termes which it seems he forged in the shop of his invention But whatsoever the Ancients have related concerning diverse kindes and some Neotericks to appear as knowing as any in former ages have described wee in these parts of the world acknowledge because we know but one sort of Domestick hony gathering Bee Some indeed live in woods as wild others in hives as more familiar and milde but these interchangeably shift their habitations And I question not but the wilder because more remote from the company of men by familiarity will prove as gentle as any Aristotle commends a little round Bee in the first place and in the next that which is somewhat long and in shape not colour like a wasp But as I said wee have in these parts of Europe but one sort of domestick Bee And yet Pliny Varro Columella and in a word all receive this distribution of Bees from him And which is more hee confounds the Drone into two sorts a Thief and a Drone which Scalliger reconcileth well thus that by the Theef is to bee understood that which others call a Drone Varro citing Menocrates tells us of three kindes of Bees one black a second red a third party-coloured which hee commends for the best In all the Islands of the Moluccas their hony is made of certain Flies lesse than Ants. It is a report not confirmed by any but supposing it true the Bees not Flies were small like unto the American Bees and the Ants great such as are in some parts of the Indies greater than our Flies Moreover there is some difference in the bigness of Bees but it is accidental for they that are loaded especially with water or honey seem greater and longer than those that are empty The Nymphs also when they come first abroad are not grown to the full bigness which afterwards they have and the old ones do wither and become little again Likewise in these three Ages their colours also do vary for in their middle age they are brown whereas before they are more pale and at the last they grow grey of whitish again but these are differences of Bees in the same hive and not of one hive from another since these divers sorts are in every Hive The report is That all Bees were at first of an Iron colour but for feeding of Iupiter had this reward bestowed on them to bee changed into a golden colour But not to insist upon Fables In some Countries there bee white Bees Aristotle saith in Pontus Many such are in America not because they are thinner or of a more transparent substance or feed more sinely as some rather they are a fainter and feebler kinde of Bees for white is a penurious colour and where moysture is scant so blew Violets and other flowers if they bee starved turn pale and white Some assign this as a cause of colours the excrementitious moysture which as it passeth through a courser or more fine and delicate strainer so are the colours brighter or darker Others Bees are not therefore brown or black because their thin substance is easily dried and that which is burnt and moist as a coal becomes black Nor are Bees of one colour more than Wasps because they feed of fewer sorts of food than Wasps For colours are disposed unto all things by the great Creator of which no more certain reason can bee given then why some men are Negroes others are not Now Negroes are not black by reason of their seed this is confuted by Aristotle nor yet by the heat of the clymate for this is confuted by experience in that Countries as hot produce of a different colour who can certainly shew why about the Magellanique-Sâ—raits they are so white about the Cape de Buon Speranza when as in the East-Indian Isle â—â—ilan and the Coast of Malabar they are black both in the same parallel Nor of the soyl as some have supposed for neither haply will other races in that soyl prove black nor that race in other soyles grow to bee better complexioned but rather upon the curse of Noab upon Cham or the posterity of Chus But of this can wee bee no more assured of than the former for Chus inhabited a part of Mesopotamia watred by Gyon a river of Paradise and one of the branches of Euphrates Some leaving the hot impressions in the aire attribute it to the driness of the earth as though the Libyan Desarts were not more dry and yet the people no Negroes than many parts of Africa where they are all blacks Some ascend above the Moon to call some heavenly constellation and influence into this Consistory of nature and there will I leave them yea I will send them further to him that hath reserved many secrets of nature to himself and hath willed us to content our selves with things revealed As for secret things both in heaven and earth they belong to the Lord our God whose holy Name be blessed for ever for that hee hath revealed to us things most necessary both for soul and body in the things of this life and that which is to come CHAP. V. Bees nature and properties BEES are neither absolutely wilde nor altogether tame creatures but of a middle nature between both Some Bees are not as some conceit ignorant or negligent in gathering honey and framing their combs but yet serviceable in meaner imployments as fetching water watching and warding but all are naturally skilfull in all their proper labours and interchangeably perform them Their sting is more often the cause of their ruine than instrumental for their relief for loosing it which they alwayes do when they sting they unavoydably lose their lives but with the fear of it they often chase away timorous persons from their Hives Some fancy that the cause of their humming noyse while they flye iâ— least they should bee deprehended for theeves whereas the robbing Bee or theef boldly discovers his purpose as soon as hee comes near the hive which hee intends to assault with a loud threatning noyse proclaiming their destruction if they shall resist and not willingly permit their goods to bee plundered endeavouring by fear to betray the courage that self-preservation should arm them with That some Bees stay at home to receive the labours of those that go to work as Aristotle delivers is but a fable hee saith the Bees returning from their labour shake themselves and three or four attend and follow and ease them of their burden That they carry in a windy season little stones to poise themselves is a false relation yet in a storm they will help themselves by flying under the Lee-side of an hedge or encompassing a high and hilly place if there bee any and so as it were by making a board as Sea-men speak take the advantage of the wind But if it bee a plain Champaign Country where evasions avail nothing then if the wind blow strong against them they flye
