Christ imputed to vs by faith 2 Wee exhilarate our soules and honourably spend our liues by a learned pietie and exercise of vertues 3 We cure the anguishes of the mind and the doutbfull health of our bodies by the evacuation of cares moderate labour and sober temperance 4 Wee increase and conserue our stocke and substance with honest diligence obserued faithfulnesse and liberall parsimonie and sparing 5 We gaine the godly fauour of men with wise and well seasoned language blamelesse life and approoued manners 6 Wee get friendship with faithfull beneuolence and mutuall Offices of Loue. 7 Wee gaine our enemies with iust susterance pacifying words and worthy Offices 8 This kind of life is most acceptable to God To doe good to all men and yet to sustaine enâ—ie hatred and iniuries of Deuils and Men. How to obtaine eternall life and auoid eternall death 1 THat there bee an earnest care of learning and reading the be auenly Doctrine deliuered in the sacred Scriptures ioyned with a godly and lawfull vse of the Sacraments according to that in Saint Lukes Gospell Luk. 16.29 They haue Moses and the Prophets Let them heare them 2 Let vs liue in the feare of God and imploy our selues in the serious exercises of true repentance that in the acknowledgement of our sinnes we may by saith flie to the mercie of God promised in his Sonne Christ and addresse all our whole liues after the rule of his holy Word mindfull of that Commaundement Mat. 4.17 Repent for the Kingdome of Heauen is at hand 3 That we shunne with a singular care all sinnes and scandals which shal according to the prediction of Christ and his Apostles in the end of the world swarme most abundantly namely Luxurie Drunkennesse Auarice Carnall
Securitie Epicurisme Contempt of Gods iudgements and the like Nor let vs by the example of the greater number suffer our selues to bee seduced and carried away with the streame of wicked workes to pollute our selues with such like wickednesse and scandals Luc. 21.34 Take heed saith our Sauiour least at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and so that day come vpon you vnawares 4 Let vs with an ardent zeale embrace and exercise the contratie Vertues Temperance Frugalitie the Feare of God Vigilancie Sobrietie and constantly set forewards in the course of true pietie according to that precept Watch alwayes and that also Luc. 21.11 2 Pet. 3.12 What manner persons ought wee to bee in holy conuersation and godlinesse looking for and hasting vnto the comming of the Daie of the Lord 5 Let vs daily cal vpon God to kindle in our hearts this care of vertues and desire of eternall life in the course of pietie to gouerne and confirme vs with his Holy Spirit to mitigate the calamities of his Church which goe before the end of the World according to that Watch and pray Mat. 26.41 that you enter not into temptation Pray that you may be found worthie to escape the things that are to come Luc. 21.36 and stand before the Sonne of man 6 To conclude Let vs so liue that euerie moment we may expect the comming of the Sonne of God to iudgment and may with a true faith and good conscience appeare ioyfully before him as wee are commanded to liue soberly godly and righteously in this present World looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the mightiâ— God and also according to that of the Apostie giue diligence Tit. 21.12.13 2 Pet. 3.14 that you may be found without spot and blamelesse before him in peace Two Rules neuer to bee forgotten 1 THou must neuer forget that the Son of God died for thee Secondly That thou thy selfe though thou liuest long art shortly to die If thou shouldest liue in the vtmost parts of Ethiopia where men for long life are called Macrobians yet die thou must nor canst thou know where when or how Hence it was that Hormisda answered the Emperour Constantine demaunding him of the beautie of Rome stately buildings goodly statues and sumptuous Temples if he thought that in all the World were any such Citie Surely said Hormisda there is indeede none comparable to it yet hath it one thing common to all other Cities Men die heere as they die in other places The death then of the Sonne of God who died to acquite thee from eternall death and thy owne death being so certaine not to be farre off must bee as two spurres of loue to driue thy horse through the short race of this momentanie life vnto the goale of eternall happinesse Remember then First That the time wee haue to liue is lesse then a Geometricall point Secondly How wicked the enemie is who promiseth vs the Kingdome of this World that hee might take from vs the Kingdome of Heauen Thirdy How false pleasures are which embrace vs to the end to strangle vs. Fourthly How deceitfull Honors are which lift vs vp to cast vs downe Fiftly How deadly riches are which the more they feed vs the more they strangle vs. Sixtly How short how vncertaine how wauering how false how fantastique all that same thing is which all these thinges if wee had them all at out owne desires can performe vnto vs. Seuenthly How great precious and vnvaluable things are promised and prouided fro those who despising the present thinges seeke for that Countrie in the Heauens whose King is Deitie whose Law is Charitie whose manner is Eternitie With these and such like cogitations we must occupie our mindes which will stirre vs vp from slumbering and sleeping in our sinnes kindle our zeale cooling in Religion confirme our weaknesse staggering in opinions and giue vs wings of most godly loue lifting vs vp to the glorie of Heauen The twelue weapons for the Spirituall battell euer to be had in memorie when the desire of Sinning tempts man 1 OF Sinne the pleasures short and small 2 The Companions Loathsomenesse and Anxietie 3 The losse of a greater good euen God himselfe 4 That life is but a sleep and shadow a winde a vapour a bubble and as a tale that is told 5 That death is at hand and sudden and comes like a Theese in the night 6 The doubt and danger of impenitencie 7 Eternall reward and happinesse and eternall torments 8 The Dignitie Honour and nature of man 9 The peace of conscience which is that peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding namely a full assurance that God is through Christ at peace with him remitting all his sinnes 10 The benefits and graces of God bestowed on him both inwardly and outwardly 11 The Crosse Agonie Passion and bloudie sweat of Christ for his sinnes 12 The testimonie of Martyrs and examples of Holy men who ouercame Sâ—than â—nd all his suggestions to sinne by the bloud of the Lambe and the word of their testimonie for they loued not their liues vnto the death The twelue conditions of a true louer whereby to know in what degree of the loue of God we stand 1 THE first degree of loue is to loue one onely and to despise all other things for him 2 To thinke him vnhappie that is not with his beloued 3 To suffer all thinges yea death to bee with him 4 To adorne and decke himselfe with such things as may please him 5 To be with him in all sorts that we may if not in bodie yet at the least in minde 6 To loue all thinges that please him his counsailes his precepts his doctrine 7 To seeke his honour and praise and not to suffer any to doe him reproch and dishonour 8 To beleeue the best things of him euermore and in all thinges desiring all men so to beleeue 9 To be willing to suffer any discommoditie for his sake taking it in verie good part 10 To shed teares for him often either for griefe if he be absent or for ioy if he be present 11 To languish often and often to be inflamed with his loue 12 To obey him in all thinges neuer thinking of any reward or recompence Now this wee are induced to doe for three causes specially First when the seruice is such as of it selfe is to be desired Secondly when he whom we obey is of himselfe so verie good and amiable that we euen loue and reuerence him for his vertues Thirdly when before we beganne to serue him hee bestowed on vs great benefits And these three causes we finde abundantly in God for which wee should loue and obey him For First there is no trauaile not paines taken for his seruice that is not good both for bodie and soule for to loue and obey him is but to direct our selues to him that is the chiefest good Secondly He is
