wholly divided from society yea so immured as they seemed to be buried living Whose conversation as questionlesse it argued a great mortification of all mundane desires so it ministred matter of admiration to such who given to carnall liberty wondred how men made of earth could bee so estranged from conversing with inhabitants of earth But to leave these and imagine their conversation to be in Heaven though their habitation was on earth wee perceive hence how beneficiall Recreation is to the mind in cheering solacing and refreshing her if used with Moderation How it lessens those burdens of cares wherewith shee is oppressed revives the spirits as if from death restored cleares the understanding as if her eyes long time shut were now unsealed and quickens the invention by this sweet respiration as if newly moulded Neither is this Benefit so restrained as if it extended only to the mind for it confers a Benefit likewise to the body by enabling it to performe such Labours Taskes or Offices as it is to bee employed or exercised withall There are two Proverbs which may be properly applyed to this purpose Once in the yeere Apollo laughs this approves the use of moderate Recreation Apollo's bow 's not alwayes bent this shewes that humane imployments are to bee seasoned by Recreation we are sometimes to unbend the bow or it will lose his strength Continuall or incessant employment cannot be endured there must be some intermission or the body becomes enfeebled As for example observe these men who either encombred with worldly affaires so tye and tether themselves to their busines as they intermit no time for effecting that which they goe about or such as wholly nayled to their Deske admit no time for Recreation lest they should thereby hinder the progresse of their studies See how pale and meager they looke how sickly and infirme in the state of their bodies how weake and defective in their constitution So as to compare one of these weaklings with such an one as intermits occasions of busines rather than he will prejudice his health reserving times as well for Recreation and pleasure as for imployment and labour were to present a spectacle of Inius Dwarf not two foot high and weighing but seventeen pound with Iolaus the youthfull son of Iphiclus whose feature was free complexion fresh and youth renewing such difference in proportion such ods in strength of constitution For observe one of these starved worldlings whose aimes are only to gather and number without doing either themselves or others good with that they gather with what a sallow and earthly complexion they looke being turned all earth before they returne to earth And what may be the cause hereof but their incessant care of getting their continuall desire of gaining being ever gaping till their mouthes be filled with gravell So these who are wholly given and solely devoted to a private or retired life how unlike are they to such as use and frequent society For their bodies as they are much weakned and enfeebled so is the heat and vigour of their spirits lestened and resolved yea their dayes for most part shortned and abridged the cause of all which proceedeth from a continuall secluding and dividing themselves from company and use of such Recreations as all creatures in their kind require and observe For if we would have recourse to creatures of all sorts wee shall find every one in his kind observe a Recreation or refreshment in their nature As the Beast in his chace the Bird in her choice the Snaile in her speckled case the Polypus in her change yea the Dolphin is said to sport and play in the water For as All things were created for Gods pleasure so hath he created all things to recreate and refresh themselves in their owne nature Thus farre have we discoursed of moderate Recreation and of the benefits which redound from it being equally commodious to the mind as well as the body the body as well as the mind to the mind in refreshing cherishing and accommodating it to all studies to the understanding in clearing it from the mists of sadnesse to the body in enabling it for the performance of such labours taskes oâ— offices as it is to be imployed or interessed in It now rests that wee speake something of her opposite to wit of immoderate Recreation and the inconveniences which arise from thence whereof wee shall but need to speake a word or two and so descend to more usefull points touching this Observation AS the wind Caecias drawes unto it clouds so doth immoderate recreation draw unto it divers and sundry maine inconveniences for this Immoderation is a loosener of the sinewes and a lessener of the strength as Moderation is a combiner of the sinewes and a refiner of the strength So dangerous is the surfet which wee take of pleasure or Recreation as in this wee resemble Chylo who being taken with the apprehension of too much joy instantly dyed Now who seeth not how the sweetest pleasures doe the soonest procure a surfet being such as most delight and therefore aptest to cloy How soone were the Israelites cloyed with Quailes even while the flesh was yet betweene their teeth and before it was chewed So apt are wee rather to dive than dip our hand in honey Most true shall every one by his owne experience find that saying of Salomon to be It is better to goe to the house of mourning than to goe to the house of feaesting for there may we see the hand of God and learne to examine our lives making use of their mortality by taking consideration of our owne frailty whereas in the house of feasting wee are apt to forget the day of our changing saying with the Epicure Eat drinke and play but never