this yet is the afflicted soule to bee content abiding Gods good leisure who as hee doth wound so he can cure and as hee opened old Tobiths eyes so can he when he pleaseth where he pleaseth and as hee pleaseth open the bleered eyes of understanding so with a patient expectance of Gods mercy and Christian resolution to endure all assaults with constancie as he recommendeth himselfe to God so shall he finde comfort in him in whom he hath trusted and receive understanding more cleare and perfect than before he enjoyed Or admit one should have his memorative part so much infeebled as with Corvinus Messala he should forget his owne name yet the Lord who numbreth the starres and knoweth them all by their names will not forget him though he hath forgot himselfe having him as a Signâ—t upon his finger ever in his remembrance For what shall it availe if thou have memory beyond Cyrus who could call every souldier in his army by his name when it shall appeare thou hast forgot thy selfe and exercised that facultie rather in remembring injuries than recalling to minde those insupportable injuries which thou hast done unto God Nay more of all faculties in man Memory is the weakest first waxeth old and decayes sooner than strength or beauty And what shall it profit thee once to have excelled in that facultie when the privation thereof addes to thy misery Nothing nothing wherefore as every good and perfect gift commeth from above where there is neither change nor shadow of change so as God taketh away nothing but what he hath given let every one in the losse of this or that facultie referre himselfe with patience to his sacred Majestie who in his change from earth will crowne him with mercy Secondly for the goods or blessings of the Body as strength beauty agilitie c. admit thou wert blinde with Appius lame with Agesilaus tongue-tied with Samius dwarfish with Ivius deformed with Thersites though blinde thou hast eyes to looke with and that upward though lame thou hast legges to walke with and that homeward though tongue-tied thou hast a tongue to speake and that to GOD-ward though dwarfish thou hast a proportion given thee ayming heaven-ward though deformed thou hast a glorious feature and not bruitish to looke-downward For not so much by the motion of the body and her outwardly working faculties as by the devotion of the heart and those inwardly moving graces are wee to come to GOD. Againe admit thou wert so mortally sicke as even now drawing neere shore there were no remedy but thou must of necessity bid a long adieu to thy friends thy honours riches and whatsoever else are deare or neere unto thee yet for all this why shouldest thou remaine discontented Art thou here as a Countryman or a Pilgrim No Countryman sure for then shouldest thou make earth thy Country and inhabit here as an abiding city And if a Pilgrim who would grieve to bee going homeward There is no life but by death no habitation but by dissolution He then that feareth death feareth him that bringeth glad tidings of life Therefore to esteeme life above the price or feare death beyond the rate are alike evill for he that values life to be of more esteeme than a pilgrimage is in danger of making shipwracke of the hope of a better inheritance and he that feareth death as his profest enemy may thanke none for his feare but his securitie Certainly there is no greater argument of folly than to shew immoderate sorrow either for thy own death or death of another for it is no wisedome to grieve for that which thou canst not possibly prevent but to labour in time rather to prevent what may give the occasion to grieve For say is thy friend dead I confesse it were a great losse if hee were lost but lost hee is not though thou bee left gone hee is before thee not gone from thee divided onely not exiled from thee A Princesse wee had of sacred memory who looking one day from her Palace might see one shew immoderate signes or appearances of sorrow so as shee moved with princely compassion sent downe presently one of her Pensioners to inquire who it was that so much sorrowed and withall to minister him all meanes of comfort who finding this sorrowfull mournes to bee a Counsellor of State who sorrowed for the 〈◊〉 of his daughter returned directly to his Soveraigne and acquainted her therewith O quoth she who would thinks thaâ— a wise man and a Counsellor of our State could so forget himselfe as to shew himselfe 〈◊〉 for 〈…〉 of his childs And surely whosoever shall but duly conâ—ider mans 〈◊〉 with deathe necessity cannot chuse but wonder why any one should bee so wholly destitute of understanding to lament the death of any one since to die is as necessary and common as to be borne to every one But perchance it may bee by some objected that the departure of their friend is not so much lamented for that is of necessity and therefore exacts no teares of sorrow being if spent as fruitlesse as the doome reverselesse but their sudden and inopinate departure Whereto I answer that no death is sudden to him that dies well for sudden death hath properly a respect rather to the life how it was passed or disposed than to death how short his summons were or how quickly closed Io. Mathes preaching upon the raising up of the womans sonne of Naim by Christ within three houres afterward died himselfe The like is written of Luther and many others As one was choaked with a flie another with a haire a third pushing his foot against the tressal another against the threshold falls downe dead So many kinde of wayes are chalked out for man to draw towards his last home and weane him from the love of the earth Those whom God loves said Menander the young yea those whom hee esteemeth highest hee takes from hence the soonest And that for two causes the one is to free them the sooner from the wretchednesse of earth the other to crowne them the sooner with happinesse in Heaven For what gaine wee by a long life or what profit reape wee by a tedious Pilgrimage but that wee partly see partly suffer partly commit more evils Priamus saw more dayes and shed more teares than Troilus Let us hence then learne so to measure our sorrow for ought that may or shall befall us in respect of the bodie that after her returne to earth it may bee gloriously re-united to the soule to make an absolute Consort in Heaven Thirdly and lastly for the goods or blessings of Fortune they are not to command us but to bee commanded by us not to be served by us but to serve us And because hee onely in the affaires of this life is the wealthiest who in the desires of this life is the neediest and he the richest on earth who sees little worth desiring on earth we
of the earth and the ministry of all creatures successively in their seasons ministring to us to allay our loathing and beget in us towards our Maker an incessant longing and all this for an ignoble and corruptible body what how great and innumerable shall those good things be which hee hath prepared for them that love him in that heavenly Countrey where we shall see him face to face If hee doe such things for us in this prison what will hee doe for us in that Palace Great and innumerable are thy workes O Lord King of heaven For seeing all these are very good and delectable which hee hath equally bestowed upon both good and evill how great shall those bee which hee hath laid up onely for the good If so divers and innumerable be the gifts which hee bestoweth both upon friends and foes how sweet and delectable shall those be which hee will onely bestow upon his friends If such comforts in this day of teares and anguish what will hee conferre on us in that day of Nuptiall solace If a prison containe such delights what I pray you shall our Countrey containe No eye O Lord without thee hath seene those things which thou hast prepared for them that love thee for according to the great multitude of thy magnificence there is also a multitude of thy sweetnesse which thou hast hid for them that feare thee for great thou art O Lord our God and unmeasurable neither is there end of thy greatnesse nor number of thy wisedome nor measure of thy mercy neither is there end nor number nor measure of thy bounty but as thou art great so be thy gifts great because thou thy selfe art the reward and gift of thy faithfull warriours Thus is the spiritually Contemplative man ever employed thus are his affections planted thus his desires seated caring so little for earth as hee is dead to earth long before hee returne to earth drawing daily neerer heaven having his desire onely there long before hee come there Now to instance some whose profession was meerely contemplative having retired or sequestred themselves from the society of this world wee might illustrate this subject with many excellent Patternes in this kind as those especially who strictly professed a monasticke life becomming severe Enemies to their owne flesh and estranging themselves from conversing with man Which kind of discipline as it was in respect of humanity too unsociable so in respect of themselves doubtlesse sweet and delightfull being so intranced with divine contemplation as they forgot earth and all earthly affections Of this sort you shall reade sundry examples whereof one more memorable then the rest might bee instanced in him who reading that sentence of holy Scripture Goe and sell all that thou hast presently imagining it to bee meant by him did so The like contempt towards the world might bee instanced in holy Ierome Paulinus that good Bishop of Nola and many others upon which I would bee loath to insist for brevity sake Neither certainely can they whose thoughts are erected above the center of earth having their Hearts planted where their treasure is placed deigne to fix their eye upon ought in the world because they see nothing worthy affecting in the World for they thinke godlinesse is a great gaine if a man bee content with that hee hath They doe good being rich in good workes and ready to distribute and communicate laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may obtaine eternall life Yea they have not only learned in whatsoever state they are therewith to be content but wholly to relinquish both selfe and state to advance the glory of God But it may be now well objected that these men whereof we now treat are fitter for a Cell then a Court and therefore too regular masters to have young Gentlemen for their Schollers for how should these whose education hath beene liberty conversation publike society and who hold good fellowship an appendice to Gentry betake themselves to such strictnesse as to be deprived of common aire live remote from all company passing the remainder of their dayes in a wildernesse as if they had committed some egregious fact that deserved such severe Pennance mistake me not my meaning is much otherwise for as I would not have Gentlemen Libertines so I would not have them Hermits for the first as they are too prodigally secular so the latter are too severely regular Neither am I ignorant how a Cloyster may bee no lesse shelter unto errour then a more publike place of delight or pleasure But my discourse touching this Contemplative Perfection was purposely to draw the Curtaine from before the Picture and to shew to their eye that faire Idaea or feature which hath beene so long shadowed I meane the faire and beautifull structure of the inward man which so long as it is darkened with these bleere-eyed Leahs these objects of vanity cannot enjoy it selfe but peece-meale as it were divided from it selfe seemes wholly deprived of life for a Heart divided cannot live And what are these objects of vanity whereon the eye of your Contemplation is usually fixed but those soule-soiling sores of this Land Pride and Voluptuousnesse With what greedinessâ— will a young Gallants eye gaze upon some new or phantasticke fashion wishing O vaine wish that hee had but the braines to have invented such a fashion whereby hee might have given occasion to others of imitation and admiration With what insatiablenesse will hee fix his eye upon some light affected Curtezan whose raiment is her onely ornament and whose chiefeâ—t glory is to set at sale her adulterate beauty No street no corner but gives him objects which drawes his eye from that choicest object whereon his whole delight should bee seated No place so obscure wherein his contemplative part is not on the view of forbidden objects greedily fixed How requisite then were it for you young Gentlemen whose aymes are more noble then to subject them to these unworthy ends to take a view sometimes of such absolute Patterns of Contemplative Perfection as have excelled in this kind But because a three-fold cord is hardly broken I will recommend unto your consideration a three-fold Meditation the daily use and exercise whereof may bring you to a more serious view of your owne particular estate First is the worthinesse of the soule secondly the unworthinesse of earth thirdly thankefulnesse unto GOD who made man the worthiest creature upon the earth For the first What is shee and in glory how surpassing is she to use the selfe-same words which an holy Father useth being so strong so weake so small so great searching the secrets of God and contemplating those things which are of GOD and with her piercing wit is knowne to have attained the skill of many Arts for humane profit and advantage What is shee I say who knoweth so much in other things and to what end they were made yet is
simple or ignorant that contemplateth God in his creatures shall finde sufficient matter in that voluminous booke of his Creation to move him to admire the work-manship of his Maker For the heavens are his the earth also is his and hee hath laid the foundation of the world and all that therein is So as even from the Cedar of Lebanon to the grasse upon the wall hath he shewen his power and his might to the ends of the world Now to the end this Contemplation might not bee hindred by any worldly objects wee are to with-draw our eye from the Creature and fix it wholly upon our Creator For how can any one behold the glory of Heaven when his eyes are poring upon earth or how should hee whose affections are planted upon his gold erect his thoughts to the contemplation of God So as wee must not only leave whatsoever we love on earth but even leave our selves till wee become wholly weaned from earth so shall our affections be in heaven though our temporary plantation bee on earth For what are these Ostrich-winged worldings who never flie up stooping to every lure that either honour profit or preferment cast out but base Haggards who lie downe and dare not give wing for feare of weathering Whereas these high fliers whose aimes are above earth are ever meditating of earths frailtie and heavens felicitie These consider how the solace of the captive is one and the joy of the freeman another These consider how that hee who sighs not while he is a Pilgrim shall not rejoyce when he is a Citizen These consider that it is an evident signe that such an one hates his Countrey who holds himselfe to bee in good state while hee lives a Pilgrim These will not preferre the husks of vanitie before those inestimable treasures of glory These and only these value earth as it should bee valued desiring rather to leave earth than set their love on ought upon earth Neither can death take any-thing from him going out of the world who sets his love on nothing in the world Whereas it is much otherwise with them whose eyes are accustomed to darknesse for they cannot behold the beames of that supreme veritie neither can they judge any thing of the light whose habitation is in darknesse they see darknesse they love darknesse they approve of darknesse and going from darknesse to darknesse they know not whither they fall Such was Demas who forsooke his faith and embraced this present world Such was Simon Magus who bewitched the people with sorceries to gaine himselfe esteeme in the world Such was Demetrius the Silver-Smith who brought great gaines unto the Crafts-men and mightily enriched himselfe in the world And in a word such are all those whose eyes are sealed to heavenly Contemplations but opened to the objects of earth prizing nothing else worthy either viewing or loving It is rare and wonderfull to observe what admirable Contemplations the Heathen Philosophers enjoyed though not so much as partakers of the least glimpse of that glorious light which is to us revealed How deeply searching in the influence of Planets how studious after the knowledge of Herbs Plants vertue of Stones which inforced in them no lesse admiration than delight in so sweet a Contemplation Now if the Heathens who had no knowledge of God but only a glimmering light of Nature being not so much I say as the least beamling in comparison of that glorious light which wee enjoy conceived such sweetness in the search of causes and events preferring their Contemplation before the possession of earth or all