affections upon the things they fancie or as the Creeple layes his full weight upon his crutches and therefore when they are taken from them as Pharaohs chariot wheeles they are drawne upon all foure and stick in the mud yea they set on their affections as the Bee her sting with all their might and strength they convey into others their very bowels and hearts and therefore when they are gone they are heartlesse LVIII He that is pained with the Bees stinging must for cure speedily pluck out the sting and then apply juice of mallowes mixed with oyle or honey to the wound And the best remedy for a wounded conscience is first to pluck forth the sting of sin and then to wash in Christs blood and for the future keepe the heart above all keepings for as the eye is subject to infinite distempers so is the conscience LIX Bees solitary and alone especially in the night or winter season are quickly benummed with cold and die but many united together are agill and livel nay one chilled with cold put to the many recovers and hath a new returne of life So that I doe not improperly speake if I say they live as much by heate as by meate And therefore if there be many in a hive though there be but a tollerable supply of food they will doe well but if they have never so much meate and be not many and numerous they will miscarry and come to nothing The communion of Saints puts life into those that have it not and increaseth it in those in whom it is The health of the body doth not communicate it selfe to others it is otherwise in the life of the soule the life of it makes others to live more as iron sharpens iron so one holy man doth another when two lie together they keepe one another warme there is action and redaction this is a powerfull meanes to get and increase this life LX. Bees in the Spring when the weather is faire will worke chearefully but if the Sunne withdraw his beames the wind blow hollow the chilling showers descend then they are presently dull and livelesse scarce appeare if at all not farre from the hive it is an uncomfortable time the spirits of the Bees lower are heavy and sad we see it also in the body that the animall spirits in the braine which are the causes of motion and sense if they be obstructed there followes an Apoplexie and death So it is between Christ and the soule he is the Sunne of righteousnesse by whose beames we are all comforted and cheared but when they are withheld then our spirits decay and are discouraged Summer and Winter arise from the presence and absence of the Sunne the presence of the Sunne when it comes neare causeth the earth to be cloathed with a rich embroiderie of fruits and flowers And what makes the Summer and Winter in the soule but the absence or presence of Christ what makes some so vigorous beyond others but the presence of the Spirit As it is in nature so it is here the presence of Christ is the cause of all spirituall life and vigour but if he withdrawes his presence a little the soule failes LXI Bees when they assault a man strike fiercely at the face the beauty of man and principally in the face aime at the eye the beautie of the face Thus Satan though he be malicious against all mankind yet chiefly against those who by Christ are conquered out of his hand and having their garments washed in the blood of the Lambe are most beautifull For as the Panther rageing on the picture of a man bewrayes the hatred he beares unto him So the Devill to testifie how much he hates God himselfe spends the greatest of his fury on them that beare the image of God Thus doe Satans instruments incarnate Devils though they care not usually whom they wrong opprosse injure hate yet most of all the holy ones in earth are the object of their hatred they are the drunkards songs and a sport to the foolish What muttering what whispering what censuring what sinister construction is set upon every action of theirs what discovering what blazeing of infirmities what so high but they will reach it what so deepe but they will be sounding the bottome of it but a day will come when they will cry out with Cicero O me nunquam sapientem et aliquando id quod non eram falso existimatum Aye me that indeed was never wise but falsely thought to be what I was not And with those in the booke of Wisdome We fooles thought his life madnesse and his end without honour how is he accounted among the children of God and his portion among the Saints But the innocent heart shall then lift up a chearfull countenance as knowing that though here it were despised yet there it shall be justified and rewarded with a crowne of glorie LXII Waspes gather not as Bees yet some seeing them running on the tops of flowers and sucking in the cels are notably deluded supposing that they gather as well as the Bees Whereas they only suck to satisfie a wanton fancie but carry away nothing for a future supply of themselves or Common-wealth Hypocrites in many out-side duties may comply with beleevers and have their conversation in such actions that they are usually practicall in and so deceive many who are easily beguiled with similitudes All deceite is from similitude False wares having the same die that the true have deceive the buyers so falling starres are like other starres When we see men that professe religion false hearted many are apt to thinke that all are so wherefore the Apostle prayes that they might abound in all knowledge and judgement to discerne of things that differ this proximitie makes many deceived LXIII A lamp or candle by the brightnesse of it intiseth the Bee as many other flies to embrace it but by that meanes she is eyther drowned in the oyle or burned in the flame So the shewes of sinne and the pleasures of the world entice the mindes of men that their hearts are drowned in many feares and sorrowes and when they suppose that they have catcht all they themselves are caught Finally corruption and destruction the naturall ends of all things under heaven layeth hold upon them Qui lachrimarum causas tripudiantes peragunt et ridentes mortis negotium exequuntur Who goe dancing through the causes of their mourning and with laughter act the tragedie of their owne death LXIV The Titmouse is a great destroyer of Bees and more easily and certainly to obtaine his pray will in the winter watch at the doores of their hives their Castles of security and as soone as any come forth seizeth upon them and eateth them If none appeare he knocks with his bill and they feeling the motion come forth to know the cause and are presently devoured by him In the Spring time he resorts to the willow trees whither
