had need of some short remembrance to pull their wits by the elbow and will them not to diue too deepe least they who by reason should best vnderstand their reasons I meane the meaner wits who for most part are generall auditors be depriued of that instruction and information the Oratour intendeth and they expected Thirdly we must obserue that in amplifications which are in effect nothing else but either exaggerations or cumulations of reasons diuers things are to be noted First in amplifications all conceits should relish a certaine greatnesse and carie with them some sort of excesse if we praise then the persons and things praised must be commended for some admirable excellencie if we exhort or dissuade then are to bee discouered a sea of great goodnesse or a multitude of mightie euils Secondly the reasons which we amplifie require great perspicuitie and apertnesse in deliuerie because the attention which otherwise should be imployed about the affection will wholy be consumed or drawne to the vnderstanding for it is impossible to attend much at one time both to speculation and affection Furthermore our speech being cursorie and specially framed for meane capacities will not be able to make any impression in auditors except our reasons be meruailous plaine euident Thirdly our reasons should be largely declared and yet with sharpe and short varietie interlaced resembling a volley of shot speedily deliuered but not without bullets to batter downe the walles of wilfull affections And for this cause we may vse pithie short descriptions compounded of some metaphor annexed with some proprietie which is most vsuall with orators as Cicero commendeth histories for saith he Histories are the witnesses 1. Dâ— Orat. of times the light of trueth the life of memorie the mistris of life the messenger of antiquitie c. so may we in like manner describe man to be a shadow of pleasure a glorious flower a fading rose an vnsatiable appetite â— circle of fancies a running riuer a mortall angell a reasonable beast a vitious monster declining from his nature c. Many similitudes or dissimilitudes examples contrarieties effects repugnant may easilie be inuented readily deliuered and in a moment vnderstood so that by this meanes profound conceit shall bee facilited and there with the auditors instructed delighted and moued Fourthly as passions are diuers so motiues to stirre them vp are various and therefore now method requireth that we descend to the immediat sparkes which must set the soule on fire and kindle the passions or like winds blow off the ashes that the coales may be reuiued for hetherto we haue talked a farre off and layd but the first foundations by these particular motiues which follow passions immediatly properly effectually are moued Motiues to Loue. O My God the soule of my soule and the life of all true loue these drie discourses of affections without any cordiall affection haue long deteined not a little distasted me Now that I come towards the borders of Loue giue me leaue O louing God to vent out and euaporat the affects of the heart and see if I can incense my soule to loue thee intirely and suisceratly and that all those motiues which stirre vp mine affections to loue thee may be meanes to inflame all their hearts which read this treatise penned by me But alas where shall I begin to parley of affections who am so stained with imperfections and corrupted with infections Come come you sacred cherubins you morning starres of neuer darkening light descend you Seraphins you burning lampes of loue and tell me what motiues mooue you to loue your God so vehemently and vncessantly I know you will answere that your loue is of another stampe than mine and therfore that your language cannot bee vnderstood in the land of mortall men Ah my God euer loued too litle shall I neuer be able neither to loue nor speake of loue inough shall I aduenture to weaue a web of such subtile golden threds in such a rotten rustie loome did not Isay excuse himselfe for speaking of thee because his lips were polluted and durst not attempt so mightie an enterprise till with a burning coale of loue his mouth was purified Did not Dauid thirst after thee like the thirstie Hart the fountaines of cleare water and yet he exclaimed Imperfectum meum viderunt oculi tuâ— Thou hast O Lord beheld mine imperfection Did not the Seraphins Esay 6. glowing with fiery affections vaile their feet with golden wings thereby shewing a reuerent shame of their imperfit loue as vnworthie of such a supreme maiestie And what gratious Lord shall I thinke speake or write of thy loue whose best knowledge is scarce comparable with their ignorance whose purest affections are but inordinat passions in respect of their feruent desires and inflamed charitie But alas to say nothing were to admite thee but with blind ignorance to speake not condignly were irreuerently to conuerse with thee What shall I then neither speake nor hold my peace O fountaine of loue such is the abysse of thy goodnesse that thou reputest that ynough when we doe all we can endue me therefore O bountifull God with thy grace that since I cannot speake so worthily of thee as thou deserues at least I may speake in such sort of thee as at an vnworthie sinners hands thou expects A long season O my God the warie waigher of all my wayes haue I ranged abroad and reuelled among thy creatures I cannot say I loued them for then why did they cloy me and anoy me neither can I auer that I hated them for they delighted me Alas they pleased me because they were sprinckled and bedewed with some drops of amabilitie which thou diddest let fall vpon them from the immensiue Ocean of thy bountie they molested me because I loued not them aright that is in thee and for thee but for themselues and my delight After I had prodigally spent my patrimonie by surfeiting in pleasure and therein obseruing neither law rule nor measure at last I returned to thee found all those motiues in thy maiestie in a farre more eminent degree vnited than I before in all the vast multitude of thy creatures had tried dispersed I loued my parents as The first motiue of Loue is parâ—ntage authors of my being and imparters of life and this without teacher by nature I was instructed When after I turned mine eyes to thee I perceiued there was but a small sparke of paternitie in my progenitours compared to thee Thou gaue them bodies being and life to bee parents thou preserued conserued and enabled them thou created my soule alone wherin they neither had part nor action thou formed my body when they neuer minded me thou hast kept me day and night when they neuer remembred me yea when both they and I were fast asleepe thy watchfull eye waked ouer both them and me In the progresse of my tender yeares I loued them who Beneuolence bestowed fauours
promiseth rest and quietnesse but in effect dispoiled the soule of all rest and quietnesse It is admirable how men affected with pleasure are chaunged and metamoâ—phosed from themselues vntroubled with such an inordinat passion It is exceeding daungerous and yet for the present it lulleth a man with a world of securitie It is for most part vitious and damnable and yet for most part and of most persons approoued and accepted of as vertuous and laudable And therefore the bad conditions of sensuall pleasure be such as wise men either wholy disdaine them or vse them with such parsimonie that they take them as medicines in a certaine carelesse passage rather than much desired solaces not placing in them any extraordinarie contentation and rest For how can that be called delight which carrieth with it so many iust causes of discontentment nay of basenesse disgrace remorce of conscience desert of punishment Ah my God the fountaine of water of life the true paradice of pleasure delight of delights when these transitorie follies or fugitiue fancies or pernitious errours or sweet poysons or sugred gall so gulled and mislead my soule why had I not recourse to thee how came it to passe that I coÌ„sidered not those floods of pleasure prepared for them that loue thee De torrente voluptatis potabis eos The simphonie and sacred melodie of Angels euer sounding in the land of the liuing and neuer ceasing for them that scrue thee Whywaighed I not those ineffable ioies that neuer eye see nor eare heard nor heart conceiued which thou hast euer hadst in a readines for them who serue thee as subiects obey thee as seruaÌ„ts loue thee as childreÌ„ conuerse with thee as friends Ah soueraigne sweetnesse surpassing the honie honie combe if I had but tasted one drop of those diuine dainties if I had but sipt one spoonefull of those sacred liquors it had bin no meruaile if I had serued thee endured all molestfull labours supported all disgracefull iniuries for that sweetnesse would haue allayed all these bitternesses that gaine extenuated and coÌ„sumed to nothing all this paine which we sustaine in this miserable exile But what if sensible feeling want shall infallible faith faile It should not but in whom doth it not for if liuely faith were excited these fragill pleasures would be dispised Yet thou hast not wholy O bountifull God reserued all thy spirituall honest vertuous supernaturall diuine pleasures for the citisens of thy heauenly Hierusalem but euen in the barren defect of this perilous perigrination thou hast let fall a certaine kind of manna though not to be gathered in great abundance yet in a little measure and sufficient quantitie thou hast refreshed in some sort thy thirstie people with most sweet water distilled from the rocke de petra melle saturauit eos For what are those admirable consolations thy faithfull friends feele in the inundation of their aduersities tollerated for thy sake but a sacred Manna in the desart What are those comforts which good soules gather euen out of Christs bitter passions but honey distilled from the craggie rocke What else signifie those iubilies of heart and most secret ioyes which proceed from a good conscience grounded vpon a confident hope of future saluation but those great clusters of grapes shewed vnto them in signe of the fertilitie of the future land of promise What else can prognosticat the sweetnesse of feruent prayers but the infinit suauitie and happie contentation which once feruent beleeuing louers shall enioy in thy blessed companie and heauenly conuersation But few feele these ioyes in this life And why because they will not cracke the shell to get the kernill they refuse to pare the peare to eat the pulpe they loath to tyll the ground to reape the haruest they flie the warres and leese the glorie of the victorie they disdaine the digging of craggie mountaines and so neuer find the mine of gold they shun the paine of pruning their vines and therefore enioy not the fruit thereof in fine they flie mortification of carnall sensualitie and therefore attaine not vnto the sweet spirituall consolations of Christian charitie To conioyne them both together were as possible as to combine light and darkenesse water and fire the Oynions of Aegypt with the heauenly Manna the foode of Angels for this resolution and infallible conclusion must euer bee had in memorie that a man cannot enioy a paradice in this life and a future paradice in the life to come The seuenth Motiue to Loue which is Profit O Sacred Monarch of this mightie frame into what a disconsorted estate are men fallen I see it now held for a precept publickely divulged in matters of State and as it were registred for a fundamentall principle That all degrees and leagues of princes Botero lib. 2. della regio di stato cap. della prudenta ayme at priuate interest and therefore that a prince should neither trust to friendship nor affinity nor league nor any other bond wherein he that dealeth with him hath not some ground of interest as though all worldly friendship were founded in one or other sort of vtilitie But this is not proper to our dayes alone for in passed ages an auncient Poet said Donec eris foelix multos numerabis amicos Philip. 2. Tempora si fuerint nubila solus eris When fortune smiles then friends abound When fortune frownes few friends are found And one more wiser than he Omnes quaerunt quae sua sunt All looke for interest and priuate commodities We said aboue that all men naturally loue their benefactors but more generally here wee may auouch that all men loue those things whatsoeuer affoord them any profit or vtilitie a man loues his horse his house his seruants which are trustie his possessions his heards of oxen and finally whatsoeuer addeth or encreaseth the goods of Nature or Fortune and as this loue of concupiscence raigneth in all worldly hearts so it teacheth them to loue best that which profiteth them most and albeit very often it be but base and vitious yet guided by reason and ruled by charitie it may be good and vertuous But what is profit or profitable That which enableth vs as a meane to get some good end honest or voluptuous or agreeable vnto vs intended and desisired And therefore we account possessions profitable which serue vs for necessaries to sustaine life we repute horses profitable because by them we make our iournies more speedily we esteeme trades and merchandise profitable because by them we gaine riâ—hes which in effect are all things What shall I say here O soueraign Lord Shall I make thee a meane to get me profit who art the end of all profits and commodities Or shall I compare thy maiestie with these our vile miseries Who can be ignorant of thy inexhausted treasures but he that is ignorant who thou art Or who doth not know the innumerable meanes and helpes he daily receiueth from thee to conserue
nature and further grace but he that knoweth neither himselfe nor thee what is thy raine and dew which continually fall and fatten the earth but our gaine purchased without either payment or paine What is the heat of the Sunne and foure seasons of the yeere so requisit for nature so beneficiall to all mortall men but dayly commodities and hourely profits what bird in the aire what fish in the sea what beast in the land what planet in the heauens what starre in the firmament what mettall in the earth what floure in the field what tree in the orchard what herbe in the garden what root barke wood leafe floure or fruit yeeldeth not some emolument to man serueth not him either for meat medicine cloathes exercise pleasure or some other conuenient end and consequently are profitable vnto him and thou therefore the root fountaine and origen of all profitable in all by all and aboue all In the spirituall life of our soules thy sacraments are conduits of grace thine inspirations helpes to holinesse thy word a medicine for Ghostly maladies thy crosses and afflictions meanes for amendment And thus my God of endlesse wealth euery creature affoording one commoditie with a sounding voice vnto my heart though silent to mine eare cryeth continually and exhorteth me vncessantly to conferre them all to thy honour who hast so kindly bestowed them vpon me for my good The 8. Motive to Loue which is Honestie I Take not Honestie in this place as an obiect of temperance opposite to dishonestie or impuritie but as a generall obiect to all Vertue called by Divines and moral Philosophers Honestum contra-distinguished to vtile delectabile to profitable and delightfull for in the former sense a man may be honest and yet an vniust person an Vsurer a Murtherer c. For divers men may Vide Aristâ— 9. moral Nicâ— cap. 4. Plâ—â—â— in Hipparcho be chaste of body who are otherwise addicted to sundry vices in Soule But here I take Honestie as comprehending all actions or good inclinations or vertuous habilities tending and bending the Soule to follow Reason and enabling a man to live like a man and so Honestie includeth all Vertues and excludeth all vices Wee proove by daylie experience that if a man bee beautifull and personable he is amiable if valour bee therewith conioyned hee is more esteemed if Prudence be added hee is more accounted if Vertue bee annexed he is highly reputed if Religion adorne all these precedent partes he is admired if eminent Sanctitie glorifie them he is adored For although every excellencie carrieth with it a sweete grace and motive to amabilitie yet such is the lustre and glorie of Vertue and Honestie that it alone causeth a more solide friendship love and amitie a personable body is often linked with a pestilent soule a 〈◊〉 Captaine in the field for most part is infected with â—â— effeminate affection at home those things we love as profitable we love not absolutely but rather in them our selues for whose vse they serve and therefore when commoditie faileth love quaileth But those men we affect for their honestie those wee love indeed and that affection is permanent because it standeth vpon a sound foundation to wit Vertue and Honestie the principall obiects of Reason and reasonable affections And so we proove daily our selves that wee finde many men who neyther have beautie of body nor martiall mindes nor ornaments of learning nor riches nor degrees and yet onely for that we know them sincere vpright and honest all honest men love them and maugre malice of the