that fraile earth could promise what surpassing comfort or ineffable sweetnesse are wee to conceive in the Contemplation of GOD the one and only practice whereof maketh man blessed although in outward things hee were the poorest and needfullest in the world The blessed Saints and faithfull servants of GOD have beene so ravished with this sweetnesse as they were drunke with joy in Contemplation of the Highest For either honour or preferment they were so indifferent as they rejected it and for riches so equally contented as they dis-valued it selling their possessions and laying the money at the Apostles feet Yea Peter to instance one for all no sooner tasted this sweetnesse than forgetfull of all inferiour things hee cried out as one spiritually drunke saying Lord it is good for us to bee here let us make us here three Tabernacles let us stay here let us contemplate thee because wee need nothing else but thee it sufficeth us Lord to see thee it sufficeth us I say to bee filled with such swetnesse as commeth from thee One onely drop of sweetnesse hee tasted and hee loathed all other sweetnesse What may wee imagine would hee have said if hee had tasted the multitude of the sweetnesse of his divinitie which he hath laied up in store for those that feare him Surely the contemplative man whose affections are estranged from earth and seated in Heaven makes use of whatsoever hee seeth on earth as directions to guide him in his progresse to heaven His eyes are not like the Ambitious mans whose eye-sore is only to see others great and himselfe unadvanced nor like the Covetous mans whose eyes Tarpeia-like betray his soule seeing nothing precious or prosperous which he wisheth not nor like the Voluptous mans whose sealed eyes are blinde to the objects of vertue but unsealed to the objects of vanitie seeing nothing sensually moving which he affects not nor like the Vain-glorious mans who practiseth seldome what is good or honest for the love of goodnesse but to bee praised and observed Whereas the true Contemplative man loves vertue for vertues sake concluding divinely with the Poet This amongst good men hath beene ever knowne Vertue rewards herselfe herselfe's her crowne And for these light objects of vanity hee as much loaths them as the Voluptuous man loves them and for coveting hee is so farre from desiring more then hee hath as hee is indifferent either for injoying or forgoing what hee already hath and for aspiring hee holds it the best ambition of any creature to promote the glory of his Maker Hee is ever descanting on this divine ditty God! For his thoughts are spheared above earth and lodged in the Contemplation of heaven And if so be that hee chance to fixe his eye upon earth it is as I said before to direct his feet and erect his faith to the Contemplation of heaven For by consideration had to these temporall goods to use the words of a devout Father hee gathereth the greatnesse of the heavenly Councell Comprehending by the little ones those great ones by these visible those invisible ones For if the Lord shew or rather showre so great and innumerable benefits from heaven and from the ayre from the land and sea light and darkenesse heat and shadow dew and raine winds and showres birds and fishes and multiplicity of herbs and plants
this summary good which is seene with purest mindes The Heart triangle-wise resembleth the image of the blessed Trinity which can no more by the circumference of the World bee confined than a Triangle by a Circle is to bee filled So as the Circular world cannot fill the Triangular heart no more than a Circle can fill a Triangle still there will bee some empty corners it saies so long as it is fixed on the world Sheol it is never enough but fixed on her Maker her onely Mover on her sweet Redeemer her dearest Lover she chants out cheerefully this Hymne of comfort There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus She then may rest in peace And what peace A peace which passeth all understanding Shee then may embrace her Love And what Love A Love constantly loving Shee then may enjoy life And what life A life eternally living Shee then may receive a Crowne And what Crowne A Crowne gloriously shining This crowne saith S. Peter is undefiled which never fadeth away The Greeke words which S. Peter useth are Latine words also and they are not only Appellatives being the Epithetes of this Crowne but also Propers the one proper name of a Stone the other of a Flower for Isidore writeth there is a precious stone called Amiantus which though it bee never so much soiled yet it can never at all bee blemished and being cast into the fire it is taken out still more bright and cleane Also Clemens writeth that there is a flower called Amarantus which being a long time hung up in the house yet still is fresh and greene To both which the stone and the flower the Apostle as may bee probably gathered alludeth in this place Here then you see what you are to seeke For are your desires unsatisfied here is that which may fulfill them Are your soules thirsty here is the Well of life to refresh them Would you bee Kings here is a Kingdome provided for you Would you enjoy a long life a long life shall crowne you and length of daies attend you Would you have all goodnesse to enrich you enjoying GOD all good things shall bee given you Would you have salvation to come unto your house and secure you rest you in Christ Iesus and no condemnation shall draw neere you Would you have your consciences speake peace unto you the God of peace will throughout establish you Would you have your constant'st Love ever attend you He who gave himself for you will never leave you Would you have him live for ever with you Leave loving of the world so shall hee live ever with you and in you Would you have a Crowne conferred on you A Crowne of glory shall empale you Seeke then this one good wherein consisteth all goodnesse and it sufficeth Seeke this soveraigne or summary good from whence commeth every good and it sufficeth For hee is the life by which wee live the hope to which wee cleave and the glory which wee desire to obtaine For if dead hee can revive us if hopelesse and helpelesse he can succour us if in disgrace he can exalt us Him then only are wee to seeke who when wee were lost did seeke us and being found did bring us to his sheepe-fold And so I descend from what wee are to seeke to where wee are to seeke that seeking him where hee may bee found wee may at last finde him whom wee so long have sought For the second wee are to seeke it while wee are on earth but not upon earth for earth cannot containe it It is the Philosophers axiom That which is finite may not comprehend that which is infinite Now that supreme or soveraigne end to which this Actuall Perfection is directed whereto it aspireth and wherein it resteth is by nature infinite End without end beginning and end imposing to every creature a certaine definite or determinate end The sole solace of the soule being onely able to fill or satisfie the soule without which all things in heaven or under heaven joyned and conferred together cannot suffice the soule so boundlesse her extent so infinite the object of her content How should Earth then containe it or to what end should wee on Earth seeke it seeing whatsoever containeth must of necessity bee greater than that which is contained But Earth being a masse of corruption how should it confine or circumscribe incorruption Seeing nothing but immortality can cloath the Soule with glory it is not the rubbish or refuse of Earth that may adde to her beauty Besides the Soule while it so journes here in this earthly mansion shee remaines as a captive inclosed in prison What delights then can bee pleasing what delicates relishing to the palate of this prisoner Shee is an exile here on Earth what society then can bee cheerefull to one so carefull of returning to her Countrey If Captives restrained of their liberty Exiles estranged from their Countrey can take no true content either in their bondage bee it never so attempred nor in that exile bee they never so attended how should the Soule apprehend the least joy during her abode on Earth Where the treasure is there is the heart her treasure is above how can her heart bee here below Mortality cannot suit with immortality no more can Earth with the soule Whereto then bee the motions of our soule directed To Him that gave it no inferiour creature may suffice her no earthly object satisfie her nothing subject to sense fulfill her In Heaven are those heavenly objects wherewith her eye rests satisfied in Heaven are those melodious accents wherewith her eare rests solaced in Heaven those choicest odours wherewith her smell is cherished in Heaven those tastefull'st dainties wherewith her soule is nourished in Heaven those glorious creatures wherewith her selfe is numbred What difference then betwixt the satiety and saturity of Heaven and the penurie and poverty of Earth Here all things are full of labour man cannot utter it The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare filled with hearing whereas in Heaven there is length of daies and fulnesse of joy without ending And wherein consists this fulnesse Even in the sweet and comfortable sight of God But who hath seene GOD at any time To this blessed Augustine answers excellently Albeit saith hee that summary and incommutable essence that true light that indeficient light that light of Angels can bee seene by none in this life being reserved for a reward to the Saints onely in the heavenly glory yet to beleeve and understand and feele and ardently desire it is in some sort to see and possesse it Now if wee will beleeve it though our feet bee on earth our faith must bee in heaven or understand it wee must so live on earth as if our conversation were in heaven or feele it wee must have so little feeling of the delights of this life as our delight may bee wholly in heaven or desire
darkened nor the clouds returne after the raine In the day when the Keepers of the house shall tremble and the strong men shall bow themselves and the grinders cease because they are few and those that looke out of the windowes be darkened And the doores shall be shut in the streets when the sound of the grinding is low and hee shall rise up at the voice of the bird and all the daughters of musicke shall bee brought low Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high and feares shall bee in the way and the Almond tree shall flourish and the Grashopper shall bee a burden and desire shall faile because man goeth to his long home and the mourners goe about the streets Or ever the silver coard be loosed or the golden bowle bee broken or the pitcher bee broken at the fountaine or the wheele broken at the Cisterne Then shall the dust returne to the earth as it was and the spirit shall returne unto God who gave it Hence then are wee warned not to deferre time lest wee neglect the opportunate time the time of grace which neglected miserable shall wee be when from hence dissolved Yea but will some object True repentance is never too late which is most true but againe I answer that late repentance is seldome true Repent then while ye have time for as in Hell there is no redemption so after death there is no time admitted for repentance O remember that a wounded conscience none can heale so that like as the Scorpion hath in her the remedy of her owne poyson so the evill man carrieth alwayes with him the punishment of his owne wickednesse the which doth never leave to torment and afflict his mind both sleeping and waking So as the wicked man is oft-times forced to speake unto his conscience as Ahab said to Eliah Hast thou found mee O mine enemy Now there is no better meanes to make peace with our consciences then to set God continually before our eyes that his Spirit may witnesse to our spirits that wee are the children of grace Wherein many offend daily who promise to themselves security either by sinning subtilly or secretly Subtilly as in dazling or deluding the eyes of the world with pretended sanctity and concluding with the Poet That I may just and holy seeme and so the world deceive And with a cloud my cunning shroud is all that I doe crave But such Hypocrites will God judge and redouble the viols of his wrath upon their double sinne Secretly when man in the foolishnesse of his heart committeth some secret sinne and saith Who seeth him There is none looking thorow the chinke to se mee none that can heare me but simple fooles how much are these deceived Is there any darkenesse so thicke and palpable that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the piercing eye of heaven cannot spie thee through it O if thou hope by firming secretly to sin securely thou shalt be forced to say unto thy God as Ahab said unto Elijah Hast thou found mee O mine enemy Nay O God terrible and dreadfull thou hast found mee And then let mee aske thee in the same termes that the young Gallant in Erasmus asked his wanton mistresse Art thou not ashamed to doe that in the sight of God and witnesse of holy Angels which thou art ashamed to doe in the sight of men Art thou so afraid of disgrace with men and little carest whether thou be or no in the state of grace with God Art thou more jealous of the eyes of men who have but power onely to asperse a blemish on thy name or inflict a temporall punishment on thy person then of his who hath power to throw both thy soule and body into the burning Lake of perdition It was a pretty saying of Epicurus in Seneca Whereto are offences safe if they cannot bee secure Or what availes it guilty men to find a place to lye hid in when they have no confidence in the place where they lye hid in Excellent therefore was the counsell of zealous Bernard and sententious Seneca that wee should alwayes as in a mirrour represent unto our eyes the example of some good man and so to live as if he did alwayes see us alwayes behold us for wee who know that the eyes of God are upon all the wayes of men and that no place so remote no place so desart or desolate as may divide us from his all-seeing presence ought to be in all our workes so provident and circumspect as if God were present before our eyes as in truth hee his And therefore Prudentius in one of his Hymnes gives this memorandum Thinke with thy selfe if thou from sinne would free thee Be 't day or night that God doth ever see thee O then let us fix our thoughts upon God here on earth that wee may gloriously fix our eyes upon him in heaven Let us so meditate of him here on earth that wee may contemplate him there in heaven So repent us to have dishonoured him here on earth that wee may be honoured by him in heaven Let us become humble Petitioners unto him and prostrate our selves before his foot-stoole of whom if wee begge life his hand is not so shortned as it will not save his eare so closely stopped as it will not heare It is reported that when a poore man came to Dionysius the Tyrant and preferred his Petition unto him standing the imperious Tyrant would not give eare unto him whereupon this poore Petitioner to move him to more compassion fell downe prostrate at his feet and with much importunity obtained his suit after all this being demanded by one why hee did so I perceived quoth he Dionysius to have his eares in his feet wherefore I was out of hope to be heard till I fell before his feet But God who intendeth rather the devotion of the heart then the motion of the hand or prostration of the body will heare us if wee aske faithfully and open unto us if wee knock constantly and having fought a good fight crowne us victoriously Thus you have heard what wee are to seeke where wee are to seeke and when wee are to seeke What a Kingdome not of earth but of heaven Where not on earth nor in earth but in heaven When while wee are here on earth that after earth we may raigne in heaven What a Garden inclosed a Spring shut up a Fountaine sealed What a crowne of righteousnesse a precious pearle a hid treasure What wisdome health wealth beauty liberty and all through him who is all in all Aristippus was wont to say that hee would goe to Socrates for wit but to Dionysius for money whereas this wee seeke and seeking hope to enjoy confers upon us the rich treasures of wisdome and abundance of riches for evermore For first seeke wee the kingdome of heaven and the righteousnesse thereof and all things else shall bee ministred unto us Secondly
