fit and convenient sympathy in all things between them Hee who hath made such a good and convenient choise in Love may even justly hope to have almost gained his love already One word one smile between such will cause more love then many words and gifts betweene others Diversities breed nothing but disunion and sweet congruity is the cause of Love Hence growes the height of love and friendship when two simillary soules shall joyne in all their commixions and this assimulation pure and good in all things Those are observed to agree and love best who are both alike of good conditions both wise and religious And it is the crown of blessings to live in such happinesse Prov. 12.4 Let therefore piety and vertue be the first mover of our affections and the rather to chuse well let us take that Divines counsell who wisheth us to invite Christ to our wedding and to pray to him for a good wife or else none at all which he thinks best for us for an evill woman as the wise man saith makes a sorry countenance and an heavy heart and a man had rather dwell with a Lyon then keep house with such a wife Eccl. 29.27 and he that hath her is as if he held a Scorpion ver 7. What is to be seene among such husbands and wives as are of vitious and impious conditions but strife tumults disorder suspition confusion and misery in the end wheras none live more lovingly pleasantly and happily together then such as are of gracious vertuous conditions A vertuous well given lover is much better to be esteemed then a fine face with ill conditions Let us not then be so sensuall as to love onely the face and corps but looke higher and see something in our lovers of an Angelicall nature that is a free vertuous and gracious mind which to an understanding man appeares to be a divine Essence and to which he mingles his soule in Love which if truly thought on will appeare to be a farre more excellent and permanent Love then that of the body and consequently more pleasant A vertuous pious wife is far more pretious then rubies Prov. 31.10 She is as the Kings daughter all-glorious within Psal 45. So then let us spheare our Loves and seeke beauty rather in a minde then in a countenance In the next place after piety vertue and good conditions it is requisite to looke after corporall and externall respects and as neere as we may to chuse such as are of equall yeares birth fortunes and degree of good parentage and kindred of such a countenance complexion and constitution as best agrees to our love and disposition for inconsiderate and unequall marriages are commonly very pernitious and a multitude of mischievous and miserable effects spring from such marriages As if a sound and healthy person marries one that is diseased and impotent if an honest man marries a whore or an honest woman a knave if one that is well tempered in minde marry a phantastick adle-pated brain-sicke scolding piece or if one that 's young marry with an old doting companion or in any othar respects very unfitly what better successe can they look for then Minos had with Pasiphaë Vulcan with Venus Menelaus with Hellen Ptolomny with the whorish Thais Claudius with the lustfull Messalina or Hierome King of Sicily with Pytho What is like to ensue but suspition jealousie strife shame sorrow discontent and misery Therefore it is very requisite that men should love and marry such as are equall fit and convenient for them It is a good time as some say for a man to marry between five and twenty yeare old and thirty and for a woman between her age of eighteen and two and twenty And it seemes better saith one to love below then above ones selfe in estate and degree for saith he this will the more oblige a lover to be the more loving diligent and pleasing ever after But notwithstanding we may truly say that although light-headed phantasticke proud malapert women as many of them are will be the worse for a good estate and parentage yet a good woman though there be not many such will be rather the better then worse for the same But however it is thought best as neere as men may with conveniency to chuse such as are of fit and convenient yeres birth fortunes degree parentage constitution and especially of like vertuous and gratious conditions for when two meet of the same good condition what is it but the same soule in two bodies or rather in one body since marriage so unites as they are no more two but one flesh Mat. 19.5.6 as it were two persons intermutually transported into one another So that even with the same reason that we love our selves we love those that are so like and united to us But yet it seemes best to chuse if we may such as are more vertuous and gracious then our selves for to live with such 't is good hope and like will in time make us the more like them and consequently the better and more happy The choise hereof being esteemed the chiefest action of our life most neerely concerning us and from whence springs our future good and happinesse ought to be very diligently thought on and considered and especially that we chuse such a one as from our hearts we can truly and for good causes love dearely From such a loving fit equall and good choyce is like to spring abundance of most sweet delights and felicities Having made a good choyse wee may and should use all good meanes to gaine Love to please our Lovers and encrease Love which in such a good convenient choyce is very necessary and very like to be happily effected even by such ordinary and usuall meanes as are commonly used by lovers and prescribed in divers Authours for the same purpose but as for those common allurements and occasions of love which some Authors write of largely as pleasant comely and well composed gestures pace carriage behaviour also of glances smiles salutations complements conference familiarity gifts tokens favours letters meetings feasts wine musicke amorous tales singing dancing and the like I list not to treat of and the rather because if all these things were well used onely to good purposes as some of them are often too much abused yet they are so usually practised by and even naturall to lovers as they need but little disquisition Time place and opportunity often occasioneth love Also importunity to some kinde of women and sometimes also I know that neglect and scorne doth in some of these female kinds much increase love for some of them are of such proud imperious conditions as they will insult over and even scorne such puny lovers as will be pinned upon their sleeves Hence it is women are compared to shadowes if we follow them they will goe from us if we goe away they will follow us againe wherefore sometimes to neglect seemeth better then importunity and
good and be well pleasing to God and good men But yet perchance my Grandsire may say It seemes to him that such light vaine discourses are of little power or perswasion to increase love and happinesse yet if we thinke of the Parties by and to whom these things are spoken that is Lovers who are a great deale more vaine wanton youthfull and not of such serious and sollid substance as my Grandsire is we shall know that such discourses are most apt and pleasing and much more perswasive for this purpose to increase love and joy then other more grave and sollid And we know that Lovers esteem every word of one anothers discourse though perchance but slight matter as if it were spoke like an Angel And yet truly there is I wish my Grandsire may see it a great deale of seriousnesse mingled in this Love-discourse and such as concernes the greatest choycest and sweetest happinesse of our lives insomuch as indeed such artificiall discourses such pleasant convincing perswasions and reasons are most justly really and seriously sufficient even to inchant and inflame a wise one a Saint with true Love and Ioy and surely the wisest and best Saint cannot be too loving and joyfull in this blessed and honourable way of conjugall or marriage Love no not joyfull and loving enough herein if you will not beleeve this See againe Prov. 5.18 Ephe. 5.25 c. I know you will or must beleeve that To returne I know that such discourses will so increase Love and Joy in true Lovers that if there be a reasonable sympathy betweene the parties in age degree fortunes countenance Constitution and good Conditions and a willing consent of Parents and Friends at first though afterwards great and strange opposition should happen in many respects it would be a marvellous hard matter if not almost impossible to part and disunite their Love If such discourses then be of so strong effect and operation as to joyne hearts in true love and increase it's Joyes notwithstanding many crosses and great opposition much more is it when those are past when both parties and their friends are well pleased when all their thoughts are composed of Kindnesse Love and Joy Medea's Oyntment Helen's Bowle Circes Cup Phaedra's Ring Venus Girdle or Gyges Gloves cannot so sweetly inchant move and please the minde so delightfully increase Love and Joy as such discourses will and with good reason may in Lovers SECTION III. Remedies and considerations against the losse of Love against an over-sottish and doting Love and against the miseries incident to crosse marriages BVt now here comes a question What is to be done if wee should lose our Loves c. Indeed many Lovers for want of enjoying their wishes in this kinde become extreme melancholly and sorrowfull and some for Remedy betake themselves to ill courses as Whoring and Tavern-haunting and sometimes spoyle themselves This is to leap out of the warme Sunne into the fire But if we consider rightly there is little or no cause why wee should grieve for such a losse but wee may rejoyce notwithstanding Of this hereafter But first of some Remedies and Considerations usually prescribed in Authors against this malady the losse of Love As to withstand beginnings to avoyd all occasions to goe to some other Mistresse a better if shee may be gained or if not yet to know that of all necessary evils such as men say Wives are any may serve for necessity and because they are said to bee evils 't is like better to have none at all Though we Batchelours perchance may thinke wives fine things yet such as have tryed will tell us otherwise as that there are many thornes amidst the Roses of Marriage which hinder the pleasures thereof and cause much sorrow That married mens shooes wring them and we know not where That the love of the body is at the highest and will fall when it hath gotten admittance into the hidden and worst parts thereof and that so it is of the minde though our Lovers shew us their best conditions forward yet when those hidden and worst parts of the soule which they dare not shew the world are detected 't is like we shall finde them much worse then wee look't for How soone was Ahasuerus weary of his Vasti Marke Anthony of the daughter of Caesar Philip King of France of the King of Denmarkes daughter Selenchus King of Syria of the faire Stratonices and Nero of his Poppea And so many in all Ages though they prosecute their Loves before marriage by many and strange promises oathes and protestations of Love yet after they doe distaste and perchance as Amon loathed Thamar they even loath their Wives We see after honey monthes past Marriages often turne to repentance bitternesse dislike contempt How soone doe many women waxe stale fulsome phlegmaticke out of fashion infirme diseased or old riveld witherd or at their best a wise man can very plainely and perpicuously see their greatest beauty and lovelinesse so vaine fading uncertain and undureable even as a bubble dew snow smoake winde aire yea even as nothing for a thousand yeares are even as nothing to eternity And their beauty passeth away with time as swift as thought and so after a moment of time in comparison of eternity comes to nothing and in the meane time a Feavour small Poxe losse of an eye or limme one of many and divers severall diseases yea even a little scarre or however Age and Time spoyles the choysest beauties And yet before they are spoyled even at their best and greatest beauty if thou sawest them in foule ragged nasty Beggers apparell or when they scold brawle are angry mad gape make ill favoured faces or as one saith undrest you would very likely be quite out of love with and perchance loath them But let us looke to future time they are creatures of an inferiour nature as beasts who minde only present things A wise mans soule is of a future nature as well as present It can see things to come also as if they were present If then you have a wise mans eyes in your soule and can but see yea if you will but imagine or suppose that you see the fairest loveliest and choisest beauties as they shall be when they are sick olde withered dead rotten in their graves the same will appeare so ugly gastly terrible dreadfull as you will be so far out of love as rather to loath and shun them Yea if thou couldst but see what they are now already that is but earth a meere excrement which thou so admirest thy soule would be at rest Imagine her skin from her face or other parts of her body There is nothing within but filthy Phlegme Choller Melancholy Blood Gall Spittle Snevill Snot and other stinking putrid excrementall loathsome stuffe If you thinke I speake unseemly in this case it is a good deed and necessary for it is a remedy against Love I hope young man you are now wiser than to grieve