concluding with him To morrow we shall die So apt are we with Messala Corvinus to forget our owne name Man who is said to be corruption and the sonne of man wormes meat For in this Summer-Parlour or floury Arbour of our prosperity wee can find time to solace and recreate our selves Lye upon beds of Ivory and stretch our selves upon our beds and eat of the Lambes of the flocke and the Calves out of the stall Singing to the sound of the Violl and inventing to our selves instruments of musicke like David Drinking wine in bowles and anointing our selves with the chiefe oyntments but no man is sorry for the affliction of Ioseph So universall are we in our Iubile having once shaken off our former captivity To prevent which forgetfulnesse it were not amisse to imitate the Romane Princes who as I have elsewhere noted when they were at any time in their conquests or victorious triumphs with acclamations received and by the generall applause of the people extolled there stood one alwayes behind them in their Throne to pull them by the sleeve with Memento te esse hominem for the consideration of humane
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
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
Heathens who contemned Riches so much as being offered yea obtruded they would not accept them Anacharses refused the treasure sent him by Croesus Anacreontes refused the treasure sent him by Polycrates and Albionus refused the treasure sent him by Antigonus The like moderation wee read in Fabius Maximus Crates Mimus and most of the Greeke Philosophers This indifferencie towards Fortune is excellently described by the sententious Seneca concluding Nihil eripit fortuna nisi quod ipsa dedit To insist on more examples were to enlarge this branch too much we will therefore shut them all up with that divine observation of the wise Simonides who being asked once whether Vertue or Riches were of more reputation made answer That the vertuous did more frequent the doores of the rich than the rich the vertuous Thence inferring that Wealth was a great nourisher of Vice and Povertie of Vertue or rather implying how those who are richest are oft-times the retchlest being ever with vices more infected who are to highest fortunes advanced Wherefore I assure me thou wilt not glory in riches for they deprave the Soule which should bee in the Body like a Queene in her Palace Whence then proceedeth this haughtie Looke perchance thou wilt object that thou art a man of Place admit thou beest is there nothing thou canst finde to expresse the eminence or greatnesse of thy Place to which thou art called save a disdainefull of surly Looke a neglectfull or scornefull countenance contemptuously throwne upon thy inferiour Surely if such an one thou bee how great so-ere thou bee I will admire rather thy Seat than thy Selfe and conclude with Aristippus A stone sits upon a stone These are they at whom our Moderne Poet glanced pleasantly when he saith They dare not smile beyond a point for feare t' unstarch their Looke So punctuall and formall they are as besides a kinde of formall and phantasticke humour they are nothing or to expresse them better They thinke it a derogation to honour to converse with basenesse They shew a great deale of peremptory command in an awfull Looke imagining it a sufficient argument of greatnesse for Midas Asse to have Minos countenance For thus hath Time drawne out their formes to me They be and seeme not seeme what least they be Since then neither Descent for that is derived from others nor riches aptest to deprave us of all others nor place being worst expressed in glorifying our selves and contemning others should move us to put on the countenance of disdaine to our inferiours we are to conclude that Humilitie as it opens the gate unto glory so Affability a vertue right worthy every generous minde cannot bee better planted than in the eyes those Centinels which guard us those two Lights which direct us those adamantine Orbes which attract affection to us A face erected first to man was given T' erect his eyes unto the King of heaven Let not then any other object entertaine it at least not retaine it if they be to be imployed in any worldly object let them be imployed in contemplating his workes who made the world for all other objects are but meere vanitie and affliction of spirit THe third Subject we are to discourse of is Speech a propriety wherein Man is distinguished from other creatures yea the onely meanes to preserve societie among humane creatures Quanto melius est docere quà m loqui tanto melior est quà m verba locutio saith S. Augustine By how much better it is to teach than to speake by so much better is Speech than words Here this learned Father maketh a maine difference betwixt Speech and Words which distinction may bee properly applied to the argument whereof wee now treat The rash Young man who useth no guard to his mouth nor no gate of circumstance unto his lips inureth himselfe to many words but little Speech Now to define Speech it is nothing else than an apt composing and an opportunate uttering of words whence it is said Words spoken in season or opportunitie are like apples of gold with pictures of silver And herein is Youth many times blame-worthy who will professe himselfe a Speaker before hee know what to speake yea putting his oare in every mans boat admits no conference not treaty no discourse how transcendent soever but he will bee a Speaker though it oft-times moves some wise Phocion to say to this jangling Pithias Good God will this foole never leave his babling Aristotle debating of the convenience and propriety