notable creatures are in site higher in light clearer in appearaÌ„ce beautifuller which we find true in the Sun Stars so those that sit aloft and would haue the name to excell others in Nobilitie of vertues probitie of manners ought to be more beautifull in conuersation more cleare in discretion more high in contemplation For seeing all men were framed and created to this end that they might possesse a perpetuall Kingdom and glory and all are therefore tyed in an equall Obligation to vertues which are as the way vnto that Kingdome contemplation being as it were the life-bloud of all vertues How can the Prince or great person thinke contemplat on vnfit for his degree which onely fits him to know serue loue God conuerse with God and make him happie It is well knowne that all Philosophers haued fined true felicitie to be no other thing then a perfect actioÌ„ in a perfect life according to perfect vertue And the iudgment of all wise men is That this felicitie consiâ—s in contemplating louing God which thing indeede is the most excellent and honourable action such as is the vnderstanding of the most excellent and honourable part of man such as is the mind about and concerning the most excellent and honourable subiect and thing such as is God himselfe Thus speakâ—s Aristotle in his Ethickâ— and in his Metaphysicks addes That this action in diuine not onely because it wholy vnites God to it selfe by contemplating and louing him but also because it doth no other thing but euen that which God himselfe doth who onely doth contemplate and loue himselfe other thing by himselfe and the other diuine mindes which in contemplating and louing God do moue the superiour Orbes that they may beget vâ—der heauen that thing which they see in God is to be begotten so shall we be like vnto God and the heauenly creatures if in contemplating and louing God we moue our owne Orbes that is the powers of the mind our inward and outward senses our members bodies to doe those things which we doe see to shine in God contemplated and beloued This is the forme of humane felicity For the mind of man is like to a rased Table in which any thing may be painted readie to be made all things and to make all things God being obiected to it to be contemplated and loued it contemplates and loues and so makes vs in some sort to labour to conforme our selues and our actions to those exemplarie vertues we see in God to whose example we ought to conforme all our vertues And therefore euermore his example is to be set before vs. Hence is that ancient Prouerbe aswell of all the Latines as Greeks celebrated of a good and vertuous man Homo homini Deus Man ought to be God to Man And therefore Plutarch explicating this in his booke against an vnlearned Prince denieth That therefore the Saints are not called blessed because they liue most long but because they are the Princes of vertues Which thing our Sauiour confirming hath left vs this precept Be perfect as your heauenly Father is perfect This perfection to whose example we ought to institute our selues must be first eyther in respect of God secondly or of our selues thirdly or of others First In respect of God we must referre all things to the knowledge and loue of him in all things seeking a more full knowledge and loue of God carrying him in our mindes and so we should breath expresse poure out ingraue Matth. 5. the Diuinitie in our minds words gestâ—res and all our actions and so are we Gods to other men Therefore wee shall detest sinne euen the least sinne because God do h detest it not inforced through feare of punishment or allured by any rewards but inflamed with the loue of God nor shall bee cast downe from the place of vertue by the most bitter sufferings of any torments louing God who of himselfe is most louely albeit he should conferre vpon vs no good things but should crush our bodies to peeces by exquisite torments alienate all our friends from vs cast vs out of house and home and load vs with ignominies and all discomforts and we shall make more account of the least dramme of the knowledge and loue of God then of all other good things besides this that can be imagined Secondly As concerning our selues wee will striue to loue God more then our selues and so where need is we will spend our liues and all we haue rather then any thing shall bee done by vs whereby any should thinke speake or doe concerning him otherwise then is fit albeit no good thing after death should remaine vnto vs but most hard and cruell things were of vs to be indured for euer For so shall we be translated into God we shal liue to God and God shall liue in vs and we shall be most valiant and most constant to performe all excellent things and such and so diuine things as the sharpenesse of no sight euer attained vnto And to conclude hauing gotten that worthy temperance no excesse shall rest in vs which may eyther weaken the bodie through lust or dissipate our substance or ingender diseases Thirdly As touching others we shall not be theeues iniurious enuious slanderers vniust such as do butcher and teare in peeces themselues with their owne sinnes And seeing God is not so much beloued as he doth loue seeing he doth good albeit he receiue no good from vs 1. Cor. 4. for what haue we that we haue not receiued nay seeing his prouidence and care ouer those that are contumelious and iniurious to him Mat. 5. therefore the truly-wise man will do good to all and will ouercome euill men with benefits and striue to bring them to the knowledge and loue of God and if they be stubborne he wâ—ll not feare to desire God to lay their punishments on himselfe so that they may be brought to God but if they be past hope that then he will smite them as Peter did Ananias and Saphira and as Paul did Elimas Act. 5. and as Simon Magus was at the Apostles prayers Act. 13. So then the knowledge and loue of God is the rule and measure of all vertue This is the perfection and felicitie which contemplation and the loue of God engenders If then contemplation be that most excellent action of the most excellent part the minde and touching the most excellent subiect God himselfe How can it be but most fit for the most excellent persons Kings and Princes But amongst all vertues illustrious persons and such as are set in the highest places in this world seeme to haue a greater inclination to one more generous and regall then the rest and that is Magnanimitie whose nature is to disdaine to cast downe himselfe to abiect things but to performe and procure the greatest things of which kinde are true and great honours which is the proper worke also of contemplation whose