the Bees come to gather and there invadeâ— them so that they are no where secure And thus and more active is the great Apollion the Devill to destroy menâ— bodies and soules sometimes â—itting temptations to mens tempers and constitutions for he cannot by force without our owne consent prevaile over us As a bait of promotion for Absolon because he is ambitious of pleasure for Sampson for he is volupruous every man will not be drawne to sin by every object an earth-worme esteemeth not pleasure and a man by temper voluptuous esteemeth not profit much noâ—â—n ambitious man either and therefore the Devill who is wise as Isidâ—re saith hath his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. 6. 11. and his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— Rev. 2. 24. his artificiall wayes and deepe reaches and presenteth men with sutable objects for the love of which he thinkes they will be content to straine their consciences and breake Gods lawes and presenteth them at sit times and places for every tune is not a season all places are not opportunities there is the houre and power of darknesse And there is the time of pleasure and prosperitie when men are apt to be regardlesse of themselves and the high Priests hall to worke upon Peter the times of our weaknesse when we are wholly deprived of such a friend or governour as might by their watchfull observation of our courses restraine us from sinne or by their counsell uphold us by their rebukes and corrections recover us if we fall LXV If the Queene Bee miscarrie in the hive or flying out of it for recreation or evacuation for otherwise ordinarily she stirreth not forth come to some mischance All her subjects are presently in a sad mourning posture now there is nothing but confused discursions a wofull complaining a cessation from worke and quickly a miscarriage and death of all And if Christians sad and grieve the holy Spirit of God and cause him by their sinnes to goe away from them they cannot if they be sensible of their condition but be in a sad and mournfull estate for as the ayre is darke and chill the earth cold and wet and the face of the sublunary world uncomfortable when the Sunne which is the light and life of it hath withdrawne his light so must the face and state of the soule needs be very gloomy when the Spirit who is the comforter hath withdrawne his presence LXVI When a man crops a flower from the earth he can get nothing out of it but the sweetnesse of the smell or the delightfulnesse of the colour but when the diligent Bee comes she will make more of it she will extract that which is as it were the very spittle of the starres So when simple carnall minded men read the Poets and the Philosophers they gather nothing but delight and pleasure but when the diligent Bee comes a wise man a serious considerate man he drawes honey out of them LXVII There is left in the Church a power and authority which must be used when there is occasion to draw the sword against contumacious rebells which will not be reclaimed by other meanes As St. Ambrose saith The Preacher of the word must be like unto the Bee he must have both a sting and honey LXVIII Bees when they have filled themselves with water they cannot gather honey untill they have vomited it up And he that will thrive by the food of the word must empty and unburden the stomack of his soule of all things that will hinder the purity and power of it from taking possession of his heart he must bring a heart and a head like two emptie buckets to draw with geedinesse and joy the waters of life out of the wells of salvation even the honey combe the sweetest thing in the world is loathsome to a full stomack LXIX Many creatures in particular Bees by antipathie and instinct of nature shunne that which is contrary or obnoxious to their safetie and men by their intellectuall parts doe foresee and diseerne what is hurtfull and dangerous to them or their lives and decline and oppose things that have a tendency thereunto LXX As Sampson met the Lion as an enemie when he was alive but after he was slaine he went unto him as unto a table there was only terror while he lived but honey when he was dead So doubtless many men to whom the bodily presence of Christ and the mighty power and penetration of his heavenly preaching whereby he smote sinners unto the ground and spake with such authoritie as never man spake would have been unsufferably irkesome and full of terror as it was unto the Scribes and Pharisees can yet now that he is out of their sight and doth not in person but only by those who are his witnesses torment the inhabitants of the earth pretend much admiration and thankfull remembrance of that death of his which was so full of honey for all that come unto him LXXI Bees are diligent and painfull in their worke but frugall and temperate in their feeding Their sood consists of two kindes or rather one diversified wet and drie honey and Bee-bread so that you may draw a bill of their fare and a catalogue of their provision in setting downe bread and water and having these they have enough for they want nothing But many men lay out on a meale a yeares allowance and wast as much provision in a few houres as were sufficient to releive the famine of an armie Quickly doe many men devoure all that all other members the Caters and Pâ—rveyors can bring in yea whatsoever art can devise luxurie and all the obsequious servant of the idoll Belly invent So that Iudas his purchase Aceldema is no way comparable that indeed a greedy grave employed to funerall uses able in eight and fortie houres as it is reported to consume the flesh of any carkasse therein buried but this in foure and twentie houres consumes many carkasses of fishes and fowles and generally twice a day all the flesh therein interred LXXII What is a Bee to a Beare or a Mouse to an Elephant and yet if a Bee fasten his sting in the nose of a Beare or a mouse creepe up and gnâ—w the trunke of an Elephant how easily doe so little creatures upon such an advantage torment the greatest certainly the proudest of men have some tender part into which a sting may enter the conscience is as sensible of Gods displeasure as obnoxious to his wrath as subject to his word in a Prince as in a beggar If the word like Davids stone find that open and get into it it is able to smite the greatest Goliah LXXIII The Drones are a lazie and carelesse generation delighting themselves in sportfull recreations and delicious dainties never providing nor forecasting for themselves how it shall be with them afterwards but thinke to fare tomorrow as they have done to day and so succeeding dayes as they have dayes but