wicked though spitefully they backe-bite them yet in their heartes they cannot but commend them And truely there is almost nothing in this life which absolutely ought to be loved but that which eyther is or rellisheth of Honestie for all other loves are either indifferent mercenarie or vicious if Vertue or vertuous men for their Vertue ought to be loved and esteemed O my GOD the Life of Vertue what Love is due to thee who art the Quintessence and supreme Perfection not of heroicall vertue but of innate and consummate goodnesse dignitie and maiestie which are as farre aboue the pitch of all excellent Vertues heroicall supernaturall or theologicall and infinitely more then the chiefest Vertues surmount the baddest vices All men by nature are sinners are peccable the iust offend often and he that saith he hath no sinne is a Liar But thou art spotlesse impeccable and as farre from all sinne as incomprehensible Wisedome from ignorance and infinite Goodnesse from malice The erroneous ignorant Philosophers who stumbled sometimes vpon true Vertues though in most they missed the marke could say that if a vertuous Soule could be beheld with corporall eyes it would ravish a man with love and admiration but what if they had thorowly penetrated the admirable secrets and hidden perfections which long experience and Gods grace hath taught would they have said what if they had vnderstood the mysteries of christianitie and entred into consideration of the worth lustre and glory of Faith Hope Charitie Grace and other divine Vertues which they never dreamed vpon certainely they could not have concluded otherwise but that a vertuous and religious soule was gilded with sparkes of Deitie or inameled with the various radiant beames of Divinitie and therefore deserved to bee loved admired honoured But what then should both they and we say and affirme of thee whose wit and will neede no inclining Vertues to moove or bend them to wisedome or goodnesse who runne amayne of themselves Vertues in vs perfite those powers of our soules which without them were vnperfect but in thee as there can be no imperfection to staine thine Essence so all Vertues are needlesse in thee in whom all faculties flow in abundance by their owne force efficacie and therefore thou art in regard of thine eminent Vertue to be affectually loved reverently honoured and with all humilitie submission and recognisance adored The 9. Motive to Love is Love it selfe THe Diamond formeth and fashioneth the Diamond and Love formeth and fashioneth Love fire converteth fewell into fire and fewell converted encreaseth fire Love causeth Love and the beloved reloving augmenteth the originall Love For albeit no man in this life can infallibly assure himselfe to be beloved by any for Love lyeth secretly closed vp within the closet of the heart which is inaccessible to any mortall eye yet Love like hidde perfumes muske and other odoriferous smelles casteth a sente though not seene for wordes eyes deedes gestures are morall messengers and daily discoverers of a loving minde And without all question those persons cannot but bee accounted hard hearted barbarous fierce and savage who belove not them of whom they are loved in case the Love be pure honest and consorting with Christianity for base worldly love grounded vpon interest fleshy concupiscence deserveth rather the name of Mercinarie Lust then Love the reason is because Love is so pretious a Treasure so
of his Auditors I remember a Preacher in Italy who had such power over his Auditors affections that when it pleased him he could cause them shead aboundance of teares yea and with teares dropping downe their cheâ—ks presently turne their sorrow into laughter and the reason was because he himselfe being extreamely passionate knowing moreover the Arte of mooving the affections of those Auditors and besides that the most part were women that heard him whose passions are most vehement and mutable therefore hee might have perswaded them what hee listed The same commoditie may be gathered by all other Oratours as Embassadours Lawyers Magistrates See Aristotle Rhetorikes Captaines and whatsoever would perswade a multitude because if once they can stirre a Passion or Affection in their Hearers then they have almost halfe perswaded them for that the forces of strong Passions marvellously allure and draw the wit and will to judge and consent vnto that they are mooved Many things more might be saide concerning this matter but in all the other Chapters folowing except this first I meane to touch this point very largely As this Treatise affordeth great riches to the Physitian of the soule so it importeth much the Physitian of the bodie for that there is no Passion very vehement but that it alters extreamely some of the foure humors of the bodie and all Physitians commonly agree that among diverse other extrinsecall causes of diseases one and not the least is the excesse of some inordinate Passion for although it busieth their braines as also the naturall Philosophers to explicate the manner how an operation that lodgeth in the soule can alter the bodie and moove the humors from one place to another as for example recall most of the bloud in the face or other partes to the heart as wee see by daily experience to chance in feare and anger yet they consent that it See Fracastoriuâ— libr. de sympathia lib. 2. de intellectione circa medium may proceede from a certaine sympathie of nature a subordination of one part to another and that the spirites and humors wait vpon the Passions as their Lords and Maisters The Physitians therefore knowing by what Passion the maladie was caused may well inferre what humor aboundeth consequently what ought to be purged what remedy to be applied after how it may be prevented If all the aforesaide Professions may challenge each one a part in this Discourse surely the good Christian whose life is a warrefare vpon earth he who if he love his soule killeth it he whose studie principally standeth Iob 7. 1. in rooting outvice and planting of vertue hee Mar. 8. 35. whose indevour specially is imployed in crucifying old Adam and in refining the image of Christ he who pretendeth to be ruled by reason and not tyrannized by preposterous affection this man I say may best peruse this matter he may best meditate it he may best know where lieth the cave of those Serpents and Basiliskes who sucke out the sweete blood of his soule hee may see where the thorn sticketh that stingeth his heart finally he may view his domesticall enemie which never Matt. 10. 36. permits him to be quiet but molesteth in prosperitie deiecteth in adversitie in pleasure makes him dissolute in sadnesse desperate to rage in anger to tremble in feare in hope to faint in love to languish These were those temptations of the flesh that S. Paul did punish 1. Corint 9. 27 saying Castigo corpus meum in servitutem redigo I chasten my body and bring it into servitude these were those members the same Apostle exhorted vs to mortifie vpon earth Mortificate membra vestra quae Coloss 3. 5. sunt super terram Seeing then how all the life of a spirituall man ought to bee imployed in the expugnation of these molestfull Iebusites without all doubt it importes him much to knowe the nature of his enemies their stratagems and continuall incursions even vnto the gates of the chiefest castell of his soule I meane the very witte and will Not only the mortified Christian had need to know well his passions because by brideling them he winnes a great quietnesse of minde and enableth himselfe better to the service of God but also the civil Gentleman and prudent Polititian by penetrating the nature and qualities of his affections by restraining their inordinate motions winneth a gratious cariage of himselfe and rendereth his conversation most gratefull to men for I my selfe have seene some Gentlemen by blood and Noblemen by birth yet so appassionate in affections that their company was to most men intollerable for true is that Salomon saide Vir iracundus provocat Prover 15. 18. rixas qui patiens est mitigat suscitatas An angry man raiseth brawles but a patient man appeaseth them after they be raised And therefore howe vngratefull must his company seeme whose passions over-rule him and men had neede of an Astrolabe alwayes to see in what height or elevation his affections are lest by casting forth a sparke of fire his gun-powdred minde of a sodayne be inslamed I omit how he may insinuate himselfe into other mens love and affections how in traveling in strange countries he may discover to what passion the people are most inclined for as I haue seene by experience there is no Nation in Europe that hath not some extraordinarie affection either in pride anger lust inconstancie gluttonie drunkennesse slouth or such like passion much it importeth in good conversation to know exactly the companies inclination and his societie cannot but be gratefull whose passions are moderate and behaviour circumspect I say nothing of Magistrates who may by this matter vnderstand the inclinations and dispositions of their inferiors and subiects But finally I will conclude that this subiect I intreat of comprehendeth the chiefe obiect that all the antient Philosophers aymed at wherein they placed the most of their felicitie that was Nosce teipsum know thy selfe the which knowledge principally consisteth of a perfit experience every man hath of himselfe in particular and an vniversall knowledge of mens inclinations in common the former is helped by the latter the which knowledge is delivered in this Treatise What we vnderstand by Passions and Affections CHAP. II. THree sortes of actions proceede from mens soules some are internall and immateriall as the actes of our wittes and willes others be meere externall and materiall as the acts of our senses seeing hearing moving c. others stand betwixt these two extreames and border vpon them both the which wee may best discover in children because they lacke the vse of reason and are guided by an internall imagination following nothing else but that pleaseth their sences even after the same maner as bruite beastes doe for as we see beastes hate love feare and hope so doe children Those actions then which are common with vs and beastes wee call Passions and Affections or pertuâ—bations of the mind Motus saith saint
and benefits vpon mâ— and this I perceiued not to bee a thing proper to men alone but also incident to beasts who loue and fawne vpon their benefactors When I lifted vp mine â—ies to thee and considered the meat I eat the drinke I dranke the cloathes I wore the aire I breathed the sences I vsed the life I enioied the wit wherewith I reasoned the will wherewith I affected all were thy dayly gifts hourely momently yea instantly by thy prouident hand vpheld and maintained I concluded with my selfe that of all benefactors thou was the best and therefore deserued to be loued most and for that euery instant I wholly in bodie and soule life and being depended vpon thee so in euery instant if it were possible I should consecrate my selfe intirely with a most gratefull remonstrance and recognition of thy benefits bestowed vpon me When yeares grew vpward and reason riper in reading antient prophane and sacred writers I found in them certaine worthie men highly commended and celebrated here a Salomon for wisedome a Dauid for valour a Hercules an Achilles an Alexander a Caesar a Scipio an Hanniball a Constantine in panigericall Orations in heroicall verses blazed abroad to all the world present and registred for record to all posteritie as Third motiue Excellencie valiant captaines prudent gouernours glorious Heroes mirrors and maiesties for their times in the world And it seemed to me that my heart was drawne to loue affect such personages for albeit I admired their eminencie aboue the rest yet I know not how but such an excellencie wrung out and enforced a reuerent affection in my breast for I esteemed them worthie of loue whom so many wise men thought worthie of admiration and reputed as worthies of the world Afterwards with the eies of my consideration I glanced O my God of infinit perfection vpon thee all these renowned Heroes resembled to my sight so many mirmicoleons or lions amoÌ„gst emmets who surpasse them a little in greatnes and force in comparison of lions indeed for might and Olyphants for immensitie nay lesse for what are all monarchs and mights compared to thee but folia quae vento rapiuntur Iob. 13. dried and withered leaues blowne abroad with dust in the wind with a blast of thy mouth they are blowne downe from their regall thrones withered with diseases dispersed in sepulchres consumed to dust and euery moment wheÌ„ it pleafeth thee annihilated reduced to nothing What hath their power to doe with thine omnipotencie their base excellencie with thy supreme maiestie their prudence policie stratagems with thine infinit wisedome and incomprehensible counsels Ah my God of boundlesse blessednesse as the highest pitch of their preheminence is vile vassalage compared to thee so thy loue should disdaine not onely to be equalled but also conferred with theirs The further I passed the more obiects alluring to loue 4. Motiue Beautie I discouered for beautie of bodies the glorie of nature the glimpse of the soule a beame of thy brightnesse I see so inticed mens senses inueagled their iudgements led captiue their affections and so rauished their minds that such hearts were more present in thoughts desires with such bodies where they liked and loued than with that bodie wherein they soiourned and liued And what was this beautie which so fed their appetites it could not be certainely any other thing than the apt proportion and iust correspondence of the parts and colours of visible bodies which first delighted the eye and then contented the mind not vnlike the harmony of proportionable voices and instruments which seed the eare and health which issueth from the iust proportion temper of the foure humors and some daintie tast which ensueth from the mixture of diuers delicat meats compounded in one This harmony of mortall bodies O my God the beauty of beauty hath disconsorted and consequently deformed many an immortall soule Thou neither hast bodie nor parts and therefore art thou not beautifull Why then didst thou say pulchritudo agri mecum est the beautie Psal 39. Isay 66. of the field is with me and in me If thou didst argument profoundly and conclude infallibly that thou wast not Psal 73. Luck 12. barren who imparted fecunditie to others questionlesse thou must by right reason be beautifull who deckes and adornes the poore lillies in the field with a more glorious mantle than euer couered the corps of sage Salomon for all his treasures wisdome Thou wantest grosle massie terrene corruptible parts wherein according to our materiall sensuall conceits beautie consisteth but thy beauty transcendeth this infinitly more than all the world the least graine of sand which lieth vpon the Ocean shoare For thy harmonie thy consort thy proportion springeth from the admirable vnion of all thy perfections all thy creatures produced and producible in thee are vnited the lambe and the lion fire and water whitenesse and blacknesse pleasure and sadnesse without strife or contention without hurt or iniurie in a diuine harmonie and most amiable beautie dwell reside and liue in thee Some philosophers said truly albeit not so plainely as all common people could perceiue them That thou wast a centre out of which issued innumerable lines they meant thy creatures the further they extended from thee the further they were disunited among themselues and the neerer they approched vnto thee more strictly they were linked together and at last all vnited and identified in thee their centre last end and rest Gardens and fields are beautifull pallaces cities prouinces kingdomes bodies of men and women the heauens the angels and in fine the whole vniuersall world framed in number weight and measure all parts keeping their places order limits proportion and naturall harmonie all these in particular in themselues and combined in one are inameled with a most gratious vagisnesse lustre and beautie all which proceeded from thee and resideth in thee and are comprised in a far more sublime and eminent degree in thee than in themselues or than an angell of gold containeth in value ten shillings of siluer for in themselues they are limited in essence and kept within the narrow bounds and bankes of naturall perfection but these little riuers ioined in thee find an illimitate and boundlesse sea wherein they haue neither bottome nor bound What shall I say of you three three sacred persons in Trinitie distinguished really and yet indistinct essentially doth not this distinction cause a difference and this admirable vnion an inexplicable consonance Are not your three persons hypostases or subsistences the infinit bounds lists and limits of an interminat immensiue and endlesse essence Are not these the borders of your beautie your attributes of bountie simplicitie vnitie veritie eternitie immensitie impassibilitie wisdome prouidence omnipotency charity iustice mercie clemencie benignitie magnificencie in some sort distinguished yet really the same perfection are your blessed intellectuall face those amiable colours that glorious beautie that maiestical countenance that
