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
of your unrighteous Mammon and shall be fed with Manna in the Courts of Sionr Gainefull is the use of that money which is put out to the workes of charity which be it more or lesse cannot but be exceeding great being given with devotion and the worke attended by singlenesse of heart and sincerity of affection for where a sincere will is not joyned with the worke the worke cannot be effectuall to the doer howsoever it may seem fruitfull to the beholder At which sort of men who erect sumptuous workes rather for popularity and affectation then piety or sincere affection the Poet pleasantly glanceth THESE Statues reare in publike wayes as trophies of their love Which as they heare in passengers will admiration move And gaine a fame unto their name which may survive in them But trust me Sirs these workes of theirs shew them vaine-glorious men Which workes howsoever usefull unto others were better undone then done in respect of themselves for to glory in our workes doth not only derogate from our workes but denounce upon us a greater damnation ascribing to our selves what duly properly and solely ought to be attributed to the glory of God But to draw neerer the point wee have in hand there is nothing that weaneth our minds more from the meditation of God and mortification to the world then our earthly affections which beare such sway over us as they will not suffer those divine motions or meditations to take root in us This is excellently shadowed in that Parable of the great Supper where many guests were invited but all with one consent began to make their excuse the first hee had bought a peece of ground and hee must needs goe see it the second had bought five yoke of oxen and hee must goe prove them and another had married a wife and therefore hee could not come These though the fatlings be provided the choicest dainties prepared wherewith their hunger-starved soules might be refreshed cannot come the world must detaine them their earthly respects inchaine them their sensuall delights restraine them they cannot come though often invited nor resort to this great Supper though all things be provided These seldome or never take into their more serious consideration the state of the blessed in Heaven or the state of the damned in Hell Neither can the joyes of the one allure them or the paines of the other deterre them These will dispense with the word for the profit of the world and enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season deferring repentance till it be past season Saint Chrysostome relateth how Paulus Samosetanus that arch-hereticke for the love of a woman for-sooke his faith Saint Augustine relateth divers who denied the torments of hell to have eternity thereby to flatter their affection with a pretended assurance of impunity Saint Gregory imputeth it to avarice and covetousnesse that many forsake their faith These follow not the example of sundry devout men the memory whereof is recommended unto us in holy writ who being possessors of lands or houses sold them and brought the prices of the things that were sold and laid them downe at the Apostles feet and distribution was made unto every man according as hee had need The like contempt in respect of earthly substance wee reade to have been in many noble and equally affected Pagans as Crates Bisias Zeno Bias Anacreon Anacharsis who though they had scarce the least glimpse of an eternity yet they dis-valued the substance of earth as the subject of vanity But I must now draw in my sailes and take a view of your dispositions Gentlemen how you stand herein affected that seeking what I expect to find I may no lesse glory in your aversion from earth then if you were ascending Iacobs ladder to have your names enrolled in the kingdome of heaven Have yee honoured the Lord with your substance and tendred him the first fruits of his bounty Have yee acknowledged every good thing to come from him as from the fountaine of mercy Have yee subjected your selves unto him as hee hath subjected all things to your soveraignty Have yee disposed of them soberly and solely to his glory Have yee beene oppressors and with good Zacheus made foure-fold restitution Have yee not exposed your inheritance to riot and pollution Have yee not hoorded up vengeance against the day of affliction Have yee not grinded and grated the face of the poore with extortion Have yee distributed freely and communicated to the Saints necessity Have yee made you friends of your unrighteous Mammon and so made your selves way to the heavenly Sion Have yee done these workes of compassion with singlenesse of heart and without affectation Have yee beene by no earthly respect detained from comming to that great Lords Supper to which you were invited O then in a happy state are you for having honoured the Lord hee will fill your barnes with plenty or having acknowledged all good things to bee derived from his mercy hee will give you a fuller taste of his bounty or subjected your selves to his obedience hee will cause every Creature to doe you service or disposed of them soberly and solely to his glory hee will exhibit his good gifts unto you more fully or beene oppressours and made restitution you shall with Zacheus become vessels of election or not exposed your inheritance to riot and pollution you shall be safe from the doome of confusion or not grinded the face of the poore with extortion the poore shall beare record of your compassion or distributed freely to the Saints necessity hee that seeth in secret shall reward you openly or made you friends of your unrighteous Mammon Manna shall be your food in the heavenly Sion or done these workes singly and without vaine-glory you shall be cloathed with the garment of mercy or not detained by the world from going to that great Lords Supper yee shall be graciously admitted and exalted to honour Thus to dispose of the substance of the world is to despise the world preferring one meditation of the pleasures and treasures of heaven before the possession of the whole earth and esteeming it farre better to be one day in the House of the Lord then to be conversant in the Palaces of Princes O then yee whose generous descents and mighty estates promise comfort to the afflicted releefe to the distressed and an hospitable receit to all such as repaire to you for succour or comfort minister to the necessity of the Saints be liberall and open handed to the poore having opportunity doe good unto all men especially unto them who are of the household of faith bee exercised in the workes of the spirit and not of the flesh so shal ye build upon a sure foundation and in the inheritance of Gods Saints receive a mansion Turne not I say your eare from the cry of any poore man lest his cry be heard and procure vengeance to be poured on your head
of reliefe as not the least beameling of comfort afforded thee redresse Where was thy Sabina then to befriend thee No no Demetrius her light affection tooke first grounding from thy fortune as thy fortune received birth from my too hasty loving and too easie believing of so unthankefull a Servant Yet shall it appeare to the World that though my Love first issued from the Source of folly yet even in that there appeared a loyall constancy which as it shall weave up the web of my fate so shall it beare record to posterity of thy unjust breach of faith But spinne forth no more protractive houres unhappy Gratiana in expostulating with his breach or to no purpose in wasting thy tedious breath May my premature end occasioned by my too credulous trust become a caveat to all my sexe to reteine more esteeme of their fame and to be more carefull whom they trust My indiscreet love brought me to ruine before my time may my example bee a Memoriall to after-times to prevent their ruine derived from such meanes and closing their hopes with such fearefull ends Nor was her hand lesse ready to execute then her tongue was to dispute For with these words shee closed her amorous woes Farewell Demetrius and redeeme the injury thou hast done to me in expressing thy constancie to Sabina's beauty My best wishes shall attend thee though thy subtilty did first wind me then by surprizing my honour wound me and wounding unthankefully leave me But to divert from these memorable though miserable instances of constancy with the wrongs they suffered by their too light credulity wee will now descend to such particulars wherein these censorious Timonists whose poore degenerate spirits are ever delighted most in detracting from women or aspersing some unworthy disgrace upon their sexe usurpe this liberty to lay upon their purest reputes a lasting infamy Wee shall in every place heare calumnious tongues too lavish in this error and inveighing against them in this manner What vice is there extant which is not in the practise of women frequent If vanity were lost where were it to be found but in their light bosomes The forbidden fruit is ever in their eye and ever dangling in their desire Whatsoever is prohibited is by them most affected whatsoever by Obedience injoyned scornefully neglected If young they are lascivious if old they are covetous Their whole life a Comedy of errors their formall feature a fardell of fashions Alas poore Girles Have you no Defence against such viperous tongues When you desire to goe neat or according to your ranke to hold your place you are term'd proud or ambitious If frugall you are covetous If you discover your wrongs you are malitious If with admiration you chance to eye the fulnesse of anothers estate you are envious If you be sparing in your dishes you are penurious if choice in your dishes you are delitious If you innocently converse with a youthfull neighbour you are streight lascivious If you keepe home you are lazy or unsociably censorious If you walke abroad you are too liberall of your honour and to light eyes suspitious Nay they will not sticke to presse this Argument yet a little further If Goddesses themselves were wantons what may wee thinke of the Hand-maids of those Goddesses Dircetis that great Goddesse of Ascalon could be inflamed with love to a youth who sacrificed to her and gratifie his Oblation with a sensuall affection yea and close her loose love with as base a conception 'T is true the Fable reports so much yet if wee may give credit to the authority of a Poet wee shall find this Goddesse resolving her eyes to teares And as one highly ashamed of her incontinency exposing that adulterate Brat to the Desart abandoning the society of that light amorous youth and to make the Scene more fully tragicall throwing her selfe downe into a Lake bounding upon Ascalon To confirme unto the world that if her staine were great her sorrow was no lesse The Harbinger of the morne could not so soone usher in these roseat Consorts of the ensuing day as this deluded Goddesse If wee may grace her with such a title offered her penitentiall teares to her polluted Shrine her pleasure could not be so great but her torture was more Yea but these feminine Criticks will say It is not enough for the youth of their sexe to glory in their growth of vanity but even those old Maquarella's whose very earthly breath divines their approaching returne to earth as if they had perused Aesons Herball and freely partak't of his Receipts must assume a gracefull presence of youth and fill up their irreparable decayes with Art-beauty by new plaistring those crazy buildings which had long since falne into the Lord Paramounts hand for want of repaire Alas is this all If the weaker sexe deserve such reproofe in their desire to cover their rivals or smoothing those rugged deformities which their decline in nature has laid on them what may wee thinke of those old Seniors whose eyes have beene long since incased and whose constant aches in their bones have beene above all other Prognostications approved and yet these can vaile their reverend age with an artfull Peri-wigge and court a light Piece with as much vaine Rhetoricke as if their Winter had beene metamorphos'd into a Spring and their silver-haires into downy blossomes That old Blade had no doubt greene thoughts who coming to a Barber to be trimm'd and being asked by his complete Trimmer after what fashion hee would weare his beard whether he would looke amiable to his friend or terrible to his foe or point vice to his apparell This ancient Fashion-favorite answered him that hee would in regard of the rarity of the cut be trimmed point-vice to his apparell Which this nimble Snap did and that to a haire till he had not left him one haire to worke on This rivell'd Scaledrake having seene himselfe in the Glasse durst hardly acknowledge his owne face but terribly distemper'd hee was to see himselfe so strangely disfigured which indeed might have beene prevented if a sleepy distemper had not belulled him while he was trimmed Howsoever seeing himselfe a stranger to himselfe hee fell into a terrible quarter with his roguish Trimmer asking him in a cholericke manner how he durst to abuse his face Excuse me Reverend Sir said the Barber I am but a naked Trimmer but your worship was the Director you told mee that you would be trim'd point-vice to your apparell and I have observed your direction for I have left your face as haire-bare as your coat was thred-bare and that was point-vice to your apparell The next objection you can presse against them is this They are covetous But tell me can you find in all their sexe such a Midas as to with the very meat he eate to bee turn'd into gold or such a passionate incompetible revenger as with Silla never to forgive nor forget the injury done him by an offender or such