saluation This is the doctrine the Apostle teacheth Let the same mind be in you Phil. 2.5 which was euen in Iesus Christ Where we see that his sentire and minde hath directed vs to foure things wherein we must be of the same mind First as touching things beneath vs that we may auoid them namely the pleasures of the flesh which deceiue vs the aduersities of the world which afflict vs death and eternall damnation which shake and confound vs. In these things we must be as sharpe-sented as the Salmon that perceiuing the salt-water returnes to the sweet as the Bees that feeling the ill sauour of smoake or any other thing forsake the place as the Oxe that smelling the bloud of a beast lately slaine roares and runnes away For if our senses be set vpon pleasures or that we make not true vse of afflictions to be humbled by them nor yet labour to shunne the way that leads to hell we shall bee like swine who smell not the foulest stinke as Bears that feele not the hardest stripes and Asses that stoupe not at the heauiest burthens Secondly touching things within vs the wounds of our soules the sinnes of our liues that they may be done away for that was his minde in all his life suffering and death And nothing is more within vs then our sinnes for they are in the midst of our hearts and soules He that feeles not the pricking wounds they make there is like a man sicke of a Pnrensie or Lethargie who neuer feeles his infirmitâ—e and therefore dies sleeping or singing such as they who cared not to know God Rom. 1.28 so he gaue them vp into a reprobate sense Thirdly as touching things without vs that is the torments of the Crosse that they may bee seene these being without vs but in Christ we must feele by compassion and deuotion in the very heart So the Apostie felt them The world is crucified to me and I to the world Gal. 6.14 H that hath not this sense of compassion and sorrow of Christ and his members is annovnted with the oyle of Mandraques and Henbâ—ne which makes men sleep so fast so stupifies their members that they feele no lancings cuttings or wounds if neuer so mortall Fourthly As touching things aboue vs that is heauenly comforts that they may be obtained but no comforts so great as saluation in Iesus Christ which aboue all things is to be desired Those that are after the spirit Rom. 8.5 sauour the things of the spirit as the Vulture sents her prey euen from beyond the sea and the dog hauing once sented his game leaues not till he finde it so the Christian hauing once fixed his senses on the prey of eternall life neuer restes till he be assured of it in Christ by the sanctification of his life Sap. 6.15 To thinke vpon this is perfect vnderstanding so that there is no perfect knowledge nor true vse of out senses but when that eternall life is their principall obiect and ayme Wherein if wee faile we are like them that hauing eaten sweet meates loose the taste of the best wines so neither the sauour nor smell of eternall life is perceiued if our senses be filled and taken vp with the sweetenesse of worldly things For euen the corruptible bodie is heauie to the soule Sap. 9.15 and the earthly mansion keepeth downe the mind that is full of cares so that we cannot say as Isaac said of Iacobs garments Gen. 27.27 That the sauour of eternall life is like the the sauour of a field which God hath blessed 7 I might say it is no small abuse wherwith we blemish the affections and the will in desiring and pursuing with great affection those things by God prohibited and neglecting and discarding the true good things that lead vs to the land of the liuing The true vse of our affections and willes is to seek those things which are aboue where Christ sits at the right hand of God Col. 3.1.2 to set our affections on things that are aboue and not on things which are on the earth that wee might be able truly to say Phil. 3.10 Our couuersation is in heauen from whence we also look for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ How much our age abuseth both will and affections who haue no conuersation in heauen but on earth who set their affections not on things about but on the basest things is more then demonstrable Therefore is all their life vnto them no better then a Hell euen an entrance into eternall perdition For as Bernard saith Tolle propriam voluntateÌ„ infernus non erit tibi Take away thy owne proper will that thou follow not it and thou shalt neuer haue hell so follow thy owne will and thou shalt neuer be out of hell 8 The abuse of the vnderstanding is also very great euery where at this day The true vse of the vnderstanding Rom. 12.3 is sapere ad sobrietatem to vnderstand according to sobrietie which is not to arrogate to our seluts the gifts we haue not nor to boast of the gifts we haue but to vse them reuerently to Gods glory and the good of others But now so carnall conceited are most part of men grown that they thinke they know all things and yet neuer knew the least part of themselues they boast themselues of those things they haue not and may be ashamed to boast of those things which they haue indeede that is plentie of ignorance For who is so bold as blind Baiard whereas the wisest Socrates will modestly say Hoc vnum scio quod nihil scio This one thing I know that I know nothing So that he that will be a man truly wise must become a foole that he may be wise for the wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with God 1. Cor. 3.18.19 9 Our memories arc much abused when they are not imployed vpon the necessary prouisions of the soule The true vse of the Memorie the wise King teacheth Remember thy Creator in the daies of thy youth Eccl. 12.1 Horses Dogges and Camels are of great memorie for they remember well the waies they haue trauelled the men that do them good and the Innes where they lodged And why should a Christian not euer remember the waies of his whole life how fowly he hath sinned and the benefits of God so infinitely bestowed and the glory of Paradise from whence by sinne he is eiected He that will not abuse his Memorie must neuer forget three things touching God three touching himselfe and three touching others Touching God the power of the Creator the mercie of the Redeemer the iustice of the Rewarder Touching himselfe the vilitie of his condition the prauitie of his conuersation the grieuousnesse of death and damnation Touching others the excellency of those holy men that went before him the damnation of all the wicked that forget God the affection of all from whom he receiued
