vppon the crosse he was crowned as king saluted as king and hayled with the title of king So that all these being true how coulde it stande with any congruent reason that he should abandon the crosse which brought to him so many preheminences Oh Soueraigne sauiour and loue of our soules let vs not beséech thée with the Jewes to discende from the crosse nor in the corrupt affection of the Théefe to abandon the paynes thereof But graunt Oh Lorde that with thée we may be ioyned to the crosse where let vs not require that thou geue vs to eate since in that place thou haddest but gall and for thy drinke was reserued most sharpe viniger Let vs not require garments since thou wast all naked let vs not craue libertie since thou wast bounde and much lesse haue we reason to entreate for lyfe since thou diddest not refuse the execution of death That which we haue to require of thée is that it will please thée to geue vs part and communion in this crosse since in it thou hast with such plentie bestowed thy graces for wel we know Oh Lorde that thou dost neuer communicate thy loue and affection but to such as taste in thy paynes and Passions By all this discourse we may gather what hart we ought to haue to enterprise any good worke together with what magnanimitie of courage to execute it séeing that euen when we meane to beginne to doe well Wicked Spirites are then most neare vs and readyest prepared to deceaue vs For the Fleshe doth pricke and quicken vs men drawe vs backe and the Worlde workes to our vexation and Trouble Albeit manie were the occasions in IESVS Christe béeing on the Crosse to abandon it As firste the importunityes of the Jewes the perswasions of the Théefe the bitter Agonyes of Death the sorrowes of the Daughters of Hierusalem the Scornes and Scoffes of Straungers Passing that waye and Lastely the small thankes and recompence that men attributed to him for that Passion Yet they were not sufficient to Tempt him from the Execution of his Fathers Commaundement nor to let him to accomplishe all that wherevnto his Charitye bounde him for the fulfilling of our Redemption For when he sayd on the Crosse J am a thirst it was not for any appetite he had to Drinke but he spake it rather in a vehement wyll and desire to Endure yet more for the Healthe of our Soules The good theefe rebuked his fellowe hanging on the Crosse THE good Théefe hearing the wicked discourse of his companion agaynst Iesus Christ could not but minister this rebuke Weighing saith he with the horror of our lyfe past our present estate drawing to the extremitie of death I maruel that thou hast no feare of god art wythout shame of that thou sayest séeking to Crucifye this Prophete wyth thy Tongue as these Raging Tormentors doe wyth the violence of theyr Handes Oh thou knowest not that as this Innocent neuer dyd yll to any So in thée and mée was neuer founde any Good Fewe were the Wordes which this Théefe Spoke but ryght great Mysteryes are touched in them and therefore it is néedefull that we heare them wyth grauitye and Pronounce them in Charitye And albeit it is most Sewer that GOD the Almyghtie Creator is by Power all in all thinges yet particulerlye by Grace is he more manyfested by the Hearte and Tongue of man then through any other member of the Bodye as they being the two Instrumentes where wyth we doe most serue him and oftenest offende hym For the Eyes become Wearrye wyth séeing the Eares wythdrawe from Hearing the Handes refuse to Woorke the Féete forbeare to Goe and the whole Bodye may be gréeued to Sinne But it is the Harte which neuer puttes ende to hys Thoughtes and the Tongue is Séeldome wearye of Speakinge The Good Kynge Dauid was vpright in Iudgement and founde of Bodye and yet Praying to GOD for the most part he obserued these two Petytions Cor mundum crea in me Deus and Domine labia mea aperies Wherein he required of GOD to rayse in him a Harte cleare and Innocent also to blesse him wyth a tongue that should not pronounce any thing contrary to his wil for albeit he receiued gréeffes and disquiets by his other members yet he knewe he coulde neuer be vanquished of them for that it is one principall signe that we are in the grace of god when he blesseth vs with a hart replenished with pure intentions geues vs a tongue refrained frō speaking euill yea it is a true foundation testimonie of good Christians to beléeue in God with our hart and set forth his prayses with our tongue Much was the people of Jsraell in the grace of God when by Jeremie he sayd to them Ego dabo eis cor nouum and no lesse fauoured was Ezechiell of that almightie worker of all thinges when he sayde Ego aperiam os tuum in medio eorum as if he had sayde to Israell in signe of the great amitie I haue with thée I will illumine thy harte and because thou art my seruannt Oh Ezechiell I will open thy mouth to the ende thou mayest publishe and preach my power and might For right small is the nomber of those which atteyne to my knowledge and farre fewer are they that preach sincerely my name yea albeit a man haue the facultie to read to interpreat to studie and to deliuer yet he hath not for all that the full facultie of a true Apostolyke preacher for it is no small gifte and blessing of the Lorde to know how to preach well and pronoūce his worde and will Great therefore was the liberalitie which Christ vsed on the crosse séeing that the grace of newnes of hart which he gaue to Jsraell and the spirite and power of well preaching which he imparted to Ezechiell he infused both together into this good théefe toutching his harte to make him beléeue in him and opening his mouth to the ende he might publishe and preach his name By which is happened that after the Sermons of Iesus Christ and afore the preachinges of the Apostles this good théefe was the first that preached in the Church yea euen where he was crucified in the presence of the people he magnified that which Christ did and reproued his companion of blasphemy saying Neque tu times Deum qui in eadem damnatione es I sée saith he thou hast no feare of God and art in the way to be damned therefore beholde me and thinke vpon thy selfe To teach the ignorant and reduce to truth him that is in error is a worke of charitie proceding of great bountie which was expressed in the behauiour of this théefe warning his companion to consider that he was condemned to death hauing by his side the sonne of God in whom was power to pardon his offences and withall to deliuer him from the perpetuall agonies of Hell Oh to how many of our companions and
are chaunged into many formes of appetyte sometimes desiring one thing and sometime an other swelling sometimes wyth pryde as a Lyon and sometimes taking the forme of a Hart by reason of their weakenesse and feare and in the practise of sleyghtes and subtleties are tourned into the similitude of a Foxe These be the names that Ouid sets before the eyes of men as wonderfull examples of thinges which happen in the world as you and all readers of stayed minds may finde by the discourse of his Booke of the Metamorpheses wherein you may perceiue that the auncientes aswel philosophers as Poets when they began any work of importance they called vpon the ayd and fauor diuine according to the Testimonye of Plinie in an Oration he made in the prayse of Trayan wherein he commended the Custome of the auncients to make inuocation afore the beginnig of their woorke and Iudged that there could be no assured nor wise beginning of any enterprise without the speciall ayd and councell of God. Ouid was not ignorant of this custome and being a gentleman Romane he was also an Astrologian Philosopher polityke and excellent Poet as it is well expressed on his Bookes of Metamorphoses specially in the first which conteyneth indifferently both Philosophy excellent Poetry In the second booke he declars himselfe a perfect Astrologian giuing no apparance to haue any opinion that he was a man liuing as he fayned nor that he had any children charyot or horse But vnder this fabulous discription he declareth the naturall course of the Sunne of the firmament together with the naturall effects that folow of them wherein to rebuke such as are ignorant and of little knowleadge in the Science he bringes in Phaeton king of the Indees who hauing a highe pride wéening in his knowlege albeit by the iudgment of the Historians he was very vnresolute simple led diuerse people into error by his Lawes and statutes corrupt which was that fier of error wherewith he burned al the earth Some fained him to be the sonne of the sunne vnto whom they approiated al mē of singuler wit helde him as God of sciences But the occasion that the Poets tooke was vpon his death which hapned in the voiage he made vppon the riuer Pano leading a great army by water by reason of the great heate and there was diuinely killed with an arrow or bolt that fell from heauen But to retorne eftsoons to Ouid it must be considered that séeking to establish in his work an end and purpose which was to shew to al good wits that should come after him the excellency of his conceyt and wonderfull inuention of his Metamorphoses which with good right may be called the mother of Poesie and also his resolute knowlege in all disciplines togither with the copie and variety of his doctrine ioyned to an exact iudgment in pollicy histories knowing he was a man whose frailty bare many impediments without the ayd of God to execute and perfect the purpose he had taken in hand began his work by a forme of inuocation to God saying Oh milde gods I besech you séeing al metamorphoses transformations procéed of you to assist me so blisse me in the beginning that I may haue grace to continue to the end being therby the better able to recompt the thinges that are hapned from the beginning of the world vnto our time so discēded into the parts of his argument as is expressed vppon his works Thus you haue the contents of your cōmaundement my promise which I haue sent you not contriued of myselfe but as I haue sought them amongest the writings of learned men hoping they will satisfie you the better since I was careful to write nothing which is not iustified by good authority A rebuke to ambicion vnder the speache of a sauage man vttered in the Senat of Rome SO much doe your importunities trouble me that I wish to be either further from you or at least that my condition were not so priuate seing that to the nearenes of the place you ioyne your authority make all things serue to your occasion to trouble me If you claime me to your deuotion in respect of your merits you bring staine to your liberalitie since to exact recompence is a manifest exprobation of benefits receiued and in a demaund so suddein so great and concerning so many euen of the greatest there can be no lesse falt in you to tempt my patience then rebuke in me to hazard my ignorance for that he that is the executor of the falt is lesse guilty blamable then he that giueth the occasion But séeing you proue me in a matter so high and ielouse I will to auoyd perticuler chalenge send you my opinion vnder this discréet and excellent discourse of a vilayn published in the presence of the whole Senate of the Romanes recommended to posterity in wryting by M. Aurelius wherein if you finde your selfe touched wyth your proper errors haue regarde to the reasons of this rude Orator and be no lesse reformed of your couetousnesse then he made the Senate ashamed of their ambicion and Tyrannie assuring you that as ambicion is the beastly nourse of couetousnesse and both they créepe in in these dayes vnder a forme and maner of seueritie So it can not bée but that man which desireth power is an ill mayteyner of Iustice and he that thirsteth for glory runnes with great swiftnes into actions of iniuries and oppression And therfore who aspireth to glory and seeks his prayse of wycked men must of necessitie be lyke vnto them But now to our villayne who speaking in a time when Rome was chaunged in Customes and Ciuill vertues peopled more with flatterers then men of simplicity and truth you must also imagine him to stand at the bar in this discription his face litle thin his countenāce sharp and pearcing his couller blacke swarffy his haire disordered staring his eyes rolling and fiery his bearde long and thicke his eyebrowes clowdie and hanging his necke and stomake all hairy his girdle of bulrushes pleated his shooes of the skinne of a wylde Boare and holding in his hande a great staffe or troncheon And being entred the Senate in this hydeous figure he protested the reasons of his comming with no lesse boldnesse maiesty of countenance spirit then his presence garments were monstrous terrible Oh graue fathers sayth he that in your liues fūctiōs wer expressed such effect of piety cōpassiō as your outward presēce declare merit of reuerence apparāce of equity thē to my cōplaints should be ioyned presēt pitie grace to mine inocēcy iust fauor clemency I salute you with that affection which the oppression of my country can best aford and with that hart which you haue torne in péeces with long miseries exaction I beséech the imortall Gods so to inspire you with a spirit of iustice
passion as a man yet your discression makes you hable to suffer and dissemble according to reason and wisedome For that as in many iniuries there is more securitie to dissemble then to reuenge So when the might of our aduersary preuayles aboue our power the best Councell is to suffer séeing there is no possibilitie to reuenge Therefore if in the present wronges you suppose you haue receiued you wyll consider the office of a Christian and forget the Passion of a Persecutor you will not so muche béeholde the malice of him that pursueth you as the iustice of God that suffereth it in whose presence you stande so guyltie and loaden wyth Sinne that this Affliction ought not to séeme heauie considering the gréeuous merittes of your lyfe past For if wée weygh in one Balaunce our olde offences and the Punnishements wée feele wée shall finde our paynes farre inferiour to our wicked merittes and our offences rather touched wyth a mylde iustice then strayned to a due Correction Wee may note also in Gods manner of visitation a mercifull difference he vseth betwéene the Reprobate People peculiarly chosen to himselfe For to the one their myseries are but Stumbling blockes to make them fall further And in the other they worke repentaunce with many other perfections Sewer it belonges not to Christians to murmure at his Crosse nor grudge to beare it séeing his hande is not heauier then his mercie plentifull Yea hee visiteth the afflicted wyth the same comfort that the Phisition doth his Patient and succoureth the distressed as wée sée he relieueth the dry and thirstie grounde wyth the dew drops of heauen So that let euery one acknowledge that the tribulations which God suffereth are not blockes to make vs stumble nor heauie burdens whose weight may make vs fall but they be furnaces necessarie to refine our fayth and instrumentes working to our perfection wherein who remaynes not constant to the ende can not be made pure mettall For that to be afflicted and not to suffer with patience bringes forth no other fruite then as mettall throwen into the fire and not passing thorow all his heates comes out couered more wyth drosse then pure Golde And albeit I cannot denie but to be angry is naturall and most sortes of men holding more of Fleshe and nature then of spirite and grace doe drawe most that way where they finde the appetite to haue most power of action Yet for that anger hath his difinition and partes respecting time occasion and other circumstaunces I thought good to offer you a short Discription not thereby to leaue you in any affection to follow it but to lead you out of the way of those inconueniencies which he bringes wyth him hoping you will forbeare eftsones to pursue him whom you suppose to haue done you so great a displeasure seing euerie reuenge nourisheth occasions of newe Cruelties and therfore more sewertie to some men to dissemble then to execute Anger is no other thing then a wicked desire of reuenge an enemie to all good Councell and a corrupter of euerie good condition Yea that which we call anger is no other thing then a vehement desire of reuenge somtimes respecting the occasion that is giuen but for the most part pushed forwarde by a wicked minde of the partye whom he possesseth and when the punishment excéedes the fault then it hath changed the qualetie of anger into an habite of reuenge The man that is angrie beléeues no aduice of friendes and is carelesse euen of his owne estate He is suspicious of all men and suddeine in his actions his face is fierie and his handes ready to strike his thoughtes are malicious and his tongue trayned to all speaches of dispight and reproache He is dispossest of all temperance modesty and reason and runnes as one Possest wyth a wicked Spirite to all actes of Crueltie iniurie and tyranny Anger caryeth wyth it these wicked conditions that for once that wée Lende him our will hée will be alwayes after Lorde ouer all our doings and doe all thinges that hée lyste agaynst our wyll All men Posseste wyth anger are lyke to a Lamppe who by the superfluitie of Oyle géeues no lyght but castes out certayne sparckling snuffes and flames But in a Magestrate or man of Authoritie there is nothing that more discouereth his vertue or vice for that though he haue occasion to rebuke offences yet he hath no permission to shew himselfe passionate It is a iust thing that suche as offende the Lawes should receiue the Punishments of the Lawes but yet such ought to be the moderation of paynes as that they aspire not to the degrée and effect of reuenge since all men féele wyth more griefe the violent rygoure that is done them then the iudiciall Punishement they receiue So that a man to restraine or correct his Anger is not onely a vertue but a grace supernaturall for that in worldly thinges there can bée no greater kinde of Tryumph then euerie one to haue the victory of his owne hearte And albéeit Anger is then somewhat tollerable when the occasion is iuste yet béeing a vice so imperious in man I would not wishe any sufferaunce géeuen to it for that all that comes of it is wicked and of his proper Nature hurtfull There bée many thinges which in the beginning wée haue Power eyther to receaue or refuse but if Anger haue once taken Possession of vs it Sinkes as a Stoane throwne into a Ryuer and stayeth not tyll it come to the bottome of our hartes and if reason ryse agaynst it It wyll not bée remooued for that it hath taken too déepe roote in our thoughtes and wil. The same béeing the cause that all thinges that Angrie men doe are of necessitie blinde and foolishe for that it is not a thing easie that a man troubled wyth anger should haue vse of reason And dooing thinges without reason hée doth them wythout art and so by consequence wythout rule wisedome or discression Let euery man therefore Labour to hate Anger for the discommodities that are in it and learne to bée temperate wherein is the true vertue and contentment He that absteynes from speaking villanie is most wyse since Repentaunce is the verye stipende and effect of Malice and there is seldome any thing vttered in Malice which tournes not to the hurte of the speaker Wée fynde by experience that to a man in Choller it is a Principall Remedy to Correct his tongue and delaye a little to doe Reuenge For men speake and doe many thinges in their Anger which they wishe afterwardes had neuer passed their thoughtes The man that is wronged is not forthwyth to be delt withall to pardon the iniurie but rather to delay and respitte the reuenge For that a man dwelling in passion is not apt to pardon readely if first he be not appeased And therefore to séeke to reduce a man to reason so long as hée is possest wyth the heate
