quality of a wise Commander to make his Souldiers confident of his wisdome and their own strength if any danger be to conceale it if manifest to lessen it Let him possesse his army with the justnesse of the Warre and with a certainty of the victory A good cause makes a stout heart and a strong arme They that feare an overthrow are halfe conquered CHAP. XCV IT is requisite in a Generall to mingle love with the severity of his Discipline they that cannot be induced to feare for love will never be inforced to love for feare Love opens the heart Feare shuts it That encourages This compelles And victory meets encouragement but flees Compulsion CHAP. XCVI IT is the part of a well advised State never to entrust a weighty service unto whom a noted injury or dishonour hath been done Hee can never bee zealous in performance of Service the height of whose expectation can rather recover a lost name then gaine a fresh honour CHAP. XCVII THree wayes there be to begin a Repute and gain dignities in a Common-wealth The first by the vertue of glorious Parents which till thou degenerate too much may raise thee upon the wings of Opinion The second is by associating with those whose actions are known eminent The third by acting some exploit either publique or private which in thy hand hath proved honourable The two first may misse being founded on Opinion the last seldome failes being grounded upon Evidence CHAP. XCVIII IF thou art cal'd to the Dignity of a Commander dignify thy place by thy Commands and that thou maist be the more perfect in commanding others practice upon thy selfe Remember thou art a servant to the publike weale and therefore forget all private respects either of kin or friend Remember thou art a Champion for a Kingdome forget therefore all private affections either of Love or Hate He that would do his Country right must not be too sensible of a personall wrong CHAP. CXIX IT is the part of a wise Commander to read Books not so much as Men nor men so much as Nations He that can discerne the inclinations conditions and passions of a Kingdome gaines his Prince a great advantage both in Peace and Warre CHAP. C. ANd you most High and Mighty Princes of this lower World who at this intricate and various game of Warre vye Kingdomes and winne Crownes and by the death of your renowned Subjects gaine the lives of your bold-hearted Enemies Know there is a Quo Warranto Whereto you are to give account of your Eye-glorious actions according to the righteous rules of Sacred Justice How warrantable it is to rend imperiall Crownes from off the Soveraign heads of their too weak possessours or to snatch Scepters from out the conquer'd hand of heaven-anointed Majesty and by your vast ambitions still to enlarge your large Dominions with Kingdomes â—avisht from their naturall Princes judge you O let your brave designs and well-weighed actions be as just as ye are glorious and consider that all your Warres whose ends are not to defend your own Possessions or to recover your dispossessions â—aâ—e but Princely injuries which none but heaven can right But where necessity strikes up her hard Alarmes or wrong'd Religion beats her zealous Marches Go on and prosper and let both Swords and Stratagems proclaim a victory whose noys'd renown may fill the world with your eternall Glory The End of the first Century ENCHIRIDION The Second Book To the faire Branch of growing Honour and true vertue Mrs Elizabeth Vsher onely Daughter and Heir apparent to the most Reverend Father in God JAMES Arch-Bishop of Armagh Lord Primate of all Ireland His GRACE SWEET LADY I Present your faire hands with this my Enchiridion to begin a new Decade of our blest Accompt If it adde nothing to your well-instructed Knowledge it may bring somewhat to your well-dispos'd Remembrance If either I have my end and you my endeavour The service which I owe and the affection which I bear your most incomparable Parents challenges the utmost of my ability wherein if I could light you but the least step towards the happinesse you ayme at how happy should I be Goe forward in the way which you have chosen wherein if my Hand cannot lead you my Heart shall follow you and where the weaknesse of my power shewes defect there the vigour of my Will shall make supply Wâ—oam covetous of your happinesse in both Kingdomes and Worlds FRA. QUARLES Enchiridion Cent. 2. CHAP. I. A Promise is a child of the understanding and the will the understanding begets it the will brings it forth he that performes it delivers the mother he that breakes it murthers the child If he be begotten in the absence of the understanding it is a Bastard but the child must be kept If thou mistrust thy understanding promise not if thou hast