of discourse before Alexander maintained that none were to be admitted to Speake but either those that managed his warres or his Philosophers which governed his house Observe here what strictnesse was imposed even upon Heathens to restrain them from too much libertie of Speech onely such being admitted to speake whose approved judgement in military or philosophicall discourse might worthily bee said to deserve attention Divers reasons of no small consequence might bee here produced why Young men were not to give their opinions in any matter of State in publike places but wee will reduce them to two The first whereof may be imputed to their rashnesse in resolving the second to a passionate hotnesse in proceeding For the first to wit rashnesse in resolving it is the property of Youth without premeditation to resolve and without counsell to execute Now is it possible any good effect should succeed from such unsteady grounds Yes you will say some are of that present and pregnant conceit as a matter is no sooner imparted than they apprehend it and for Speech divers have had such excellent gifts as they would shew more native eloquence in a Speech presently composed than upon longer preparation addressed Did not Tiberius better in any Oration ex tempore than premeditate Have not many in like sort as if secretly inspired expressed and delivered abundance of profound learning upon the present It is true yet are we not hence to collect that premeditation is fruitlesse that rash and inconsiderate resolves are to be admitted or Young mens advice which is for most part grounded on opinionate arrogancie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secundum opinionem non secundum veritatem should be authenticke For admit Young men were eloquent yet foolish eloquence which must needs bee in unseasoned Youth is as a sword in a mad-mans hand it cannot but hurt much being first apt to perswade and likewise by delivering dangerous matter no lesse prompt to deprave the eare that is perswaded The second reason which we observed why Youth was not to give his opinion in any publike place was his hotnesse in proceeding It is intolerable for these Young-heads to be opposed they are deafe to reason as if opinion had possest them of purpose to oppose reason This appeared in those violent attempts of Catiline Cethegus Lentulus and their factious adherents who though privately cautioned and friendly
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
imitation that following him and suffering with him wee might likewise reigne and remaine with him yea but will our spritely-stately Gallant object Can any man who knowes the value of reputation with patience suffer publike disgrace Is there any punishment so grievous as shame Yea were it not better for a man who is eminent in the eye of the world to die right out than still live in reproach and shame For a man to live or die is naturall he performeth but that taske to which al mortality is injoyned but for a man to live in shame and contempt and bee made a spectacle of disgrace to the world an apparent touch or taint to his friends a laughing stock of his enemies is such a matter as no well-bred and noble minded man that hath any courage or stomacke in him or tenders his esteeme can ever digest it True it is that flesh and bloud will suggest many such objections and if there were nothing to bee valued so much as worldly esteeme oâ— popular grace which relieth on opinion as soone lost as got there were some reason to stand so punctually upon termes of reputation but the eye of a Christian ought to extend it selfe to an higher object We are exhorted to heape coales on our enemies heads to render good for evill and to bee revenged on them by well doing Diogenes being asked how one should bee revenged of his enemy answered by being a vertuous and honest man What matter then though all the world revile us having a sincere and unblemished conscience within us to witnesse for us Socrates in his Ecclesiasticall History writeth that Athanasius being accused by one Iannes to have killed Arsenius and after to have cut off his hand that he might use it to magicke and sorcerie cleared himselfe notably of this slander having by good hap found out Arsenius who lay hid for the nonce hee brought him before the Councell of Tyrus whereto hee was convented and there hee asked his accuser whether hee ever knew Arsenius or no Hee answered Yes then Athanasius called him forth with his hands covered under his cloake and turning up the one side of his cloake shewed him the one of his hands when most men surmised that the other hand at leastwise was cut off Athanasius without any more adoe casteth up the other side of his cloake and sheweth the second hand saying You see Arsenius hath two hands now let mine accuser shew you the place where the third hand was cut off Whence two remarkeable considerations are recommended unto us malicious subornation in the accuser gracious moderation in the accused For the former let the speech of a Heathen man for ever be printed in your hearts who when his friend came unto him and desired him to take a false oath in a cause of his made answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You must saith he beare with me there are many friends to bee gotten if I lose you but if by forswearing my selfe I lose the favour of God I cannot get another there is but one God For the latter as soft words pacifie wrath so by a pleasant conceit hee cooled all wrath sleighting so much the aspersion of his accuser as even of his enemies he gain'd him honour To instance which Moderation or patience even in sundry