of your honour and increase of your future happinesse Wherein I truly put on the person of both these PresideÌ„ts though happily I shal be distinguished from them in the successe as I differ from them in deportment for my tunne and all that is within mee shall neuer leaue tumbling and toyling to tender my seruice in the care of your preseruation therin I am like Diogenes but haue nothing left me by the malice of the time but an handfull of water and therin like Syneta Now seeing one way onely of accommodating my selfe to your seruice is left mee namely to represent to you the things that haue beeue prudently written by others of well gouerning aswel the priuate life as publique affaires I could not be wanting in that duty I tender not therfore long perplexed disputes of well managing the life and Republique but most sweet Meditations briefe Aphorismes and Rules concerning the gouernment of both and discouerie of such rocks and dangers as vsually dash the consciences of men and states of greatest Kingdomes in peeces and those not dubious and naked but cloathed and confirmed with the iudgemeÌ„t of most graue writers whence they were collected and approued by the practise and example of great persons hauing the witnesse of all prudent men and times whereby to adde more power and faith to their excellencies Nor may this slender present happily be intempestiue or vnpleasant for as sudden stormes and vnexpected alterations of weather do often driue the most skilful Pilots to great perturbations in their Art in somuch that they know not into what hauen to flie or what shore to fetch so albeit these HalcioÌ„ and blessed times of peace seeme to promise no stormes yet if the great persons be not soundly instructed with diuine and wise precepts to entertaine a gust when it falles or to decline it that it hurt not when it commeth such stormes may so sodainely arise euen when we say peace peace as will put the wisest Polititians and best Leaders to their wits end Therfore that your Highnesse may bring to a safe hauen aswell this noble baâ—ke of your body and soule as the great ship of this Kingdome and these glorious countries and people whereof as God hath made you the most hopefull heire apparant so the same God make you and yours long and happie gouernours cast I besetch you your gracious eye sometimes on these short parcels of instruction and entertaine them into your Princely heart so shall your gouernment be most happie and peaceable your end glorious and for euer blessed your memorie honourable neuer dying which shall euer be the vote and vowed labour of Your Highnesse most humble obseruer RICH. MIDDLETON The Contents of this Booke 1 A Diuine Meditation vpon the foure last things Death Iudgement Hell and Glory as the strongest motiues to make an impression in the soule of detesting all sin but chiefly intemperance and vncleannes and adding wings to our faint desires of heauens glory 2 Of truewisdome what it is and wherein it consils 3 Of the pleasures of the bodie 4 Of things concerning the endowment of the mind 5 Of Religion 6 Of Charitie 7 Of Conuersation 8 How to vse all sorts of men 9 How to carry a mans self towards himself 10 Of a Prince and his whole deportment in fiftie seuen Aphorismes 11 Of the things that preserue Kingdomes 12 Of the things that ruine Kingdomes 13 Prognosticks of the anger and scourge of God to be at hand or of the finall periods of Kingdomes and States 14 That the conuersions euersions and ruines of Kingdomes and States may be foreknowne aswell as the death and dissolution of a dying man may be foreknowne by a skilfull Physition 15 Why men are so blinde that they cannot see their owne ruine and Gods anger hanging ouer them 16 Eight Aphorismes or Rules containing the summe of a happy life blessed death 17 How to obtaine eternall life and auoid eternall death 18 Two Rules neuer to be forgotten restraining man from the pursuite of his carnall and bestiall desires 19 The twelue weapons for the spirituall battell euer to be had in memorie when the desire of sinning tempts vs. 20 The twelue conditions of a louer wherby to know in what degree of the loue of God we stand 21 The twelue abuses of the world 22 The true Anatomie of Contemplation shewing what it is wherein it consists and how worthy a worke it is for a Prince and also for euery good Christian 23 The fruitfull admonition of Isocrates to Demonicus containing eightie fiue most excellent morall precepts neuer before translated out of the Greeke 24 The institution and description of a good Prince by C. Plinius directed to the Emperour Traian neuer before turned out of Latine THE CARDE AND COMPASSE OF LIFE MEDITATION I. A Meditation on the foure last things Death Iudgement Hell and Glorie To restraine sinne and increase pietie WE must not make this Meditation a naked discourse or bare reading onely but a vehement application of the minde to the things themselues with an inward sense of heart all the distractions of our thoughts being abandoned First then that thou maiest meditate profitably of Death put thy selfe humbly in the sight of God who beholdes thee in all thy actions and begge of him thus present that al thy thoughts words workes and all thy strength may wholly be directed to his glorie and thy saluation And here first conceiue thy selfe to be lying vpon thy bed neere vnto death the Physicions despairing of thy health and thy friends sorrowing for thy departure the soule being now readie to giue the last gaspe Secondly entreate God with hartie affections to giue thee grace that thou maist take profit by the consideration of death The first point here to be meditated is that death is ineuitable and certaine the houre of death most vncertain the place and manner of death vnknowne and that this is the common lot and portion of all men of what degree or condition soeuer Therefore it is extreme madnesse for men knowing these things to liue so securely as they do building vnto themselues I know not what Imaginarie Worlds and Castles in the Aire as if all were but fables that are written of death when in the meane time death suddenly seiseth vpon them vnthought on and vnprepared for his stroke which vnto many is the cause of eternall damnation The second to bee considered is that in death by little and little the speech and all the powers of the senses are lost Nor when thou commest to this straight shalt thou vnderstand or know any man any more not canst thou remooue thy selfe from this bedde of death in which thou liest left of all seeing Friends nor Physitions nor any other can helpe thee nor gold and siluer or nobilitie or that great expectation and estimation that all men had of tâ—ee shall profit thee Thy vnderstanding by the strength of griefe and sicknesse shal be obscured