one straid thought wrong your Maiden-modesty so much as to suggest to you a straine of light-nesse Other Closet-treaties you may entertaine safely and freely without touch of modesty As to thinke of the honour of that State to which you are approaching the mutuall Comfort from that mysterious union arising how griefes will bee attempered by one anothers suffering how joyes will bee augmented by one anothers sharing These thoughts cannot but well become you nor otherwise chuse than with a pure affection inflame you nor receive lesse than free acceptance from you Thus may that Love which seem'd before to have beene as chilled by these modest motives bee cheered That day no blacke Cloud should by right sit on your faire brow no cold dampe seaze on your heart You have got one whom a sacred gage hath made yours with a cheerfull requitall render your selfe his This cannot choose but highly please the pure eye of heaven to see that Mysterie so sweetly solemniz'd which was honoured by Christ with his first Miracle on Earth IN this last branch of our Observation wee are to propose an attemperament of both those indisposed Fancies before mentioned and deservedly taxed First the wildenesse of the one secondly the coolenesse of the other by seasoning them both with an indifferent temper In a Vine wilde and luxurious branches are to bee pruned that such as are free and kindly may bee better cherished In the spirituall field of your heart is never to bee expected any fruitfull increase of vertues till there be weeded out of it all the thornes of vices The difference betwixt a wise and wild Love is this the one ever deliberates before it love the other loves before it deliberate The first question that shee askes who wisely loves Is hee who is here recommended to my choyce of good repute Is hee rich in the endowments of his minde Next question shee askes are of a lower siege May his personage give content Are his fortunes such as may not beget in love a contempt Thus beginnes shee that loves wisely with goods inward and ends with outward whereas shee that loves wildly beginnes with outward and ends or else never remembers the inward Is hee you tender to mee of promising personage Is hee neat in his cloathes Complete in his his dresse Can he Court mee in good words and perfume them with sweet protests Can hee usher me gracefully in the street and in very pace expresse a reserved state Next question shee askes must bee neare the same verge Is hee rich in Manors Hath not fortune made him a younger brother Can hee to buy himselfe honour pawne the Long-acre May his swelling means furnish me of Coach Caroach and daily fit mee for some Exchange trifles I have a moneths mind to see the man Hee cannot but deserve my love Wherein shee sayes well for in very deed hee could deserve little else Now as the former seldome bestowes her selfe but where shee findes content so the latter seldome or never but either shee with her Choyce or her Choyce with her falls into contempt The reason is this wilde Girle never cares for more than to bee married If shee may but see that day it accomplisheth her content though shee have but one Comicall day all her life Yea it is as well as can bee expected from her hands if shee attaine that style without some apparant soile Such as these I could wish to prevent the worst they were married betime lest they marre themselves before time Albeit moderate restraint seasonable advice presupposing some seeds of grace to worke on have wrought singular effects in many of these wilde-ones who afterwards became grave and modest Matrons To you then kind-hearts am I to recommend some necessary cautions which carefully observed may make you wiser than you thought of and cause you have a tender care of that which before you had never mind of Your brests are unlock'd your tongues unty'd you cannot love but you must shew it nor conceive a kinde thought but you must tell it The Index of your hearts you carry both in your tongues and eyes for shame learne silence in the one and secrecy in the other Will you give power to an insulting Lover to triumph over your weakenesse or which is worse to worke on the opportunity of your lightnesse Doe not rather ramme up those portells which betray you to your enemy and prevent his entry by your vigilancy Keepe home and stray not lest by gadding abroad you incurre Dinahs fate You have Consorts of your owne sexe to passe time withall their society will teach you to forget what is better forgot than kept Let not a straid thought betray your innocency Checke your madding Fancy and if it use resistance curbe it with restraint It will doe excellently well if you forbeare to resort to places of publike meeting till you have drawne up and seal'd a Covenant with your eyes to see naught that they may not lawfully covet These when they wander they breed in the heart a dangerous distemper Lastly addresse your imployment ever to something that is good so shall your fantasie finde nought to worke upon that is ill This shall afford you more liberty than the whole worlds freedome can afford you Now to you Coy ones whom either coldnesse of nature hath benummed or coynesse hath made subtill to dissemble it You can looke and like and turne another way where you like most No object of love can take you till it overtake you Bee not wise too much True affection cannot endure such dissimulation Divide not him whom you love into such extremes you may be modest and spare a great deale of this Coynesse It is the rule of Charity to doe as you would bee done to Now would it content you to bee entertained with disdaine where your deserts merit acceptance Rectifie this then in your selves which you would not have done by another to your selves It is an ill requitall to recompence fancy with contempt or constant love with disdaine This were to incurre ingratitude a vice so odious as no age could finde ever ought more uncivilly impious I do not move you to bee too open-hearted or if so not too liberally to expresse it this were no discovery of fancy but folly So conceale and smoothly palliate your love as your lover may not despaire of all hope to obtaine your love Indifferent Curtsies you may shew without lightnesse and receive them too in lieu of thankfulnesse I leave it to your discretion to distinguish times and places for these may either improve or impaire the opportunity of such like Curtsies Doe not immure your beauties as if a jealousie of your owne weaknesse had necessitated this restraint There can bee no Conquest where there is no Contest Converse with love conceit with your selves whom you could like This your cooler temper may admit and still reteine that liberty which is fit Falconers use many meanes to make their Hawks sharpe they
perfectly as if their Bodies were transparent or windowes were in their bosomes Here you shall see One unmeasurably haughtie scorning to converse with these Groundlins for so it pleases him to tearme his inferiours and bearing such a state as if he were altered no lesse in person than place Another not so proud as he is covetous for no passion as a learned Schooleman affirmeth is better knowne unto us than the coveting or desiring passion which he calls Concupiscible and such an one makes all his inferiours his Sponges and Ostridge-like can digest all metalls Another sort there are whose well-tempered natures have brought them to that perfection as the state which they presently enjoy makes them no more proud than the losse of that they possesse would cast them downe These Camillus-like are neither with the opinion of Honour too highly erected nor with the conceit of Affliction too much dejected As their conceits are not heightned by possessing it so they lose nothing of their owne proper height by forgoing it These are so evenly poized so nobly tempered as their opinion is not grounded on Title nor their glory on popular esteeme they are knowne to themselves and that knowledge hath instructed them so well in the vanitie of Earth as their thoughts have taken flight vowing not to rest till they approach heaven Pompey being cumbred with his Honour exclaimed to see Sylla's crueltie being ignorant after what sort to behave himselfe in the dignitie he had and cried out O perill and danger never like to have end Such is the nature of Noble spirits as they admire not so much the dignitie of the place to which they are advanced as they consider the burden which is on them imposed labouring rather how to behave themselves in their place than arrogate glory to themselves by reason of their place Neither are these sundrie Dispositions naturally ingraffed in men meerely produced from themselves as the affections or Dispositions of our mindes doe follow the temperature of our bodies where the Melancholy produceth such the Cholericke Phlegmaticke and Sanguine such and such according to Humours predominant in that body whence these affections are derived but I say these participate also of the Clime wherein we are For otherwise how should our Observations appeare good which we usually collect in the Survey of other Countries noting certaine vices to be most entertained in some especiall Provinces As Pride among the Babylonians Envie among the Iewes Anger among the Thebans Covetousnesse among the Tyrians Gluttonie among the Sidonians Pyracie among the Cilicians and Sorcerie among the Aegyptians to whom Caesar gave great attention as Alexander was delighted in the Brachmans So as I say our Dispositions how different or consonant soever doe not only partake of us but even of the Aire or temperature of Soile which bred us Thus we see what Diversitie of Dispositions there is and how diversly they are affected Let us now take a view of the Disposition it selfe whether it may be forced or no from what it naturally affecteth THe Philosopher saith that the Disposition may be removed but hardly the Habit. But I say those first Seeds of Disposition as they are Primitives can hardly be made Privatives being so inherent in the Subject as they may be moved but not removed Not removed objectest thou why disposition can be of no stronger reluctance than Nature we see how much she may be altered yea cleare removed from what she formerly appeared For doe we not in the view of humane frailty observe how many excellent wits drained from the very Quintessence of Nature as apt in apprehending as expressing a conceit strangely darkened or dulled as if they had beene steeped in some Lethaean slumber Nay doe we not in this round Circumference of man note divers honest and sincere Dispositions whose gaine seemed to bee godlinesse and whose glory the profession of a good Conscience wonderfully altered becoming so corrupted by the vaine pompe or trifling trash of the world as they preferre the puddle before the pearle forsaking Christ for the world Doe wee not see how uprightly some men have borne themselves all their time without staine or blemish being all their Youth vertuously affected all their Middle-age charitably disposed yet in their Old-age miserably depraved Againe doe we not behold how many women whose virgin-modesty and Nuptiall-continency promised much glory to their age even then when the flower of Beauty seemed bloomelesse so as their very age might make them blamelesse when their skin was seere and their flesh saplesse their breath earthie and their mouth toothlesse then even then fell these unweldie Beldames to embrace folly promising longer continuance to Pleasure than they could by all likelyhood unto Nature Now tell me how happened this Were not these at the first vertuously affected if Disposition then could not be forced how came they altered All these rivers of Objections I can dry up with one beame darting from the reflex of Nature Thou producest divers instances to confirme this assertion That Dispositions are to bee forced from what they were naturally affected unto Whereto I answer That Dispositions in some are resembled and not improperly unto a Beame cloathed or shadowed with a cloud which as we see sheweth his light sometimes sooner sometimes later Or as by a more proper Allusion may seem illustrated may be resembled to the first Flourish in trees which according to the nature or quality of the internall pith from whence life is diffused to the Branches send forth their bloomes and blossomes sooner or later True it is you object that to the outward appearance such men shewed arguments of good Dispositions for they were esteemed men of approved Sanctity making Conscience of what they did and walking blamelesse and unreproveable before all men but what collect you hence That their Dispositions were sincerely good or pure if Society had not depraved them No this induction will not hold it is the Evening crownes the day What could be imagined better or more royally promising than Nero's Quinquennium What excellent tokens of future goodnesse What apparant testimonies of a vertuous government What infallible grounds of princely policy mixed with notable precepts of piety Yet who knowes not how all the vices of his Ancestours put together seemed by a lineall descent to bee transferred on him being the Patterne and Patron of all cruelty the Author and Actor of all villany the plotter and practiser of all impiety so as if all the titles of cruelty were lost they might be found in this Tyrant How then doe you say that his Disposition was naturally good but became afterwards depraved and corrupted No rather joyne with mee and say that howsoever his Disposition seemed good during those five yeares wherein hee dissembled with vertue and concealed those many vices which he professed and possessed afterwards yet indeed he was the same though not in shew yet in
But me thinkes we decline rather to Knowledge than Action let us therefore presse this point a little further and returne to where we left During that prosperous and successive time of victorious Sylla Pompâ—y the great then a young man and serving under him received such seasoning from his military discipline as made him afterwards chosen amongst so many brave Spirits to try the hazards of fortune with the victorious Caesar. Nor was his judgement inferiour if we may build on the credit of History to his potent Adversary though Fortune made him her Slave tryumphing no lesse in the quest of his death than view of his conquest Themistocles whose name as wee have oft repeated so in all Records worthily renowned having been trained from his Infancy in the discipline of warre became so affected and withall so opinionate in himselfe of Martiall affaires as being moved on a time at a publike feast to play upon the Lute answered I cannot fiddle but I can make a small Towne a great Citie See what long use in experiments of warre had brought a Noble Souldier to His actions were for the publike state his aimes not to delight himselfe or others with the effeminate sound of the Lute but to strike terrour in his foe with his sharp pointed Launce Now what should we thinke of these whose more erected minds are removed from the refuse and rubbish of earth which our base Groundlins so much toyle for but that their thoughts are sphered above the Orbe of feare Death cannot amate them imminent peril deterre them disadvantage of place or inequality of power discourage them this is their Canto and they sing it cheerfully The onely health what 's ever doe befall That we expect is for no health at all This might be confirmed by sundry Histories of serious consequence especially in those memorable Sieges of Rhodes Belgrade Vienna and many other where the resolution of their Governours sleighted the affronts of that grand Enemy of Christendome the Turke and by their valour purchased to themselves both safety and Honour Thus farre have we proceeded in our discourse of Education which we have sufficiently proved to be a Seasoner of Action as well as of Speech or knowledge Neither in actions military onely but in all Manual Arts practised in Rome during her glorious and flourishing State from which even many ancient Families received their name beginning and being As the Figuli from the Potters the Vitrei from the Glaziars the Ligulae from the Pointers the Pictores from the Painters the Pistores from the Bakers All which as wee may reade in most of the Roman Authors had applyed themselves even in the first grounds of their Education to these Arts wherein they grew so excellent as they inriched their posterity by their carefull industry But to speake truly of Action as it is generally taken neither Speech nor Knowledge of which wee have heretofore spoken can well want it Wherefore Demosthenes defining the principall part of an Oration said it was Action the second the Same the third no other than Action Isocrates for lack of a good voyce otherwise called the father of Eloquence never pleaded publikely And Cicero saith some men are diserti viri but for lack of Action or rather untowardnesse habiti sunt infantes Whence it is that Sextus Philosophus saith our Body is Imago animi For the Mind is ever in action it resteth not but is ever lâ—bouring plotting or contriving addressing it selfe ever to imployment The like affinity hath Action with knowledge which is not reduced to Action Whence it is that many too many heaven knows bury their knowledge in the grave of obscurity reaping content in being knowne to themselves without communicating their Talent to others But this is hiding of their Talent in a Napkin