So as that Greeke Sage seeing a Young man privately retired all alone demanded of him what he was doing who answered he was talking to himselfe Take heed quoth he thou talke not with thine enemie For the naturall pronenesse of Youth to irregular liberty is such as it is ever suggesting matter of innovation to the Soveraingtie of reason Now to reduce these enormities incident to Youth to certaine principall heads wee will display the Vanity of Youth in these foure distinct Subjects Gate Looke Speech Habit that by insisting and discoursing on each particular wee may receive the feature of Lady Vanity portrayed to the life IT is strange to observe how the very Body expresseth the secret fantasies of the minde and how well the one sympathizeth with the other I have seene even in this one motion the Gate such especiall arguments of a proud heart as if the body had beene transparent it could not have represented him more fully And I have wondered how Man endued with reason could bee so farre estranged from that wherewith he was endued as to strut so proudly with feet of earth as if hee were never to returne to earth But especially when Youth is imployed in ushering his Mistresse hee walkes in the street as if hee were dancing a measure Hee verily imagines the eyes of the whole Citie are fixed on him as the very patterne which they esteeme worthy imitation how neerely then concerns it him to stand upon his equipage He walkes as if he were an upright man but his sincerity consist onely in dimension He feares nothing so much as some rude encounter for the Wall and so bee discredited in the sight of his Idoll Now I would be glad to weane this Phantasticke from a veine of lightnesse and habituate him to a more generous forme First he is to know how that which is most native and least affective deserves choisest acceptance We were not borne to glory in our feet the Bases of Mortality but to walke as children of light in holinesse and integritie Safer it were for us to observe and make use of that which the Swan is reported to use when at any time shee glories in the whitenesse of her colour to wit shee reflects her eye upon her blacke feet which qualifies her proud spirit making her so much the more dejected as joying before in her owne beautie she was erected Excellently was that Embleme of humane frailty shadowed in the image of Agathocles the Syracusan tyrant who commanded his Statue to be composed after this fort the Head to bee of gold signifying purenesse the armes of ivory intimating smoothnesse the body of brasse implying strongnesse but the feet of earth importing weakenesse Be the Head-peece never so pure bee it a Diadem of gold we weare it cannot promise to us perpetuitie we stand on earthen feet how may wee then stand long relying on such weake supporters Though Nebuchadnezzar strut never so proudly upon the turrets of his princely Palace saying Is not this great Babel which I have builded he knowes not how soone he shall be deprived of his glory and be enforced to feed with the Beasts of the field being as one estranged from his former magnificence Quid ergo ad nos consolatio mundi Let us not glory in mundane vanity nor repose too much confidence in these feet of frailty Si pes in terris mens sit in coelis Though our foot be on earth let our minde bee in heaven knowing that as Saint Augustine saith Three cubites of earth doe expect us and how little or much so ere we possesse this is all that shall be left us THe next Subject wee are to treat of in this Display of youthfull vanity is his Looke wherein hee is ever noted to shew a kinde of contempt expressing by his eye what he conceives in his heart Here is oculatus testis an eye-witnesse to tax him of his pride disdaining to fix his eye upon the lower shrubs as if a reflex on them should derogate from his glory They that looked upon Sylla's ring could not choose but take notice both of Sylla's seale and the treason of Iugurth so hee that should but eye a proud Looke could not choose but collect from what heart so disdainfull a Looke proceeded I have ever observed the most generous to bee least affective in this kinde for it is and hath beene ever an inherent propriety in them to expresse a generous affability as well in Looke as Speech The eyes saith a good Father are members of the flesh but windowes of the minde which Eagle-like should be ever erected to the beames of righteousnesse and not depressed by any unworthy object of externall basenesse The onely Sight of God is the true food and refection of our minds wee looke to be satisfied but satisfaction wee cannot finde in any outward object much lesse in contempt of our poore brother who many times exceeds us more in worth than we him in birth But tell me Young Gallant what it is that moveth thee to this contempt of others Is it thy descent alas that is none of thine thou derivest that glory from thine Ancestors whose honour by thy ignoble life dieth Yea recall to minde how many glorious Houses now lye buried in the grave of oblivion by the vicious course of irregular Successours and againe how many Houses whose Names formerly were not so much as knowne either raised from others ruine or advanced by industrious merit usurpe their glory Is it thy Riches Indeed if the Philosophers Axiom be true Riches is a signe of eternall glory there were some reason to glory in them but wee shall finde this glory meerely imaginary yea a great darkener and blemisher of the internal glory beauty of the mind For as the Moone doth never eclypse but when she is at the Full so the Minde is never so much obscured as it is with the superfluitie of Riches And againe as the Moone is farthest off from the Sunne which giveth it light when it is at the Full so a Man when he is the fullest of Riches is farthest off from that equity and justice which ought to give him light in all his proceedings And therefore he might doe well herein to imitate the Fly which putteth not her feet in the great masse of honey but onely taketh and tasteth with her tongue so much thereof as serveth her turne and no more lest by doing otherwise she might remaine taken and drowned therein Yea if we should but reflect and take a view of certaine Ethnicks whose admirable contempt of Riches eternized them wee should observe what inimitable continencie was in them and what an Hydropticke thirst of avarice remaineth as yet unquenched in us And though wee must live according to Lawes and not to Examples yet Cicero held that nought could be taught without example wherefore to enforce this argument further wee will here produce certaine
perfectly as if their Bodies were transparent or windowes were in their bosomes Here you shall see One unmeasurably haughtie scorning to converse with these Groundlins for so it pleases him to tearme his inferiours and bearing such a state as if he were altered no lesse in person than place Another not so proud as he is covetous for no passion as a learned Schooleman affirmeth is better knowne unto us than the coveting or desiring passion which he calls Concupiscible and such an one makes all his inferiours his Sponges and Ostridge-like can digest all metalls Another sort there are whose well-tempered natures have brought them to that perfection as the state which they presently enjoy makes them no more proud than the losse of that they possesse would cast them downe These Camillus-like are neither with the opinion of Honour too highly erected nor with the conceit of Affliction too much dejected As their conceits are not heightned by possessing it so they lose nothing of their owne proper height by forgoing it These are so evenly poized so nobly tempered as their opinion is not grounded on Title nor their glory on popular esteeme they are knowne to themselves and that knowledge hath instructed them so well in the vanitie of Earth as their thoughts have taken flight vowing not to rest till they approach heaven Pompey being cumbred with his Honour exclaimed to see Sylla's crueltie being ignorant after what sort to behave himselfe in the dignitie he had and cried out O perill and danger never like to have end Such is the nature of Noble spirits as they admire not so much the dignitie of the place to which they are advanced as they consider the burden which is on them imposed labouring rather how to behave themselves in their place than arrogate glory to themselves by reason of their place Neither are these sundrie Dispositions naturally ingraffed in men meerely produced from themselves as the affections or Dispositions of our mindes doe follow the temperature of our bodies where the Melancholy produceth such the Cholericke Phlegmaticke and Sanguine such and such according to Humours predominant in that body whence these affections are derived but I say these participate also of the Clime wherein we are For otherwise how should our Observations appeare good which we usually collect in the Survey of other Countries noting certaine vices to be most entertained in some especiall Provinces As Pride among the Babylonians Envie among the Iewes Anger among the Thebans Covetousnesse among the Tyrians Gluttonie among the Sidonians Pyracie among the Cilicians and Sorcerie among the Aegyptians to whom Caesar gave great attention as Alexander was delighted in the Brachmans So as I say our Dispositions how different or consonant soever doe not only partake of us but even of the Aire or temperature of Soile which bred us Thus we see what Diversitie of Dispositions there is and how diversly they are affected Let us now take a view of the Disposition it selfe whether it may be forced or no from what it naturally affecteth THe Philosopher saith that the Disposition may be removed but hardly the Habit. But I say those first Seeds of Disposition as they are Primitives can hardly be made Privatives being so inherent in the Subject as they may be moved but not removed Not removed objectest thou why disposition can be of no stronger reluctance than Nature we see how much she may be altered yea cleare removed from what she formerly appeared For doe we not in the view of humane frailty observe how many excellent wits drained from the very Quintessence of Nature as apt in apprehending as expressing a conceit strangely darkened or dulled as if they had beene steeped in some Lethaean slumber Nay doe we not in this round Circumference of man note divers honest and sincere Dispositions whose gaine seemed to bee godlinesse and whose glory the profession of a good Conscience wonderfully altered becoming so corrupted by the vaine pompe or trifling trash of the world as they preferre the puddle before the pearle forsaking Christ for the world Doe wee not see how uprightly some men have borne themselves all their time without staine or blemish being all their Youth vertuously affected all their Middle-age charitably disposed yet in their Old-age miserably depraved Againe doe we not behold how many women whose virgin-modesty and Nuptiall-continency promised much glory to their age even then when the flower of Beauty seemed bloomelesse so as their very age might make them blamelesse when their skin was seere and their flesh saplesse their breath earthie and their mouth toothlesse then even then fell these unweldie Beldames to embrace folly promising longer continuance to Pleasure than they could by all likelyhood unto Nature Now tell me how happened this Were not these at the first vertuously affected if Disposition then could not be forced how came they altered All these rivers of Objections I can dry up with one beame darting from the reflex of Nature Thou producest divers instances to confirme this assertion That Dispositions are to bee forced from what they were naturally affected unto Whereto I answer That Dispositions in some are resembled and not improperly unto a Beame cloathed or shadowed with a cloud which as we see sheweth his light sometimes sooner sometimes later Or as by a more proper Allusion may seem illustrated may be resembled to the first Flourish in trees which according to the nature or quality of the internall pith from whence life is diffused to the Branches send forth their bloomes and blossomes sooner or later True it is you object that to the outward appearance such men shewed arguments of good Dispositions for they were esteemed men of approved Sanctity making Conscience of what they did and walking blamelesse and unreproveable before all men but what collect you hence That their Dispositions were sincerely good or pure if Society had not depraved them No this induction will not hold it is the Evening crownes the day What could be imagined better or more royally promising than Nero's Quinquennium What excellent tokens of future goodnesse What apparant testimonies of a vertuous government What infallible grounds of princely policy mixed with notable precepts of piety Yet who knowes not how all the vices of his Ancestours put together seemed by a lineall descent to bee transferred on him being the Patterne and Patron of all cruelty the Author and Actor of all villany the plotter and practiser of all impiety so as if all the titles of cruelty were lost they might be found in this Tyrant How then doe you say that his Disposition was naturally good but became afterwards depraved and corrupted No rather joyne with mee and say that howsoever his Disposition seemed good during those five yeares wherein hee dissembled with vertue and concealed those many vices which he professed and possessed afterwards yet indeed he was the same though not in shew yet in