of your honour and increase of your future happinesse Wherein I truly put on the person of both these PresideÌ„ts though happily I shal be distinguished from them in the successe as I differ from them in deportment for my tunne and all that is within mee shall neuer leaue tumbling and toyling to tender my seruice in the care of your preseruation therin I am like Diogenes but haue nothing left me by the malice of the time but an handfull of water and therin like Syneta Now seeing one way onely of accommodating my selfe to your seruice is left mee namely to represent to you the things that haue beeue prudently written by others of well gouerning aswel the priuate life as publique affaires I could not be wanting in that duty I tender not therfore long perplexed disputes of well managing the life and Republique but most sweet Meditations briefe Aphorismes and Rules concerning the gouernment of both and discouerie of such rocks and dangers as vsually dash the consciences of men and states of greatest Kingdomes in peeces and those not dubious and naked but cloathed and confirmed with the iudgemeÌ„t of most graue writers whence they were collected and approued by the practise and example of great persons hauing the witnesse of all prudent men and times whereby to adde more power and faith to their excellencies Nor may this slender present happily be intempestiue or vnpleasant for as sudden stormes and vnexpected alterations of weather do often driue the most skilful Pilots to great perturbations in their Art in somuch that they know not into what hauen to flie or what shore to fetch so albeit these HalcioÌ„ and blessed times of peace seeme to promise no stormes yet if the great persons be not soundly instructed with diuine and wise precepts to entertaine a gust when it falles or to decline it that it hurt not when it commeth such stormes may so sodainely arise euen when we say peace peace as will put the wisest Polititians and best Leaders to their wits end Therfore that your Highnesse may bring to a safe hauen aswell this noble baâ—ke of your body and soule as the great ship of this Kingdome and these glorious countries and people whereof as God hath made you the most hopefull heire apparant so the same God make you and yours long and happie gouernours cast I besetch you your gracious eye sometimes on these short parcels of instruction and entertaine them into your Princely heart so shall your gouernment be most happie and peaceable your end glorious and for euer blessed your memorie honourable neuer dying which shall euer be the vote and vowed labour of Your Highnesse most humble obseruer RICH. MIDDLETON The Contents of this Booke 1 A Diuine Meditation vpon the foure last things Death Iudgement Hell and Glory as the strongest motiues to make an impression in the soule of detesting all sin but chiefly intemperance and vncleannes and adding wings to our faint desires of heauens glory 2 Of truewisdome what it is and wherein it consils 3 Of the pleasures of the bodie 4 Of things concerning the endowment of the mind 5 Of Religion 6 Of Charitie 7 Of Conuersation 8 How to vse all sorts of men 9 How to carry a mans self towards himself 10 Of a Prince and his whole deportment in fiftie seuen Aphorismes 11 Of the things that preserue Kingdomes 12 Of the things that ruine Kingdomes 13 Prognosticks of the anger and scourge of God to be at hand or of the finall periods of Kingdomes and States 14 That the conuersions euersions and ruines of Kingdomes and States may be foreknowne aswell as the death and dissolution of a dying man may be foreknowne by a skilfull Physition 15 Why men are so blinde that they cannot see their owne ruine and Gods anger hanging ouer them 16 Eight Aphorismes or Rules containing the summe of a happy life blessed death 17 How to obtaine eternall life and auoid eternall death 18 Two Rules neuer to be forgotten restraining man from the pursuite of his carnall and bestiall desires 19 The twelue weapons for the spirituall battell euer to be had in memorie when the desire of sinning tempts vs. 20 The twelue conditions of a louer wherby to know in what degree of the loue of God we stand 21 The twelue abuses of the world 22 The true Anatomie of Contemplation shewing what it is wherein it consists and how worthy a worke it is for a Prince and also for euery good Christian 23 The fruitfull admonition of Isocrates to Demonicus containing eightie fiue most excellent morall precepts neuer before translated out of the Greeke 24 The institution and description of a good Prince by C. Plinius directed to the Emperour Traian neuer before turned out of Latine THE CARDE AND COMPASSE OF LIFE MEDITATION I. A Meditation on the foure last things Death Iudgement Hell and Glorie To restraine sinne and increase pietie WE must not make this Meditation a naked discourse or bare reading onely but a vehement application of the minde to the things themselues with an inward sense of heart all the distractions of our thoughts being abandoned First then that thou maiest meditate profitably of Death put thy selfe humbly in the sight of God who beholdes thee in all thy actions and begge of him thus present that al thy thoughts words workes and all thy strength may wholly be directed to his glorie and thy saluation And here first conceiue thy selfe to be lying vpon thy bed neere vnto death the Physicions despairing of thy health and thy friends sorrowing for thy departure the soule being now readie to giue the last gaspe Secondly entreate God with hartie affections to giue thee grace that thou maist take profit by the consideration of death The first point here to be meditated is that death is ineuitable and certaine the houre of death most vncertain the place and manner of death vnknowne and that this is the common lot and portion of all men of what degree or condition soeuer Therefore it is extreme madnesse for men knowing these things to liue so securely as they do building vnto themselues I know not what Imaginarie Worlds and Castles in the Aire as if all were but fables that are written of death when in the meane time death suddenly seiseth vpon them vnthought on and vnprepared for his stroke which vnto many is the cause of eternall damnation The second to bee considered is that in death by little and little the speech and all the powers of the senses are lost Nor when thou commest to this straight shalt thou vnderstand or know any man any more not canst thou remooue thy selfe from this bedde of death in which thou liest left of all seeing Friends nor Physitions nor any other can helpe thee nor gold and siluer or nobilitie or that great expectation and estimation that all men had of tâ—ee shall profit thee Thy vnderstanding by the strength of griefe and sicknesse shal be obscured
thy memorie blurred and thou so astonished and senselesse that thou shalt not know in what place and what case thou liest and with much difficultie shalt thou be stirred vp to any sense or sorrow for thy sinne This consideration will not a little astonish thee that thou shalt haue at that time more then euer in all thy life more doubts and scares suggested thee of the certaintie of thy saluation â—â—st in respect of the multitude of thy sinnes secondly in that thou shalt then haue the memory of thy sinnes represented to thee which obliuion and custome of sinning had stolne from thee thirdly in that the sins which then thou thoughtest to bee little and light doe now appeare great and grieuous fourthly in that thy repentance dying is not so secure as when thou art in health Hence it will fall out that thou shalt bee so amazed that thou wilt not know which way to turne thee To returne backe the grieuousnes of thy sicknesse will not suffer thee To goe forwards is of all fearefull thinges the most fearefull To stand still in that estate God will not suffer who hath numbred all thy dayes from eternitie and will haue this to bee the last houre of thy life If thou beholdest God hee will appeare to thee angrie with the sword of his most iust vengeance drawne against thee for thy impenitent life If thou cast downe thy eyes thou shalt see nothing but a stinking graue for thy bodie which thou so much louedst and pamperedst and the gates of Hel standing open to entertaine thy soule which in thy life thou so little regardedst If thou enter into thy