putting their Candle under a Bushell resembling the envious spitefull man who wil not open his mouth to direct the poore Passenger in his way or suffer his neighbour to light his candle at his for both imply one thing as the Poet excellently singeth Who sets the trav'ller in his journey right Doth with his candle give his neighbour light Yet shines his candle still and doth bestow Light on himselfe and on his neighbour too For this burying or suppressing of knowledge it may be aptly compared to the rich Miser whose best of having is onely possessing for that Communicative good hee knowes not but admires so much the Golden Number as he preferres it before the Numbring of this dayes Yea as it is much better not to have possessed than to mis-imploy that whereof wee were possessed so is he in a happier case who never knew any thing than such a Man who knew much yet never made a Communicative or edifying use of his Knowledge As may appeare by the Parable of the Talents The Contemplative part indeed affords infinite content to the Spirituall man whose more erected thoughts are not engaged to the Meditations of earth but are spheared in a higher Orbe This mans Minde like Archimedes ayme should Enemies invade him death and danger threaten him inevitable ruine surprize him his desire is onely to preforme his taske and that taske the highest pitch of a soule-solacing Contemplation And this kinde of Rapsodie or intrauncing of the Soule as I may terme it ministers unspeakable delight to the Minde of that man who is usually affected to these divine aspirations as a godly Father termes them Yet these contemplative persons whose retirednesse of estate immunitie or vacation from publike governement have drawne their affections wholly from the thought of earth or conversing with men as they relish more of the Cloister than society of Nature more of the Cell or frocke than Community which affords the most fruit so they never extend further than satisfying their owne disconsorting humor I confesse indeed their contemplations farre exceed the wordly mans for his are to earth confined or the voluptuous mans for his are to pleasures chained or the ambitious for his are to Honours gaged or the deluded Alchymist whose knowledge is a palpable mist for his are to impossible hopes restrained yet as profit and pleasure make the sweetest Musicke so Contemplation joyned with Practice make the fruitfullest knowledge To conclude our Discourse touching Education on which as the principall'st Seasoner of Youth wee have long insisted may the first Seeds of your more hopefull harvest worthy Gentlemen be so sowne as they may neither by extremity of Winter that is by too awfull rigour be nipped nor by the scorching heat of Summer that is too much connivencie of your Tutor parched So may your Countrey reape what shee hath with long hope expected and receive a plentifull croppe of that which shee her selfe by hopefull Education hath long manured THE ENGLISH GENTLEMAN Argument Of the necessity of a Vocation No man is exempted from it of Vocation in generall Of the Vocation of a Gentleman in particular
much He entertaines all with broad-spread armes and proclaimes Liberty but none will beleeve him For how should he proclaime or proclaiming conferre that on others which he enjoyes not in himselfe or how should he enjoy that inestimable Libertie which the earthly-Sainted or contented only enjoy when he is become a Slave to his owne unbounded desires and through selfe-conceit is made a prey to his foes deceit falling in that lowest where his expectance raised him highest yet see whence these effects proceed â— surely from no other spring than that troubled well-spring of selfe-love which leaves her distressed Master engaged to sundry extremes The like may be observed in the avaritious man for to these two instances is my present discourse restrained whose misery it is to admire rather than imploy what he enjoyes The difference betwixt the poore wanting and the rich not using is by these two expressed the one carendo the other non fruendo Of these it may bee truly said that their gaine is not godlinesse but their godlinesse is to reape gaine And though apparent losse be to be preferred before filthy gaine yet they wholly and onely embrace such arts trades or sciences from which a certaine gayne may bee procured They know and that knowledge makes them more culpable that gaine cannot accrue to one without losse to another yet they will rather prejudice another in the greatest than bee an inconvenience to themselves in the least They have felt by experience that wealth is a great nourisher of vice and poverty of vertue yet will they erect an Idoll to honour her by whom vice is nourished but disesteeme her from whom many vertuous motions and affections are derived True it is indeed that when any Object of profit is tendred us necessarily are we induced to condescend to the meanes of acquiring that profit Againe we all seeke profit and are as it were haled unto it yet this is to be intended such profit as holds concurrence with honesty They know and wofull it is that they make no better use of their knowledge how gaine maketh men worse and but for gaine no man had beene evill For this filthy gaine accuseth nature and reproveth us that our life being so short should have desires so long labouring to joyne land to land when so small a scantling will serve our turne at our departing They know how truly that sententious Poet sung Wealth disesteemes all Learning and all arts Faith honesty and all our better parts There is a native will or inclination to fâ—ining and lying in all such as seeke after wealth and desire gaine See how servile and ignoble their Condition is whose affections slaved to private profit embrace any course how indirect soever for selfe-love or selfe-gaine That are ever harping upon that of the Poet He shall be noble valiant wise a Prince or what he will That ha's but wealth no matter how he got it well or ill but how farre short comes vulgar opinion of truth whose judgement is in their eyes or eares not measuring man nor his worth by those nobler parts within him but by his wealth or habit whose best of glory is without him Little know these earth-worms how they shall bee uncased and with what misery then inclosed For if they did they would preferre right sure I am the inestimable purchase of vertue before this rust or râ—bbish which leaveth the possessor as full charged with care as his chest stored with câ—ine Vertue is of that noble and unconfined nature as she seeketh nothing that is without her there is her glory Againe there can bee no vertue which is not free and voluntary there is her Liberty Againe she subdueth all things there is her soveraingty Againe fortune gives place to her there is her precedency For fortune can take nothing away but what she her selfe giveth Againe they onely are rich which are enriched with vertue there is her felicity So as howsoever the Philosophers axiome be that riches is a signe of eternall glory sure I am that vertue directeth man in this Maze of misery to the true sight and light of glory This is that Morning-starre sent from that Sun of the Morning to direct us that Brazen wall reared by that Brazen Serpent to shield and protect us that faire Lily of the valley cropt by that fairest of ten thousand to beautifie and adorne us that sweet oderiferous plant budding out of the root of Iesse to sweeten and perfume us What skils it then if wee bee deprived of all possessing vertue that includeth all The Levites who were chosen for the Altar and for Gods owne service were to have no possessions for the Lord was their inheritance Againe God chuseth the poore for an inheritance of his heavenly Kingdome Againe Blessed are you that be poore for yours is the kingdome of heaven And againe Miserable are you rich men who in your riches have all your consolation Againe O Death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to that man whose peace is in his substance Hence wee see the difference betwixt the state and condition of the wordling whose affections are wholly planted and placed upon earth and his whose desires transcend the pitch of earth having his feet below but his faith above The Poet very covertly and wittily in decision of such whose delights were wholly fixed on mould Satyrically concludeth Not only Vertue winged Fame and Honour too I say But things divine and humane too must Riches all obey But to returne where we left whence commeth this so avaricious and illimited desire but only from a Selfe-love which these men have to their owne private and peculiar profit Which that wee may the beter prevent being such a shelfe as it endangers the shippe that commeth neere it wee are daily to examine our selves and observe what especiall affection wee are most prone unto which found out wee are to apply such remedies or receits as may best cure such enormities as arise from the vicious and corrupted source of our affections Now to come to the cure because Medicines provided and not applied are fruitlesly imployed Are ye naturally subject to vaine-glory Labour to suppresse those motions even in their rising by becomming vile and contemptible in your owne sight Are yee affected to wantonnesse and effeminacie Impose your selves a Taske inure your bodies to labour reserve some houres for reading as well those exquisite Morall precepts of Heathen Writers as those blessed Patternes of continencie recorded in sacred Writ Are ye slaved to the misery of a worldling Wrastle with your affections entertaine bounty affect hospitality so in time yee shall become weaned from base and servile Parcimony To be briefe as Vices are best cured by their Contraries ever oppose your selves to that which your Natures affect most for this is the way to make you that were slaves before commanders of your
Olympus kept and with publike feasts duly celebrated so in many places of this Kingdome both Southward in their Wakes and Northward in their Summerings the very same Recreations are to this day continned Shooting amongst the Scythians and Parthians was an exercise of especiall request as afterward amongst the Amazonites being women expert above all people of the world in Shooting and practising the Dart. Bowling amongst the Romans was much used especially in Lucullus time whose Garden-alleyes were ever stored with young Gentlemen who resorted thither to Recreate themselves with this exercise The Greekes had a Cynosargus to traine and exercise their Youth in wrastling and a Cerostrotum to annoint their bodies in before they wrastled The ancient Romans had a Circus to inure and practise their Youth against military service wherein they wrestled and contended They used likewise as the French doe to this day the exercise of the Ball which play is never sufficiently praised by Galen being an exercise wherein all the organs or faculties of mans body are to be imployed as the eye to be quick and sharpe in seeing the hand ready in receiving the body nimble in moving the legs speedy in recovering That Fencing also was of much use and practice among the Romans even in their height of glory and during the flourishing time of their Empire may appeare by that high commendation which Cicero giveth it terming it The strongest and soveraignest exercise against death and griefe The Iusts Turnaments and Barriers likewise were amongst our ancient Knights usually practised and observed both for gaining the favour of such Ladies as they loved as also for the honour of their Countrey vanquishing such strangers with whom they contended may appeare in Histories of all ages Or to descend to more soft and effeminate Recreations we shall find of what great esteeme Musicke was even with some who were in yeares as ripe as they were for wisedome rare Socrates when he was well strucke in yeares learned to play upon the Harpe Minerva and Alcibiades disliked the loude Musicke of Dulcimers and Shalmes but admired the warbling straines of the Harpe Plato and Aristotle would have a man well brought up in Musicke Lycurgus in his sharpe lawes allowes of Musicke Chyron taught Achilles in his tender yeares Musicke Achasia with Diotima and Hermione taught Pericles Prince of Troy or rather Duke of Athens Musicke Epaminondas of Leuctra was experienced in Musicke Themistocles was lesse esteemed because not seene in Musicke Alexander was so ravished with Musicke that when he heard a Trumpet he used to cry ad arma ad arma not able to containe himselfe so highly were his spirits erected by the force of Musicke Painting likewise among the ancient Pagans was for a Recreation used though at this day through the dishonour our painted Sepulchers doe to their maker much abused Fabius surnamed Pictor from whence the Fabij tooke their names was a painter for he painted the walls of the Temple of Peace Metrodorus a Philosopher and painter of Athâ—ns sent to by L. Paulus to bring up his children and to decke the Roman triumphs Protogenos his table wherein Bacchus was painted moved King Demetrius lying at the City Rhodes so much to admire his rare Art and Workmanship that whereas he might have consumed the City with fire he would not for the preciousnesse of that table and therefore staying to bid them battell wonne not thâ— City at all So Campaspe pictured out in her colours by by Apelles and Crotons five daughters lively pourtrai'd by Zeuxes gained those famous Artists no lesse honour Howsoever his art was in painting I cannot chuse but commend his quicke wit in answering being by them reproved whom he most distasted and thus it was Two Cardinals reproving one Raphael a Painter in that he made the Pictures of Peter and Paul too red answered that Saint Peter and Saint Paul were even as red in heaven as they saw them there to see the Church governed by such as they were This device or invention of painting was by the Pagans generally but especially those of the better sort taken onely for a recreation and no trade or profession labouring to shew their cunning in beautifying garnishing and adoring the triumphs of their Conquerours or indecoring their Temples dedicated to the gods As the Scythes used to erect obeliskes or square stones upon the Hearse of the deceased in number so many as he had slaine of his enemies where he that had not slaine an enemy could not drinke of the Goblet spiced with the ashes of some memorable Ancestos at solemne feasts and banquets For other painting too much affected at this day it was not so much as used by any Matron Wife or Virgin whose best red was shamefastnesse and choisest beauty maiden bashfulnesse onely as Festus Pompeius saith common and base whores called Shaenicolae used daubing of themselves though with the vilest stuffe But this may seeme an art rather than a recreation wee will therefore descend to some others whose use refresheth and recreateth the minde if imployed as they were first intended being rather to beguile time than to reape gaine And first for the antiquity of Dice-play we have plenty of authorities every where occurring being much used by all the Roman Emperours at Banquets and solemne meetings where they bestowed themselves and the time at no grame so much as Dice So as Augustus was said to be a serious gamester at Dice affecting them much when at any time he retired from Court or Campe. Whence it is that Suetonius bringeth in Augustus Caesar speaking thus Si quas manus remisi cuique exegissem aut retinuissem quod cuique donavi vicissem c. If I had exacted those chances which I remitted every one and kept that which I bestowed I had gotten by play whereas now I am a loser by my bounty Though no game more ancient or which indeed requireth a conceit more pregnant than the Chesse which we read to have beene in great request amongst the ancient Romans whereof we have a History in the time of Caius Caligula tending to this purpose This Emperour being naturally addicted to all cruelty chanced one day amongst others to send for one Canius Iulus a Philosopher of eminent esteeme at that time with whom after some conference the Emperour fell into such a rage as he bade him depart thence but expect within short time to receive due censure for his boldnesse For quoth he flatter not thy selfe with a foolish hope of longer life for I have doomed thee to be drawne by the officer unto death But see with what resolution this noble Canius bore himselfe I thanke you quoth he most gracious Emperour and so departed Within some few dayes after the Officer according to the Emperours commandement repaired to the houses of such as were adjudged not by any legall processe but only by the Emperours pleasure to suffer death amongst which he