celestial brightnesse the Angels desire to behold the blessed saints contemplat and we wandering pilgrims aspire vnto in the end of our perigrination the which will feed vs without satietie content vs without appetite of change wherein consisteth all happinesse ioy and rest Beautie is the rind of bountie and those creatures are 5 Motiue â—ountie or goodnesse more beautifull which are more bountifull For bountie and goodnesse resemble the Sunne beautie the beames bountie the spring beautie the riuer bountie the heart beautie the face bountie the tree beautie the flower bountie the flesh beautie the feathers This truth cannot bee denied for if that beautie bee nothing els but a iust proportion of parts with an apt correspondence of temper in colours in these inferiour bodies or brightnesse and lightnesse in the superiour and such semblable perfections in soules and spirits no doubt but better parts finer colours purer lights proportionably combined cause a more excellent beautie shew and lustre as the siner gold the richer stones if art bee correspondent the more vage and beautifull iewell But here alas in humane corpes it falleth out contrariwise for although indeede a beautifull bodie in a child a youth a man a woman an old man for a different beautie adorneth all these argue a better substance and a more sound corporall perfection yet the soules of such by the mallice of men and women are commonly worse for beautie they make an instrument of vice which by right reason should be an ornament of vertue and therefore such beautie ill beseemeth such bodies and fitly the holy ghost compareth Circulâ—s aurtus in nuribus suis 〈◊〉 pulchra fatua Prou. c. 11. a womans beautifull bodie linked with a bad soule to a ring of gold in a swines snout which euer lies rooting in dirt and myre Bountie then and beautie by nature are linked together though peruerse soules like stinking corpes lie buried in beautifull sepulchres though rustie blades bee couered with golden sheaths though dragons gall and bane of Basiliskes stand closed vp in viols of Christall Yet howsoeuer by sympathie of nature they be connexed and by malitious affections in vs disconsorted neuerthelesse I haue alwaies proued by experience that bountie and goodnesse were principall motiues of loue yea to say truth I knew neuer thing loued but that it was gilded with goodnesse If I loued learning it was because it was good in it selfe and a perfection of mine vnderstanding if meat or drinke because they were good for my bodie to restore the forces vanished if cloaths because they kept me warme and finally whatsoeuer I affected I palpably felt it either good in it selfe or good for my selfe And thereupon I remember a sound philosopher pronounced a solemne axiome as vndoubted in speculation so dayly experimented in action Bonum est quod omnia appetunt Goodnesse is that which all things affect All beasts though reasonlesse yet in loue follow this generall instinct and inclination of reason imprinted in their hearts O infinit wisedome with the indoleble characters of thy prouidence to affect nothing but that in some sort concerneth their good Ah my God of boundlesse bountie Nemo bonus nisi solus Deus thou Luk. 18. onely essentially of thy selfe without list or limit art good all things else by participation and limitation An Angell hath goodnesse and therefore is amiable yet he is but a drop distilled from thee in that quantitie degree and measure thy wisedome prescribed and his circumferenced nature required What O my God is goodnesse but perfection integritie of essence completenesse and fulnesse of beautie What is perfection but an intier possession of all that such a nature or substance should haue and so thy word witnesseth that the Jâ—itur perfecti â—unt 〈◊〉 omnis ernatus â—â—rum Gen. 2. 1. heauens were framed perfit because they wanted nothing necessarie or requisit to their nature and for all this the heauens want wit and reason howbeit they are perfit in their sencelesse kind But in thee what want can their be no parts because thou art simple without composition no perfection can bee scant in fulnesse and intention where all are infinit And therefore if in earth I thirsted after the vnpure drops of thy created goodnesse compared to thine increate bountie how much more should I thirst after thee the pure Christall fountaine of life Ah Quam bonus Israel Deus ijs qui recto sunt corde Psal 72. How good is the God of Israel to them who are of a right heart Trinit as diuinarum personarum est summum bonum quod purgatissimis mentibus cernitur The Trinitie of diuine persons saith Austen thy seruant is a supreme Aug. 1. de Trini cap. 2. circa initâ—um goodnesse which is beheld with most purified minds Bonus est Dominus sperantâ—bus in eum animae quaerenti illum Our Lord is good to them that hope in him to that soule which inquireth for him What then my God the abisse of bountie art thou not good to all but to such soules as search for thee as are purified from offences as are right hearted No no thy goodnesse no lesse extendeth her sphere than thine omnipotencie her might and as nothing euer receiued being but by thine almightie hand so nothing integritie of being but by thy bountifull hand What man euer liued and enioyed not the heat and light of this visible sunne Or who euer liued or continued life but by the beames of thine inuisible bountie But true it is and registred in all sacred records of antiquitie for an infalliable veritie that thy goodnesse is specially extended poureth forth her treasures more aboundantly vpon those good soules who in sincere pure affectuall and thirstie hearts seeke for thee Thou art a sea of goodnesse fauours and graces euery one may enioy thee that will with all his heart serue and loue thee howbeit the greater vessell receiueth more abundance The sixt motiue to Loue is Pleasure IN all the sonnes of men and in all sorts of beasts I dayly and hourely discouered an insatiable desire of delight and almost nothing loued vehemenrly but that which was canded with semblable pleasure it were in vaine to demonstrate this by reason since euery moment fresh experience teacheth that sensualities first step in euery action tendeth to pleasure and solace and those things she accounteth and priseth most which sensually delight her best O God of incomprehensible wisdome and ininuestigable prouidence how potent is this bait of pleasure to allure to deceiue to precipitate vnwarie soules into eternall miserie It is passed almost in euery sence in a moment and yet the importunitie neuer ceaseth The base and bad conditions of sensuall pleasure It is beastly for all sences are common to men with beasts and yet it seemeth euer to promise a paradice of ioy It is most erronious sophisticating mens minds and yet beareth or at least pretendeth a show of reason It in apparance
rich a Iewell so divine a Guift that I am perswaded if men could beholde the heartes â—â—a Plato in Lyside of them that truely love them it would be as violent to withhold them from reloving againe as a Lionesse from her whelpes lying in her sight a stone in the ayre from his center a bullet within a discharged Cannon And no crosse in this life can befall an honest Lover more mortall and deadly then not to bee beloved where hee loveth because in Love life thoughts and affections are transported into the person beloved where if they finde not semblable affection to entertayne them they pine they perish they die Who would not love an honest vertuous Lover who honoreth prizeth and serveth whom he loveth for honor estimation and servitude if they bee cordiall cannot bee accounted but rare treasures Hee that loveth vertuously esteemeth the beloved worthy of honour because hee reputeth him vertuous and therefore in affection yieldeth him condigne honour due to Vertue he serveth him in regard of his great goodnesse which in his conceit meriteth all servitude and obsequious complements Who would not love a vertuous Lover who consecrateth himselfe and all hee hath vnto the person beloved for that one friend is thought able to doe which his friendes can performe and effect and therefore a man hath so many Arist. 3. moral Nicom c. 3. bodies soules heartes eies eares tongues handes feete as he hath friendes and so by this meanes is made potent and mightie For a true friend will in all cases places and occasions deale in the affaires and occurrents of his friend and for this cause Aristotle thought that friendship and amitie were more necessarie for a Citie then lawes and iustice and that the Legifers should have no lesse regard to Love then to Lawes for if Cittizens Arist 8. moral c. 1. loved as friendes they should need no lawes to punish them as enemies Ah my loving God! I demurre too long in these speculative discourses and with-hold my soule too much from patheticall affections Doest thou Love vs who doubteth for if thou hadst never loved we had never lived and if thy Love continued not preserving Diligis omnia quae sunt nihil odisti corum quae fecisti Sap. cap. 11. our being we should presently be resolved into dust and nothing Well then thou doost prize vs and honor vs else thou wouldest never have given the pretious blood of thy Sonne to have redeemed vs. This argueth estimation but not honour for honour supposeth subiection inferioritie and I know not what kinde of vassalage and servitude it seemeth too presumptuous if not blasphemous to make thee either inferior or equall with men whose Maiestie the highest Seraphims admire reverence worship and with trembling knees adore Ah my God! of most maiesticall and extaticall Love shall I presume to enter into the abysse of thy eclypses excesses and charitable extasies They be too deepe for mee yea and all the world beside to comprise yet I know who sayd that thou went out of thy selfe and suffered extacie thorow the vehemencie Dyonis Artop cap. 4. de diuin nom of Love his meaning was that thou seemed to abase thy Maiestie with succouring and relieving our misery and that exinanition and transformation of thy supreme Glorie with Mount-Calvaries ignominie telleth vs no lesse Thy providence is such over the vniversall world in generall and every kinde of creature in speciall and every man in particular giving them meanes to atchieue their endes concurring with them in all their actions disposing of all so sweetly that Nature Grace consort so well together and thy watchfull provident eye with both that the wisest may admire thee and the simplest perceive thee and none of vs all ever doubt of thy vigilant solicitude I dare not call it servitude yet if service bee a succouring sustaining helping ministring necessaries and in every thing assisting vs in best and basest offices I may say thou lovingly serves all who without thy service could not serve themselves nor al the world except thy selfe Great no doubt is thy love O God without paragon in love to men in this life for here thou doest not only affect them powre out thy benefits vpon them distill thy graces into their hearts and a thousand wayes externally and internally worke their salvation but also that which surpasseth all it seemeth thy will and power are at the command or rather ready to obey the desires of thy faithfull servants for what else meane those protrite words of the Psalme Voluntatem timentium se facit He fulfilleth the will of Psal 144. them that feare him and what other sense can be brought of that request thou made to thy servant Moses Dimitte me vt irascatur furor meus contra eos deleam Exod. 32. eos Suffer me that my fury be revenged of them and that I may destroy them but that thy anger and revenge thy displeasure and their intended destruction laid in Moses power to rule and guide according to his pleasure O admirable omnipotencie of love which hath power even over the omnipotent but if in this life such is Loves puisance what shall we say of thy friends and lovers in glory where all graces and favours abound where love like the Sunne ever standeth in the Zenith where presses swim with wine and fields flow with honnie Certainely we cannot imagin or conceave otherwise and well but as thou who put on the person of the good old father who said to his elder sonne Fili tu semper mecum es omnia mea tua sunt O Luc. 15. Sonne thou art alwayes with me and what is mine is thine so that thou and all thy treasures are the finall inheritance possession and kingdome of thy children But yet more emphatically our blessed Saviour declared the force effects of thy love when he said Beati illi servi quos cum venerit dominus invenerit vigilantes amen Luc. 12. dico vobis quod pracinget se faciat illos discumbere transiens ministrabit illis Blessed be those servants whom their Lord when he commeth shall finde watching Amen I say vnto you he will cause them sit downe and passing by will serve them this service and sitting no doubt signifie the eternall glory whereupon thy Saints shall ever feed the which cannot be prepared and ministred vnto them by any others hands then thine which made them And alitle below to the same effect speaking of his faithfull and trustie servant what wages in blessednes he shall receive he addeth Super omnia quae possidet consiliet eum his Lord and Maister will give him signiorie and authoritie over all he possesseth which is the consummation and finall perfection of all true love and affectuall wishes of all true lovers that the one have a king of charitable commaund and a certaine friendly dominion over the other The 10. Motive to Love which is Resemblance THe
reputeth yron as strawes and brasse like rotten wood who swalloweth slouds and exspecteth that the whole River of Iordan should runne into his mouth Yet armed Iob. 41. 18. 40. 18. Vide Marâ— 1. 26. 5. 2. 9. 26. Luc. 8. 29. the forces of the Devill his craft 1. Reg. 13. 19. 2. Esd 4. 11. with thy protection I feare not to prostrate him as David that mighty tower of flesh the vncircumcised Philistian who boasted against the God of Israel For in Deo meo transgrâ—diar murum I will pierce even the stony walles by the power and force of my God Si exurgant adverfum me castra non timebit cor meum If whole Camps assault me my heart will not feare for I know O omnipotent God that love thee as I should thine almighty hand will vphold me in all dangers and strengthen me in all assaults Sweet God enable me therefore with thy love for the surest Castell Galat. 5. 6. 1. Pet. 5. 8. against the Devill is a faith working with charity and the Devils bullets of battery against this fort are suggestions 2. Cor. 12. 7. working with concupiscence or selfe-love and sensualitie The 15. and 16. Motives to Love which are delivery from evill and toleration of wrongs for vs. GOodnes or true love principally by foure meanes are discovered first in bountifully giving gifts and bestowing benefits as Alexander the great who herein so excelled that in all occasions he woon eternall fame and incomparable love of all that delt with him for his magnificent deportment in powring forth his treasures and no doubt but that common verse more true then olde was penned for this and many more such like experiences to wit Si quis in hoc mundo vult cunctis gratus haberi Det capiat quaeratâ— plurima pauca nihil He that to all will heere be gratefull thought Must give accept demaund much little nought Secondly in not punishing or revenging iniuries wheÌ„ they be offered wherefore Saul vnderstanding that David whom he so mightily persecuted got him at such advantage as that if it had pleased him to have revenged so many wrongs offered him by Saul he might with as much facilitie have bereaved him in the cave of his life as Saul had desire to dispoyle him of his lyfe I say after 1 Reg. 24 cap. 26. that Saul vnderstood the revengelesse heart of David levavit vocem suam slevit hee wept for ioy and apertly confessed his vertue love kindnes and withall acknowledged his owne iniustice and iniquitie Thirdly in riddance and delivery from evill when Iudith entred into Bethulia with Holophernes head and Iudith 1â— by that meanes had redeemed her Countrie from the extreme danger of the Assyrian Hoast which of that people had not occasion sufficiently offered to love admire Ester 7. 