selfe what shalt thou finde but a confused infinite masse of thy sinnes the conscience whereof doth worthily adiudge thee to eternall torments If thou lookest about thee what shalt thou see miserable wretch but an infinite troupe of Diuels striking horrour into thy conceit and reading the bookes and billes of all the sinnes of thy life and like Lions whome long famine hath enraged expecting for thee their prey How suddenly then will Honours Riches and Pleasures of thy whole life seeme to haue fled from thee How euidently but late if not too late shalt thou then know that all the things of this life vnder the Sunne are nothing else but Fopperies Dreames Fraudes shadowes which like a vaine apparition haue nothing in them certaine solid sure How wouldest thou desire a little euen the least staie and breathing to collect thy selfe and correct thy wayes But al too late The fourth point is to consider that what in this world is most deare to thee must then bee left behinde thee heere Then thinke with thy selfe what sorrow those things will bring vnto thee which thou most esteemedst and valuedst aboue al others thy Parents and Friends wil but accompanie thee to the graue thy rich garments shal be left behinde thy goods thy heires will seize on and reioyce at the purchase thy bodie will be ill entreated with Wormes Toades and Serpents onely thy works wil accompanie thee into the entrance of another life most happie or most miserable such as thy workes haue beene good or euill On the other side consider how diuerse from these and how secure the death of the righteous is These when they feele themselues to draw neere their end with a few defects but with much repentance and a heart abstracted from earthly thinges hauing euer had their conuersation in Heauen reioyce that all their liues long they haue laboured for so plentifull an haruest they enioy the testimonie of a good conscience reioyce to behold the troupes of Angels that come out to meet them and are so much the more rauished with ioy as they draw neerer vnto death by which they are deliuered from the prison of the flesh the difficulties of life the flouds of miseries the infinite snares and deceits of the enemies and draw neare to the reward of their labours the Crowne of glorie and fruition of eternall rest and felicitie with the Saints of God which they haue desired and laboured for and hoped to attaine The last point is to ponder with thy selfe what then thou wouldest that thou haddest done when being neare to death thou hast no more time to liue and the same thing which thou wouldest wish thou haddest done when thou art at the point of death the same thing without delaie doe whilest thou meditatest hereof that thou maist be euerie houre ready to imbrace the message of death as Seneca perswades Mors vbique nos expectat tu si sapiens eris vbique illam expectabis Death euerie where expects vs therefore if thou be wise doe thou euery where expect death So shal it neuer take thee at any aduantage To this end remember Augustines admonition Be affraid to liue in such an estate as thou art afraid to die in Conclude this Meditation with a friendly conference with God in which demaund of him that by his grace these things may penetrate into the bottom of thy heart and there be so fixed that they neuer may bee quenched and that from this time forwards thou maist make such vse of the preaching and hearing of his holy word of the coÌ„sortable Sacraments of his Church and all other the good meanes of thy saluation that thou maist begin now to walke with a better conscience before him and in the peace of a quiet conscience thou maist arriue at the Hauen of glorie MEDITATION II. The second Meditation is of the last Iudgement HEre must a preparatorie Prayer be made as before in the Meditation of death And first conceiue thou seest a most ample goodly spacious place where all the Nations of the Earth shall be gathered together to receiue their doome of eternall blisse or eternall torments Secondly aske of God from thy heart that so great and vnvsual a spectacle may bring some profit to thy sinfull soule The first point to bee meditated is to consider the diuerse and most horrible and fearefull signes going before the last iudgment First in the Angels for the powers of Heauen shall bee moued and they shall come with a great sound of a Trumpet and shall gather the elect from the foure windes and from the one end of Heauen to another summoning the whole Worlde with that fearefull Trumpet Arise yee dead and come to Iudgment Secondly in the Deuils whose bands shal then be loosed so that he shal rage more then euer before Thirdly in the Waters which happily may rise aboue the tops of the Mountaines whose noise and horrible roaring of the Sea shall confound the hearers Fourthly in the Earth whose most inward parts shal then by horrible motions bee shaken with cracking of stones traiection of mountaines and complanation of vallies insomuch as all Creatures shal be strucke into sorrow Fiftly in the Heauen the Sunne and Moone shall fall from Heauen and threaten eternall ruine to the Earth Sixtly in men Then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man
in Heauen and then shall all the kindreds of the Earth mourne and the wicked shal be with horrour so confounded that they shall runne by the way like mad men and crie vnto the mountaints Cadite Cadite fall fall and hide vs from the Lambe and the fury of his wrath Seuenthly in the fire whose power shal be so great that it shall suppe vp as it were with one deluge all the other Elements and all men and Creatures shall it suddenly turne to dust and ashes so that there may be a new Heauen and a new Earth The second point to be meditated is That The Sonne of God shall appeare with power and great Maiestie accompanied with an Armie of Angels his aspect to the wicked terrible to the godly most comfortable For their redemption draweth neare Then shall hee take the good to his right hand and place the wicked at his left where such griese shall inuade them as neuer in all their liues before seeing themselues in that miserable estate which they neuer dreamt on euen there where with a most iust ballance all the thinges that euer they haue done spoken or thought all the good they haue omited shal bee weighed and no man not so much as in one word can patronize them It will much increase their torment when they shall see the signe of the Sonne of Man the nailes as most sharpe arrowes shall wound their hearts when they shall vnderstand that they haue all their life long trampled vnderfoot by the turpitude of their liues that pretious bloud shed for the redemption of the World and made a mocke of it And the more to shame them the Iudge shal open his wounds from which his most precious fountaines the water and bloud issued most plentifully to wash them from their sinnes if they would haue taken hold of it in time Now conceiue what miserie the wicked shall thinke themselues in to be placed at the left hand a most infallible signe of damnation and what ioy and securitie to the godly at his right hand a sure token of eternall saluation Now meditate that the consciences of the whole World shall be laid open the books shal be read and there was neuer any thing so secret which shall not be reuealed And if small erreurs committed now in the sight of great persons do make vs blush what shall then they grieuous sinnes which are so sul of turpitude that not onely in the sight of others thou blushest but euen thâ— selfe alone doest blush to thinke on them seing there all the men of the World shall see them There will be made no reckning of Nobilitie or wit no account of riches grace fauour and splendour thou once haddest