shall be no lesse usefull to your selves if rightly observed then motives of comfort if duely and exactly considered Hee was reputed one of the wise men that made answer to the question When a man should marry A young man not yet an elder man not at all Of which opinion was Arminius that Ruler of Carthage whose harsh conceit of marriage proceeding either from personall disability or some experience of womans levity deserves small approbation For had it beene Arminius fortune to have matched with Arminia hee would doubtlesse rather have fallen into admiration of so sacred a rite then into distaste of it For this Noble Lady being bidden to King Cyrus wedding went thither with her husband at night when they were returned home her husband asked of her how shee liked the Bride-groome whether she thought him to bee a faire and beautifull Prince or no Truth saith she I know not for all the while I was forth I cast mine eyes upon none other but upon thy selfe Or had Calanus prevented Hiâ—â—o of his choice hee would have fallen from his Stoicall dreame to a Nuptiall song for one of Hieroâ—s enemies reproaching him with a stinking breath hee went home and questioned his wife why she told him not thereof but what answer gave this continent Lady Surely said shee I thought all men had the same savour Or had Claudian injoyed so inimitable a consort as the no lesse beauteous then vertuous Clara whose constant affection to her decrepit and diseased Valdaure in shâ—wing most love when a loathsome bed might have ministred most distaâ—â—e hath recommended her living memory to the succeeding Annals of posterity Oâ— had Timon attained the happinesse to joyn hands with Theogena wife to Agathocles hee had not inveighed so much against the state of Marriage for this renowned Lady shewed admirable constancy in her husbands greatest misery showing her selfe most his owne when hee was relinquisht and forsaken of his owne saying That she was not given him to bee a sharer onely in his prosperity but in what fortune soâ—ver should befall him Or had Zenocrates enjoyed Zenobia hee would no lesse have admired his fortune then beshrewed himselfe for depriving himselfe so long of so sweet a Companion For this princely Lady after the death of Odonatus though a Barbarian Queene yet by her reading of both Roman and Greeke Histories so managed the state after the decease of her husband as shee reteined those fierce and intractable people in her obedience being a woman no lesse absolute for learning then discreet governing for she abridged the Alexandrian and all the Orientall Histories a taske of no lesse difficulty then utility whereby she attained the highest pitch of wisdome and authority Or had Aristippus beene so happy as linked himselfe with Artemisia hee would have preferred so kind and constant a yoke-fellow before all exteriour contemplations for this chaste and choice Lady after the death of her beloved Mansolus thought it not sufficient to erect a glorious monument in his memory but to enshrine him in her owne body by drinking his ashes and interring him in her selfe Many such eminent women may wee reade of in Histories both divine and humane whose vertues have equalled if not surpassed most men So as howsoever it was the Milesian Thales his saying that hee had cause to give Fortune thankes for three things especially first for that hee was a man and not a beast secondly that hee was a man and not a woman thirdly that hee was a Greeke borne and not a Barbarian Women there be whos 's more noble endowments merit due admiration because as in their sex weaker and inferiour so in the gifts of the mind richer and superiour But now to our Choice for it is to be received as already granted being by the authority of an Apostle confirmed that Mariage is honourable among all and every honourable thing is more eligible then that which is not honourable So as hee that shunneth Mariage and avoideth society is to be esteemed a foe to humanity or more then a man as hee whom Homer reprehendeth saying That hee was tribe-lesse law-lesse and house-lesse I could wish every young Gentleman to make that Choice of his Mistris which Seneca would have one observe in the choice of a Master Choose him for thy Master saith he whom thou mayest more admire seeing him then hearing him Neither altogether as Egnatius in Catullus is brought out shewing the whitenesse of his teeth for all outward perfections are but as fuell to feed desire without that inward faire which onely maketh woman worthy loving For what is a beautifull complexion being an exteriour good or that which Euryclea his nurse praysed when shee washed the feet of Vlysses namely gentle speech and tender flesh wanting those inward graces which truely adorne and beautifie women So as it is much better to follow his direction in the choice of a wife who said that they were to be chosen Modestiâ non formâ which Modestie cannot admit of this ages vanity where there is nothing lesse affected then what is comely For these garish fashions agree well with none but prostitutes and shamelesse women Neither can that face bee a good one which stands in need of these helpes For what madnesse is it to change the forme of nature and seeke beauty from a Picture Which Picture is vices posture and the ages imposture Neither doe these affected trumperies nor exquisite vanities become a Christian. For what is more vaine then dying of the haire painting of the face laying out of brests Doe not say that these can have shamefast minds who have such wandring and immodest eyes For the habit of the mind is to be discerned by the carriage so as even in motion gesture and pace is modesty to be observed How miserable then is the state of these phantastick Idols who can endure no fashion that is comely because it would not bee observed How base is her shape which must borrow complexion from the shop How can she weepe for her sinnes saith S. Hierome when her teares will make furrowes in her face With what confidence doth she lift up her countenance to heaven which her Maker acknowledges not I would I poore wretch saith Tertullian might see in that day of Christian exaltation whether with Cerusse and Vermillion and Saffron and those tyres and toyes upon your head you are to rise againe which if they doe they shall certainely witnesse against them to receive the reward of their painting in a Lake of tormenting For these are they who lay hands upon God correcting with a hand of contempt the workemanship of God These never carry a box of oyntment to bestow on the members of Christ but a box of complexion they have in readinesse to bestow on a cheeke Which sort of Wantons for how should I otherwise terme them are well displayed by one in their
but uncleannesse of desire in respect of concupiscence Neither doth the kind or difference of the meat saith another pollute so much as the act of disobedience eating that which is inhibited Now to propose a rule of direction not any one surer or safer can be set downe then what an ancient Father hath already proposed Wee nourish our bodies saith hee lest by being too much weakned they faile us and wee weaken them by abstinence lest by too much feeding them they presse us So then temper your desires that neither too much restraint may enfeeble them nor excesse surcharge them For as the body being weakned the soule becomes strengthned so where the body becomes too much enfeebled the performance of spirituall exercises is disabled but in all things take heed of pampering a disobedient servant hee sleeps in your bosome that imagines mischiefe against you Who the more hee is fostered the more is your danger furthered the more hee is cockered the more is your heat of devotion cooled chastise then this domesticke enemy in time for hee participates of the nature of a Serpent who spreads most his poyson where hee receives harbouring Now as the Philosophers observe of the Hart that being pursued by dogs in hunting by reason of heat and losse of breath being tired with the chase hee hasteneth to the Rivers or wearied in fight with a Serpent or stung or wounded by him while the Serpent resteth on the the ground hee seeketh to some cold Fountaine whereby the affection of the venome received may be abated and his former vigour restored Even so such as are wounded and strucken of the old Serpent must have recourse to Christ that Fountaine of living waters that all sensuall desires arising from excessive delight in delicious fare may be the better allayed Neither onely is restraint to be used in the choice and change of meats but in the excessive use of drinkes The reasons are two the one is it is an enemy to the knowledge of God the other is this it is held to be an enfeebler or impairer of the memorative parts for you shall ever note that deepe drinkers have but shallow memories Their common saying is Let us drowne care in healths which drowning of care makes them so forgetfull of themselves as carried away with a brutish appetite they onely intend their present delight without reflexion to what is past or due preparation to what may succeed O restraine then this mighty assailant of Temperance Bee ever your selves but principally stand upon your guard when occasion of company shall induce you being the last we are to speake of This Company-keeping how much it hath depraved the hopefullest and towardliest wits daily experience can witnesse For many wee see civilly affected and temperately disposed of themselves not subject to those violent or brain-sicke passions which the fumes of drinke beget till out of a too pliable disposition they enter the lists of Good fellowship as they commonly terme it and so become estranged from their owne nature to partake with Zanies in their distempered humour So as in time by consorting with evill men they become exposed to all immoderate affections such is the strength of custome Whence it is that Saint Basil saith Passions rise up in a drunken man note the violence of this distemper like a swarme of Bees buzzing on every side Now you shall see him compassionately passionate resolving his humour into teares anon like a phrenticke man exercising himselfe in blowes presently as if a calmer or more peaceable humour had seized on him he expresseth his loving nature in congies and kisses So different are the affections which this valiant Mault-worme is subject to yet howsoever out of a desperate Bravado he binde it with oathes that he will stand to his tackling he is scarce to be credited for he can stand on no ground But to annexe some reasons which may effectually disswade every generous-affected spirit from consorting with such Sociats as are a blemish to a Gentleman imagine with your selves how mortally dangerous it is to enter an infected house how fearefull would any one bee of the state of his body if hee should have one in his company who had the carbuncle or plague-sore running upon him how much would hee condemne his owne rashnesse to entertaine any such in his company and with what respect or cautelous advice would he prepare to expell the poyson of that infection at least to prevent the occasion no cost might be spared no care intermitted that some soveraigne receit might be procured whereby the apparent danger into which his inconsiderate rashnesse had brought him might be removed Now if our bodies being but the covers of more curious and exquisite instruments be so especially tendred with what respect ought we to provide for the safety or security of our soules The ground of a disease is to mixe the sound with the sicke now the soules disease is sinne wherewith shee laboureth more painfully than the body can doe being annoyed with any infirmity Those that are sicke are vicious men whose disease though it be insensible and in that lesse curable it breakes out into loathsome ulcers which staine the pristine beauty of the soule Now as wee serve so many vices wee serve so many masters and so many masters so many divels each one having so many divels as evils Which miserable servitude to prevent for no slavery is baser than the service of sinne the best and soveraignest receit that may be applied or ministred to the soule-sicke patient is the receit of adversion to turn aside from the waies of the wicked and to keepe no company with the transgressour for this adversion from the companions of sin is a conversion to the God of Sion Would you then have God turne to you turne you from your sinnes Would you bee at one with your Maker be ever divided from these sensuall mates so shall you bee made happy by the company of your Maker Would you bee sound at heart leave to consort with these of an uncircumcised heart whose paths lead to perdition and they that walke therein shall be the heires of shame For howsoever these instruments of sinne as I have sometimes observed may make a shew of godlinesse or pretend meerely under colour to give a varnish to their vicious lives and a semblance of goodnesse yet it is but meere painting they deale with they deny the power thereof in their life and conversation A ridiculous Actor in the Citie of Smyrna pronouncing O coâ—lum O heaven pointed with his finger toward the ground which when Polemo the chiefest man in the place saw he could abide to stay no longer but went from the company in a chase saying This foole hath made a Solecisme with his hand hee hath spoken false Latine with his hand Such ridiculous Actors are these time-spenders they pronounce heaven with their mouth but point at earth with their lives like wise Polemons therefore
and feeling of religion which is all in all as in the knowledge and understanding of it hee buries Sarah in a double Sepulcher and so must all wee doe which are the true children of Abraham for then with Abraham burying our spirit in a double Sepulcher wee shall with Elizeus have a double Spirit a spirit that as well doth as teacheth Otherwise wee are but tinkling Cymbals making onely a sound of religion without any sound or sincere profession being as that honey-tongu'd Father saith in body inward but in heart outward Now the eye as it is the tendrest and subtilest Organ of all others so should the Object on which it is fixed be the purest and cleerest of all others The Eagle accounts those of her young ones bastards which cannot fixe their eyes upon the Sunne and with equall reflection as it were reverberate the beaming vigour or splendour thereof which should be the Embleme of divine contemplation teaching us that howsoever wee have our feet on earth wee are to have our eyes in heaven not by prying too saucily into the sealed Arke of Gods inscrutable will but by meditating ever of him so to rest in him that after earth wee may for ever rest with him It is observed by profest Oculists that whereas all creatures have but foure muscles to turne their eyes round about man hath a sift to pull his eyes up to heaven How farre divert they then their eyes from the contemplation of that Object for which they were created who cannot see their neighbours ground but they must cover it nor his beast but they desire it nor any thing which likes them but with a greedy eye they heart-eat it So large is the extent or circuit of their heart to earthly things as they can see nothing but they instantly desire so strait is the circumference of their heart to heavenly things they set no mind on them as if altogether unworthy their desire So as I cannot more aptly compare these idolizing worldlings to any thing then to the bird Ibis which is of that filthy nature as shee receives those excrements in at her mouth which shee had purged before from her guts Neither doe they resemble this bird only in respect of their bestiall or insatiate receit but also in the unbounded extent of their heart Oris Apollo writeth that the Egyptians when they would describe the heart paint that bird which they call Ibis because they thinke that no creature for proportion of the body hath so great a heart as the Ibis hath Neither hath our worldly Ibis a lesse heart to the filthy desires of the world being of necessity forced to leave the world before hee can leave desiring the things of this world or their eyes Satan-like come from compassing the whole earth esteeming no joy to the worldling like much enjoying yet am I not so rigorously affected or from feeling of humanity so farre estranged as with Democritus to move you to pull out your eyes that the occasion of temptation might be removed by being of your eyes those motives to temptation wholly deprived Nor with that inamored Italian to wish you to fix your eyes upon the beames of the Sunne till they were feared that the sight of your Mistresse might not move your disquiet No enjoy your eyes and make them directâ—rs to guide you not as blind deceitfull guides to entrap you use the object of this sense but weane it from assenting to concupiscence concluding over with that good remembrance May that object bee from our eyes removed which makes us from our deare Lord divided Now for the last Motive which is the Pride of life it was Lucifers sinne and therefore should bee each true Christians scorne For this sinne saith an ancient and learned Father are the children of the kingdome thrown into utter