promised break it not it is better to maintain a Bastard then to murther a child CHAP. II. CHarity is a naked child giving hony to a Bee without wings naked because excuselesse and simple a child because tender and growing giving hony because hony is pleasant and comfortable to a Bee because a Bee is laborious and deserving without wings because helplesse and wanting If thou deniest to such thou killest a Bee If thou giv'st to other then such thou preserv'st a Drone CHAP. III. BEfore thy undertaking of any designe weigh the glory of thy action with the danger of the attempt if the glory outweigh the danger it is cowardize to neglect it if the danger exceed the glory it is rashnesse to attempt it if the Balances stand poiz'd let thy owne Genius cast them CHAP. IV. VVOuldest thou know the lawfulnesse of the action which thou desirest to undertak let thy devotion recommend it to divine blessing if it be lawfull thou shalt perceive thy heart encouraged by thy prayer if unlawfull thou shalt finde thy prayer discourag'd by thy heart That action is not warrantable which either blushes to begge a blessing or having succeeded dares not present thanksgiving CHAP. V. IF evill men speake good or good men evill of thy conversation examen all thy actions and suspect thy selfe But if evill men speake evill of thee hold it as thy honour and by way of thankefulnesse love them but upon condition that they continue to hate thee CHAP. VI IF thou hope to please all thy hopes are vaine if thou feare to displease some thy feares are idle The way to please thy selfe is not to displease the best and the way to displease the best is to please the most if thou canst fashion thy selfe to please all thou shalt displease him that is All in All CHAP. VII IF thou neglectest thy love to thy neighbour in vain thou professest thy love to God for by thy love to God the love to thy neighbour is begotten and by the love to thy neighbour thy love to God is nourisht CHAP. VIII THy ignorance in unrevealed Mysteries is the mother of
modesty cry thy heart down lest thou ceceiveit or it thee there is no lesse danger in a great name then a bad and no lesse honor in deserving of praise then in the enduring it CHAP. XCIII VSe the holy Scriptures with all reverence let not thy wanton fancy carve it out in jests nor thy sinfull wit make it an advocate to thy sin it is a subject for thy faith not fancy where Wit and Blasphemy is one Trade the understanding 's Banckrupt CHAP. XCIV DOst thou complaine that God hath forsakeÌ„ thee it is thou that hast forsaken him 't is thou that art mutable in him there is no shadow of change in his light is life if thy Will drive thee into a Dungeon thou mak'st thy own darknesse and in that darknesse dwels thy death from whence if he redeem thee he is mercifull if not he is just in both he receives glory CHAP. XCV MAke use of Time if thou lov'st Eternity know yesterday cannot be recall'd to morrow cannot be assured to day is onely thine which if thou procrastinate thou losest which lost is lost for ever One to day is worth two to morrows CHAP. XCVI IF thou be strong enough to encounter with the times keep thy Station if not shift a foot to gain advantage of the Times He that acts a Begger to prevent a Thiefe is ne're the poorer it is a great part of wisedome sometimes to seem a fool CHAP. XCVII IF thou intend thy writings for the publique view lard them not too much with the choice lines of another Authour lest thou lose thy own Gravy what thou hast read and digested being delivered in thy owne Stile becomes thine it is more decent to weare a plaine suit of one entire cloth then a gaâ—dy garment checquer'd with divers richer fragments CHAP. XCVIII IF God hath blest thee with inheritance and children to inherit trust not the staffe of thy family to the hands of one Make not many Beggers in the building up of one great heir lest if he miscarry through a prodigall Will the rest sink through a hard necessity Gods allowance is a double portion when high blood and generous breeding breake their fast in plenty and dine in poverty they often sup in Infamy if thou deny them Faulcons wings to prey on Fowl give them Kites stomachs to seize on Garbage CHAP XCIX BE very vigilant over thy childe in the April of his understanding lest the frosts of May nippe his Blossomes While he is a tender Twig strengthen him whilst he is a new Vessell season him such as thou makest him such commonly thou shalt finde him Let his first lesson be Obedience and the second shall be what thou wilt Give him Education in good Letters to the utmost of thy ability and his capacity Season his youth with the love of his Creatour and make the feare of his God the beginning of his knowledge