Heathen men towards such as aspersed disgrace upon them were it not that I feare enlarging of this branch too much I might produce many heroicke and princely examples as Vespasian his sonne Titus Marcellus Demetrius yea the stiffe and rough-hew'd Hercules who cared not a flie for backbiting termes But I am to use a word or two unto you Gentlemen by quest of inquiry how you are found affected herein and so descend to the third and last Branch arising from this Subject Have ye not delighted in hearing your owne praise but reproved such as praised you or turned your eare from their applause lest it should transport you Have yee distributed to the poore without looking who saw you Have yee fasted without hanging downe your head to cause men observe you Have yee prayed with zeale fixing your eye only on God that hee would look on you Have yee performed the workes of charity and that for conscience sake and not for vain-glory Have yee not too Pharisaically prided your selves in your own integrity Have yee ascribed to your selves shame and to God the glory Have yee heartily wished rather to bee deprived of all hope of glory than by your meanes to detract in any wise from Gods glory O then happy blessed are you for having turned your eares from the applause of men you shall receive applause from Angels or having distributed to the poore without looking who saw you you shall bee plenteously rewarded by him whose eyes are ever upon you or fasted without hanging downe your heads to cause men observe you you shall feast with him who will erect your heads and with glory crowne you or performed workes of charity for conscience sake and not for vaine-glory yourâ— workes shall goe before you and be accounted for righteous through him who shall cloath you with glory or not too Pharisaically prided your selves in your owne integrity you shall become justified with the Publican and admitted to honour by humility or ascribed to your selves shame and to God the glory God shall wipe off your shame and bring you to the full reuition of his glory or heartily wished to bee deprived of all hope of glory rather then by your meanes to detract in any wise from GODS glory your desire of advancing Gods glory shall after your passage from this vale of misery estate you in the inheritance of glory Againe have yee heard with patience such as revile you Have yee answered them as hee did who being accused by his enemy of one sinne accused him likewise of ignorance saying Thou accusest mee of one when I am guilty of a thousand Have yee not stood upon termes of reputation but with patience suffered all disgraces Have yee overcome your enemy with mildnesse taken revenge on him by your vertue and goodnesse fortified your selves against all calumnie with the spirit of patience O then right blessed are you for having heard with patience such as â—evile you an eternall blessing is pronounced on you or having beene as ready to condemne your selves as others to accuse you your purged conscience shall freely acquit you or not stood on termes of reputation when men disgrac'd you you shall be graced in heaven where no disgrace shall touch you or overcome your enemy with mildnesse the mild Lambe shall crowne you with happinesse or taken revenge on him by your vertue and goodnesse you shall be refreshed with the fountaine of sweetnesse or fortified your selves against all calumnie with the spirit of patience with Palmes in your hands shall yee sing with joyfulnesse Gather O gather hence what ineffable solace is conferred on the patient whatsoever hee suffer here
shall in superabundant measure bee recompenced else-where But it may be objected that some aspersions are not to be borne with for those scandals which are laid upon our persons where our faith is not taxed or touched may bee more easily endured but where these are struck at they are not to be suffered To confirme which wee reade how Peter and Iohn having by prayer and imposition of hands given the Holy Ghost and Simon the Sorcerer saw that through laying on of the Apostles hands the Holy Ghost was given hee offered them money saying Give mee also this power that on whomsoever I lay hands bee may receive the Holy Ghost But Peter incensed herewith saith unto him Thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of GOD may be purchased with money Whence it appeareth that out of a holy zeale one may shew passion towards such as detract from the honour of God or asperse a blemish upon his servants in the worke of their ministery The like we reade of Paul that glorious vessell of election conceiving much indignation against one who had withstood the word saying Alexander the Copper-smith did mee much evill the Lord reward him according to his workes The reason is inclusively annexed of whom bee thou ware of for hee hath greatly withstood our words The like spirit of zeale might Iames and Iohn bee said to be of who when they saw that the Saritanes would not receive Christ said Lord wilt thou that wee command fire to come downe from heaven and consume them even as Elias did But how this passion of theirs was approved may appeare by the ensuing verse But hee turned and rebuked them and said Yee know not what manner of spirit yee are of Now to cleare this objection there is no Patterne which wee ought sooner to imitate then Christ himselfe who is the master of truth and directeth us in all truth who as hee was most blamelesse of all others for in his mouth was never guile found yet was hee in his owne person more blamed in his doctrine more reproved in his miracles more injured then all others for one while hee is accused to have a