the performance hereof as appeareth in the foresaid place and the nexet ensuing verse where he saith You shall doe all that I have commanded you that your dayes may be multiplyed and the dayes of your children in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them as long as the heavens are above the earth Marke the extent of this Blessing for it promiseth not onely length of dayes to them that performe it but even to the children of them that performe it and that in no unfruitfull or barren land but in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them and that for no short time but so long as the heavens are above the earth So as this blessed promise or promised blessing is as one well observeth not restrained but with an absolute grant extended so that even as the people that were in the gate and the Elders wished in the solemnizing of that mariage betwixt Boaz and Ruth that their house might be like the house of Pharez so doubtlesse whosoever meditates of the Law of the Lord making it in his Family as a familiar friend to direct him a faithfull counsellor to instruct him a sweet companion to delight him a precious treasure to enrich him shall find successe in his labours and prosperitie in the worke of his hands But amongst all as it is the use of Masters of housholds to call their servants to account for the day past so be sure Gentlemen and you who are Masters of houses to enter into your owne hearts by a serious examination had every night what you have done or how you have imployed your selves and those Talents which God hath bestowed on you the day past in imitation of that blessed Father who every night examined himselfe calling his soule to a strict account after this manner O my soule what hast thou done this day What good hast thou omitted what evill hast thou committed what good which thou shouldst have done what evill which thou shouldst not have done Where are the poore thou hast releeved the sicke or captive thou hast visited the Orphan or Widow thou hast comforted Where are the naked whom thou hast cloathed the hungry whom thou hast refreshed the afflicted and desolate whom thou hast harboured O my soule when it shall be demanded of thee Quid comedit pauper how poorely wilt thou looke when there is not one poore man that will witnesse thy almes Againe when it shall be demanded of thee Vbi nudus quem amiti victi how naked wilt thou appeare when there is not one naked soule that will speake for thee Againe when it shall be demanded of thee Vbi sitiens quem potasti esuriens quem pavisti Vbi captivus quem visitasti Vby moestus quem relevasti O my soule how forlorne wretched and uncomfortable will thy condition be when there shall not appeare so much as one witnesse for thee to expresse thy charity not one poore soule whom thou hast releeved one naked whom thou hast cloathed nor one thirstie whom thou hast refreshed nor one hungry whom thou hast harboured nor a captive whom thou hast visited nor one afflicted whom thou hast comforted Thus to call your selves to account by meditating ever with Saint Hierome of the judgement day will be a meanes to rectifie your affections mortifie all inordinate motions purifie you throughout that you may be examples of piety unto others in your life and heires of glory after death concluding most comfortably with the foresaid Father If my mother should hang about me my father lye in my way to stop me my wife and children weepe about me I would throw off my mother neglect my father contemne the lamentation of my wife and children to meet my Saviour Christ Iesus For the furtherance of which holy resolution let no day passe over your heads wherein you addresse not your selves to some good action or imployment Wherefore Apelles posie was this Let no day passe without a line Be sure every day you doe some good then draw one line at the least according to that Line upon line line upon line And Phythagoras posie was this Sit not still upon the measure of corne Doe not looke to eat except you sweat for it according to that Hee which will not worke let him not eat In my Fathers house saith Christ are many mansions So that no man may sing his soule a sweet requiem saying with that Cormorant in the Gospel Soule take thy rest for in heaven onely which is our Fathers house there are many mansions to rest in In this world which is not of our Fathers house there are not many mansions to rest in but onely Vine-yards to worke in Wherein because not to goe forward is to goe backeward we are to labour even to the day of our change Hereupon Charles the fifth gave this Embleme Stand not still but goe on further Vlterius as God saith to his guest Superius Sit not still but sit up higher Doing thus and resolving to be no masters over that Family whose chiefest care is not the advancement of Gods glory you shall demeane your selves being here worthy that Vocation or calling over which you are placed and afterwards by following hard toward the marke obtaine the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus THE ENGLISH GENTLEMAN Argument Of the difference of Recreations Of the moderate and immoderate use of Recreation Of the Benefits redounding from the One and inconveniences arising from the Other Of Recreations best sorting with the qualitie of a Gentleman And how he is to bestow himselfe in them RECREATION RECREATION being a refresher of the mind and an enabler of the body to any office wherein it shall bee imployed brancheth it selfe into many kinds as Hawking which pleasure one termed the object of a great mind whose aymes were so farre above earth as he resolves to retire a while from earth and make an evening flight in the ayre Hunting where the Hounds at a losse shew themselves subtill Sophisters arguing by their Silence the game came not here againe by being mute it came not there Ergo by spending their mouthes it came here Fishing which may be well called the Embleme of this world where miserable man like the deluded fish is ever nibbling at the bait of vanitie Swimming an exercise more usuall than naturall and may have resemblance to these diving heads who are ever sounding the depths of others secrets or swimming against the streame may glance at such whose only delight is opposition Running a Recreation famously ancient solemnized by the continued succession or revolution of many ages upon the Olympiads in Greece so as the accompt or yearly computation came from Races and other solemne games used on Olympus Wrastling Leaping Dancing and many other Recreations of like sort as they were by the continuance of many yeares upon
whereto their course was directed they found an Empire to be a monstrous and untamed beast wounding them with many thorny cares which deprived them of all seasonable rest Doe you then love to be at peace to enjoy perfect liberty to be divided from all occasions of disquiet Restraine those Icarian thoughts whose soaring wings are ever laved in the depth of ruine Confine your thoughts within an equal limit and let not your projectments be above hope of effecting Those braving builders of Babel aymed at too high a story to bring their worke to perfection Let the foundation be built on firme ground and the building will prosper better For howsoever faire pretences may for a time appeare in the habit of truth daubing up a rotten inside with a specious out-side hee that sitteth in the Heavens and searcheth the hearts and reines shall have them in derision breaking them in peeces like a potters vessell Restraine then this fury or frenzie of the mind and with timely Moderation so bound in and confine your affections as no aspiring thought may enter that place which is reserved for a higher place so shall you enjoy more absolute content in restraining then enlarging your thoughts to the motives of Ambition Gorgeous attire being the third assailant moving man to glory in his shame and gallant it in his sinne is to be especially restrained because it makes us dote upon a vessell of corruption strutting upon earth as if we had our eternall mansion on earth What great folly is it to preferre the case before the instrument or to bestow more cost upon the Signe then on the Iune Me thinkes the bitter remembrance of the first necessity of clothes should make men more indifferent for them if man had never sinned his shame had never needed to have beene covered For sinne was the cause of Adams shame and his shame the cause hee fled unto the shade which afforded him Fig-leaves to cover his nakednesse What vanity then yea what impudence to glory in these covers of shame Would any one having committed some capitall offence against his Prince for which hee is after pardoned but on condition hee shall weare a halter about his neck become proud of his halter and esteeme it an especiall badge of honour Wee are all in the selfe-same case wee have committed high treason against the King of heaven yet are wee received to mercy bearing about us those Memorials of our shamefull fall or defection from our King which should in all reason rather move us to bee ashamed of our selves then to prize our selves higher for these ornaments of shame Sure I am as hee is a fond man that values the worth of his horse by his sumptuous saddle or studded bridle so hee is most foolish who estimates a man by his garment Yet see the misery of this age the cover of shame is become the onely luster to beautifie him but be not yee so deluded prize the ornaments of the mind for the choicest and chiefest beauty farre be it from you to glory in this attire of sinne these rags of shame these worme-workes which with-draw your eyes from contemplating that supreme bounty and beauty purposely to fix them upon the base objects of earth which detract much from the glory of a reasonable soule The Swan prides not her selfe in her black-feet no more should you in these Covers of your transgression which whensoever yee looke on may put you in mind of your first pollution No reason then to affect these which had man never sinned hee had never needed being before clothed with innocency as with a garment and with primitive purity as with a rayment Whence it appeares that many glory in the rags of shame while they glory in these robes of sinne Now who endued with reason would pride him in that which augments his shame or esteeme that a grace which asperseth reproach on him Nicetas saith plainely No punishment so grievous as shame And Nazianzen yet more expresly Better were a man die right out then still live in reproach and shame Ajax being ready to dispatch himselfe used these as his last words No griefe doth so cut the heart of a generous and magnanimous man as shame and reproach For a man to live or die is naturall but for a man to live in shame and contempt and to be made a laughing-stock of his enemies is such a matter as no well bred and noble minded man that hath any courage or stomacke in him can ever digest it Delight not then in your shame but in a decent and seemely manner affect that habit most which becommeth most restraining that profusenesse which the vanity of this age so much exceeds in and assuming to your selves that attire which gives best grace to modesty and hath neerest correspondence with Gentility Neither is Luscious fare to be lesse avoided or with lesse strictnesse restrained Many reasons whereof might be here produced but wee will cull out the chiefest to weane our Generous Vitellians from their excessive surfets First dainty dishes are foments to wanton affections begetting in the soule and unaptnesse to all spirituall exercises for this is a generall rule that the body being strengthned the soule becomes weakned for fasting is a preparative to Devotion but riot the Grand-master of Distraction Looke how it is in the health of the body and so it is in the state of the soule if a man have a good appetite and a stomacke to his meat it is a signe hee is well in health in like sort if a man be content to follow Christ for the Loaves to fill his belly and care not for the food of his soule questionlesse all is not well betweene GOD and him but if wee have a longing and a hungring desire of the Word then indeed his heart is upright in the sight of God For as Saint Augustine noteth well If the Word of GOD be taken by us it will take us But what meanes may be used to procure this longing and hungring desire in us Not Luscious or curious fare for that will move us rather to all inordinate motions then the exercise of Devotion no it is fasting that makes the soule to be feasting it is macerating of the flesh that fattens the spirit For it is sumptuous fare that is the soules snare Sagina corporis Sagena cordis It is the net which intangles the heart of man drawing her from the love of her best beloved Spouse to dote on the adulterate embraces of sensuall beauty Neither is it fare but delight in fare not simply the meat but the desire or liquorish appetite which produceth those odious effects as for example when the loose affected man maketh choice or election of such meats purposely to beget in him an ability as well as desire to his sensuall pleasures Whence a learned Father most divinely concludeth I feare not saith he the uncleanenesse of meats in respect of their difference
are so to moderate our desires as I have formerly touched in respect of those things we have not that wee may labour to over-master our desires in thirsting after more than wee already have likewise so to temper and qualifie our affections in respect of those things we have as to shew no immoderate sorrow for the losse of those we have but to be equally minded as well in the fruition of those we have as privation of those we have not For of all others there is no sorrow baser nor unworthier than that which is grounded on the losse of Oxe or Cow or such inferiour subjects Neither incurre they any lesse opinion of folly who carried away with the love of their Horse Hound or some such creature use of some prize or conquest got to reare in their memory some Obeliske or Monument graced with a beauteous inscription to preserve their fame because poore beasts they have nothing to preserve themselves for howsoever this act seeme to have some correspondence with gratitude labouring only to grace them who have graced us rearing a stone to perpetuate their fame who memoriz'd our Name by speed of foot yet is it grosse and so palpable to those whose discretion is a moulder of all their actions as they account it an act worthier the observation of an Heathen than a Christian. Cimon buried his Mares bestowing upon them specious Tombs when they had purchased credit in the swift races of the Olympiads Xantippus bewailed his Dogs death which had followed his master from Calamina Alexander erected a Citie in the honour of Bucephaâ—us having beene long defended by him in many dangerous battells And the Asse may well among the Heathen be adorned with Lilies Violets and Garlands when their Goddesse Vesta by an Asses bray avoyded the rape of Priapus But howsoever these actions among Pagans might carry some colour of thankefulnesse rewarding them by whose speed fury agility or some other meanes they have been as well preserved as honoured yet with Christians whose eyes are so clearely opened and by the light divine so purely illumined would these seeme acts of prophanesse ascribing honour to the creature to whom none is due and not to the Creator to whom all honour is solely and properly due In briefe let us so esteeme of all the goods and gifts of Fortune as of Vtensils fit for our use and service but of the Supreme good as our chiefest Solace For he who subjected all things to the feet of man that man might be wholly subject unto him and that man might be wholly his hee gave man dominion over all those workes of his so hee created all outward things for the body the body for the soule but the soule for him that shee might only intend him and only love him possessing him for solace but inferiour things for service Thus farre Gentlemen hath this present discourse inlarged it selfe to expresse the rare and incomparable