lastly by the libertie of vices suffered in the Cytie That we ought rather to present before God the loue which we beare him then the seruices we doe to him LAzarus one of the notablest of Jerusalem a secret Disciple of Iesus Christ and brother to Martha and Mary being grieuously sicke his sisters wroate to Iesus Christ a letter conteining only these few words Lord he whom thou louest is sicke At the contemplation wherof Iesus Christ not without great contrariety of his folowers and no small perill to his person determined to goe and comfort the two desolate sisters and raise againe Lazarus amazing the world with a miracle right high and execellent And albeit the Pharises were in conspiracy agaynst him the Iewes troubled albeit his Apostles were in feare and his Disciples not well assured yet immediately after hée hadde considered of the Louing Wordes of the Letter hée forgatte all feare and tourned the pre-present view of so many perilles into an inwarde feruencie of zeale and loue And albeit in cases of peticion it can not be amisse to vse perswasions of deuotion at large Yet God knowing the qualetie and intention of the hart requires not so much copye of speach as humilytie of the Spiritte as appeareth by the manner of this Letter which neyther in the beginning nor in the ende nor in the matter conteyned but the wordes aforesayd giuing vs to vnderstand that hauing our loue once fixed in God it suffiseth to make vnto him onely a signe wythout troubling him wyth importunitie of words since such as bée true louers and practisers in the matter of loue ought more to thinke then speake Great is the difference béetwéene the loue which wée beare to Iesus Christ and that hée beareth to vs as is well prooued in the zeale of these two holy women who durst not communicate wyth Iesus Christ the loue that they bare him and much lesse the affeciton of their Brother onely they referred him to the loue which he bare vnto Lazarus saying Hee whom thou louest c. The better to make vs know that if the Lorde dyd not put in the Balance of our iustice some little peyse or wayght of his loue he would giue vs but a little séeing our loue is so small a thing The vayne louers of the Worlde haue this custome to reproche the affection they beare one to an other which much lesse that it is tollerable amongest the seruauntes of God séeing they ought to make so small accompt of their loue as not to demaunde any thing they pretende but by the meane and vertue of his loue For so high souereigne is the commaundement of the loue of God that onely in this mortall life we can not scarsely learne it and in the other world of ioyes fully accomplishe it Facti sumus vt immundi et omnes iusticiae nostrae sum quasi pannus c. Esay speaking of the multitude of his sinnes and his little merit speaking also in the person of sinners cryeth out The sinagogue and I are vncleane and great sinners and what good workes so euer we séeme to haue done after they come to be examined in the sight of God they beare suche staymes infection and corruption that wée finde our owne shame to present them afore him Wherein the Prophete hath great occasion to exclaime that al our desires and affections are fleshely and corrupt séeing that wyth the selfe same harte wherewyth wée ought to loue God wée loue also our Children our neyghbours and our Parentes Yea sometimes wee transferre that affection to our vnlawfull friendes séeking out of one moulde to drawe an apple of Golde and boollettes of earth But the loue which God beares vs is not of such frayle condition séeing as hath bene sayde he loues vs wyth the selfesame zeale he loues himselfe so inuoluing vs in his proper affection that as of himselfe hee is but one so hée hath but one selfe and infallible affection notwythstanding suche as hée fauoureth most hée followeth wyth a stronge zeale and the others wyth a loue not so feruent So that it is good wée stande at this resolution that when the Lords calles vs to accompt wée doe not recommende vnto him the seruices we haue done but rather to put him in remembrance of the great affection wée haue borne him For otherwayes if hée bestowe on vs one onely daye of lyfe it is sufficient for the hire and recompence of all our transitorie time Eme a me aurum ignitum vt locuples fiâ—s Sayth God to the Bishoppe of Laodecia as it is sette downe in the text of the Apocalips Thou which art poore and haste a desire to bee Riche J aduise thee to come and buye of the fyne Golde whiche I haue freshly purifyed and drawne out of the furnace and doe keepe it wythin my treasurie What meaneth this that the Lorde hath spoken that who wyll not renounce all that hée Possesseth canne not bée his Disciple and yet hee inuites vs to his shoppe to buye fyne Golde And albéeit hée Commaunde vs to buye any thing why muste it necessaryly bée Golde though the Ware wée buye bée Golde why ought it to bée so fyne and béeing so fyne wherefore perswades hée vs to buye it onely of him And comming to buye it of him why doth hee Sell it so flaming and Burning And although wée muste buye it Burning why hath hée not sette a Pryce and Weyght if of And séeing hée inuites men to buye it why doth hée not sette it out wyth more prayse and Commendation But suche are the gratious meanes and bountie of the Lorde the hée speakes not to vs as a Mayster to his Seruauntes but as a Brother vsinge the Nature and Phrase of a very famyliar and gracious friende By this wée haue to consider that by how muche Golde is a thing most estéemed beste béeloued and of all other Ryches wyth greatest importunitie desired by so much loue is the vertue that most delyghtes vs that aboue all other wée honour and that more then any other doth content vs For the harte that is inflamed wyth the loue of God makes a base Estimation of all the other Ryches and Treasures of the Worlde And of all the Particuler thinges vnder Heauen loue coulde not bée better resembled then to Golde nor Golde more Equaly Compared then to loue For a there is nothing how ryche so euer it bée which is not to bée bought wyth Golde so if loue bée the worker there is nothing so harde and difficult which by the operation of loue is not made easie and passible where by it foloweth that the hart which is wounded with loue takes his rest solace in seruice in reaposing takes paine and trauel And therfore he that loueth and makes difficulty to doe that he is commauÌ„ded searcheth excuse in things he is required that man deserueth not to be called a louer but a scorner such one hath no harte of Gold but a
as he was in the state of a widower put the coole on his head eate not vppon any table cloth was not serued in vessell of siluer tooke not his seate in a chaire was not séene to looke out of a windowe in two monthes did not wash his face and in a whole yeare did not lie out of his cloathes All which I alleadge to you not so much to condemne Roderico for his follie past as to put you in remembrance that to continue in ceremonies is to offend god and abuse the reputation of a wise man One of the greatest benefites that a man can haue in this life is to be thankfull to Gods prouidence and not to attribute any thing to fortune The resolute man is neyther chaunged by a froward fortune nor raised into presumption by any prosperitie but standes as a trée well rooted which albeit is shaken with diuerse windes yet none can make it fal And be it that aduersitie make some mutation in goods yet it ought not to exchange the person much lesse haue power ouer our wisedome For the shamefast noble mind loseth much more in loasing that he deserueth then if he lost al the goods he was possest of by which reason I accompt that no losse which falles in transitory goods if with the losse of them hée recouer his shame and wisedome for let not that man thinke he hath found little which hath found himselfe it is a thing to be wondered at and no lesse worthy of slaunder that for the losse of any thing of right meane value men omit no paine nor cost to recouer it but if they loase shame patience continencie yea and conscience too they will neither be sory for losing them nor make great search to recouer them Oh corrupt nature of oures which cares not how we faile makes lesse reckoning to go the right way and that which worse is after we haue folowed error and falne from a faire path into a foule puddle we will not onely not search to find our selues but according to our full wickednesse we will not sée nor confesse that we are lost All things in this world what vile and base estimation so euer they beare we do not only make care and cost to kéepe them but also séeke out others to ioyne with vs for their safetie except our selues who not only forbeare to watch and kéepe our selues but also we search others to helpe to loase vs I wish you for end that you giue ouer to be priuat and enter into the discharge of the requestes and legacies of your wife so shall you expresse a dearer remembrance of hir then with al the funerall ceremonies you can vse for as she kéepes now no reckoning whether you are serued vpon a table at in a chaire or vse your other obseruations of dignitie so you can not yéeld a more worthy recompence to the affectiō she bare you then to visite hospitalles and haunt sermons and rather expresse the office of a true Christian then mourne in the habite of a pitifull wydower From Logronio the xj of August 1523. To Sir Peter Giron banished into Oran comforting such as liue in exile IT is written in the wonderfull visions of the prophet Daniel that two Angels disputing afore God the one mayntained that it was not méete to put the Hebrues in libertie least they were conuerted to the Persians and the other proued it necessary to giue them licence to the ende they might do Sacrifice reedifie the temple of Ierusalem by which may be inferred that that which amongest the wicked is called stubburnes with the good sort is named zeale This I write to bring into discourse the contents of your Fathers Letter and yours in which I finde such contraritie that it is harde to Iudge which is greater eyther the sorowe of the Father or the constant minde of the Sonne the Father expressed great heauinesse seing his Sonne sent into Exile vsing the nature of a pitifull Father and the Sonne according to the propertie of a noble minde beares this disgrace without grudge or griefe if this banishement had pleased your Father and you likewise had declared signes of disdaine and dispight he had abused the dignitie of a father and you transgressed the law of a valiāt Knight but seing you both perfourm that which you ought you haue no reason to distrust of that which you desire For my part to satisfie the dutie I owe to the one and exercise the good will I beare to the other I thought it agréeing with your estate and my profession to recommend vnto you these Particuler instructions which if you finde Tedius to read you shall at least féele wholesome to obserue specially conteyning poyntes of Consolation in your present banishement Now is the time wherein you are to call into exercise your Auncient wisedome to gouerne you your setled discretion to minister consolation and your valiant minde to entertaine the reputation of your honour by some worthie enterprise which thrée thinges if you omit you shall be holden a banished man euen in your owne Citie where putting them in execution being exiled you shall be sure to encrease the renowne of a valiant knight It is a verteous disposition to yéelde compassion to the afflicted but nature most of all doth chalenge it of those who prouing an estate of necessitie haue founde comfort in others And albeit one friend can owe no more to another then to remedie his necessities comfort his aduersities yet the wordes of a friend do giue lyfe to the hart of his friend if to the same be ioyned effectes of true affection and as prosperitie and aduersitie haue such societie by kinde that the one followeth the other as the shadow doth the man so also such perplexities as are fastened within a hart are hardly fogotten but with the passions of another mind the languisheth according to this example At the death of the only sonne of Diomedes the Gréeke and vppon whome depended the possibilitie of succession there appeared to this mourning father many affections of many his noble friends amongst the presse of others that came to visit and comfort his sorrowes there resorted a pore woman demaunding iustice Diomedes seing her wéepe as it were accompanie him in his sorrowfull moodes his other friendes to deliuer only reasons of consolation without teares tolde them the albeit his eares had receiued the impression of their words yet none had made passage into his hart but the sorrowful compassion of that simple woman in whome I haue receiued sayth he somuch the more comfort by how much I sée her hart suffereth the selfe same sorrowes which by effect I féele According to the conformitie of this aunswere sir you may iudge my disposition therwithal take occasion to giue faith to my wordes belieue the affection of my hart for by the fayth of a friend I sweare vnto you that as I haue always folowed you with an