wicked the sense of the horrible anger of God against their sinnes the most sorrowfull feare confusion flight roaring indignation biting and gnawing of conscience arising from the recordation of their sinnes now laid open to the whole world and with the most direfull thunder of Gods anger inflicted vpon them The wicked perceiuing themselues for euer with the Diuels cast off from God and his horrible wrath powred out vpon them all their turpitude and malice to all the Angels and men demonstrated and all occasions of flying these punishments and mending of their manners in this life intercepted acknowledging godly men enioying with God eternall ioy and glorie to be for euer blessed so all houle and lament for their carnall securitie and final impenitency and amongst these infinite torments of bodie and soule with horrible lamentations eiulations sobbes and sighes and in perpetuall mourning anguishâ— trembling shame ignominie gnashing of teeth and desperation ration shal euery moment in vaine wish that these sorrowes and torments might by death be cut off and they themselues to be redacted into nothing but all this I say in vaine Apoc. 9.6 For Cupient mori mors fugiet ab eis they shall desire to die but death will not be acquainted with them This is eternall damnation this is eternall fire O horrible eternitie whom the consideration of thee may not moue to forsake all euill and follow all that is good I will speake it in a word but I will speake it truly he hath no faith or if any sure he hath no heart or if any sure hee he hath no hope of saluation Close vp this Meditation with a sweet colloquie and speech with God desiring him so to inflame thy heart with a true zeale of seruing him in holinesse and righteousnesse of life that all thy life long thou maist be out of the feare of this eternall death and in the death of thy bodie thou maist enioy the fruit and Crowne of righteousnesse eternall life MEDITATION IIII. Of Coelestiall glorie CAst downe thy self before God and begge of him that he will direct all thy thoughts words and workes to his glorie and thy saluation First cast thy conceit earnestly vpon that description of the holy Citie Apoc. 21. New Hierusalem where is represented to thee a place full of all glory pleasures and excellencies that heart can imagine and all those perdurable and for euer Secondly aske of God to giue thee grace intimously and from the heart to vnderstand the glory of this heauenly countrie and so to be affected and rauished with the desire thereof that euer and euery where thou maist be stirred vp to serue him in purenesse of life and also labour to bring as many to this glorie as thou canst The first point is to consider what kind of place it is that the blessed doe inhabite in site most high in space most ample in matter most sumptuous in shew and beautie most specious and glorious whose foundations are precious stones and the whole Citie of most pure gold the gates of Smaragds and Saphyres and the streets of no lesse price and beautie There is no night nor darknesse for the Sunne of righteousnesse which knowes not to be hid doth euer send his beames into it Now if the fabricke of this world which is but a stable for beasts an exile and valley of teares to men hath so much beautie and excellency that it strikes him that contemplates it into admiration and astonishment and such plentie of good things that no sense can desire more such varietie of beastes fishes fountaines townes cities prouinces disagreeing in institutes manners and lawes such choise of all stones of value gold siluer and exquisite silkes naturall and artificiall if I say this building of so small a frame of the Sunne Moone and Starres shine with such brightnesse what shall then our heauenly countrie doe not now the habitation of seruants but sonnes not of beasts but blessed soules where is the Hall of the great King of Kings the omnipotent God who can and will performe to his beloued children much more then they can conceiue what things will not he frame in his eternall Palace for his sonnes Psal 84.1.2 How amiable are thy dwellings thou Lord of Hostes My soule hath a desire and longing to enter into the Courts of the Lord. What ioy shall that bee when they shall come from the East and from the West from the North and from the South Luc. 13.29 sit at table in the kingdom of God Thou shalt consider what kind of house Gods house is wholly pleasant wholly desirable remoued from all euill replenished with all good in which as Angustine there is a life prepared of God for his friends a secure life a quiet life a beautifull life a cleane life a chast life a holy life a life that knowes not death a life without straitnesse without necessitie without sorrow without auxietie without corruption without perturbation without varietie without mutation a life full of beautie and honour Where as Bernard saith there is nothing present that offends nothing absent that delights How louely a house is this where is perfect loue and no feare eternall day and all one Spirit where God is seene face to face Blessed are all those who so liue in this world that departing hence they may be assured to remoue to so blessed a home Then contemplate that blessed society of most pure minds in their seueral quires described Angels Archangels Principalities Powers Dominions Vertues Thrones Cherubins and Seraphins Whereof there is such a multitude that Daniel saith Dan. 7. Thousand thousands serue him ten hundred thousands assist him Behold with these so many most holy soules of men and women Patriarches Prophets Apostles Martyres Virgins Innocents so many that Iohn said Apoc. 15. They could not be numbred Behold the beautie of euery one and so great charitie that they no lesse reioyce of anothers glorie then their owne Conceiue what is the exercise of the blessed to see God face to face First to know the diuine Essence in three persons Father Sonne and holy Ghost with which knowledge they are so illumined and inflamed that incessantly they sing Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbath Isa 6. In the diuine Essence they know themselues and all things else and do not onely see God but also loue him with a vehement loue a full loue a perfect loue with all the heart and all the strength and in louing they enioy him and in enioying with an inexplicable ioy are rauished No cessation of praises admiration thanksgiuing and ioy which they receiue by the presence of God whom with all reuerence and rest they assist and by that societie of so many Saints with whom they see themselues in glorie in a place so sublime secure and pleasant doe eternally reioyce Consider withall the multitude and fulnesse of those ioyes so many that God can onely number them so great that onely he