never find them carefully endeavouring their present or future good Bees though laborious creatures yet if you come to the hive in winter especially in extreame frosts and colds are shut up none appeare or if in a warme day they flie a little abroad yet they bring nothing home contribute nothing to the publique treasury they then seeme to be as carelesse and as thriftlesse as the Drones But the Drones are constantly idle and therefore at all times you find them alike carelesse come this day and you see them to gather nothing and come another time and you find them gathering nothing But the Bees though they be sometimes hindred for want of the externall favour of the heavens that they cannot gather as in the winter time Yet when the Sunne returnes in the Spring and the plants and trees begin to put on their Summer roabes and the heavens are cleare and smile upon them then they diligently follow their delightfull labours Vigorous and spiritfull actions are not alwayes infallible characters of life a man may be a living man and yet in a swoone no action left in him a man may be a living Christian and yet be in some deficiency of spirit and in some swoone his spirits bound up and not in case for action alwayes in any kind so that actions are not sure characters of being in the right way to true happinesse For a godly man may be like a tree which may have life in it when it hath neither fruit nor leaves upon it as in the winter time but in another season they are more or lesse fruitfull for the Bias of their soule is set to God-ward and to heaven-ward and though it may by a rub be put out of it's course yet because the qualification of their soules are heavenly their affections are changed and turned they will be exercising themselves in spirituall duties whereas wicked men in whom is no change of hearâ— are never heaven-bound they may pretend it sometimes and make faire shewes and promises as the Drones in a faire day flie abroad with many a circling motion and a great humming noise but observe them it it not to add to the publique store but that they may with better stomacks devoure the Bees labours Thus the Pharisees performed many duties made long prayers but to devoure widowes houses XIII Every drop of honey is honey and has the nature and definition of the whole it is throughout like to it selfe so our felicitie above is homogeneall heaven is all heaven every corner of heaven is a heaven every thing that is tasted a heaven every thing that is smelt a heaven every thing that is lookt upon or meddled with a heaven a full felicitie to the soule XIV Bees are temperate feeders but when they are violently robbed of their honey or forced from their hives they will then eagerly and glutton-like fill themselves and scarce give over without smoaking or much disturbance Now they are like to lose all which they had painfully laboured for and charily shut up with waxen covers as under lock and key till a time of scarcitie And they resolve therefore to have a share before all be gone And thus many wicked men having had by legall terrours a fore-tast of hell fire before their time after their deliverance grow a great deale worse and knowing their time to be but short fall on earthly delights more furiously and graspe the pleasures of the world with more greedinesse and insatiable importunitie XV. A Bees sting easily enters in and when the Bee is flowne away yet the sting remaines and workes it selfe with more violence deeper diffusing thereby the venome more strongly and causing greater dolour and paine and the longer it continues with more difficulty is it at last extracted so that no man that knows the danger except he have the perfection of a mad man would run the hazzard of the anguish by delaying to pull it out And such is sinne it easily pierceth the soule and when the tempter is gone yet once intertained it easily winds it selfe further in And having the plea of continuance and custome will not be easily shaken off shall a Blackmore change his skinne or a Leopard his spots in three or foure dayes which they have contracted in twenty or thirtie yeares Oh no but as a late learned and holy Divine observeth the longer thou puts it off and deferrest the more unfit thou shalt be to repent thy custome in sinning will exercise more tyrannie over thee the curse of God for going on still in thy trespasses will be more heavy on thee The corruption that lurked in thy owne bosome will be more strong against thee Thy understanding will be more darkened with hellish mists of ignorance Thy judgement more perverted Thy will more subborne Thy memory more stuft with sensuall motions Thy affections more rebellious Thy thoughts more earthly Thy heart more hardened Thy conscience more seared and thy selfe more sould to sinne And every day thou contiâ—…s estate of darknesse thou art much more the child â—…an then thou wast before XVI Bees have many enemies the Mouse the Waspe the Spider besides robbing Bees their worst enemies it is no wonder then if they keepe a continuall guard least they should be surprized and examine every one that goes in and out and are presently in alarmes upon the least motion or disturbance their safety and well-being lies at stake A beleevers condition is obnoxious to dangers very liable to temptations and shall we not walke circumspectly and stand alwayes upon our defence We are naturally subject to so many bâ—tteries and breaches by the assaults of Originall sinne and other implacable enemies to our soules that there is extreame need of perpetuall watch and ward of repenting and repairing dayly least the new man be too much opprest and be often surprized with the many and cunning encounters of the old Adam The consideration of this should prevaile much with us to set a dayly guard about our soules David was very watchfull yet he was surprized unawares by the sudden rebellion of his heart We should therefore observe our hearts as Governours doe rebells and mutinous persons We see to what an excesse sin growes in those that denie themselves nothing nor will be denied in any thing who if they may doe what they will turne all libertie into license and making all their abilities contributaries to the commands of over-ruling and over-ruly lusts XVII What a pitie it is to see these profitable industrious creatures fall so furiously upon each other and thus stinging and biting kill each other in the very mouth of the hive I could like well to see the Bees doe this execution upon Waspes enemies to their common stock this favours but of justice but to see them fall foule upon those of their owne wing it cannot but trouble their owner who must needs be an equall loser by the victory of either There is no more perfect