8. and adore her After that Ester had procured the death of Hamman and the reclaime of that bloody Edict Assuerus at Hammans suggestion had sent abroad to be executed thorow all the kingdoms of the Medes and Persians what Iew had not there a most forcible motive to love and reverence that godly Queene which so wisely so couragiously so effectually had saved their lives and restored them to former libertie The same wee may say of Moses who ridde the Israelites from the thraldom of Egypt and of Iosua and Sampson who divers times defended their people from the hostile furie and invasion of their enemies and for this cause such noble Generalls among the Romanes were intituled Patres Patriae Fathers of the Countrie because they as Fathers had defended it and therefore deserved to be reputed and loved as Fathers Fourthly in tollerating wrongs crosses disasters afflictions for vs. This Veritie we finde recorded in holy Writ Maiorem charitatem nemo habet quam vt animam ponat quis pro amicis suis No man can shew more love then by powring out his life for his friend if then any suffer wrongs for our cause the neerer they approch to death the neerer they border vpon the most perfite remonstrance of Love and consequently are more forcible to cause or encrease kindnesse and affection When Saint Paule persecuted the Christians in the primitive Church Christ for whose cause they endured such persecutions accounted their ignominies his iniuries and therefore said Saule Saule cur me persequeris Saul Saul why dost thou persecute me as though his servants harmes were his hurts Who dishonoureth an Ambassadour but his King reputeth the iniurie offered vnto his Person who revileth a servant sent from his Lord but his Master will thinke therein his honour stayned wherefore as Christs Apostles and Disciples Ambassadors or Servants wrongs redound to their disgrace that sent them and in very deed they ought so to esteeme them as done to themselves because they plead and negotiate the Senders causes and affaires and in some sorte represent their persons even so whosoever handleth or dealeth in our behalfe and thereby incurreth any disgrace in honour wealth or body for vs ought to be reputed our friend in furthering our causes and negotiations and have repayred all the dammages he suffered in our defence Whosoever then suffereth for our cause wee account as innocent and to suffer wrongfully therefore wee condole with him and no doubt but love him Secondly such an one is violently bereaved of some good for our good which cannot but argue an extraordinary good will towards vs and consequently an apt motive to move vs to love Thirdly if that Position of Aristotle be true that we love them Arist. 2. Rheâ— cap. 4. which tell and confesse sincerely their faults and offences for as Thomas Aquinas noteth such men shut the doore to all fiction and dissimulation and therefore are thought vpright and so deserve to be loved Certainly they that suffer any dammage or danger of dammage for vs exclude all fiction or dissimulation and really proove they love vs affectually and not superficially and therefore deserve to be beloved reciprocally O my sweete Saviour and impassible God! who by Divine nature art incapable of dammage griefe sorrow or disgrace of whom well we may say Non accedet ad te malum nec slagellum appropinquabit Tabernaculo tuo Psal 90. Evill shall never come neere thee nor any scourge approch to thy Tabernacle Yet to ridde me and all mankinde from evill thou abased thy selfe almost to the abysse of nothing factus vermis non homo opprobrium hominum abiectio plebis A worme and not a man the scorne of men and the scomme of the people Whether shal I say was greater and deserved more love the evill thou hast endured for mee or the evill from which thou hast delivered me My payne from whence thou hast ridde mee should have beene infinite in durance and thy payne sustained for mee was infinite in dignitie my soule and body were most cruelly in hell to have beene tormented and thy body and soule vpon the
crosse were rent asunder the vgly fiendes were to imbrue their invisible clowches in my execrable soule and the reprobate Iewes bathed their handes in thy blessed blood I was to have dwelt in vtter darkenes for my manifolde offences and the light of thine eyes were obscured to satisfie for mine innumerable transgressions If I consider the payne thou sustayned in regarde of merite woorth and valuation as it farre exceeded the demerit of our sinnes so consequently all those evilles damages and torments which wee incurred by sinnes and therefore were well compared by Saint Chrysostome to a sparke of fire cast into the immensive Ocean Sea for as Saint Paul witnesseth Vbi abundavit Chrysost in hom ad Pop. delictum superabundavit gratia Where sinne abounded grace over-abounded But otherwise if wee Rom. 5. weigh the substance of thy paynes we cannot compare them with those of the damned because those torments and thy loving dolors were in a farre different kinde and therefore admit not well comparison for those griefes are enforced thine voluntary those with remorce of acted offences thine with conscience and perfit cognition of innocencie those are tortures for evilles thine are riddance from evills And truely they who would ascribe vnto thee the infernall dolors vpon the crosse or in the garden in mine opinion rather offend in ignorance as not perfitly vnderstanding the deformed nature of those vnexplicable torments then vpon malice attributing them vnto thee For neyther didst thou sorrow for paynes as afflictions deservedly inflicted for thy crimes neyther didst thou nor couldest thou hate and abhorre God the inflictor of such horrible torments neyther diddest thou nor couldest thou despaire of thy Fathers favours who infinitely vncessantly eternally vndoubtedly loved and honored thee and of whose love thou wast as sure as of thine owne eternall life Therefore at last I hope such vnpure minds The Puritans errour will amend their impure errours and at last reclame their ignorant blasphemie Notwithstanding this I will confesse and cannot deny but that thy paynes as well in the Garden as vpon the Crosse were as bitter in vehemency and intension perhaps as those of the damned because thy love no doubt was more intensive towardes Mankinde then their love to themselves therefore thy hatred was more vehement of our trespasses then their abomination of torments for love of the good we wish and hatred of the evill opposite thereunto weigh ever the same and are ballanced alike wherefore griefe necessarily ensuing compassion full hatred counterpoyseth the vehement intension of Love And as thy Love of man never had Paragon in vehemencie so thy Dolors never had like in intension and therefore truely the Prophet sayd in thy Person Non est dolor sicut dolor meus No dolors are comparable with mine By this I inferre O sweete Iesu that thou having delivered me from such horrible paine and for this Redemption suffered such excessive payne I should love thee in condigne gratitude with correspondent affection to both paynes but this Sphere is too large for my feeble activitie to reach Thou therefore enlarge my heart who aymedst specially in them both at a proportionate gratefull Love and affectuall recognition of men The 17. Motive to Love which consisteth specially in the manner of giving giftes and bestowing favours IT is a common saying among spiritual men that God respecteth not so much the quantitie as the qualitie of our actions and good workes the which protrite Axiome seemeth grounded vpon divers Scriptures Specially the fact of that poore Woman which cast her two mites in Gazaphilacium which gave more her need considered then all they who bestowed large portions of their superfluous riches because ordinarily when we find great difficultie to doe well and yet breake thorow it that argueth a more perfitte affection and intier good will towards the partie for whose sake wee vndergoe it Agayne we have registred by the Apostle that hilarem datorem diligit Deus Our Lord loveth a pleasant giver that is when a man imparteth his goods for 2. Cor. 9. Gods honor and glory God liketh him that effecteth it with alacritie and pleasantnesse for some men you have who bestow benefites vpon their friends in such sort as they seeme to give so much of their blood for they make a shewe of a certayne loathing giving which diminisheth in great part the gift Therefore in the receyving of a benefite these circumstances may be considered which follow every one of them dignifying of it and consequently casting a sparke of bountie from the Giver into the heart of the Receyver to moove him to Love The first Circumstance The greatnesse of the Giver THe dignitie or preeminence of any Principle ennobleth and inhaunceth the Effect so noble Parents produce noble Children a meane worke proceeding from an excellent Workeman winneth by relation to the Author I know not what more credit and reputation then if it had proceeded from an Artificer of lesser account In like manner a gift comming from a great Person carieth ever a sente of a certaine greatnesse and rellisheth ever eyther of Nobillity Excellency Superiority or all Charles the fift in his long troublesome warres in Germanie beeing almost ever pressed with want of money and vnable to remunerate the Services of divers Dutch Captaines and Nobles whom hee had entertayned after any great exployte perfourmed by them to acquite their service in some sort which Alexander would have repayed with Citties or States hee was accustomed in the open fielde in midst of his Nobles to call such a Captaine or Coronel before him and there in the presence of the whole Campe take a gold cheine from about his owne necke and put it about the neck of the other so embrace him thanke him and with this honour so solemnely circumstanced by such a Person as the Emperour with such acknowledgement of his desert and valour with the view of all the Armie many of them esteemed this favour greater then if in very deede hee had given them a Cittie for they valued that cheyne more then many bushels of the like gold but not of like glory for the onely Emperours Person and the taking of it from his Necke hanged at it such a pretious Iewell as in warlike conceits a million of golde would not countervaile and it was esteemed a sufficient testimony of honour for a Martiall man to vaunt of all the dayes of his life There be also divers reasons why the dignity of the Giver inhaunceth not a little the value of the gift First all gifts are signes of love and affection and therefore as the love of a great Personage caeteris paribus is much more to be prized then of a meaner so the giftes issuing from such affections ought more to bee accounted Secondly if the Giver be wise and discreete it argueth he esteemeth vs to deserve such a benefite the which reputation deserveth no small estimation 3. If the Giver bee vertuous it is
escaped the invading appetite onely inclineth to the possessing of those obiects which may hardly be gotten and hardly escaped This explication in my opinion as it is more common so it is more vnture for who doubteth but many both love and desire which according to all Doctours are operations of the coveting appetite divers things harde to be compassed as the two vnchaste Iudges the chaste Susanna and in beasts we see they often affect love and desire that they hardly can purchase It were folly to thinke the foxe affected loved or desired not a goose because she were surely penned vp hardly to be come by or the wolfe desired not the sheepe when she is defended with the shepheards dogges Besides many be angry which is a passion of the invading appetite for things they may easily avoyde as the Lady which child her maide because the floore of her chamber was defiled with a droppe of a candle Finally we knowe God himselfe to bee affected with anger to whome nothing can be hard or difficile Many things more might be saide concerning this matter as how the difference of hardly or easily obtaining a thing can not cause such diversities of inclinations for so wee might say our seeing might be divided for some things we see with facilitie others with difficulty some sounds wee heare easily others hardely Moreover the difficultie of obtaining an obiect rather deterreth a man from procuring it than inciteth to prosecute it and therefore consequently it cannot be a cause of distinction But these arguments and many more for brevities sake I omit pretending after another maner to explicate this division The other explication and as easie to be perceived as the precedent is this First as we have insinnuated before God and Nature gave men and beasts these naturall instincts or inclinations to provide for themselues all those thinges that are profitable and to avoyde all those things which are damnifieable and this inclination may bee called concupiscibilis coveting yet because that GOD did foresee that oftentimes there should occurre impediments to hinder them from the execution of such inclinations therefore he gaue them an other inclination to helpe themselues to overcome or avoide those impediments and to invade or impugne whatsoever resisteth for the better execution whereof he hath armed all beasts either with force craft or slight to eschew all obstacles that may detayne them from those things which they conceive as convenient Wherfore to the Bull hee hath imparted hornes to the Boare his tuskes to the Lion clawes to the Hare her heeles to the Fox craft to Men theyr hands and witte And for this cause wee see the very little children when any woulde deprive them of theyr victualles for lacke of strength to fight they arme themselves with teares To this explication it seemeth that the names of Irascibilis and Concupiscibilis more aptly agree than to the other because heere onely Irascibilis invadeth and impugneth and not affecteth or desireth as in the other And thus much concerning this division How many Passions there are coveting and how many invading in the next Chapter shal be declared The division and number of Passions of the Minde CHAP. VI. THomas Aquinas with the troupe of Thomists affirmeth that all the Passions of our Minde be no more than eleaven Sixe he placeth in the coveting appetite and five in the invading The first sixe are love desire or concupiscence delight or pleasure and three opposite to these hatred abhomination sadnesse or paine The latter five are hope and despaire feare and audacitie the fift is ire This number may be declared by experience and approoved with reason the experience is common welnie in all beasts but most evident in the wolfe and the sheepe First the wolfe loveth the flesh of the sheepe then he desireth to have it thirdly he reioyceth in his prey when he hath gotten it Contrariwise the sheepe hateth the woolfe as an evill thing in himselfe and thereupon detesteth him as hurtfull to herselfe and finally if the woolfe seize vpon her shee paineth and grieveth to become his prey thus we have love desire delight hatred abhomination griefe or heavinesse the sixe passions of our coveting appetite But now put case the Woolfe should see the shepheard about his flocke armed with a guard of dogges then the Woolfe fearing the difficulty of purchasing his prey yet thinking the event though doubtfull not impossible then he erecteth himselfe with the passion of Hope perswading him the sheepe shall be his future Hope spoyle after the conquest and thereupon contemning the dogges despising the shepheard not weighing his hooke crooke stones or rurall instrumentes of warre with a bolde and audacious courage not regarding Boldnesse any daunger hee setteth vpon the flocke where in the first assault presently a mastife pincheth him by the legge the iniurie he imagineth ought not to be tollerated but immediatly inflamed with the passion of Ire Ire procureth by all meanes possible to revenge it the shepheard protecteth his dogge and basteth the woolfe as his presumption deserved The woolfe perceiving himselfe weaker than he imagined his enemies stronger than he conceyved falleth sodainely into the passion of Feare as braggers doe who vaunt much at the beginning Feare but quaile commonly in the midle of the fray yet not abandoned of all hope of the victory therefore he stirreth vp himselfe and proceedeth forward but in fine receyving more blowes of the shepheard more woundes of the dogges awearied with fighting fearing his life thinking the enterprise impossible oppressed with the passion of Desperation resolveth himselfe Desperation that his heeles are a surer defence than his teeth and so runneth away By this example wee may collect the other five passions of the invading appetite hope boldnesse or presumption anger or ire feare and desperation Aristotle reduceth all passions to pleasure and payne Arist. 2. Eâ—h cap. 3. for as we see sayth hee there is no wickednesse men will not attempt for pleasures so wee trye many to bee deterred from the study of vertue onely for the feare of paine Some other moderne Philosophers ayming almost at the same marke distinguish in generall all Passions into two members that is some consist in prosecuting procuring or getting of some good thing profitable vnto them others in flying or eschewing some ill thing that might annoy them I sayde they aymed almost both at one marke because who prosecuteth any obiect that conduceth to his nature receyveth thereby pleasure as the thirstie desireth drinke and drinke affordeth pleasure so he that shunneth any thing disconvenient to nature shunneth consequently payne which concomitateth such disagreeing obiects as a dog that flyeth from a stone cast at him With these two divisions consenteth the third that all Passions may be distinguished by the dilatation enlargement or diffusion of the heart and the contraction collection or compression of the same for as afterward shall bee declared in all Passions the