effects which naturally arise from the due practice of Moderation being indeed a vertue so necessary and well deserving the acquaintance of a Gentleman who is to bee imagined as one new come to his lands and therefore stands in great need of so discreet an Attendant as there is no one vertue better sorting ranke not onely in matters of preferment profit or the like but in matters of reputation or personall ingagement where his very name or credit is brought to the tesh Looke not then with the eye of scorne on such a follower but take these instructions with you for a fare-well Doth Ambition buzze in your care motions of Honour This faithfull Attendant Moderation will disswade you from giving way to these suggestions and tell you Ambition is the high road which leads to ruine but Humility is the gate which opens unto glory Doth Covetousnesse whisper to you matters of profit Here is one will tell you the greatest wealth in the world is to want the desires of the world Doth Wantonnesse suggest to you motives of Delight Here is that Hâ—rbe of Grace which will save you from being wounded and salve you already wounded In briefe both your expence of Time and Coine shall be so equally disposed as you shall never need to redeeme Time because you never prodigally lost it nor repent your fruitlesse expence of Coine because you never profusely spent it Thus if you live you cannot chuse but live for ever for ever in respect of those choice vertues which attend you for ever in respect of your good Example moving others to imitate you and for ever in respect of that succeeding glory which shall crowne you THE ENGLISH GENTLEMAN Argument Of Perfection Contemplative and Active The Active preferred Wherein it consisteth Of the absolute or Supreme end whereto it aspireth and wherein it resteth PERFECTION WEE are now to treat of a Subject which while wee are here on earth is farre easier to discourse of then to find for Perfection is not absolute in this life but graduall So as howsoever wee may terme one perfect or compleat in respect of some especiall qualities wherewith hee is endued yet if wee come to the true ground of Perfection wee shall find it farre above the Spheare of Mortality to ascend to for man miserable man what is hee or of himselfe what can hee to make him absolutely perfect Exceed hee can but in nothing but sinne which is such a naturall imperfection as it wholly detracts from his primitive Perfection Time was indeed when man knew no sinne and in that ignorance from sinne consisted his Perfection But no sooner was that banefull Apple tasted then in the knowledge of sinne hee became a professant Wee are therefore to discourse of such Perfection as wee commonly in opinion hold for absolute though in very deed it appeare onely respective and definite for to treat of that Perfection which is transcendent or indefinite were to sound the Sea or weigh the Mountaines so farre it exceedeth the conceit of man yea I say to taske humane apprehension to the discussion of that soveraigne or supreme Perfection were as unequally matched as ever were earth and heaven strength and weaknesse or the great Behâ—moth and the silliest worme that creepeth in the chinks of the earth Let us addresse our selves then to this Taske and make this our ground That as no man is simply good but God so no man is absolutely perfect till hee be individually united to God which on earth is not granted but promised not effected but expected not obtained but with confidence desired when these few but evill dayes of our Pilgrimage shall be expired yet is there a graduall Perfection which in some degree or measure wee may attaine becomming conformable unto him whose Image wee have received and by whom wee have so many singular graces and prerogatives on us conferred And this Perfection is to be procured by assistance of Gods Spirit and a desire in man to second that assistance by an assiduall endeavour
simple or ignorant that contemplateth God in his creatures shall finde sufficient matter in that voluminous booke of his Creation to move him to admire the work-manship of his Maker For the heavens are his the earth also is his and hee hath laid the foundation of the world and all that therein is So as even from the Cedar of Lebanon to the grasse upon the wall hath he shewen his power and his might to the ends of the world Now to the end this Contemplation might not bee hindred by any worldly objects wee are to with-draw our eye from the Creature and fix it wholly upon our Creator For how can any one behold the glory of Heaven when his eyes are poring upon earth or how should hee whose affections are planted upon his gold erect his thoughts to the contemplation of God So as wee must not only leave whatsoever we love on earth but even leave our selves till wee become wholly weaned from earth so shall our affections be in heaven though our temporary plantation bee on earth For what are these Ostrich-winged worldings who never flie up stooping to every lure that either honour profit or preferment cast out but base Haggards who lie downe and dare not give wing for feare of weathering Whereas these high fliers whose aimes are above earth are ever meditating of earths frailtie and heavens felicitie These consider how the solace of the captive is one and the joy of the freeman another These consider how that hee who sighs not while he is a Pilgrim shall not rejoyce when he is a Citizen These consider that it is an evident signe that such an one hates his Countrey who holds himselfe to bee in good state while hee lives a Pilgrim These will not preferre the husks of vanitie before those inestimable treasures of glory These and only these value earth as it should bee valued desiring rather to leave earth than set their love on ought upon earth Neither can death take any-thing from him going out of the world who sets his love on nothing in the world Whereas it is much otherwise with them whose eyes are accustomed to darknesse for they cannot behold the beames of that supreme veritie neither can they judge any thing of the light whose habitation is in darknesse they see darknesse they love darknesse they approve of darknesse and going from darknesse to darknesse they know not whither they fall Such was Demas who forsooke his faith and embraced this present world Such was Simon Magus who bewitched the people with sorceries to gaine himselfe esteeme in the world Such was Demetrius the Silver-Smith who brought great gaines unto the Crafts-men and mightily enriched himselfe in the world And in a word such are all those whose eyes are sealed to heavenly Contemplations but opened to the objects of earth prizing nothing else worthy either viewing or loving It is rare and wonderfull to observe what admirable Contemplations the Heathen Philosophers enjoyed though not so much as partakers of the least glimpse of that glorious light which is to us revealed How deeply searching in the influence of Planets how studious after the knowledge of Herbs Plants vertue of Stones which inforced in them no lesse admiration than delight in so sweet a Contemplation Now if the Heathens who had no knowledge of God but only a glimmering light of Nature being not so much I say as the least beamling in comparison of that glorious light which wee enjoy conceived such sweetness in the search of causes and events preferring their Contemplation before the possession of earth or all that fraile earth could promise what surpassing comfort or ineffable sweetnesse are wee to conceive in the Contemplation of GOD the one and only practice whereof maketh man blessed although in outward things hee were the poorest and needfullest in the world The blessed Saints and faithfull servants of GOD have beene so ravished with this sweetnesse as they were drunke with joy in Contemplation of the Highest For either honour or preferment they were so indifferent as they rejected it and for riches so equally contented as they dis-valued it selling their possessions and laying the money at the Apostles feet Yea Peter to instance one for all no sooner tasted this sweetnesse than forgetfull of all inferiour things hee cried out as one spiritually drunke saying Lord it is good for us to bee here let us make us here three Tabernacles let us stay here let us contemplate thee because wee need nothing else but thee it sufficeth us Lord to see thee it sufficeth us I say to bee filled with such swetnesse as commeth from thee One onely drop of sweetnesse hee tasted and hee loathed all other sweetnesse What may wee imagine would hee have said if hee had tasted the multitude of the sweetnesse of his divinitie which he hath laied up in store for those that feare him Surely the contemplative man whose affections are estranged from earth and seated in Heaven makes use of whatsoever hee seeth on earth as directions to guide him in his progresse to heaven His eyes are not like the Ambitious mans whose eye-sore is only to see others great and himselfe unadvanced nor like the Covetous mans whose eyes Tarpeia-like betray his soule seeing nothing precious or prosperous which he wisheth not nor like the Voluptous mans whose sealed eyes are blinde to the objects of vertue but unsealed to the objects of vanitie seeing nothing sensually moving which he affects not nor like the Vain-glorious mans who practiseth seldome what is good or honest for the love of goodnesse but to bee praised and observed Whereas the true Contemplative man loves vertue for vertues sake concluding divinely with the Poet This amongst good men hath beene ever knowne Vertue rewards herselfe herselfe's her crowne And for these light objects of vanity hee as much loaths them as the Voluptuous man loves them and for coveting hee is so farre from desiring more then hee hath as hee is indifferent either for injoying or forgoing what hee already hath and for aspiring hee holds it the best ambition of any creature to promote the glory of his Maker Hee is ever descanting on this divine ditty God! For his thoughts are spheared above earth and lodged in the Contemplation of heaven And if so be that hee chance to fixe his eye upon earth it is as I said before to direct his feet and erect his faith to the Contemplation of heaven For by consideration had to these temporall goods to use the words of a devout Father hee gathereth the greatnesse of the heavenly Councell Comprehending by the little ones those great ones by these visible those invisible ones For if the Lord shew or rather showre so great and innumerable benefits from heaven and from the ayre from the land and sea light and darkenesse heat and shadow dew and raine winds and showres birds and fishes and multiplicity of herbs and plants
wholly ignorant how her selfe was made A Princesse surely for as a Queene in her Throne so is the soule in the body being the life of the body as God is the life of the soule being of such dignity as no good but the Supreme good may suffice it of such liberty as no inferior thing may restraine it How then is the soule of such worthinesse as no exteriour good may suffice it nor no inferiour thing restraine it How comes it then that it stoops to the Lure of vanity as one forgetfull of her owne glory How comes it then to be so fledged in the bird-lime of inferiour delights as nothing tasteth so well to her palate as the delights of earth Surely either she derogates much from what shee is or there is more worthinesse on earth then wee hold there is Having then taken a short view of the dignity or worthinesse of the soule let us reflect a little upon the unworthinesse of Earth and see if wee can find her worthy the entertainment of so glorious a Princesse Earth as it is an heavy element and inclineth naturally downe-ward so it keepes the earthly minded Moule from looking upward There is nothing in it which may satisfie the desire of the outward senses much lesse of the inward For neither is the eye satisfied with seeing bee the object never so pleasing nor the eare with hearing bee the accent never so moving nor the palate with tasting bee the cates never so relishing nor the nose with smâ—lling bee the confection never so perfuming nor the hand with touching bee the Subject never so affecting And for those sugred pils of pleasure though sweet how short are they in continuance and how bitter being ever attended on by repentance And for honours those snow-bals of greatnesse how intricate the wayes by which they are attained and how sandy the foundation whereon they are grounded How unworthy then is Earth to give entertainment to so princely a guest having nothing to bid her welcome withall but the refuse and rubbish of uncleannesse the garnish or varnish of lightnesse For admit this guest were hungry what provision had Earth to feed her with but the Huskes of vanity If thirsty what to refresh her with but with Worme-wood of folly If naked what to cloath her with but the Cover of mortality If imprisoned how to visit her but with Fetters of captivity Or if sicke how to comfort her but with Additions of misery Since then the worthinesse of the soule is such as Earth is too unworthy to entertaine her expedient it were that shee had recourse to him that made her and with all thankfulnesse tender her selfe unto him who so highly graced her Let man therfore in the uprightness of a pure and sincere soule weaned from Earth and by Contemplation already sainted in heaven say What shall I render unto thee O my God for so great benefits of thy mercy What praises or what thanksgiving For if the knowledge and power of the blessed Angels were present with me to assist me yet were I not able to render ought worthy of so great piety and goodnesse as I have received from thee yea surely if all my members were turned into tongues to render due praise unto thee in no case would my smalnesse suffice to praise thee for thy inestimable charity which thou hast shewn to me unworthy one for thy onely love and goodnesse sâ—ke exceedeth all knowledge Neither is it meet that the remembrance of a â—enefit should be limited by day or date but as the benefits wee receive are daily so should our thankefulnesse be expressed daily lest by being unthankefull God take his benefits from us and bestow them on such as will be thankfull And let this suffice for the Contemplative part of Perfection descending briefly to that part which makes the Contemplative truly perfect by Action WE are now to treat of that