Boast not thy selfe in words to know any thing but shew thy selfe in deeds to know it 6 Abhorre lying as a most corrupt thing for nothing is more abiect to humane condition being that which separates from God makes one the slaue of sinne and Sathan and himselfe not to be beleeued when he speaketh truth Miserable is that man who shall do that deed from whence he cannot be deliuered but by a lie 8 How to vse all sorts of men 1 LOue all men that they may know thou art a friend to mankinde and wishest well to all men 2 Yet shew not thy selfe alike to all as a white line a white stone some admit to Councell others obey others reuerence and to others be thankfull if thou hast receiued any benefit from them But chiefely be thankfull to them whose labour and seruice thou hast vsed eyther profitable to thy selfe or diligent and faithfull 3 In which thou must reckon the mind for the deed so that he may not seeme to be in much lesse account with thee who hath laboured and desired to profit thee then he who hath profited thee indeed For the best Physition doth not euer cure the disease nor the best Orator euer perswade his purpose yet their skill and paines are not the lesse nor lesse to bee regarded 4 If thou hast taken any mans labor and seruice be no lesse carefull of compensation and recompence then if thou hadst borrowed monie 5 Nor thinke honest labour and proceeding from a sincere heart to bee lesse worth then monie but to be somuch the more valuable then mony by how much as the bodie and minde of euerie man is more deare to him then all outward thinges 6 Expect not till thy friend reueale his necessities to the Doe thou of thine owne accord helpe him meet his honest requests and entreat him before hee entreat thee 7 Loue thy Parents dearely and next vnto God reuerence them and their Commaundements performe as the Diuine precepts perswading thy selfe which is true that on Earth they are to thee in Gods stead nor art thou more deare to any then to them 8 Next to these are thy Masters and Tutors and such to whom the care of thy manners and breeding is committed because there is nothing in man more precious and excellent These as thy parents loue and reuerence obey these modestly with all alacritie accounting whatsoeuer they commaund or aduise is not for their commoditie but thine Therefore euill shouldest thou recompence them if being carefull for thy good thou shouldest render them hatred and contumacie for it 9 Beleeue it for truth That thou art most deare to him of whome thou art friendly reproued 10 Not the reprehension of an enemie is hurtfull to thee For if hee obiect truth hee shewes thee what is to be amended if false things then hee shewes thee what is to be eschewed So doth he euer either make thee better or at least more warie 11 If thou take it ill to bee rebuked doe nothing that is to bee reprehended 12 Miserable is that man who hath not a reprehender when hee stands in neede of one 13 If thou accustome thy selfe to Flatterers thou shalt neuer heare the truth 14 Of beastes the most deadly amongst wilde Beastes is Enuie amongst tame beastes Flatterie 15 Shun the conuersation of wicked men euen as of men infected with the pest for both wayes contagion is to bee feared 16 Search thy selfe who thou art in what place of what condition least any thing should adde so great a spirit to thee that thou shouldest thinke there is more lawfull for thee then for others 17 By how much as it shal be lawfull for thee out of custome and power to doe more after thine owne will by so much let it be thy pleasure out of moderation to doe lesse 18 Shew thy selfe to thy inferiours courteous to thy superiours reuerent to thine equals facile yet euer to Vice inexorable 19 If any thing proceed from thy inferiour not pleasing to thee doe not by and by iudge it to bee contumely but libertie of speech If thou bee wiser and better then others herein giue place from thy own right to others as more ignorant and infirme but pardon thy selfe lesse seeing wisdome and vertue haue giuen thee so much strength more then others 21 If thou excellest not in vertue why desirest thou to seeme better then other men If thou doest excel why doest thou not performe more in moderating thy affections then the vulgar doe 22 The VVisest and best Men haue iudged it more safe to receiue then to doe iniurie to be deceiued then to deceiue 23 To forgiue is the part of a Generous noble disposition but to keep anger of a fierce cruell degenerate and abiect minde which thing euen Nature shewes vs in bruit beasts 24 Thou must labour to bee such towards others as thou desirest Christ to be towards thee Seeing iniury is in the minde and not in the fact and it is onely God that knowes how the minde is affected and what punishment is due to it take heed thou take not any reuenge for that is Gods office onely 9 How to behaue a mans selfe towards himselfe 1 THou must not only bee deare to thy selfe but also venerable so that thou shalt bee ashamed of thy selfe if thou shalt doe any thing foolishly impudently flagitiously wickedly nefariously and impiously euen as if done vpon the Theater of the World 2 Make more account of the testimonie of thy conscience then of the voice of an infinite multitude which is foolish and ignorant and as it rashly approues vnknowne things so it condemnes them as soone 3 A troubled conscience bringes the greatest torment to the soule that can be in the World a quiet conscience the greatest blisse no riches no kingdome to be compared to it 4 Fame shall neuer profit a wicked man nor hurt a good man 5 When one is dead what shal hee haue more from fame then Apelles his picture when it is praised or the horse that ouercame in Olympus games nor yet will it profit him being aliue if hee know it not and if he know it it brings him no more benefit but this That as a wiseman hee may contemne it and as a foole hee may please himselfe for it 6 But the conscience is a solid and perdurable testimonie of much force in that terrible day of iudgement and the Mystresse of this present life if not altogether corrupted by the affections It is the brazē wal of cōfidence in God alone which cannot bee moued or demolished 7 It is a disgracefull thing to bee knowne to others and vnknowne to thy selfe doth it not suffice thee to be known to thy selfe and chiefly to God wouldest thou haue a more replenished Theater or a name more lasting 8 To loue thy selfe is to labour by most earnest prayer with God that thy most excellent part the Minde may bee decked with true ornaments of vertue but chiefly with Religion 9
