these be they which lifte themselues vp against the knowledge of all that is done promising vnto themselues a fained knowledge and referring the event of all thinges vnto the rising falling and course of the starres following therein their Mathematicall errours But we wil leaue these as vnlawfull and altogither vncertaine and not worthy to bee reckoned or esteemed of as an Arte. Lib. 6. Cap 4. Aristotle doth define an Arte to be a habite of doing with true reason That therefore which hath no truth nor true principles or certaine grounds can be no Arte. But to come vnto those Artes which are both profitable and necessary we may doe well to consider first that Artes are either liberall or illiberall and Manuary The liberall are saide to be the Seaven sciences and they may be called liberall because they require a liberal minde to be bestowed on them that is free from other cares free from passions free from sordiditie The other Artes which are Manuary although they do not so much adorne the minde of man yet are they necessary for the vse of man and they sustaine his necessities keeping him from idlenes which is the cancker of the minde yet omitting those Manuarie Artes as matters that doe not of themselues much beautifie the minde wee vvill say somewhat concerning the knowledge of the other Artes which are called the liberall Sciences whereby it shall be seene what manner of men they are that attaine to the knowledge of them and to be perfect Artistes And first as touching the obtaining of those Sciences it hath beene a question betweene Philosophers of former ages whither knowledge vertue Whither vertue and knowledge be in vs by Nature and science were in vs by nature or that it came vnto vs by studie and exercise wherein Platoes opinion was disallowed and reiected of Aristotle and others For Plato his position was this that the soule and minde of man was at his first creation adorned and invested with all science vertue and knowledge but that by reason of the infirmities of the body it is as hee said dulled darkned with forgetfulnesse and ignoraūce so that whatsoever man learneth afterwards it is but as it were a calling to remembrance Scientia ait Plato est reminiscentia scire est reminisci and a renewing or restoring of that which first he knew But Aristotle that famous Philosopher is an adversarie to this opinion For he doth not acknowledge any such absolute excellency in nature but cōfesseth that there are in mā by nature certaine seeds and sparkles of knowledge And vve are saide to know Arist lib. 2. Ethic. cap. 1. and to haue science by Definition and Demonstration The Definition and Demonstration we doe gather from Particulars Omnis doctrina et om For out of Individualls we gather the Definition of the Speciall and out of the Specialls wee gather the definition of the Generall But these Definitions and principles of demonstration are not foūd or settled in the first frame and foundation of Naturc For by helpe of the Phantasy which doth stirre vp and offer vnto the minde the Idëas or imagination of things the Minde doth gather the essence and qualities of thinges which was not at the first perceiued or planted therein It may be conceiued that Plato imagined that there should be absolute knowledge in man by nature by reason that he reade as some haue supposed the first booke of Moses vz. Genesis whereof his workes doe savour somewhat and finding therein that man at the first vvas created absolutely good Genes Cap. 1 according to the likenes of him that created him he was moued to imagine and thinke as you haue heard that he knew althings at the first never remembring or little regarding to examine further of his fall and how Man desiring to know good and evill whereof he was ignorant and therefore knew not all things did thereby loose that light of knowledge which was originally ingraffed in him whereby also all his posterity were and are plunged in the sea of ignorance as a punishment paide on them and on vs all for our first Parents disobedience And although that Aristotle seemeth to refute Platoes reason of mans perfect knowledge by Nature yet he himselfe affirmeth that all Doctrine and all discipline proceedeth out of a praeexestent knowledge Arist Lib. 1. Poster Cap. 1 Whereby he might seeme in some sorte to consent with Platoes conclusion Yet this is to be vnderstood that that knowledge which we haue is praeeistent yet not in vs but in them from whome vvee doe receiue it Which is made plaine by an other plaice in the same Author where he saith that that doctrine science proceedeth from man vnto man according to the comparison which the teacher hath vnto him that is taught Idem lib. 1. Poetriae this is a proofe that it commeth not by Nature but by instruction But now to to conclude this point of Consideration of knowledge and learning vve ought to knowe that the beginning ending of true knowledge and learning is to know our selues Therfore by how much more thy knowledge and learning doth abound by so much more ought thy humility to exceede least forgetting thy selfe thy knowledge and thy learning doe little benefite thee Which rules if thou alwaies remember then hast thou considered thy selfe aright what manner of man thou art touching thy knowledge and learning The consideration of thy selfe what manner of man thou art in thy vvisedome CHAP. 2. HAVING considered thy selfe VVhat manner of man