imprint any carrect in the same By the meaning of which commaundement we may gather that the children of Jsraell hauing dwelt many yeares with the Egipans learned of them many wicked and pernicious customes For as more then any other people they were geuen to the Mathematyke Sciences and other artes and faculties supersticious as Magicke and Nigromoncie so there was no nation that in the death of their friendes expressed greater ceremonies then the Egiptian who showed signes of stronger frendship to his friende being dead then when he liued For when eyther the Father lost his Sonne or the Sonne bereaued of his Father or any other man by death was depriued of his priuate friende they resorted forthwith to this custome to shaue the one halfe of their haire expressing therby that their frende being dead they had lost the one moytie of their hart For which cause God forbad the Hebrews to make themselues balde to the end they should not be like the Egiptian women who in the funerals of their husbands parents childrē or great frends vsed to scratch disfigure their faces with their proper nailes which custome god forbad in the womē of Jsrael least for vsing the ceremonies of the Egiptiās they stood not subiect to the scourges of Egipt the inferiour sacrificators of Egipt whē their high priestes died vsed to make certaine carrects according to their particuler fancie in their handes armes or brestes to the end that as often as they behelde them they might expresse compassion teares as also at the death of their king all the officers seruants of his house made woundes in their armes hands face or head euery one making his wound so much the déeper by how much he stood in fauor with the king But God cōmaunding the Hebrues to refraine such wilfull hurting of thēselues forbad them to imitate the Egiptians nor to folow the customs of the houshold seruants of their king for that in all those cerimonies were effects of superstiton only innouated by the deuill yea they brought hurt to such as liued were in vaine to those that were dead In the olde law God also forbad men to labor the fielde with yokes of oxen asses And to Sowe in one grounde two kindes of graine with such lyke which were not without mistery because all those customes depended vppon the Cerimonies of the Egyptans which God would not should holde any vse amongest the people of Jsraell But here we haue to note that God restrayned not men to vse sorrow and teares in the death of their frendes For as other Cerimonies are in our will eyther to doe or not doe them so sorrow and heauines for the losse or absence of a friende doe as naturallie follow flesh◠and bloud as our appetite to eate and drinke and though by reason some men may dissemble them yet by nature there are fewe that can auoyd them Therfore God that made the hart and ioyned to it his affections neuer added any law to forbid teares and wéeping séeing to the hart whose chiefest propertie consists in tendernes there can be offered nothing more intollerable or grieuous then to sée it selfe deuided frō the thing it holdes most deare the same standing good in apparant example in the experience and disposition of any two creatures who after their long conuersation together if they be seperated or their faunes enforced will imediatly according to their kinde declare their passion the Lion will roare the Cow will yeall the Swine will gront the Dog cannot but howle much more then is the condition of Man subiect to sorrow and heauines as in whom nature bréedes a more quicke and raging sence of passion for the discontinuance of their deare frendes And if we haue compassion ouer the misaduenture of a straunger or the losses of our neighbour suffering casualtie or liuing in absence are we restrained to lesse remorce for the death of our great frend whom we see put into the graue For which cause the Philosopher was of opinion that so many times did a man dye how often he loste his friendes For that since two hartes vnited in one honest affection haue but one being and place of residence it is good reason that we bewayle the death of our chosen friendes euen with the same nature and compassion which we would doe our owne The Seconde part of the discourse is drawne out of Deut. in this text Eligite ex vobis viros sapientes c. my will is sayth God that all such as aspire to the administration of publike gouernemēt shall be wise and noble This commaundement was not pronounced of God without great misterie but chiefely that gouernours should be both wise and noble for that as wisedome without noblenesse is a troublesom thing so nobility without wisedome is but as a soule without a body or as a painted fire that becomes the wall but giues no heat to the beholder Therfore as to be gouerned by a maiestrate flowing in science knowledge fayling of noblenesse is both miserable troublesome so it cannot but be intollerable to liue vnder the controulment of him to whom fortune hath geuen greatnes of place birth grace nature denied discression other temperances of the spirit so that to make vp a full perfection it is necessary the iudge haue knowlege to debate determine causes nobilitie to moderate the residue of the affections of the minde yet The wisedome which god requires in the maiestrates of his cōmon weale ought not to stretch to subtlety or tiranny but to be tempered with modestie swéetnes gracious behauiour for a iudge in the office causes of coūcel is no lesse boūd to the obseruation of the law religion faith equitie then to be voyd of all hate enuy feare couetousnes or other corrupt affectiōs it was not without cause that god cōmaūded to institute the iudges ouer his people of noble cōdition seing it is a great argument of the sewertie tranquility of the state whose magestrate is compoūded of nobilitie and modestie Therfore the first gouernour that administred the cōmonweale of god was the easie gracious Moyses whom gods prouidence led to be nourished in the court of Pharao by the kings daughter to the end that in such societie experience of so many wise and noble iudges he might learne how to entreat assure good men in their innocencie how to chastice the euill amid their wickednes the affaires of war are far different from the policie gouernemēt of a cōmonweale established for that in matters of enterprise it is méete the captaine be valiant but to gouerne at home let the magestrate expresse affabilitie swéetnes for that a ruler ought rather to be terrible in threats then in punishement so to tēper his authoritie that his people may feele his power rather with his liberality thē with iniuries And albeit it is no generall rule that all the
therewith haue made seruice offerings to the Lord Multiplicati sunt super capilos capitis mei et cor meuÌ„ dereliquit me I am falne into that age sayth Dauid that I haue no more sight remaining Mine enemies haue enuironed me my frends are dead my sinnes haue made me fall my good daies are now drawne to end so that my grieffes sorrows perplexities are mo in nomber then my hears but my greatest heauinesse of all is that my hart hath forsaken me wholoaseth his eyes the other particuler parts of his body together with all his goods can not but loase right dear great things but he that loaseth his hart loaseth assuredly all that can remaine or aperteine to a man For that within the wombe of our mothers the hart is the first that engendereth taketh lyfe and the last that dissolueth and vanisheth to death So that lyke as so longe as our hartes leaue vs not we may both loue feare and serue God so also if the hart loase his vigor and géeue vs ouer assuredly we haue neyther power nor facultie to Fast Praye or perseuer in Breath And therefore according to Saynt Hierom it is a great gyfte of GOD to be endued wyth a Constant and Valiant mynde as on the other syde to haue fayntnesse of hart and Pusillanimytye canne not but beare Testimonye and Prooffe of great Punnishement Audi popule Audi qui non habes cor sayth GOD by his Prophete Jeremie heare my voyce Oh generation of Jsraell and hearken to my wordes Oh People of the Hebrues I call thée Foole because thou art wythout harte yea I saye thou hast no harte because thou art a foole wher the Prophet in this phrase charged the people to haue no hart he imposed vpon them infidelitie as though they had neither fayth nor belefe in Iesus Christ the true god because the lyke as when the hart dyeth the life dissolueth euen so by Christ aspiring vpon the Crosse the sinagog tooke ende So that the Prophete was not without great reason to call the Hebrues Fooles men without hart séeing the testimony of so many miracles suffised them not much lesse were they satisfied with the nomber of benefites blessings with infinit Sermons perfourmed by our sauiour Iesus Christ all tending to make them Christians and yet wrought small impression in them by reason of their slender knowledge and great follie Euen so according to morrall phrase when we say any man hath want of hart it is asmuch as if we should charge him not to haue Iesus christ in his spirit for that as vndertaking to doe any good worke Iesus Christ is he that geues vs hart puts vs in reason euen so by good conclusion that man we may saye is depriued of reason and vnfurnished of hart which loues not Christ thinkes not on Christ serues him not feareth him not and hopes not in him So that in the Lawe of GOD to call a man without hart is no other thing then to saye he hath a body without a soule Omni custodia custodi cor tuum sayth the Wise man euery one ought to kéepe and double garde his hart to the ende it be not defiled by the fleshe oppressed of the worlde deceaued by the Deuill and that it be not altogether exercised by his fréende nor outraged by his enemie For that euen so much and no more haue wée in Iesus Christ then we geue vnto him Possession and place in our harte Wherein according to the measure of our confidence in GOD shall we finde recompence and retribution in him Yea if we geue our selues altogether to him he wyll assuredly be wholy ours So that all those thinges which the Lord geues vnto vs being holy harty or vnfained it belonges to vs the better to Prepare our offeringes to God euen from our hartes fixed in our harte vnfaynedly to touche our hart to kéepe our hartes alwayes replenished wyth Holy desires and enuironed with good thoughts For which occasion it suffised not the wiseman to bid vs simplie kepe our hartes but he enioyned vs to a double and diligent garde the better to aduertise vs that as the Eyes may be preserued by their Eyeliddes the mouth defended by the lippes the féete and handes kept from harme by Armour Gauntlets and a mans treasure holden from the Théefe vnder Locke and Key So there can nothing in this world suffise to forbid an ambicious minde to thinke and desire And so falling eftsoones vppon our first matter I saye that much doth that man offer to God that offereth his hart as also what hath he more to lose that loseth his hart the same appearing in the conuersion of this good théefe who euen as he hanged vppon the crosse because he offered to God onely his hart founde this recompence to be caryed into the eternall Tabernacle of God and communicate in his glorie Let then the example of this théefe stande before vs all that notwithstanding we haue not handes Féete Eyes Siluer Golde precious Iewels or clothes to offer to God yet let vs not be troubled or gréeued For who hath not these thinges in his power let him not doubt to be acceptable to the Lord if he present his hart replenished with holy desires The Sister of Moyses was diseased Moyses himselfe Stutted Tobyas was Blinde Mimpheboseph was Lame Zacharias the Priest was Dumbe yet these imperfections hindred not these men to be holy vertuous yea God called some of them to the function ministerie of his will If we haue our hartes whole holy sound the Lord obserues little the state of our other members no he makes no care whether they be perfect or putrified for this théefe in his senteÌ„ce of condemnation death had his limmes brused broken his mouth his eyes whole body crucified but his hart only reteining integritie he offred it to his sauiour and by his â—…yth constancie purchased the benefit of saluation And albeit in so small a respit of time in so quicke sharpe torments in so greuous apprehension of the dollors and terrors of death suffered by this théefe on the Crosse he coulde perfourme no great penaunce expresse no varietie or copie of spéeche or vtter apparant remorse by sighes sorrowe or publike contrition yet for that to his passions he ioyned greatnesse and constancie of harte wyth fayth and deuotion to GOD The Lorde dyd accept not onely that which he dyd then but also what he would haue done if he had not ben preuented by death How wickedly the euill THEEFE spake hanging on the Crosse THe Wicked Théefe speaking to Iesus Christ sayd if thou be that same Christ that is the sonne of God deliuer thy selfe from death and vs from this Passion of torments Oh cursed impudencie to pronounce such Horrible blasphemie against the maiestie of our Sauiour For albeit the Sonne of God was committed to the Crosse and
frendes may we say with this good théefe that they are out of the feare of God that they wander in their proper destruction that they are replenished with vices and doe not obserue one of Gods commaundements But by so much more wretched is our condition by how much one frende dare not warne an other for that all frendship now a dayes standes vpon these limits and tearmes not to correct one an other but rather to couer and dissemble and suffer communitie of euill It is a wonderful confusion to sée one sinner admonishe an other and a théefe to reproue a théefe and yet one Christian dare not rebuke an other no rather they will endure their vices then deuide themselues from their frendship Not to aduertise a frend of his honour or not to aduise him of his wealth may happen and is suffered but not to admonish him of that which concerneth his conscience is hatefull and ought not to be borne withall for that in thinges touching the honor of God we are bounde not to dissemble with our Father nor to yéelde consent to our dearest frende Nathan reproued Dauid Samuell rebuked Saule Micheas admonished Achab Helias reproued Jezabell S. John rebuked Herod and S. Paule reproued S. Peter not so much for hauing erred and fayled as for offending God the better to admonishe vs that him we ought to holde as enemie whom we know doth not loue God Nonne qui oderunt te inimici facti sunt mihi Oh great God of Jsraell sayth Dauid the greatest seruice that I haue done thée is that all my lyfe time I haue hated those that loued not thée eschewed such as folowed not thy lawes was a straunger to such as searched not thy precepts and will and none haue bene worse welcome to my companye then such as boare to thee no seruice I woulde the example of Dauid might be embraced now a dayes or that to christian frends were ioyned such propertie of affection so should there be no vice in mens frendship nor toleracion of wickednes for that if euill men were not supported by their frends iustice discipline woulde either spedely determine their liues or shame instruction leade them to amendment of manners great then was the charitie of this théefe to his companion the pitie not little which he had of Iesus Christ whereof as he defended the one and perswaded the other so his vertue concludes in good Authoritie that it is a true effect of our Christian pietye to yéelde compassion to such as are troubled and reduce him that is out of the Way After this good théefe was commited to God and confessed his sinnes to Iesus Christ and aunswered for him he began then to lift vp his voyce and say vnto him Domine memento mei dum veneris in regnum tuum wherein with iust reason he calles him Lorde for that it is resolute with God not to take pitie or mercie vpon vs if first we accknowledge not in him his diuinitie and therefore in the olde times whē God spake with the Hebrues he vsed commonly this phrase haec dicit Dominus c. The better to aduertise the nations and people of the earth that all kinges and Princes of this world are in all thinges no other thing but gouernours and deputies and to God alone belonges all souereigne and Supreame Potentacie In which respect it behoueth vs afore all thinges to confesse God to be Father and souereigne Lorde and to honour his blessed sonne by the name of Lorde and redéemer for that it is directly to repugne his ordinarie power to Pardon sinne in any man which doth not accknowledge in God predomination and Lordship Let vs therefore with the humilitie fayth and conformetie of this théefe say Domine memento mei For th s ought to be an office in our beléefe that if we confesse god to be sole ceator serue him as soueraigne Lorde he will not misknow vs as straungers specially if we acknowledge vs to apperteine vnto him The seconde worde of this théefes petition was Memento mei agréeing with the inuocation of Salomon Da mihi sedium tuarum aslis tricem sapientiam vt sciam quid acceptum sit coram te omni tēpore giue me O Lord partin thy wisedome to the end I may doe the thinges agréeable to thee and tending to my saluation notwithstanding that Salomon amongest all the kings of Jerusalem was most Peasible most Riche Renoumed and most Wise yet with all these Qualities he durst not demaunde of God but Wisedome and that not without great reason For albeit a man knoweth that which he wold haue yet he is ignorant in that which is necessary for him And as we liue in God more then in our selues that God loues vs aboue our proper affections so it is he that knoweth better thē our selues what we wold haue of him what we want is néedfull for vs for which cause this well aduised good christian théefe would aske no other thing but that the Lord would haue remembrance of him instructing vs by that that God bearing to vs such plentifull will affection ther is no great nede to trouble him with importunities but onely with a feruent hart put him in remembrance of those thinges we desire to haue saying Domine memento mei Lord that hast created me haue remembrance of me Lorde that hast Redéemed me forget me not and thou Lord in whom I beléeue be mindfull of me Vouchsafe Oh Lord to draw me to thy selfe Oh loue of my soule haue remembrance of me since thou hast formed me of earth and since thou hast breathed into me a soule made me man hast employed thy lyfe for me vouchsafe to be mindefull of me to the ende there be no spoyle made of my Soule yea since thou hast suffered thy Passon for me resisted so many Temptations and spilt so much of thy innocent bloud as satisfyed the Price of my vyle and wretched Sinnes I beséeche thée be myndefull of me Here is to be noted that this théefe in these humilities to God sayd not Lorde haue remembrance of my children my wyfe my frendes or my labors and trauels but sayde onely Lorde remember me aduising vs that in this worlde there is nothing which we ought to holde so deare as the reckoning of our conscience according to the expresse text of our sauiour to the mother and children of Zebeda Nescitis quid petatis because that afore they asked pardon for their sinnes they demaunded realmes and kingdomes and before they sought to purge the transgression of their soules they aspired to be set one of the right and the other of the left hande of Iesus Christ But the wise Chananite woman afore she sayde Filia mea male a demonio vexatur cryed Miserere mei sewing first for pardon for her selfe afore she sought the recouery of her daughter for that so good is the Lorde our God that if he loue not him that