which is easier to discourse of than to finde for men naturally have a desire to know all things but to doe nothing so easie is the Contemplative in respect of the Active so hard the Practicke in respect of the Speculative How many shall we observe daily propounding sundry excellent Observations divine instructions and Christian-like Conclusions touching contempt of the World wherein this Active Perfection principally consisteth yet how far short come they in their owne example so easie it is to propound matter of instruction to others so hard to exemplifie that instruction in themselves This may be instanced in that Ruler in the Gospel who avouched his integrity and Perfection concluding that he had kept all those Commandements which Christ recounted to him from his youth up yet when Christ said unto him Sell all that thou hast and distribute unto the poore and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come follow me we reade hee was very sorrowfull for he was very rich So miserable and inextricable is the worldlings thraldome when neither the incertainty of this life nor those certaine promises made unto him in hope of a better life can weane him from the blind affection of earth Necessary therfore it is that he who desires to attaine this Active Perfection unto which all good men labour moderate his desires towards such things as he hath not and addresse himselfe to an indifferency of losing those things which hee already hath for he whose desires are extended to more than he enjoyes or who too exceedingly admires what he now enjoyes can never attaine that high degree of Active Perfection The reason is no man whose content is seated on these externall flourishes of vanity can direct his Contemplation or erect the eye of his affection to that eternall Sunne of verity whom to enjoy is to enjoy all true Perfection and of whom to be deprived is to taste the bitterness of deepest affliction Now how are we to enjoy him Not by knowledge only or Contemplation but by seconding or making good our knowledge by Action for we know that there is a Woe denounced on him who knoweth the will of his Father and doth it not when neither his knowledge can plead ignorance nor want of understanding in the Law of God simplicity or blindnesse We are therefore not onely to know but doe know lest ignorance should mis-guide us doe lest our knowledge should accuse us Behovefull therfore were it for us to observe that excellent precept of holy Ierome So live saith he that none may have just cause to speake ill of you Now there is nothing which may procure this good report sooner than labouring to avoid all meanes of scandall as consorting with vitious men whose noted lives bring such in question as accompany them This was the cause as I formerly noted why Saint Iohn would not stay in the Bath with the Hereticke Câ—rinthus O how many and with much griefe I speake it have we knowne in this little Iland well descended with
this summary good which is seene with purest mindes The Heart triangle-wise resembleth the image of the blessed Trinity which can no more by the circumference of the World bee confined than a Triangle by a Circle is to bee filled So as the Circular world cannot fill the Triangular heart no more than a Circle can fill a Triangle still there will bee some empty corners it saies so long as it is fixed on the world Sheol it is never enough but fixed on her Maker her onely Mover on her sweet Redeemer her dearest Lover she chants out cheerefully this Hymne of comfort There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus She then may rest in peace And what peace A peace which passeth all understanding Shee then may embrace her Love And what Love A Love constantly loving Shee then may enjoy life And what life A life eternally living Shee then may receive a Crowne And what Crowne A Crowne gloriously shining This crowne saith S. Peter is undefiled which never fadeth away The Greeke words which S. Peter useth are Latine words also and they are not only Appellatives being the Epithetes of this Crowne but also Propers the one proper name of a Stone the other of a Flower for Isidore writeth there is a precious stone called Amiantus which though it bee never so much soiled yet it can never at all bee blemished and being cast into the fire it is taken out still more bright and cleane Also Clemens writeth that there is a flower called Amarantus which being a long time hung up in the house yet still is fresh and greene To both which the stone and the flower the Apostle as may bee probably gathered alludeth in this place Here then you see what you are to seeke For are your desires unsatisfied here is that which may fulfill them Are your soules thirsty here is the Well of life to refresh them Would you bee Kings here is a Kingdome provided for you Would you enjoy a long life a long life shall crowne you and length of daies attend you Would you have all goodnesse to enrich you enjoying GOD all good things shall bee given you Would you have salvation to come unto your house and secure you rest you in Christ Iesus and no condemnation shall draw neere you Would you have your consciences speake peace unto you the God of peace will throughout establish you Would you have your constant'st Love ever attend you He who gave himself for you will never leave you Would you have him live for ever with you Leave loving of the world so shall hee live ever with you and in you Would you have a Crowne conferred on you A Crowne of glory shall empale you Seeke then this one good wherein consisteth all goodnesse and it sufficeth Seeke this soveraigne or summary good from whence commeth every good and it sufficeth For hee is the life by which wee live the hope to which wee cleave and the glory which wee desire to obtaine For if dead hee can revive us if hopelesse and helpelesse he can succour us if in disgrace he can exalt us Him then only are wee to seeke who when wee were lost did seeke us and being found did bring us to his sheepe-fold And so I descend from what wee are to seeke to where wee are to seeke that seeking him where hee may bee found wee may at last finde him whom wee so long have sought For the second wee are to seeke it while wee are on earth but not upon earth for earth cannot containe it It is the Philosophers axiom That which is finite may not comprehend that which is infinite Now that supreme or soveraigne end to which this Actuall Perfection is directed whereto it aspireth and wherein it resteth is by nature infinite End without end beginning and end imposing to every creature a certaine definite or determinate end The sole solace of the soule being onely able to fill or satisfie the soule without which all things in heaven or under heaven joyned and conferred together cannot suffice the soule so boundlesse her extent so infinite the object of her content How should Earth then containe it or to what end should wee on Earth seeke it seeing whatsoever containeth must of necessity bee greater than that which is contained But Earth being a masse of corruption how should it confine or circumscribe incorruption Seeing nothing but immortality can cloath the Soule with glory it is not the rubbish or refuse of Earth that may adde to her beauty Besides the Soule while it so journes here in this earthly mansion shee remaines as a captive inclosed in prison What delights then can bee pleasing what delicates relishing to the palate of this prisoner Shee is an exile here on Earth what society then can bee cheerefull to one so carefull of returning to her Countrey If Captives restrained of their liberty Exiles estranged from their Countrey can take no true content either in their bondage bee it never so attempred nor in that exile bee they never so attended how should the Soule apprehend the least joy during her abode on Earth Where the treasure is there is the heart her treasure is above how can her heart bee here below Mortality cannot suit with immortality no more can Earth with the soule Whereto then bee the motions of our soule directed To Him that gave it no inferiour creature may suffice her no earthly object satisfie her nothing subject to sense fulfill her In Heaven are those heavenly objects wherewith her eye rests satisfied in Heaven are those melodious accents wherewith her eare rests solaced in Heaven those choicest odours wherewith her smell is cherished in Heaven those tastefull'st dainties wherewith her soule is nourished in Heaven those glorious creatures wherewith her selfe is numbred What difference then betwixt the satiety and saturity of Heaven and the penurie and poverty of Earth Here all things are full of labour man cannot utter it The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare filled with hearing whereas in Heaven there is length of daies and fulnesse of joy without ending And wherein consists this fulnesse Even in the sweet and comfortable sight of God But who hath seene GOD at any time To this blessed Augustine answers excellently Albeit saith hee that summary and incommutable essence that true light that indeficient light that light of Angels can bee seene by none in this life being reserved for a reward to the Saints onely in the heavenly glory yet to beleeve and understand and feele and ardently desire it is in some sort to see and possesse it Now if wee will beleeve it though our feet bee on earth our faith must bee in heaven or understand it wee must so live on earth as if our conversation were in heaven or feele it wee must have so little feeling of the delights of this life as our delight may bee wholly in heaven or desire
it wee must hunger and thirst after righteousnesse to direct us in the way which leadeth to heaven It cannot be saith a devout holy man that any one should die ill who hath lived well Wee are then to labour by a zealous religious and sincere life to present our selves blamelesse before the Lord at his comming O if wee knew and grosse is our ignorance if wee know it not that whatsoever it sought besides God possesseth the mind but satisfies it not wee would have recourse to him by whom our minds might bee as well satisfied as possessed But great is our misery and miserable our stupidity who when wee may gaine heaven with lesse paines then hell will not draw our foot backe from hell nor step one foot forward towards the kingdome of heaven Yea when wee know that it pleaseth the Divell no lesse when wee sinne then it pleaseth God to heare us sigh for sinne yet will wee rather please the Divell by committing sin then please God by sending out one penitent sigh for our sinne For behold what dangers will men expose themselves unto by Sea and Land to increase their substance Againe for satisfaction of their pleasures what tasks will they undertake no lesse painefull then full of perill A little expectance of penitentiall pleasure can make the voluptuous man watch all the night long when one houre of the night to pray in would seeme too too long Early and late to enrich his carelesse heire will the miserable wretch addresse himselfe to all slavish labour without once remembring either early or late to give thankes to his Maker Without repose or repast will the restlesse ambitious Sparke whose aimes are onely to be worldly great taske himselfe to all difficulties to gaine honour when even that which so eagerly hee seekes for oft-times bring ruine to the owner Here then you see where you are to seeke not on earth for there is nought but corruption but in heaven where you may bee cloathed with incorruption not on earth for there you are Exiles but in heaven where you may be enrolled and infranchised Citizens not on earth the grate of misery but in heaven the goale of glory In briefe would you have your hearts lodged where your treasures are locked all your senses seated where they may be fully sated your eye with delightfull'st objects satisfied your eare with melodious accents solaced your smell with choicest odours cherished your taste with chiefest dainties relished your selves your soules amongst those glorious creatures registred Fix the desires of your heart on him who can onely satisfie your heart set your eye on him whose eye is ever upon you and in due time will direct you to him intend your eare to his Law which can best informe you and with divinest melody cheere you follow him in the smell of his sweet ointments and hee will comfort you in your afflictions taste how sweet hee is in mercy and you shall taste sweetnesse in the depth of your misery become heavenly men so of terrestriall Angels you shall bee made Angels in heaven where by the spirituall union of your soules you shall bee united unto him who first gave you soules And so I come to the third and last When wee are to seeke lest seeking out of time wee be excluded from finding what wee seeke for want of seeking in due time If words spoken in season bee like apples of gold with pictures of silver sure I am that our actions being seasonably formed or disposed cannot but adde to our soules much beauty and lustre To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven which season neglected the benefit accruing to the worke is likewise abridged There is a time to sow and a time to reape and sow wee must before wee reape sow in teares before wee reape in joy Seeke we must before we find for unlesse wee seeke him while hee may be found seeke may wee long ere wee have him found After the time of our dissolution from earth there is no time admitted for repentance to bring us to heaven Hoc momentum est de quo pendet aeternitas Either now or never and if now thrice happy ever Which is illustrated to us by divers Similitudes Examples and Parables in the holy Scripture as in Esau's birth-right which once sold could not be regained by many teares and in the Parable of Dives and Lazarus where Abraham answered Dives after hee had beseeched him to send Lazarus that hee might dip the tip of his finger in water and coole his tongue Sonne remember that thou in thy life-time received'st thy good things and likewise Lazarus evill things but now hee is comforted and thou art tormented And in the Parable of the ten Virgins where the five foolish Virgins tooke their Lamps and tooke no oile with them but the wise tooke oile in their vessels with their Lamps and when the Bridegroome came those that were ready went in with him and were received but those foolish ones who were unprovided though they came afterwards crying Lord Lord open unto us could not be admitted For know deare Christian and apply it to thy heart for knowledge without use application or practice is a fruitlesse and soule-beguiling knowledge that hee who promiseth forgivenesse to thee repenting hath not promised thee to morrow to repent in Why therefore deferrest thou till to morrow when thou little knowest but thou maist die before to morrow This day this houre is the opportunate season take hold of it then lest thou repent thee when it is past season Man hath no interest in time save this very instant which hee may properly terme his let him then so imploy this instant of time as hee may be heire of eternity which exceeds the limit of time Let us worke now while it is day for the night commeth when no man can worke Why therefore stand wee idling Why delay we our conversion Why cry wee with the sluggard Yet a little and then a little and no end of that little Why to morrow and to morrow and no end of to morrow being as neere our conversion to day as to morrow Why not to day as well as to morrow seeing every day bringeth with it her affliction both to day and to morrow Meet it is then for us to make recourse to the Throne of mercy in the day of mercy and before the evill day come lest wee be taken as hee who beat his fellow servants when the great Master of the Houshold shall come O earth earth earth heare the Word of the LORD Earth by creation earth by condition earth by corruption Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth while the evill dayes come not nor the yeeres draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them While the Sunne or the light or the Moone or the Starres that bee not