If he have an active spirit rather rectifie then curbe it but reckon idlenesse among his chiefest faults Above all things keep him from vain lascivious and amorous Pamphlets as the Primmers of all Vice As his judgement ripens observe his inclination and tender him a Calling that shall not crosse it Forced Marriages and Callings seldome prosper shew him both the Mow and the Plough and prepare him as well for the danger of the Skirmish as possesse him with the honour of the prize If he chuse the profession of a Schollar advise him to study the most profitable arts Poetry and the Mathematicks take up too great a latitude of the soule and moderately used are good Recreations but bad Callings being nothing but their owne Rewrd if he chuse the profession of a Souldier let him know withall Honour must be his greatest wages and his enemies his surest Paymaster Prepare him against the danger of a Warre and advise him of the greater mischiefes of a Garrison let him avoid Debauchnesse and Duels to the utmost of his power and remember he is not his owne man and being his Countries servant hath no estate in his owne life If he chuse a Trade teach him to forget his Fathers House and his Mothers Wing Advise him to be conscionable carefull and constant This done thou hast done thy part leave the rest to Providence and thou hast done it well CHAP. C. COnvey thy love to thy Friend as an Arrow to the Marke to stick â—here not as a Ball against the Wall to rebound back to thee that friendship will not continue to the End that is begun for an End MEditation is the life of the soul Action is the soule of Meditation Honour is the reward of action So meditate that thou maist do So'do that thou maist purchase Honour For which purchase give God the Glory FINIS
it if thou labour in a painfull calling thou shalt be lesse sensible of the flux of Time and sweetlier satisfied at the time of Death CHAP. XXVIII GGd is Alpha and Omega in the great world endeavour to make him so in the little world make him thy evening Epilogue and thy morning Prologue practice to make him thy last thought at night when thou sleepest and thy first thought in the morning when thou awakest so shall thy fancy be sanctified in the night and thy understanding rectified in the day so shall thy rest be peacefull thy labours prosperous thy life pious and thy death glorious CHAP. XXIX BE very circumspect in the choise of thy company In the society of thine equals thou shalt enjoy more pleasure in the society of thy superiours thou shalt find more profit to be the best in the company is the way to grow worse the best meanes to grow better is to be the worst there CHAP. XXX THinke of God especially in thy devotion in the abstract rather then the concrete if thou conceive him good thy finite thoughts are ready to terminate that good in a conceiv'd subject if thou thinke him great thy bounded conceipt is apt to cast him into a comprehensible figure conceive him therefore a diffused goodnesse without quality and represent him an incomprehensible greatnesse without quantity CHAP. XXXI IF thou and true Religion be not as yet met or met unknowne by these markes thou shalt discover it First it is a Religion that takes no pleasure in the expence of blood Secondly it is a Religion whose Tenents crosse not the booke of Truth Thirdly it is a Religion that takes most from the creature and gives most to the creatour if such a one thou meet with assure thy selfe it is the right and therefore professe it in Life and protect it to thy Death CHAP. XXXII LEt anothers passion be a lecture to thy reason and let the Ship-wracke of his understanding be a Seamarke to thy passion so shalt thou gaine strength out of his weaknesse safety out of his danger and raise thy selfe a building out of his ruines CHAP. XXXIII IN the height of thy prosperity expect adversity but feare it not if it come not thou art the more sweetly possest of the happinesse thou hast and the more strongly confirmed if it come thou art the more gently dispossest of the happinesse thou hadst and the more firmely prepared CHAP. XXXIV TO tremble at the sight of thy sinne makes thy faith the lesse apt to tremble the Devils beleeve and tremble because they tremble at what they beleeve their beliefe brings trembling thy trembling brings beliefe CHAP. XXXV AUthology is the way to Theology untill thou seest thy selfe empty thou wilt not desire to be fil'd he can never truly relish the sweetnesse of Gods mercy that never tasted the bitâ—ernesse of his owne Misery CHAP. XXXVI IS any outward affliction fallen upon thee by a temporary losse advise with thy selfe whether it be recoverable or not if it be use all such lawfull and speedy meanes the violence and