resemblance of a Common-wealth whether civill or sacred then in an hive the Bees are painfull and honest compatriots labouring to bring waxe and honey to the maintenance of the publique state the Waspes are unprofitable and harmfull hang-bies which live upon the spoyle of others labour whether as common Barrettours or strong theeves or bold Parasites they doe nothing but rob their neighbours It is an happie sight when these feele the dint of justice and are cut off from doing further mischiefe but to see well affected and beneficiall subjects undoe themselves with duells whether of law or sword to see good Christians of the same profession shedding each others blood upon quarrels of religion is no other then a sad and hatefull spectacle and so much the more by how much we have more meanes of reason and grace to compose our differences and correct our offensive contentiousnesse Oh God who art at once the Lord of Hostes and Prince of peace give us warre with spirituall wickednesses and peace with our brethren XVIII Creatures have their instincts there is a naturall instinct in every creature to that feeds it Bees goe naturally to the flowers by an instinct so the spirituall soule that hath the lise of Christ runnes to whatsoever may feede and maintaine that life All the creatures as soone as they are borne runne they know whither to goe to suck because that is ordained by nature for their preservation so there is an instinct in the soule to carry it to that that feedes and maintaines it XIX Let a swarme be hived never so orderly and the hive before-hand rub'd and prepared carefully let it be covered and shadowed from the Sunne and in a word in the best manner accommodated yet if the Queene-Bee be wanting there is nothing but discontent confusion and hurly-burly and after a hopelesse search a finall departure Whereas a meane habitation with her presence will give full content and satisfaction Had we a Magazine of comforts were we possest of heaven it selfe with all it's glory without Christ yet heaven without him would not be heaven It is better therefore to be in any place with Christ then to be in heaven it selfe without him all delicacies without Christ are but as a funerall banquet when the Master of the feast is away there is nothing but solemnesse what is all without Christ I say the joyes of heaven are not the joyes of heaven without Christ he is the very heaven of heaven XX. Bees by a naturall sagacity can foretell a storme yet sometimes are they overtaken with unseasonable and rainie weather but then doe they hie themselves a pace homeward getting under the Lee side of a hedge and at last secure themselves in their hives but as soone as the tempest is over and the Sunne breakes out they are abroad againe forgetting their former danger Many men in their outward crosses and afflictions while the storme and tempest of Gods wrath beates sore upon them run to God as their rock and enquire early after him but when once a hot gleame of former health and prosperitie shines upon them againe they hie as fast out of Gods blessing into the warme Sunne as they say from sorrow to sin to delight in sensuality from seeking God to security in their old wayes XXI He that goes about to cure the wound of his conscience for sinne with sensuall delight doth as one that is stung with a Waspe and rubbes with a nettle the smarting place XXII As Bees when they are once up in a swarme are ready to light upon every bough so rebels being risen up by the commotion of ambitious leaders are apt to follow every Sheba It is unsafe for any State that the multitude should know the way to an insurrection the least tract in this kinde is easily made a path XXIII As Ionathans honey was sweet in the mouth but bitter in the soule for behold his honey was turned into gall And if the eyes of his body were enlightened the light of Gods countenance was clouded by the act So is it with every sin for though stollen waters be sweete yet he knoweth not that the dead are there XXIV It is observable in the old Law that God hated the very resemblance of the sinne of pride he would have no honey mingled in their offerings Ye shall burne no leaven nor any honey in any offering of the Lord made by fire Indeed Leaven is sowre but what is there in honey that should offend why no honey because honey when it is mingled with meale or flower maketh it to rise and swell Therefore the people of Israel must mingle no honey in their offerings this was to let us see how God hateth the resemblance of the sinne of pride XXV Some Bee-Masters will be over-diligent to kill the Drones because sometimes when they are supernumerary they will not only pester but prejudice the hive and at other times deceive the expectation of so large a tribute as they looke for from them and yet in the meane time are negligent or not sufficiently carefull to prevent the devouring Waspes or robbing Bees which in a few dayes will consume more then the Drones in a whole Summer Bee-Masters ought to be carefull about the former but most of all of these because of that ruine and desolation that is quickly occasioned by them As a Shepheard should watch his lambes from flies but most of all from Wolves and Foxes Sure he is but a sorrie Shepheard to kill the maggots in his sheepe and let the former worry at pleasure And surely saith one he is a sorry Magistrate that stocketh and whippeth and hangeth poore snakes when they offend though that is to be done too but letteth the greater theeves doe what they lâ—st and dareth not or careth not to meddle with them Like Saul who when commanded to destroy all the Amalekites both man and beast slew indeed the Rascality of both but spared the greatest of the men and fattest of the cattell and slew them not XXVI Mothes are supposed to be offensive to the Bees sure I am if the Bees be few they will breed their blots in their combes and quite spoyle them and thereby force those few to desert the hive for remedy whereof it is prescribed by some to smoke the combes and so to expell and chase them away Which practice mystically informes Magistrates that if they would be rid of those Mothes and Gnats that swarme about the Courts of Justice and will be offering to buzze at their eares false reports of their brethren they should cashiere and smoke them away Magistrates should doe well therefore to begin reformation at home and if any of them have a servant that heareth not well deservedly to put him away out of hand and to get an honester in his Roome XXVII Bees though chilled and dead with cold or drowned in water if in a convenient season they be laid neare the fire or in