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
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
in exemplary grounds of chastity Sulpitia hers in precepts of conjugall unity Edesia hers in learning and morality Paulina hers in memorials of shamefaste modesty These though Heathens were excellent informers of youth so as their Children were more bound to them for their breeding than bearing nurturing than nursing Besides there is an inbred filiall feare in Children to their Parents which will beget in them more attention in hearing and retention in holding what they heare Now there is no instruction more moving than the example of your living By that Line of yours are they to conforme their owne Take heed then lest by the dampe of your life you darken both their glory and your owne I might propose unto you bookes of instruction which might minister arguments plenteously in this kinde but so short is the memory in reteining what it reads yea so distracted is the minde in observing what it reads that as it fares with our naturall face in a glasse from which the glasse is no sooner removed than the resemblance of it is abolished even so the booke is no sooner left out of the hand than the Contents are leapt out of the heart Yet to the end you may not bee unprovided of such Tracts as may enable you for instruction and prepare you to encounter with tentation I will recount such unto you as may best accomodate you for the one and fortifie you against the other Learned Vives in his instruction of a Christian woman recommends unto them these glorious Lights of the Church S. Hierom Cyprian Augustine Ambrose Hilary Gregory annexing unto them those morall Philosophers Plato Cicero Seneca c. Of which severally to deliver my opinion it is this Than S. Hierom none more gravely copious as may appeare by those pithy and effectuall Epistles of his directed to those noble Ladies Marcella Demetria Laeta Furia c. wherin he useth singular exhortations invincible arguments perswasive reasons sweet similitudes and forcive examples Modesty is the subject hee commends unto them decency in apparell hee approves in them to a moderate restraint of liberty hee enjoynes them to an exemplary holinesse hee exhorts them and with sweet and comfortable promises of an incorruptible reward he leaves them Than S. Cyprian none more devoutly serverous in his reproofes hee shewes mildnesse in his treaties a passionate sweetnesse hee winnes the sinner by inducing reasons hee strengthens the soule mightily against temptations hee proposeth an excellent way of moderating the affections hee applyes soveraigne receits to soveraignizing passions and concludes with that sober and discreet temper as with a Divine insinuation hee wooes winnes and weanes the sinner and in a spirituall tye unites him to his Redeemer Than S. Augustine none more profoundly judicious more judiciously zealous pithy are his directions powerfull his instructions in his Meditations hee is moving in his Soliloquies inwardly piercing in his Manuall comfortably clozing Amongst all those Conflicts in our Christian warfare hee holds none sharper than our Combat with Chastity Hee applies meanes how wee may resist resisting vanquish and by our Christian victory receive Crownes of eternall glory That Conquest hee holds deserves small honour which is atchiev'd without Encounter In a Divine rapsodie drawne as it were from himselfe hee shewes what should bee done by us Earth is no object fit to entertaine our eye nor her deluding melody our eare Hee exhorts us therefore to leave Earth now while wee live that leaving Earth for altogether wee may enjoy our best Love Than S. Ambrose none more Divinely plenteous sweetly serious are his instructions enforcing are his reasons hee speakes home to the sinner whom hee no sooner findes wounded for sinne than hee applies a Spirituall salve to cure his sinne Many grave sentences are in his Offices methodically couched singular directions to guide every Christian in his Spirituall Path-way are there delivered Like an expert Physician hee first gathers the nature or quality of your distemper and then ministers soule-salving receipts to restore you to your right temper Hee shewes you how in your very motion gesture and pace you are to observe modesty concluding that nothing can afford true comfort to a sojourning soule but practise of piety Than S. Hilary none more fully sententious hee discovers the occasion of our corruption familiarly adviseth us with many passionate and teare-swolne lines to provide for our inward family hee proposeth us a reward if wee contemne Earth he threatens us with the Law if wee contemne life Sundry moving and effectuall Lessons hee recommends to the perusall of women of all rankes ages and conditions Tenderly hee compassionates the case of a sinner passionately treats hee of those torments which shall last for ever with prayers and teares hee sollicits them that have gone astray to returne those that are already return'd to goe no more astray Hee concludes with an usefull Exhortation to sorrow for sinne promising them forth of that Store-house of Comforts contained in the Gospell for this their momentaine sorrow an incessant joy in Sion Than S. Gregory none more highly mysterious nor contemplatively glorious Divinely morall are his Morals full of heavenly comforts are his instructions hee walkes in an higher way than others trace yet with that humility as there is not a cloze from him but it discloseth in him a love of meekenesse lowlinesse and piety With proper and elegant similitudes are his works adorned with choice sentences as with so many select flowers neatly garnished in a word hee is sweetly substantiall and substantially sweet Hee reprehends the times gravely commends the practice of vertue gracefully With an holy zeale hee reproves the remisnesse of the Ministry Directions hee gives unto women to have an especiall care of modesty concluding that the love of this life should not so possesse us as to deprive us of that inheritance which might eternally blesse us In good mindes hee holds poverty the portresse of humility accounting those Evils or Adversities which doe here presse us to bee the Cords which draw us unto God who made us Touching those three Philosophers this is my conceit of them wherin none can otherwise chuse than concurre with me that shall seriously read and sincerely scanne them Than Plato none more divinely Philosophicall Than Cicero more philosophically Rhetoricall Than Seneca more sagely Morall But for as much as it is not given to most of you to bee Linguists albeit many of their workes bee translated in your mother tongue you may converse with sundry English Authors whose excellent instructions will sufficiently store you in all points and if usefully applied conferre no small benefit to your understanding I shall not need particularly to name them to you because I doubt not but you have made choice of such faithfull Reteiners and vertuous Bosome-friends constantly to accompany you Neither indeed are bookes onely necessary conference will singularly improve your knowledge but that is not altogether so convenient nor decent for your sexe in
Rough and menacing was the Sea on which they sayled dangerous and sheluy the wayes by which they passed yea full of disquiets was the Port at which they arrived Nay which is worse in what sinister and indiscreet paths would they walke upon what strange plots and projectments would they worke how discontentedly and disconsolately with Themistocles would they walke till they attained their end which many times brought them to an untimely end So quickly is poore man deluded with this shady picture of greatnesse as hee will not sticke to engage for it his hopes of quietnesse But these bee not those Eminent Personages of whom I am now to treat for such mens honour is meerely painted because it is not with vertue poudred Morall Philosophy much more our Christian theory could never hold that for deserving greatnesse which had not neare relation to goodnesse Those only they esteemed worthy honour who did not seeke it much lesse buy it but were sought by it Such as knew not what it was to admire the purple nor fawne on a rising favorite but interveined their actions with the precious Oare of Divinest vertues Such as had attained to a singular Command or soveraignty of their affections so as they had learned to say as Chilo answered his brother Wee know how to suffer injuries so doe not these fiery and furious spirits It is a poore expression of greatnesse to exercise it in revenge or in triumphing over inferiours or countenancing unjust actions These detract from honour neither can their memory live long who makes authority a Sanctuary to wrong Know then noble Gentlewomen that your Honour bee it never so eminent your Descent bee it never so ancient lose both their beauty and antiquity if vertue have not in you a peculiar soveraignty Be your wanton fancy painted and trimmed in never so demure or hypocriticall disguise Bee your ambition or Courtly aspiring never so shrouded with gilded shadowes of humility Bee your unbounded desire of revenge never so smoothly coloured with the seeming remission of an impressive injury In a word should you never walke so covertly in a Cloud nor never so cunningly with a dainty kind of dissembling gull the world all this will not avayle you When your bodies shall come to be shrouded then shall all your actions bee uncased Rumour then wil I take more liberty to discover unto the world what you did in it Shew me that deepest dissembler who retired himselfe most from the knowledge of man and came not to discovery for all his secrecy to the eyes of man Many you have knowne and heard of that were great but failing in being good were their pretences never so specious did not their memory rot Iezabel was more eminent in titles than Abigal but lesse glorious in her fame Such a poore piece of painted stuffe is that adulterate honour which from vertue receives not her full lustre When the subtill Spider shall weave her curious web over your Monuments when those beauteous structures of yours shall hee dissolved when all your titular glory shall bee obscured when those fading honours on which you relyed and with which you stood surprized shall bee estranged and you from this goodly low Theatre of earth translated it shall bee then demanded of you not how eminent you were in greatnesse but how servent in actions of goodnesse While your skinnes then are with choycest Odours perfumed let your soules bee with purest vertues poudred Now for vertue would you know how to define her that you may more eagerly desire to become her reteiner Or would you have her described that you may thence collect how well shee deserves to bee observed Heare the Poet Vertue in greatest danger is most showne And though opprest is never overthrowne Such a noble resolved temper ever accompanies vertue as no prosperous successe can ever transport her nor any adverse occurent deject her Shee feeds not on the ayrie breath of vulgar applause her sole ambition is to aspire to an inward greatnesse to bee truly honourable in the title of goodnesse Great attendance punctuall observance stately retinues are not the objects shee eyes shee loves to bee knowne what shee is by that constant testimony which is in her rather than by any outward ornament much lesse formall complement that may apishly suit her Would you enter then Gentlewomen into a more serious survey of your selves Would you rightly understand wherein your persons deserve honour or how you may bee eternally honoured by your Maker Tender your service to vertue avoyd what is hurtfull admit what is helpfull Sacrifice not a vaine houre to the Altar of vanity Employ your time in exercises of piety Dedicate your dayes to the advancement of Gods glory A Soule solely dedicated to Gods honour is the best spirituall Cloister See not that poore soule in want which your noble compassion will not relieve Have you friends hold them deare unto you if deare in the eye of vertue otherwise discard them for you shall bee more stained by them than strengthened in them Have you foes if vicious they deserve ever to bee held so but if they affect goodnesse prize them above the value of your highest fawning friends who as they are meere observers of the time preferre your fortunes with which you are inriched or honours to which you are advanced or some other by-respect secretly aymed before those essentiall parts which are in you and truly ennoble you Are you of esteeme in the State become powerfull Petitioners for the poore mans sake preferre his suite entertaine a compassionate respect of his wrongs labour his reliefe and doe this not for the eyes of men but of God who as hee seeth secretly will reward you openly Againe Have you such as maligne your honour their aspersions cannot touch you He that made you hath made you strong enough to despise them and with a patient smile or carelesse neglect to flight them Those that are good can have none but those that are evill to bee their foes The sweet smell of your vertues hath already dispersed themselves your memory is without the reach of infamy live then secure while your vertues shine so pure Reteine a true and unenforc'd humility in you so shall honour appeare more gracefully in you Imitate not those sudden-rising gourds of greatnesse who have no sooner attained the titles of Ladies than this report makes them put on a new port old acquaintance must bee forgot scorne must sit on their browes and a contemptuous disdaine on their lips Though their mold bee but the same they would faine change themselves into another mold These are such as deserve not your knowledge though they be by their titles honoured their titles by their ignoble actions become blemished Let them therefore study making of a face composing of their gaâ—e preserving of their vaine pompe with an unbeseeming port while your Contemplation shall fixe it selfe on no other object than that true expressive end of