unseasonablenesse whereof may not disadvantage thee in the pursuit to recover it if not recoverable endure with patience what thou canst not recure with paines he that carnally afflicts his soul for the losse of a transitory good casts away the kirnell because he hath lost the shell CHAP. XXXVII NAturall anger glances into the breasts of wisemen but rests in the bosome of fooles in them it is infirmity in these a sinne there is a naturall anger and there is a spirituall anger the common object of that is the person of this his vice he that is alwayes angry with his sinne shall seldome sinne in his anger CHAP. XXXVIII IF any hard affliction hath surprized thee cast one eye upon the hand that sent it and the other upon the sin that brought it if thou thankefully receive the message he that sent it will discharge the messenger CHAP. XXXIX ALl passions are good or bad according to their objects where the object is absolutely good there the greatest passion is too little where absolutly evill there the least passion is too much where indifferent there a little is enough CHAP. XL WHen thou dost evil that good may come thereby the evill is surely thine if good should happen to ensue upon the evill which thou hast done the good proceeds from God if therefore thou doe evill thereby to occasionate a good thou laâ—â—t a bad foundation for a good building and â—ervest the Devill that God may serve thee where the end of evill is good in the intention there the end of that good is evill in the extention CHAP. XLI BE as farre from desiring the popular love as fearefull to deserve the popular hate ruine dwels in both the one will hug thee to death the other will crush thee to destruction to escape the first be not ambitious to avoid the second be not seditious CHAP. XLII VVHen thou seest misery in thy brothers face let him see mercy in thine eye the more the oyle of mercy is powr'd on him by thy pity the more the oyle in thy Cruse shall be encreased by thy Piety CHAP. XLIII REade not bookes alone but men and amongst them chiefly thy selfe if thou find any thing questionable there use the Commentary of a severe friend rather then the glosse of a sweet-lipt flatterer there is more profit in a distastfull truth then deceitfull sweetnesse CHAP. XLIV IF the opinion of thy worth invite any to the desire of thy acquaintance yeeld him a respect sutable to his quality too great a reservation will expose thee to the sentence of Pride too easie accesse will condemne thee to the censure of Folly things too hardly endeavour'd discourage the seeker too easily obtain'd disparage the thing sought for too easily got is lowly priz'd and quickly lost CHAP. XLV VVHen conveniency of time hath ripen'd your acquaintance be cautious what thou say'st and courteous in what thou dost observe his inclination if thou find him weight make him thine owne and lodge him in a faithfull bosome be not rashly exceptioâ—s nor rudely familiar the one will breed contention the other contempt CHAP. XLVI VVHen Passion is grounded upon Fancie it is commonly but of short continuance Where the foundation is unstable there the building is not lasting He that will be angry for any Cause will be angry for no Cause and when the understanding perceives the cause vain then the judgement proclaimes the the effect voyd CHAP. XLVII IF thou desire to purchase Honour with thy wealth consider first how that wealth became thine if thy labour got it let thy wisdome keep it if Oppression found it let Repentance restore it if thy parent left it let thy vertues deserve it let thy vertues deserve it So shall thy honour be safer better and cheaper CHAP. XLVIII SInne is a Basitiske whose eyes are full of Venome if the eye of thy soule see her first it reflects her
too short lest he thinke thou livest too long what thou allowest him let him receive from thy hand as gift not from thy Tenants as Rent keep the reines of thy Estate in thy owne hand lest thou forsaking the soveraignty of a father he forget the reverence of a child let his liberty be grounded on thy permission and keep him within the compasse of thy instruction let him feele thou hast the Curbe though occasion urge thee not to checke Give him the choise of his owne wife if he be wise Counsell his affection rather then crosse it if thou beest wise lest his marriage-bed be made in secret or depend upon thy grave If he be given to lavish company endeavour to stave him off with lawfull recreations be cheerfull with him that he may love thy presence and wink at small faults that thou maist gain him be not always chiding lest thou harden him neither knit thy brow too often lest thou dishearten him remember the discretion of a father oft times prevents the