indiscreet curse So the truly righteous though great temporall advantages present themselves with the breach of Gods Law yet rather choose a contented poverty then riches with the appurtenances of everlasting sorrow LXXXIX As Sampsen tooke honey out of the carkasse of the Lion so it becomes the Magistrates to pull the honey of the Church out of the jawes of all sacrilegious Lions But if the cunning conveyances of sacriledge have made that impossible since it lies not now intire in the combes but is let downe and digested by these ravenours Let him whose glory it is not to be pater patriae but pater ecclesiae provide that those few pots we have may still seeth and that if nothing will be added nothing can be recovered yet that nothing may be purloyned from the Altars of God XC Thy lippes my Spouse drop as the honey-combe honey and milke are under thy tongue He commends the Spouse for her lippes and her tongue Now her lippes are the Preachers and Doctors and other Teachers of the Church who ought to be a honey-combe to their people with the sweetnesse of love and distilling with gentlenesse and affability The lippes of Moses were not an honey-combe because they had more bitternesse then sweetnesse I am not elâ—quent Also the Law of Moses had bitternesse for it required eye for eye tooth for tooth Againe though the lippes of Moses were a honey-combe yet not dropping but dry and stony and mysterious that is in stony Tables where in truth the secret of the divine Law was hidden so that he made him to suck honey out of the Rock But now the lippes of the Church drop as a honey-combe A honey-combe is honey in the waxe that is the divinitie in the humanitie Or by honey-combe is understood the secret of divine wisdome which is melted from the lippes of the Church whence it followes Honey and milke are under thy tongue by tongue is to be understood the same with the lippes by honey is signified the instruction of the perfect but by milke the teaching of the simple The Apostle had honey under his tongue when he said As unto Babes in Christ I have fed you with milke A honey-combe dropping not dilated and spread abroad For the words of Doctors or Preachers ought to drop according to the capacitie of the hearer not to be powred out all at once XCI Bees are not only profitable for our bodies but morall uses are by Divines made of them The Queene-Bee only useth not her sting hath a body greater then the rest wings not answerable to her body workes not yet though throned in the top of the hive makes a continued progresse or walke over it after a sort over-seeing directing exhorting others in their severall stations and employments So kings and great men ought to have innocent hands readily extended for the good of all valiantly defending willfully hurting none with counsell and authoritie presiding and profiting whensoever there is need and occasion XCII The Bee saith the sonne of Syrach is little among winged creatures she composeth her workes admirably and observes a wonderfull politie and order in government So some men that have little bodies and lesse strength yet have acute wittes and working braines XCIII Bees gather of many flowers but hurt none so ought the Governours among Gods people have a care of all their subjects but wrong and prejudice none XCIV Bees ordinarily delight not in dead carkasses nor gather of dead flowers so ought heroicall natures to abominate vices and vicious persons XCV Bees gather not all things of every thing but Bee-bread of some flowers honey of others water else-where so ought the Governours of kingdomes to exact and expect some services from Divines others from Lawyers others from the Nobilitie others from Citizens and others from men of inferiour ranke and qualitie Now it is a singular part of judgement and prudence to observe what beseemes each order what every man can performe and to draw all orders to a pleasing harmonie XCVI Bees are diligent in their labours whensoever faire weather invites them and not only on some set times or dayes taking libertie to be idle on others So ought the Governours of kingdomes alwayes attend and procure the good of the Common-wealth and of each particular person in the same but without hypocrisie aâ—…d dissimulation Friderick the third Emperour of Germanie not without cause when he saw his Counsellers enter into the Court at Vienna was wont to wish that every man of them before they entered in would put off two plagues of the Common-wealth simulation and dissimulation XCVII Bees as some other Insects will flie so long about a Candle till they burne their wings and lose their lives And a wandring mind growing wanton with curious care about the flame of hidden secrets oft befooles nay destroyes it selfe XCVIII A wise soule in his thought-worke is as a Bee-hive all the powers are in labour and continually going out and returning no power idle and none returne emptie and all their observations as honey said up for use it gathereth and digesteth in it selfe a substance and masse of purified knowledge and that for affection and action and all of them for the obedience of God and union with him XCIX Bees are not only laborious when they are in want and their provision small but when they are largely supplyed they are as earnestly bent on their gathering as if they had nothing Beleevers are not to stint their endeavouâ—s when they have attained to a competency of knowledge but to goe on still forward and grow for though they have enough to make them thankfull yet never enough to make them remisse and negligent they must still presse forwards like runners in a race and look not how much they have runne but how much remaines let it alwayes displease thee to continue as thou art if thou meanest to arrive where thou art not C. Bees have a common house a common earâ— of posteritie common labour common food common generation a common use and frâ—ition of all things and therefore intirely and cordially love one another if one be wronged they will all though with the losse of their owne lives vindicate the injury and vanquish the adversary And shall not professors of the same religion who are in so neare a relation one to another be tenderly affected one to another and love one another They have the same God for their father the same Church for their mother Christ their elder brother are begotten of the same immortall seed nourished with the same milke of the word eate the same bread of the Sacraments and looke for the same blessed inheritance and therefore must needs by the teaching and worke of the Spirit love one another heartily and mutually THE THIRD CENTURIE I. THere is something of God in every creature this makes the meditation of the creature to be usefull There is none even the meanest