Securitie Epicurisme Contempt of Gods iudgements and the like Nor let vs by the example of the greater number suffer our selues to bee seduced and carried away with the streame of wicked workes to pollute our selues with such like wickednesse and scandals Luc. 21.34 Take heed saith our Sauiour least at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and so that day come vpon you vnawares 4 Let vs with an ardent zeale embrace and exercise the contratie Vertues Temperance Frugalitie the Feare of God Vigilancie Sobrietie and constantly set forewards in the course of true pietie according to that precept Watch alwayes and that also Luc. 21.11 2 Pet. 3.12 What manner persons ought wee to bee in holy conuersation and godlinesse looking for and hasting vnto the comming of the Daie of the Lord 5 Let vs daily cal vpon God to kindle in our hearts this care of vertues and desire of eternall life in the course of pietie to gouerne and confirme vs with his Holy Spirit to mitigate the calamities of his Church which goe before the end of the World according to that Watch and pray Mat. 26.41 that you enter not into temptation Pray that you may be found worthie to escape the things that are to come Luc. 21.36 and stand before the Sonne of man 6 To conclude Let vs so liue that euerie moment we may expect the comming of the Sonne of God to iudgment and may with a true faith and good conscience appeare ioyfully before him as wee are commanded to liue soberly godly and righteously in this present World looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the mightiâ— God and also according to that of the Apostie giue diligence Tit. 21.12.13 2 Pet. 3.14 that you may be found without spot and blamelesse before him in peace Two Rules neuer to bee forgotten 1 THou must neuer forget that the Son of God died for thee Secondly That thou thy selfe though thou liuest long art shortly to die If thou shouldest liue in the vtmost parts of Ethiopia where men for long life are called Macrobians yet die thou must nor canst thou know where when or how Hence it was that Hormisda answered the Emperour Constantine demaunding him of the beautie of Rome stately buildings goodly statues and sumptuous Temples if he thought that in all the World were any such Citie Surely said Hormisda there is indeede none comparable to it yet hath it one thing common to all other Cities Men die heere as they die in other places The death then of the Sonne of God who died to acquite thee from eternall death and thy owne death being so certaine not to be farre off must bee as two spurres of loue to driue thy horse through the short race of this momentanie life vnto the goale of eternall happinesse Remember then First That the time wee haue to liue is lesse then a Geometricall point Secondly How wicked the enemie is who promiseth vs the Kingdome of this World that hee might take from vs the Kingdome of Heauen Thirdy How false pleasures are which embrace vs to the end to strangle vs. Fourthly How deceitfull Honors are which lift vs vp to cast vs downe Fiftly How deadly riches are which the more they feed vs the more they strangle vs. Sixtly How short how vncertaine how wauering how false how fantastique all that same thing is which all these thinges if wee had them all at out owne desires can performe vnto vs. Seuenthly How great precious and vnvaluable things are promised and prouided fro those who despising the present thinges seeke for that Countrie in the Heauens whose King is Deitie whose Law is Charitie whose manner is Eternitie With these and such like cogitations we must occupie our mindes which will stirre vs vp from slumbering and sleeping in our sinnes kindle our zeale cooling in Religion confirme our weaknesse staggering in opinions and giue vs wings of most godly loue lifting vs vp to the glorie of Heauen The twelue weapons for the Spirituall battell euer to be had in memorie when the desire of Sinning tempts man 1 OF Sinne the pleasures short and small 2 The Companions Loathsomenesse and Anxietie 3 The losse of a greater good euen God himselfe 4 That life is but a sleep and shadow a winde a vapour a bubble and as a tale that is told 5 That death is at hand and sudden and comes like a Theese in the night 6 The doubt and danger of impenitencie 7 Eternall reward and happinesse and eternall torments 8 The Dignitie Honour and nature of man 9 The peace of conscience which is that peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding namely a full assurance that God is through Christ at peace with him remitting all his sinnes 10 The benefits and graces of God bestowed on him both inwardly and outwardly 11 The Crosse Agonie Passion and bloudie sweat of Christ for his sinnes 12 The testimonie of Martyrs and examples of Holy men who ouercame Sâ—than â—nd all his suggestions to sinne by the bloud of the Lambe and the word of their testimonie for they loued not their liues vnto the death The twelue conditions of a true louer whereby to know in what degree of the loue of God we stand 1 THE first degree of loue is to loue one onely and to despise all other things for him 2 To thinke him vnhappie that is not with his beloued 3 To suffer all thinges yea death to bee with him 4 To adorne and decke himselfe with such things as may please him 5 To be with him in all sorts that we may if not in bodie yet at the least in minde 6 To loue all thinges that please him his counsailes his precepts his doctrine 7 To seeke his honour and praise and not to suffer any to doe him reproch and dishonour 8 To beleeue the best things of him euermore and in all thinges desiring all men so to beleeue 9 To be willing to suffer any discommoditie for his sake taking it in verie good part 10 To shed teares for him often either for griefe if he be absent or for ioy if he be present 11 To languish often and often to be inflamed with his loue 12 To obey him in all thinges neuer thinking of any reward or recompence Now this wee are induced to doe for three causes specially First when the seruice is such as of it selfe is to be desired Secondly when he whom we obey is of himselfe so verie good and amiable that we euen loue and reuerence him for his vertues Thirdly when before we beganne to serue him hee bestowed on vs great benefits And these three causes we finde abundantly in God for which wee should loue and obey him For First there is no trauaile not paines taken for his seruice that is not good both for bodie and soule for to loue and obey him is but to direct our selues to him that is the chiefest good Secondly He is
