vvhich vvaie or after what forte GOD will bee vvorshipped and painteth out vnto thee the vvaie of thy saluation vvhich so it bee soundlie deliuered leaueth all other Artes so farre behinde it as Heauen is distaunt from the earth or as stronge thinges differ from the weake That part of this knovvledge which indueth the minde with faith shewed out to the Worlde in the workes of Charitie is necessarie for all menne to obtaine their saluation as I haue elsevvhere more at large shevved For by faith in Christe vvee haue accesse and entrance in one spirit vnto the Father Physicke prescribing a spare and temperate diet prouideth for healthe by the vse of vvholsome receiptes and healeth all diseases This as Plutarch witnesseth is of such accompt amongste the liberall Sciences that for honour and pleasure it is nothing at all inferiour to Ciuill and politique gouernement And it bringeth suche profite vnto the studentes thereof that besides the increase of all thinges belonging vnto house keeping it is most healthfull for the bodye which is more excellent then large possessions But what delight and profite the diligent seâ—ing into the nature of herbs bringeth together with the knoledge of their force and strength and what pleasure and delight is in the anatomising and cutting vp of men and vvomens bodies and in the diligent obseruation of their partes no man can be easilie perswaded vnlesse by vse exercise he hath practised it Now the knowledge of the Ciuill lavv hath alwaies bin had in great prize and estimation vvhose office is to rule Cities by counsel to establish good Lawes in them and to correct and amend them with iudgements Consulere in medium ac râ—bus succurrere fessis Parcere subiectis debellare superbos 〈…〉 Which is To counsell men indifferenthe and bring the wrongd to right To spare the humble and throw down proud trusters in their might Which order if any man thinke to contemne he as Cicero saith not onelie violentlie taketh avvay the bonds of true iudgement but also of common profite and life For by the helpe of the law we see Common wealthes to be vpheld and all controuersies betvveen Citizens and Countrie people to bee ended in peace and tranquilitie and that onelie by the authoritie of good lawes whereby princes and magistrates do exercise iustice and receiuing povver from God do punish malefactors and wicked persons and on the contrarie defend those that are good And therefore it is that God will haue great honour and obedience performed to kings â—om 13 such as gouern the commonwealth so they command thinges that bee iust and agreeable with Gods vvord That we must cleaue to some setled profession Chap. 19. SEing the most delectable studies do so please manie that they onelie spend their time and waxe olde in them neuer bending themselues to anie sound profession I thought it not amisse to aduertise all men that desire to receiue anie fruit by learning and would not spende their cost and labour in vaine to addict themselues to that profession wherunto they are most fit by nature least they should seeme to attempt any thing altogither againste Nature then earnestlie to applie the studies of their professions whereunto they are addicted and vvith all their force to attaine to the perfection thereof that applying their studies after this sort they may so it may be gotten attaine to a ful and perfect knowledge therein And for other delectable studies let him prooue them sometimes by fits as it were breathing or resting himselfe from his setled labour and yet with such a condition that he quickly returne againe to the taske and office of his vndertaken profession and call home againe his mind to his intermitted studies What studies and exercises are most profitable and fruitful and what are hurtful and pernicious Chap. 20. WE must also bevvare of that which diuers do practise in manie professions which is that we bestow not too much labour and paines about difficult obscure and altogither vnprofitable thinges but if thou spende much care and studie vppon thinges that bee honest and worthie to be knovvne I will highlie commend thee For there are some which busying themselues in some studies bestow all their paines in those thinge which are ful oâ— toile doubtes and griefs and yet returne no profite to their labour as is that ouer â—urious marking and iudging of the starres a vanitie fetched from the Chaldeans to which our rash professors leaning vnto do certainlie tell what shall happen to men to vvhat fortune they are borne vvhat shall be the ende and successe of all their actions neuer asking counsell at the Prouidence of God by vvhose will the whole worlde is gouerned whose rash and doubtfull predictions Esaiâ— quippeth and laugheth to scorne such as aske counsell and demande an Oracle or sentence from such deceiuers Cap. 44 47 For thus he derideth them Let the soothsayers which contemplate the starres of heaâ—en salute thee and let them reckon the moneths and thence tel thee things to come Cap. 10 Iereâ—â—e also doth