no care had of any naturall or supernaturall giftes of bodie or minde In a point of time shall bee set before thee all thy most secret thoughts and wordes of Lust Pride Hatred Enuie and all the rest yea euen all the good thou hast omitted to doe shal be put on thy score to increase thy damnation O miserable and thrice miserable wretch thou art in thy owne conscience damned thou art destitute of all patrocinie and defence not onely of men but of Angels who were once inployed whilest thou liuedst for thy good but are now by so much the more become thy aduersaries by how much once they loued thee more Nay to conclude forsaken of Christ who onely therefore sits in Maiestie to iudge and condemne thee for if the iust bee scarcely saued 1. Pet. 4. where shall the wicked and vngodly appeare The fourth point considerable is what kind of Iudge he is First most wise and cannot be deceiued Secondly most iust and will not bee inclined Thirdly most powerfull and will not bee resisted Fourthly full of anger and indignation and will not bee appeased so that the Kings of the Earth shall tremble and crie to the rockes Fall vpon vs fall vpon vs and couer vs. Fiftly fierce and inexorable and cannot bee mollified Apoc. 6. 1. Sam. 15. For the strength of Israel will not lie nor repent Thinke that Christ hauing duly examined euery cause hee will then pronounce that fearefull sentence as a thunder against the vngodly Depart from mee yee cursed into eternall fire prepared for the Deuil and his Angels O most vnhappie sinners then will they crie but none will heare weep but none will haue mercie on them then shall they seeke God but shall not finde him because they hated knowledge Pro. 1. and did not seeke the feare of the Lord the shall they damne all wicked wayes and curse the societie of sinners and madding shall grow franticke with the furie of their sinnes which for most vile pleasures they committed On the other side the iust shall be surprised with vnspeakeable ioy when that blessed sentence shall be read Come ye blessed of my Father receiue the Kingdome ordained to you from the beginning of the world Then shal their mouths runne ouer with praises and their hearts beefilled with vnutturable ioy Then shal the ignominie of the Crosse be counted an exceeding glorie austeritie of life wonderfull sweetnsse and the despising of all the pleasures of the World and the flesh most vnspeakeable pleasure Thinke that thy particular iudgement when thou commest to death shall bee like to this generall therefore now whilest thou hast time labour to doe those things whereby thou maist assure thy soule that thou shalt receiue that blessed reward and escape that fearefull punishment Now direct thy speech to God who shall bee thy Iudge and pray that in this life he will lay his iudgments vpon thee as Saint Augustine Domine hic vre hic seca me ne in eternum peream Lord burn mee here cut mee here that I perish not for euer And also pray that these Meditations may take such roote in thy heart that thou maist iudge thy selfe that thou maist bee chastened of the Lord least thou bee Condemned with the World I. Cor. 11. MEDITATION III. Of Hell THis Meditation must take his rise from a preparatiue Prayer as in the former in which wee must first propose to our selues a most vast and bottomlesse gulfe hideous to behold in darknesse most dungeon-like in paines and torments most horrible in smel most odious as it were a Sea breathing out flames and smoke whereof we may represent to our imagination a modell by calling to minde that horrible mountaine of Aetna in Sicilia and Vesuvius in Naples both which belch out the inward bowels of the Earth with stones flames fumes and ashes and that in such surie as if it imitated the Giants warre and meant to ouerthrow the God of Heauen and all his Saints to draw the Sunne downe to the Earth and turne the night into day The burning ashes of this hellish Vesuvius as Dion Cassius notes in the time of Titus his Empire were not onely carried to Rome but to Affrica and Aegypt when in the boyling Seas fishes were boyled to death
wicked the sense of the horrible anger of God against their sinnes the most sorrowfull feare confusion flight roaring indignation biting and gnawing of conscience arising from the recordation of their sinnes now laid open to the whole world and with the most direfull thunder of Gods anger inflicted vpon them The wicked perceiuing themselues for euer with the Diuels cast off from God and his horrible wrath powred out vpon them all their turpitude and malice to all the Angels and men demonstrated and all occasions of flying these punishments and mending of their manners in this life intercepted acknowledging godly men enioying with God eternall ioy and glorie to be for euer blessed so all houle and lament for their carnall securitie and final impenitency and amongst these infinite torments of bodie and soule with horrible lamentations eiulations sobbes and sighes and in perpetuall mourning anguishâ— trembling shame ignominie gnashing of teeth and desperation ration shal euery moment in vaine wish that these sorrowes and torments might by death be cut off and they themselues to be redacted into nothing but all this I say in vaine Apoc. 9.6 For Cupient mori mors fugiet ab eis they shall desire to die but death will not be acquainted with them This is eternall damnation this is eternall fire O horrible eternitie whom the consideration of thee may not moue to forsake all euill and follow all that is good I will speake it in a word but I will speake it truly he hath no faith or if any sure he hath no heart or if any sure hee he hath no hope of saluation Close vp this Meditation with a sweet colloquie and speech with God desiring him so to inflame thy heart with a true zeale of seruing him in holinesse and righteousnesse of life that all thy life long thou maist be out of the feare of this eternall death and in the death of thy bodie thou maist enioy the fruit and Crowne of righteousnesse eternall life MEDITATION IIII. Of Coelestiall glorie CAst downe thy self before God and begge of him that he will direct all thy thoughts words and workes to his glorie and thy saluation First cast thy conceit earnestly vpon that description of the holy Citie Apoc. 21. New Hierusalem where is represented to thee a place full of all glory pleasures and excellencies that heart can imagine and all those perdurable and for euer Secondly aske of God to giue thee grace intimously and from the heart to vnderstand the glory of this heauenly countrie and so to be affected and rauished with the desire thereof that euer and euery where thou maist be stirred vp to serue him in purenesse of life and also labour to bring as many to this glorie as thou canst The first point is to consider what kind of place it is that the blessed doe inhabite in site most high in space most ample in matter most sumptuous in shew and beautie most specious and glorious whose foundations are precious stones and the whole Citie of most pure gold the gates of Smaragds and Saphyres and the streets of no lesse price and beautie There is no night nor darknesse for the Sunne of righteousnesse which knowes not to be hid doth euer send his beames into it Now if the fabricke of this world which is but a stable for beasts an exile and valley of teares to men hath so much beautie and excellency that it strikes him that contemplates it into admiration and astonishment and such plentie of good things that no sense can desire more such varietie of beastes fishes fountaines townes cities prouinces disagreeing in institutes manners and lawes such choise of all stones of value gold siluer and exquisite silkes naturall and artificiall if I