men committing suche Cursed and miserable Sinnes GOD for recompence lendes vppon vs great and heauie Punishementes To holde that Christ was not mooued to doe this by a Spirite of good zeale were to faulsifye the Trueth and to saye that in this that he dyd he dyd euill can not be without imputation of Blasphemye For in the Eternall lawe of GOD it can not holde Concorde or comparison to be a Sinner and to be called Redéemer Before Saynt Iohn sayde Ecce agnus Dei He pronounced Ecce qui tollit peccata mundi Wherein he both confesseth him an Vndefyled Lambe and after Extolles him to take awaye the Sinnes of the Worlde One Sinner may helpe to make an other good but yet hath he no power to Pardon the least offence that is And therefore to affirme that Christ in any his actions was pushed forewarde by choller or Sinned in the transgression of Ire it were both Heresie and a Sinne desperate for that as touching Sinne and Error our LORDE was so lymited and restrayned that he neyther coulde nor had Power thereunto By this text of the Prophete Irascimini et nolite peccare is geuen vs to vnderstande that we may be angrie but yet with this condition that we Sinne not For often times the Lorde is more wrath with the Ire of the maiestrate or Gouernour then with the offence which the Subiect committes I finde it verye harde that this good Prophete should geue vs Licence to be Angrye and yet to binde vs that in it we shoulde not Sinne speciallye séeing that of the Mortall Sinnes Condemned by the Churche the transgression of Ire is one Yea it séemes more straunge that it should be in the hande and libertie of man to be angrie and yet Sinne not since by our nature euen our thoughtes enclining to Anger canne not be without Sinne Where by I holde it rat her a Vertue of Aungelles then a a power humaine when a man that is iniured is hable to limitte his passion and gouerne the affections of his hart séeing that to the nature of man nothing is more swéete then the passion of reuenge yea oftentimes we are vnmindfulto requite a good tourne but seldome doe we forget to reuenge an iniurie receiued But it is néedfull we deduce in particuler those things wherein in good conscience men may be angrie and that without scrupule of sinne For that by howmuch more they were frendes and enterteyned amitie together by somuch more the offence the anger the sinne which séemes but a dreame would put amongest them diuorce and diuision We may not be angrie against such as maliciously touch our honor or by Ambicion aspire to our goodes For that to the Noble minde it belonges to demaūd his recouerie by iustice and his honor by the swoorde May we holde anger against such as haue done vs some notable iniurie and published dishonest spéeche of vs I say no for that according to the rule of the Gospell we are bounde to pardon all wronges and leaue the reueng to God to whom it belonges Men ought not to beangrie if in their houses their wiues be Libertynes and dissolute for that so delicate is the honor of the Husbande and the Wyfe that her chastity can not be detected without that he haue interest in the dishonor and therefore in thinges that can suffer remedie we ought eyther to qualifye the rigor of the punishment or dissemble the iniurie much lesse ought we to be angrie against our seruantes when they doe not the dutie of their place or murmure when they are commaunded For being but marcenary to vs we ought to admonish thē if they wil not be brought to amendment to geue them leaue to departe We ought not to be angrie with our frends and familiars if in their prosperitie they misknowe vs and in our great aduersities will not succour vs For according to their behauiour we haue to geue this iudgement of them that as if they had bene true frendes they would not haue fayled vs so according to their corrupt affection their pryde carieth them into disdayne of our Pouertye In cases of Breache of promise it euell be séemeth a Wiseman to be angrye for that this reputation belonges to Pacience that he ought rather to loase that he hoped for then to breake the patience for the which he hath béene so longe praysed And how canne we be Angrye agaynst our selues when we erre in that we saye and vse falshoode in that we doe Séeing that the remedye of our abuses consistes not to be Angrye and vexe our selues but in the amendment and reformation of our actions Why should we be Angrye when we sée fortune rayseth others and forgetteth vs Séeing that if fortune distributed to euery one according to the rate of their will and meritte she could not be called Fortune but Iustice but because she will iustifye the Limittes and Charters of her Authoritie she vseth to aduaunce those that she fauoureth and spareth to preferre such as deserue to be exalted Sure we haue no reason to be Angrye agaynst the suttelties of the Deuill and the Worlde For that in well aduised Iudgement and consideration much lesse that they deceiue vs séeing of the contrarye they admonishe and aduise vs And according to the Testimonye of the Scripture the office of the fleshe is to pricke vs the Deuill traueleth vs in temptations and to the Worlde is ioyned a propertye to deceaue vs And let vs not be wroth if we haue not suche Power and habilitye as others since if we make aright our owne Computation and Reckoning we ought to be more sorye that we haue not deserued Honour then that we haue it not And since the Lawe of nature and Fortune make all thinges Subiect to reuolution and chaunge and that of our selues we are the proper instrumentes of our owne harmes we ought not to be Angrye or vexed but agaynst such as ryse to offende God and sturre vs to committe Sinne For a good Christian ought to be more sorye for him that hath a wounde in his soule then for any that suffer losse of their Goodes though there be neuer so great Nearenesse and respect of Kindred and frendship So that the thing that ought most to trouble a good Christian and bréede compassion in the man of holinesse and vertue is to sée that men beare such appetite to the swéetenesse of sinne and with such boldenesse follow their libertye to doe euill that many and many are those now a dayes who had rather breake the commaundementes of the holye law then to infrindge the least statute of the Prince This is a thing to be marueiled at that when the Marchaunt is taken with a counterfayt measure or the Goldesmith with a faulse weight the measure shall be brunt the Balaunce broken and the offender rendred to publyke Iustice But if a man ve knowne to renounce GOD or to beare the guilt of Periurie Murder or Adulterye much lesse
by howmuch he did not onely wéepe for the death of his enemie and honored him with funerall pompe and Burying but also he gaue Reuenge to his Death In that fearefull discourse which CHRIST makes of the rich man and Lazarus in the other worlde we finde that the riche man Cryed vnto Abraham to haue Pitie on him at least wise that he would sende Lazarus to touch with his Finger the flame and heate of his Tongue which request albeit séemes to carie no face of importance or greatnesse yet the vpright iustice of God would neither heare nor helpe him For that in his prosperitie hauing denied to the pore the very Crummes falling from his Table by what reason could he deserue a droppe of Water to refreshe or comfort his necessities And where by the testimonie of the Scripture we finde that this wretched riche man was both a glutton and an epicure in delites of Banquets Garments and all other sensualities Yet it is apparant that in no part of his body he féeles such sorow as in his Tongue nor in any sort commits so great sinnes as in speaking By whose example and Punishment let all men in their conuersation bring forth vertue and in their spéeche vse councell and discression since the next way to liue in honor and dye wyth prayse is to be honest in desires and to haue a Tongue well corrected And so for ende if to Cayn Lucipher Senacherib the builders of the tower of Babilon the Murderer of Saule the wicked riche man had not bene ioyned vaine tongues to pronounce disdainefull and vndiscréete thinges it may be beléeued that they had not with such lightnesse haue loste their liues in this world nor in the other had put their souls vnder perpetuall damation But now hauing proued how the Tongue hath béene to many the cause of their Death Let vs also in another Example of the Pietie of Dauid prooue that in so hath béene the occasion of lyfe according to the argument of our Theame That Lyfe and Death are in the power of the Tongue In the bodye of Man the most necessarie member is the Harte The goodlyest Instruments are the Eyes The partes most delicate are the Eares And the thing wherein is most daunger wyth good reason wée may saye is the Tongue For that the Harte thinketh onely the wyll consentes the Eares heare the Handes stryke but to the Tongue is tyed a propertye too Kyll and Sleye And as our Tongue is none other thinge then as a whyte Wall whereon the Wyse man may paynte deuoute Images and the Foole drawe thinges vayne and fonde So to him that canne vse his Tongue well it is an Instrument that may woorke to his Saluation as of the contrarye who employeth it in ill seruices it is sufficient to his Damnation For the Harte béeing the Fordge whereon our Wicked plottes are wrought then that which our Tongue pronounceth is none other thing then the pryce and publication of the Sinnes which we haue within our Harte But now to the Historie of King Dauid a thing no lesse pitifull to heare then necessarie to know For that the discourse leaues to all Christians a true experience what weakenesse we haue to fall and with what readinesse we may eftsoons rise againe As king Saule by Gods wil was depriued of his kingdome so in his place the eternall prouidence raised the holy king Dauid who in the sight of the Lord found so much grace as the wicked Saule was disfauored So God loued Dauid that amongst al the patriarkes he made him most honored amongest the propheâ—s best inspired amongest the Capteines most feared amongst the kings best estéemed and loued yea he founde him so agréeable in his sight that he promised and swore to discend of his race bearing himselfe such witnesse of his holinesse that he confessed that amongst all the Children of Israell he had founde and chozen Dauid as best pleasiing his Harte and most agréeable to his will And so was Dauid loued of God wyth a diuine affection For that he serued him wyth all his Harte by which wée may iudge that wyth one equall Weyght or measure are peysed the loue which GOD beares too vs and the seruices which wée doe to him But as Idlenesse is the Enemie of vertue and the verie trayne to all Wickednesse it happened that Dauid being in his Palaice well dispozed of his person and mightie in Countreyes but his minde enuironed with Idlenesse he fell into an accident most preiudiciall to his renoume no lesse infamous to his common weale Wherby Princes may sée that more punishment doe they deserue for the euill example they shew then for the vices they commit For it had not happened so to the good king Dauid if he had bene either writing of Psalmes or busie in some expedition of war or at least managing some other his affaires of importance but such is the resolution of God so it is so it hath bene so it shal be that from the time that princes take truce with their enemies they set at libertie the fludde of vices to run with maine streame into their courts palaices according to the testimonie of S. Augustine in the citie of god More hurtful was the citie of Carthage to Rome after her destruction then during the whole course season of wars which the Romains had with her For the whylest they had enemies in Affrike they knew not what vices ment in Rome But now eftsoons to the history Dauid being idle in his gallery beheld the beutie of Bethsabe the wife of Vrias being then in the warres applying the absence of her husband to the commoditie of his desire what with his great importunitie and her small constancie hée committed Adulterye and gatte her wyth childe And fearing Detection of the Fact he Wroat spéedelye to Joab his Gennerall in those Warres that at the time of the assault Vrias might be preferred to the perill of his lyfe wherein according to the societie that is in sinne it séemed that from one offence he appealed to an other as from Epicuritie he fel to idlenesse idlenesse bred in him foule desires by desire he was driuen to solicit by soliciting he beguiled her weakenesse and after he had beguiled her he fell to adulterie and from Adulterie to Murder so that the Deuill had neuer deceiued him if himselfe had not pitched the toyles of his proper harmes Yea if Dauid had so serued God as God loued him he had neuer suffered him to fall so farre For with such care doth the Lorde holde vp such as striue to serue him that he neuer suffereth them to fall into great sinnes But if we doe slyde stumble and hurt our selues let vs not be amazed for euen the same infirmities are common to Angels Therefore when we pray to God we ought to demaunde with teares and contrition for that if he then suffer vs to fall he will also geue vs grace
to remoue them You know that albeit I was Nephewe to your predecessor yet I neuer solicited him for the kingdome and much lesse occupied my thoughtes to hope for it hauing learned of my Mayster Plutarke that honor ought rather to be deserued then purchased And as I will not denie but that a kingdome is a swéete pray and that the present of so high and excellent a dignitie was welcome to me with inwarde gladnes So also I can not but confesse that I finde great difference betwéene the trauelles of a Kingdome and the securitie of a priuate lyfe yea after I had tasted of what bitter cares this swéete pray is compounded I was sorie my weaknesse was so soone inticed though it be too late to repent For of such qualitie is Imperie and gouernement that if there be great honor to haue it there is no lesse paine and trauell to wéelde it Oh to how many perplexities standes he Subiect who byndes himselfe to gouerne others For that if he be iust they will call him cruell if he be pytifull they will dispize him if hée be liberall they will hold him prodigall if he be a husband of that he hath they will say he is couetous If he be peaceable they will estéeme him a cowarde if he be couragious they will impute it to quarrelling if he be graue they wil note him proude if he be affable they will ascribe it lightnesse and simplicitie if he be solitarie they will iudge him an Ipocrite and if he be mery they will say he is dissolute So that men most commonly wil vse more respect towards all others then towardes him that gouerneth the whole For to the Prince they accompt the morcelles that he eateth they measure his pases they espie his wordes they obserue what companie he kepeth they iudge his workes they are Ielouse ouer his Lookes and Iestures Yea they examine and murmure at his Pastimes and make coniecture euen of his secret thoughtes Who then weygheth wyth the trauelles that bréede in principality the Ielousies that stande as espialles ouer such as gouerne will confesse I doubt not that as there is no estate more sure then that that is deuided from Empire and rule So gouernement béeing none other thing then the Foarge of enuie the best cure and remedie is to forbeare to be absolute and liue contented with us estate priuate For if a man can not but with great paine gouerne a Wyfe whom he hath chozen trayne vp his Children whom he hath begotten and instruct his seruant whom he hath hyered hauing them all in his house Farre greater paine shall he finde to enterteyne in one peace and vnitie a whole common weale deuided in to straunge dispositions Sure the lyfe of Princes deserue great compassion for that in fewe can they repose or trust séeing often times they are most detected by those whom they most fauor they can not eate without watching sléepe without garde speake without Ielousie nor go without espiall so that being Lordes ouer all yet they are Prisoners euen to their proper vassals Yea if we consider the seruitude of Princes and the libertie of subiectes we shall finde that in whom the kingdome hath most action euen against him seruitude hath most power so that though princes haue authoritie to geue libertie to others yet their place will not suffer them to minister it to themselues God hauing Created vs frée we doe so delight to haue our libertie frée that how neare so euer a man tough vs eyther in frendship kindred or bloud yet we had rather he were our vassall then our Lorde For that as libertie is as deare to vs as bloud and lyfe so all seruitude is miserable according to the desire of Caesar who in respect his Soldiours were made frée wished himselfe despised and worth nothing We estéeme our selues so much and follow our desires with such partiall affection that as we shall neuer sée any man who of his proper will wil