Divell anon that hee casteth out Divels through the Prince of the Divels anon that hee is a man gluttonous and a wine-bibber a friend of Publicans and Sinners yet what answer vouchsafed hee unto all these save onely this Wisedome is justified of her children Now I know there are differences of Scandals or aspersions where some leave deeper impression then others doe for as the name is more precious then any earthly substance so it receiveth the deepest staine when the estimation of our faith is questioned being the very maine foundation whereon all religion is grounded and the perfection of that building which makes a Christian rightly accomplish'd Saint Basil could shew himselfe calme enough in his conference with the Emperour till a Cooke came in and saucily told him hee did not well to stand so precisely upon such small matters but rather to yeeld to his master the Emperour in a word or two for what were those divine affaires whereon hee so much insisted but such as with indifferency might be dispensed But what answered this reverend Father Yea Sir Cooke quoth hee it is your part to tend your pottage and not to boile and chop up divine matters which as they little trouble you so in weight and consequence are farre above you And then with great gravity turning to the Emperour said that those that were conversant in divine matters which were principally to be intended would with conscience rather suffer death then suffer one jot of holy Scripture much lesse an article of faith already received to be altered or corrupted Another holy man though most innocent could indure to be counted a whore-master an uncleane person and the like but when one called him an Heretike hee could beare no longer so neere be we touched when our faith is questioned But as wee have a noble and glorious Patterne who shewed himselfe a Conquerour in his suffering let us wrastle with flesh and blood that suffering all things for him and with him wee may after our conquest joy in him and with him And let this be sufficient to have beene spoken of Mortification in respect of our name or esteeme in the world labouring daily to dis-value and humiliate our selves while wee are in the world If it be no great thing to leave our substance but our selves let us at least leave our substance that wee may the better enjoy our selves It was the wise exhortation of the wisest of Princes Honour the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruits of all thy increase annexing a promise to this precept So shall thy barnes bee filled with plenty and thy presse shall burst out with new wine But forasmuch as many things are required to the mortification of this earthly Mammon wee will reduce them to two speciall heads the better to retaine in memory this meanes of mortification 1. to consider from whom wee have received these worldly blessings 2. how to dispose of them lest they become cursings of blessings For the first wee are positively to set downe that every good gift and every perfect gift commeth from above the beasts that graze on a thousand hils are his the treasures of the earth are his for from whom should wee thinke are they derived to us but from him by whom they were created for us Hee who never had it how can hee give it but hee who hath all guids all governes all and is all in all is sole sufficient for all Hee it is then that maketh rich and maketh poore exalteth and humbleth sending forth his waters out of their treasuries and all things are drowned shutteth them in their treasuries and all things are dried He it is that maketh the fruitfull barren and the barren fruitfull Instead of the thorne shall come up the firre tree and instead of the briter shall come up the mirtle tree and it shall be to the Lord for a name for an everlasting signe that shall not be cut off He it is that made Heaven and Earth and all things replenished Heaven and Earth with all things giving Man dominion over all things that Man might be subject unto him who made all things Mow as hee gave them to man so are they to be disposed of by man to his glory who made man And how is that Not in laying land unto land with the oppressour nor in repairing to the house of the strange woman with the adulterer nor consuming your substance in excesse with the rioter nor hoording up vengeance against the day of wrath with the miser nor grinding the face of the poore with the extortioner but rather distributing freely of that which you have and communicating to the necessity of the Saints so shall you make to your selves friends
wipe their mouthes as if they were innocent but behold this Haman-policy shall make them spectacles of finall misery wishing many times they had been lesse wise in the opinion of the world so they had relished of that divine wisdome which makes man truly happy in another world even that wisdome I say who hath built an everlasting foundation with men and shall continue with their seed neither can this divine wisdome chuse but bee fruitfull standing on so firme a root or the branches dry receiving life and heat from so faire a root Now to describe the beauty of her branches springing from so firme a root with the solidity of her root diffusing pith to her branches The root of wisdome saith the wise Son of Sirach is to feare the Lord and the branches thereof are long life This feare where it takes root suffers no wordly feare to take place Many worldlings become wretched onely through feare lest they should bee wretched and many die onely through feare lest they should dy but with these who are grounded in the feare of the Lord they neither feare death being assured that it imposeth