the like Learn not of the Gentiles nor feare not the signes of heauen which the Gentiles feare because the lavves of them are vaine and their demonstrations are deceitfull and foolish By which words the holie prophets doe not altogither condemne and reiecte Astâ—ologie vvhich hath also her vse and profit but they scorne such professors of it vvho vnder counterfait and deceiueable colours of Diuination or telling of Fortune doe blind the common sort of people and deceiue them that are credulous with a vain expectation of things to come A neere kinsman to this is Chiromancie or Palmestrie which by looking on the lines and wrinkles of the hande telleth woonders The smoke and deceipt also of Alcumistrie where the trifling Alâ—umist perswades himselfe he can turne siluer bâ—asse and manie other thinges into gold And which is vvorse then all these Necromancie or Coniuration vvho are wont to raise dead bodies out of their graues and of them to aske Oracles and answeres 1 Kin. 29 as vve read Phytonissa did who to gratifie Saule brought Samuel or rather a counterfait and fained shape of Samuel to be seene of him Of the saide nature also are those Diuinations which call spirites to appeare in water and fire which we may call Hydromancers and Pyromancers and manie other iuglinges of diuelles and inchauntments of Sorcerers Hariolation Aruspitiation Auguration Auspication that is Diuination by seeing into the bowels of beastes and foretellings by the chirping and songes of birdes To which also I referre al such witches wisardes hagges and Sorcerers as doe hurt and annoie their neighbours Cattell and vvith the helpe of the Diuell doe steale avvaie their milke and butter spoile their haruest and vintage and take awaie strength from men and maketh them so feeble and weake that they are altogither vnable to performe the dutie of marriage of which strong men haue often complained to mee lamenting that they vvere
infectious toung Which kinde of people Horace noteth in these verses and warneth vs to auoide Absentem qui rodit amicum Lib. serm 1. Epist 4 Qui non defendit alio culpante sâ—luâ—os Qui captat risus hominum â—amamque dicacis Fingere qui non visa potest commissa tacere Quinequit hiâ— mger est hunc tu Romane caueto He that wil speake ill of his friend or mate behind his backe And wil not fend him froÌ„ those toungs that wold his credit crack But doth intrap his neighbors mitth euery word he speakes Or forgeth nothing else but lies or secrets alwaies leakes Thou Romane take good heed of him for he is verie il Salomons admonition is much like vnto this when he saith Remooue far from thee a wicked mouth Prou. 6.4 Pro. 24 Eccles 10 Exod. 22 Psal 70 and 100 Ezech. 22 â—acob 4 Rom. 1 let an euill toung be remoued awaie And a little after Haue not to doe with euill speakers because their destruction comes sodainlie vpon them The holy scriptures doe in many places witnesse that this furie of euill speaking was detested and loathed And it was so hated of Augustine himselfe that he caused these verses to be hanged on his parlor wal for all backbiters to see and behold Quisquis amat dictis absentum redere vitam Aut quem delecâ—at lubriâ—a verba loqui Aut plenis cyathis lepidos fatigare sodales Hanc mensam vetitam nouerit esse sibi Who ere he be that loues in words to carpe the absents life Or who so ere delights to speake deceitful words so rife Or else to tire his merie mates with whole and ful-sild cup Let them know they are all forbid with me to dine or sup For by this meanes he banished al such from his table and companie which were either delighted with gluttony or backbiting or such as delighted to speake filthie and vnchast words ouer the table Let no man glorie in his wealth or despaire in aduersitie but let him strengthen himselfe with Gods prouidence Chap. 32. SEeing that in the whole course of mans life nothing is sure and certaine nothing keepeth a meane or a continuall or lastinge course but that by turne novve prosperitie flattereth vs and by and by all thinges beeing chaunged aduersitie oppresseth vs we ought to strengthen our mindes with that constancie and indifferencie that wee neither waxe proude in prosperitie nor yet be cast downe or driuen to despaire by aduersitie but which waie soeuer the world do bend it selfe as some times it altreth in a little moment let vs incourage vpholde our selues by the word of God and his prouidence at vvhose will the world is ruled and at vvhose beâ—ke all thinges are perfected and to whom al euents of prosperitie and aduersitie should be referred not to the inconstancie and rashnes of Fortune For God forbid that such as are indued with the knowledge of God should think any thing to bee doone by chance or Fortune because God himselfe should be thought to be the onelie cause of all things Beware of too much curiositte Chap. 33. BEe not too curious a marker of other mens matters but bee carefull rather to correct thine ovvne life then to marke and obserue another mans 1 Cor. 5 Paule the Apostle