be made bounde so we haue not read of any that against his will was made Lorde For the harte without libertie takes pleasure in nothing as well appeareth in the controuersies of men whose warre we sée are not so much for the quarrell of obedience as to establishe their authoritie to commaunde In Eating in Drinking in Speaking in Garmentes in Iestures and in all other actions and affections men bée different sauing in the desire of libertie wherein they are all conformable All this I haue written vpon the occasion of mine Empire which being so vniuersallie offered I haue thankefully accepted though many times I finde wearinesse in so great a burden For a large Sea and a great kingdome are two thinges pleasaunt to behold and most perillous to proue Notwithstanding since by the will of God I am appoynted your Lorde and by your proper consentes you are made my vassalles I require to bée obeyed as Lorde in thinges that are iust and pray you as Fathers to aduertise me when I doe things vnreasonable Assuring you that if you fulfill the office of good Councellors you shall finde in me that readie conformitie that belonges to the action of the commō weale On whose behalfe I recommend vnto you the prouidence of the common treasure aswell to consider by what meanes it is got with what sewertie it is kept as also to what vses it is transferred and employed for the goodes of the common weale are not committed to your confidence to the end to enioy them but because you might gouerne them And albeit the Warres of Germanie being lyke yet to be prolonged for that the king of Dacia continueth in his reuolt from the obedience of Rome I shall be yet driuen to folow the occasion of the warres yet in this absence I cannot be vnmindfull of the affaires of the state as holding it lesse euill for a Prince to be negligent in the procéedings of war then careles of the busines concerning the gouernment of the cōmon weale for a good Prince ought to thinke that he is not chosen so much to folow the wars as to gouerne ciuily not so much to kil his enemies abroad as to supplāt vices at hom not so much to folow forreine affairs as to kepe resort residence amongst his subiectes not to take the goods of others but to doe iustice to euery one not to pardon the riche in respect of his wealth not to denie iustice to the pore for his pouertie not to geue rewardes all together for affection nor to minister chastisement by passion onely and not to denie iustice to him that demaundes it nor shewe mercie but where it is deserued Since whylest a Prince in the Warres cannot Fyght but for one and in his owne person in the Common weale his absence geues libertie to many insolencies done too many innocents Sure it is a iust rewarde of vertue that of Captaines men come to be Emperours But there is no conueniencie that Emperours discend
and worthie Charitie the same being well expressed in the day of his Passion when neyther the tormentes of his bodie nor the wickednesse of his People could restraine the course of his great loue wherewith he Prayed for such as Crucifyed him and pardone those that offended him Yea he prayed not onely for his Apostles and Disciples but also for all the faythfull that beléeued in him and loued his Father with whom as he was one selfe thing in Diuinitie so he prayed to his Father that all such as beléeued might be in him one body misticall through Charitie Great was the loue of Iesus Christ in the wordes of his petition to his Father séeing that albeit we were not then borne no nor our farre auncient Fathers yet he besought his Father in great feruencie for the estate of all his Church euen no lesse then for those that dyd communicate with him in the Supper So that as he dyed for all so he prayed for all By which we haue good reason to beléeue that séeing be remembred vs afore we came into the world he will also kepe care ouer such as are employed in his seruice If Christ had not loued vs with that Charitie and prayed for vs in such feruencie of zeale what had become of vs Sure if there be in the Church of God at this present any obedience patience charitie humilitie or any abstinence or continencie it ought all to be atributed to that loue which Christ expressed in the prayer that he commended to his Father for vs Redéeming with his bloud our disfauour and with his praier he restored vs eftsoones to an estate of Grace and reconcilement To loue those that are present and such as are absent to beare affection to the Quicke and remember such as are Dead happeneth often is naturall but to loue such as are to come and not yet borne is a zeale that neuer was hearde of but in the person of our Redéemer who prayeth for such as liue wickedly and loueth good men although they are not yet borne In worldly thinges so straight is the copulation and vnitie betwéene lyfe and death loue and hate him that doth affect and the thing affected that al takes end together and in one houre But to the frendship that Iesus Christ beares vs belonges an other qualetie for that his loue tooke beginning afore the foundation of the world and will not ende no not at the day of iudgement In this Letter is debated the difference betweene a seruaunt and a frende FInding in your last Letter more matter worthie of rebuke then méete to be answered I am bolde to geue you this Councel that in causes of importance the Penne is not to bée vsed afore the matter be wel debated lest others take occasion to iudge of your domges and your selfe be denied of that you demaunde This is also to bee obserued in speaking to any personage of estate wyth whom we ought not to Communicate but with feare reuerence and modestie By your Letter you wishe me to be your Mayster and withall would chuse me to be your frende Two estates no lesse different in qualitie then incompatible in one person and most vnlyke in office for that a frende is chosen by wil and a Mayster is taken by necessitie A frende will consider but a Mayster must be serued A frende geues of liberalitie but a Lorde demaundes by authoritie a Mayster hath libertie to be Angrie but it belonges to a frende to suffer And a frende pardoneth but a Mayster punisheth So that the comparison béeing so different it cannot be possible that being your Master I should beare vnto you the due respects of a frende since if I be your Mayster you are bounde to serue me feare me follow me and obey me Offices preiudiciall to the prerogatiues of a frende and against the laws of that libertie and frée souereignetie which the hart of man desireth To require me with such rashenesse to be your frende is sure to demaunde of me the most precious Iewell I haue in the worlde For to be your frende is to binde me to loue you all my lyfe deuiding my hart into youres and making you euen an other moytie with my selfe true frendship being none other thing then an vnfayned consent of will and affections and a transportation of two hartes into one bodie And therefore two frendes if they will loue and liue in the true obseruations of frendship ought to speak but wyth one Tongue and loue with one harte yea they ought to Communicate together in one substance and rate of lyfe and not grudge to suffer in common one perculier and singuler death Amongest frendes what is suffered of the one ought not to be intollerable to the other and albeit their thoughtes be proper to themselues yet their persons their goodes and fortunes ought alwayes to be common One frende ought not to say to an other I will not or I cannot since it is principall priueleadge in frendship to finde nothing impossible Therefore who ioynes in frendship with an other bindes himselfe not to denie the thing that he demaundes nor to vse excuse in any thing that his frende requires him to doe since in this consistes the full office of frendship to owe to our frendes euen our selues and all that we haue By the Councell of Seneka the wise and discréete man ought to admitte but one frende forséeing withall as neare as he can to haue no enemie at all For sayth he if there be daūger in enemies there can be no suretie in the multitude of frendes since in respect of their nomber they bréede difference of consent and will with varietie of condicions and where is no conformitie of manners there can be no perfection in frendship So straight is the rule of frendship that of many that professe liberall affection there are fewe that performe it being an office perticuler to the Children of vanitie to haue readie tongues to promise and slowe handes to performe True frendes are bounde to féele the aduersities of their frendes with no lesse affection then if they had proper interest in them yea it belonges to them to minister remedie to their necessities and geue comfort to their miseries estéeming it to apperteine to their dutie to communicate in all the fortunes of their frendes The same agréeing with the resolution of Eschinus the Philosopher who being asked what was the greatest perplexitie of this lyfe aunswered that to loase thinges which we haue got with paine and to be deuided from that which we loue are the greatest afflictions that can trauell a humaine minde The frende whom we chuse ought aboue all other thinges to be discréete to the ende he may Councell vs and of habilitie and wealth the better to administer to our necessities and lackes For other wayes if he beare no aduise and iudgement wée shall want Councell to gouerne our prosperitie and if he be pore what meane is there to
ioyne succours to our wantes by which imperfection our prosperitie standes in hazarde for want to be warned and in aduersitie we are subiect to dispaire or murmure by the intolerable burden of our necessities being no lesse hurtfull to be raised to wealth and dignitie without a frend to instruct vs to gouerne it then to be extreme poore haue no meane to releue vs therefore amongst men there is nothing more necessary then to be enuironed with friends who in their presence may assist them with good counsell and in their absence hold common faith loyaltie There be two things that proue the malice of the world to be infinit therewithal warne all men to séeke securitie in a wise wel hable frieÌ„d The first is that to him that is ouerthrown there are very few that will lend their hand to helpe him vp againe and to such as stand in wealth and fauour euery one studieth to cast stumbling blocks to make them fall In which respect that man is possest of no small treasure who hath admitted societie with a wise and wel aduised friend whose qualitie ought to be such as to comfort his friend with his eye to counsel him with his spéech to succour him with his goods to protect him with his power and not only to do his best to kéepe him from falling but if he be downe to lend him his liberall hand to remount him To the qualetie of our friend it appertaines to be discréete and secret least his lightnes make him intollerable to vs and being lauish hée can not but be troublesome to our affaires and therefore as the bosome of our friend ought to be a place of retraict for al our counsels opinions actions and enterprises so in the election of him if we first séeke that we would and suffer that we most feare since true friendship to young men is a notable sobrietie to old men an infalliable comfort to the poore sufficient riches and to the rich assured honour Let no man disclose the secrets of his heart but to such as he loueth with all his hart since it is one chiefe branch of the office of a good friend to kéepe that he heareth and conceale what he séeth and therewithall a rule most infallible that who speakes without discretion shal be aunswered with shame and confusion A true friend ought neuer to flatter his friend nor ioyne reproch to any pleasure he hath done for him taking it for his recompence that he hath don pleasure to him to whom he is bound by the merit and law of true friendship For in case of daunger and necessitie there ought betwene friends to be no delay of succours no no remedie ought to be required where all thinges are due by iustice nothing ought to be holden perticular where all things deserue to be in common nor no importunitie intâ—llerable where ought to be no necessitie of request It is not proper to all men to professe the qualetie of a friend for that if they haue power they may want disposition if they haue counsel they may haue weakenes of action and if they haue mindes to loue yet they may be subiect to the error of inconstancie so that in case of friendship men can haue no such full perfection but that in some respect they suffer infirmitie either by person or qualetie And so if you waigh the office of a friend with the inconueniences annexed and consider the state of a Lord with the seruices appertaining I hope you will neither reteyne me for a maister nor chuse me for a friend since for the one I am vnhable and to the other vnapt A letter to a noble personage wherein is debated why God afflictes good men ALbeit I haue had smal meane hithervnto to declare my good affection to you wardes and lesse expectation of great things in so poore a state as mine yet hath there not wanted good will to wish well with the best and so wishing as with effect I might expresse it leaue you satisfied of my good meaning neither to merit the more nor to aduaunce the sooner but only for the due respectes I owe to your greatnes and vertues by whose aide I confesse I haue aspired to the successe and end of all my desires And where my profession kéepes me so restrayned that to your many benefites I can giue no equall recompence I am glad that byt he request of your letter is ministred occasion to declare with what deuocion I wish to doe you seruice praying you to estéeme me not as I am but as I desire to be on your behalfe You demaund by your letter why God suffreth so many aduersities to afflict good men whereunto I aunswere that to the man of vertue nothing can happen in ill since according to the opinion of Philosophers contraries can hold no consent nor vnitie together For aduersities albeit they haue custome to vex and trouble men yet they haue no power to change the constancie and courage of a valiant resolute minde who in all reuolutions reteynes one firme and immouable vertue euen as a trée which being well rooted although he be shaked with many violent winds yet in their furie is no power to supplant him Men thorowe exercise of aduersities become humble wise and perfect and the iust man is better reformed by the proofe of afflictions then by any other meane For knowing them to bée messengers and warninges of God hee debates not the grieues he féeleth but calleth his conscience to reckoning he glorifieth himselfe in tribulation knowing that tribulations bring patience patience bréedes experience experience rayseth hope and hope can not be confounded for that the loue of God is dispersed into our hartes by the holy spirite that hath bene giuen to vs he suffreth his sorrowes but in the end he surmounts them and is not ouercome by their violence shewing then his owne greatnes and with what vertues he is enuironed when he proueth what force his pacience is of he taketh all thinges for exercise of his vertue since vertue without aduersitie wythereth and loaseth his force A noble mind ought not to feare hard and doubtfull thinges nor complaine of any perplexitie he endureth For hauing true magnanimitie he ought to take all thinges in good part and hold no fortune grieuous Let him not debate what he suffreth but determine to endure to the end since God neuer proueth his people aboue their power nor vseth to visite their frayltie otherwayes then with a shaking rod which rather threatneth then striketh Yea it is one custome in Gods affection to correct those children whom he receiueth and loueth to the end they may attaine to a true strength fayth and perfection not suffring the extremitie of his iustice to tempt them to murmure or dispaire but mildly to prepare them hauing appoynted to the godly no other passage to heauen but thorowe the furnace and fire of afâ—ictions Creatures that be fat and