say this building of so small a frame of the Sunne Moone and Starres shine with such brightnesse what shall then our heauenly countrie doe not now the habitation of seruants but sonnes not of beasts but blessed soules where is the Hall of the great King of Kings the omnipotent God who can and will performe to his beloued children much more then they can conceiue what things will not he frame in his eternall Palace for his sonnes Psal 84.1.2 How amiable are thy dwellings thou Lord of Hostes My soule hath a desire and longing to enter into the Courts of the Lord. What ioy shall that bee when they shall come from the East and from the West from the North and from the South Luc. 13.29 sit at table in the kingdom of God Thou shalt consider what kind of house Gods house is wholly pleasant wholly desirable remoued from all euill replenished with all good in which as Angustine there is a life prepared of God for his friends a secure life a quiet life a beautifull life a cleane life a chast life a holy life a life that knowes not death a life without straitnesse without necessitie without sorrow without auxietie without corruption without perturbation without varietie without mutation a life full of beautie and honour Where as Bernard saith there is nothing present that offends nothing absent that delights How louely a house is this where is perfect loue and no feare eternall day and all one Spirit where God is seene face to face Blessed are all those who so liue in this world that departing hence they may be assured to remoue to so blessed a home Then contemplate that blessed society of most pure minds in their seueral quires described Angels Archangels Principalities Powers Dominions Vertues Thrones Cherubins and Seraphins Whereof there is such a multitude that Daniel saith Dan. 7. Thousand thousands serue him ten hundred thousands assist him Behold with these so many most holy soules of men and women Patriarches Prophets Apostles Martyres Virgins Innocents so many that Iohn said Apoc. 15. They could not be numbred Behold the beautie of euery one and so great charitie that they no lesse reioyce of anothers glorie then their owne Conceiue what is the exercise of the blessed to see God face to face First to know the diuine Essence in three persons Father Sonne and holy Ghost with which knowledge they are so illumined and inflamed that incessantly they sing Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbath Isa 6. In the diuine Essence they know themselues and all things else and do not onely see God but also loue him with a vehement loue a full loue a perfect loue with all the heart and all the strength and in louing they enioy him and in enioying with an inexplicable ioy are rauished No cessation of praises admiration thanksgiuing and ioy which they receiue by the presence of God whom with all reuerence and rest they assist and by that societie of so many Saints with whom they see themselues in glorie in a place so sublime secure and pleasant doe eternally reioyce Consider withall the multitude and fulnesse of those ioyes so many that God can onely number them so great that onely he
so shall it deifie you in Heauen for as Augustine saith truely Qui nòn tumet vento superbiae nòn cremabitur igne gehennae He that swels not with the puffe of pride shall neuer bee burnt with the fire of Hell To conclude Let the iudgments of God vpon his own people for these verie sinnes and abused strange customes so largely set forth by that worthie Court-preacher Isay bee Englands Map Esay 3. wherein to beeholde her owne desolation if shee repent not for them Of Contemplation what it is wherein it consists and how worthie a Worke it is for a Prince and also for euerie good Christian. Bernard sath that Contemplation is a lifting vp of the minde resting vpon God and tasting the ioyes of eternall sweetnesse And indeed it is nothing else but as it were a certaine spirituall vision and sight of that Truth which we know and approue ioyned with the prayses of God with most high admiration pleasure of the spirit and ioye of heart For as by the eye of the bodie we see corporall thinges so by the minde which is the eye of the soule wee contemplate heauenly thinges Therefore Contemplation is nothing but the vision and sight of the minde This if it be sober makes vs haue our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Phil. 3.30 our conuersation in Heauen and so to finde an Heauen vpon Earth and to be sure of Heauen whilest wee liue on the Earth Some conceiue that this word Temple is deriued hence because it is a place destinated to contemplation For as wee ought in the Temple of God to recollect all our affections cogitately to meditate and thinke vpon God and his holy mysteries and ordinances so indeede this Contemplation of which wee speake is nothing else but a true and perfect collection of all our affections and powers of the soule to know something with admiration and delight of minde concerning the nature of God namely touching his power his wisedome his goodnesse his loue his nobilitie and bountie c. or touching the hidden iudgments of God or his most holy will or some other excellent obiect by which we bend and direct our selues to God Before wee come to handle the members and parts of Contemplation we wil shew First the difference betwixt Contemplation Meditation and Cogitation Secondly the inducements to Contemplation Thirdly the arguments and tokens of true Contemplation Fourthly the impediments of contemplation First The difference is in that wee shall finde in Cogitation there is an evagation and wandring of the minde in Meditation an investigation of the minde but in Contemplation and Admiration of the mind Cogitation is without labour and without fruit Meditation is with labour and with profit Contemplation is without labour and with profit Greg. lib. 2. in Ezech. Hom. 17 Secondly Those three degrees of which Gregorie speaketh ought to induce vs to the Contemplation of God First That the soule collect it selfe to it selfe Secondly That being collected it may see what an one it is Thirdly That it rise aboue it selfe and doe subiect it selfe intending to the contemplation of the invisible Authour of it selfe But it cannot collect it selfe to it selfe by no meanes except first it learne to driue from the eye of the minde all fancies of Earthly or Heauenly formes and to despise and tread vnder foot whatsoeuer occurres the Cogitation concerning the corporeall eye eare smell tast or touch in as much as he seeks himselfe to be such within as he is without these For when he thinkes of these thinges he doth within himselfe as it were handle certaine shadowes of bodies Therefore all these by the hand of Discretion are to bee driuen from the eye of the minde as much as may bee in as much as the soule considers it selfe to be such as it was created vnder God aboue the bodie Besides the ineffable sweetnesse which is in contemplation perceiued the admirable perfection which is there learned and the beginning of nil happinesse which is there found ought to induce vs therevnto For there the most high GOD the fountaine of all happinesse is knowne and that which is knowne is beloned and that which is beloued is desired and laboured for and that which is carefully laboured for is acquired and when it is at length acquired Ber in Ser. 35. in Can. it is with interminable and endlesse delight possessed such delight as that Bernard saith That the soule which hath once learned and receiued of God to enter into it selfe and in his very inwards to long for the presence of God euer to seek his face for God is a spirit and those that seeke him the must walke in the spirit and not hue after the flesh such a