with love and joy to think that our Love was crucified for us See what a Vertue is in the Passion of our Saviour that if our soules in Contemplation of his wounds should resent the smart yet knowing that he suffered all this most willingly to make us happy it is enough to make us even swoune with love and joy and be extasied with a thousand sorts of pleasures insomuch as to be willing even with sweetest joy to die of love for his sake Oh Lord what are we that thou shouldst daigne to accept our love but that thou shouldest so desire it at such a rate as thy heart blood is a miracle of mercy far beyond all humane and angelicall apprehension who unlesse a devill or a blinde ignorant worldling will not greatly thanke thee and love thee who hast and doest so infinitely merit the same and the rather also since who truly loves thee shall for thy sake and by thy sufferings and merits enjoy infinite heavenly happinesse and may in some degree taste thereof even on earth Lord teach us a language wholly divine and heavenly to thank thee for such Love O love the Lord all ye his Saints Moreover when we thinke how lovers sweet discourses please one another let us then also contemplate our soules sweet conversation discourses and soliloquies with our beloved God and Saviour Oh how our soules may be inflamed with divine love and joy when wee contemplate these most sweet and pleasant words of our beloved calling us his Sister his Spouse his Love his Dove c. and saying thou art all faire my Love there is no spot in thee Thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes c. Cant. 4. And my beloved is the fairest among women the chiefest among ten thousand looking forth as the morning faire as the Moone pure as the Sun c. Cant. 5. That she is a Kings daughter As a Queene in a vesture of Gold of Ophir embroidered raiment of needle worke that the King might take pleasure in her beauty Psal 45. Clothed with the white raiment the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ crowned and enriched with his tryed and purified Gold his heavenly graces Rev. 3. O how the sweet harmonious accents of these words do ravish the spirits and powerfully attract the hearts of all those thereunto who are able truly but to heare the Eccho of them and to perceive the sweetness thereof Insomuch as they are ready to borrow wings on all sides and to flie out of themselves that they may be wholly possest with the love and joy of their Saviour Let us then feelingly speake to our beloved in the same language that he speakes to us then which indeed can be no better no sweeter Come then my beloved Kisse me with the kisses of thy mouth for thy love is better then wine Draw me and I will runne after thee Shew me Oh thou whom my soule loveth where thou feedest and where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon Can. 1.2 4 7. Stay me with thy Flagons and comfort me with Apples for I am sicke of Love Cant. 2.5 Come my Beloved let us goe forth into the fields let us lodge in the villages let us get up early to the vineyards let us see if the Vine flourish whether the tender Grape appeare and the Pomegranate bud forth There will I give thee my Love Cant. 7.11 12. Set me as a Seale on thine heart and as a Signet on thine arme for Love is as strong as death it is a fire a vehement flame many waters cannot quench Love and the floods cannot drowne it c. Cant. 8.6 7. Let us also endevour to be perswaded with Saint Paul that neither life nor death nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come c. shall ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is in CHRIST Romans chap. 8. verse 38. True Love suffers not for the subject which it loves It hath a power in it to change the nature of things From the time that a soule is chastly taken with this passion even the pains torments thereof are changing the name and quality within the heart They are Roses rather then Thornes for if it sigh it is of Joy and not of paine If it be necessary to die for the glory of this lovely cause of it's life it is no death to it but a meere Rap't of Contentment which severs it selfe from it selfe in favour of another selfe whom it loves more then it selfe So that if we were truely capable of the Love Beauty Glory and Excellency of our Saviour though with Saint Lawrence wee should broyle upon devouring flames yet our hearts which would burne more hot with the fire of his love then that of our punishment would quite extinguish the same for our hearts being all a flame already and our soules a fire how could we expire amidst those heates though our bodies were burned to ashes since the stronger must needs prevaile Insomuch as we should fee e the delights of heaven in the fire whereof wee should make our selves a crowne of glory It seemes also Policarpus Master Glover Master Sanders and others both Primitive and Queene Maryan Martyrs were so warmed with those truely Promethean fires of divine Love as exhilarated their soules with heavenly delights at the stake in the fire So let us endevour to be baptized with the baptisme of the fire of Heavenly Love and Joy And then how willingly and delightfully shall we suffer all the tribulations we meet with for his sake whom our soules so divinely love and rejoyce in Jesus Christ Me thinkes I could gladly dwell in this Discourse of Divine Love The more to enflame our Loves to God see how he wooes us unto his Love by very many and gracious Promises of Happinesse in his divine Word to such as Love him Insomuch as all things shall worke to their good Rom. 2.28 But I shall onely mention and conclude with that of Saint Paul 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man those things which God hath prepared for them that love him Thinke then you soules of the World what felicity this is We know the eye hath seene most beautifull lovely and glorious things the eare hath heard rare consorts of Musick Voices The heart of man can imagine worlds of Diamonds more glorious then the Sunne and millions of extreame Pleasures Delights and Felicities What sweet Joy and Pleasure hath the heart of Man imagined of the Orchards of Adonis the Gardens of Hesperides the Delights of the fortunate Islands of the Elizian Fields and Turkes Paradise but let humane Imagination thinke of all these at once And let them imagine also a Quire of Syrens Let them joyne therunto in consort both the Harpe of Orpheus and Voyce of Amphian Let Apollo and all the Muses bee there to beare a part Let all the Graces all the
THE VVAY TO HAPPINESSE ON EARTH Concerning Riches Honour Conjugall Love Eating Drinking By R. C. LONDON Printed for G. H. 1641. To the Reader HAving formerly written in generall of this subject Happinesse on Earth I now begin to discourse thereof more particularly in five severall Treatises I have as Schollars and Authors I thinke ingenuously use to doe searched the opinions of many worthy and famous Authors and in some places of this Booke made use thereof but in such another new manner method style and with such new additions intermixions and alterations as the same also may justly be said to be new and mine I have also endeavoured as well as I could to compose this Booke in a serious yet pleasing way in a free style and yet compendious manner onely in some few yet I conceive very necessary places my Meditations have enlarged themselves And forasmuch as mans best actions are not without some imperfections the courteous and good natured Reader will I know readily excuse small neglects in good endeavours especially in such a necessary and great undertaking as to learne The way to Happinesse on Earth which in these and some other former Treatises I have endeavoured to shew and do intend God willing to write further hereafter of this so good and necessary subject of mans Happinesse Farewell Robert Crofts THE CONTENTS The first Partition Of Riches SECTION I. THe excellency of Riches and the miseries of the want thereof SECT II. To avoid such courses as consume Riches and the way to gaine and encrease the same SECT III. Of the dangers and abuses of Riches hindering happinesse therein which are to be avoided especially of Covetousnesse SECT IV. Our mindes ought to be perswaded of the goodnesse and fitnesse of our estates and setled in a contented condition SECT V. Of the good and divine use of Riches The second Partition Of Honour SECTION I. THe excellency thereof and the misery of dishonour SECT II. How Honour is to be attained unto SECT III. Of the abuses and dangers of Honour which ought to be avoided especially Ambition SECT IV. We ought to possesse our mindes with such an habit of Contentment as that wee doe not too much feare the losse of Honour or grieve at dishonour SECT V. The good and divine use of Honour The third Partition Of Conjugall or Marriage Love SECTION I. THe excellency of the same in generall and the miseries of the losse and want thereof SECT II. Shewing how to love truly enjoy our wishes please our Lovers and encrease love SECT III. Remedies and considerations against the losse of Love against an over-sottish and doting love and against the miseries incident to crosse marriages SECT IV. Of unlawfull Lusts the extent thereof in our Age. The miseries and remedies thereof with a briefe perswasion to marriage SECT V. The good use of Conjugall or Marriage Love and so concluding with a briefe discourse of divine Love The fourth Partition Of Eating SECTION I. THe benefits of Eating in generall also the abuses of Eating and the extent thereof SECT II. The dangers and abuses of Eating ought to be eschewed since the same causeth much evill misery and hindereth happinesse therein SECT III. Rules concerning a right order and due proportion of diet with some cautions therein SECT IV. A moderate diet and due order therein is sufficient easie pleasant and most beneficiall SECT V. The good and divine use of Eating The fifth Partition Of Drinking SECTION I. THe benefits of Drinking in generall also the Abuses and extent thereof in this drinking age SECT II. The abuses of drinking because of the ill and miserable effects thereof hindering happinesse therein are to be avoyded SECT III. Difficulties of forsaking such drinking abuses and the Remedies thereof tending to encrease our happinesse therein SECT IV. Rules concerning a right order and due proportion of drinking and shewing that the same is very sufficient pleasant easie and most Beneficiall SECT V. The good and divine use of drinking Escapes in Printing PAge 45. line ult leave out of p. 65. l. 5. leave out also p. 84 for moderate read immoderate p. 91. l. 6. f. yet r. is not p. 121. l. 15. f. worst r. most p. 174. l. 10. f. never r. neere and l. 12. f. neere r. never p. 106. l. 10. leave out of p. 215. l. 3. 4. r. marriage love p. 243 l. ult r. foole p. 276. l. 21. r. Church p. 288. l. 5. r. feele p. 320. l. 22. f. a wine r. of Wine p. 323. l. 13. f. many r. may Besides some few other literall escapes which the ingenuous and courteous Reader may correct or will pardon To his beloved friend the Author on this BOOKE THe matter or the style I need not praise To the ingenuous man it selfe will show Having read thy Booke I sweetly doe reioyce And truly I admire what now I know R. R. The Author upon sight of the Superscription THe matter or the style I will not praise Yet care I not to whom it selfe do show Having writ the Booke I sweetly do rejoyce But doe admire so much I want to know Robert Crofts THE WAY TO HAPPINESSE ON EARTH The first PARTITION concerning RICHES SECTION I. The Excellency of Riches and the miseries of the want thereof RIches and Honour saith King Solomon come from GOD And the blessing of the LORD maketh Rich. Prov. 10.22 Therefore in respect of the Author God himselfe they are to be esteemed in their good use and fruition of much worth and excellency wherefore againe saith the Kingly Preacher Every man to whom God hath given Riches and Wealth and hath given him power to eat thereof and to take his portion to rejoyce therin This is the gift of God Surely he will not much remember the dayes of his life because God answereth him in the joy of his heart Eccles 5.19 The excellency of Riches also appeareth in respect of the good effects thereof Many good and excellent effects and benefits doe often spring from this fountaine of Riches Such as are good education and learning Also Friends Lovers Acquaintance The rich hath many friends Prov. 14.20 Likewise Honour Authority Respect Servants Counsellors Also faire and pleasant Houses Orchards Gardens Fields and Possessions of many kindes The choysest kind of Dyet both Meates and Drinkes The most pleasant Sports Recreations and Pleasures of divers sorts In summe Even all Terrestriall Felicities seeme to be at the Rich mans command The doting world smiles as it were onely upon him applaudes onely his sayings his doings and bestowes upon him her choysest favours Riches also may be imployed to many good uses and purposes as well to Gods glory as to the good of our selves and others The same may serve and be used to the advancement of all Piety and Vertue They may excite and encourage us to all goodnesse to thankfulnesse to charity to the Love of God who gives them To espie seeke and enjoy the Riches of a divine Soule
namely Covetousnesse Let us if we meane to be happy in our Riches take heed that we plunge not our selves into this unsatiable sordid and miserable vice lest that with Shemei while we seeke our servant we lose our selves How many men are there now in the world that doe quite and cleane lose the felicity of a quiet life for to set up their happinesse though meerly imaginary in the amassement of Riches And if heaven heare their covetous desires with designe to punish them and give them some favourable successe to their Cares they become then even Idolaters indeed of those treasures which before they adored but in hope And so become miserable by too ardently desiring that which otherwise might doe them good It is now in our Age almost as it was in the Prophet Ieremies time Even from the meanest to the greatest men are given to covetousnesse and to deale falsely Ier. 6.10 Let us therefore view this vice and the effects thereof But first to prevent mistakes and Cavils let me say that in the ensuing discourse against Covetousnesse I doe not meane that honest and necessary desire of Riches and endevours to gaine the same which every man ought to have for the good of himselfe family and others which may be called honest frugality and is commendable in all men insomuch as no men are more praise-worthy and happy in this respect then such as frugally desire Riches and provide for themselves and theirs But now to define what I intend by Covetousnesse and proceed Covetousnesse is an over-greedy unsatiable niggardly sottish and ravenous desire of Riches from which springeth abundance of evils and miseries The due consideration wherof is remedy sufficient to flight our disorderly affections from the same Let us therfore view them Covetousnesse is the root of all evill Saint Paul saith from thence often springs deceit contentions lying Simony Vsury thefts quarrels suites strifes treasons and murders Insomuch that if a mans heart be very deepely set on Couetousnesse he will commit any vice or wickednesse to effect his ravenous desires Like that Italian Monke who being corrupted with money poyson'd the Emperour Henry the seventh Or as that Citizens sonne of Venice whose father having committed a crime and hid himselfe a reward was appointed by the State to him that should bring his head Whereupon his sonne slew him and brought his head to the Duke Or as Iudas for money betrayed our Saviour The Riches of the world if too much beloved do attract and draw the eie of the soule from it selfe or at least so blindes the same as it cannot performe such good actions as it ought either to the glory of God the good of others or it selfe for Covetousnesse banisheth out of the soule the most