and prints of obiects for vnderstanding even so the heart endued with most fiery spirites fitteth best for affecting Lastly for what other reason in feare and anger become men so pale and wanne but that the blood runneth to the heart to succour it I saw once in Genoa a Bandite condemned to death and going to Execution to tremble so extraordinarily that he needed two to support him all the way and for all that he shivered extreamely Besides whence-from proceedeth laughter dauncing singing and many such externall singes of ioy but as wee say from a merrie heart therefore ioy and feare dwell in the heart Howbeit I thinke this most true and especially in those passions which are about obiectes absent as love hatred hope flight ire and such like yet I cannot but confesse that when the obiectes are present and possessed by sense then the passions inhabite not onely the heart but also are stirred vp in every part of the body whereas any sensitive operation is exercised for if wee taste delicate meates smell muske or heare musicke we perceyve notonely that the heart is affected but that also the passion of ioy delighteth those partes of our sences the like wee prove in payne and griefe for which cause commonly wee say our teeth ake our fingers toes or legges payne vs Payne therefore and Pleasure beeing Passions of the Minde and evermore felt in that part of the bodie where Sense exerciseth her operations therefore as touching is dispersed thorow the whole bodie even so the Passions of pleasure and payne for in everie parte if it bee cherished it reioyceth if be hurte it payneth Yet supposing the Passions principally reside in the hearte as wee perceyve by the concourse of humours thereunto wee may demaund two curious questions The former is for what ende hath Nature given this alteration or flocking of humours to the hearte It seemeth questionlesse for some good ende for God and Nature worke not by chaunce or without respecting some benefite of the subiect To the which question it may bee answered First Why humors flocke to the heart in passions that the humours concurre to helpe dispose and enable the heart to worke such operations for as we prove by experience if a man sleepe with open eyes although his sight be marvellous excellent yet he seeth nothing because in sleepe the purer spirites are recalled into the inner partes of the body leaving the eyes destitute of spirits and abandoned of force which presently in waking returne againe euen so I conceive the heart prepared by nature to digest the blood sent from the liver yet for divers respectes not to have the temperature which all Passions require for love will have heate and sadnesse colde feare constringeth and pleasure dilateth the heart therefore which was to bee subiect to such diversities of Passions by Nature was deprived of all such contrary dispositions as the Philosophers say that Materia prima caret omni forma quia omnes formas recipere debet And although the hearte hath more excesse of heate than colde yet a little melancholly blood may quickly change the temperature and render it more apt for a melancholly Passion The second reason may be for that these humours affecting the heart cause payne or pleasure thereby inviting Nature to prosecute the good that pleaseth and to flie the evill that annoyeth as in the Common-wealth Vertue ought to be rewarded with preferment and vice to be corrected with punishment even so in this little common-wealth of our bodies actions conformable to Nature are repayde with pleasure and passions disconsorting nature punished with payne The other question concerneth the efficient cause of these humours what causeth their motions to the heart they themselves as it were flie vnto the heart or the parte where they soiourned sendeth or expelleth them from her and so for common refuge they runne to the heart or finally the heart draweth them vnto it This difficultye requireth an answere whereby many such like questions may bee resolved as for example when the meate in our stomackes is sufficiently disgested the chile which there remayneth prepared to be sent to the liver for a further concoction doth it ascend thither by it selfe as vapours to the head or doth the stomacke expell it or the liver drawe and sucke it To this demaund I answere that in mine opinion the partes from whence these humours come vse their expulsive vertue sending the spirites choler or blood to serve the heart in such necessity as the hand lifteth vp it selfe to defend the head howbeit I doubt not but the heart also affected a little with the passion draweth more humors so encreaseth Many more curious obiections here I omit which perhaps would delight the more subtil wits but hardly of many to be conceived What sort of persons be most passionate CHAP. X. OVt of the precedent Chapter we may gather how that the heart is the seate of our passions that spirites and humours concurre with them here we may deduce a conclusion most certayne and profitable that according to the disposition of the heart humours and body divers sortes of persons be subiect to divers sortes of passions and the same passion affecteth divers persons in divers manners for as we see fire applyed to drie wood to yron to flaxe and gunpowder worketh divers wayes for in wood it kindleth with some difficulty and with some difficulty is quenched but in flaxe soone it kindleth and quencheth in yron with great difficulty is it kindled and with as great extinguished but in gunpowder it is kindled in a moment and never can bee quenched till the powder be consumed Some men you shall see not so soone angrie nor yet soone pleased and such be commonly fleugmatike persons others you have soone angrie soone friended as those of a sanguine complexion and therefore commonly they are called good fellowes others be hardly offended and afterward with extreame difficulty reconciled as melancholy men others are all fiery and in a moment at every trifle they are inflamed and till their heartes be consumed almost with choller they never cease except they be revenged By this we may confirme that olde saying to be true Animi mores corporis temperaturam sequâ—ntur the manners of the soule followe the temperature of the body And as in maladies of the body every wise man feeleth best his owne griefe euen so in the diseases of the soule every one knoweth best his owne inclination neverthelesse as Physitions commonly affirme how there be certayne vniversall causes which incline our bodies to divers infirmities so there are certayne generall causes which move our soules to sundry passions First young men generally are arrogant prowde prodigall incontinent given to all sortes of pleasure Their pride proceedeth from lacke of experience for they will vaunt of their strength beautie and wittes because they have not yet tryed sufficiently how farre they reach how frayle they are therefore they make more account of them
affections No better proofe we neede of this matter then the infinite experiences in every Countrie are tryed The same I may say of Ire Ambition c. All which Passions consisting in prosecution of some thing desired and bringing with them a certaine sence of delight enforce the mindâ— for fostering and continuing that pleasure to excogitate new meanes and wayes for the performance thereof How Passions seduce the Will CHAP. II. WIthout any great difficultie may be declared how Passions seduce the Will because the witte being the guide the The first reason why passions seduce the will eie the stirrer and directer of the Wil which of it selfe beeing blinde and without knowledge followeth that the wit representeth propoundeth and approveth as good and as the sensitive appetite followeth the direction of imagination so the Will affecteth for the most part that the vnderstanding perswadeth to bee best Wherefore the waves and billowes of apparant reasons so shake the sandye shealfe of a weake Will that they The second reason mingle it with them and make all one Besides the sensitive appetite beeing rooted in the same soule with the Will if it be drawne or flieth from any obiect consequently the other must follow even so the obiect that haleth the sensitive appetite draweth withall the Will and inclining her more to one part than another diminisheth her libertie and freedome Moreover the Will by yeelding to the Passion receyveth some little bribe of pleasure the which moveth her to let the bridle loose vnto inordinate appetites because she hath ingrafted in her two inclinations the one to follow Reason the other to content the Sences and this inclination the other beeing blinded by the corrupt iudgement caused by inordinate Passions here she feeleth satisfied Finally the Will being the governesse The third reason of the Soule and loathing to bee troubled with much dissention among her subiectes as an vncarefull Magistrate neglecteth the good of the Common-weale to avoyde some particular mens displeasure so the Will being afrayde to displease sense neglecteth the care she ought to have over it especially perceyving that the Soule thereby receyveth some interest of pleasure or escheweth some payne By this alteration which Passions worke in the Witte and the Will we may vnderstand the admirable Metamorphosis and change of a man from himselfe when his affectes are pacified and when they are troubled Plutarch sayde they changed them like Circes potions Plutarch in moralib from men into beastes Or we may compare the Soule without Passions to a calme Sea with sweete pleasant and crispling streames but the Passionate to the raging Gulfe swelling with waves surging by tempests minacing the stony rockes and endevouring to overthrowe Mountaines even so Passions make the Soule to swell with pride and pleasure they threaten woundes death and destruction by audacious boldnesse and ire they vndermine the mountaines of Vertue with hope and feare and in summe never let the Soule be in quietnes but ever eyther flowing with Pleasure or ebbing with Payne How Passions alter the Body CHAP. III. ALthough in the ninth Chapter sufficiently was declared how the Passions of the minde alter the humours of the body yet some peculiar discourses concerning that matter were reserved for this place Two sortes of Passions affect all men some as wee sayde before dilate and some compresse and restringe the heart Of the first was sayd Vita carninum est cordis Proverb 14. 3â— sanitas the life of flesh is the health of heart for indeed a ioyfull and quiet heart reviveth all the partes of the body Of the other was written Spiritus tristis exsiccat prb 17. ossa a sadde Spirit dryeth the bones And for that all Passions bring with them ioy or payne dilate or coarct the heart therefore I thinke it not amisse to declare the reason why these two Passions worke such alterations in the body to the end that by the knowledge of them we may attayne to the vnderstanding of the rest Pleasure and Delight if it bee moderate bringeth health because the purer spirites retyre vnto the heart and they helpe marvellously the digestion of blood so that thereby the heart engendreth great aboundance and most purified spirites which after being dispersed thorow the body cause a good concoction to be made in all partes helping them to expel the superfluities they also cleare the braine and consequently the vnderstanding For although while the Passion endureth it blindeth a little the indifferent iudgement yet after that it is past it rendereth the brayne better disposed and apter to represent whatsoever occurreth for speculation From good concoction expulsion of supersluities and aboundance of spirites proceedeth a good colour a cleere countenance and an vniversall health of the body But if the Passion of pleasure bee too vehement questionlesse it causeth great infirmitie for the heart being continually invironed with great abundance of spibecommeth too hote and inflamed and consequently engendereth much cholericke and burned blood Besides it dilateth and resolveth the substance of the heart too much in such sort as the vertue and force thereof is greatly weakened Wherefore Socrates was wont to say that those men which live continently and frugally had more pleasure and lesse payne than those who with great care procured inticements to pleasure because intemperate pleasures besides the remorce of minde infamie and povertie which waiteth vpon them for the most part hurt more the body than delight it And some with too vehement laughter have ended their dayes as Philemon did Plutarch recounteth also howe Erasm lib. 6. Apotheg Plutarch in Hannib the Romanes leesing to Hannibal newes was brought to Rome and specially to two women that their sonnes were slaine afterwards a remnant of the souldiers returning these two afflicted ranne with many more to know the manner of their sonnes deaths and amongst the rest found them both alive who for ioy gave vp their ghosts And vniversally after much pleasure and laughter men feele themselves both to languish and to be melancholy Yet the Passions which coarct the heart as feare sadnesse and despayre as they bring more payne to the minde so they are more dangerous to the body and commonly men proove lesse harme in those than in these and many have lost their lives with sadnesse and feare but few with love and hope except they changed themselves into heavinesse and despayre The cause why sadnesse doth so moove the forces of the body I take to be the gathering together of much melancholy blood about the heart which collection extinguisheth the good spirits or at least dulleth them besides the heart being possessed by such an humour cannot digest well the blood and spirites which ought to be dispersed thorow the whole body but converteth them into melancholy the which humour being colde and drie dryeth the whole body and maketh it wither away for colde extinguisheth heate and drynesse moysture which two qualities principally concerne life These
could not attaine vnto some good meanes to direct them And albeit in every particular treatise of particular Passions I pretend to touch this string yet I could not omit to set downe some generall rules as both methode and matter require Before all other thinges it is most necessary for hi◠that will moderate or mortifie his Passions to know his owne Inclination and to what Passions his Soule most bendeth for you shall have no man but hee is inclined more to one Passion than another the meanes to come to this knowledge may be these To expend thy naturall constitution for cholericke men be subiect to Anger melancholy men to Sadnesse sanguine to Pleasure flegmatike to Slouth and drunkennesse Besides consider with what company thou most delightest and in them thou shalt see a patterne of thy Passions for like affecteth like as Augustus being at a Combate where was present an infinite number of people and among the rest as principal his two daughters Iulia and Livia Sueton. he marked what company courted them and perceyved that grave Senatours talked with Livia and loose yonkers and riotous persons with Iulia whereby hee came to discerne his Daughters inclinations and manners for he well knew that customes and company are cousin germanes and maners and meetings for the most part sympatize together Hereunto adde thoughtes and words if one speake and thinke much of beautie vaine attire glory honour reputation if he feele in his heart that often he desireth to be praised or to insinuate his owne praise it is most manifest that the Passion of Pride pricketh him and so I meane of all other Affections because the minde doth thinke and the tongue will speake according to the Passions of the heart for as the Ratte running behinde a paynted cloth betrayeth her selfe even so a Passion lurking in the heart by thoughts and speech discovereth it selfe according to the common Proverbe ex abundantia cordis os loquitur from the aboundance of heart the tongue speaketh for as a River abounding with water must make an inundation and runne over the bankes even so when the heart is overflowen with affections it must find some passage by the mouth minde or actions And for this cause I have divers times heard some persons very passionate affirme that they thought their hearts would have broken if they had not vented them in some sort either with spitefull words or revenging deeds and that they could do no otherwise than their Passions inforced them Another remedy to know thy selfe more palpable to be perceived most profitable to be practised I thinke to be a certaine reflexion that thou mayest make of thy selfe after this maner marke in other men their words gestures and actions when as they seeme to thee to proceed from some inordinate Passion as if thou see for example one eate very greedily stuffe his cheeks like two dugs then plainly it appeareth such actions glaunce out of gluttony likewise if thou heare one talke bawdily questionles such speeches leake out of a lecherous hart If one be fickle in apparel in customes exercises such are the of-springes of inconstancy after thou hast well noted the fruits of these Passions make then a reflexion vpon thy