being applyed to this use is of more worth to the Patentee then all the waxe in the Countrey beside so standeth it with the outward Elements in the matter of the Sacrament The bread and wine are not changed in substance from being the same with that which is served at ordinary Tables but in respect of the sacred use whereunto they are consecrated such a change is made that now they differ as much from common bread and wine as heaven from earth XLIV As Waspes making musick about a gally-pot shew plainly that they came only for the honey that is in it So the rich man hath many friends although in truth riches have them and not the man As the Asse that carried the Egyptian goddesse had many bowed knees yet not to the beast but to the burden For separate the riches from the person and thou shalt see friendship leave the man and follow that which was ever her object while he may command and can either give or controll he hath attendance and profer of love at all hands but which of those daâ—es acknowledge him when he is going to prison for debt XLV As they who temper bitter cups for children first rub the mouth with honey that that heedlesse age when it shall perceive the sweetnesse shall not feele and feare the bitternesse so deale witches and wizards using good words lawfull meanes and prayer but as Chrysost. for that cause hate and detest them the more because they viâ—ely abuse the name of God professing themselves Christians they doe the workes of Heathens for so the Devills confesse the name of God and yet were Devills still XLVI Gods Law saith David is sweeter then boney and the honey-combe the meaning whereof is we must not be mercenary in his service but the pleasure we take in it must be the cause why we intertaine it therefore it is not without cause that God requires the heart yet he will have it seasoned with love Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and love it the fulfilling of the Law XLVII He that will have a good conscience that shall give in good evidence for him and pronounce a comfortable sentence on him must beleeve well and live well faith doth purifie the heart and a good life beareth the fruit that aboundeth to our reckoning when we judge our owne soules But a man must not looke to have this blessing of a good conscience suddenly Vade ad formicam piger some read it Vade ad apem Goe to the Bee O sluggard she gathereth her food in summer whereof she maketh use in winter Gods Bee that is a man that will have such a good conscience riseth early hasteth to the Church heares often prayes often meditates often and so doth acquire this absolving conscience Colligentem in aestate videre potes comedentem in hieme videre non potes The outward meanes which he useth are visible but the inward which when time serveth he reapeth are invisible XLVIII Bees are not like the Bramble that receive all good and yeild none to others to their dependants but are like the fig-tree the vine the olive they that belong to them that care for them are all the better for â—â—ey are inriched by them If the Bees have any excellency the Bee-master shall communicate with them A good patterne for Kings and Governours who should herein imitate the Bees when a man seeth an excellent worke he guesseth that the workman was excellent though he seeth him not so the eminency of the Governour may be seene when he is not seene it may be seene in the eminency of his people XLIX Bees sometimes sting but ordinarily without any great or long prejudice The danger is nothing in comparison of the biting of an Adder which is even unto death death speedie death painfull and wofull and that as naturally and as inevitably as Opium procureth sleepe or Ellebore purgeth or any poyson killeth So though every sinne unrepented hath wrath and judgement following of it hard at the heeles yet some sinnes are more pernicious Woe and alas sorrow and strife shame povertie and diseases are enough as Solomon notes to make drunkennesse odious but because as he observed drunkards are men past shame and grace senslesse of blowes and therefore much more of reasons and words being bewitched and besotted with the love of wine will easily over-see and over-leape these pettie woes therefore Solomon sets before their eyes the diresull end and fruit the black and poyson-full tangle of this sinne In the end it stingeth like a Serpent it biteth like an Adder if once a custome ever a necessitie Wine takes away the heart and spoyles the braine overthrowes the faculties and organs of repentance and resolution And it is just with God that he that will put out his naturall light should have his spirituall extinguished he that will deprive himselfe of reason should lose also the guide and Pilot of reason Gods Spirit and grace L. Bees howsoever some conceipt to the contrary are much advanced and advantaged by the winter there is thereby not only a preparing of the earth for a vigorous production of flowers but a long rest and sleepe doth strongly dispose and fit them both for breeding and also honey-gathering Whereas we may observe especially in dry seasons though the weather be very faire and there be some flowers yet are they not very beneficiall And it is needfull for Christians to find the presence of Christ in the way of humiliation and debasement causing us to afflict our owne soules as to seele his presence joy and comfort In this life we cannot be without this gracious dispensation We may therefore comfort our selves that howsoever Christ leaves us yet he will alwayes leave somewhat behind him as he left Myrrhe after him upon the handle of the doore some Myrrhe is left alwayes behind upon the soule which keepes it in a frame and state of grace and sweetnesse Myrrhe was one of the ingredients in the holy oyle as it is and so this leaving of Myrrhe behind him signifies the oyle of grace left upon the soule that inabled the Church to doe all those things which are spoken of Cant. 5. 6. LI. Mercy comes naturally from God like honey from the Bee but justice like the sting only when she is provoked LII Bees in their first being while wormes are uncapable of any excellency of any abilitie to profit themselves or others yet they must for a time abide in it and then they must dye that they may be changed and so become agill able usefull creatures As they which dye cloath doe not immediately change one contrary into another but first turne a white into an azure and that into a graine colour And as those that work in wax cannot frame any new impression in it till the old be defaced So the image of the Prince of this world the Devill must first