sublime and heavenly graces noblenesse of spirit humanity courtesie love kindnesse mutuall entertainments naturall affection and reason It turnes the soule into a low earthy dunghill temper and disposition and causeth men to become very muckwormes and slaves to money It draweth away the minde from all more excellent pleasures and so blindeth it that it cannot see them Tell the covetous man of the choysest delights on Earth yea of Heaven it selfe yet hee is so blinde and brutish as to thinke all a kinde of madnesse and folly that is above his low sordid temper and disposition So as Covetousnesse bereaveth a man or at least hindereth him in all the pleasures of the earth and of heaven also and which is most strange of that which he so much desires even the pleasures of Riches themselves for he regardeth not what felicity hee may derive from the substance which he doth possesse but ever thinketh how well he should be if he had some great matter which he hath not and the want thereof almost continually grieves him even like children and fooles who will pule and whine for a toy they want or long for of which they are more sensible then of all the present good or future hope they have or may enjoy So that according to the Proverbe The covetous man sels his horse to get Hay which when he hath t doth him little or no good He doth even contemne and neglect himselfe and all other good pleasures and felicities to gain this of Riches which when he hath he neither uses well nor enjoyes but still remaines discontentedly unsatisfied The more he hath the more he desires even his Riches are to him but as drinke in a dropsie for as those increase so his desires are still the more enlarged even as the grave the wombe the earth the fire which are never satisfied Prov. 30.15 16. His heart may be compared to those leane Kine which Pharaoh saw in his dreame who devoured the fat Kine and were never the fuller That which hee hath is not regarded for want of that which he hath not although he possesse abundance So Covetousnesse is an unsatiable desire which continually as with hunger gnawes and discontents the minde Though Covetous men have Houses Lands Riches Revenues Orchards Vineyards Fields enough yea abundance as Ahab King of Israel had yet as Ahabs did at Naboths Vineyard their eyes will envie and looke obliquely at their neighbours goods houses lands c. and especially their teeth will water at that which their nose most drops over that which lies most pat in their way very neere and fit for them They are even as he was sicke in the suddes and sullens for want therof and lack some politick Iezabel to make them a caudle though of the blood of the Vinetor and Grape of the Vineyard some wise Lawyer cunning snap or politicke pate of their owne to devise a way to get the same either by hooke or by crooke as they say though the Devill be in the Councell either by oppression extortion or couzening circumvention So envie also pines the covetous man Also cares plots and ravenous desires to get Riches doe alwayes possesse him And what base offices paines therein and reproaches thereby as also what sordid and niggardly pinching of himselfe will he not endure to save and gaine a little money Feares also of loosing what he possesses grieves him He is alwayes suspitious grudging complaining and discontented Sorrow and griefe also in parting from Riches doth greatly vex him He can scarce afford himself and family necessaries without brawling pining and grieving The often remembrance of losses and expences past doth also much trouble him In a bad yeere or at some great losse hee could even affoord to make himselfe away As old Hermon who dreaming he had spent a summe of money for griefe hang'd himselfe Or as that covetous Phidon who being faln into desparation for a great losse went to buy a haltar to hang himselfe withall but finding the price too dear leapt into a River It is reported of another who being sicke was told hee must take Physicke or die and being demanded of the Physitian ten shillings to recover him answered the same might better
and looking above them doe even contemne them in comparison of the more excellent things which then they know So let us as children in Gods family make a good use of this earthly honour and be thereby encouraged and excited to learne and search the way to the eternall glory of heaven of which this is but a shadow And when we are grown wise and skilfull men in rhe knowledge of divine things Let us then in comparison endeavour to be above and even contemne these toyes and trifles of the world for such is earthly honour even in it's greatest excellency in comparison of the heavenly honour and glory and then let us untye our selves from the overmuch and vitious desire of terrestriall honor which can never satisfie us and with a desire full of sprightfulnesse love and joy elevate our thoughts to heaven to eternity for certaine it is that those souls which doe often contemplate the heavenly glory and doe well know the excellency thereof are often raised farre above all the greatnesse of the earth inasmuch as eternity is above time and infinite glory above a shadow thereof And in these contemplations they are often so transported and raised beyond and above themselves as if they were then capable of terrestriall and humane vanities they would not know themselves while their souls doe thus direct their lookes desires affections and contemplations wholly to God himselfe to heaven Insomuch that while their spirits are so raysed in such divine thoughts and illuminations they doe seeme very gloriously then to despise all the honour and greatnesse of the earth and with unexpressable delight to marke out the thrones of their honour in the kingdome of heaven where they know that a crowne of immortall glory shall for ever environ their heads And in these divine thoughts and elevations they are often even astonisht with such wonderfull delights and happinesse as they can finde neither measure nor limits in these divine glorious amuzements heavenly irradiations and elevations of spirit So not being able to find any thing on earth worthy of their greatnesse they have designed the crowne and set up the throne of their honour and glory in the empyrean heaven To conclude Let it alwaies be our glory to glorifie our fathet which is in heaven Mat. 5.16 Ier. 9.23 They that honour me I will honour saith God 1 Sam. 2.30 Psal 9.14 15 16. O how honourable how happy is he whom God is pleased to honour Teach oh Lord this secret divine language to my heart to desire onely thy honour thy glory and that I may glory onely in thee who art mans soveraigne glory yea onely true happines Let me esteeme this honour this glory this happinesse as heaven already The third PARTITION Of Conjugall Love SECTION I. Of the excellency of such Conjugall or Marriage Love in generall and the miseries of the losse and want thereof KIng Solomon saith a prudent wife is from the Lord Prov. 19.4 From the beginning of the creation saith our Saviour God made them male and female for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall cleave to his wife and they two shall be one flesh Mar. 10.7 Mat. 19. So it appeares God himselfe is the Author of this lawfull conjugall or marriage-love And therfore in respect of him the Authour to be very well esteemed accordingly Therefore in his sacred word by King Solomon he saith Rejoyce in the wife of thy youth c. See Prov. 18.2 Eccl. 9.9 and by Saint Paul Husbands love your wives as Christ loved his Church So ought men to love their wives as their owne bodies for he that loveth his wife loveth himselfe Eph. 5.25 28. Let me here againe make a short though perchance very necessary digression Since God himselfe as hath been shewed is the Authour of this Conjugall true Love and commends the same unto us I doe intend God willing to write on of this Subject though all the severe Grandsires and Stoickes of the world should frowne and the more nice then wise people turâ—e aside their heads and though envious malitious people should pine and grieve exceedingly at such loving felicities though over-doting sottish and brain-sicke Lovers should be toucht to the quick in this ensuing discourse and therefore kicke and though whoremasters should be gall'd and lash though Momus or jeering Coxecombes should carp and scoffe at this subject of Conjugall Love and though meere earthly sensuall fooles should not see or conceive the good and divine use thereof which is principally heavenly Love of God And I protest I shall in this discourse principally endeavour to please God the Authour of this Love that is to doe good for I know all goodnesse pleaseth him and what better and more necessary endeavour then to increase this so good and necessary happinesse of Conjugall or Marriage-Love in the world from which springeth so many good and happy effects therein as in this the next the fourth and fifth Sections of this Partitioâ— I intend to shew more largely And in the next place I would gladly also please all vertuous pious men and of them especially true-lovers which I hope I shall the rather since I have formerly been much encouraged by such and since I have followed and learned the substance of this Partition of many wise and worthy Authours who have formerly written of this subject done much good thereby and are deservingly commended for the same And lastly I write this to please and recreate my selfe also amidst more serious studies and occasions Now therefore let the said severe Grandsires Stoicks over-nice people envious malitious men over-doting sottish brain-sicke Lovers carping scoffing geering coxcombs meere sensualists or any other vitious men for such onely I thinke will frowne looke aside pine grieve be angry barke stir kick lash carp scoffe soulely detract or remain still meere sensuall fooles I care not since I have endeavoured and shall endeavour to doe this good hereby It matters not to me what such men say While I please God good men my self enjoy And since God the Authour of this Conjugall Love hath commended the same unto us in such a sweet amiable and pleasant manner as is said Prov. 5.18 c. Eccles 9.9 Ephes 5. and divers other places and also in the Canticles and elsewhere even in a misterious and divine way therefore if I or any man endeavour to shew and increase this happinesse and to do this so necessary good in a pleasing â—â—d harmelesse manner what wise well disposed man who but some rugged discontented envious carping maligne spirited men will be displeased therewith I wonder why any should be so maligne as to dislike grudge or envy the felicities of lovers I protest I wish that all the true-lovers and married men in the world might enjoy as much pleasure and felicity in their loves and wives as they can wish and thinke of though it were upon this condition that my selfe should lose all my joyes hopes and
wishes herein and never enjoy any But now I returne from whence I have digressed to shew the excellency of this lawfull Conjugall Love and because this subject is so necessary pleasant and beneficiall I shall perchance be the longer about the same From the Author I proceed to the Object of this Conjugall Love The excellency thereof may further appeare in respect of the Object which is woman who is the image of God aswell as man Gen. 1.27 An help meet for him 2.28 A part of himself 31. Wine is strong Kings are strong but a woman is stronger and hath dominion over Kings saith Zorobabel Esdr 4. All men submit to Love saith the Poet. When that Hermits boy who had alwaies been brought up in the wildernesse came first abroad in the world was asked what pleased him best therein readily replyed Those things which you call women A vertuous woman saith King Solomon is a crowne to her husband Prov. 12.4 Much more in divers Authours I finde in commendations of women and I wish that they did deserve the same Loves excellency also appeares in respect of the parties affected The bravest the most noble generous and gallant spirits are commonly most and best taken and possest with this Love wherefore it is called heroicall Love It is said to be a true note of a worthy generous minde and of the most ingenious schollers to be in love especially in their youthfull yeres for rude and dull understandings cannot raise their thoughts to bee capable of those high sweet and delicate fancies which we see that Love usually produces in such worthy generous and ingenuous minds And the parts of man affected also are his most excellent parts as the heart liver bloud and braines as Phisitians say and consequently the imagination and reason I say reason for want of Love shewes want of reason either stupidity or peevishnesse in a man Yet it is most certaine that divine Love is infinitely more excellent and above this humane love and such men as are of a divine temper may easily overcome the same but we all have bodies aswell as soules we are composed of humanity aswell as divinity and he that never felt the power of this Love may be esteemed as some Eunuch or sot or else of a super-humane temper And on the other side excesse of love shewes weaknesse dotishnesse and folly and then these excellent parts of man are misaffected Such love is without reason But true love is most agreeable thereunto and therefore excellent And further the excellency of this Conjugall or Marriage-Love appeareth by the effects thereof which are many To instance in some of them This Love excites men unto honourable actions and enterprises takes away cowardise covetousnesse rudenesse and makes men couragious liberall civill courteous loving ingenious and of a gracefull demeanor quickens enlarges and illuminates the mind Insomuch as many worthy and ingenious lovers their minds have thereby growne so quicke aiery and spirituall as their high soaring nimble and pleasing fancies have conceived and delivered most excellent famous and delightfull Poems Histories c. as if the Authors seemed to be more beholding to Love then to the Muses This Love preserves and increases mankinde in a perpetuall generation and unites Families Provinces and Kingdomes It is said there is no earthly happinesse like this of the sweet society of true-lovers in the way of marriage and of a loving husband and wife their joyes are doubled and redoubled by Love How sweetly may they counsell assist and comfort one another in all things By this blessed union the number of parents friends and kindred is increased It may be an occasion of sweet and lovely children who in after-times may be a very great joy and felicity to their parents and these may remaine as living pictures to shew their memory from generation to generation