selfe and weigh whether thou hast not done heretofore and daily doest such like but that the vaile of self-self-love doth blind thy eies that thou canst not see thē It is good also to have a wise and discreet friend to admonish vs of our Passions when we erre from the path and plaine way of Vertue for as I have often sayde selfe-love blindeth much a man and another may better iudge of our actions than we can our selves but I would not haue this Scindicke to be molestfull and to make of a moale-hill a Mountaine but to shewe the Passion and the reason why such wordes and actions were vndecent Truely if a man might haue such a friend I would thinke hee had no small treasure And especially this ought to bee practised by great Persons who never almost heare the trueth concerning their owne actions for Flatterie fayneth falshood hope of gayne and preferment mooveth them to prayse vices for vertues This Trueth might largely bee prooved but that it is more palpable by experience than can be denyed It chanceth sometimes by Gods permission that our enemies who prie into our actions and examine more narrowly our intentions then wee our selves discover vnto vs better our Passions and reveale our imperfections then ever we our selves As befell vnto S. Augustines mother the holy Monica who as he relateth in his Confessions being from her youth accustomed to drinke onely water was after some time by her friendes and parents caused to sippe a little wine and so by sipping little and little she came to such a delight of drinking wine that she would sip off a prettie cuppe It happened one day that the Maid of the house and shee fell at some wordes and the Maid according to womens fashions vpbrayded her with all the faultes she knewe and among the rest expostulated this calling her meribibulam a tos-pot or tippler of pure wine the godly Monica conceyved such an aversion from wine and such a shame by this expostulation that she never drunke any more all the dayes of her life Lastly a good way to know the inclinations of the mind is like the manner we come by the knowledge of the inclinations of our bodies that is by long experience For as we say if a man before fortie yeeres of age be not a good physition of his owne bodie that is if he know not whether his inclination bendeth what doth him good what bringeth harme he deserueth to be registred for a foole euen so he that in many yeares by continuall practise of his owne soule perceiueth not where his passions lie in my iudgement he scarce deserueth the name of a wise man for as he may be begd for an ideot who riding a horse for tenne yeares euery day from morning to night and yet knoweth not the qualities of his horse and the vices whereunto he is subiect so he which euery day manageth his owne soule if after tenne yeeres labour he cannot find whither the inclinations tend he may well be thought either very vitious or very simple Meanes to mortifie Passions CHAP. II. AFter thou hast attained the knowledge of thy inclinations thou must then consider whether they be extraordinarily vehement or no For as to greater griefes stronger remedies are applied so to furious and outragious passions more forcible meanes are to be ministred If thou thorowly perceiue thy passions to exceed the common course then looke to the end of the 16. chapter where thou shalt see how hard they are to be reyned and what great yea and extreame difficultie they cast vpon thee against vertue and goodnesse and then thou mayest accept these few rules Euery moderat passion bordureth betwixt two extreames as liberalitie betwixt auarice and prodigalitie temperat diet
all times apt to receiue iests wherefore friendly iests euer carry with them a certaine respect this fault I find more common among Frenchmen and English than any other Nation Some in conuersation can discourse well for some two or three dayes but after that time their oyle is spent they thrust out all they haue of a suddaine after become very barren These men be not commonly wittie nor humble for wittie men seldome are drawne drie in conceits and humble men destill their knowledge according to their talents Much more might be handled in this point but because it rather concerneth ciuile conuersation than inuestigation of passions I will omit it VIII Discouerie of Passions in Writing WHo of purpose writeth obscurely peruetteth the naturall communication of men because we write to declare our minds and he that affecteth obscurity seemeth not to be willing that men should conceiue his meaning The holy Scriptures I alwayes except which for many causes admit some obscuritie But for men in their writing to follow such a phrase as hardly you can vnderstand what they say cannot but proceed either from confused vnderstanding because a cleere conceit breedeth perspicuous deliuerie or affectation of learning which springeth from pride for I haue knowne most excellent men endeuour to speake and write the greatest mysteries of our faith in such plaine maner that very deepe diuinitie seemed very easie And I truely am of opinion that he is the greatest Diuine and most profitable to the common-weale which can make his learning to be best conceiued To vse many Metaphors Poetical phrases in prose or incke-pot tearmes smelleth of affectation and argueth a proud childish wit To be peremptorie and singular in opinions to censure ill or condemne rashly without rendring some sound and strong reason for the most part proceedeth from singular selfe loue and a defectuous iudgement Some will condemne others for writing because they thinke there bee Bookes written more than sufficient This censure commeth either from a sluggish mind or enuious to see others good endeuours commended or else from grosse ignorance because they neither know the nature of mens wits nor the limits of humane vnderderstanding for if we see the art of sayling with the Compasse the exercise of Artillerie the manner of Printing of late yeeres inuented augmented and perfitted Why may not diuers Sciences already inuented be increased with new conceits amplified with better Demonstrations explaned in a more perspicuous manner deliuered in a more ordinat method Contrary to these be certaine itching spirits who put euery toy in print they prize their owne workes exceedingly and censure others iniuriously these may well be compared to certaine wild vines which bring forth many grapes but neuer mature them some doe it for same and some for gaine and both without discretion and against their owne credit Therefore great wisedome it were to write something discreetly that mens labours may not onely profit themselues but also be deriued to others for what doe we account good in it selfe if it bee not communicatiue of goodnesse to others Bonum est sui diffusinum Yet would I haue men not to blab out their conceits without meditation or good digestion because if in all actions it concerneth greatly a mans demeanour to effectuat them with deliberation and ripenesse so much more in writing which no man hasteth being distilled drop by drop from the pen and of it selfe permanent not as words communicatiue to some few present auditors but blazed to the world and sent to all posteritie Some men in writing flow with phrases but are barren in substance of matter and such are neither wittie nor wise others haue good conceits but deliuered after an affected manner they put a little liquor into too great a vessell Others are so concise that you need a commentarie to vnderstand them the former be not without all follie and the latter lacke not some pride yet those are more commendable than these for those onely are tedious thorow their prolixitie but these are molestfull because they require too great attention and make a man often spend many spirits to win a slender knowledge Many write confusedly without method and order and such comprehend not their matter others are too precise in diuisions in such sort that ere you come to the last part you haue forgotten the first members and this defect I find in many postils of scriptures Good distinctions breed perspicuitie but a multitude engendreth obscuritie and best I hold it so to distinguish that distinctions may rather be noted in matter than in words With this I thinke good to conclude the discouery of Passions in humane actions omitting much more that might bee said in this matter as what passions may bee discouered in laughing in disputing in crossing in negotiating and such like externall operations and especially two discourses I haue omitted or rather not printed though penned the one is a discouerie of passions in censuring bookes a matter not vnnecessarie for this criticall age wherein euery mans labours are araigned at the tribunall seat of euery pedanticall censurious Aristarchs vnderstanding The other is discouerie of passions in taking Tabacco The former treatise was violently kept from me and therefore not in my power to print the latter vpon some good considerations was for a time suspended but lest my labour should be too long and the Discourse too tedious I will leaue these and many more to the Readers wittie obseruation and deliberat iudgement Order or conference of Passions CHAP. III. WEe may conferre passions together in diuers manners First in knowledge secondly in generation thirdly in intention and fourthly in degree of perfection or dignitie What passion is first and best knowne vnto vs. 1 THomas affirmeth that no passion is more sensibly Thom. in 1. 2. q. 26. â— 1. ad primum knowne vnto vs than desire or concupiscence for rendring a reason why our coueting appetite is commonly called concupiscibilis he saith the cause is for that we name things as we conceiue them and therefore because we perceiue our desire most manifestly wee call it our coueting or desiring appetite for as he proueth out of Saint Augustine Loue then most is felt when it is absent from the obiect beloued But I cannot herein consent with Thomas because I thinke there is no man that euer perceiued in himselfe so vehement a desire of any thing he loued as sadnesse and griefe when he was afflicted with that he hated In feare also who perceiueth not most sensibly that passion wherin men doe tremble shake and shiuer yea sweat blood for very feare as Maldonatus relateth hee heard of those which saw a Maldo in 26. ca. 1. Mat. Arist. lib. 7. de histor arumal ca. 16. lib. 3. de part ani ca 5. strong man at Paris condemned to death sweat blood for very feare And he prooueth out of Aristotle that this effect may be naturall Neither Caietanes shift vpon Thomas serueth any
of these It is hard for me if not impossible O God the center of my soule to explicate the admirable proportion conveniencie and agreeablenes betwixt thy mercies and our miseries thy riches and our poverty thine habilities to perfit vs and our indignities to be perfited thy patience and longanimitie to support iniuries and our perversenes to commit offences Tell me O thou hart of man why thou livest in this life for most part disgusted distasted vnquiet ever loving never perfitly liking thirsting ever for a happy quiet rest and never attaining any quietnes to thy full contentment or rest Ah my God! one who knew this miserie and had felt the finger of thy mercy told the cause for being as vnable to settle himselfe as he had perceived the same in others at last was stirred vp to seeke to thee the center life and satietie of the soule Tuenim excitas vt laudare te delectet Quia fecisti nos Aug. lib. 1. confes cap. 1. ad te inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te Thou excites vs O God with delight to praise thee Because thou hast made vs for thee and our heart is vnquiet vntill it rest in thee So that as the fire flieth to his Sphere the stone to his Center the river to the Sea as to their end and rest and are violently deteyned in all other places even so the heartes of men without thee their last end and eternall quietnesse are ever ranging warbling and never out of motion not vnlike the needle touched with the Load-stone which ever standeth quivering trembling vntil it enioy the full and direct aspect of his Northerne Pole O my God of infinite wisedome who canst speake as well with workes as words let it be lawfull for me symbollically to interpret the triangular figure of mans hart say that as the face of the body may be termed the portrait of affections and passions so the heart may be called the face and figure or resemblance of the soule and consequently of thee whose image lies drawne in the plane thereof limmed with thine owne pensil and immortal colours the heart then of man triangularly respecteth the blessed Trinitie every corner a Person and the solide substance your common Essence This heart then resembling thee touched with desire of thee cannot bee quiet but vnited and conioyned with affectuall love and amity with thee But come wit of man and shew thy sympathy in desire of thy God that by thee wee may discover the agreeablenesse hee hath with all reasonable Natures What is thine inclination and what thing with mayne and might doest thou wish and essentially crave Trueth what trueth All so that thy thirst can never bee served except all trueth thou see revealed And where is this Trueth to bee found passe over the vaste vniverse from the convexe superficies of the highest Heaven to the center of hell and thou shalt not get such a request satisfied passe and pierce thorow all these trueths and yet the immensive capacitie of thy desire will not completely bee filled For vntill the Sea of all Truth the graund origen of al verities flow into thee these little drops will rather cause a greater then quench thy former thirst Thy God then who is prima Veritas in essendo dicendo the first Veritie in being and speaking and infinite in both of all other obiects doth consort with this thy boundlesse comprehension best and in fine must be thy full satietie or else never looke to be satisfied Now that the Wit knoweth where his Rest resteth Come thou Will of man and tell vs what thou aymest at where dwelleth the purport of thy wishes where lyeth the proiect of thy desires In goodnesse and perfection for as the eye beholdeth light and all colours limmed with light so thou affects all goodnes and all things gilded with goodnesse And where is all this goodnesse to be gotten Ah! wee trie too palpably that all things covered with the cope of Heaven are as farre from fully contenting our willes as a bitte of meate to a man almost halfe dead of hunger Who ever yet in this life accounted himselfe persitly happie and thorowly satisfied in minde but those which sincerely and affectually loved thee Alas who is hee that seeth not how our affections goe rowling and ranging from one base creature to another seeking contentment ever hoping and never obtayning now in walking now in conversing now in beholding after in eating studying and a thousand such like inveagling baites which do nothing else but with a clawing and cloying varietie rid vs from a sensuall satietie for when one sense hath drunke vp all his pleasure and either feeleth not his thirst quenched or with too much his facultie or corporall instruments endammaged presently the soule seeketh an other baite to avoyd the former molestation with a new recreation and so wandreth and beggeth of every poore creature a scrap of comfort All this my sweete God the only obiect of complet contentation argueth that what is loved without thee although it agreeth in part with vs yet it iumpeth not right it consorteth not in forme and manner as our soules and wils requires Thou only who foulds in thy selfe all kind of goodnesse art the sole convenient and agreeable obiect of our wits wills loves and desires The 12. Motive to Love is Necessitie NEcessitie was the first inventor of Artes Pleasure added divers Vanity found out the rest Al corporall creatures issued from the hands of God with a serviceable harmonicall convenience consorting with the nature of man many for necessity some for delight others for ornaments Among the parts of a mans body some are necessary as the hart braine and liver some exceeding profitable yet not absolutely requisite as two hands two eyes two eares ten fingers ten toes some are for ornaments as the haire of a womans head and 1. Cor. 11. 15. the beard of a man an apt figure and personablenes of body pleasant colours and divers such like naturall complements Wherefore if pleasant artes delightfull creatures complementall ornaments be greatly loved and liked questionles necessary trades creatures and parts ought much more to be esteemed and affected because that every one first loveth himselfe and then all those meanes which in some sort concerne the being or conservation of himselfe among which those which are most necessary are necessaryly beloved If I consider my body O good God the only moulder of all creatures how it dependeth vpon thee in vpholding and propping vp continually the weake pillers thereof least continually they should fall I well know their feeblenes to be such and so extreame that no hand but thine Almighty is able to sustaine them What way can I walke what sense can I vse what worke can I worke what word can I speake what thought can I thinke what wish can I will if thou guide not my feet concurre not with my sense work not with my hands