darknesse and whence commeth this but because they ascend up unto that Mountaine unto which the first Angell ascended and as a Devill descended Hee who entertaineth this Motive is an ambitious man who as one rightly observeth may be well and fitly similized with the Chameleon who hath nothing in his body but Lungs so the badge of the ambitius is to be windy and boisterous whereas if he would measure all his undertakings rather by the dignity of the thing then the Ambition of his mind hee should find as much content as now hee finds disquiet It was the rule of a wise States-man and well deserves it the observance of every private person but especially of such who sit nere the Sterne of State not to suffer any ambitious heat transport him but to measure all things according to their dignity and worth and withall rather to referre the opinion of themselves and their actions to the censure of others and freely put themselves to be weighed in the judicious scale or ballance of others then to be approvers of themselves without the suffrage of others for certainely as there is no humour more predominant then Ambition nor apter to make man forgetfull of himselfe so hee who is of a haughty and proud disposition dis-values all others purposely to prize his owne deserts at an higher estimate I remember with what character that proud English Cardinall was decoloured who bare so great a strok in this Kingdome as it was in his power to shake the foundation of Monasteries and from their ruines to raise his owne structures that hee was so puffed up with Ambition as hee preferred the honour of his person before the discharge of his Profession Surely that sentence was verified in him Promotion declares what men bee for never was his Nature throughly discovered nor his inside displayed till his out-side was with the Cardinals Pall graced How necessary is it then for man being more subject to Pride himselfe in his height then with patience to receive a fall to learne how to moderate his acception of honour before he come to honour For I doe not so limit him as if hee should not at all receive it but rather how hee should demeane himselfe having received it Neither in Ambition onely but in that attire of sinne gorgeous apparell is the like limitation to be used for herein are wee to observe such decencie as neither the contempt thereof may taxe us of irregular carelesnesse nor affectation thereof evince us of too singular nicenesse for the former as it implyes a carelesse indifferencie so the latter argues an effeminate delicacie for God hateth no lesse in man this sloth and sluttishnesse then he hateth too much neatnesse and nicenesse Yea I have oft-times observed no lesse pride shrouded under a thred-bare cloake than under a more sumptuous coat So as Antisthenes went not farre a wrong who seeing Socrates shew his torne cloake shewing a hole thereof unto the people Loe quoth he thorow this I see Socrates vanity It is not the Hood which makes the Monke nor the Cloake which makes
a kinde of frenzy it admires that now which it will laugh at hereafter when brought to better temper Civility is never out of fashion it ever reteines such a seemely garbe as it conferres a grace on the wearer and enforceth admiration in the beholder Age cannot deface it contempt disgrace it nor gravity of judgement which is ever held a serious Censor disapprove it Bee thus minded and this Complement in you will bee purely refined You have singular patternes to imitate represent them in your lives imitate them in your loves The Corruption of the age let it seize on ignoble spirits whose education as it never equall'd yours so let them strike short of those nobler indowments of yours labour daily to become improved honour her that will make you honoured let vertue be your crowne who holds vanity a crime So may you shew holinesse in your life enjoy happinesse at your death and leave examples of goodnesse unto others both in life and death COurts and eminent places are held fittest Schooles for Complement There the Cinnamon tree comes to best growth there her barke gives sweetest sent Choice and select fashions are there in onely request which oft-times like those Ephemera expire after one dayes continuance whatsoever is vulgar is thence exploded whatsoever novell generally applauded Here bee weekely Lectures of new Complements which receive such acceptation and leave behinde them that impression as what garbe soever they see used in Court publikely is put in present practise privately lest discontinuance should blemish so deserving a quality The Courts glosse may bee compared to glasse bright but brittle where Courtiers saith one are like Counters which sometime in account goe for a thousand pound and presently before the Count bee cast but for a single penny This too eager affection after Complement becomes the consumption of many large hereditaments Whereto it may bee probably objected That even discretion injoynes every one to accommodate himselfe to the fashion or condition of that place wherein hee lives To which Objection I easily condescend for should a rusticke or boorish Behaviour accompany one who betakes himselfe to the Court hee might bee sure to finde a Controuler in every corner to reprove him or some complete Gallant or other pittifully to geere and deride him But to dote so on fashion as to admire nothing more then a phantasticke dressing or some anticke Complement which the corruption of an effeminate State hath brought in derogates more from discretion then the strict observance of any fashion addes to her repute This place should bee the Beacon of the State whose mounting Prospect surveyes these inferiour coasts which pay homage and fealty unto her The least obliquity there is exemplary elsewhere Piercing'st judgements as well as pregnant'st wits should bee there resident Not a wandring or indisposed haire but gives occasion of observance to such as are neere How requisite then is it for you whose Nobler descents promise yea exact more of you then inferiours to expresse your selves best in these best discerning and deserving places You are women modesty makes you completest you are Noblewomen desert accompanying your descent will make you noblest You may and conveniency requires it reteine a Courtly garbe reserve a well seeming State and shew your selves lively Emblemes of that place wherein you live You may entertaine discourse to allay the irkesomenesse of a tedious houre bestow your selves in other pleasing recreations which may no lesse refresh the mind then they conferre vigour and vivacity to the body You may be eminent starres and expresse your glory in the resplendent beames of your vertues so you suffer no blacke cloud of infamy to darken your precious names Shee was a Princely Christian Courtier who never approached the Court but shee meditated of the Court of heaven never consorted with her Courtiers but shee contemplated those Citizens of heaven nor ever entred the Presence-Chamber but shee thought of the presence of her Maker the King of heaven And how shee was never conscious of that thought which redounded not to her Subjects honour which shee preferred next to the love of her Maker before the fruition of an Empire Such Meditations are receits to cure all inordinate motions Your Lives should be the lines to measure others Actions Vertue is gracious in every subject but most in that which the Prince or Princesse hath made gracious Anciently the World was divided into three parts whereof Europe was held the soule properly every Politike State may be divided into three Cantons whereof the Court is the Sunne You are Objects to many Eyes be your actions platformes to many lives I can by no meanes approve that wooing and winning Complement though most Courts too generally affect it which makes her sole Object purchase of Servants or Suitors This garbe tastes more of Curtezan then Courtier it begets Corrivals whose fatall Duello's end usually in blood Our owne State hath sometimes felt the misery of these tragicke events by suffering the losse of many generous and free-bred Sparkes who had not their Torches beene extinguished in their blood might to this day have survived to their Countries joy and their owne same So great is the danger that lyes hid in affable Complements promising aspects affectionate glances as they leave those who presumed of their owne strength holding themselves invulnerable many times labouring of wounds incurable Be you no such Basilisks never promise a calme in your face where you threaten a storme in your heart Appeare what you are lest Censure taxe you of inconstancy by saying you are not what you were An open countenance and restrained bosome sort not well together Sute your discourse to your action both to a modest dispose of your affection Throw abroad no loose Lures wandring eyes strayed lookes these delude the Spectators much but the Actors most A just revengeâ— by striving to take in others they are taken by others How dangerous doe we hold it to be in a time of infection to take up any thing be it never so precious which wee find lost in the street One of your loose lookes be it darted with never so Complementall a state is farre more infectious and mortally dangerous There is nothing that sounds more cheerefully to the eare or leaves a sweeter accent nothing that conveyes it selfe more speedily to the heart or affords fuller content for the time then conceit of love It will immaze a perplexed wretch in a thousand extremes whose amazed thoughts stand so deepely ingaged to the Object of his affection as hee will sustaine any labour in hope of a trifling favour Such soveraignty beauty reteines which if discretion temper not begets such an height of conceit in the party beloved as it were hard to say whether the Agent or Patient suffer more To you let me returne who stand fixed in so high an Orbe as a gracefull Majesty well becomes you so let modesty grace that Majesty that demeaning your selves like Complete
and gracious Courtiers on earth you may become triumphant and glorious Courtiers in heaven THis garbe as it suites not with all Persons so sorts it not to all Places For a Mechanicke to affect Complement would as ill seeme him as for a rough-hewen Satyre to play the Orator It is an excellent point of discretion to fit ones selfe to the quality or condition of that place where he resides That Vrbanity which becomes a Citizen would rellish of too much curiosity in a Countrey-man That Complement which gives proper grace to a Courtier would beget derision or contempt being personated by a Merchant or his Factor In affaires of State is required a gracefull or Complete posture which many times procures more reverence in the person interessed then if that state were omitted Whereas in ordinary affaires of trafficke it were indiscretion to represent any such state or to use any expression either by way of discourse or action that were not familiar That person who prefers Complement before profit and will rather speake not to be understood then lose one polite-stollen phrase which hee hath purchased by eare onely and understands not may account himselfe one among his bank-rupt brethren before hee breake It is pittifull to heare what a remnant of fustian for want of better Complement a Complete-Countrey-Gossip for so shee holds her selfe will utter in one houre amongst her Pew-fellowes How shee will play the Schoole-Mistresse in precepts of Discipline and morall Behaviour Nothing so gracefull in another which shee will not freely reprove nothing so hatefull in her selfe which shee will not confidently approve Teach shee will before shee be taught and correct Formâ— it selfe to bring Forme out of love with it selfe To which malady none is more naturally subject then some Ladies cashiered Gentlewoman or one who hath plaid Schoole-Mistresse in the City and for want of competent pay removes her Campe into the Countrey where she brings enough of vanity into every family throughout the Parish Shee will not sticke to instruct her young Pupils in strange points of formality enjoyning them not to aske their Parents blessing without a Complement These as they were never Mistresses of families so they are generally ignorant in employments of that kind Those three principall workes or faculties of the Vnderstanding which might enable them to Discourse Distinguish and to Chuse are so estranged from them as their Discourse consists solely in arguments of vanity their Distinction in meere shadowes of formality their Choyce in subjects and Consorts of effeminacy Eight things saith Hippocrates make ones flesh moist and fat the first to be merry and live at hearts ease the second to sleepe much the third to lye in a soft bed the fourth to fare well the fifth to be well apparelled and appointed the sixth to ride alwayes on horse-backe the seventh to have our will and the eighth to bee employed in Playes and pastimes and in such time-beguiling recreations as yeeld contentment and pleasure These are the onely receits in request with those Shee-Censors wee now discourse of and of whom it may be said as was sometimes spoken of one Margites that he never plowed nor digged nor did any thing all his life long that might tend unto goodnesse and by necessary consequence wholly unprofitable to the world Who howsoever they are lesse then women at their worke yet at their meat so unconfined is their appetite they are more then men and in their habits so phantasticke is their conceit neither women nor men So as were Diogenes to encounter one of these hee might well expostulate the cause with her as hee did upon like occasion with a youth too curiously and effeminately drest If thou goest to men all this is but in vaine if unto women it is wicked But these wee hold altogether unworthy of your more generous society whose excellent breeding hath sufficiently accommodated you for City Court and Countrey and so fully inform'd you how to demeane your selves in all affaires as I make little doubt but you know wherein it may bee admitted as mainely consequent and wherein omitted as meerely impertinent I meane therefore to descend briefly to the last branch of this Observation declaring what Ornament gives Complement best beauty or accomplishment IT is true what the sonne of Sirach sometimes said When a man hath done his best hee must beginne againe and when hee thinketh to come to an end hee must goe againe to his labour There is nothing so exact which may not admit of something to make it more perfect Wee are to goe by stayres and steps to the height of any story Vertues are the Staires Perfection the Spire But I must tell you Gentlewomen the way for you to ascend is first to descend Complete you cannot be unlesse you know how replete you are of misery Humility is the staire that conducts you to this spire of glory Your beauty may proclaime you faire your discourse expresse a pregnancy of conceit your behaviour confirme you outwardly complete Yet there is something more then all this required to make you absolutely accomplished All these outward becommings be they never so gracefull are but reflections in a glasse quite vanished so soone as the glasse is removed Critolaus balance was of precious temper and well deserving estimation with Heires of Honour who poised the goods of body and fortune in one skale and goods of the mind in the other where the goods of the mind so farre weighed downe the other as the Heaven doth the Earth and Seas To lead a dance gracefully to marry your voice to your instrument musically to expresse your selves in prose and verse morally are commendable qualities and enforcing motives of affection Yet I must tell you for the first though it appeare by your feet to be but a meere dimension in the opinion of the Learned it is the Divels procession Where the Dance is the Circle whose centre is the Divell Which may be restrained by a more easie or moderate glosse to such wanton and immodest Revels as have anciently beene used in the Celebration of their prophane feasts by Pagans and are to this day by Pagan-christians who to gaine applause from the Spectator care not what shamelesse parts they play in the presence of their Maker But what are these worth being compared with these inward Ornaments or beauties of your mind which onely distinguish you from other creatures and make you soveraignesses over the rest of Gods creatures You have that within you which will best accomplish you Let not that bee corrupted by which your crooked wayes may be best corrected Hold it no such necessary point of Complement to shew a kind of majesty in a Dance and to preferre it before the Complement of a Religious taske Those sensuall Curtezans who are so delighted in songs pipes and earthly melody shall in hell rore terribly and howle miserably crying as it is in the Apocalips Woe Woe Woe Woe shall