Lysippus Mentor Polycletus Zeuxis or Parthasius had neere the skill to engrave or paint the father and mother never so well and lively And great is the pleasure that loving Parents enjoy in their children A multitude of felicities a million of joyfull and blessed effects spring from true love And indeed this conjugall or marriage love and society sweetens all other actions discourses all other pleasures and felicities and even in all respects increases true joy and happinesse This Love also may excite us to divine and heavenly Love But of this subject I intend to write in the fifth Section of this Partition This blessednesse and excellency of Love will be more apparent if wee consider the miseries either of the losse of such love before or of the want thereof after marriage It is wonderfull to thinke how many lovers for losse or want of enjoying their wishes in this kinde plunge themselves into a multitude of cares feares sorrowes blindnesse dotage servitude slavery mischiefe and miseries Many men will venture their goods fame lives and as king Iohn for Matilda crownes if they had them to enjoy their loves Sorrow dejection much waking sighing neglects peevishnesse restlesse thoughts brutish attempts want of appetite palenesse and leannesse are common effects and symptomes of the want of enjoying and of the losse of love And millions of men having lost their loves become therefore melancholy discontented and dejected all their life time after And many there be saith Zorobabel that have run out of their wits for women and become servants for their sakes Esdr 4.26 These things are commonly knowne Bedlam hath been full of examples Many also have perished have erred and sinned for women Esdr 4.27 Examples hereof also have been common in all ages Histories are full of them And many that have consumâ—d away and died for want of enjoying and losing their loves yea some for griefe thereof have been their owne executioners and made themselves away And after marriage it is strange to thinke what jealousies contentions feares sorrowes strange actions gestures lookes bitter words outrages and debates are betweene men and their wives for want of true love and discretion And how many men for want of this love have turned whoremasters and also divers men not loving at home fly abroad and so become Taverne and Alehouse hunters dissolute people spoile themselves and wrong their families These miseries have alwaies been and are so common to all mens view as they need but little disquisition Since it appeares that true love is so excellent and the contrary so irkesome and miserable it is requisite therefore in the next place that we do even very diligently learne and view the way to this excellent happinesse of Conjugall or Marriage Love SECTION II. Shewing how to love truly enjoy our wishes please our lovers and increase Love THat wee may truly love obtaine our Loves enjoy them and live well together first let us make a good choise in Love Such are most like to obtaine their loves who chuse well and conveniently for there is no greater motives to love then this when there is a
as for example The pleasure of love may bee likened to fire an ardent flaming Joy To water a fountaine of pleasure Gold Pearles Amber Honey the Rose and sweetest gayest flowers Muske Nectar Ambrosia is not so precious so sweet so delightfull as the pleasures of love That the Elizian fields or Turkes Paradise is not more pleasant All these and whatsoever is most pleasant he compares and likens to Love for sweetnesse pleasures delight c. Yea and more seriously if good occasion be he can tell that this Conjugall or Mariage love is often used as a similitude or resemblance betweene Christ and his Church that the Canticles is wholly a Love-song to this purpose And that therefore it is to be thought no humane earthly joy represents that of heaven more than this of true love though there bee no comparison or likenesse between Terrestriall and Celestiall happinesse either in purity brightnesse worth or duration of time these earthly being as nothing or as drosse in respect of the heavenly yet in respect of our earthly and weak apprehension such comparisons and similitudes since we finde such in sacred Scriptures often are and may be made So some have thought that love is even A Ioy divine a taste of heaven Or by the Effects of love To instance among many and divers in a few That Love causes a man to carry himselfe fairely courteously honourably and vertuously to all men It quickens and raises a mans spirits fancy wit and makes him become pleasant neate spruce lively a Poet a Musitian a Dancer a man of fine behaviour It makes us enjoy all things in the world with a sweeter pleasure than otherwise for why it possesses the heart with joy and a joyfull heart takes pleasure in all things Thus Love doth alwaies fill Our mindes with blisse that still What ere we thinke or doe It will delight us So Whether we study work or play True love will turne all into joy Further concerning the Effects of Love he can tell her that a Million of other joyfull effects spring from true love which will now be too long to discourse of Therefore now only that true love hath such a vertue in it as it will saith one even turne water into wine I had rather saith he drinke water with thee than wine with another live meanly with thee than richly with another Yea hee tells her that true love will turne even sorrow it selfe to the encrease of its joyes saying further All the crosses that ever thee and I have had I hope we shall hereafter quite bury or drown them in the fountaine of our Love-delights or rather make them serve as fuell to encrease the flame of our love and happinesse for love and joy after crosses past is the sweeter and livelier as having been purified enlightned and quickned by the same And so for future time When crosses happen in our way Wee le turne them in our love and joy And make them serve but to enflame Enlighten and encrease the same Or by Additions Appendances and Circumstances as for example That Love is more splendent and excellent when it is seated in its Throne and attended with riches honours and other pleasures which seeme to be Loves handmaids who as a Queene graces all the rest and addes glory sweetnesse and delight to them all And as a Circumstance he can discourse almost of any thing and set forth the excellency thereof as hath been shewed by the attendants riches honour and pleasures by the object Women by the Parts and Parties affected which are the most excellent parts of man and commonly the bravest noblest most generous and ingenuous men Also by the author which is God himselfe for Love is a daughter of heaven yea as some say a little heaven upon earth by which also as is to bee shewed in the last Section hereof we may spie and spell glimpses of heaven and be the more enflamed with divine and heavenly love to seeke and possesse it So as it seemes we may enjoy two heavens In sweetest joyes that be My dearest Love then we May passe our time away All times by night and day What pleasure is on earth I pray Or heaven that we may not enjoy Thus have I given a taste of Loves excellency by way of instance in this Art of discourse But I pray remember it is but by way of discourse and then I hope you will pardon what is amisse for you know that men will talke somewhat largely to please their Lovers and yet say they have given but a taste when they have done Now I proceed and shew further the use of this Art of discourse By this Order or Art we may discourse of any other particular whatsoever as for example of the contrary to that which hath been dilated namely the miseries of Loves losse which may even readily be dilated and expressed by this Art in this manner likewise Either by the Number of miseries the misery of each Particular of that Number with Observations in respect of Matter Time Place and other occasions and each Particular demonstrated by divers Examples Reasons Arguments Comparisons Contrarieties Similitudes Effects Appendances Circumstances or otherwise and set forth by apt expressions and particularly applyed and passionately enforced and uttered according to the nature of the Subject In this manner also we may discourse of any other subject upon occasion whether of riches of honour of health of prudence temperance fortitude or of any vertue or of poverty disgrace sicknesse of covetousnesse ambition intemperance or of any other vice or misery yea or of Religion and divine matters and in truth there cannot be a better way even of Love discoursing than a religious way however seldome practised but rather despised by many of Blades and gallant Dames of the world as well as of the foolish and blockish sort of people who thinke and esteeme all things above their vaine and phantasticke humours to be folly and madnesse But indeed what better way of Love discoursing can be than a laudable and pious insinuation into the minde of such as we discourse with whether Friend or Lover by heavenly discourses which also may be done by some such like Art as hath been dilated insomuch that if both parties be of a divine temper their hearts may bee filled possessed and united with heavenly and glorious thoughts joy and love But these things I know will seeme folly mysticall strange and as very riddles to such whose meere naturall mindes are not raised to the knowledge of supernaturall and heavenly things But such lovers and friends whose minds are elevated to a supernaturall and divine temper their hearts can be filled with heavenly joy in such discourses and by the eye of Contemplation they can see one another in respect of their heavenly mindes like Angels divine creatures and so love one another with an heavenly as well as earthly love Both which being united doe binde their hearts together with an indissoluble
enough to reade them But in good earnest againe Marriage is said to be a Rocke on which many men cast themselves away also a Yoke and a bondage a multitude of hinderances charges cares crosses and annoiances are incident to married people What wise man would marry Some men are Cornuted and father Children which are none of their owne To many men their children prove undutifull disobedient arrogant prodigall and become bitter Crosses to their Parents as Ham to Noah Absolon to David Hophni and Phineas to old Eli. Of moderne Examples to this purpose there are innumerable If I should reckon up all the troubles vexations cares charges hinderances and miseries belonging to marriage I should be very much too long and tedious Besides I might for this purpose tell how happily Batchelours live without wives how freely securely merrily pleasantly and without controule There are yet further more generous and sublime remedies considerations and consolations to ease and cheare the soule of a discontented and pining Lover As to consider that S. Paul and very many wise men learned Divines Philosophers and others prefer a single life before marriage I hope you will beleeve them And also that marriage corrupts many great and good spirits hinders many good and worthy actions and enterprises I have married a wife saith one and therefore I cannot come Luke 14.20 Also to consider that it is fittest for such to marry who are of lower minds such as have the most grosse spirits more of earth than heaven in them tye such men to women to the flesh to mundane troubles cares distâ—actions c. Let the other be free and happy Also to contemne and even scoffe at Cupid and all his wooden darts like that young man who could merrily sing Sir Cupid is blinde I say Though some have thought he seeth And though he hit my heart one day A T in Cupids teeth So to endeavour to be Cupids Masters to use him as we list and if we chance to play with him a little sometimes for recreation as wise men doe with a foole or Ladies with a little dog yet let us also scoffe at contemn and despise him when we please and see good occasion But now concerning that which is the best and most glorious remedy and consolation not onely against pining Love but against all other mundane desires wants losses and crosses which is to endeavour so to be possessed and inflamed with divine love of God and heavenly joy in him and so to trust in his never fayling providence as to be most sweetly contented and pleased at heavens will and pleasure to rejoice even in losses and crosses and thinke them divine love-tokens as certainely they are to them who love him Rom. 8.28 He that loves God better than himselfe cannot but be sweetly pleased with his will in all things So let us endeavour to love him above our selves and so to be pleased with his pleasure as to say yea Vow to God men to this purpose if there be occasion as I doe now That since 't is Gods will I wish no other happinesse then what I doe enjoy but all things to be as they are since he thinks good Me thinks I neither dare nor can wish greater happinesse then to know that God whom I would love infinitely above my selfe is infinitely happy Let us then endeavour to be of such an heavenly temper so enlightened with divine Love and Joyes as to have little or no roome left in our soules for carnall grosser love and joyes while we are elevated in heavenly thoughts and contemplations for certainly those spirits which are truly raised to the knowledge of divine things and doe well know the Art of heavenly contemplations are elevated above all the love and pleasures of the earth inasmuch as eternall heavenly felicities are above humane temporary earthly vanities and not finding any thing on earth worthy of their love and desires they doe note and set out their desires their pleasures and felicities in heaven So as they doe in part beforehand taste of the sweetnesse of those delights which they pretend to receive at the end of their life which makes them very graciously to set under their feet all the Love and pleasures of the earth while their soules are in such contemplations directing their aimes to heaven And while they are in these divine extasies their spirits are so strong as they doe overcome their carnall desires so heavenly as they doe then esteeme the greatest pleasures of the body as this of carnall Love but as dung and drosse in comparison of the heavenly Love and pleasures which they enjoy in their soules And in such contemplations and comparison they rejoyce more inâ—contemning this earthly love and pleasures then in enjoying the same What need wee care for farthings who may have gold enough for earthly that may have heavenly happinesse But as Saint Paul signifies Marriage hinders this divine Love and heavenly pleasures He that is married saith he careth for the things of the world how he may please his wife But he that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord c. 1 Cor. 7.32 c. One doubted not to say that if men could live without desiring women and other superfluous things of the world they would be visited and very familiarly accompanied with Angels And certainely there bee many married men in the world if they did but truly know the excellency of such a contemplative heavenly life and did seriously consider how freely and joyfully Batchelors may live they would even runne through fire and water to be so happy But now lest married men should be too much displeased with what I have written Let me tell them I write this chiefly to comfort ease and cheere the hearts of discontented melancholy pining languishing Lovers And herein I thinke I have endeavoured to doe a very good deed and to shew very good causes and reason enough to cheere comfort and rejoice the most sad drooping languishing and discontented Lover if he be not gone out of his senses or without reason And let those displeased married men if any be so know or thinke that when we speake against Marriage wee meane onely of unfit and evill marriages Such as that of Spungius and Philtra They would quarrell sweare curse fight c. Let such be alwayes scoft at and remaine miserable till they mend their manners And least Batchelours should bee too averse from Marriage and such as lose their first Love should forbeare a second choyce which alwayes drowns the love of the former in oblivion and is one of the best Remedies against Loves losse for heere they finde it againe in another Let us still say as Saint Paul saith That marriage is honourable in all men and that it is good to marry though better to live single And that a Consonant equall and fit marriage when both parties bee loving kinde wise constant and of good conditions is even a