For he loues not himselfe that loues riches honours pleasures or any thing without himselfe or in the bodie seing the principall part is the Minde nor doth he loue himselfe that by ignorance of himselfe deceiues himselfe or suffers himselfe of others to bee deceiued perswading himselfe there are worthie thinges in him when there are none 10 The blinde and inconsiderate loue of the bodie is the source of all euils for it takes away Charitie whence all euil ariseth in the World Hee that too much loues himselfe thus neither loues himselfe nor is truly beloued of others 11 Remember that if thou thinkest those things which serue thee by nature to bee at thy libertie and vnrestrained and shalt take other mens for thine own it shall come to passe that thou shalt bee hindred troubled lament and accuse both God and man but if thou thinkest that to be thine which indeede is thine and other mens as they are to be other mens no man shall euer hinder or trouble thee thou shalt accuse none thou shalt doe nothing vnwillingly none shal hurt thee thou shalt haue no enemie nor receiue any calamitie 12 Those thinges are ours which are in our power as Opinion Appetite Desire Dislike and all our actions those are not ours as the Bodie Monie Glorie Empire nor things which we our selues doe not 13 In euery thing that either delights thee or serues for thy vse or is beloued consider what kinde of thinges they are beginning at the least as if thou louest a pot that it is a pot thou louest for that being broken thou wilt not be troubled if thy sonne or thy wife know thou louedst a mortall Creature for they being dead thou shalt not be grieued 14 No perturbation ariseth to man from the thinges themselues but from the opinions of them Death is not euil but the opinion is ill Therefore when we are hindred or distracted let vs not blame others but our selues that is our opinions To accuse others in our calamities is the part of an vnwise man to accuse our selues the part of him that begins to be wise but to accuse nor others nor our selues the part of him that is wise indeed 15 As in sayling if thou go on land to refresh thy selfe and gather Cockles on the shore thou must haue thy eye on the ship and thy eare readie to the Call of the Gouernour that hauing called hee weigh not anchor and leaue thee behind so in this life if instead of Cockles a wise childe riches or honour be giuen thee these must not hinder thee but that the Master calling thou must runne to the shippe and leaue them all not looking backe but hauing thy minde bent vpon God 16 Thinke neuer that thou hast lost â—â—y â—hing but rendred it Is thy Land taâ—â—n away it is rendred But thou wilt say hee is a wicked man that tooke it away what 's that to thee by whom Hee tooke it from thee that gaue it to thee Therefore whilest thou hast it vse it as the Trauelier doth his Inue 17 Wee must so behaue our selues in this life as in a banquet If any thing be brought thee with modestie put forth thy hand and take it Is it gone care not for it Is it not come reach not out thy appetit too far for it til it be brought thee If thus thou carrie thy selfe towards wife children riches Magistracie thou shalt bee worthie the banquet of God but if when they are brought thee thou despise them thou shalt bee a consort of Gods Kingdome 18 Remember thou art the Actor of such a fable as thy Master approues if short of a short one if long of a long one If he will haue thee play the part of a begger or Prince or Plebeian see thou represent that person ingenuously For this is thy part to put on that person wel that is giuen thee but to choose what part is not thine but anothers euen Gods 19 If thou wilt be truly free and not bonde contemne the thinges which are not in thy owne power 20 Death Banishment and all that is accounted euill haue daily before thy eyes but aboue all death so shalt thou neuer thinke any base thing no nor yet greatly desire any thing 21 Seek not that honor or place in the World which thou canst not attaine or keepe without wracke of integritie and godnesse 22 If thou beest not bidden to the same banquet nor holden in the same Honour that others are grieue not thy selfe for as he which paies the price of the horse must haue him and yet is not he in worse Condition that hath the price then he which hath the horse so if thou wantest Honour and dignitie thou doest want the charge and also the grieuances that goe with it 23 Things that serue the bodie as meat drinke clothing houses and seruice let them bee so far ministred as they are of vse to the minde But refuse whatsoeuer belongs to Ostentation or Delight 24 If any say that some haue spoken ill of thee answere that hee knew not thy other vices for otherwise hee would not onely haue blazoned these but them also 10 Of a Prince and his whole deportment in 57. Aphorismes THE Prince must haue the same care for subiects that his he hath for the members of his owne bodie 2 The Prince ought well to know what belongs to warre but yet let him loue peace 3 Accesse to the Prince must not bee difficult 4 That the Prince may haue his Nobles and Subiects good continent and strenuous the onely way is to be so himselfe For such as is the Prince such will the people be It is the part of a good Prince to ordaine and establish the true worship of God and then to take care that it bee sincerely practised 6 Couetous and ambitious Courtiers in fauour with the Prince doe euer wrap the Prince and Kingdome in great difficulties 7 That Prince makes way for Tyrannie that suffers few or none of his Subiects to come to his presence without a Mediatour 8 The cruell and rash anger of the Prince begets the irreconciliable hatred of his Subiects 9 It is the part of a prudent and good Prince if but in words he haue offended any of his Subiects to mitigate them by acknowledging his errour So did Xerxes to Artabanus 10 The vniuersall rule of institution of Princes is comprehended in the sacred Scriptures therefore is that booke daily to be learned and scanned of him Iosh 1.8 Pro. 5.21 that would be a good Prince 11 The true reason of good and happie commanding Psal 72. Pro. 2.34.8.16.9.10 is in the whole Sacred volume 12 Albeit it much concern the Prince in tender yeares to bee bred in true Religion and Pietie towards God yet except he haue some Worthies about him to retaine him in the feare of God and as it were by their power to moue him hee will easily fall from true Religion to Idolatrie either induced by the