circumspectly 4. Circumstances more VNto the former Circumstances we may for better distinction fuller comprehension of the matter adde 4. more The first is Vehemency of affection which appertaineth to the maner of giving may be reduced to the 7. Circumstance of Alacritie yet in very deed these two differ for divers times wee give things speedily and quickly because wee esteeme them not much or for some interest or other respect albeit with no great affection yet the way to wade into mens heartes and discover whether they bestow their benefites vpon vs with such intire and full affections or no may bee these First alacritie in giving is a good signe 2. If in the giving we perceive the giver much presseth himselfe 3. If the gift be great in it selfe 4. If some danger be imminent vnto the giver for such a gift 5. If the giver be our intire friend 6. If our capitall enemie for therein we may thinke he by a vehement charitable good will overcommeth himselfe The second is if the gift be common to many as if a Prince bring a Conduit of most excellent water into the Centre of a Cittie If a Noble man erect a great Hospitall for the poore blind lame and impotent If a devout Cittizen give all he hath to builde a Church Bridge or such like charitable workes these benefites as they are extended to many so they are more worthie in this respect then such as are communicated to few The third is if in giving gifts among a multitude of equall desert one be singled from the rest vpon whom it is bestowed for in such a case affection signiorizeth and love maketh election because when in the receyvers there is none or small difference in merite then the determination resteth vpon the givers good will which then may best be declared when among many specially one is severed The last is lacke of interest for such gifts as are vnspotted with any blemish of private profitte warrant vs of a sincere affection but how may we know when givers ayme rather at vtilitie then amitie first if wee be well acquainted with their prowling shifting crafty vndermining nature we may assure our selves that that flame is the effect of sea-coales which carrieth ever more smoake of self-selfe-love then fire of refined good will 2. If apertly by some circumstance of speech or request he maketh we see evidently some commoditie conioyned as for example in all suiters presentes a man of a bad scent may easily feele a smell of profit which perfumeth those gifts 3. If a mean man bestow a great gift vpon one in authoritie which hath no neede of it such a token for most part telleth his masters errand to wit that such a present must prepare the way for some future favour and this rule we are to thinke holdeth so much the surer when the giver is in some want and necessitie 4. If the customary vse of such giftes require some interest as commonly poore mens New-yeere giftes require better recompensations then they bring Certaine Corollaries deducted out of the precedent Discourse of the Motives to Love THe first Corollarie concerneth the love of God the which in giving vs the second Person in Trinitie to be our Saviour and Redeemer hath almost observed all these Circumstances of giftes in a most emminent degree as if I would enlarge this Chapter I could make most manifest but every discreet learned Divine without much labour by appropriating onely these generall considerations to those speciall meditations may performe it by himselfe The second Corollarie touching the Motives of Love which are in number seventeene for memories sake we may reduce to 3. heads For love is an operation of the Wil the Wil affecteth nothing but canded with Goodnesse Goodnesse generally is divided into three kindes Honestie Vtilitie Delightfulnesse but in regard that things profitable are esteemed good or badde honest or vnhonest in respect of the end whereat they ayme for they be alwayes meanes and levell at some ende therefore I thought good to obliterate that second member and in lieu thereof insert conveniency or agreeablenesse to Nature for such things we love for themselves and as it were in them stay our affections without relation to any other particular proiect Goodnes the obiect of our will is the perfection or appetibilitie of every thing reall or apparant and is divided into 1. Honest which is the obiect of vertue and consisteth in conformitie to Reason comprehending these motives to Love 2 Excellencie in Prudence Learning Fortitude Magnanimitie Temperance Iustice c. 3 Bountifulnesse 4 Condonation of iniuries 5 Toleration of wrongs 6 Riddance from evill 7 The manner of giving gifts 8. Convenient to nature that is agreeable to nature for the conservation therof eyther in being perfection or preservation of the kinde and includeth these motives to Love 9 Parentage 10 Beneficence 11 Necessitie 12 A speciall kinde of hatred causing vnion 13. Delightful that is a certaine kinde of goodnes polished with pleasure or wherin pleasure specially appeareth and containeth these motives to Love 14 Beautie 15 Profit of Soule Body Fortune 16 Resemblance in Nature Affection Iudgement Exercise 17 Love of Benevolence cōcupiscēce I am not ignorant that the immensity of mans will may chop and change these motives of love in diverse manners for if we releeve often poore mens miseries for vaine-glory we pervert the vertue of mercy if some fast for hypocrisie they abuse the virtue of temperance if some pray with pride and contempt as the arrogant Pharisee they stayne the vertue of religion and questionles any wicked man may love him that easily condoneth iniuries not for honesty and vertue but thereby to prevayle more against him and crow more insolently over him to coosin him the more boldely and deceyve him without punishment Likewise though beuty be placed among the obiects of Delight yet it may be affected for honesty and so I say of almost all the rest But heere I consider the first aspect and connaturall shew that all these obiects carry with them and how they first enter into a mans affection and are apt to moove and in this sense I doubt not but theyr seates are right and in consideration thereof I have reduced them to these heades The third Corollary It may easily be perceyved in every one of these motives how much more is insinuated then is sette downe and a good Scholler with a flight meditation may by discourse apply these generalities to particular matters for the motive of pleasure or profite may be minced into many partes and in every one a number of particular reasons found out apt to induce the perswasion of the same passion and so I say of the rest Much more I could have added to every one but then the Treatise woulde have growne too great wherefore I iudged it sufficient to touch the tops of generall perswasions to stirre vp love intending therby by to represent occasions to wise men of
discourse for a slender insinuation will content a ripe apprehension and affoorde matter enough to a sound iudgement It might have passed a great way further and have explicated the supreame perfections in God all which were able to moove a mans heart much more then these we have delivered because as they infinitly surpasse all here we feele see imagine or vnderstand even so they would aboundantly stirre vp our affections to admire love and adore him yet also them I thought good to omitte as not so proper to our present intent neverthelesse I cannot ore-slip some rude delineaments therof therby opening the way to pregnant wits of pregnant matter The fourth Corollary appertayneth vnto the circumstances of imparting giftes or bestowing benefites wherein it is to be noted for memorie sake that we may consider foure things in the giving of a gift all necessary and all belonging to our purpose as in the subscribed Table shall plainely appeare In bestowing a gift we may consider the Giver and his 1 Greatnesse 2 Strangenesse 3 Friendship 4 Enmirie 5 His danger and dammage Gift 6 If exceeding great in it selfe 7 If marvellous deare to the Giver 8 If common to many Receiver 9 If it tend to his great good or riddance from some great evill 10 If in giving he be singled from the rest Manner of giving 11 If with alacritie 12 If without sute or request 13 If with vehement affection 14 If without interest The fift Corollarie respecteth the practise of the aforesayd Motives the which may be vsed after this manner First I suppose a man that intendeth to move passions ought to have tyme and space to prepare himselfe for cursorie perswasions for extemporall inventions seldome make any deepe impressions because as in such cases the inducements are not well examined nor the manner of delivery premeditated so the poynt in question cannot be so substantially grounded and forciblely perswaded as if Arte in manner and matter had co-operated with Nature Secondly presupposed then a man have leysure to enrich his discourse after one hath perused and well vnderstood the precedent Motives he should glaunce over these Tables and either in his owne meditation or in perusing some short treatise of his matter of Love to be perswaded reduce what he readeth to these heads set downe As for example if he exhort Subiects to love their Countrie Students to love learning Souldiours to love Martiall Discipline Men to love theyr Wives Children to love theyr Parents Women to love Modestie in all these and such lyke a little labour conioyned with this help will minister abundance of matter to stuffe an Oration or Panegericall perswasion Meanes or Motives to moove Hatred Detestation Feare and Ire THe Philosophers vniversally define that Contrariorum est eadem disciplina Contraries are taught in like manner and contrariorum contraria est ratio contraries have contrary reasons so to our purpose with great facilitie we may now declare what Motives stirre vp Hatred by assuming the contraries to Love for example if Love it selfe be a Motive to Love then Hatred contrariwise is a Motive to Hatred If resemblance in nature affection iudgement and exercise cause vnion and love certainely dissimilitude in nature difference in iudgement disparity in affections diversity or opposition in exercise cannot but breed dissention and hatred Wherefore hee that perfitly vnderstandeth the former Treatise of the Motives to Love and of himselfe can siâ—t out their contraries hath a sufficient Panoplie and Treasorie of Reasons to stirre vp Hatred Furthermore for better intelligence it is to be considered that Divines and morall Philosophers distinguish two sorts of Hatred the one they call Odium abominationis Hatred of abomination the other Odium inimicitiae that is Hatred of enmitie For as in Love we affect the Person and wish him well so in Hatred of enmitiâ— we detest the Person and wish him evill as if I love my friend I wish him health wealth and prosperitie If the Iudge hate the theese hee wisheth him the gallowes But in this wee differ that I love my friend and health also as good for my friend so that my love is complete and intire but the Iudge abhorreth the theefe and loveth the gallowes as a due punishment and deserved evil for the theefe Contrariwise as in hatred of enmitie the person stayned with vice mooveth me to detest him and wish him evill so in hatred of abomination for the love I beare any person I hate all evils which may befall him for example a man loveth his child and therefore abhorreth death as evil of the child a iust man loveth God and therefore detesteth sinne as an iniurie done to God a man loveth his owne health and therefore hateth diseases or what else may crosse his health So that here we have three things hatred of evill in respect of the person we love love of evill in respect of the person wee hate hatred and love combined in one respect of perfite enmitie and complete hatred Besides as love levelleth at goodnesse without desiring or hoping for it and onely taketh a good liking and complacence therein so desire passeth further and wisheth the enioying thereof albeit such a wish medleth not with hope of obtayning it for many wish Mines of golde States and Kingdomes which they never exspect nor hope to possesse Hope addeth expectation for perceyving some probable possibility of purchace she standeth wayting how to come by it For example Cardinall Wolsey in his yonger yeeres perhaps loved and desired the degree of a Cardinall but yet being so farre from it he had small reason to expect it but after he was entertained of the King and imployed in affaires for the State then he got ground for expectation and so fell into the passion of Hope On the other side hatred first detesteth the evill in it selfe either of enmitie or abomination as wicked men death dishonor c. without relation to vs or our friends Detestation fuga or flight abhorreth them as hurtfull to vs or our friends but as yet they beeing afarre off and not very likely to befall entereth not into the passion of Feare the which then stirreth when danger approcheth Ire proceedeth from some iniurie offered and therefore hateth the inflictor and by all meanes possible seeketh revenge Wherefore Ire Feare Flight including every one of them a certayne sort or spice of Hatred what generally can be said of it will serve for all them in particular howbeit some speciall considerations we will set downe in speciall for their peculiar Motion Particular Motives to Hatred of Enmitie ALthough as I sayd above the Motives to Love contraried be good meanes to perswade Hatred yet for that as Philosophers say Bonum ex integra causa consistit malum ex quolibet defectu Goodnesse cannot consist without the integrity of all partes evill may and ordinarily doth happen vpon every defect that a man bee in health it is necessary every humour hold his iust temper and
and therefore a man in ioy participateth a certaine kind of felicitie for felicitie is nothing else but a complete contentation quietnes and rest of the minde and body wherefore the greater delight either really or apparently apporteth the greater contentation rest and quietnesse consequently the greater felicitie And as there is no man affecteth not extremely felicitie happinesse so there is no man extremely desireth not ioy delight They therefore that can move these passions feed them continue them must needs be most gratefull acceptable and beloved yea they may almost do what they list in any company for all meÌ„ love happines and the continuance thereof and those that can aptly stir vp this passion may be accounted authors of a terrestriall happinesse and felicitie Therefore I will alittle enlarge this discourse as most profitable if not necessary for most sorts of men First of all we must suppose that all those motives Motives to delight which stir vp love and affection consequently move desier and delight for love is like the quality of lenity or lightnes in fier which inclineth and bendeth it to motion desier is the motion passage or voyage delight the quietnes or rest of the soule in her obiect and therefore all those causes of love we have delivered in the matter of Love all those may serve for this subiect Secondly it is requisite a man consider the inclinations of those persons he would move to delight for quicquid recipitur per modum recipient is recipitur according to the disposition of the hearer are received the words of the speaker Some men are inclined to piety some to study some to one thing some to another every one willingly heaâ—eth delighteth to have commended that he professeth for in praising that we commend him and this reason is gathered out of a common experience that men for most part desier to be praised It is a world to see how blind self-selfe-love maketh women to dote of themselves and it seemeth ridiculous sometime to see how they are fed and delighted with the panigeries of parasites I have seene some old Ladies halfe rotten some others monstrously deformed to take an extraordinarie delight in themselves when others for flattery commended their beauty In this point also we may consider a secret motive to delight in that thing a man is delighted in as if one be delighted in Musick in hunting hauking c. some prety new devise in any of them would please the person exceedingly and therefore the parasites of Princes study dayly hourely how by deeds words they may feed this humor yea some of theÌ„ proceeded so far in dignifying their Kings and Monarks that they adored them as gods And the others no lesse sacrilegious in accepting them they blasphemous in ascribing were contented to have their mortall corruptible bodies and horribly infected sinfull soules worshipped as immortall spotlesse divine deities This act of new pleasing inventions proportionate to their passions inclinations whom we would move to delight cannot but greatly help vs in the way of perswasion if it be plausibly and artificially handled for otherwise if it be grossely managed it 〈◊〉 of flattery and affected folly 3. A firme hopâ— assurance of those things we desier love causeth delight spe gaudentes saith S. Paul reioycing in hope and that other