to avoyde all occasions of strife and discontent as much as they may and such as cannot be avoyded either to dissemble or contemne and to make the best use thereof And in all respects to endeavour to live lovingly familiarly and pleasantly in such sort as becomes them Saint Paul giveth us excellent directions So ought men to love their Wives saith he as their owne bodies for no man ever yet hated his owne flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it even as the Lord his Church Ephes 5.25 And againe ye men love your Wives and be not bitter unto them Col. 3.19 And to women hee saith Wives submit your selves unto your Husbands as unto the Lord for the Husband is head of the Wife even as Christ is head of the Church Ephes 5.22 S. Peter also giveth directions to this purpose in his first Epistle and third Chapter I will write the same at large for they are most excellent He begins with Wives and is longest about them they having as it seemes most need of Instruction Ye Wives saith he bee in subjection to your owne Husbands that if any obey not the Word they also may without the Word be wonne by the conversation of their Wives while they behold their chast conversation coupled with fear whose adorning let it be the ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price for after this manner in the old time the holy women also who trusted in God adorned themselves being in subjection to their owne husbands even as Sara obeyed Abraham calling him Lord whose daughters ye are as long as ye doe well c. Likewise ye husbands saith he dwell with your wives according to knowledge giving honour unto the wife as unto the weaker vessell and as being heires together of the grace of life that your prayers may not be hindered Finally be ye of one minde having compassion one of another be pittifull be courteous not rendering evil for evill or railing for railing but in contrariwise blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye may inherite a blessing Thus much S. Peter in his first Epistle Chap. 3. ver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. So then let men and their wives in all respects endeavour to live together as they ought according to such divine directions Let them alwaies be familiar kinde pleasant and as loving as may be and mutually enjoy together all the blessings and benefits belonging to this lawfull conjugall or marriage love and society And especially let them be pious and religious Then though their beauty and bodies should decay and become infirme yet their very soules may be in love with one another which is far more excellent than bodily love So while they view one another as divine and celestiall creatures as the beloved of God himselfe their loves may still kindle and increase untill both they and it ascend to that glorious Paradise of God where love all divine and heavenly flames beyond imagination and endures beyond time for ever SECTION IV. Of unlawfull Lusts the extent thereof in this Age. The miseries and remedies thereof with a briefe perswasion to marriage WHile we view the excellency of lawfull and true love let us also beware of unlawfull and raging lusts There is well nigh as much difference as one saith betweene true love and unlawfull lusts as between heaven and hell for lawfull marriage or conjugall love is honourable blessed and ordained of God A remedy against these unlawfull lusts And from this love springeth as hath been declared a million of blessed and joyfull effects But all unlawfull lusts and the effects thereof as fornications adulteries incests and the like are cursed and often forbidden and threatned against in Gods sacred Word as all men acquainted therewith doe well know and from thence proceedeth a multitude of evill and miserable effects And yet in this age how strangely doe these evils extend themselves so as it seemes it is now as it was in the Prophet Ieremies time The land is full of adulterers Ier. 23.10 It is strange to thinke how many men range after many severall women They run abroad as beasts run to rutt after every Gill and Queane they can meet with though perchance their owne wives be far more comely amiable and chast yet will they like some goatish Procullus or lustfull Clodius take all they can get and never be contented unlesse like a common Bull or Boare they may run and range where they list and would if they could have more severals than ever Solomon or Ahasuerus had or as many as the Turkes Muscovits Zeriffes and Persians have at this day And although perchance they often loath their owne actions yet in a while againe they are of another minde and Stallion-like will againe runne after their Gils and Truls and so though perhaps they may be sometimes satiated yet not satisfied Etna and Vesuvius will be as soone quenched with Oyle as their raging lust satisfied They will never bee contented with that One whom they ought to love truly and enjoy only but so inconstant and incontinent they are that within a few Moones after marriage they thinke themselves cloyed glutted grow wisesick and perchance preferre some ill favoured ill conditioned common quean before a good wife She that before marriage was wooed by many monstrous solicitations oathes promises and protestations of love is now undeservedly distasted and perchance loathed as Amnon loathed Thamar or forsaken and disrespected as Demophoon dealt with Phillis and some idle stinking whore respected before her and this perhaps for little or no cause or reason but only because it is the nature and nurture of such beasts so to doe although they be better in their owne pastures yet they will breake over all fences of credit civility conscience and Christianity for new and other pastures and although the same prove to them as Rot-grasse to sheep bring them to diseases undoing shame and misery But especially among idle young Taverne Taphouse Tipling companions their principall discourse tends to the increase of these unlawfull lusts as of women and their appurtenances of Cuckolds and Cuckoldmakers what men weare hornes what women britches and what willing ones there be in the Towne or Parish how such pieces are to be handled and many ribaldry obscene discourses songs tales and jests Of such things is their chief mirth and their wit is never so prompt as here especially among young men who usually at their pot-meetings pervert all occasions of talk into baudery and out of all other discourses they commonly fall into this and are most taken with it and this sets the young gamester on edge and if he once get the trick on it he is very unlike to leave it untill the poxe shame or some other mischiefe take him And in these Taverne and Tap-house meetings among such companions to the intent that wives may bee out of request among them and perhaps for other base
ends they endeavour to possesse one another that change and variety is good though indeed it carries away the minde from all goodnesse and true love and so divides and cloies it that it hinders all true and most delightfull pleasures in love and is often an occasion of shame and of divers diseases alwaies of sadnesse repentance or greater mischiefs but these things are not talked of or perhaps scoft at till by wofull experience they finde and feele them But these inducements to unlawfull lusts and whoring they think are no faults but fine devices and mirth while they speake but over the fields and under the Rose as by the names of trickes of youth playing with Mistresses grafting of hornes Cuckoldmaking and the like fine words which they often use and leave out adultery whoring knaving and such words as being too plaine too grosse and spoiling all the mirth though yet there be some impudent brazen-faced dissolute knaves that over their pots and among their Companions will even bragge of and glory in their Whoring and wickednesse Let us now briefly view the miseries of such unlawfull Lusts and Whoring The same often causeth to the bodies of many men loathsome diseases as Pox Gout Sciatica Convulsions Aches and divers others It usually causeth dulnesse and weaknesse Whoredome takes away the heart Hos 4.11 and often shortens life Clorus having done Floreta's work she said I make no question Sir but you are paid And he was paid indeed but to his cost Paid with a Pox he was his life he lost By reason of this unlawfvll Lusting Whoring and Knaving many men consume their estates in Feasts Banquets Revelling Pride and Gifts thinking therby to seeme magnificent and please their Minions who when they have emptied their Purses and as the Divell serves Witches suckt away their best blood they leave them to poverty want shame and misery These Lusts and Whoring have also in all Ages beene occasion of much jealousies strife dissention disturbance and subversion of multitudes of persons families townes and kingdoms The same hath bin the ruine of strong men as Sampson of wise men as Solomon of Priests as Helies sonnes of Elders as in the story of Susanna Histories are very full of Examples in this kinde as of Caracalla the Emperour Childericke the first of that name King of France Teundezillus King of Spaine Redoaldus King of Lombardy Mulleasses King of Thunis Abusahid King of Fesse and his sixe sonnes of Tarquin Antonius Cleopatra Appius Claudius Alexander Medices Duke of Florence Galleatius Duke of Millaine Peter Lewis Duke of Placentia Ione Queen of Naples and others innumerable The same was an occasion of the destruction of the old World of Sodome Gomorrah of the Sychemites of Troy of Persepolis of Spain in the Raign of King Rodericke and of many other Townes and Countries From this root of unlawfull Lusts springeth also to the soule of man a multitude of Evils and Miseries such as commonly attend fornications Adulteries Incests Rapes and the like From hence commeth Cares Feares Jealousies Perplexities Enmities Contention hatred heartburnings Paines Sadnesse Dulnesse and sometimes fiery dotâ—ge madnesse breach of of Vowes Treacheries Duels and murders are hereby occasioned Shame and Repentance is certainely the end thereof or worse Despaire and everlasting misery without Reconciliation to God through Christ our Saviour Thus it appeares though these unlawfull Lusts may seeme to promise much as the Harlot did to the young Man to take their fill of Love Prov. 7.18 Yet this filling proves but emptinesse or rather fils the heart full of Evill Sorrow and misery The same brings forth but a Wind-egge a Moone Calfe some imperfect Embrio or Monstrous Birth as Shame Melancholy Sorrow Diseases Misery and perchance Ruine both of Body and Soule for an Whore is a deepe ditch c. Prov. 23.7 and 22.14 And hee that goeth after her goeth as an Oxe to the slaughter as a Foole to the Stockes and till a Dart strike through his Liver c. Pro. 7.22 23. So though the same seemeth to be pleasant as Honey and Oyle at first yet the end is bitter as Wormewood and sharpe as a two edged Sword saith King Solomon Prov. 5.4 and her house is the way to death and hell verse 5. and chap. 7.27 Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge Hebr. 13.4 and will be a swift witnesse against them Mal. 3.5 Reade also Prov. 6.32 33. Iob 31.12 1 Pet. 2.11 1 Cor. 6.15 1 Thess 4.3 and Col. 3.5 The serious Consideration of all these evils and miseries may justly cause men speedily to repent amend and for ever greatly hate and endevour to avoyd such unlawfull Lusts You Courtiers and others who thinke it a trimme peece of glory to get a Mistresse and a Ladies favour forsooth you who esteeme and call your Minions or Whores divine and caelestiall names and would like Adam give Paradise if you had it for an Apple venture heaven to satisfie your base and unlawfull Lusts you that adore these Victimes and thinke your selves most happy when you can tempt the chastity of these female creatures and overcome them to your Lusts what doe you but with Ixion embrace a cloude for Iuno What doe you enjoy and adore but a Crust full of Corruption that must shortly rot and turne to Putrifaction What a thing is this a peece of Clay quickned with life adores a Snowy dunghill but there shall come a time when the crust of your pleasures shall be broken and you shall see what shame griefe dulnesse aches diseases evils and miseries lies within what have you done but acted the Devils stratagems which he hath taught you Thinke what horror you shall suffer at the day of judgement unlesse you repent and amend Other Remedies usually prescribed against these unlawfull Lusts are A moderate coole dry and sparing diet fasting prayer continuall action in some good businesse or imployments and to be alwayes studying contemplating or thinking of other good matters especially of heavenly things But one of the best and most usuall Remedies for such as are of an unruly temper is lawfull Conjugall Love and Marriage for such desires should be contained in the chaste breast of one Companion onely and that in the way of Marriage Who doth otherwise transgresses the Lawes of God of Nature of Nations of Families and of Justice Hee breaketh faith trust and constancy brings in uncertainties jealousies discontents and as hath beene shew'd a multitude of evils and miseries Let therefore married men endeavour to love their Wives as much as they can and let Batchelours if they may marry such as from their hearts they can truely Love for true Lovers as I conceive may take more pleasure in the enjoying one another then if they might possesse the Love and society of as many Minions and beauties as they can desire in the world for why diversity of Loves as in objects to the sight hinder intire and true pleasure in any And wee know that one dainty