an end to their misery nor the miseries of this present life being ever affied on the trust of GODS mercy How constantly zealously and gloriously many devout men have died and upon the very instant of their dissolution expostulated with their owne soules reproving in themselves their unwillingnesse to die may appeare by the examples of such whose lives as they were to GOD right pleasing so were their soules no lesse precious in their departing upon some whereof though I have formerly insisted yet in respect that such memorable patternes of sanctity cannot be too often represented I thought good purposely as usually I have done in all the Series of this present Discourse where any remarkeable thing was related to have it in divers places repeated to exemplifie this noble resolution or contempt of death in the proofe and practice of some one or two blessed Saints and Servants of God Ierome writeth of Hilarion that being ready to give up the ghost hee said thus to his soule Goe forth my soule why fearest thou Goe forth why tremblest thou Thou hast served Christ almost these threescore ten yeares and doest thou now feare death Saint Ambrose when hee was ready to die speaking to Stillico and others about his bed I have not lived so among you saith hee that I am ashamed to live longer to please God and yet againe I am not afraid to die because wee have a good Lord. The reverend Bede whom wee may more easily admire than sufficiently praise for his profound learning in a most barbarous age when all good literature was in contempt being in the pangs of death said to the standers by I have so lived among you that I am not ashamed of my life neither feare I to die because I have a most gracious Redeemer Hee yeelded up his life with this prayer for the Church O King of glory Lord of Hostes which hast triumphantly ascended into heaven leave us not fatherlesse but send the promised Spirit of thy truth amongst us These last funerall Teares or dying mens Hymnes I have the rather renued to your memory that they might have the longer impression being uttered by dying men at the point of their dissolution And I know right well for experience hath informed me sufficiently therein that the words of dying men are precious even to strangers but when the voice of one wee love and with whom wee did familiarly live cals to us from the Death-bed O what a conflict doe his words raise How strongly do griefe and affection strive to inclose them knowing that in a short space that tongue the organs whereof yet speak and move attention by their friendly accents was to bee eternally tied up in silence nor should the sound of his words salute our cares any more And certainly the resolution of a devout dying man being upon the point of his dissolution cannot but bee an especiall motive to the hearer of Mortification Which was one cause even among the heathens of erecting Statues Obelisks or Monuments upon the Dead that eying the Sepulchers of such noble and heroick men as had their honour laid in the dust they might likewise understand that neither resolution of spirit nor puissance of body could free them from the common verdict of mortality which begot in many of them a wonderfull contempt of the world Albeit it is to bee understood that Christians doe contemne the world much otherwise than Pagans for ambition is a guide to these but the love of God unto them Diogenes trod upon Plato's pride with much greater selfe-pride but the Christian with patience and humility surmounteth and subdueth all wordly pride being of nothing so carefull as lest hee should taste the Lotium of earthly delights and so become forgetfull with Vlysses companions of his native Countrey Meane time he sojournes in the world not as a Citizen but as a Guest yea as an Exile But to returne to our present discourse now in hand in this quest after that soveraigne or supreme end whereto all Actuall Perfection aspireth and wherein it resteth wee are to consider three things 1. What is to bee sought 2. Where it is to be sought 3. When it is to be sought For the first wee are to understand that wee are to seeke onely for that the acquisition whereof is no sooner attained than the minde whose flight is above the pitch of frailty is fully satisfied Now that is a blessed life when what is best is effected and enjoyed for there can bee no true rest to the minde in desiring but partaking what she desireth What is it then that wee seeke To drinke of the water of life where our thirst may bee so satisfied as it never be renued our desires so fulfilled as never higher or further extended Hee that hath once tasted of the fountaine named Clitorius fons and choice is the taste of such a fountaine will never drinke any wine no wine mixed with the dregs of vanity no wine drawne from the lees of vaine-glory the reason is hee reserves his taste for that new wine which hee is to drinke in his Fathers kingdome And what kingdome The Kingdome of heaven a kingdome most happy a kingdome wanting death and without end enjoyng a life that admits no end And what life A life vitall a life sempiternall and sempiternally joyfull And what joy A joy without sorrowing rest without labouring dignity without trembling wealth without losing health without languishing abundance without failing life without dying perpetuity without corrupting blessednesse without afflicting where the sight vision of God is seene face to face And what God God the sole sufficient summary supreme good that good which we require alone that God who is good alone And what good The Trinity of the divine persons is
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