spes alit agricolas hope nourisheth the Countrymen for the hope of gaine causeth the laboring Husbandman not to feele the scorching heate of summer nor the hoarie frosts of winter hope of glory allotteth the souldier to receive a certaine sweet messe in all dangerous incounters hope of lucre maketh the Merchant merry at midnight although he lye in the midst of the vast ocean sea tossed with billowes shaken with tempests and the surer the hope is the greater ioy ensueth as wheÌ„ the Merchant after his long voyage returneth with his Ship laden with merchandize and commeth with a pleasant gale within the sight of his exspected haven then his hope for the certainty of his future possession of his apported wealth being delivered from all danger is changed into ioy and present delight He therefore that will move delight in this matter of hope must exactly declare the certain grounds vndoubted securitie of obteyning the thing exspected according to the rules of exciting hope alleaged in the precedent Paragraffe 4. Because delight consisteth in the possession of some good thing reall or apparant therefore all those reasons which tend to the amplification or evident demonstration of the goodnes of the thing all those are fewell of delight and sparks of ioy For example a man hath bought a Mannour-house wherein he delighteth to please and delight him there is nothing more fit then to amplifie the goodnes thereof as for situation it standeth in a pleasant ayre free from fennes or standing waters no infection neere it the inhabitants in former times were of a very good complexion lived many yeares were strong wittie c. all which are good signes of a healthfull soyle the roomes and conveyances are very apt proportioned the walls and roofes firme durable the water sweet the walks gardeÌ„s other commodities so pleasant as they resemble a Paradice 5. It is admirable how the minching particularising of the obiect of delight increaseth and augmenteth delight wherefore the fantasticall and lascivious Poets though vainely and vitiously yet wittily and artificially depaint their lovers bodies from the head to the heeles in every part discovering one or other perfection excellency or amiablenesse apt to move and stir vp delight And herein also all Trades-men excell for to perswade their wares to be good and perfit they will presently open vnto you a number of circumstances or oppurtenances of goodnes or excellencie wherewith their merchandise is affected for as they have more insight and know more exactly the goodnes and defects of their wares then other men so they can vnfold best the particular reasons which move love delight And for this cause I would have all those who would move men to good life vertue to induce them thereunto by particularising of the pleasures delights incident thereunto as the quietnes of conscience the gratefulnes to God the honour reputation of all good men the reward in the world to come and every one of these the finer it is sifted the more pleasant it will appeare 6. It importeth much in moving delight to perswade the stabilitie and continuance thereof that it seeme not like a May-flower which is budded blossomed and blasted in a small time and the reason is for momentarie and cursorie delights are for their brevitie rather despiseable then commendable The continuance of delight may be grounded vpon the removing of all impediments which any way may impeach or diminish it 7. As there are two sorts of delight sensuall intellectuall sensuall which taketh his source from sense passions and intellectuall which draweth his
2. Reg. 12. the case in farre inferiour degree of the taking of a sheepe he was presently moved with indignation and condemned the offender to death the reason why we iudge more quickly other mens faults than our owne partly proceeds from self-selfe-love which blindeth vs in our owne actions partly because we see other mens defects directly and our owne by a certayne reflexion for as no man knoweth exactly his owne face because he never see it but by reflection from a glasse and other mens countenances he conceiveth most perfitly because he vieweth them directly and in themselves even so by a certaine circle we wind about our selves whereas by a right line we passe into the corners of other mens soules at least by rash iudgements and sinister suspitions Galen to this purpose relateth Aesop who Galen de coganim morb ca. 2. sayd we had every one of vs a wallet hanged vpon our shoulders the one halfe vpon our breasts the other halfe vpon our backs the former was full of other mens faults which we continually beheld the part behind was loaden with our offences which we never regarded And he sayth that Plato rendred a reason of this for every man is blind towards that thing he loveth and therefore one extremely loving himselfe is most blind in censuring himselfe Therefore I am of opinion in this poynt with Socrates that as sober men ought Plutarch in Moraribus especially to take heed of those dishes and cates which allure and provoke them to eating although they be not hungry and those drinckes which intice them to drinke howbeit they be not thirstie so those shewes speeches and companies principally ought to be avoyded which vrge them to desire things impertinent and to iudge rashly without discretion because to examine and to be inquisitive of our owne faults can be never vnprofitable but to spie into other mens actions rarely or never can be profitable except it be superiours or persons in authoritie Scrutemur sayth Ieremie vias nostras Thren 3. 40. but he sayth not alienaâ— Yea Saint Paul forbiddeth Tu quis es qui iudicas alienum sâ—rvum Rom. 14. 4. This engrafted curiosity extendeth not only his briarie branches wrapping them about other mens affaires lives and conversations but also to those secrets oracles and mysteries which farre exceede mens capacities or are so vnprofitable that the commoditie men reape by them will not countervaile the labor and paine spent in procuring effecting or obtayning of them Nihil sayth Chrysost hom 9. in 1. ad Thessa Saint Chrysost ita curiosum est avidum ad rerum obscurarum reconditaruÌ„ cognitionem vt humana natura Nothing is so curious and thirstie after knowledge of darke and obscure matters as the nature of man Hence-from came those voices Altiora te ne quaesieris fortiora Eccle. 3. 22. te ne scrutatus fueris sed quae praecepit tibi Deus illa cogita semper in pluribus operibus eius ne fueris curiosus non est enim tibi necessariuÌ„ ea quae abscondita sunt videre oculis tuis In supervacuis rebus noli scrutari multipliciter in pluribus operibus eius non eris curiosus Things deeper than thee inquire not after and stronger than thee search not but thinke alwayes vpon those things which God hath commaunded thee and in many of his works be not curious for it is not necessary for thee to see with thy eyes those things which be hid in superfluous matters wade not too much and in many of his works be not curious And by a similitude Salomon declareth well this matter Prov. 25. 27. Sicut qui mel multum comedit non est ei bonum sic qui scrutator est maiestatis opprimetur à gloria As it is not good for him that eateth much hony so the searcher of maiestie shall be oppressed with glorie Saint Paule perceiving this curiositie in his time willed Timothie 1. Tim. 1. 4. to perswade men that they should not intend their mindes to fables and endlesse genealogies Wee have in these our miserable dayes as curious a generation as ever was clasped vnder the cope of Heaven for what vaine studies exercise for most part our iudiciarie Astronomers by calculating nativities foretelling events prescribing the limits of mens lives foreshewing their perills and dangers but meere cosinage and vaine curiosity How many labour night and day spend their times and livings in Alchymie in searching forth that matchlesse stone which they never see receiving no other lucre than a continuall baite to feed curiositie Who would not have registred him among curious fooles which labored so many yeres to make a shirt of male with rings of wood fit for no mans profit or good Who wil not admire our nice Dames of London who must have Cherries at twenty shillings a pound Pescods at five shillings a pecke husks without pease yong Rabbets of a spanne and Chickins of an inch from whence proceedeth this gulling ambition this spoyling of the croppe this devouring and gormandizing of the common-weale but from a gluttonous curiositie I leave off curious gardens sundry fashions of apparell glorious buildings which all be of-springs of curious pride And to conclude I will say that not onely lust but meere curiositie hath caused many men and women to leese their honestie IX Of vaine discoursing WIth an other imperfection mens soules are branded and no man I will free from it howbeit I thinke it concerneth especially the wisest This defect is a certayne vayne and chimerizing discoursing by which men build Castels in the ayre and frame vnto themselves mountaynes of gold To this I reduce the vayne conceits and opinions they faine of themselves bordering neere vnto Idolatrie because few men there be which spend not much time in admiring themselves ever esteeming more than they deserve and I know not how ascribing such excellencie that they seeme indued with some sparke of Divinitie for who is he that will confesse any man so compleate as himselfe in every thing which singularitie argueth affectation of a pettie deitie Besides men consume very frivolously much time studie and meditation and for the most part needelesse in their owne designements casting with themselves wayes of preferments profit pleasure credit and reputation in offices which God knoweth they are farre off yet they feed themselves with fancies I omit what plodding vse all appassionate persons to bring to effect their inordinate affections as revengers of iniuries ambitious lascivious envious men for questionles they spend their best houres and purest spirits for the most part in meere fantasticall discoursing Moreover it is a woonder to see what paynes many men bestowe in confirming their preconceived errors I know some Philosophers and Divines most obslinate in their opinions and yet they studie most earnestly to establish them which in very deede I see evidently to be false and erroneous yet such a defect we carry with vs
those vigilant virgins which attend with their Matth. 25. lamps lighted the comming of their heavenly spouse these be those carefull housholders which prevent infernall Matth. 24. 43. Luk. 12. 39. theeves lest they should rob their treasures these be those which live ever in peace and tranquillitie of Phil. 3. 20. minde who dwelling in earth converse in heaven The second reason and principall is ill education of the which we have spoken before yet I must say here with holy scripture that as it is impossible for the Ethiopean to change his skin so it is impossible for youth Iere. 13. 23. brought vp licentiously to change their ill maners for vse breedeth facilitie facilitie confirmeth nature nature strongly inclined can hardly be diverted from her common course but followeth her vitious determination It is a wonder to see how custome transporteth and changeth nature both in body and in soule the which may well be proved by the young Maide the Queene of India sent to Alexander the great the which being nourished from her youth with serpents poison had so changed her naturall constitution that if she had bitten any Aristot. ad Alexand. Vide Hieronimum Cagniolum de institutio principis § 7. man he presently died as Aristotle affirmeth that by experience he had proved even so as serpents poyson had changed her body so ill maners alter the soule and as her teeth poysoned that they bit so wicked men those soules with whom they talke Corrumpunt 1. Cor. 15. 33. bonos more 's colloquia prava and acuerunt linguas suas sicut serpentes nature therefore in tract of time Psal 139. 4. over-runne with so many weeds of wickednes abhorreth extreamely to supplant them loathing so long molestfull and continuall labor and therefore contenteth her selfe rather to eate the blacke beries of briers then the sweet cherries of vertue for this cause those children have a double bond to their parents schoolemaisters which distill even with milke into their mouths the sweet liquor of pietie vertue and good manners Quâ— semel est imbuta recens servaâ—it â—dorem testa diu â—laccâ—â— Of liquor first which earthen pot receives The smell it doth retaine for many dayes Whereunto agreeth that vulgare axiome of Philosophers Omnis habitus est difficilè separabilis à subiecte The third reason is present delectation for that we hope is future that pleasure worldlings perceive is present sensible delectation feedeth the corporall substance of sences and therefore we easily perceive it but vertue affecteth the soule not after so palpable and grosse manner therefore they despise it wherefore mens soules by inveterated customes vsed to sensuall and beastly delights either not beleeving or mistrusting or rather doubting of spirituall ioyes they neglect and for the most part care not for them contenting themselves with their present estate not looking any further and so as beasts they live and as beasts they dye according to that saying Home cum in honore esseâ— non intellexit Psal 48. 13. 21. comparatus est iumentis insipientibus similis factus est illis and so become sicut equus mulus in quibus non est Psal 31. 19. intellectus Finally the lacke of preservation hindereth our spirituall profite because I conceive our soules without prayer meditation the Sacraments of Christs church exercise of vertue and works of pietie not vnlike a dead body which for lack of a living soule dayly falleth away by putrifaction leeseth colour temperature and all sweetnesse and becommeth ghastly loathsome and stinking even so the soule without those balmes God hath prepared as preservatives it will be infected with vices and stincking with sinnes therefore those which neglect these benefits are not vnlike sicke men which know where medicines lie but will not seeke for them or receive them These foure causes I take to be the principall enimies Math. 11. 3â— of our spirituall life howbeit I doubt not that Christs yoke is sweete and his burthen easie if men would consider the meanes and accept those helps God hath bestowed vpon them But all meanes and helps which ordinarily we proove may be reiected by a wicked will Prov. 1. 24. Isa c. 5. 62. 2. Matth. 23. 37. and a hard indurated heart may resist the sweete calling of God Quia vocavi renuistis extendi manum meam non erat qui aspiceret By these Scriptures and many more we may easily Acts 7. 51. Mat. 11. 21. inferre that neither lacke of meanes nor lacke of grace hindereth vs from dooing well but our owne perverse and wicked will let vs but runne over two or three examples and we shall even touch with our fingers the certaintie of this veritie Consider but Adams fall how many meanes he had to do well and yet how basely he fell he first by Gods especiall grace was indued with so many internall gifts of vertues and knowledge that easily he might have observed that commandement the inferiour parts were subordinate by originall iustice to the superior so that passions could not assault him he had all beasts and the whole garden of Paradice with all the hearbs and trees at his pleasure therefore the precept was not so rigorous for what difficultie were it for a man to abstaine from one tree having the vse of thousands He knew most certainely how by eating into what a damnable estate he cast himselfe and all his posteritie wherefore the event might have taught him to prevent the cause but above all the perfit knowledge of the sinne he committed against God the extreme ingratitude disloyaltie and treacherie might have bridled his mouth from that poysoned Apple which brought present death of the soule and after a time a certaine death of the body But all these helps countervailed not his negligence in consideration and his ill will seduced with ambition Let vs take an other familiar example which dayly occurreth more common than commendable a woman married which breaketh her fidelitie promised to her husband marke but what helps she hath to restraine her from this sinne I omit the Sacraments of Christs Church the threatnings of death Gods iudgement and hell the enormious offence she committeth against God the abuse of his benefits the breach of his law the contempt of his grace the remorce of conscience the wounding of her soule and spoyling of the same all these and many more common helps graunted to all sinners I will speake nothing of albeit I thinke them sufficient to with-hold any ingenious heart from prevarication only let vs weigh those particular meanes she hath to abstaine and withdraw herselfe from this offence as the great iniurie she offereth her husband the breach of love betweene them the infamie wherevnto she for all her life shall be subiect the stayne of her kinred and friends for her fault redoundeth to their discredit as her good to their reputation the shamefastnesse wherewith God hath