every one cry severally for the reward they have received in hell eternally saying and sighing Woe is mee that ever I was borne for farre better had it beene for her that shee had never beene borne And againe Cursed bee the wombe that bare mee a sinner After this shall shee cry out in her second Woe against her selfe and all the members of her owne body Woe bee unto you my accursed feet what evill have you brought upon mee miserable wretch who by your perverse paths and wicked wayes have shut heavens gate of mee Woe unto you my hands why have you deprived mee by your sinfull touch and sensuall embrace of the Crowne of glory by your meanes am I brought to hell fire where I shall bee tormented eternally Woe unto thee thou cursed tongue what mischiefe hast thou brought upon mee by uttering words so scurrilous and filthy and singing uncivill songs so frequently O ye cursed Eyes who by your unlawfull objects of concupiscence have deprived mee of Gods presence and never shed one teare for your sinnes in token of repentance Now begins your intolerable weeping yee teare-swolne eyes never dryed before all the Divels and the damned Woe unto thee my heart what hast thou put upon mee who by thy lustfull thoughts and unlawfull joyes hast deprived me of eternall joyes The third Woe that shee shall cry out is this saying Woe unto the bitternesse of my torments for they are comfortlesse woe unto the multitude of them for they are numberlesse woe unto the eternity of them for they are endlesse Would our wanton Curtezans who sport it in their beds of Ivory surfeit it in their delicacy wanton it in the bosome of security and dedicate their whole time to sensuality reflect upon such a soveraigne salve or spirituall balme as this they would draw backe their feet from the wayes of wantonnesse and exercise them wholly in the paths of righteousnesse They would remove their hands from unchaste embraces and inure them to the search of Scriptures They would stop their mouthes from uttering ought uncivilly and teach their tongues to bee Orators of modesty They would turne their eyes from vanity and fixe them on the purest objects of eternity That so instead of bitternesse of torments they might taste the sweetnesse of divine comforts instead of multitude of torments they might partake the numberlesse number of Gods mercies and instead of the eternity of those torments immortality with Gods Saints and Servants Prevention is the life of policy the way to avoid those and enjoy these is to live in your Court here on earth where you are spheared as in the presence of God and his heavenly Angels where your hope is seated Though your feet bee here your faith should bee there here your Campe there your Court Meane time while you sojourne here you are to hold a good Christian the completest Courtier and that vertue is the ornament which gives Complement the best accomplishment Silken honour is like painted meate it may feed the eye but affords no nourishment That Courtiers Coate gives a vading glosse whose heart is not inwardly lin'd with grace Let goodnesse guide you in the way and happinesse will crowne you in the end Let your Complete armour be righteousnesse your Complement lowlinesse complete in nothing so much as holinesse that in your convoy from Earth you may bee endenized in heaven naturall Citizens angelicall Courtiers THE ENGLISH GENTLE-VVOMAN Argument Decency recommended as requisite in foure distinct Subjects Decency the attractivest motive of affection the smoothest path that leads to perfection DECENCY DEcency takes Discretion ever along with her to choose her fashion Shee accommodates her selfe to the place wherein shee lives the persons with whom shee consorts the ranke or quality shee partakes Shee is too discreet to affect ought that may not seeme her too constant to change her habit for the invention of any phantasticke wearer What propriety shee expresseth in her whole posture or carriage you shall easily perceive if you will but with a piercing eye a serious survey reflect upon her demeanour in her Gate Looke Speech Habit. Of which distinctly wee purpose to intreat in our Entry to this Observation that by these you may probably collect the excellency of her condition THat wherein wee should expresse our selves the humblest many times transports us most and proclaimes us proudest It is no hard thing to gather the Disposition of our heart by the dimension of our gate What a circular gesture wee shall observe some use in their pace as if they were troubled with the vertigo Others make a tinkling with their feet and make discovery of their light thoughts by their wanton gate Others with a jetting and strutting pace publish their hauty and selfe-conceited minde Thus doe our Wantons as if they had transparent bodies display their folly and subject themselves to the censure of levity This cannot Decency endure When shee sees Women whose modesty should bee the Ornament of their beauty demeane themselves more like Actors than civill Professants shee compassionately suffers with them and with choyce precepts of morall instruction wherein shee hath ever shewne her selfe a singular proficient shee labours to reclaime them With amorous but vertuous Rhetoricke shee wooes them hoping by that meanes to winne them Shee bids them looke backe to preceding times yea those on which that glorious light which shines in those Christian dayes never reflected and there they shall finde Women highly censured for that their outward carriage onely made them suspected A vaile covered their face modesty measured out their pace their Spectators were as so many Censors Circumspect therefore were they of their carriage lest they should become a scandall or blemish to their sexe Their repaire to their Temples was decent without any loose or light gesture Entring their Temples constant and setled was their behaviour Quicke was their pace in dispatch of houshold affaires but slow in their Epicureall visits or sensuall gossipings They had not the art of imitating such huffing mounting gates as our light-spirited Dames now use They were not as then learn'd to pace so far estrang'd were they from the very least conceit of vanity in this kinde How much more should these purer times where verity is taught and embraced vanity so much tax'd and reproved affect that most which adornes and beautifies most Is it not palpable folly to walke so hautily in these streets of our captivity Eye your feet those bases of frailty how they who so proudly strut on earth are but earth and approach daily nearer their earth The Swan when she prides her selfe in her whitenesse reflects on her blacke feet which brings downe her plumes and allayes her selfe-conceit with more humblenesse What anticke Pageants shall wee behold in this survey of Earth With what Apish gestures they walke which taxeth them of lightnesse How like Colosso's others walke which discovers their haughtinesse How punctually these as if they were
were unequall If you affect Rhetoricke let it be with that familiarity expressed as your plainenesse may witnesse for you that you doe not affect it This will make your Speech seeme gracious to the Hearer conferre a native modesty on the Speaker and free you of all prejudicate censure THere is nothing which moves us more to pride it in sinne then that which was first given us to cover our shame The fruit of a Tree made man a sinner and the leaves of a Tree gave him a cover In your Habit is your modesty best expressed your dispositions best discovered The Habit of the mind is discerned by the state or posture of the body the condition or quality of the body by the Habit which either addes or detracts from her beauty As wee cannot probably imagine such to have modest minds who have immodest eyes so can wee not properly say such women to bee modest matrons or professors of piety who in their attire shew arguments of their immodesty It skils not much for the quality of your habits whether they be silken or wollen so they bee civill and not wanton For albeit some have affirmed that all gorgeous attire is the attire of sinne the quality of the person may seeme to extenuate the quality of that sinne For noble and eminent personages were in all times admitted to weare them and to be distinguished by them Neither indeed is the sumptuousnesse of the habit so reprehensive as the phantasticknesse of the habit in respect of the forme or fashion It is this which derogates higly from the repute of a Christian to see her affect variety and inconstancy of attire more then ever did Pagan There is nothing which introduceth more effeminacy into any flourishing State then vanity in habit Where wee may observe fashion many times so long affected till all fashion become exiled Surely whatsoever our lighter disposed Curtezans thinke it is Civility which addes most grace Decency which expresseth best state and Comlinesse in attire which procures most love Other habits as they display the mind of the wearer so are they subjects of laughter or contempt to any discreet beholder Time is too precious to bee made a Pageant or Morrice on These misconceived ornaments are meere deformities to good minds Vertuous and discreet Matrons would bee loath to weare ought that might give least scandall or offence to their sexe Forraine fashions are no baiâ—s to catch them nor phantasticke rather phanaticke dressings to delude them They cannot eye that habit which deserves approving nor that attire which merits loving where Civility is not patterne Decency is their choycest Every which sets them forth above all Embroyderie There was an ancient Edict amongst the Romans purposely to rid the State of all uselesse loyterers that no Roman should goe through the streets of the City unlesse hee carried with him the badge or signall of that trade whereby hee lived insomuch that Marc. Aurelius speaking of the diligence of the Romans giveth them this deserving testimony That all of them followed their labour Now I marvell whether upon due survey of all those Artizans either Periwig Gregorian-maker or Tyre-woman had any set place or proper vocation or what badges they might beare to signifie their profession Would not these new-found Artists have beene rather derided then approved geered then applauded Sure Rome was more civill then to give way to so contagious an evill Vesta had her maidens so had Viriplaca her Matrons but neither of their followers could admit of any new minted fashions That Lady City had never soveragniz'd over so many rich States swelling Empires victorious Princes had shee exposed her selfe to such vanity which had beene the greatest Eclipse to her spreading glory To you let mee bend my discourse whose more generous parts conferre more true beauty on themselves then these outward fopperies can ever doe doe not betray your names to suspition The Chaplet of fame is not reserved for Wantons nor such as sute themselves to the habit of lightnesse for these adde one degree more to their sexes weaknesse but for such women as array themselves in comely apparell with shamefastnesse and modesty not with braided haire or gold or pearles or costly apparell But as becommeth women that professe the feare of God For even after this manner in time past did the holy women which trusted in God tyre themselves Here you have a direct platforme how to attire your selves outwardly suting your civill habit with variety of sweet graces inwardly Let not then these Spider-cauls delude you discretion will laugh at them modesty loath them Decency contemne them Loose bodies sort best with these adulterate beauties Those whose conversation is in heaven though they so journe here on earth Those whose erected thoughts spheare them in an higher Orbe then this Circle of frailty Those whose spotlesse affections have devoted their best service to goodnesse and made Modesty the exact mold of all their actions cannot endure to stoope to such braine-sicke Lures And such are you whose generous descent as it claymes precedence of others so should your vertuous demeanour in these foure distinct subjects GATE LOOKE SPEECH HABIT improve your esteeme aboue others In Gate by walking humbly in Looke by disposing it demurely in Speech by delivering it moderately in Habit by attiring your selves modestly all which like foure choyce borders perfumed with sweetest odours will beautifie those lovely lodges of your soules with all Decency Meane while imprint these Divine motions in your memory And first for the first hold this tenet To walke walking to meditate meditating to make the subject of it your Maker is the best portion of the Creature for the second to fix your eye with that indifferency on the Creature as it never avert your contemplative eye from your Creator for the third to direct your Speech to the benefit of the hearer and to avoyd impertinences for conscience-sake farre more then censure for the fourth and last to make choyce of that Habit whose Civility may doe you honour and publish you examples of Decency to any discreet or temperate beholder WHat is it that conveyes more affection to the heart then Decency in the object wee affect The Spouse in the Canticles was blacke but comely and this gave praise to her beauty A straid looke may move affection in a light heart but in a vertuous mind it begets hate Truth is in this disordered age where the best shot to be discharged is the Taverne bill the best Alarum is the sounding of healths and the most absolute March is reeling discretion hath received such a maime as affection is seldome measured by what wee are but what wee weare Vanity hath set up her Flagge and more fresh-water souldiers desire to fight under her Banner then the Ensigne of honour But all this workes little upon a constant and rightly-tempered disposition Such an one plants there his love where with comfort he may live Doe
how they enter'd this life with the society of a teare how they past over this life in labour and care and how they were to end this life with griefe and feare This made them cautious not only of their actions how they were performed but of their thoughts how they stood affected as likewise of their words how they were delivered This moved them to observe that excellent discipline in the regiment of their tongue which that experienc'd Professor so discreetly recommended There is a time wherein we are to speake nothing and there is a time wherein we are to speake something but there is no time wherein we are to speake all things Rightly did these observe and seriously did these reteine what they had received By the very speech which is delivered may we gather how the mind stands affected Neither can evill communication become a Christian. And whereas Youth it selfe is ever interested in most dangerous hazards they tooke a course to restraine youth lest their light youth might beget a sad age In a word these observed those perillous motives to sin and therefore wisely stopt their eares to the Syrens song Kisses Words Bookes Light-eyes Cates merry Mates Make chastest minds to open fancies gates Thus have we in a succinct manner to their surviving honour presented testimonies of their ability and piety in their Aphorisms Apothegms and witty Answers wherein they discovered an admirable promptnesse of wit preparednesse of mind and depth of judgement But we are now to descend from these golden sayings which they uttered to those glorious Workes which they composed In which their memory shall bee crowned And with which our Epitome or Love-Lecture in Morality clozed SECTION IX Their eminent Labours And how they were Assistants in the exquisitest Workes that have beene formerly composed either for History or Poesy ZEale of goodnesse is such a glorious ambition as it can never be too aspiring And in this many eminent and heroick spirits of their sexe shew'd themselves worthy Corrivals Where wee shall find some excellently vers'd in History Others in rare compositions to give a rich lustre unto Poetry Others far above the delicacy of their sexe in the profound search of Philosophy Others no lesse usefull in compiling Morall Precepts properly conducing to an Oeconomy Various patterns wee might here produce in each of these examples of such mysterious Learning and high contemplation as their memory deserves no lesse admiration then their piety imitation For professors and rich improvers of their knowledge in those precious treasures of Time History and Antiquity wee shall find a princely Zenobia and a sage Cleobula For affecters and happy enrichers of Poesie a spritely Corinnathia and a Pharsalian Pollia For serious searchers of profound secrets in Philosophy a Theoretick Theano and a divine Diotima a woman who was so famous a Philosopher that both Socrates and Plato went to heare her Lectures And for morall Precepts and Rules of Oeconomy a lovely Sulpitia and a stately Edesia Prompt were their wits rich their fancies and so bravely composed their affections as those who enjoyed them might hold themselves so farre as humane happinesse