thou art concerning thy knowledge in learning as in Artes sciences it commeth next in course that thou shouldest consider what manner of man thou art in thy vvisedome for Wisedome is saide also to be one of the intellectuall Habites this by some is divided into two partes that is into prudence and sapience Prudence as they affirme is the knowledge of humane affaires onely Aug lib. de Trin. Cicer. lib. 4. Tusc but Sapience pertaineth to the knowledg of things both divine and humane which is the cause that wee imitate divine things and all humane inferiour matters are lead by the force thereof Therefore if some men esteeme Prudence vvhich is commonly called Pollicy to bee the chiefest parte of Wisedome yet hovve shorte this Prudence or humane pollicie is of that true vvisedome vvhich conteineth the knowledg of things divine and humane vve may measure it in this that by how much the heavens are higher then the earth by so much the knowledg of heavenly things is more worthy and more excellent then the knowledg of humane affaires earthly things Plut. lib. de morals vertute Prudence also is vnperfect and vncertaine being as a wise Philosopher affirmeth many times drowned in things full of errours and of turbulency and it is constrained to bee coupled with thinges casuall to vse Consultation in matters doubtefull which being done it must vse the helpe of thinges vnreasonable
Creverunt et opes et opum furiosa cupido Et cum possideant plurima plura petunt That is As riches doth increase with men So furiousely they rage Still crauing more the more they haue What may their lust assagwe So that they doe as the Tragedian testifieth drinke poison in golde Sen. in Thy. or as Midas whome the Poets fained to haue desired of the Gods one petition the which being graunted him hee vvished that whatsoever he might touch should bee turned into golde which he obtaining purchased nothing thereby but his owne destruction For when he should feede his 〈◊〉 by reason of his former request becoÌ„ming so hard a meâ—â—â—â—â— might well choake his but never nourish him This was set downe to signifie how much harme they procure vnto themselues which purpose nothing but the heaping of wealth without regard how it is gotten or how it shall be spent For it is true that Iuvenall saith Tantis parta malis curâmaiore metuque Servantur misera est magus custodia census that is Ill gotten goods are kept with greater care and feare Great charge of wealth the misers hart doth break teare Besides the wrongfull getting of them and the great care that he hath in keeping of them there is as great daunger in the evill vsing of theÌ„ either in not vsing theÌ„ at al but hording theÌ„ vp to the hurt of many or else in imploying of theÌ„ otherwise theÌ„ they ought to be imployed They that haue great store of goods and vse them not at al keepe them cloase either because they know not what to doe with them or else because they cannot find in their hartes to deparr with them For the first sort they are like vnto them that haue good horses in their stables as Isocrates saith and know not how to ride theÌ„ whereby for want of vse they become altogither vnprofirable And as for the secoÌ„d sort that haue no desire to vse their goods though they know how to do it they are not very vnlike vnto the she-Ape which makes so much of her young-ons that with continual clasping of theÌ„ she many times crusheth them to death so these covetous creatures that know how to vse their good and wil not do so claspe it and hide it in their coaffers that with the cloase keeping therof they doe as it were crush it to death for that they burie it in the sepulcher of forgetfulnesse and vnprofitablenesse So then it is the estimation that we make of riches which maketh a man either happy or vnhappy in the getting in the hauing and in the vsing of his goods For vnlesse his minde be his moderator therein there is no law but the law of Reason that can limitte his desires Plutarch in Vit. Lycurgi Lycurgus made a lawe amonge the Lacedemonians to take away their coyne of golde and silver allowing them only coyne made of iron thinking that he thereby should haue brought them to despise and contemne coyne by the basenes of that mettall yet all this could not banish covetousnes out of the cittie For their mindes being basely bent they were aswell in loue and liking with the baser as vvith the better mettalls Take away from a man all his vvealth yet you cannot take from him his covetousnesse For that remaineth still in his minde If he hath little hee desireth much if hee haue much hee desireth more so that desire is the fuell that setteth his minde still on fire If some men doubt vvhy GOD giueth plenty of goodes vnto the badde who knoweth not hovve to vse them and taketh it from the good that can vse them vvell Augustine vvill aunsvvere them that if GOD shoulde giue his temporall blessinges onely vnto the good August de verb. Dom. Serm. 12. the evill vvoulde thinke that hee ought to be glorified onely for this and nothinge else Againe if hee shoulde giue them vnto the evill and vvicked onelie the vveake vvoulde bee affraide to bee converted least that they thereby shoulde vvante If it shoulde bee taken from the evill then they vvoulde thinke that this onely shoulde bee their punishment From the good hee often taketh it that they shoulde desire better thinges vvhich they haue not common with the