so shall it deifie you in Heauen for as Augustine saith truely Qui nòn tumet vento superbiae nòn cremabitur igne gehennae He that swels not with the puffe of pride shall neuer bee burnt with the fire of Hell To conclude Let the iudgments of God vpon his own people for these verie sinnes and abused strange customes so largely set forth by that worthie Court-preacher Isay bee Englands Map Esay 3. wherein to beeholde her owne desolation if shee repent not for them Of Contemplation what it is wherein it consists and how worthie a Worke it is for a Prince and also for euerie good Christian. Bernard sath that Contemplation is a lifting vp of the minde resting vpon God and tasting the ioyes of eternall sweetnesse And indeed it is nothing else but as it were a certaine spirituall vision and sight of that Truth which we know and approue ioyned with the prayses of God with most high admiration pleasure of the spirit and ioye of heart For as by the eye of the bodie we see corporall thinges so by the minde which is the eye of the soule wee contemplate heauenly thinges Therefore Contemplation is nothing but the vision and sight of the minde This if it be sober makes vs haue our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Phil. 3.30 our conuersation in Heauen and so to finde an Heauen vpon Earth and to be sure of Heauen whilest wee liue on the Earth Some conceiue that this word Temple is deriued hence because it is a place destinated to contemplation For as wee ought in the Temple of God to recollect all our affections cogitately to meditate and thinke vpon God and his holy mysteries and ordinances so indeede this Contemplation of which wee speake is nothing else but a true and perfect collection of all our affections and powers of the soule to know something with admiration and delight of minde concerning the nature of God namely touching his power his wisedome his goodnesse his loue his nobilitie and bountie c. or touching the hidden iudgments of God or his most holy will or some other excellent obiect by which we bend and direct our selues to God Before wee come to handle the members and parts of Contemplation we wil shew First the difference betwixt Contemplation Meditation and Cogitation Secondly the inducements to Contemplation Thirdly the arguments and tokens of true Contemplation Fourthly the impediments of contemplation First The difference is in that wee shall finde in Cogitation there is an evagation and wandring of the minde in Meditation an investigation of the minde but in Contemplation and Admiration of the mind Cogitation is without labour and without fruit Meditation is with labour and with profit Contemplation is without labour and with profit Greg. lib. 2. in Ezech. Hom. 17 Secondly Those three degrees of which Gregorie speaketh ought to induce vs to the Contemplation of God First That the soule collect it selfe to it selfe Secondly That being collected it may see what an one it is Thirdly That it rise aboue it selfe and doe subiect it selfe intending to the contemplation of the invisible Authour of it selfe But it cannot collect it selfe to it selfe by no meanes except first it learne to driue from the eye of the minde all fancies of Earthly or Heauenly formes and to despise and tread vnder foot whatsoeuer occurres the Cogitation concerning the corporeall eye eare smell tast or touch in as much as he seeks himselfe to be such within as he is without these For when he thinkes of these thinges he doth within himselfe as it were handle certaine shadowes of bodies Therefore all these by the hand of Discretion are to bee driuen from the eye of the minde as much as may bee in as much as the soule considers it selfe to be such as it was created vnder God aboue the bodie Besides the ineffable sweetnesse which is in contemplation perceiued the admirable perfection which is there learned and the beginning of nil happinesse which is there found ought to induce vs therevnto For there the most high GOD the fountaine of all happinesse is knowne and that which is knowne is beloned and that which is beloued is desired and laboured for and that which is carefully laboured for is acquired and when it is at length acquired Ber in Ser. 35. in Can. it is with interminable and endlesse delight possessed such delight as that Bernard saith That the soule which hath once learned and receiued of God to enter into it selfe and in his very inwards to long for the presence of God euer to seek his face for God is a spirit and those that seeke him the must walke in the spirit and not hue after the flesh such a soule I say I know not whether it account it more horrible and painefull to suffer Hell it selfe for a time then after the sweetnesse of this spirituall studie once tasted to goe out againe to the pleasures or rather the grieuances of flesh and to seeke againe the insatiable curiositie of the senses Ecclesiastes saying Eccles 1.8 The eye is not satisfied with seing nor the Eare with hearing Behold a man well experienced Thou art good Oh Lord to them that hope in thee to the soule that seeks thee If any man labour to turne his soule from this good I suppose hee will iudge it no other then if hee saw himselfe thrust out of Paradise and from entrance into glorie This is the same Dauid that answered the Lord bidding him seeke his face Thy face Lord will I seeke Therefore nothing is so much to bee feared of him that hath once receiued this benefit as that being relinquished of that grace he be againe inforced to goe out to the consolations of the flesh nay rather the desolations and againe to suffer the tumults of the carnall senses In this Contemplation was Augustine when he said That whatsoeuer he did in the World displeased him Thirdly The tokens of true Contemplation is to loath any longer to liue in the miserie of this World Thobias 3. with Thobias It is better for me to die then liue with Iob My soule loatheth my life Iob. 10.1 Rom. with Paul Wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death also to thirst after the fountaine of life with the Prophet Psal 41. As the Hart desiros the water-brookes so my soule longeth after thee ô God with all the minde to retaine the loue of God and man to cleaue to the onely desire of his Maker all cares trodden vnderfoot burning in desire to see the face of his Creatour Fourthly The impediments of Contemplation As in the eye of the bodie three thinges doe hinder the sight of if so there are three which doe hinder the sight of the eye of the mind The bodily eye may be sound yet if it want the outward light it sees nothing It may also haue the light present and yet some bloud or humour