soule I say I know not whether it account it more horrible and painefull to suffer Hell it selfe for a time then after the sweetnesse of this spirituall studie once tasted to goe out againe to the pleasures or rather the grieuances of flesh and to seeke againe the insatiable curiositie of the senses Ecclesiastes saying Eccles 1.8 The eye is not satisfied with seing nor the Eare with hearing Behold a man well experienced Thou art good Oh Lord to them that hope in thee to the soule that seeks thee If any man labour to turne his soule from this good I suppose hee will iudge it no other then if hee saw himselfe thrust out of Paradise and from entrance into glorie This is the same Dauid that answered the Lord bidding him seeke his face Thy face Lord will I seeke Therefore nothing is so much to bee feared of him that hath once receiued this benefit as that being relinquished of that grace he be againe inforced to goe out to the consolations of the flesh nay rather the desolations and againe to suffer the tumults of the carnall senses In this Contemplation was Augustine when he said That whatsoeuer he did in the World displeased him Thirdly The tokens of true Contemplation is to loath any longer to liue in the miserie of this World Thobias 3. with Thobias It is better for me to die then liue with Iob My soule loatheth my life Iob. 10.1 Rom. with Paul Wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death also to thirst after the fountaine of life with the Prophet Psal 41. As the Hart desiros the water-brookes so my soule longeth after thee ô God with all the minde to retaine the loue of God and man to cleaue to the onely desire of his Maker all cares trodden vnderfoot burning in desire to see the face of his Creatour Fourthly The impediments of Contemplation As in the eye of the bodie three thinges doe hinder the sight of if so there are three which doe hinder the sight of the eye of the mind The bodily eye may be sound yet if it want the outward light it sees nothing It may also haue the light present and yet some bloud or humour
notable creatures are in site higher in light clearer in appearaÌ„ce beautifuller which we find true in the Sun Stars so those that sit aloft and would haue the name to excell others in Nobilitie of vertues probitie of manners ought to be more beautifull in conuersation more cleare in discretion more high in contemplation For seeing all men were framed and created to this end that they might possesse a perpetuall Kingdom and glory and all are therefore tyed in an equall Obligation to vertues which are as the way vnto that Kingdome contemplation being as it were the life-bloud of all vertues How can the Prince or great person thinke contemplat on vnfit for his degree which onely fits him to know serue loue God conuerse with God and make him happie It is well knowne that all Philosophers haued fined true felicitie to be no other thing then a perfect actioÌ„ in a perfect life according to perfect vertue And the iudgment of all wise men is That this felicitie consiâ—s in contemplating louing God which thing indeede is the most excellent and honourable action such as is the vnderstanding of the most excellent and honourable part of man such as is the mind about and concerning the most excellent and honourable subiect and thing such as is God himselfe Thus speakâ—s Aristotle in his Ethickâ— and in his Metaphysicks addes That this action in diuine not onely because it wholy vnites God to it selfe by contemplating and louing him but also because it doth no other thing but euen that which God himselfe doth who onely doth contemplate and loue himselfe other thing by himselfe and the other diuine mindes which in contemplating and louing God do moue the superiour Orbes that they may beget vâ—der heauen that thing which they see in God is to be begotten so shall we be like vnto God and the heauenly creatures if in contemplating and louing God we moue our owne Orbes that is the powers of the mind our inward and outward senses our members bodies to doe those things which we doe see to shine in God contemplated and beloued This is the forme of humane felicity For the mind of man is like to a rased Table in which any thing may be painted readie to be made all things and to make all things God being obiected to it to be contemplated and loued it contemplates and loues and so makes vs in some sort to labour to conforme our selues and our actions to those exemplarie vertues we see in God to whose example we ought to conforme all our vertues And therefore euermore his example is to be set before vs. Hence is that ancient Prouerbe aswell of all the Latines as Greeks celebrated of a good and vertuous man Homo homini Deus Man ought to be God to Man And therefore Plutarch explicating this in his booke against an vnlearned Prince denieth That therefore the Saints are not called blessed because they liue most long but because they are the Princes of vertues Which thing our Sauiour confirming hath left vs this precept Be perfect as your heauenly Father is perfect This perfection to whose example we ought to institute our selues must be first eyther in respect of God secondly or of our selues thirdly or of others First In respect of God we must referre all things to the knowledge and loue of him in all things seeking a more full knowledge and loue of God carrying him in our mindes and so we should breath expresse poure out ingraue Matth. 5. the Diuinitie in our minds words gestâ—res and all our actions and so are we Gods to other men Therefore wee shall detest sinne euen the least sinne because God do h detest it not inforced through feare of punishment or allured by any rewards but inflamed with the loue of God nor shall bee cast downe from the place of vertue by the most bitter sufferings of any torments louing God who of himselfe is most louely albeit he should conferre vpon vs no good things but should crush our bodies to peeces by exquisite torments alienate all our friends from vs cast vs out of house and home and load vs with ignominies and all discomforts and we shall make more account of the least dramme of the knowledge and loue of God then of all other good things besides this that can be imagined Secondly As concerning our selues wee will striue to loue God more then our selues and so where need is we will spend our liues and all we haue rather then any thing shall bee done by vs whereby any should thinke speake or doe concerning him otherwise then is fit albeit no good thing after death should remaine vnto vs but most hard and cruell things were of vs to be indured for euer For so shall we be translated into God we shal liue to God and God shall liue in vs and we shall be most valiant and most constant to performe all excellent things and such and so diuine things as the sharpenesse of no sight euer attained vnto And to conclude hauing gotten that worthy temperance no excesse shall rest in vs which may eyther weaken the bodie through lust or dissipate our substance or ingender diseases Thirdly As touching others we shall not be theeues iniurious enuious slanderers vniust such as do butcher and teare in peeces themselues with their owne sinnes And seeing God is not so much beloued as he doth loue seeing he doth good albeit he receiue no good from vs 1. Cor. 4. for what haue we that we haue not receiued nay seeing his prouidence and care ouer those that are contumelious and iniurious to him Mat. 5. therefore the truly-wise man will do good to all and will ouercome euill men with benefits and striue to bring them to the knowledge and loue of God and if they be stubborne he wâ—ll not feare to desire God to lay their punishments on himselfe so that they may be brought to God but if they be past hope that then he will smite them as Peter did Ananias and Saphira and as Paul did Elimas Act. 5. and as Simon Magus was at the Apostles prayers Act. 13. So then the knowledge and loue of God is the rule and measure of all vertue This is the perfection and felicitie which contemplation and the loue of God engenders If then contemplation be that most excellent action of the most excellent part the minde and touching the most excellent subiect God himselfe How can it be but most fit for the most excellent persons Kings and Princes But amongst all vertues illustrious persons and such as are set in the highest places in this world seeme to haue a greater inclination to one more generous and regall then the rest and that is Magnanimitie whose nature is to disdaine to cast downe himselfe to abiect things but to performe and procure the greatest things of which kinde are true and great honours which is the proper worke also of contemplation whose