preached and receyued by the greatest part of the world by which the wisedome and goodnes of God disclosed manifestly that that which floated and florished in despite of the industrie crueltie and power of the worlde was come from Heauen from whence was ministred vnto it all fauour succour and ayde The Originall of tirrannie and Idolattie together with the punishments of tirantes and Idolators how Abraham was chosen chéefe of the Hebrewes YOur letter no lesse full of modestie and swéetenesse then replenished with doctrine and iudgement bringes no small delight to me for that to your déepe science already in thinges I finde remeyning a zealous desier yet to know more wherin I can not but accompt it to belong to my office to adde to your zeale and trauell my faith and diligence though not able to teach you further yet as touching the request of your letter to shew my opinion leauing it to be controlled by that fauour and wisedome where with you are wonte to measure and iudge the errours of your frendes But touching the matter as you haue to remember that out of the race of Cain issued Nembroth the great tirant Who by his ambition and pride subdued all men and Nations of his time enforcing them to liue vnder his tribute and customes So there is no doubt but these tirranous spirittes are most hurtfull to the world and by the Scriptue reputed as ennemies of God For their desier to heare rule makes them breake all order of iustice bearing no regarde to lawes nor ordinaunces Yea in respect to encrease maintaine their principallitie they giue suffrāce to all men to be insolent with liberty to committe disordered actions In the time of Nembroth were many possessed with this wicked spirit of pride and ambition who assemblinge together conspired to builde a tower of incomparable rate of height and measure to the ende to perpetuat their name and reputation amongst men But God beholding their arrogant intentions and willing to manifest the wickednesse of that tyrannye and presumption of that pryde bréeding so many miseries and euils let fall his anger vpon them confounding in such sort the Tongs of the builders and workmen that one vnderstoode not an other since they all spake vnknowne and straunge Languages Afore the foundation of the Tower of Babilon there was but one language in all the world God then inflicting vpon the earth a wonderfull punishment by the confusion and diuersitie of speaches But thus it happened that the first men hauing lyued but vnder the vse knowledge of one tongue and now béeing in confused deuided into many dispersed themselues thorow the worlde by whose posterities haue bene continued all those diuersities of languages that now reigne This diuision of tongues was the cause that the Tower of Babilon was not ended by which occasion also the Princes of the earth leauing their tyranie were driuen to search new coūtreyes to inhabite euery one following his language as an ensigne sunder the which they might plant and multiply By this diuision of men and Countreys people fell into so great erors that forgetting the doctrine of God together wyth the promises he had made to men the most part of the world became Idolators declining to such superstitions as the deuill inuented dayly to aduaunce his purposes So that Idolatry toke his beginning of infidelitie and the wicked inclinations of men deliting leaue the right way to folow that that leades to perdition To this was much helping the forgetfulnesse of the trueth and the negligence of men caring not to folow religion and doctrine and much lesse to teach it to others An other originall or fountaine springes of the loue of our selues called Selfeloue together wyth an insaciable will which men haue to put themselues in libertie inducing them faythfully to searche a thousand waies for their satisfaction and by some meane to inuent abhominable Superstitions whervnto the deuill is so readie to minister assistance wythall the art and fauor he can that poore sinners to make them the more hardened and desperate fixing vpon certaine faulse and deceitfull experiences attribute in the ende dignitie to any thing of the which according to their coniecture they had receiued ayd or answere In other places they haue a certaine feare in their consciences which restraines them to demaund of God the things which themselues estéeme to be wicked dishonest By that it comes to passe that they are pleased with the seruice of these faulse gods who care not but only to be serued as gods wythout regarding whether the men be iust or vnrightful For seing these dissembled Gods be deuils in déed passible to all actions councels of deuils they are of cōmon congruency enemies of iustice frends to wickednes those be the preparations that the deuil finds in the harts of such as he hath enchaunted abusing them with perswasion that there is a god of battels another of robberies a God of drunkenes another of whordome all these Gods béeing most delyted with such as most are giuen to dishonest acts infidelity also the root of al sinnes was one cause why those miserable people were ignorant of the greatnes power of god yea they could not be brought to beléeue that one God was sufficient to furnish perticulerly al things necessary to the vse of men seruice of the world of this came the plurality of gods men belieuing that they were restrained to precinct and limit that euery god had his perticuler estate to gouerne Of which sprang the first Idolatry for some worshipped the Sunne with many other triffling and dishonest things others did worship to deuilles which abused them by illusions oracles yea somtimes by certaine aparances of remedies tending notwithstanding to their ruine This blindnes was suffered by the iustice of god to punish such as leauing the light run after darknesse making themselues iudges of their proper affections ruled their hartes according to the same how good or euil so euer they were in which respect god willing to punish those vices excesses suffered the deuill to raise faulse signes miracles euen to aduance the destruction of such as fell into spoyle by their infidelitie and multitude of their transgressions And albeit Idolatrie was great before the flud and that the worlde pursued alwayes his first corruption béeing stirred vp by the Deuill who induced men to a forgetfulnesse of God Yet the mercie of God who had not forgotten his Promises made to mankinde so prouyded for the effect of his Promise that he chused a People particular to reestablish wyth him the trueth of his Promises and alliaunces To them he gaue a perfecte lyght to guyde them agaynst those Darkenesse and obstinacies which the Deuil raysed agaynst them he established lawes and ordinaunces touching the Seruice of Religion wyth expresse Commaundement that they obserue them and bée attentiue to the worde of God the better to arme
of his furie is but losse of diligence For that hauing no capacitye of councell perswasions are in vaine where there is not a spirit tractable there can be no possibility of reformation being better to suffer his fury then to minister aduise for that bathing in the heate of his anger he standes more néede of a brydle then of a spur Therfore whosoeuer hath conuersation with a man chollerike standes in more necessity of polecie then of power for that anger being to be appeased by discression receiues no medecine if it be not perfect in time place qualetie and euery other circumstaunce conducible to purge but not to paine There be more thinges which time moderates then that reason accordes as are séene in the experience of many great quarrelles of many great personages whom neyther friendes could entreat nor enemies feare nor Golde could allure nor other presentes reclaime And yet after time haue had his Course there hath bene founde a facilitie in that which afore séemed difficult and desperate Time hath power to change parties and passions to newe men to giue newe affections by which it happeneth that he that suffereth with the time shal sée burne the hart of his aduersary in the same fire wherewyth he supposeth himselfe is consumed the wise man hath his tongue in his hart but he that is angrie and furious hath his hart in his tongue The one is angrie for that he suffereth and prayseth all that he speaketh but the other is gréeued when his Tongue Runnes at Lybertye and reioyseth most when hée suffereth most Yea Patience is the inuention of God and leades men to beare all mutations wyth courage and constancie and in Calamities not to bée vnfurnished of Remedies A discourse of the Ages of mans lyfe THere hath bene an Auncient Question what be the Ages of mans life and whether there be sixe or seuen of them wherin the better to be resolued we must presuppose that this word age is vnderstanded in two sortes as the age of the world and the age of man The age of the world beares nomber and reckoning both according to the Poets and collection of the christian authors the poets make foure ages of the worlde the first of Golde the second of siluer the third of brasse the fourth of Iron The first inuentor of this particion of ages was Sibill of Cuma from whom the Latine Poets draw their coniectures as appeareth in Ouid in the first booke of his Metamor where he discourseth vpon the foure Ages when and how they passed And according to the accompt of the christians ther be viii ages that is to say seauen afore the comming of Christ and one since But because our question concernes nothing the ages of the world we will leaue them at libertie and reason only of the ages of men Whereof I sée not how it is possible to speake resolutely for that it is a thing not certaine in it selfe and hanges altogether vppon the authoritie and opinions of auncient writers of whom we haue to beleue best such as bare most credite First it is affirmed by many that there be these seuen ages in the life of man infancie puerilitie mans estate youth grauetie old age and state decrepit they restraine one part of these ages to a certaine nomber of yeares and leaue the rest without limit Touching the opinion of the nomber it semes to holde some similitude with reason for that seuen is a nomber vniuersall and accomplished And in that nomber if wée accompt the seuen Planets the mouing of whom causeth the generations and corruptions in the earth By greater reason vnder this word seuen we may also applie the course and continuation of the time for that by the same science and reason that the auncients reduced the Planets into seuen and they to enclose in their motions the reuolution of times euen by the same may we also establish seuen ages which may comprehend the life and continuance of man There were others that set downe but sixe ages Infancie Puerilitie Mans state Youth Grauetie and Old age of this opinion is Jsidorus whom by reason of his authoritie wée will follow for the present confessing notwithstanding that in some respects there may be seuen ages in the life of man But this last opinion semes most reasonable in this for that it speaketh more distinctly of the yeres of the ages then the other that establisheth seuen for that it can not debate destinctly of the yeres of youth and mans state In this sort is the reckoning of these ages Jnfancie which is the first age begins euen from the birth of man and continueth til seuen yeres be accomplished it is called in Latine Jnfantia for that in that age all thinges are holden childish that he doth not hauing any libertie of spéech nor other thing to expresse his perfection Puerilitie being the second age continueth from seuen to fourtene yeres The Latines call it Pueritia for that it is an age pure and not stayned with any abhominable vice being as yet not defiled with vnchast mocions nor disposed to the vile pleasures of the flesh as afterwardes it is Of this beastlines and vile humor of the flesh the Apostle makes plaine discription when he bids vs shoonne fornication For all other sinnes that man commits are without his bodie but he that commits whoredome sinneth in his body and against his bodie This age then is very pure as being not so hable to the beastly actions of the flesh as is the other that succéedes which is Mans estate according to the text in Genesis saying the senses and thoughtes of the hart of man are giuen to ill euen from his Mans estate But for al this we must not thinke that Puerilitie is exempted from the vices and sinnes which generally defile man For that which comes from the hart corruptes man sayth the Lord and therefore since this age is not frée from lende words and wicked thoughts it can not be altogether pure So that to exempt it altogether from sinne is too great an error And where some holde that children béeing somewhat growne haue no sinne but begin to sinne at fouretene yeares when haire begins to appeare in their naturall places It were an opinion to bée suffred if men committed sinne in no other members then in their partes of generation But who doubtes that stealing lying and swearing bée not sinnes whereunto young children aboue all other vices are most enclined So that wee may say that this age is exempt onely from the sinne of the flesh but not from other corruptions And albeit it bee pure and cleane from vice in his beginning yet that innocencie continueth not till the end of the age and procedes for that in the beginning they haue not the vse of discretion and by that want no power to doe good or ill as to bée estéemed yll or good Séeing the good and the ill are measured by the
mind fashioned of Drosse and fylth Séeing that in the house of God and where his loue is in office there ought to bée no Excuse of thinges Required nor Denyall to doe that is commaunded Oh that God giues a great grace to that man on whom hee béestoweth a hearte of massiue and weightye Golde as of the contrarie wretchednesse is his portion whose hearte is vayne light and hollow agaynst such men the Prophet beares witnesse Cor eorū vanum est For that the harte is the furnace wherein are framed all our desires and passions and the fordge whereon are Beaten all our trauelles and actions God sayth then that that which hée selleth vnto vs is no other thing then gold enflamed that is Gold Purifyed and Burning Wherein is géeuen vs to know that from that instant that the Loue of God hath touched our heart it wyll alwayes burne it will alwayes praye it wyll alwayes sight and it wyll neuer cease to loue The loue of God beeinge of suche Qualetie that in what mynde so euer hée makes hys aboade hée wyll not suffer to remayne any ill wickednesse or idlenesse Golde enflamed is sewer the loue of the Lorde séeing that with his sparcklinge flames it kindleth our vnderstanding enflameth our harte warmeth our will and burneth to ashes our offences Yea at the heat of that fire the elect are warmed and the reprobat smothered but the zeale of the louers of the worlde is not Golde enflamed for that it is entangled wyth this propertie to Burne wythout warming and to make Weary wythout resting it scorcheth and not purifyeth it terryfyeth and not assureth and killeth wythout remedie The mettall which is solde in the shoppe of the worlde is not Golde but Leade is not substaunce but scumme yea it is rather drosse then Golde séeing that such as loue wyth the affection of the worlde are euen those that come out of it in the end most smeared and corrupted The loue which the Lorde selleth is not onely Gold enflamed but very well refined and proued The first profe passing in himselfe in the trée of the Crosse and receiued Confyrmation by the Martyrdome of Saynt Peter and others by whose passions and torments the loue of Iesus Christ was well ratified and approued Quando apostoli ibant à conspectu concilij quoniam digni habiti sunt pro nomine Jesu cōtumeliam pati Right worthely was approued within their hartes the loue of Christ séeing they went to their execution better contented and glad then all the Princes of the world when they go to receiue the crowne of a kingdome Right well was approued the loue of Iesus Christ within the hart of S. Paule when he sayd ego Paulus vinctus in domino holding him selfe more happie to be fettred in chaines for the loue of God then if he had bene raysed to the greatest principalitie of the earth Touching the loue of the world frayle and vaine wyth greater reason we may call it reproued then approued séeing one man loues not an other but for respect of interest and commoditie So that as the seruants of God loue him with all their power including no other reason then the consideration of his greatnes and mercie So worldly men loue one an other no longer nor no more then there is possibilitie of gaine and recompence and therefore deserueth to be called and affection reprobate for that it beares regard to the benefit and not to the matter In this part of the text we haue also to consider that the Lord willeth vs not to buy gold of any other then of him offring it to vs of him selfe both purified and burning and all to instruct vs that it is he only of whom we are to obtaine grace to loue him and loue to serue him Besides this gold of the loue of the Lord will not be communicated to vs for nothing least we should estéeme it little Neither is it to be sold to vs at a deare price to the end we refuse it not and much lesse will it bée prised because it is without value and estimation onely all that is required of vs is that we retribute vnto the Lord loue for loue and giue our affection in recompence and change of his And séeing our loue is ambicious and blind in worldly things and altogether caried to light and strange desires Let not that man thinke hée giues little who vnto Iesus Christ giues his whole hart And he since he selleth not to vs but loue sincere and holy let vs not in enterchange returne to him affections fained infected and doubtfull great is the zeale of Christ who being loue and the better to lead our affections he teacheth vs how to loue The Lord make vs as we ought to be to the end we may the better minister to his commaundements and seruice and séeing hée is the true Lord that hath made vs of earth and referred vs eftsones to the destinie of the earth and that we haue nothing to giue in exchange for his loue of gold but a small affection and that cankared and infected Let vs beséech him that our corrupt drosse may be made acceptable to him and his precious and purified gold become profitable to our saluation A short Letter partly in rebuke and partly in perswasion WHen the miserie of others wil not make you kéepe a meane with your fortune nor the experience of harmes past touch you in example and warning I sée no other safetie remayning then may be hoped for in a ship who tossed with many stormes séekes her securitie where the sea goeth most high and raging But being happie in friendes you liue carelesse of chances estéeming your selfe subiect to the sentence of Solomon that that which the euill man feareth shall assuredly happen vnto him I vnderstand by your messenger the state of your perplexitie together with the possibilitie of your perill if present pollicie be not vsed for the which I am so much the more sory by how much our frendship is auncient and so much the lesse carelesse by how much it ministreth interest to our common alliance Two qualities of such fast coniunction that nothing can dissolue them for that alliance is congealed in the bloud and friendship makes his knot in the hart as touching the regard of a friend I maruell I haue not heard of you thus long for that amongst friends when their persons are deuided the next office is to communicate by intelligence but remembring that forgetfulnes is a swéete error I haue long since cut of all expectation to heare front you specially since you haue dedicated your selfe to sanctuaries churchyardes and churches of refuge where I thinke you establish your resort not so much for deuocion and remorse as to giue cooller to some abuse and wrong Remember that to offend God and disobey iustice is an act so duly deseruing punishment that there is no doubt of the reuenge though not vppon the person of the imediat offender yet vppon