exhorteth euerie one not to gase on other mens actions but to bee vigilant and watchfull ouer his owne marking diligentlie whether hee doe anye thinge that may deseruedly bee thought wicked of other menne For he would not that any man shoulde curiouslie marke and diligentlie consider other mens dooinges that doe nothing belong vnto him no though they commit notorious crimes because there are many so far from Christian profession that they refuse al good counsell and pursue those with deadly hatred who leuell their actions by a souÌ„der rule of liuing much like vnto those who are very sick and yet despise the helpe of the Phisition and had rather rot in their own corruption then once to receiue a profitable medicine Wherefore seeing it is not wisedome for a man to meddle with other mens matters nor yet to be curious in others affaires the Dutch man quippeth these busibodies with this prouerbe saying Luttel onder wins maect veel vreedâ—s that is little meddling makes much rest 1 Thes 4 Hence is it that Paule putteth the Thessalonians in mind of their owne businesse not permitting them to bee ouerbusie in other mens affaires For it is a wonder to see howe busie we are to marke others affaires and howe sharpe sighted to see into al that that they do and how negligent vvee are to take view of our owne vvandring in minde and cogitation abroad vvhen at vvhome with the Fairies we are as blind as Moles Sic nemo in sese tentat descendere nemo Persâ—saty 4 Sed praecedentispectatur mantica tergo That none doth go about to see into himselfe not one But al of vs behold their scrips that are before vs gon Like verses to these of Persius doeth Horace write vvhen he saith Quum tuapraeuideas â—culis mala lippus inunctis Serm. 1. 〈◊〉 â— Cur in amicorum vitiis tam cernis acutum Quam aut aquila aut serpens Epidaurius Denique teipsum Concute num tibi quid vitiorum inseuerit olim Natura aut eâ—â—am consuetudo mala namque Neglectis vrenda filix innascitur agris That is Thou blear eie when thoushouldst foresee thy falts w e smered eie Why do'st thou int'thy neighbors falts so oft seuerely spie As doth the Fgle or the snake of Peloponnese in Greece But to conclude in this Let euery man search in himselfe where nature or ill vse Did anie vice at anie time sow in him by abuse For fearne which serueth for the fire growes in neglected fields But seeing this vice of selfe loue so much blindeth the mind of man and darkeneth his vnderstanding the he often flattereth himself in his sin Math. 7. Luke 6 Christ doth sharp ly inuey against them which look more narrowly into the life and maners of other men then they doe into their owne who can curiously see the least mote in anothers eie that is the smallest falt in another mans life and punishe them greeuously when they neither see nor goe about to cast out the beame in their owne that is the notorious vices they themselues commit Keepe a meane mattire Chap. 34. NOw as in the making of bankets thriftines and temperance in diet is to be regarded so in apparell and decking the body a measure must be regarded so the nothing be made for pride and vaine glorie but al things cut according to the vse and necessity of this life so that if comelinesse and not an ouercurious finenesse be added I iudge it to be euerie way tollerable But seeing the women desire to be decked trimmed aboue al other creatures who apparel themselues gorgeously to the end they may seem faâ—e beautiful to men 1 Pet. 3
Surgerie to the hurte and death of manie a man Seeing therefore a bragging vaine perswasion of learning is a great hurt to excellent wittes the studious and such as desire a perfect knowledge in learning must labour by al meanes to get all the aydes helps that may bring their studies to perfection reiecting casting off all conceit of learning inoughe so that if they haue any thinge profited therein they must not rashlie desist from and forsake their purpose but go on so long forward till they attaine the ende that so running out their race they may at last obtaine the crown or at leastwise come neare it Let not I say that same foolish and hurtful opinion to fine vvits once enter or at leastwise staie in thy mind who when they are once entred into the porch entrance or principles of learning thinke they haue done the dutie of good schollers and obtained that which indeed they come short of and are farre remooued from because it vvorâ—eth this in the mindes of men that they waxe lasie before they come to their iourneyes end do al things slackly and proceed not on forward but like the sluggarde or trifler who running in a race dooth not cheerefullie make hast to get the goale but looking backe and standing at a staie permitteth another to winne the price to his great shame and reproch In this case I thinke it best to followe Paules example who in dooing the dutie of an Apostle and in setting out and publishing the doctrine of the Gospell wherin our saluation standeth excellentlie confesseth hee had not attained to that he sought after