destruction of a childe CHAP. XXIX IF thou hide thy Treasure upon the Earth how canst thou expect to finde it in Heaven Canst thou hope to be a sharer where thou hast reposed no stocke What thou givest to Gods glory and thy soules health is laid up in Heaven and is onely thine that alone which thou exchangest or hidest upon Earth is lost CHAP. XXX REgard not in thy Pilgrimage how difficult the passage is but whither it tends nor how delicate the journey is but where it ends If it be easie suspect it if hard endure it He that cannot excuse a bad way accuseth his owne sloth and he that stickes in a bad passage can never attaine a good journies end CHAP. XXXI MOney is both the generation and corruption of purchas'd honour honour is both the child and slave of potent money the credit which honour hath lost money hath found When honour grew mercenary money grew honourable The way to be truly Noble is to contemn both CHAP. XXXII GIve not thy tongue too great a liberty lest it take thee prisoner A word unspoken is like the sword in thy scabberd thine if vented thy sword is in anothers hand if thou desire to be held wise be so wise as to hold thy tongue CHAP. XXXIII IF thou be subject to any great vanity nourish it not if it will be entertained encourage it not if it grow strong more strongly strive against it if too strong pray against it if it weaken not joyne fasting to the Prayer if it shall continue adde perseverance to both if it decline not adde patience to all and thou hast conquered it CHAP. XXXIV HAth any wounded thee with Injuries meet them with patience hastie words ranckle the wound soft language dresses it forgivenesse cures it and oblivion takes away the scarre It is more noble by silence to avoid an injury then by argument to overcome it CHAP. XXXV BE not instable in thy resolutions nor various in thy actions nor inconstant in thy affections so deliberate that thou maist resolve so resolve that thou maist performe so performe that thou maist persevere Mutability is the badge of Infirmity CHAP. XXXVI LEt not thy good intention flatter thee to an evill action what is essentially evill no circumstance can make good it matters not with what mind thou didst that which is unlawfull being done if the act be good the intention crowns it if bad it deposes thy intention no evill action can be well done CHAP. XXXVII LOve not thy children too unequally or if thou dost shew it not lest thou make the one proud the other envious and both Fooles if Nature hath made a difference it is the part of a tender Parent to help the weakest That triall is not fair where affection is the judge CHAP. XXXVIII IN giving of thy almes enquire not so much into the person as his necessity God looks not so much upon the merits of him that requires as into the manner of him that releives if the man deserve not thou hast gien it to Humanity CHAP. XXXIX IF thou desirest the Eucharist should be thy Supper let thy life be thy Chaplain if thy own worthinesse invites thee presume not to come if the sorrowfull sense of thy own sinnes forbid thee presume not to forbeare if thy faith be strong it will confirme it if weak it will strengthen it He onely that wants Faith is the forbidden guest CHAP. XL VVOuldst thou traffick with the best advantage and Crown thy vertues with the best return Make the poor thy Chapman and thy purse thy Factor So shalt thou give trifles which thou could'st not keep to receive treasure which thou canst not lose There 's no such Merchant as the charitable man CHAP. LXI FOllow not the multitude in the evill of sin lest thou share with the multitude in the evill of punishment The number of the Offenders diminisheth not the quality of the offēce As the multitude of Suiters drawes more favour to the Suite So the multitude of Sinners drawes more punishment on the Sin The number of the Faggots multiplies the fury of the Fire CHAP. LXII IF thou be angry with him that reproves thy Sinne thou secretly confessest his reproof to be just if thou acknowledge his Reproof to be just thou secretly confessest thy anger to be unjust He that is angry with the just Reprover kindles the fire of the just Revenger◠CHAP. XLIII DOe well while thou maist lest thou do evill when thou wouldst not He that takes not advantage of a good Power shall lose the Benefit of a good Will CHAP. XLIV LEt not mirth be thy profession lest thou become a Make-sport He that hath but gain'd the Title of a jester let him assure himselfe The Fool 's not farre off CHAP. XLV IN every Relative action change conditions with thy brother Then aske thy conscience what thou wouldest be done to Being truly resolved exchange again and doe thou the like to him and thy Charity shall never erre it is