vvicked Now that thou maiest make a right vse of this Consideration in waighing hovve thou hast gotten and how thou doest spende thy wealth obserue alwaies this that in thy reasonable care to obtaine sufficiencie thou keepe vnto thy selfe a safe conscience not to wronge them vvith vvhome thou doest deale and that thou grovve not into to much loue with thy wealth in the dispensation thereof thou oughtest also to vse Iustice vnto thy selfe in observing these fowre circumstaunces to VVhome VVhou VVherefore and Hovve thou bestovvest thy vvealth vvhich if thou perfourme then hast thou wel considered who thou art in the state of thy wealth CHAP. 4. The Consideration of thy selfe who thou art in the state of thy calling and Authoritie FOr the Consideration of thy selfe who thou art in thy calling and dignitie either thy estate is honourable worshipful or meane Two enemies vnto an honorable estate The first enemie If it be honourable then hast thou two great adversaries to assaile thee the one without thee the other within thee that without thee is Envy that within thee is pride Thy externall enemy Envie is ever feeding and gnawing on thy felicity so that it is impossible for thee to escape Envies iawes and that especially if by thy vertues thou bee advanced and brought to an higher calling For then thou shalt be sure to be set vpon on al sides by this externall enemy Arist lib. 2. Top. 2 li. Eth. ca 7. For Envie is as it is defined a grieving and a grudging at other mens prosperity and happinesse There are certaine degrees by which Envy doth worke against theÌ„ that are envied by reason of their high callings come vnto by their good deserts The first is a secret murmuring when they repine at his wel-doing whom they hate and would faine diminish his praise and glory The second is when by detraction they seeke to depriue him of his good name Ad Heren Of such Cicero saith that they by other mens dispraise doe hunt after their owne commendations The third is when they do reioice in the adverse fortune and fal of him that hath beene advanced for his vvorth and worthinesse The last is an evill affection and inward hatred T. de Orat. vvhich they beare grieving at the excellency of another man and therefore seeke his confusion Cicero saith that men doe many times envy their equals and their inferiours For when they finde themselues left behinde they are grieved that they are out-gone by them and very often doe they envy their superiours and that the more vehemently by how much more highly they esteeme or reckon of themselues and in their iudgment doe passe the equalitie of common right by reason of the height of
in our owne consciences so the iudgment of men is externall depending vpon exteriour proofes probabilities whereby they giue their iudgment of life and death And although that the iudgment of men be not alvvaies true in their difinitiue sentence and decree of men howe they haue deserved either to liue or dye because that they which are the ludges whither with authority or without may mistake the lawes by the which they iudge or else those that produce proofes vnto them may either wilfully or ignorantly misinforme and misguide them yet it behoueth every wise man discreetly to submitte himselfe vnto that sentence of the Law which limitteth vnto him either life or death Demosth. Con And For as the excellent Orator affirmed it is not lawfull to maligne magistrates though they be wicked evill the reason thereof is because that they vvhen they do giue iudgment of life and death are the substitutes of him vvho is the author of life and death And if thou vvilt dye vvell avoide and eschevve all evill deedes vvhich are the occasions of this iudgement of men vvhich deeme and iudge thee worthy of death For this iudgment of death doth commonly follow the evill actions of a badde life The last steppe in the last degree of death vvhich is called the finall Iudgment followeth death at the latter daic vvhen the vniversall iudgment of mankinde shall bee and either eternall life or eternall death insueth Of this I purpose to speake but as an occurrent by the vvay Then shall bee the beginning of glory to the good and to the vvicked of shame and confusion then shall bee the seperation of the sheepe from the goates of the corne from the cockle and of the blessed from the accursed After this then they that receiue the sentence of life shall never dye or feare death any more and those vvhich are appointed to dye can never hope for life againe whatsoever some men haue dreamed of this matter whereof we purpose not heere to intreate This last degree of death or difference betweene life and death hath in it either much feare or much ioy feare to the wicked in respect of former offences but ioy vnto the faithfull in their hope of enioying future happinesse which followeth after a vertuous life and a godly end Lactan. in divinis inst Lib. 6. cap. 4 And as Lactantius alleadgeth if it be asked of vs vvhyther death bee good or evill vvee must aunsvvere that this or that mans death is good or bad as his life was either good or bad vvhich hee had lead before For if thy life be good then vvill thy death also be good vnto thee but if thy life be evill then likewise is death evill vnto thee The Conclusion of this first parte of the first pointe of Consideration concerning thy selfe VVhat then arte BY this litle touch or light handling of Consideration