in respect of our weak apprehension such comparisons and similitudes are and ought to be used in a convenient manner So as wee may make a very good use of earthly felicities in this respect as men doe of Spectacles for by and through the good use of these our dimme eies may see the cleerer into heavenly Excellencies and consequently be the more enamour'd of them and so stirred up to seeke and enjoy them And in this respect of Conjugall Love the sacred Scripture gives us many and faire examples As in divers places thereof Christ and his Church are compared to Lovers betrothed and to be married together And the Church is called the Bride the Lambes wife Rev. 21.9 and the end of the world is called their Marriage day Rev. 19.17 S. Iohn Baptist calleth Christ the Bridegroom his Chur the bride Ioh. 3.29 And Christ calleth himself the Bridegroome Marke 3. That song of songs betweene two Lovers betrothed each to other is by the consent of all Divines a most pleasant Love-song between Christ and his Church I might instance in many other places What remaines then but that from this earthly we looke up seeke and enjoy that fountaine and essence of all love lovelinesse beauty sweetnesse and excellency which is infinitely more loving lovely sweet excellent and permanent than all the other beauties delights and excellencies of the world if they were all united together If we could truly thinke what God is how lovely beautifull glorious and in all respects infinitely excellent our hearts would presently be filled with love and admiration of him insomuch as then we should settle our dearest thoughts on him and in his love we should be filled with sweetest flames of joy and pleasures One thing have I desired saith King David and I will still desire to behold the beauty of the Lord. His beauty infinitely excels the beauty and glory of the Sun Moone Stars Angels heaven or what is most excellent when therefore we see the most inchanting beauty and lovelinesse the world can shew us let us thinke there is yet infinitely more beauty and lovelinesse in God the Creator and fountaine of this Let us endeavour to see a kinde of infinitely higher purer amiable divine and heavenly perfection even through the frailty of a face Who would not gaze himselfe into admiration when he shall see so rich a treasure as Vertue and divine Grace dwell in so pure a Cabinet as a lovely beauty or countenance If such beauty and glory can dwell with corruption what excellencies are in the Saints above Oh if there be such beauty lovelinesse and pleasure in a creature as that it hath such power to draw thereunto the eyes eares and affections of such as behold and consider it how much more beautifull and lovely is God himselfe who is the Ocean from which these and all other excellencies spring How should this divine beauty of God attract our desires and inflame us with love and joy Me thinkes I cannot leave this so pleasing lovely divine subject therefore yet againe If we so much endeavour and be so much affected with the comelinesse of creatures how should we be rapt at the admirable glorious beauty and lustre of God himselfe Even the brightest loveliest beauty on earth what is it but a very little derivative from that infinitely perfect and primitive beauty which is God but a sparke from that infinite fire A glimpse from that sun And if this little image and Idea of beauty which is but corporall and externall so delight us Oh could we view and contemplate that infinitely pure and perfect beauty in God How sweetly and necessarily should we as the Angels love him and be delighted therewith Yea if with S. Peter we could truly espie but one Ray thereof We should indeed say It is good for us to be here and greatly desire to build Tabernacles and dwell where we might ever behold such beauty such glory such happinesse Also when we consider how our selves and all true lovers freely and gladly offer love to one another though we be but earthly creatures Oh let us thinke how freely God himselfe offers love to us and how gladly we should embrace his love and as far as we can love him againe He offers his love most freely indeed to such as will accept the same For Wisedome cries out in the streets c. Prov. 8. How lovingly doth he invite us to come into his faire Garden to eate and drinke with him to be merry and to enjoy his presence for ever Cant. 5. c. Oh what love is this The infinitely glorious King of heaven most freely offers infinite love to infinitely sinfull and miserable beggars on earth so God offers love to man Oh let not us be so infinitely blinde foolish and wretched as to refuse the same but let us embrace it with most eager swift flaming desires and affections and let us wholly dedicate our loves and our selves to him Let us love nothing else but so as it may encrease our thankfulnesse and love to him our joy and glory in him and as it may please and glorifie him Let us deny our selves and already endeavour to goe out of our selves to live above our selves with him even a life heavenly on earth Let us so poure forth our soules into God and insoul our selves into him as that his divine love and joy yea himselfe may wholly possesse us and the rather since he loves us so freely Hos 14.4 and with an everlasting love Ier. 31.3 When a foule is once thus possest with the beauty lovelinesse and free love of God to it it will be often thinking of him often mounting up to heaven as a vapour exhaled by that Sun of Glory often gliding after its love being so attracted by the allurements of his most amiable faire divine beauty and lovelinesse and also the most free love and assistance of God himselfe Insomuch as it will be enlightened with glorious thoughts high apprehensions ardent affections and heavenly joyes in him For hee drawes us with the bands of love Hos 11.4 Yet further of this most excellent and heavenly subject which we may the rather remember and contemplate when we have considered the great love of true lovers and what they will suffer for one anothers sakes But then oh to thinke of the infinite love of God to us which infinitely transcends that of humane lovers to consider that this infinite glorious God should send his only Son a part of himselfe to redeeme and glorifie us who have so offended him that this part of himselfe this very God our Saviour Jesus Christ should unvaile himselfe of all his glory come to live on earth and suffer so much such a death for such miserable wretches as we are when we were his enemies to deliver us from death hell and all misery and to merit for us heaven and all felicity it is sufficient to make us overcome and with S. Ignatius even to weep
Nymphes be present in this Imaginary Paradise Let them search within the compasse of Nature all the choysest Pleasures which it hath produced in the word hitherto to charme our Senses and to ravish our Spirits In summe let them assemble in one Subject all whatsoever is and hath beene most beautifull and delitious in the World Yet are all these but meere Chimera's and as a vaine Idea a meere shadow of a body of pleasure in comparison of these divine thoughts and pleasures which the Saints may and shall enjoy in the Contemplation of God and of his infinite Beauty Glory Love and of the Felicities which hee hath prepared for them that love him Their thoughts and Contemplations even in this life may be composed of unutterable Glories Crownes Kingdomes Divine Visions heavenly exultations of Spirit of extreame marveilous Joyes Pleasures and Felicities It is impossible to expresse the pleasures of a heavenly soule The Contentments thereof are not to be so called It 's Extasies and Ravishments cannot bee uttered Saint Paul himselfe could not expresse the same He could not tell whether he were in his body or no. So as the heart that feeles them cannot comprehend them Well and truely therefore doth Saint Paul say That such pleasures have not entred into the heart of man as God hath prepared for them that love him Not entred into the heart of Man This seemes to be a Riddle how can man enjoy it then Indeed hee must be above a naturall man above himselfe that enjoyes such pleasures he must be a Partaker of the Divine Nature of a super-humane and heavenly temper for all grace is above Nature And if by reason of our Frailties and Infirmities we cannot attaine to such a height of Love to and Joy in God in this life yet if wee endeavour truely to love him hee who alwayes accepts the Will for the Deed and whose power is made perfect in our weaknesse and infirmities as Saint Paul saith will lovingly accept of our good Wishes Wils and Endeavours And then there shall come a time when we shall see God as he is know him as wee are knowne love him beyond expression and enjoy in him infinite pleasures and felicities for ever And then wee shall bee made like him as Saint Iohn saith 1 Iohn 3.2 In such sort as fire by uniting it selfe to Iron in an exceeding extreame heate doth purifie the Iron and convert the same into fire In like manner but above all degrees of comparison doth God purifie and reduce us to a being supernaturall and deified unites and takes the soule into his owne divine Nature And this fire which shall so unite us to God is Divine Love And then shall we have a new being we shall bee like him 1 Iohn 3.2 Phil. 3.21 One with him as his members and as a wife to her husband Rev. 21. Wee shall dwell in him and he in us 1 Iohn 4.16 And then wee shall also have a new name that is of our Spouse of our Beloved of God himselfe for saith our Saviour I will write upon him the Name of my God Revel 3.12 So as hereby the soule becomes a part of God and as it seemes may be said to bee no more a soule but God himselfe and with him and in him enjoyes all happinesse Oh then let us fervently wish and long for this time which shall be at the marriage of the Kings Sonne to which the Angels shall invite us Then shall we celebrate an everlasting wedding feast our soules shall be the Bride and Love shall be the banner over us And then shall wee enjoy infinite pleasures and felicities for ever How may the thoughts of this heavenly happinesse delight and possesse us with divine Love and Joy before hand also while we live on earth To come towards a Conclusion If we could truly say with King Davids heart I love the Lord and with Saint Peter Lord thou knowest that I love thee if all our streame could runne in that Torrent to love only him and all other things but only for him and so farre as they tend to his love and glory Oh then what peace what delight what a heaven upon earth should we enjoy If we were capable truly to love and know God it were impossible but wee should be infinitely pleased with what hee pleases and with nothing else Oh Lord if thou wouldest make me so love thee as I should and as I desire which is infinitely I should certainely enjoy such delights in thy love as would transport me to an heaven of joy immediatly Keepe me I pray thee with all my soule still in this minde to wish no other happinesse then what I enjoy in thy love of thy goodnesse to thy glory and which may encrease my love to thee Me thinkes I can desire nor wish no greater happinesse than I now enjoy in knowing that God whom I would love infinitely above my selfe is infinitely happy I doe esteeme it more happinesse to mee then heaven already to know that my Love my God is in heaven THE FOURTH PARTITION Of Eating SECTION I. The benefits of eating in generall also the abuses of eating and the extent thereof BEhold that which I have seene saith the Preacher Eccles 5.18 it is good and comely for a man to eate and to drinke and â—o take comfort in his labours for this is his portion And againe There is nothing better saith hee than to eate and drinke Eccles 2.24 The same is the gift of God chap. 3.13 and 5.19 Iob. 36.31 It is the blessing of God Psalm 128.2 Behold sayth God by his Prophet Esay my servants shall eate and rejoyce Esay 65.13 They shall eate and praise the Lord Chap. 62.9 By eating we sustaine Nature repaire infirmities of the body satisfie hunger please our appetites and preserve life it selfe Without this happinesse of Eating we should become on earth wholy miserable enjoy nothing and must of necessity die and perish For the most solid parts of the body are sustained strengthened and repaired by eating as the humid parts are by drinking and the aierie or spirituall parts are by pleasant and comfortable savours and wholsome aire Bread strengtheneth the heart of man saith the Prophet Psal 104.15 Eating also serves to glad and rejoyce the heart And especially Gods children and servants should eate with joy and gladnesse To such speaketh the wise Preacher saying Goe thy way eate thy bread with joy and drinke thy wine with a merry heart for God accepteth thy workes Eccles 9.7 See also as before Esay 65.13.14 and 1 Tim. 4.3 And so also for good society one with another as those ancient Christians mentioned in Acts 2.46 who eate their bread together with gladnesse singlenesse of heart The moderate naturall convenient and pleasant use of eating makes the body a fit and apt instrument for the Soule yea it preserves and maintaines the whole body and soule in due temper and good disposition Though it be true indeed that