injustice to do what without impatience thou canst not suffer CHAP. XLVI LOve thy neighbour for Gods sake and God for his owne sake who created all things for thy sake and redeemed thee for his mercy sake If thy love have any other Object it is false love if thy object have any other end it is self-love CHAP. XLVII LEt thy conversation with men be sober and sincere Let thy devotion to God be dutifull and decent Let the one be hearty and not haughty Let the other be humble and not homely So live with men as if God saw thee So pray to God as if men heard thee CHAP. XLVIII GOds pleasure is the wind our actions ought to say 〈◊〉 Mans will is the Streame that Tydes them up and down if the wind blow not thou maist take the advantage of the Tide if it blow no matter which way the Streame runs if with thee thy voyage will be the shorter if against thee the
beyond warrant makes wisedome the midwife of his folly CHAP. LXX DEtaine not the wages from the poor man that hath earn'd it lest God withhold thy wages from thee If he complaine to thee heare him lest he complaine to Heaven where he will be heard if he hunger for thy sake thou shalt not prosper for his sake The poore mans penny is a plague in the rich mans purse CHAP. LXXI BE not too cautious in discerning the fit objects of thy Charity lest a soule perish through thy discretion What thou givest to mistaken want shall returne a blessing to thy deceived heart Better in relieving idlenesse to commit an accidentall evill then in neglecting misery to omit an essentiall good Better two Drones be preserv'd then one Bee perish CHAP. LXII THeology is the Empresse of the world Mysteries are her Privy Councell Religion is her Clergy The Arts her Nobility Philosophy her Secretary The Graces her Maids of Honour The Morall vertues the Ladies of her Bedchamber Peace is her Chamberlaine True joy and endlesse pleasures are her Courtiers Plenty her Treasurer Poverty her Exchequer The Temple is her Court If thou desire accesse to this great Majesty the way is by her Courtiers if thou hast no power there the common way to the Soveraigne is the Secretary CHAP. LXXIII IT is an evill knowledge to know the good thou shouldst embrace unlesse thou likewise embrace the good thou knowest The breath of divine knowledge is the bellowes of divine love and the flame of divine love is the perfection of divine knowledge CHAP. LXXIV IF thou desire rest unto thy soule be just He that doth no injury fears not to suffer injury The unjust mind is alwayes in labour It either practises the evill it hath projected or projects to avoid the evill it hath deserved CHAP. LXXV ACcustome thy palat to what is most usuall He that delights in rarities must often feed displeased and sometimes lie at the mercy of a deare market common food nourishes best delicates please most The sound stomacke preferres neither What aâ—t thou the worse for the last yeares plaine diet or what now the better for thy last great Feast CHAP. LXXVI VVHo ever thou art thou hast done more evill in one day then thou canst expiate in six and canst thou thinke the evill of six dayes can require lesse then one God hath made us rich in dayes by allowing six and himselfe poore by reserving but one and shall we spare our owne flocke and sheare his Lambe He that hath done nothing but what he can justifie in the six dayes may play the seventh CHAP. LXXVII HOpe and Feare like Hippocrates Twins should live and dye together If hope depart from feare it travels by security and lodges in presumption if feare depart from hope it travels to infidelitie and Innes in despaire the one shuts up heaven the other opens hell the one makes thee insensible of Gods frownes the other incapable of Gods favours and both teach God to be unmercifull and thee to be most miserable CHAP. LXXVIII CLose thine eare against him that shall open his mouth secretly against another If thou receive not his words they flye back and wound the Reporter if thou receive them they flee forward and wound the receiver CHAP. LXXIX IF thou wouldst preserve a sound body use fasting and walking if a healthfull soule fasting and praying Walking exercises the body praying exercises the soule fasting cleanses both CHAP. LXXX VVOuldst thou not be thought a foole in anothers conceit Be not wise in thine owne He that trusts to his owne wisedome proclaimes his owne folly He is truly wise and shall appeare so that hath folly enough to be thought not worldly wise or wisedome enough to see his owne folly CHAP. LXXXI DEsir'st thou knowledge know the end of thy desire Is it only to know Then it is curiosity Is it because thou mayst be knowne then 't is vanity If because thou mayst edefie it is charity If because thou mayst be edefied