the posteritie generation of his house this being an infallible rule in the reuenge of God that when he deferreth he striketh with more vehemencie redoubling the blow according to the time he spareth to strike I pray you tell m◠if it be ill done to hurt an other why is it your practise and if it be a vertue to make restitution why forbeare you to satisfie the wronges you haue done For my part I can not accompt it either to honour or valiancie for a man to put him selfe in necessitie for the safetie of his person eschewing the face of iustice no more is it wisedome in any man to offer his life to perill in hope of remedie I doubt whether at this instant you stand in greater necessitie of counsell then of reliefe for that they bée two miseries that goe ioyntly with afflictions Amongest all your other friends debating of your fortune I pray you think that to giue you counsell I am very yong to minister to your wants I am a religious man And yet by the vertue of our friēdship I cā not but send to you though not to satisfie you yet to shew my self careful hoping that séeing my facultie stretcheth no further you wil accept my good wil since that who giueth what he hath can shew no greater liberalitie Touching your businesse I wish you to withdraw your selfe from thence and be more familiar here by which meane you shal be further deuided from your aduersaries and find your iudges more fauorable the same being also a degrée to appease the mindes of your enemies if you cease to search them further that being the greatest reuenge you can giue to make small estimation of your enemies There is no loue that weareth not nor hatred that endeth not if we giue place to time and cut occasions from vs For as tract of time carieth with it a law of forgetfulnes of things past so when the louer discontinueth and the enemie is absent the loue is turned into forgetfulnes and the hatred into a mountaine of smoke Who wil be frée from blame must not only forbeare to do ill but eschew the suspicion euen so to purchase quiet it is good to doe no wrong but to keepe vs from quarrell it is necessary to cut of occasions By the importunitie of your request to solicit your cause you séeme to hold my friendship suspected Wherein your error is so much the greater by how much you know your businesse findes fauour by my diligence and industrie And your selfe can giue good testimonie that from the beginning my friendship hath bene greater then your merit and in my care and counsel haue consisted the whole course of your well doing so that I wish your condicion better tempred then to be bitter in hatred and suspicious in friendship You ought to know that in all things there is meane but in the conuersation of a friend with whom this is chiefely to bée obserued either altogether to forsake him or wholy to trust him assuring you that that mā is no friend that retayneth distrust séeing friendship requireth faith and merit Amongst true friends nothing ought to be reiected nor any thing to deserue suspicion And albeit it is not out of pollicie to stand in distrust doubt of our enemie yet so simple ought we to be towardes our friend as in his bosome to powre our secrets and not to be Ielouse of any counsell he giueth since true friendship can brooke no distrust and where is no treason there can be no possibilitie of deceite A Letter of a daintie Lady falne sicke for the death of her little dogge MAdame taking the opportunitie as it is I am bold to write to you not so much to comfort your sorow as to rebuke the occasion estéeming me so much the lesse apt to minister remedie by how much your disease is particuler light and fantastike Amongest such as are sicke it is a ready degrée to amendement to reappose hope in their Phisition euen so where the cause is more then naturall there the office of the Phisition is but vaine for that the patient languisheth more by opinion thē by infirmitie It ill becomes the Phisition to laught at the griefe of his Patient and yet the cause being found vaine and easie there is no reason he should make sorowe where the cure is neither desperate nor doubtfull and more doth it concerme the comfort of the sick that he be mery with the passion of his Patient then to dissemble a heauines in that which of it selfe is both light and friuolous It hath bene alwaies a condicion of the world that where some perished others found safetie where one receiued honour an other suffered infamie And where some find cause to smile and laugh others are followed with teares wéeping al proceding of the instabilitie and change that followeth all the thinges of the world And as in one place of the sea we sée the water calme and mylde and in an other full of tempest and storme and one part of the land disposed to diuersitie of weathers and an other quarter all cleare and resolued So it happeneth many times to the Children of men that according to their diuersitie of complexions they bring forth varietie of Passion some suffring sicknes when others enioy health many subiect to malencolly when others delite to be merie and sundrie féele the head-ach with laughing when the rest get sore eyes with teares and wéeping So that it being a thing sure that calmes succéede stormes and stormes followe fayre weather it is good that none swell and rise high in prosperitie and much lesse be doubtfull in aduersitie For that in the end there is no perplexitie which weareth not nor any pleasure which loaseth not his proper qualitie And as all thinges are to be taken in one of these thrée sortes either to lament them laugh at them or dissemble them So good Madame your Passion rising but for the losse of your litle Dogge deserueth more to be laughed at then dissembled séeing that as you loued it vainely so though you wéepe for it yet your sorrowe can not bée but light Our Moother Eue sorowed for her sonne Abell and Mary Magdalen wept for her sinnes but you bearing litle compassion to your present offences and lesse consideration to your vertues past forbeare not to shed teares for the losse of your litle Dogge A passion heretofore neuer expressed by any and much lesse conuenient to your reputation grauetie For that to great Ladies striuing to be holden modest and vertuous it ought to be a chiefe care to auoyd the imputation of vanitie lightnes And true teares being no other thing the droppes of bloud which distil from the hart by the eyes there is nothing wherein we can expresse better effect of true affection then to wéepe for the losse of our friend For that the sorowfull hart being enclosed within the intrailes hauing neither féete to goe nor handes to make
signes hée manifesteth by mouth that which hée loueth and by his teares makes declaration of his payne By which argument good Madam I say it can not bée but you beare no small affection to your litle Dogge séeing you mourne for him with so great apparance of sorowe The tongue publisheth nothing but our thoughts but in the teares is expressed the true propertie of our affection whereuppon it followeth that though in men and women bée found sometime a custome of fayned wordes yet it can not bee but their teares for the most part are true and simple And therfore it is a false testimonie against women to say that their teares bée alwayes fayned although in this they may dissemble when they wéepe for one thing to say it is for an other béeing a propertie very familiar with the most of them to haue two coollers to one meaning and as the saying is to beare two complexions in one face This I haue sayed for the defence of your sighes and in fauour of your teares which I thinke you haue shed with small deuocion although with very franke and good hart séeing according to the reapport you haue bene euer since trauailed with an Ague and exercised in those passions that kéepe you continually in your Bedde But to vse plainenes according to my profession I can not maruell so much at your teares as I am sory that so small a thing should make you to wéepe being a thing more vertuous to lament your sinnes then to be heauie for the losse of your litle puppie And I can not with patiēce beleue that being as you are both noble honorable therwithal reputed wise vertuous you haue bestowed your loue on a thing so vile base séeing that such are they that loue as is the thing that they loue For that so great is the force of loue that he that loueth suffreth conuersion into the thing which he loueth therfore to loue things reasonable belongs to the affectiōs of men but in louing things brute insensible we cannot but be made like vnto them Your friends here beare some shame that you haue chosen so base a subiect to gouern your affection not without reason do your enemies smile your friēds mourne at it for that it is contrary to the vertue and reputation of any either to fixe their eyes or occupie their thoughts but where the hart may be well employed and the loue gratified The best part of the body is the hart and the most precious iewell of the hart is the affection which if it bée not well employed the partie may esteme himselfe vnhappie for that in that man there can be possibilitie to liue well in whom is no proofe or meane of honest affection What propertie of loue shold you beare to your little puppie from who you could draw no other pleasure then to araye your garments with haires to make a noyse in your chamber when you would sléepe to fill you ful of flease and to be alwayes in feare to be stolne from you all which conclude against your wisedome for mourning for a thing so harmefull and of so base importance To loue a little dogge a Monkie a Parrot or other singing Bird is not ill nor dishonest if your affection be ioyned to this condicion not to followe them otherwayes then with your eyes to behold them and your eares to heare them not estéeming them worthy of other affection Séeing that of such thinges we may make our seruice and solace without ielousie to kéepe them or compassion to loase them Yea to make sorowe for such trifles excedes the limits of an honorable Lady is contrary to the office of a good Christian Wherein if I were the iudge afore whom should be debated the loue you beare to your little Dogge and the transgressions of your life sure I could not but laugh at the follie of the one and wéepe for the Offences of the other It is Written that the great Alexander buried his horse the Emperour Augustus his Parrot and Prince Heliogabalus made a graue for his Sparow at whose obsequies he prayed and caused the body to be embawmed If you had hard or read of these it may be by their example you would haue built a a tombe for your little Dogge although I accompt to worse purpose the teares you haue let fall for him then the sepulchers and ceremonies which those Pagans made for their dead beastes And so good Madame God giue you a spirite to wéepe for your sinnes and a mind to leaue of to mouone for thinges vaine and transitory To an olde Gentleman enamored of a young Ladie this letter toucheth the perplexities which amorous Dames giue to their seruants and friendes AFter so long scilence I wold some better occasion had bene giuen then to recontinue our auncient quarrell wherin is no expectation of other effect then hapneth by the Chirurgion when hée commeth to reaue in an olde wound which by how much more it hath discontinued the vse and seruice of plaesters by so much doth it bring payne to the patient suffring the new opening of his hurt And albeit amongest friendes there can not bée a more necessary action then to minister counsell the same being the first effect of that fayth and vertue which ought to be considered in the election of friendes Yet to some men it is hatefull to be counselled in thinges contrary to their will and affection esteming it better to dwell in the lust of their particular desires then to be warned euen as the miserable patient findes it swéeter to giue libertie to his wound then to suffer it to haue cure with a litle paine in the beginning But for my part hauing ioyned alwayes our long friendship an honest care of your weldoing I can not hold my selfe discharged in office if I debate not franckly the estate of your auncient abuses although there remaynes no expectation of other fruite then hapneth to the Chirurgion who comming to vncouer an olde wound long corrupted séemes griuous to his patient I perceiue by your letter you are falen into a practise of new loues which being a new hurt to your olde wound you séeme also to demaund a new remedie at my hand as though I had the facultie both to let bloud and close vp the vaine I would I were with you for that hauing libertie to communicate there may be many things spoken which are not conueniēt to be written But more do I wish that you would haue vsed me in an other office since for matters of loue you are not now in age to follow it and much lesse is it consonant to my grauetie to giue you counsell my habit my authoritie my place being all against it It is not to you and me to whom it belongeth to solicite in loue and much lesse are we subiects wherin he takes his delites grace recreation For that you being loden with yeres and I tied to my
frendship or in me is lacke of liberalitie The frendshippe grounded vpon couetousnesse is ended by couetousnesse and therfore amongest true friendes there ought to be no ende in friendshippe nor limit in liberalitie Where you wryte to be aduertised of the affayres of the Bishoppe of T. I aunswere that it is no small payne to haue to doe wyth men wanting gouernement and of no will to put their minds in quiet and tranquilitie Séeing that in whom is no controlement of tongue nor brydle to restrayne their selfe wil in them is for the most parte sufficient occasion to trouble whole Common Weales where they dwell and to themselues to bring no small contention Yea there cannot be a greater disgrace in a man then to be discontented in himselfe For albeit no man in this worlde can liue contented on all partes yet we may eyther quite exempt our selues or at least auoyde many of those troubles and displeasures which of our selues we searche There be many people of this nature not onely not to eschew harmes and inconueniences but also will put wynges to their fortune and runne to séeke them afore they be ready to happen More is the necessitie of industrie to restraine and stay such men from doing harme to themselues then for auoyding hurt to others Of that sort of men is the Bishop of T. who beareth his great affaires as the Sumpterhorse doth his burthen who whylest it is in laying on his backe standeth still and sturreth not but if you offer to take it of he yearkes and flinges as though there were perill towardes him Your L. may be sory for the losse of our dear friend F. M. who losing his lyfe hath left his friendes voyde of the societie of a noble Gentleman assuring you that if he had beléeued my aduise that misefortune had not happened For that I alwayes told him that a faction of the communalty is no other thing then a hollow Eccho which resoundes wyth a voyce and sounde cleare but can not be founde nor beareth no substance And therefore to men that trauell in the action of great affaires it is no wisedome to reiect the Councell of friendes for that otherwayes who will not take moderate correction shall be sewer to suffer penaunce of a blouddie and vyolent force A discourse touching such as are in the Ministery and professe Religion Qui perseuerauerit vsque in finem saluus erit SAint Mathew in his xxiiij chapter promiseth this comfortable recompence to such as folow the seruice of god in religion that who perseuereth to the end shall be saued receiue for rewarde the euerlasting ioyes of heauen Wherein albeit the redéemer of the world taught his Disciples to be Christians and that in renouncing their proper wills and tyed them straytly to the law and obseruation of his commaundementes yet by the doctrine of these wordes we see it doth little auayle all that they can doe if they perseuer not to the end But to make more plaine and easie to