more certaine then it the minde having no more proper nor effectuall riches then this of Contentment A contented joyfull minde is the chiefest riches in the world He that covets no more riches then what he hath is as if he possâ—ssed all the riches in the world To him that desires but a little a little seemes much and we know that a little is enough to suffice nature and to live well If we desire and live according to nature and reason as we should we shall alwaies find that which is sufficient but if we live according to common opinion while wee live wee shall never finde it A man that hath but any Art or Science yea that hath but his hands at will how can he justly complaine of want or poverty since in nature and reason so little and so few things are necessary and sufficient those few to bee found almost every where in such plenty as being moderately used may suffice the condition of every man How happily and how healthfully doe those creatures live which follow harmelesse nature and reason How well are they pleased with conveniencies care not for curiosities nor superfluities It is a notable folly not to be contented with so much as is naturall and necessary Sufficiency is a large Seigniory a Kingdome if wee could as in nature and reason wee should be contented therewith If we have much yet let us not much regard the superfluity but in our minds rather set it apart for losses and crosses We may take as much felicity in sufficiency as if we possessed all the world which if we did we could enjoy the rest onely by looking on and contemplation So may we while it is others How reasonable how easie how happy is it for a man to be contented with a reasonable meane estate and having so to thinke himselfe right blessed therein to live a life full of joy and happinesse to live and raigne as a Vice-Roy over his owne affections to be so farre from grumbling and being discontented as to bee rather very thankfull and joyfull that his lot is fallen into so faire a ground as to have sufficient and not to want what is naturall and necessary If we have not abundance yet since we have that which is needfull convenient decent and sufficient in all respects why should we not be most pleasingly contented therewith as an estate that heaven seems to smile upon with a gracious aspect and promise of blessing if we can but enjoy it bee thankfull and live well therewith If we can doe this then may we be assured the estate that God gives us is best for us whether it be little or much he was ever so carefull of his children as to give them that which is most for their good Vnworthy men they are who can thinke God will suffer such to want that which is good for them who with a dutiful endeavour do depend on him Let us truly love serve him beleeve and upon my soule he will never faile us in what is best for us either he will give us that which we desire or better if not in this life yet most certainly in that which is infinitely better in heaven eternally yea in both if it be good for us Let me be so dutifull and depend on him and I have ground enough to be contented and heartily joyfull .. Henceforth then it shall be my resolution to bee contented and sweetly pleased onely with what God pleases I shall enjoy Further concerning Gods love care and providence towards his children Read Psal 34 10.37.3 c. 84.11 Matth. 6.25 Luke 12 23. And to this purpose Saint Paul adviseth us Be content saith he with such things as ye have For God hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13.5 Some men would perswade us that it is impossible to finde any firme quiet and contentment in this world without wishing or desiring any other thing or condition then wee now enjoy whether little or much But if we will be guided by divine reason and wisedome what is more easie what impossibility can there be to regulate our wils to Gods What reason is there to the contrary but that wee should even with good grace and sweetest contentment obey our Soveraigns our heavenly fathers decrees and live upon earth onely of the pure gifts and blessings of heaven without wishing any other then what he wils and pleases If we could truly love and know God it were impossible but we should be infinitely pleased with all that hee pleases and with nothing else Oh how rich how happy are they who are able to undergoe what heaven hath decreed without complaint without desiring any other without arguing or distrusting divine providence still endeavoring to doe the best they may and still being sweetly contented and pleased with what heaven wils What greater riches then this can a man wish or desire To conclude then let us therefore above all rely on the divine providence of God and trust him in all things So may we assuredly know that what estate soever we possesse is most good most fit for us This is the way to be contented so may wee rejoyce in the riches which we do possesse and not feare the losse or want thereof SECTION V. Of the good and divine use of Riches IF God please to give us Riches let us use them well Though Riches be often abused by evil vitious men to their great prejudice and sometimes ruine yet prudent religious men can use the same as also the benefits which spring from thence to many good ends and purposes as to the glory of God and good of his Church And although poverty may be a blessed estate also to such as can use the same well as hath been shewed in the fourth Section So likewise is Riches an happy estate to such as can use them well as hath been also shewed in the first Section as being the gifts and blessings of God From which also spring many blessed and happy effects in their good use and imployment And it seemes more praise-worthy and a greater vertue to command and use Riches well then to contemne and neglect them unlesse in some cases as in comparison of heavenly Treasures divine Happinesse They who otherwise contemne and neglect them seeme to doe the same out of pride and presumption contemning nnd neglecting even the gifts and blessings of God as if they were wiser in refusing then God in offering the enjoyance of such blessings for so they are in their good use And also they doe unworthily discharge themselves of many good duties exercises and vertues which are required in the good and honest government of Riches in their acquisition and attainment in their conservation distribution good use and imployment Not to desire search conserve use well and so enjoy Riches in a good and vertuous manner is rather weaknesse of mind then wisedome The lawfull enjoying of Riches and the benefits springing from
thence may stirre up our mindes to their fountaine and so to enjoy God in them and them through him And the same also may stirre us up to many other good and divine duties and graces as first to thankfulnesse and love of God who gives them To speake ingeniously and my soule is very lively toucht with what I speake every time when I consider how God hath bestowed many inestimable gratious favours upon me both concerning my body and soule Among very many others to name onely these That he hath elevated me above the temptations of poverty want and misery to which the greatest part of the world is reduced and hath given me what I thinke is necessary and very largely sufficient for me and also hath very often cheared elevated and enriched my soul too with his divine Riches of heavenly joyes consolations and illuminations Oh I cannot but ever greatly love his divine goodnesse ever blesse his gracious providence and loving favours for the same yet confesse that I have no way deserved the least part thereof but rarher the contrary The poorest most disconsolate and most miserable man in the world wherein did I differ from him before time was when we were both nothing and yet God hath bestowed such blessings on me rather then on him whereof to reach the reason were to finde the bottomes of infinite mercies to which I must remain for ever infinitely obliged Oh God that thou wouldst make me as I desire if it might be infinite thankfull infinitely to love thee Also Riches should excite us to and encourage us in all other duties of piety That since God hath given them to us we also should also serve him the more freely willingly cheerefully and diligently Let us then by all meanes expresse our thankfulnesse in our diligent and willing endeavours to serve and please him And parsicularly Riches should stirre us up to charity towards the poore the rather since God might justly have made them rich and us the poorest and most miserable creatures in the world Oh let us in the midst of our plenty remember pitty and relieve the necessities and grievous miseries of poore miserable men according to our abilities and good opportunities God hath the rather given us Riches that we should doe so Let us take old Tobits counsell who saith Give almes and turn not thy face from the poore and then the face of the Lord shall not be turned away from thee If thou hast much give plenteously if thou hast little give according to that little for so thou layest up for thy selfe a good reward c. Tob. 4.7 8 9 10. Oh see what gratious promises and encouragements are to this purpose He that hath mercy on the poore happy is he Prov. 14.21 He shall be blessed 22.9 He shall not lacke 28.27 Blessed is he that considereth the poor and needy the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble c. Psal 41.12 God loveth a cheerfull giver 2 Cor. 9.7 With such sacrifices hee is well pleased Heb. 13.6 He that hath pitty on the poore lendeth unto the Lord and he will pay him againe Prov. 19.17 It seemes with infinite and eternall Interest even with heavenly treasures Mat. 19.21 Luke 12.33 1 Tim. 6.19 O then let us take our Saviours counsell Lay up for your selves treasures in Heaven c. Mat. 16.20 But that which I have chiefly intended to discourse of in this Section concerning the divine use of Riches is That the same may stirre us up to search after and enjoy in some measure even on earth those infinitely more excellent and permanent Riches of God himselfe of heaven The Riches and felicities of the earth are but reflections from the divine beames of heavenly treasures and happinesse whereby noble soules are divinely directed and illuminated by the help of these small rivolets to search out that true source and fountaine of all happinesse God himselfe and his heavenly Treasures that is his divine graces and felicities That treasure those bright pearles mentioned 2 Cor. 4.6 7. which shineth out of darknesse and lightneth the earthly vessels of our hearts which is the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 7. How divinely doth Saint Paul wish to see and enjoy these Riches O that the eyes of our understanding were enlightened that we might know what is the Riches of Gods inheritance in the Saints Eph. 1.18 Let therefore these externall treasures of the earth stirre up our soules to the desire and acquist of the eternall and heavenly Riches which are infinitely more excellent and of which these of the earth are but as shadowes and little forecasts It is the poore mans onely hope to be rich in the world to come and this hope if divine and heavenly enough is sufficient to possesse the poorest man with Riches farre more worth then all the huge amazements of earthly treasures The rich man also doth or may with reason imagine that if externall transitory terrestriall Riches affoord him some happinesse he shall be much more happy in the enjoying of the eternall and heavenly Insomuch that even by reason wee may as it were by these earthly in some sort learne and espy those infinitely more excellent Riches of heaven so as children at first by learning a few letters doe afterwards spell reade and so in time attaine to much knowledge and wisedome and then being good schollers they doe in comparison of the more excellent things they have learned even contemne the reading of their A B C and spelling bookes yet still scorne not to use these letters and rudiments of learning but so as they can be above them and use them as they please for their owne advantage So we being at first but as children in the knowledge of heavenly things may yet even by the Riches of the earth in their good use and enjoyance learne to spel and spye therefrom in some measure the Riches of heaven And so having from these transitory and earthly felicities learned eternall heavenly happinesse we may be able to be above and even to despise these earthly in comparison of the heavenly Treasures which are infinitely more excellent yet so as that without such comparison and in respect of their Authour of our nature and necessities and of their good use we stâ—ll estâ—eme them well accordingly still use them for our advantage and so in all respects to increase our happinesse still endeavouring by these as by letters to read learn further into those more excellent treasures and felicities of heaven And they are so much more excellent as that all the Riches in the world are not comparable to the least degree of divine grace since by the price thereof we may buy the eternall Riches of God himselfe The Lord is rich unto all that call upon him Rom. 10.12 And these Riches are indeed infinitely beyond mans weake expression or shallow earthly apprehension Saint Paul himselfe it seems could