and yet le ts slip no occasion to finish his course manfullie labouring with al indeuor to obtaine the marke set before him being the reward of his heauenlie calling that is the blessing of God prepared for euery one through Christ so that hee seemed to forget those thinges that vvere behinde him which he had doone not willing once to call them to minde againe and to set his minde wholy on those things that vvere before him and which hee had to finish casting aside all things that might hinder him froÌ„ hastening to the marke and rewarde of immortalitie To this purpose also serueth that saying of our sauiour Christ Luke 5 Whosoeuer putteth his hand to the ploughe and looketh backe is not fit for the kingdome of heauen By vvhich similitude taken from the labor of him that plougheth and tilleth the ground hee warneth vs when we haue once begun to take vnto vs the busines of our saluation to continue and goe on till we come to the ende neither bending our mindes to weake and fraile thinges nor to bee drawne awaye or of our selues desist from our purpose but to perfect and finish it being once well begunne For delaie and procrastination in matters of saluation are daungerous and a slacke or slender proceeding in a thing well begunne is worth nothing 1 Cor. â— Paule also preparing himselfe to such a iourney as this would not hinder his course or make any delaie Virg. lib. 5 Aeâ—â—i taking an example from those which in trying of maisteries desired the price where euerie one is purposed to trie and suffer al things yea and to pawne dovvne his life for praise so he may get the price and applause of the people And Horace a heathen Poet and yet a most excellent teacher of maners when hee perceiued vvhat hurt slacknesse and delaie vvere in attempting any exploit he taketh an example from an infamous acte to exhort vs to profitable and wholsome things saying Vt iugulent homines Lib. 1. â—pi 11 surgunt de nocte latrones Vt te ipsum serues non expergisceris at qui Si nolis sanus cur es Hydropicus cur Quae laedunt oculos festinas demere si quod Est animum differs curandi tempus in annum Dimidium facti qui bene coepit habet that is Theeues in the night wil raise themselues that they may murder meÌ„ And wilt not thou to saue thy selfe awake out of thy den And if thou couet'st to haue health why art thou dropsy-ful And why those moats yâ— hurt thy eies dost make such hast to pul Since alwaies thou deferâ—t to cure thy minde from yeare to year He that hath wel begun a thing hath halfe atchieu'd his geare This saying doth Ouid thus interpret Lib 2. reme Aâ—â—r Vt corpus redimas ferrum patieris ignes Arida nec sitiens or a leuabis aquae Vt valâ—aes animo quidquam toler are negabis At pretium pars haec corpore maius habet So thou mayst saue thy corps froÌ„ death thou lt suffer sword fire And thogh thou thirst yet wilt not queÌ„ch with water thy desire But that thy soule may liue in health thou nothing wilt indure Yet shee 's preferd before the corps reckned much more pure Math. 24 Luke 12 Christ also is conuersant in the same argument pricking vs on to diligence and prouoking vs to keepe watch bringing a parable from the vniust and faithles husbandman and from theeues and breakers into houses by night for as those are addicted to their profite and take hold of euery occasion to get something and to filtche and steale awaie other mens goodes so is it meet that euery one be watchful for his saluation and let not oportunity slip whereby in time and season he may get those things for himselfe that make for his saluation and are profitable to his mind and soule Mike choice and triall of thy familiars and friends Chap. 40. THe prouerbe warneth vs not to admit anie rashly into our friendship without sufficient triall and choice made of them before but onely such whose vertues are tried and honesties approoued for it saith Nec cuiuis dexteram inieceris which the Dutchman interpreteth thus Siet wie ghy byder handt nempt which vvee may thus English Let vs not ioine handes that is enter friendship with euery man A similitude borrovved froÌ„ dauncers for young men when they goe to dance reach not out their hands to euery maide but first weyeth and considereth vvhether they be base or noble foule or faire and then chooseth one of them The same regarde ought also to be obserued in the fellovvship of this life and in entring into friendship with any For there are many so ignorant of the things of this world that they being not able to put a difference between true fained friendes receiue all vvithout any difference into most secret familiarity yea and that before any triall made of them vvhom they afterwards find to be meer sycophants and dissemblers Wherfore as it is meet thou shouldst be faithful to al so thou must not rashlie giue credite to anie vntill as the Prouerb saith thou hast eaten a bushel of salt with him that is till thou hast learned the whole course of his life and searched into and tried his maners and disposition Eccles 8 To which agreeth