judicious Censor of Antiquities S. Augustine saith That anciently the Romans worshipped Vertue and Honour for gods Whence it was that they built two Temples which were so seated as none could enter the Temple of Honour unlesse hee had first passed through the Temple of Vertue to signifie that none was to bee honoured unlesse by some Vertue he had first deserved it The Morall admits no other exposition than its owne expression For Honour none should bee so daring bold as to wooe her till by passing thorow Vertues Temple hee get admittance unto her If you desire to bee great let it bee your height of ambition to aspire to honour in the Court of Vertue Where the lowest cannot bee lesse than a Lady of Honour because the lowest of her actions correspond with Honour Such a service were no servitude but a solace Admit that sometimes you affected forraine fashions now let forraine Nations admire your vertues Perchance the delicacy of your nature or misery of a long prescribed custome will not so easily at the first bee wholly weaned from what it hath for so many yeares affected Vse than an easie restraint at the first withdraw your affections from vanity by degrees reserve some select houres for private Devotion check your fancies when they dote on ought that may distract you The first Encounter will bee hardest Time will bring you to that absolute soveraignty over your passions as you shall finde a singular calmenesse in your affections For the Windes of your passions shall no sooner cease then that vast boundlesse Sea of your distemper'd affections shall become calme What a brave Salique State shall you then enjoy within your owne Common-wealth Vigilancy becomes Warden of your Cinque Ports not an invasive forrainer dare approach while shee with watchfull eyes waits at the Port. All your followers are vertues favorites Piety guides you in your wayes Charity in your workes Your Progenitors deserved due praise but you surpasse them all Thus shall you revive the ashes of your families and conferre on them surviving memories But it is the evening crownes the day sufficient it is not to diffuse some few reflecting beamelings of your vertues at your first rising and darken them with a cloud of vices at your setting As your daies are more in number so must they bee every day better What availes it the Mariner to have taken his Compasse wisely to have shunned rockes and places of danger warily and at last to runne on some shelfe when hee should now arrive at the Bay where hee would bee Rockes are ever nearest the shore and most tentations nearest your end If you resolve then to come off fairely prepare your selves for some encounter daily observe your exercise of devotion duely resist assaults constantly that you may gain a glorious victory This is all the Combat that is of you desired wherein many of your Sexe have nobly deserved Stoutly have they combated and sweetly have they conquered Emulate their vertues imitate their lives and enjoy their loves So may you with that Patterne of patience dye in your owne Nests and multiply your dayes as the Sand So may your vertues which shone so brightly in these Courts of Earth appeare most glorious in those Courts of Heaven So may these scattered flowers of your fading beauty bee supplied with fresh flowers of an incorruptible beauty yea the King himselfe shall take pleasure in your beauty who will come like a glorious Prince out of his Palace of royall honour to grace you like a Specious Spouse out of his Nuptiall Chamber to embrace you Meane time feare not death but smile on him in his entry for hee is a guide to the good to conduct them to glory Conclude your resolves with that blessed Saint in hope no lesse confident than in heart penitent Wee have not lived so in the world that wee are ashamed to live longer to please God and yet againe wee are not afraid to dye because wee have a good Lord. Short is your race neare is your rest Onely let the lesse of earth bee your gaine the love of God your goale and Angelicall perfection to which your constant practice of piety and all Christian duties have so long aspired your Crowne The feare of the Lord is a pleasant Garden of blessing there is nothing so beautifull as it is Eccles. 40.27 Trin-uni Deo omnis gloria A Gentlewoman IS her owne Tyrewsman one that weares her owne face and whose complexion is her owne Her Iournals lie not for th' Exchange needlesse visits nor Reere-bankets Showes and presentments shee viewes with a civill admiration wherein her harmlesse desire is rather to see than bee seene Shee hates nothing so much as entring parly with an immodest Suitor Retire from occasions drawes her to her Arbour where the sole object of her thoughts is her Maker Her eyes shee holds her profest foes if they send forth one loose looke teares must sue out their pardon or no hope of reconciliation Her resort to the Court is for occasion not fashion where her demeanour ever gives augmentation to her honour Her winning modesty becomes so powerfull a Petitioner as shee ever returnes a prevailing Suiter During her abode in the City shee neither weares the Street nor wearies her selfe with her Coach Her Chamber is her Tyring-roome where shee bethinks her how shee may play her part on the worlds Theatre that shee may gaine applause of her heavenly Spectators Her constant reside is in the Country where hospitality proclaimes her in-bred affection to workes of piety All which shee exerciseth with that privacy as they will witnesse for her shee feares nothing more than vaine-glory In her house shee performes the office of a Mistris no imperious Governesse Shee knowes when to put on a smooth brow and to cherish industry with moderate bounty Her discreet providence makes her family look with a cheerefull countenance Her posterity cannot chuse but prosper being nurs'd by so naturall a mother The open field she makes her Gallery her Labourers her living Pictures which though shee finds meere Pictures hanging on rather than labouring Passion transports her not above her selfe nor forceth her to the least expression unworthy of her selfe shee passeth by them with a modest reproofe which workes in them a deeper impression than any fiery or furious passion Her Neighbors shee daily wooes and winnes which shee effects with such innocent affability as none can justly tax her of flattery An Over-seer for the poore shee appoints her selfe wherein shee exceeds all those that are chosen by the Parish Shee takes a Survey daily and duly of them and without any charge to the Hamlet relieves them She desires not to have the esteeme of any She-clarke shee had rather bee approv'd by her living than learning And hath ever preferr'd a sound professant before a profound disputant A president of piety shee expresseth her selfe in her family which shee so instructs by her owne life as vertue becomes the object
the Gods had bestowed on him greatest cause of all others to give them thankes for three things First was for that they had made him a reasonable Creature and no Beast Second was for civilizing him a Grecian and no Barbarian Thirdly in making him a Man and no Woman yet did hee sometimes ingenuously confesse the necessitie of them in winding up all his humane felicitie in these foure particulars So I may have said he eyes to reade my mind to conceive what I reade my memory to conserve what I have conceived and read and a woman to serve me at my neede should adversitie assaile me it should not foile me should an immerited disgrace lye heavy on me it should not amate me should my endeared friends forsake me by enjoying my selfe thus in mine owne family I should laugh at the braves of fortune account reproach my repute and partake in the free societie of so sweet and select a friend within me as no cloud without mee could perplex me Here was a brave Philosophicall resolution He could see nought on earth that could divert his thoughts from the contemplation of Heaven provided that he enjoyed that on earth which made his earth seeme a second Heaven Some are of opinion indeede that hee had perused the Mosaicall Law and that he bestowed much time in it during his reside with his deare friend Phocion in Cilicia No marvaile then if he found there the excellency of their Creation with their primary office or designation Being made helpes for man and so intimate to man as she tooke her mould from man as man his modell from mold Yea but she was made of a rib will some say and that implide a crooked condition No but rather thus A rib is bending which presupposed her pliable disposition And if that ancient Philosophicall Maxim hold good That the temperature of the soule followes the temperature of the body we must necessarily conclude that as their outward temperature and composure is more delicate so their inward affections must be more purely refined No violent passion so predominant which their mild temper cannot moderate provided that they be seasoned with grace which makes them proficients in all spirituall growth For a quicke unsanctified wit is a meere pery for the Divell whereas witts accompanied with humilitie make their privatest Soliloquies to converse with actions of glory These and onely these reteine in memory the object and end of their creation And as those affectionate Sabines call'd their wives their Penates their Houshold Gods through that incomparable comfort they conceived in them and benefits they derived from them So are these Domi-portae Damae-portae delitiae horti as that witty Epigrammatist was sometimes pleased to enstile them the choicest Sociates of humane Solace So as if the world were to be held a Wildernesse without societie it might justly despaire of that comfort without their company Whence it is that the wise man concludeth Without a woman would the house mourne When that Delphick Oracle had told that flourishing and victorious state that her many triumphes and trophies should not secure her nor her numerous ports so enrich her nor that confidence she reposed in her powerfull Allyes priviledge her For the very beautifull'st City she had her sole magnificent Metropolis whose present glory aspired to the Clouds should labour of her owne providence and interre her honour in the dust if they did not by sprinkling the purest dust that earth could afford upon their prophaned Altars expiate her guilt and appease their wrath A strong and serious consultation being forthwith taken they advised amongst themselves which might be the purest and most precious dust but so many men so many mindes For the Earth-worme who made Gold his God and that Dust his Deitie held none to be purer then the soile or dust of gold Others held that none was purer then the dust of that Copper whereof the Athenians had made the pictures of the two Tyrants Armodius and Aristogyton because their death gave life to the state their dust recovered their countries fame Others held Ebonie because the most continuate Monument of humane memory and monumentall Embleme of his mortalitie Others held Ivorie because an Emblematicall Mettall of puritie While one whose opinion was delivered last though his judgement appeared best freely imparted himselfe to them taxing them all of errour For saith he it is not the pouder dust or ashes of any materiall shrine that can be possibly any way propitious to the gods as the enormitie of our losses hath incensed them so must the ashes of some living sacrifice appease them My opinion then is positively this The ashes of some undefiled virgin must be sprinkled on their Altar if we meane to preserve our state and honour This experience hath confirmed long since so highly usefull as wee may reade what eminent states had perished how their glory had been to dust reduced nay their very names in oblivion closed and with dishonour cloathed had not the fury of the incensed gods beene pacified and by offertories of this nature attoned This might be instanced in those sacrifices of Iphigenia Hesyone Mariana with many others whose living memory raysed it selfe from dust in so free and voluntary offering themselves to the stake to deliver their endanger'd state confirming their country-love with the losse of their dearest life Search then no further yee Conscript Fathers how to appease their wrath Virgin ashes cannot but be the purest dust of Earth Whose sacred vowes as they are dedicated to Vesta who cannot admit her Temple to be prophaned by any impure touch So ha's shee conferred such an excellent priviledge on a virgin state as the fierce untamed Vnicorne when nothing can bring him to subjection nor attemper the madding fury of his disposition as if he had quite put off his nature and assumed another temper he will be content mildly to sleepe in the lap of a Virgin and in eying her allay his passion With joynt voyce and vote all the Ephori inclined to his opinion which so well appeased those divine furies as their state before by the Oracle so highly menaced became secured their Altars which were before prophaned purged and those pollutions whereof their City laboured clearely expiated These poeticall Fictions though they easily passe by the eare yet they convey by a morall application an Emphaticall impression to the heart For hence might be divinely concluded There is nothing comparably precious to a continent soule Nothing of so pure nor pretious esteeme as a virgin state And that a woman being the weaker vessell when shee either in her virgin-condition remaines constant or in her conjugall state loyall she so much more inlargeth her glory as her Sex or condition partakes more of frailtie But to divert from these eye her in the Excellency of her Creation you shall finde her in her qualitie an helper in her societie a comforter in the perplexities of her consort a counsellour and in all these