labour is not for base and contemptible things but for true honours the Kingdome of God and the vnspeakable glorie thereof Whence it doth manifestly follow that seeing nothing in this world is more abiect then sinne nor any thing of more excellency and magnanimitie then vertue Princes and great ones are much to bee blamed if they suffer themselues to be ouercome of any sinne or doe depart from the more noble life of vertues and contemplation Yet it is to be obserued that this vertue of Magnanimitie is in this world mightily obscured and troden vnder foote by the blindnesse of men For albeit many are by nature magnanimous yet because they make great account of the prosperities and honours of this world forgetting the more sublime and excellent honour of vertue it selfe and chiefely of Fortitude which consists in this That a man doe vanquish himselfe and also forgetting that most high reward which in heauen is prepared for them that giue themselues to a spirituall life Thus whilest they magnifie the things of this world and are with all their hearts and strength occupied in them they disesteem that in which true Magnanimitie consisteth namely Vertue and the contemplation of heauenly things And they hence take a pretext and colour of this their complacency worldly comportment from the common vse and practise of this kinde of life amongst the most high and noble persons who for the most part ire besotted with these sublunarie and base fooleries nor in the meane time doe they obserue that the truly-wise do laugh them to scorne euen as those most high celestiall Princes and all the Courtiers of his Court the least of whom hath a greater regall pompe then al the Caesars Courts of this brittle world which onely is as it were but a little village and yet doth so delude their vnderstandings From this will manifestly arise thus much That in very deed they are most abiect and vnworthie of honour albeit they are held for great in this world who doe not exercise all their powers in the spirituall life and seruice of the most high King and God from whom onely they may obtaine those so excellent benefits which in heart they so much desire It is also euident that Princes and great ones haue a greater Obligation to this vertue of Magnanimitie and to all that proceeds from the same and therefore it may truly be said that for this Obligation and Magnanimitie all doctrine which concernes a spirituall life doth more appertaine to them then to others whose pusillanimitie and weaknesse of minde doth not lift vp themselues to desire and procure so difficult and great matters Surely if it be a base thing for Princes and Great ones to be exercised in gatheting vp the small crummes of Sugar that fall from the ballance much more abiect and base it is to place the minde in the vaine sweetnesse of delights and prosperities of this world seeing hence doth follow not onely obliuion but also the perdition of the most high honour and glory for the which was giuen them that great and generous minde they haue and that mightie power and great place they hold Of all these things that most glorious King of the vniuersall heauenly and earthly Court our Lord Iesus Christ hath giuen a most cleare example who offered his most regall person to innumerable iniuries and afflictions for those wonderfull things of heauen who for the ioy that was set before him endured the Crosse despised the shame Heb. 12.2 and is set at the right hand of the Throne of God who also with a minde truly great and glorious Mat. 4.10.6 despised the Kingdomes of this world when they were offered him Surely I know not by what title or right he will call himselfe an illustrious Lord in this world who spends his life in acquiring the honours of this world seeing he may behold his King to desire death whereby to set him free from the vaineâ— loue of mundane honours and transferre him to heauenly honours Againe I know not how he dare number himselfe amongst great and excellent men who lets fall his heart vpon things so abiect and base seeing in very truth that abiect things are farre distant and vnfit for sublime great and generous spirits This Magnanimitie ought singularly to induce Noble and Heroicke persons neuer to commit sinne seeing sinne is the most abiect vile thing in this world in respect that it is aduersant to the fidelitie they owe to God and vilifieth them in the sight of God and all good men Surely no tongue nor hand of another man can so affect vs with any iniurie as our owne sinnes doe defile and shame vs which we daily commit before God before whom we are euer present This Magnanimitie also must haue this effect in great ones not to feele any aduersitie from whomsoeuer it come seeing it cannot hurt a wise man any further then he will in his minde estimate it But a true magnanimous esteemer of things doth not reckon any thing for any great euill which doth not concerne the soule for all the rest where that is had must be committed to obliuion and where that hath past away it must no more moue vs then that which for the vilitie of it deserues to be committed to forgetfulnesse Vnto all these things which I haue spoken great men and Rulers ought to inuite and moue their subiects by all possible meanes and that for many reasons First for that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords did so Secondly for that chiefely euen for this cause principalitie and power is giuen vnto them in the earth seeing all good gouernment is to this end disposed of God vnto which good gouernement they stand obliged Thirdly for that vnto great men is due a great and excellent societie which cannot bee vnlesse their people be godly and vertuous Furthermore amongst all men vertue and good life is most glorious which things of a suretie no Preacher can with so great facilitie and such felicitie plant in any Region or Kingdome as those that gouerne it if they would marke and do the things wee houe declared and those that will not so doe but thinke that the studie of vertue religion and contemplation are vnsutable for Princes and great persons I may say as the blessed Apostle saith That they are worse then Infidels For as the soule and spirituall life is by so much more louely by how much the whole world with the riches thereof is to be preferred before a basket of dung as our Lord taught vs who led a life full of calamities and died a death full of sorrowes and ignominies teaching vs to liue a spirituall life and little to esteeme of this corporall so those that are greatest amongst men ought to chuse and bee exercised in the greatest and best things that is in consummating a spirituall and heauenly life contemning the vaine glory of this world as a thing most vnworthie of a generous