herein gentle Reader tendered vnto thee if thou hast read over the same with good regarde thou maiest thereby make some triall concerning the knovvledge of thy selfe what thou arte in thy Creation in thy Procreation and by r the in thy Life and in thy Death All which if thou doe well and advisedly consider thou shalt finde that to be true Bernardus in senten which Bernard affirmeth that man is sicke of a threefolde malady in the beginning in the middle and in the ending that is in his birth in his life and in his death For his birth is vnpure his life is perverse his death daungerous His birth it is vnpure by reason of our first parents fall and the daily offences of our naturall parents Psal 51.5 which mooued the Psalmist well weighing it to say that in sinne hee vvas conceiued His life is perverse because that by nature he is proane to all evill actions His death is daungerous because his life is vitious There is in our birthe a beginning of sorrowe there is in our liues a continuance of the same there is in our deathes either a dissolution or else a perpetuall possession thereof The end of the first Section of the first parte of Consideration The Consideration THE SECOND SECTION OF the first part of the Consideration of humane Condition CHAP. 1. The Consideration of thy selfe who thou art NOw having said somewhat concerning the first part of the first point of the Cōsideration of thy selfe which is What thou art it is necessary that we proceed farther to the seconde part of this first point of Consideration which is Who thou art The Consideration whereof doth containe in it the remembrance reknowledgement of thy parentage linage and descent the knowledge of thy state of body of thy vvealth calling dignity and wisedome To the goodnesse and greatnesse of which giftes the Philosophers in former times haue attribured a great part of mās felicity calling Riches Nobility Honors the goods of fortune Health Strēgth Beauty they tearmed the goods of the body Wisedome Learning and Vertue they esteemed to be the goods of the Minde By the true Consideration of thy selfe vvho thou art in the possession of these blessings thou maiest learne to know that if thou haue any or all of them thou art yet no otherwise happy in them then according as thou doest vse them for if it be true that there is a difference betweene vsing and enjoying of thinges in that wee are saide properly to vse onely those thinges that are temporall Pet. Lumb Lib. 1. and to emote those thinges that are eternall thou maiest consider that thy parentage thy health thy dignities thy wisdome being things tēporal transitory are then only to be vsed of thee here for a time that but for very short time for thou maist by no means enioy thē alwaies This wel pōdered thought vpon will soone bring thee to the knowledge of thy selfe Who thou art For there is nothing that letteth and hindereth a man more from the knowledge of himselfe then the opinion and fonde conceipte he hath of the goodnes greatnes and durablenesse of those worldly blessings which he doth possesse and so entirely affect Therefore to vveede out the over-weening opinion thereof vvee vvill first beginne with thy linage and parentage and so bring thee by little and little into the consideration of thy selfe vvho thou art Art thou descended of a noble family or of a base linage if thou be noble borne then commonly pride and presumption catch holde and lay such violent handes on thy vvill thy affection and thy vnderstanding that they can hardlie bee remooued from thee till they haue remooued thee from the knowledge of thy selfe who thou art For thy presumptuous pride and selfe-liking affection will make thee beleeue that thou art much better then indeed thou art This makes men many times to measure their owne greatnes of birth as they doe their shadowes vvhich alwaies seeme bigger then their bodies and by degree it draweth them to beleeue that their birth and
estimation of thy health of thy strength and of thy beauty in considering whereof thou shalt finde who thou arte in possessing health or sicknesse strength or weaknes beauty or deformity wherein if Nature hath bestovved on thee her giftes liberally and friendlie shee giveth thee no better gifte then the Poets faine that Paris gaue to Venus or the revvarde that hee received of her againe For vvhen shee stroue with Iuno and Pallas for the golden ball vvhich was to be given to her whom Paris deemed fairest of the three Paris bestowed the ball on Venus and vvith al continuall contention with the other twaine and she rewarded him againe with Helen which was his vtter confusion This fable was not devised without very good signification and a certaine morall or meaning vvhat molestations many times follovve the friendly course of Nature in them that are healthy strong and beautifull in body For if thou hast thy health then thou art commonly carelesse of thy diet and so fallest oft to surfette or else to vse some such exercise as may indaunger thy health For hee that doubteth not of his health dare eate of manie dishes and as Seneca saith eating of many meates bringes many diseases Sen. ad Luc. Ep. 99 Jdâ—m Rhet. 10. and in an an other place vvhatsoever saith he birdes doe flie or fishes svvimme or beastes doe runne they are buried in our bellies If thou aske saith he vvhy vvee dye so suddainely it is because vvee liue by the death of so many