extended truly beatifi'd by them One chancing pleasantly to repeat in the presence of his wife that old assertion How of all inferiour blessings the very summary of them might be comprised in this three-fold dimension 1. To have a wife of his owne chusing 2. To have an Orchard of his owne planting 3. To have a Child of his owne begetting But what answer'd his Wife to this supposed Abstract of all humane happinesse Truly said shee if you had not done the first you had never beene my husband And if you have not done the second you are the worser husband But should you conceive the least suspition of the third I should account you unworthy the name of a husband Truth is such sweet Consorts as wee have here in this Section described and with whose vertues those very monumentall statues which enshrined them are perfumed confine not the period of their love to a honey-moneth Their delights are more perpetuate because with goodnesse beautifi'd For skin-beauty returnes but a sickly appetite to Fancy Whatsoever reteines in it selfe a proclivity of decaying or declining cannot conceive much felicity in the enjoying For though the present Object delight one poore fit of a Fever will darken those attractive rayes of content and enforce the late enjoyer to distaste that most which his bleere-ey'd judgement did so causelesly admire Whereas these whose interiour beauty begets to their happy Consorts a permanent fancy have beene ever reputed the choicest Companions to â—ray with to Play with to Converse or Commerce with Every of which wee shall illustrate by personall instances Gregory in his Dialogues writeth that his Aunt Trasilla being dead was found to have her elbowes as hard as horne which hardnesse shee got by leaning to a deske at which shee used to pray The like writes Hierome of Asella who though confined to the straight compasse of a Cell enjoyed the whole circuit of Heaven But lest wee might fall into the heresie of the Euchitae a thing I must confesse little to be feared seeing the knees of devotion every where so benummed who professed to doe nothing else but pray because the Apostle exhorteth us to pray continually So that professing to pray and to doe nothing else in effect they did nothing lesse seeing as Theodoret reporteth of them They did nothing for the most part but sleepe Whereas in Basils judgement a prayer should be filled not with Syllables or good words so much as good workes Now I say lest women should become so wholly contemplative as wholly to forget the office of being active Wee shall present to you such who are no lesse apt Consorts to play with then devout Supplicants to pray with Right wisely knew that Empresse how to play her Irish game who admonished her husband that the life of a man was more to be valued then a throw at dice. The losse of a life was to be recompensed with no benefit When the game is ended a new game may supply it but when a life is forfeited once deprived it cannot be restored An excellent direction and worthy our Observation in our forme of play was that princely feminine caution In game play faire and doe not sweare Sleight hope of gaine scorne thoughts of feare The brave resolution of that noble Gamester discovered no lesse masculine temper who to prepare her selfe against the braves of fortune fortifi'd her well-composed Spirit with this Antidote Should a blacke Cloud sit on my Fate I can with patience sleight her hate Nor were some of these inimitable Femals onely fitting Consorts for subjects of Devotion to pray with nor onely pleasing Companions for Scenes of Recreation to play with But moving sociats for arguments of Communication to commerce and converse with Those Tyrian and Sidonian women might confirme their propriety
fancy to her heart There is small doubt but those experimentall Maxims hold constantly currant That the very state and composure of the mind is to be seene in the cariage and posture of the body And that by the gesture and composition of the body is to be discovered the quality and disposition of the mind So as were one as cunning in his carriage as Tiberius was in his who could walke in the Clouds to his friends and with pretended glozes delude his foes Or as subtile as that Apostate Iulian whom Gregory Nazianzen called a Chamelion because hee could change himselfe into all shapes and colours or as crafty as Herod Antipas that cunning Foxe who could ingratiate himselfe with his foes for his owne ends yet in the secretst and subtilest carriage of all these wee shall ever find by the outward gesture some probable appearance of the inward temper Ambition cannot walke so privately nor retyre her selfe from the eyes of men so cunningly nor deceive a weake eye so much with a seeming Humility but some action or other will draw out to life his Anatomy Themistocles may walke in the night and have none but the Moone and Stars to be his Spectators yet for all this there be such observing Spies and Pioners within him as the night cannot bee so darke nor his retired thoughts so close but humane eyes may see him and discover too the necessitie of his walke for they find by his discontented looke and ambitious gate that Miltiades triumph will not suffer him to sleepe So as no sooner doe his inward thoughts betray him then his outward eyes display him Every trifling action becomes his Discoverer every weake passion or broken fancy breaths forth the quality of his distemper Let me Gentlewomen returne againe to you and make such usefull Application of these as may improve you Stand your minds affected to publike assemblies or private visits Doe these Enterludes or pastimes of the time delight you Begin you to dis-affect a Countrey life and with a night perswasive Rhetorick to incline the affections of your easie Husbands to plant in the Citie and to leave their ancient Mannor-houses sometimes memorable for Hospitality Trust me these are no promising Arguments of Modesty Plants transplanted doe seldome prosper and Beauty exposed to all hazards highly endangers the preservation of Honour Cities and places of great confluence have brought to composed minds much prejudice especially where a Recession or Diversion from imployment leaves the mind to talke with it selfe without bestowing it selfe on any usefull designe publike or private Nay by estranging her acquaintance from good company whose advice might assist her whose precepts might informe her and whose pleasing harmelesse discourse might delight her And in exchange of such friendly Consorts entertaine society with light fantastick spirits from whom no other profit can bee derived then what Vanity hath suggested and the conceit of a deluded fancy hatched O how many have preserved their reputes untouched their names unquestioned their fames unblemished during their reside in the Countrey who by entring acquaintance with light fashions and loose Consorts incurred much infamy But as it is not the Place but Grace which workes most effectually with the soule be it your care to intend your inward cure your pretence for the Citie may be physick but if that physick of your bodies beget in your minds an infirmity it had beene much better for you to have retained still those sickly bodies you had in the Countrey then by so dangerous a recovery to labour of a farre worser malady in the Citie That sententious Petrarch could say It made no great matter how the outward house alluding to the body fared so the inward house alluding to the soule flourished how the outward subsisted so the inward were supported Yea we shall observe how the decay or decrease of the one becomes many times the repaire and increase of the other For too much agility of body begets now and then a debility in the soule Restraine then your eyes from those outward Objects which may any way darken the Prospect of your inward house It is one of our especiall cares in our Architecture that our houses bee pleasantly seated and to faire prospects dilated And we hold it an unneighbourly Office that any one whose contignate dwelling boundeth or butteth neere us should upon any new superstructure or late erected story darken the light of our windowes This must not be endured the Questmon must be informed the wrong done us must be aggravated nothing omitted to have the injury of our Lesser-lights reformed and our unsufferable wrongs as wee immeritedly account them redressed Mean time any ill disposed Neighbour any vicious or distempered Intruder may at will and pleasure incroach upon the liberty of our higher Rooms these glorious structures of our soules Pride may damp and darken our Lights by over-topping them Avarice may stop and straiten our Lights by soiling them Riot may close and clot up our Lights by cloying them Lust may raze and deface our Lights by peeping and peering through them Wrath may bruise and break down our Lights by assailing them Envie may obscure nay immure our Lights by interposing them And Sloath like a more fruitlesse then harmelesse weed may blanch and blemish our Lights by over-spreading them Come then Ladies let me become your watchfull Bel-man Hang out your Lights The night you walke in is very darke and dangerous bee those Assailants to the Court of Honour which encounter you Lay aside those Love-sports which your deluded fancies dictate to you and falsely tell you that they infinitely become you Lay aside I say those numerous Love-sport trifles distinguished by these idolatrous titles your favour your Fancy your Complexion your Affection your Dasie Pancy Mirrha Venus and Phoebe O exchange these Love-babies with divine graces This will incomparably become you and make you amiable in his sight who made you Suffer not your eyes to wander but fixe upon that Centre where all Mortality must of necessity take harbour Obstruite quinque fenestras ut luceat domus Saint Hierome gives this excellent testimonie of that devout Woman Asella who being confined to a Cell enjoyed the whole circumference of Heaven Though I doe not limit you to a Cell I would have your thoughts confined to one Orbe seeing they cannot be circumscribed by any limit but Heaven Thus farre have I addressed my discourse to you for composing your affections and contriving your fancy to your Choice whose election admits no Change I am now to caution you and that briefly of a dangerous Guest which like the Snake in the Fable many times disturbs the quiet of a whole house And this is violent and distempered passion The indiscreet fury of some Wives have made Prodigals of frugall men Yea those who never knew what a loose or debauched course meant nor were much addicted to any liberty became uncivill and irregular by their
lumpish body His wit had an ill lodging b Who would have majesty preserved virtute non cultu Macrob. lib. 2. Saturnalium c. 5. Dion lib. 44. Appianus Alex. Plut. in vit Bomp Iustin. Quint. Curt. Vid. Polydor. Fab. Stow. al. Appian Alex L. Flor. l. 1. c. 1 Quint. Curt. l. 3. The miserable ends of such as committed sacriledge in their time Virg. Aeneid 2. lib. 1. Lactant. de orig error cap. 8. Valer. Max. Vid. Chron. What good morall men have flourished in evill times Plut. initio Apotheg regum Iustin. lib. 1. iâ— fine Non dolenda solùm sed periculosa etiam res est cum ingratis habere negotium Sen. Appian Alexand. O ingrata patria ne ossa quidemâ— Valer Max. Quint. Curt. l. â— Plut. in Apotheg Quarti dâ—x tanti exercitus L. Flor. l. 2. c. 18. Pecoritus fatigatis quoque velocior domum gradus est Sen. de tranquill anim lib cap. â— As in the reign of King Iohn Aâ— Dom. 1209. Having crossed the Seas to Ierusalem Id credo non fuit hominum sed conscientia scâ—lerum Polydor Virgil How a Gentleman is to bestow himselfe in Recreation Defunctum asseruntimmodica laetitia seâ—ii imbecillitate c. Laert in vit Chyl Suet. in Neroâ—â— Plut. in vit Sâ—xt Aâ—rel Herodian Virtus atque sapientia major in illis fuit qui ox parvis opibus tantum imperium fecere quà m in nobis qui ea bene parta vix retinemus Salust Majus dedecus est parta amittere quam non omnino par avisse Peculatuâ— ararii factus est Ibid. Assuetis nulla sit passio Eresius Suet. in Tiber. Si videas murem dominari alii muri nunquid risum teneas quantò magis ridiculum est quando tax illum quod est minoris valoris quà m mus homini dominetur Sen. From this inordinate desire spring two maine branches Cupiditas acquirendi aviditas retinendi Eagernesse of gaining greedines of reteining Blos Omnium notarum peccatores Et nulli rei nisi panitentiae nati Tertul. de paenit in fine Quic quid repreâ—en dendum non damnandum est Sen. de Benef. l. 6. cap. 39. Davidem saltantem plus stupeo quà m pugnantem Moral l. 27. c. 27. 2 Sam. 6.14 1 Chro. 15.29 Ludam inquit ut illudant Bonus Ludus quo Michol irascitur Deus delectatur Greg. Mag. Chrysost. In Gen. Hom. 5. Tom. 6. cap. 1. Observat. 6 Of the use of Acquaintance One Dentatus apud Senecam de tranq anim Mar. 1.35 Acts 6.9 Prov. 1 20 Deut. 14.16 17. a Bern. de vitâ solitariâ b Honores Mundi tumores Mundi Eucher Epist. Parâ—en-de contempt mundi c Omnis seculi honor Diaboli est negotium Hil. can 3. in Matth. Quaeremus unum bonum in quo sunt omnia bona et sufficit Aug. Med. * Greg. Diligenti Deum sufficit ei placere quem diligit quia nulla major expetenda est remuneratio quam ipsa dilectio Leo Magnus Serm. de jejuno Mat. 4.1.3 Psal. 63.4 1 Tim. 2.8 Iob. 7.1 Bernard in 4. lib. de consid ad Eugen. in eodem lib. cap. 4. Periclitaâ—ur castitas in delitiis humilitas in divitiis piâ—tas in nego â—io verit as in multiloguio charitas in hoc nequam saeculo Bern. Asrariuâ— Of the benefit we reape by Acquaintâ—nce in matters of discourse Amor à praesente gauder absente dolet Bern. sup Cant. Nihil interest habere estium apertum vultum clausma Cicero No rush without mire no corrupt heart without sin Pâ—in in Naâ— hiâ—â— Iob 20.16 Of the choice of Acquaintance in matters of advice Iob 16.2 Laâ—rt in vit Periand Omnia pro tempore nihil pro veritate Optatus l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccles. 13.1 * Whose wood is sweetest shade coolest and coale hottest Fabiolae Mâ—us 15. Latâ—at â—aec una salus Scâ— in Troad In Tiberius tâ—me Prov. 27.5.6 Lacrt. in vâ—t Biant Suct in Aug. Tusc. lib. 1. Of the benefit properly derived from one friend to another in every peculiar action Plutarch in Pelopida initio Plutarch in Paulo Aemilio sine Nihil tan aequè oblectaverit animum quà m amicitia fidelis Sen. in tranq anim Vt flores qui odore delectant Ibid. Nullus sine amicis locus amaenus Omnis sine sociis muÌ„dus eremus * The expressive Character of a reall friend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nam in â—â—ro sunt lites actiones molesâ—â— Posidio Si quâ—s in hos mundo cunctis vult gratus baberi Det capiat quaerat plurima pauce nihil Plato The benefits which redound from the mutuall union or communion of friends in the exercise of Pleasure Ioci non sint nimis salfi multò minus in sulfi illi enim multum â—fficiunt isti nisi per cachinnum parùm proficiunt Vanitati propriè festivitas cedit Cic. de orat lib. 2. As many Stars as in the heavens bee So many Maids has Rome to welcome thee As many kids as on the downs wee see So many Prostitutes in Rome there be Scipio Nasica A tergo Nemesis Laert. in viâ— Biant A rule of infallible direction touching choice of Acquaintance Quis quis plâ—s justo non sapit ille sapit Martial l. 14. Those jests are best seasoned that are least salted Of the choice or judicious approvement of Acquaintance in affaires of highest consequence Amicos sequere quos non pudeat elegisse Bias. Neither Timist nor Timonist are within the lists of Acquaintance to be entertained The Timist or Time-observer displaied and displaced Nec tuta fiducia regum quae levibus plerunque suis nituntur amicis Philip. Comin l. 2. Sext. Aurel. in Constant. These Timists have resemblance to those applauding Parasites by whom Aâ—tiochus was at one time saluted both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a glorious Prince and a furious Tyrant 〈◊〉 Peccatum semper praegnans aliudex alio gignit Vitia morbi sunt animi Sen. Vitia ad vicinos serpunt et contactu nocent Ib. Marcionist * Faciunt favos Vespae faciunt Ecclesias Marcionistae Tertul l. 4. cont Quae malè afficitur miserè inficitur Quot vitiae tot Daemonia Tot Daemonia quot crimina Emisenus Si innocentes existimari volumus non solum nos abstinentes verum etiam nostros comites praestare debemus Cic. Fro incerta spe certa praentia Salust Gratia quae cocat sicti malè sarta sodalis Est velut in Siculo Scylla cavenda marâ— Pub Faust. Andr. Prov. 29.5 The Timonist or Time-detracter discovered and discarded Arist. Hist. anim Nosque ubi primus equis oriens afflavit anhelis illie sera rubens accendit lumina vesper Tu voluptatem complecteris nos compescimus Tu omnia voluptatis causâ facis nos nihil Sen. de malis accidentibus bonis Lib. 1. Neu tibi pulthra placent caeci vestigia mundi Fallere quae citiùs quà m renovare selent Plutarch What directions are to be observed in the