it is wisedome That knowledge turnes to meere excrement that hath not some heate of wisedome to digest it CHAP. LXXXII VVIsedome without innocency is knavery Innocency without wisedome is foolery Be therefore as wise as serpents and innocent as doves The subtilty of the serpent instructs the innocency of the dove The innocency of the dove corrects the subtilty of the serpent What God hath joyn'd together let no man seperate CHAP. LXXXIII THe more thou imitatest the vertues of a Saint departed the better thou celebrat'st that Saints day God is not pleased with surfetting for his sake who with his fasting so often pleas'd his God CHAP. LXXXIV CHuse not thy serv'ceable souldier out of soft apparell lest he prove effeminate nor out of a full purse lest he grow timorous They are more fit for action that are fiery to gaine a fortune abroad then they that have fortunes to lose at home Expectation breeds spirit Fruition brings feare CHAP. LXXXV GOd hath given to mankinde a common Library his creatures and to every man a proper booke Himselfe being an abridgement of all the others If thou reade with understanding it will make thee a great master of Philosophy and a true servant to the divine Authouâ— If thou but barely reade it will make thee thy owne Wise man and the Authours foole CHAP. LXXXVI DOubt is a weake childe lawfully begotten between an obstructed judgement and a faire understanding Opinion is a bold bastard gotten betweene a strong fancie and a weak Judgement it is lesse dishonourable to be ingenuously doubtfull then rashly opinionate CHAP. LXXXVII AS thou art a morall man esteem thy selfe not as thou art but as thou art esteem'd As thou art a Christian esteeme thy selfe as thou art not as thou art esteem'd Thy price in both rises and fals as the market goes The market of a morall man is wild opinion The market of a Christian is a good conscience CHAP. LXXXVIII PRovidence is an exercise of reason experience an act of sense by how much reason excels sense by so much providence exceeds experience Providence prevents that danger which experience repents Providence is the rationall daughter of wisedome experience the Empiricall mistresse of fooles CHAP. LXXXIX HAth fortune dealt the ill Cards let wisedome make thee a good Gamester in a faire Gale every foole may sayle but wise behaviour in a storme commends the wisdome of a Pilot To bear adversity with an equall minde is both the sign and glory of a bave Spirit CHAP. XC IF any speake ill of thee flee home to thy owne conscience and examine thy heart if thou be guilty 't is a just correction if not guilty 't is a faire instruction make use of both so shalt thou distill Hony out of Gall and out of an open enemy create a secret friend CHAP. XCI AS the exercise of the body naturall is moderate recreation so the exercise of the body politicke is military discipline by that the one is made more
is more wisdome to yeeld thy Body then hazard thy Soule CHAP. XXXVI CLoath not thy language either with Obscurity or affectation in the one thou discover'st too much darknes in the other too much lightnes He that speaks from the understanding to the understanding is the best interpreter CHAP. XXXVII IF thou expect death as a friend prepare to entertaine it If thou expect death as an enemy prepare to overcome it Death has no advantage but when it comes a stranger CHAP. XXXVIII FEare nothing but what thy industry may prevent Be confident of nothing but what fortune cannot defeat it is no lesse folly to feare what is impossible to be avoided then to be secure when there is a possibility to be depriv'd CHAP. XXXIX LEt not the necessity of Gods decree discourage thee to pray or dishearten thy prayers doe thou thy duty and God will doe his pleasure if thy prayers make not him sound that is sicke they will returne and confirme thy health that art sound If the end of thy prayer be to obtain thy request thou confinest him that is infinite if thou hast done well because thou wert commanded thou hast thy reward in that thou hast obeyed Gods pleasure is the end of our prayers CHAP. XL MArry not too young and when thou art too old marry not lest thou be fond in the one or thou dote in the other and repent for both let thy liking ripen before thou love let thy Love advise before thou choose and let thy choice be fixt before thou marry Remember that the whole happinesse or unhappinesse of thy life depends upon this one Act. Remember nothing but death can dissolve this knot He that weds in haste repents ofttimes by leisure And he that repents him of his owne act either is or was a foole by confession CHAP. XLI IF God hath sent thee a Crosse take it up and follow him use it wisely lest it be unprofitable Beare it