creatures and they that haue most strength are most boldest to devoure most creatures whereby most commonly they abate their health and consume that vvhich they woulde fainest pamper and feede even their bodies The exercises also vvhich strong bodyed men are most giuen vnto doe withdraw many times to to many of such from the better exercises of the minde For seldome is it seene that men of much might are much giuen to the study of liberal scieÌ„ces or the meditation of divine things which moued Xenocrates to exhort men that they should not exercise the body much without the minde nor the minde altogether without the body for the first best beseemeth wrastlers and such rude people the second belongeth vnto Idle persons the first breedeth stroÌ„g sturdy ignorauÌ„ce the secoÌ„d begetteth studious dulnesse but they that are apt and fit for best things are indifferently exercised in both body and minde For those men that haue stronge bodies for the most part haue weake mindes because they so much exercise the strength of their bodyes that they seldome or never regarde the study of the minde Sen. ep 81. hovve vveake sayeth Seneca are they in minde vvhose strength of body vvee doe much marvaile at so that naturall strength draweth on vnnaturall effectes and defectes of thinges most to bee desired to bee in men If thou haue also beauty and comelinesse of body this blessing eftsoones maketh thee in the enioying thereof many times miserable and infortunate For it maketh provvde such as enioy it and provoketh others to vnlawfull lustes and vvicked desires coveting the accomplishment of their fleshly appetites and sensuall pleasures through the abuse of others beauty which is the nourisher and procurer of pride as the Poet telleth thee when he saith Fastus inest pulchris Ovid fast 1. sequiturque superbia formam which is Disdaine doth dwell in beauties bowre And pride with beauty hath great powre It is to often tryed that they vvhich are by nature beautiful make their external beauty of the body to be the betraier of the inwarde beauty of the minde vvhereby vve see what inconveniences doe follovve the health strength and beauty of the body Novv contraryvvise if thou art either naturally subiect to sicknesse or accidentally weake if thou art by nature or by casualty deformed vvhat anguish griefe and tormentes of minde these defectes and blemishes doe bring vvith them every one either feeleth and findeth in himselfe or at the least may see and perceiue it in others Therefore to temper those intemperate affections which vsually abounde in such as abuse the blessings of the body and also to avoide the inconveniences which doe pursue the vvants of those naturall blessings of the body thou oughtest to conssider that if the Creator of natures vvroks hath bestowed the blessinges of health strength and beauty vppon thee that hee bestowed not them to that ende vpon thee that thou shouldest grovv provvde of them or abuse thy body or devise hovve to make others enamored vvith thy beauty and the rather for it vnlavvfully to desire thee For thou haste receiued these svveete blessings to another ende euen that to the ablenesse of thy body thou shouldest ioine the vvillingnes of thy minde to doe those comely and commendable deedes vvhich doe beautifie both the body and the minde and vvhich last longer then the soone-fading blossomes of beauty the vveake and ever-slyding staffe of strength and then thy health vvhich is more vncertaine then all the rest for it is soone impaired and very quickly brought to vtter decaye If then thy beauty fade thy strength faile and thy health consume and weare away dismay not thy selfe but rather bee armed vvith patience For as long as the minde is indued vvith reason and good resolution no sicknesse or afflictions can bring the body so vveake or so out of shape but that a minde prepared vvith patience and directed by vertue may very vvell indure Infirmities may bee a meane to subdue or at least to mooue vs to sustaine stoutly all dislikes and discontentmentes of such defects and effects in nature VVhich Consideration vvith the circumstaunces of the same concerning thy health and sicknesse thy strength and vveakenesse thy beauty and deformity if thou beare alvvaies in thy minde and make good vse thereof thou shalt consider of thy selfe aright and soone knovve what and who thou arte in the state of thy body CHAP. 3. The Consideration of thy selfe vvhat and vvho thou art in the state of thy vvealth and riches THe Consideration of thy vvealth riches doth containe two circumstaunces to be conceived of thee and to be caried continually in thy remembrance The first is of thy wealth and possessions hovve thou haste gotten them the seconde is hovv thou doest vse them For by these two courses of getting vsing thy wealth goods they are made either good or evill vnto thee Sometimes men doe get their goods vvell by honest and lavvfull meanes yet may they vse them evill but they doe seldome or almost neuer that get their goods by evill meanes turne their goods so gotten vnto good vses Now first for the obtaining and getting of riches vvhither it be by lawful or by vnlawfull meanes it is to be considered that if thou haste riches landes or any kinde of liuelyhood thou hast either gotten it by inheritance by gift or by thine owne industry If thy goods and possessions come vnto thee by inheritaunce and that thou haste