of filiall duty and to performe them with all alacrity Besides doe Children desire a blessing The Honour which they render unto their Parents is confirâ—ed with a promise Nor is any Commandement ratified with a stronger Assumpsit Length of dayes is promised which implyes an abridgement of time to such as neglect it Nay that I may presse this Argument a little further by recounting those benefits which arise from parentall honour wee shall generally observe how that dis-regard to obedience which Children shew towards their Parents â—s fully requited by the Disobedience of their Children when they come to be Parents For what more may you expect from yours then what you tendered unto yours You may collect hence what singular blessings are from Obedience derived Againe what discomforts even to Posterity are from disobedience occasioned The one proposeth a long life the other implyeth a short life The one conferrs a comfort on us in our posterity the other a myriad of afflictions in our progeny Nor can that Child be of â—a ingenuous nature who with a free and uncoacted embrace addresseth not his best endeavours to advance this Honour Let him but respect upon his parents tendernesse and hee cannot chuse but highly taxe himselfe of unthankefulnesse should hee suffer the neglect of one houre in returning the obedientiall sacrifice of a Child to his Father Neither is any time to be exempted from so pious a taske For as their tender and vigilant eye has beene from infancy to yeeres of more maturity ever intentively fixed that their hopes might be improved and their comforts â—n that improvement numerously augmented so ought it to be the delightful'st study to their posterity to crown their Parents white hairs with comfort and in imitation of that veâ—tuous Corinthian to recollect themselves by considering what might give their Parents most content and with all cheerfulnesse to performe that for them even after their death which they conceived could not chuse but content them in their life Alas so indulgent are most Parents and so easily contented as the very least offices of duty performed by their Children transport them above comparison When Children in Obedience play their part They drop young blood into an aged heart Nay I may truly affirme of this precious plant of filiall Obedience what our ancient Poets sometimes wrote of that Aesonian herbe or what the ever living Homer reported of his Moli that it has power to restore nature and beget an amiable complexion in the Professor For a good life attracts to the countenance sayes the Ethick expressive Characters of love Now should you more curiously then necessarily enquire after the extent of this Obedience as wherein it is to be exercised and to what bounds confined take this for a positive Rule that in whatsoever shall not be repugnant to the expresse will of God there is required this Observance yea even in matters of indifference it is farre safer to oppose your owne wils then distaste your Parents It was an excellent saying of Saint Gregory Hee that would not offend in things unlawfull must oft abridge himselfe in things lawfull The way to infuse more native heat in this Obedience is to shew an alacrity of obeying even in Subjects of indifference for a remissenesse in these cannot but argue a probable coolenesse in those of higher consequence And as the command of a discreet Father will injoyne his Child nothing but what may comply equally with piety and reason so will a dutifull Child submit himselfe to his Fathers command without the least unbeseeming debate or expostulation Thus from these Premisses may wee draw this infallible Conclusion Would you enjoy length of dayes glad houres or a succeeding comfort in yours Answer their aged hopes who have treasured their provisionall cares for you bring not their silver haires with sorrow to their Grave but returne them such arguments of proficience in every promising Grace that your sincere and unfeigned Obedience may not be only a surviving comfort to your Parents but a continuall Feast to your owne Conscience Neither are you to performe these offices of Obedience with a regardlesse affection or without due Reverence For as God would have those who are Labourers in his Vineyard to doe their worke with cheerefulnesse so is it his will that naturall Children returne all offices of duty and filiall Obedience with humility and reverence Age is a crowne of glory when it is found in the way of righteousnesse And this closeth well with that saying of the Preacher The crowne of old men is to have much experience and the feare of God is their glory But admit they were such whom native Obedience injoynes you to reverence as the nearer to their Grave the further from knowledge the nearer to earth the more glued to earth yet for all this in lawfull things are you not to alien your thoughts of obedience from them but as you derived your being from them so with a sensible compassion of their infirmities with the veile of piety to cover their nakednesse It is true indeed what that sententious Morall sometimes observed There is no sight more unseemely then an old man who having lived long reteines no other argument of his age then his yeares This moved Curius Dentatus to conclude so positively that he had rather be dead then live as one dead Neither indeed is age to bee measured by yeares but houres Many are old in yeares who are young in houres Many old in houres who are young in yeares For time is of such unvaluable estimate that if it be not imployed to improvement it becomes a detriment to the Accomptant No object more distastefull said that divine Morall then an Elementary Old-man No subject of discourse more hatefull said witty Petrarch then a d dialecticall Old-man A logicall age howsoever it appeare copious in words it seldome becomes plenteous in workes Free discoursers in Philosophy are oft the slowest proficients in the practick part of Philosophy Whereas it is better to be a Truant at Schoole then in the practise of life For as it is better to know little and practise much then to know much and practise little So it is a more usefull knowledge to learne the art of living then of learning For many with their learning have gone into Hell whereas none were they never so simple but by living well have gained Heaven It is an excellent Caution indeed and well deserving our deepe Impression If thou hast gathered nothing in thy youth what canst thou find in thine age Put sufficient it is not to gather but to make use of that experimentall treasure Medicines deposited afford small benefit to the Patient nor are Talents to bee buried nor our Lights under a bushell shrouded Knowledge cannot be usefully active unlesse it be communicative Howsoever then Age in respect of her ancient livery with those aged Emblemes of her antiquity exact
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
to all dangers without mature judgement to foresee and resolution to prevent the iminency of all occurrents which made Homer dilate upon the essence of true Fotitude represented in Hector as an Archytipe no lesse imitable then for mannagement in all Assaies admirable He brings him in dehorting his brother Paris from his inconsiderate purpose with this good caveat It becommeth us not to take Armes upon every sensuall respect but to ground the motion of warre upon a cause honestly moving To be brief there should be no vertue which should not rather-character her selfe by her owne purity then be displaied by a curious or affective style which rather detracts then augments those perfect and unstained ornaments wherewith she is endued and that which Cicero speaks of the office of an Orator censuring that Speech as most vicious which seemes most curious may I speak of Honour whose dependence is of Vertue onely illustrated in her selfe because her essence gives to her more eminence than the polish'd styles of the best Rhetoricians could ever effect But I will descend into the particular discourse of truly honourable What they should be that arrogate that Name and what they are that merit it Honour relisheth best when highliest descended not boasting with Lycas in the Tragedy of noble Ancestors but of inward vertues making their mindes the purest mansions of Nobility their vertues the Symbolls of their dâ—scent and progeny For what is it to challenge precedencie by our Ancestors being made Noble by them whom our owne actions perchance makes as ignoble I can approve that disposition of Alexander the best who rather wished his Fathers exploits though not in eâ—vy to be obscured whereby his owne memorable atchievements might purchase him glory not by relation had to the prowesse of his Father but his owne demerits yet not with a too listning eare of attention hearing his warlike designes above truth praysed but more willing to doe then heare of his doings For hearing Aristobulus on a time commending his memorable acts farre above truth in his writings He threw the booke into the river as he was sailing over Hydaspis saying he was almost moved to send Aristobulus after For this I have alwaies observed in an honourable minde no popular conceipt can transport her above her Shpaere She cannot endure a temporizing Humorist that feedes on the aire of his owne applause but like a wise Ithacus commits the sailes of his prudent and provident affections to be disposed by Vertue stopping his eare at the Incantations of the voice-alluring Syren or cup-attracting Cyrce An honourable man stereth his Ship with no Sterne of Ambition but with a temperate opinion of himself and his owne Actions referring the whole current and passage of his intentions purposes and endeavours to his Countries welfare whose safety he preferres before his owne wishing rather death with a good opinion of his country then immerited honours with her detriment The Truly Honourable will accept of no honours but such as her deserts challenge nor those neither if not obtruded This moved many of the Ancient Heroes whose acts deserve no lesse memory then their lifes did glory to expose themselves to all perils whereby their names might be recorded in the Annalls of Fame leaving not only Statues or Monuments of what they have been but by the exact representation of their vertues what they are for even the Pagans reserved a place of honour and celebrity to such as had either exempted their Country from the servitude of her enemy or had augmented her glory by the voluntary resignation of their lives Such were the memorable Annalls of the Decii Curtii Bruti Many of the worthy mannagers of State in former times desired to have no statues to be erected in their glory rather making their owne vertues the liveliest records of their memory the reason whereof may be conceived or at least conjectured by those occurrents which even hapned in their times being pursued by that publique foe to vertue and all vertuous intendments Envy which marrow-eating locust attended the worthiest personages that then breathed Caesar had a Pompey Pompey a Septimius African a Marius Eschines a Demosthenes Cicero a Cethegus This might move and that not without just cause that Columne of justice Lacedemons glory vertuous Agesilaus to erect no statue in his honour lest his life 's Ideome after death should be no lesse contemned then he was in his life envied In meum honorem simulachra erigi non cupio ea enim magis gloriam detrahunt quà m augent in hoc autem humili thoro fama mea ab aliorum invidia maximè aliena est I desire to have no statue nor curious monument erected in mine honour they rather diminish than propagate our Glory my Fame is least envied in this low and dejected Bed of earth Poore Prince shall thy Name which hath spread it selfe by so many victories atchived so many conquests purchased non sine sanguine sudore shall they feare to be vanquished or suppressed by times anatomy cankred envy that never knew what Honour meant but by corrupting honour O then how vaine be those Trophies which are hung in honour of those Heroes of former times What availeth it Cyrus of the translated Monarchy from the Medes to the Persians or for Alexander to have reduced the whole world into one Monarchy or Caesar so farre to have dispersed his glory making his motto Veni Vidi Veci The envenomed breath of one serpentine spirit can consume so great and happy vertues which once aspired to that height that eminence as they enstyled their possessors truly Heroicall making Flaccus axiome no lesse true to demonstrate our declining memory then to describe our Times mortality Quò pius Encas quo Tullus dives Ancus Pulvis umbra sumus Dust and ashes indeed yet such as albeit the slimy substance of the externall man rest immured and incaged in the Bowels of earth yet there is an aethereall an heavenly aspiring beauty which cannot be depressed with the terrene and massie weight of earths interior centre alta petit nec cessat quoad altissima perringit It hovereth higher as a Bird farre removed from her native repose till it arrive at those Elysian Fields of true immortality where her expected habitation is possessed even the mansion of heavenly Syon Hence therefore may those carnall and epicureall men who have wallowed in all mundane delights drunke deep of the sensuall Lethe of their security be confounded with shame who relinquishing the offred time of grace expose themselves to the Brothells of sin and impiety forgetting all respect of honour as Corvinus Messala did his owne Name and when they behold the admired and most resplendent honours of our Time either to decline by some in auspicious accident or cut by the common Sithe of Fate compare their contaminate lives with their refined vertues They are gone and who will now remember them They were pillars of the state while they lived but now the