be alwayes prepared to intertaine death either secretly or openly Jesus Christ our grand Captaine who valiantly triumphed over it often inculcates this watchfullnesse upon his Disciples and Apostles and in them on all beleevers Be yee also ready for in such an houre as you thinke not the sonne of man commeth And againe Watch therefore for you know neither the day nor the houre wherein the sonne of man commeth And elsewhere What I say unto you I say unto all watch The Sybarites which were not enlightened with such a Sunne yet alwayes observed this custome in their banquets to have a deaths-head delivered from hand to hand by all the guests at the Table to the end to admonish them not to be transported with intemperance and to cause them to remember that as they were nourished of the flesh of dead creatures that they lived in dying and dyed in living And the Egyptians for the same reason carried in their processions a vessell of gold full of earth which was as if a Herald should proclaime to all the assemblie in the words of the Prophet O earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord. LXXXV The enemies of the Church are compared to Bees feare not their multitude nor their rage they are Bees not Lions they buzze they make a noise they have stings but they cannot doe what they would their power is lesse then their spight and malice and they hurt not but with their owne certaine death and destruction Beleeve then God in the midst of their machinations and applaud thy selfe in their tumultuous projects that all shall be frustrate and abortive Pulveris exigui jactu compressa quiescunt When God pleaseth he can but blow on selfe-conceited Nymrods mighty hunters oppressing and tyrannicall enemies and easily overthrow them and crush them to the earth and breake in pieces all their counsells If Pharaoh vex Gods people asking Who is the Lord Flies Lice and Caterpillers shall be his challengers and Conquerours and aske Who is Pharaoh LXXXVI Honey was an usuall food for little children among the Iewes wherefore Isaiah saith of Christ Butter and honey shall he eate By honey some say was designed the Divinitie of his birth and by butter his humanity but foolishly and besides the mind of the Prophet whose words are cleare and the sense open As if he had said Immanuel shall not only be a true God but also a true man that is he shall feed of such meates as your children use to eate of so that his education shall be common and ordinary for sat and sweet meates are usually provided for infants and especially honey among the Easterne people So that by these words synecdochically at least is noted that his conception shall be miraculous but not his education The Prophet subjoynes that there should be found in him progresse or proficiency like unto other infants namely imbecillitie of knowledge to be limited and terminated till he was growne to ripenesse of yeares for then he should be endowed with an excellent judgement not only to distinguish good and evill but to choose the good and refuse the evill The complement of all which is found Luk 2. 52. Phil. 2. 7. To be equall with God on one side and on the other that he humbled himselfe All which the Prophet would here have noted although in somewhat obscure words with respect to the times and propheticall stile Whence it is also evident that they doe altogether wrest the words of the Prophet that insert to that and take it finally as if the child should therefore eate honey and butter that he might know to refuse the evill and choose the good In a word Christ is said to eate the butter and honey that is to be frugally educated with such meates as were naturally afforded for there was nothing more common among the Iewes then Butter for most of them kept cattell And as plentifull was honey which their woods and forrests did sufficiently furnish them withall LXXXVII Figuratively the sudden and unavoydable destruction of the wicked is often in Scripture expressed by the melting of waxe In some places it is spoken of the mountaines to set forth Gods Power and Majestie First Learne hence that God doth arme himselfe as it were in the defence of his people but not as men are wont to doe because he is furnished with so great power that with a nod he can confound his adversaries Although therefore sometimes he seemes to dissemble or not to take notice of their danger yet will he in due time appeare in their behalfe nor needes he much preparation for their overthrow for the mountaines melt like waxe before him much more shall crawling wormes Secondly let us be humbled before the powerfull hand of God and acknowledge our frailtie for we are in evaporating smoke a vanishing shadow a melting waxe And if we have any stability let us acknowledge that we have it from God who alone confirmes defends and preserves us who otherwise would quickly come to nothing who were at first made of nothing and have our present support and subsistence in our God alone LXXXVIII The Queene-Bee never useth her sting and is therein a monitor to Great men and Princes to labour for a meek and mercifull behaviour Let Princes use their power for not against their subjects Non hos quaesitur munus in usus Let them not hold too strict a hand over the oppressed people let it not be said of their subjects as it was said of the Romane souldiers under Severus that they were more afraid of their Captaine then of their enemies if they dishearten them who shall comfort them or stand for them Yet many Princes use their people though such as the world cannot paralell as the Hawke in Hesiod dealt with the melodious Nightingale they plume them and then devoure them Seneca in his bookes of Clemency which Q. Elizabeth so highly esteemed that she gave them the next place to the holy Scriptures saith Let thy sword not only be put in thy sheath but also tyed fast in it be sparing of the meanest and basest blood It is for men of lower condition to fall into quarrells and striâ—es equalls may exchange blowes one with another without much danger It standeth not with the Majestie of a Prince to engage himselfe in any quarrell or fight because he hath no equall to contend with him so farre ought it to be from a Prince to brawle or wrangle that the straining of his voyce is unbefitting him upon any occasion whatsoever LXXXIX Bees are industrious in their season for they well know that the neglect of it is their irrecoverable overthrow and destruction And this life is the summer and harvest wherein we must labour and watch against temptations The death-bed or dying houre is a sharp combate unlesse we have gathered into the hives of our soules the graces of faith and love c. Whereby we may live