the vnderstanding of men these wordes of Iesus Christ we must first presuppose that as many vices are disguised wyth the similitude of vertues so in many vertues is a plaine face and apparance of vice as patience constancy magnanimity benignity long suffring humility force the truth and property of all which being knowne we shall find that euery one is subiect to his perticular and diuerse diffinition The vertue of patience is no other thing then a hart martired in sorrows and passions expressing notwithstanding in his outwarde actions a spirite of contentment and gladnes and not onely beareth his present perplexities but also is prepared to the passion of al such as may happen of this sort was the patience of Tobias Job in whom much lesse that there could be discouered any estat or shew of their griefes but as true examples of patience seemed to take pleasure in their aduersities euen as the Salimander that delyts to bath his limmes amid the flames of most whot burning fyre The vertue of constancie is then declared when a man neyther by trouble disgrace or misfortune chaungeth not his hearte from the deuotion and businesse he followeth as was expressed in the perseueraunce of the happye Ioseph in Egipt and the assuraunce of that affable Moyses in the Desart In whom the offer of Beautie and what else appertayneth to the swéete desires of the fleshe had no power of Temptation in the one nor in the mutinie and murmure of so many factious people was possibilytie to wythdraw the other from the seruice he was called vnto That is true Magnanimitie when the harte of one man alone dare enterprise vppon graue thinges both daungerous to beginne and very harde to execute the efect of this vertue was well expressed in the Prophete Dauid when he assayled and vanquished the Gyant and in Elyas when he roase to confounde Jezabell The vertue of Benignetie or myldenesse of hearte is ioyned to that man who séekes not nor will not render ill for ill no not so much as to recompence a wrong receiued wyth iniuries or vyle wordes according to the myldnesse of Micheas who suffering an outrage of a blow on the eare the iniurie was afterwardes reuenged by a Dog. The vertue of long sufferance appeareth in that man that is neyther wearie nor vexed though his troubles and perplexities encrease and his helpes and remedies diminishe are far of according to the experience testimonie of S. Paule who was trauelled with many malices dangers in the worlde and that for many yeares The vertue of méekenesse or humilitie followeth that man whose harte is resolued into such tranquility that he is not mooued for any iniurie he heareth and much lesse disquieted for any vice he séeth Wyth this vertue was endued the holy man S. John Euangelist in whose humilytie and myldnesse of minde is an example to all Christians to yéelde to the aduersities that the enemies of God impose vppon them hoping for that comfort and rewarde which that holy man did fynde This is a true effect of the vertue of force when a man stands so resolute and valiant in mind that neyther by Temptation he waxeth weake nor by importunitie of trauell he forbeareth to doe good Of this vertue were notable and holy examples S. Anthony and S. Hillary suffering great Temptations in the Desert and yet not forbearing euen there to doe great seruices to god But for that our principall intention is to entreate of the excellencies of perseuerance adioyning wyth all what necessity we haue of the vertue of force it is not impertinent that we touch somewhat the opinions of the Philosophers and also what the holy Fathers thought particularly of it S. Augustine sayth that no other thing is the vertue of force then a Burning and vehement affection trauelling a frée and liberall minde passible to all thinges whether their qualetie be harde or easie vntill he attayne to that he
desireth or possesse the thinges whereon he hath fixed his affection and zeale Cicero speaking of force attributed firmenesse and constancie to no other thing then a determination of a valiant minde who dissembleth that which he desireth and suffereth thinges that he would not Macrobus referreth to no other thing the vertue of force then to the harte of a man Heroycall and valiant whom prosperitie cannot rayse into wéening or fircenes nor aduersitie makes weake or faynt in courage Aristotle giues this iudgment of the vertue of force that it is a certayne strength and courage of a mynde resolute which estéemeth aduersitie to bée no other thing then the stipende and recompence of some dishonest act Lucius Senequa attributes so much to the excellency of a man hardy and valiant that he makes it more easie to take a Cytie well garded then to vanquish a minde enuironed wyth force and vertue Saynt Hierome sayth that no other thing is the discourse of this lyfe then a high and publyke way on whose right hande marcheth the valyant and hardy man on the left part the coward and faynt harted and betwéene them goeth he that we call strong and resolute Plato is of opinion that the prerogatiues of constancie and force are to moderate anger wyth méekenesse malice wyth loue aduersitie wyth perseuerance and feare wyth patience S. Gregory referreth the vertue and operation of constancie and force to vanquishe the fleshe to resist appetytes to dispise delytes to affect thinges of hard enterprise and not to eschew those that are perillous and paynefull So great is the qualetie of this vertue of force that it is necessary to all the other vertues For if it minister not to iustice Temperance Chastetie and wisedome to come to their endes they would easely loase their operation and suffer conuersion So that to enterprise any good worke wisedome is necessary for the beginning discretion to manage and guide it and constancie to bring it to execution The good lucke and felicitie of the good Pilot consistes not altogether to guyd well the Helme but rather that he bring it to aryue safe at the Hauen Euen so Iesus Christ promyseth not the Kyngdome of Heauen to such onely as are Baptized nor to him that is called a Christian and muche lesse to any that for a tyme doth the Woorkes of a Christian if he perseuere not in his Seruice For the Crowne of Tryumphe is not bestowed vppon him that goeth to the Warres but is worthely reserued for suche as obtayne the victorye Euen as in the lyke resemblaunce it is a vayne Labour to the Husbandman to manure and sowe his Lande if afterwardes eyther for feare to be tyered or in doubt to be made wearie wyth trauell he forbeare to labor in Haruest and forgetteth to bring his Corne home to the Barne Lykewyse if a Poore man making some voyage and doubting to fynde the way harde or vneasie or his Iourney long retourneth géeuing ouer that hée hath begone Let him assuredly looke to loase that hee hath spent and wythall to forgoe the purpose and expectation of his Trauayle Hée that Laboureth by the daye is not payed his hyer for that hée brynges onely his Mattocke into the Garden but workyng from Morning till night hée is woorthye of his Wages and hath it The wyfe of Loth was transformed into an Image or stoane of Salt for that shée tourned her heade to looke backe to Sodome contrarie to the Commaundement of God saying Goe alwayes furth right without loking backe The same being an example and doctrine to instruct vs how wretched the worlde is and hauing once forsaken it wée ought not so much as once Looke backe to it and muche lesse reappose Confydence in it Great was the constancie of Moyses and Aaron in not condiscending to the Requestes Presentes and Threates which the great Kynge Pharao practised to haue them abyde in Egypt and not to drawe from thence the People of Israell wyth whom I agrée that in cases to retourne to the worlde and giue ouer any good thing that we haue begon we ought to reiect the prayers of our frendes and much lesse to be moued wyth any other temptation Of this is a good example Ioseph the sonne of Jacob who being solde into Egipt and in great opportunitie to possesse the beautie of the queene would not for all that defyle his conscience but had regard to his constancie and bare care to the reputation of his master By his example let vs be warned that greater necessity haue we of resolute minds to resist vices and present sinnes together with the offers and temptations that are ministred then to repulse or defende an enemie that assayleth vs Many were the perswasions of the Bretherne of Dauid to haue the kinge to retourne to his howse and goe no more to the Warres but muche lesse that their importunities were sufficient to make him giue ouer Armes séeing he redoubled his courage and eftsoones assailed the great Goliath Géeuing vs to know thereby that wée ought rather to loase the liues that wée haue then to leaue of the good wée haue béegonne Muche was estéemed the Constancie of Nehemias and Esdras in the Buylding of the Temple which they made at Ierusalem in which worke many threatened them they suffered many passions of iniuries and were by many wayes dysswaded from their enterprise Wherefore let the Seruaunt of god hold it for a signe that he doth then some good worke when the wycked wythstande or contende agaynst him Great was the Constancie of Mardocheas vnckle to the Quéene Hester when he could not be brought to doe worship nor any humylity to proud Hamā a grauer of Idols great enemy to the Hebrues by whose examples we are taught that it belongs to vs to estrāge our selues altogither from those men that diswade vs from our saluatiō inuite vs to sinne No lesse was the constancy of the holy woman Susanna in disobeying the wicked iudges desiring her to defile mariage and consent to thir cursed luste Whose vertue may serue as a doctrine to all Christians that neyther for feare of Punishment nor by force none ought to commit any great transgression séeing God kéeps a garde and reckoning aswell of our honor as our lyfe and is as ready for our defence as he was to preserue the chastetie of Susanna All these examples I thought not amisse to reduce into discourse to the ende that good men might striue still to pursue the seruice of the Lorde and the wicked be afryayde to tourne backe Wherein let all men hold this for a fayth and law infallible that the Lorde neuer forgetteth him that serueth him and much lesse is farre from those that follow him according to his prouidence ouer the Prophet Daniell who being out of his Countrey and by the sentence of tyrantes throwne into the Denne of Lyons abandoned of all succour of men was not forgot of the Lord who sent his Prophete Abacuke not onely to
the customes and conuersasions of men they doe also impropriate many thinges to the actions of men extolling men of vertue and imbasing such as séeke their felicity in vices and are as it were men of nothing There is the first poynt to be considered by all men of iudgement in the reading as well of Ouid as of other Poets And for the second it is to be noted that when there was any man excellent whether in sciences or in armes or in influency of wit or had some other singuler or soueraygne qualety which made him seruiceable to his common weale suche men the Poets called the Children of God and when they dyed they helde them transformed into Planets and Starres the same to sturre vp others the rather to vertue if any man brought forth any act of vertue or singularytie of what nature or moment so euer it were they extolled him to the heauens as appeareth in the glory which they gaue to the Philosopher Promotheus who for that he was the first in Egypt that shewed vnto men a forme of Ciuylity instructing them to liue lyke men and shake of that beastly ignoraunce wherein they were resolued They fayned that he had stolne the fire from heauen which is wisedome to communicate it to men for that Atlas was a great Astrologian they feine that he holdes vp the heauen And because Iupiter and his race were also singuler in that science they ascrybed their names to principall Planets In other places the Poets séeing the hartes of men after they had once receiued the impression of errors in their braines to continue hardened and obstinate in their false imaginations feyned that Dewcalion Pirrha had conuerted stoanes into men But as Paulus Perusus Wryteth those simple People had red in the auncient histories of the Greekes the particuler deluge that fell in Thessalie during the which the people of that country sought their safety in the Hill Pernassus other high mountaines remaining there in great amaze amongst the rocks forrestes caues without any courage or disposition to discend eftsoons to the plaines folow the commodities of the earth til by Dewealion Pirrha his wife skilful in the course of the stars they were satisfied by naturall reasons that those great waters were caused by certaine constellations influencies that it wold be a very lōg time afore the like imundatiō hapned The Poets also when they went about to aduaunce chastety fained a transformation of persons chaste into trées alwayes gréene as the Oliue and Lawrell into the which were transhaped Lotus and Daphe signifying by that continuall gréenesse virginity vndefyled and so following those fictions they compared men both good and ill to many trees according to the good and bad properties they had In like sort they feyned that all youngmen dying in the flower of their age and hauing any sparcke of vertue were transfigured into flowers gréene tender and delicate withering forthwith Ouid makes Hyacintus a yong and forward prince to be chaunged into a Flower And so sayth he of Adonis Narcissus Ermaphroditus wyth others And of the contrary when he sought to blame and deface vices the better to make men abhorre them he transformeth men dissolute and licencious into brute beastes ▪ the same agreeing with the text of Boecius that who liueth beastly and according to the inclinations of beastes may be holden transhaped changed into beasts The Giants for that they were men proude and intractable denying the truth and power of their Gods raysed warre against them were by the fiction of the Poets cōnuerted into Apes truely resembling that wicked men and such as by presumption and hawtinesse of hart will not acknowledge their Creator but hunt after brutallity are not improperly compared to beasts retayning no other thing of men then the outward figure as we see in the similitude and proportiō of Apes with this opinion agreeth Cicero who holdeth the warres of the Giants none other thing then a life disordered vnbridled and out of reason thervpon came the Metamorphoses of Licaon into a Wolfe For being king of Arcadia he was so tirannous towards his people that they drew into reuolt by the Councell and ayde of Iupiter he was constrayned to retyre into the Forrestes Praying by rauyne and stealth vppon Passengers as the Woolfe doth vppon the Sheepe The Poets also paynting forth any cruel tyranny feyned Tyrauntes transchaunged into Hawkes of praye as Dedalion whom they make cōuerted into a Bitter And for suche as dare not iustefye themselues in the face of the world by reason of their lyfe abhominable they feyne them conuerted into Byrdes and fowle that flye not but by night Such one was Nictimenes transfygured into an Owle the caryers of newes and Tales were chaunged into Crowes and Rauens Men Effeminate employing their time to Frissle their heyre Perfume their Garmentes and beholde their face in a Glasse are lykened to the Seamews and Cranes which are alwaies pruning their Feathers And to detect the abhomination of pryde presumption vaineglory they brought in the daughters of Cinaca who for that they were the Daughters of a Riche and myghty Father dispysed all other that were pore But God made their pryde subiect to such iustice that their pouerty and misery brought them in the end to lye alwaies at the gates of the temples begging almes so according to the fiction of the poets they were tourned into stons seruing as the stayrs or steps of the temple Such as drowned or strangled themselues represented the insatiable desire of the couetous who albeit haue all they desire yet they rest not contented but in following the infinit motion of their appetyte they finde their owne destruction by dispaire feyning for an example of that figure Mydas to be conuerted into Golde For a spectacle of enuy and the workes thereof they paynt out Aglauros For a paterne of whordome they bring in Circes who was a whorso excellent in bewtie that she enchaunted all such as behelde her according to the fiction of Horace And because bawdes and whoremongers alwayes attending on the trayne of publyke women are lyke vnto swyne the Poets feyned the followers of Vlisses to be transfigured into swyne To blase prodigallity and such as were too much giuen to their delytes they paynted Acteon tourned into a hart who was so much drowned in the pleasures of hunting that in the ende his Dogs deuoured him Epicures and such as séeke so much to please the lycorrous taste of their mouth that no ryches can suffize them they feyne in the ende to eat one an other as dyd Erisichcton whom they feyned to eat himselfe vnder this figure that he consumed the money which the whoremongers gaue him to lye wyth his Daughter They feyne also this Erisichcton to be the sonne of Proteus a God of the Sea transformed into sundry sortes of Creatures signifying thereby the lyghtnes of our affections who by their inconstancy