patiently lest it be intolerable Behold in it Gods anger against sinne and his love towards thee in punishing the one and chastening the other if it be light sleight it not if heavy murmure not Not to be sensible of a judgement is the symptome of a hardned heart and to be displeas'd at his pleasure is a signe of a rebellious will CHAP. XLII IF thou desire to be magnanimous undertake nothing rashly and feare nothing thou undertak'st Feare nothing but infamy Dare any thing but injury the measure of magnanimity is neither to be rash nor timorous CHAP. XLIII PRactise in health to beare sicknesse and endeavour in the strength of thy life to entertaine death He that hath a will to die not having power to live shewes necessity not vertue It is the glory of a brave mind to embrace pangs in the very aâ—mes of pleasure What name of vertue merits he that goes when he is driven CHAP. XLIV BE not too punctuall in taking place If he be thy superiour 't is his due if thy inferiour 't is his dishonour It is thou must honour thy place thy Place not thee It is a poor reward of worth that consists in a right hand or a brick-wall CHAP. XLV PRay often because thou sinn'st alwayes Repent quickly lest thou die suddenly He that repents it because he wants power to act it repents not of a sin till he forsakes not He that wants power to actuate his sin hath not forsaken his sin but his sin him CHAP. XLVI MAke Philosophy thy journey Theology thy journeyes end Philosophy is a pleasant way but dangerous to him that either tires or retires in this journey it 's safe neither to loyter nor to rest till thou hast attained thy journeyes end He that sits downe a Philosopher rises up an Atheist CHAP. XLVII FEare not to sinne for Gods sake but thy owne Thy sinne overthrowes not his glory but thy good He gaines his Glory not only from the salvation of the Repentant but also from the confusion of the Rebellious There be vessels for honour and vessels for dishonour but both for his honour God is not grieved for the glory he shall lose for thy improvidence but for the horror thou shalt finde for thy impenitence CHAP. XLVIII INsult not over misery nor deride infirmity nor despise deformity The first shews thy inhumanity the second thy folly the third thy pride He that made him miserable made thee happy to lament him He that made him weake made thee strong to support him He that made him deform'd gave thee favour to be humbled He that is not sensible of anothers unhappinesse is a living stone but he that makes misery the object of his triumph is an incarnate Devill CHAP. XLIX MAke thy recreations servants to thy businesses lest thou become slave to thy recreations When thou goest up into the Mountaine leave this servant in the Valley When thou goest to the City leave him in the Suburbs And remember The servant must not be greater then his Master CHAP. L. PRaise no man too liberally before his face nor censure him too lavishly behind his backe the one favours of flattery the other of malice and both are reprehensible The true way to advance anothers vertue is to follow it and the best meanes to cry downe anothers vice is to decline it CHAP. LI. IF thy Prince command a lawfull act give him all active obedience if he command an unlawfull act give him passive obedience What thy well-grounded conscience will suffer doe chearfully without repining where thou maist not do lawfully suffer couragiously without Rebellion Thy life and livelihood is thy Princes Thy conscience is thy owne CHAP. LII IF thou givest to receive the like it is Exchange if to receive more it is covetousnesse if to receive thanks it is vanity if to be seen it is vain-glory if to corrupt it is Bribery if for Example it is formality if for compassion it is Charity if because thou art commanded it is obedience The affection in doing the work gives a name to the work done CHAP. LIII FEar death but be not afraid of Death To feare it whets thy expectation To be afraid of it duls thy preparation if thou canst endure it it is but a sleight pain if not it is but a short pain to fear death is the way to live long to be afraid of Death is to be long a dying CHAP. LIV. IF thou desire the love of God and man be humble for the proud heart as it loves none but it selfe so it is beloved of none but by it self The voice of humility is Gods musick and the silence of Humility is Gods Rhetorick Humility enforces where neither vertue nor strength can prevaile nor Reason CHAP. LV LOok upon thy burning Taper and there see the Embleme of thy Life The flame is thy Soule The wax thy Body and is commonly a span long The wax if never so well tempered can but last his length and who can lentghen it If il tempered it shall wast the faster