to be deplored into which hee fell by his owne default and will The third commends tâ— vs the mercie of God and vnspeakeable loue of the Sonne of God to be meditated with faith and thankesgiuing The fourth stirres vp a wonderfull gladnesse and comfort in the mindes of the godly from the hope of promised saluation with thankesgiuing and care of godly liuing The third member is of the comparison of thinges visible and invisible And how sweet this contemplation is of comparing visible thinges to invisible Heauenly and spirituall thinges no man can sufficiently expresse For so hath GOD that most wise Architect framed these visible thinges that Man being put as the Contemplator and beholder in the middest of them hee might lead him as by the hand into the knowledge of things invisible Heauenly and spirituall In which thing the most high wisedome goodnesse power and Maiestie of the Almaker is with admiration beholden and this to that end that he might be acknoledged glorified and worshipped of Man whome hee created to happinesse This Contemplation our LORD commends to vs with diuers Parables in the Historie of the Gospell signifying not obscurely That there is nothing visible created of GOD which hath not some comparison to invisible thinges namely either to frame aright the manners of men or to contemplate Heauenly and Spirituall things insomuch that whatsoeuer sensible thinges are framed by God are as it were certaine Symboles and resemblances of some thinges that are not exposed to our senses To make this more plaine The fire which wee see is as it were a Symbole and resemblance of the Holy Spirit For as the fire burnes insightens and purgeth so the Holy Spirit inflames the heartes insightens the minde with the true light and purgeth vices This glorious Sunne is it not as it were the Symbole and representation not onely of the humane nature assumpted of the Sonne of God into an Hypostaticall Vnion but also of the presence of Christ and his efficacie in the Church Besides the nature of things it selfe is to vs as it were a Schoolemaster chiefly to the vnderstanding of the Mysteries of Holy Scriptures What shall I say of the Figures of the olde Testament by which the things of the new Testament are shadowed What meaneth the prohibition of the eating of certaine beastes was it not for the auoiding of certaine properties of theirs vnto them good in their order but to vs hurtful in the degree of our Dignitie What shall I say of the Types of the olde Couenant and Testament by which Heauenly Spirituall and eternall thinges were signified offered and receiued In the writings of Moses the Prophets Apostles and Fathers many such things are recounted so that I need not waste time in giuing you any further tast heereof but conclude this point with Senecas iudgement Quicquid vides quicquid nòn vides Deus est Whatsoeuer thou seest and what oâ—uer thou seest not is God that is all things visible and invisible doe expresse vnto thee a Deitie and lead thee as by the hand to contemplate Heauenly Spirituall and Eternall thinges Thus then is it true that Diuines affirme That the most High Beatitude and Felicitie is apprehended by contemplation but perfected by fruition Whilst we rise from Meditation to Contemplation from Contemplation to Admiration from Admiration to Alâ—â—nation of mind by this Contemplation Man is instructed to righteousnes and consummated to glorie For the grace of Contemplation as Bernard saith Bern. de inter domâ— cap. 〈◊〉 doth not onely cleanse the heart from all mundane loue but sanctifies and inflames the mind to the loue of Heauenly thinges He that by Diuine inspiration and reuelation is promoted to the grace of Contemplation hath receiued certaine pledges of that future fulnesse where hee shall for euer inherit and rest in eternall Contemplation But hee that would be at leisure for Contemplation he must of necessitie learne not onely to rest from euil works but euen from vaine câ—gitations else it is as Bernard saith vacare corpore but not vacare corde to be at leisure in body but not to be at leisure in heart Now as the ioy of that multitude of supernall Spirits is not onely of the Contemplation of the Creatour but in conteÌ„plating the Creatures so must ours be whilest wee are vnder the beggerly rudiments of the World For whilest they find God in all his workes wonderfull what maruell if euery where in admiring they reuerence him in reuerencing they admire his wonderfull thinges whome they so loue Therefore they finde not onely in the incorporeall Creatures but also in the corporeall whence they may admire whence they may worthily reuerence the Creatour of them All these things they continually contemplate in contemplating admire and admiring reioyce They reioyce at the Diuine Contemplation congratulate at the mutuall vision and admire at the speculation of corporeall thinges Let vs learne contemplating to admire and admiring to contemplate how the Citisens of that Heauenly Kingdome and happinesse doe without ceasing beholde all thinges that are vnder them do comprehend and see from high the reason and order of all thinges how infinitely they reioyce at their mutuall and indissoluble societie and charitie how insatiably they are inflamed at the vision of Diuine Glorie and Brightnesse Nothing is more pleasant nothing more profitable then the grace of Contemplation By how much as thou art more delighted in Contemplation of Heauenly thinges and being delighted doest admine by so much doest thou more willingly staie more diligently search more profoundly thou art illuminated Euer shalt thou find in those things tâ— at which thou maist admire and whence to be delighted No where is there more plentifull matter of admiring and no where more profitable cause of delighting Therefore in these thinges let thy adâ—â—ration and delectation euer bee nor shall it bee needfull to seeke other thinges for these and to runne hither and thither by a vaine wandering of cogitations for to know God is the fulnesse of knowledge and the fulnesse of this knowledge is the fulnes of glorie consummation of grace and perpetuitie of life To the fulnesse of this knowledge there is rather neede of intimous compunction then profound inuestigation of sighes then of arguments of often lamentations then of copious augmentations of teares then of sentences of prayer then of reading of the grace of teares then of the knowledge of letters rather of the contemplation of heauenly things then of the occupation of earthly things By this that hath beene said it is most euident how worthie of a Prince and euerie good Christian this diuine worke of contemplation is seeing it bringeth not onely to the knowledge and fulnesse of all knowledge of God but also to the loue reuerence feare seruice and true worship of the true God whom to know in Iesus Christ Io. 17.3 is life eternall Yet besides it will not a little strengthen this conceit to consider that as the most noble