whetteth love Though indeed such as will not be gained either without much importunity or much neglect are to be thought no whit the better in that respect but rather they may be thought the more nice proud or scornfull or else that they thinke their lovers not good enough or not fit and convenient for them But that which in this respect I intend only to treat so at large is Artificiall discourse yet before I begin let me tel you that I think it a very necessary good deed to endevour to help and comfort such as are afflicted and need comfort and who need the same more then lovers If you will not beleeve me looke upon thereupon their pale cheeks and sad melancholy looks Consider their sighs c. And to helâ— some of these I intend to endeavour in this ensuing art of discourse and in the next Section after to shew remedies and consolations against losse of love against an oversottish and doting love and against the miseries incident to crosse marriages c. so as they may remaine sweetly contented notwithstanding I doe also thinke it a very necessary charitable and good deed well pleasing to God and good men to endeavour to increase love joy and happinesse especially this Conjugall or Marriage-Love and delights Oh that â— could invent and write of such sweet â—nd pleasing love delights and discourâ—es thereof as might alwaies possesse â—he hearts of true and vertuous lovers with as much joy and happinesse in â—ach other as they can wish or thinke â—f Reverend and good old men Give â—e leave also I pray to write a few â—ords to you before I begin to write â—his ensuing Art of discourse If any â—f you chance to read the same though some of your age are growne much too severe and rigid yet I cannot but hope that your goodnesse will remember your former more youthfull warme and loving hearts and no whit hinder or grudge but rather be well pleased with and rejoyce to thinke of such joyes and felicities of lovers as I shall discourse of though perchance it be not solid severe and serious enough to agree with your age yet I hope you will thinke it fit convenient and good for young nuptiall true-lovers for whose sake it is especially written Yet I shall endeavour according to my weake abilities to write the same in a serious artificial though pleasing delightfull way And if any man shall too severely and rigidly thinke the ensuing love discourse too light of this subject leâ— me tell them I have many good precepts presidents and good reasons for what I have done But I intend to answer such objections toward the end oâ— this Section therefore now to proceedâ— Here followeth the Art of Love-discourse THe Preface Forasmuch as heretofore at idle times to recreate and please my selfe I began to study the Art of Discourse in some cases though I love silence in some other I now thinke it not amisse out of the same to take a little diligence and paines or rather a little pleasure further to recreate my selfe to please â—rue Lovers to encrease love and joy â—n them and give an instance only concerning this matter of Love ARtificiall discourse being added â—o other Love-devices is most pleasant and delightfull doth much enâ—rease love and adde a greater joy and pleasure to all other Love-delights â—nd felicities We know that even â—ommon frivolous discourse being â—poken in the way of love will much â—lease and take many female Lovers â—uch as are idle Complements News Tales Jests Songs even such as are very idle and frivolous and though spoken and acted by some apish coxcombe swaggering fellow or pot-companion such as especially light phantastick things such as some Women are will be over head and eares in Love But now if some well given faire conditioned young man for to such I chiefly direct this discourse shall withall adde a sweet pleasing convincing and materiall discourse to his Lover whom I will imagine to be alike vertuous and well conditioned young creature it will be indeed sufficient sweetly to captivate charme and even overcome them to fill their hearts full of joy and pleasure and so to inchant them as it is like they will ever after be joyned together in an indissoluble bond of true flaming love Now for the manner and matter of our discourse I have alwaies thought it vanity and lightnesse rather then courtesie to discourse according to the Gallants fashion of our times by meere Complements Congies apish gestures and meere finicall words To say Sweet Mistresse or Madame I honour your shoo-strings the ground you tread upon am proud to kisse your hand it is my ambition to be your servants servant and the like to present and offer not only our services but lives to the command of our Mistresses as wee use to call them though God knowes we never meane to be their servants On the other side I think it also folly to study sing and talke to them in high straines of wit and figurative exornations lest they bee not understood and so perchance laughed at But in this respect a plaine yet artificiall pleasing materiall moving and convincing way is best I doe not intend to prescribe a set Method to discourse in for why me thinkes a premeditated set discourse shewes something a barrennesse of wit though not of judgement and is commonly uttered with little passion or feeling which is in some measure taken away by premeditation and consequently not so freely lively and with such a grace as otherwise unlesse we can counterfeit like a Player our passions and have wit enough to come out and in upon all occasions of discourse On the otherside we are not straitened in this subject for want of matter to discourse of on all occasions even in an extemporary manner for every smile action object event or speech may afford a Lover matter of sudden discourse and indeed love of it self if it be fervent whets the wit and so stirs up the spirits that we may say of Lovers as of fine wits They can make use of any thing But neither of this extemporary discourse is my intention to write of but rather a mixture of both which I will call an habit of discourse or an extemporeall Method A Method not so much to discourse in as to discourse by in an extemporary manner in such sort as a man may be furnished with continuall abilities of discourse in an extemporary Method as I may say or a sudden and well composed manner without brainsicke light idle frivolous prating on the one side or too much pumping for wit on the other side but with a ready yet perswasive and materiall discourse on all occasions But this Art of discourse in generall concerning all matters will not easily be given to weake Novices yet the meere observation thereof may do even such men some good concerning this matter of love but in generall It will rather require that a man be well learned
knot and fill them with sweet streames and fountaines both of terrestriall and of heavenly joyes and delights Now to proceed and give a taste as I said how to attaine to be a skilfull Artist in this or the like art of discourse Which because it may be said in generall almost in as few words as particularly of Love I shall endeavour very briefly to shew the same in a generall way which is First by often and serious meditation to imprint into our mindes the grounds and heads thereof As Numbers Particulars Observations Arguments Examples Comparisons Contrarieties Similitudes Effects Appendances Circumstances and the like as perfectly as we doe our A B C. whereby we may as readily call to minde those grounds as wee can letters to spell words with which is as fast as we can speake Or as in the Art of Brachigraphy or short-writing wee readily know at which end side or place of the letter to set the tittle dash or ensuing letter whereby we know what Vowell Dipthong or Word it signifies even as suddenly as we can thinke of any thing Or as Preachers doe especially take notice and imprint into their mindes the heads divisions and grounds of their Sermons Secondly having thus imprinted the grounds in our mindes we ought to be furnished with sufficient learning and skill concerning the matter of our discourse In generall to bee skilfull in such Arts and Sciences as we shall have most occasion to discourse of whether of Divinity Physicke Law Philosophy History Poetry or other so as I might instance also in this Art concerning the Divine the Lawyer the Physitian the Gentleman and divers others as well as the Lover in their severall waies of discoursing and also concerning divers usuall occasions if my skill would attaine thereunto but this Treatise will not admit thereof that so by observation reading or otherwise we might be furnished with sufficient learning matter examples and skill to this purpose in such sort that we may as some ancient and well furnished Orators Lawyers Physitians and others can in their severall waies readily discourse even Raptim upon any Maxime Ground or Rule in their Sciences So then impressing the grounds of this Art in our mindes and furnishing our selves with a ready ability to discourse upon these grounds is the way to attain to this Art of discourse And although the perfection thereof be very difficult to attaine unto in such a ready manner yet even the meere observation or reading thereof may lend us some light and in this matter of Love be an occasion of increasing the same and of possessing our selves and Lovers with very pleasing joyes and delights Thus much concerning the Art of discourse Yet now me thinkes I cannot but imagine that some too severe Cato churlish Timon or carping Momus will esteeme this Love-discourse too light and wanton for I know there be many in our times so Stoicall and rigid as they will scarce allow lawfull moderate convenient or necessary recreations for this discourse was chiefly written for meere tecreation amidst more serious occasions and so I desire it may be read and that they esteeme honest and harmelesse Love-delights and discourses though in the way of marriage Prophanenesse But surely piety and vertue is neither so rugged nor austere as some men would make the same and although their rigidnesse make them unkinde and therein unjust to themselves yet certainly in those things which are free from impugning the Lawes of God and humanity we may at convenient times allow our selves honest solaces and recreations especially in such a necessary good so agreeing to the Lawes of God and man of Nature and necessity of the Preservation of Mankinde And we may know that it is good and commendable for such as doe or intend to live in that honourable and blessed state of Marriage to be possest with Conjugall love and so good that such men are councelled in the sacred Book of God to love their wives as their owne selves yea as Christ loved his Church Ephes 5. And this Love is not only a remedy against a multitude of irksome troubles evils and miseries but an occasion of very many blessings and very much happinesse indeed as hath been shewed and therefore consequently such honest harmlesse Love-discourses devices and pleasures as increase such love and happinesse are to be esteemed good and commendable And I conceive that no well conditioned happy man none but envious malitious malecontented spirits or else ignorant stupid sottish people who are not capable of the excellency and felicities of such true heroical love will hinder dislike or grudge true Lovers of such honest harmlesse and commendable Love-delights and pleasures And I am not so Cynicall as one saith of himselfe but that I thinke a modest expression of such amorous pleasing conceits and fancies as are free from obscenity and sute with reason and goodnesse will yet very well become my yeares in which not to be in a good and convenient manner sensible of Love were as great an argument of much stupidity and blockishnesse as an over-sottish and doting affection were of extreame folly But what need I excuse my selfe in this when it is well knowne that many whole Volumes have been written of Love And that divers famous and worthy Philosophers Physitians Historians Poets and others have written as lightly and more wantonly than I have done of this subject and yet been highly commended for the same and I thinke in divers respects they have done much good thereby encreasing true love and happinesse in very many that have read their bookes and writings Yea since as before I shewed that God himself is the author of this conjugall or marriage love and doth in the holy Scriptures commend the same unto us in a very pleasing way as Prov. 5.17 18. Eccles 9.9 Mat. 19.4 5 6. Marke 10.7 Ephes 5. Chapter and divers other places and in all that booke of the Song of songs though in a divine way there are very many sweet and pleasant expressions of love and the delights thereof and that in a Song or Poem If then such pleasing expressions may and is good to be used in such a divine way certainly it may and is also in this humane way of lawfull love without all exceptions but only by such as are either malitious or too severe rigid over-nice and therein unwise men But since good things yea even the best things may be perverted and abused as Meat to Gluttony Wine to Ebriety Riches and honour to the increase of all vices so Love to Lust I desire and pray you Christian Reader as you will answer to God that you will not so abuse as to apply and pervert any of this Love-discourse to the provoking of unlawfull lusts but only to good purposes as to the increase of lawfull and convenient marriage and the honest harmlesse and laudable joyes delights and felicities thereof And so I hope and doubt not but this discourse will doe some
Terrestriall Paradise and from thence as hath been dilated proceedeth a marvellous deale of happy blessed effects But me thinkes I cannot yet leave this subject of the vanity frailty folly and miseries of Love I meane now only of an oversottish doting Love it is so necessary For seeing the excellency of lawful Love and the many sweet and blessed effects springing from thence it is great reason to take heed that we doe not as many men in the world have done plunge our selves beyond the Boundmarkes of Reason and Discretion into an over-sottish and doting affection Oh how strange and what pitty it is to thinke how many otherwise most famous wise and best of men have beene so bewitched and besotted with this over-doting Love though but for a time and after repented in so much as they have committed some Crimes and many grosse dotages for Love as we may read of Iacob Ruben Iudah Sampson David and Solomon to omit the more unwotthy ones in the sacred Scriptures To reade and consider also of Caesar Haniball Theseus Achilles Pompey Marke Anthony Troylus Hercules and many other famous great and noble spirits also of Socrates himselfe and many of the wisest Philosophers and many Worthies in all Ages What mad foolish and strange prankes practises and dotages they have acted for Love Also to heare the Poets tell of men that degenerate into Dogs Hogs Asses Bruites for Love as Lycaon into a Wolfe Calista a Beare Elpenor and Grillus into Swine by Circe Apulaeus into an Asse yea Iupiter himselfe for Europa Laeda and others into a Bull a Swan a golden Showre a Satyr a Shepheard for Love expressing by their Morals how men by their foolish over-fond Love and Lusts make Beasts and Bruits of themselves How can we but strangely wonder to consider that so many thousand men created after Gods owne Image Enobled with such an excellent soule should be so besotted with this over-fond and doting Love as that they doe even strive by all meanes more to please their Lovers then God himselfe and all the world besides and so neglect the love of that infinitely to be beloved and Glorious Amiable and loving God for the love of so fraile and vaine a creature Yea and even to worship and Idolatrize to her So as they desire thinke of dream of delight in nothing more almost nothing else but her though millions of choysest delights and felicities both earthly and heavenly present themselves to their enjoyment if they had wit and grace enough to enjoy the same Yet they very foolishly neglect all these and place all their felicity in this weake fraile vaine creature She must be as they say their Mistresse forsooth their life their soule their Angell their Paradise their Goddesse indeed rather their Idoll their every thing Their mouthes hearts eyes eares thoughts are never well but when they are full of her As he that is bit with a mad Dog thinkes all he sees is Dogs so this foolish fond mad Lover thinkes sayes and wishes to heare and see almost nothing else but her and without her he is even all amort and as melancholy as a Cat. They are even as mad of love as if they had eaten Hemlockes and wanted Helebore and in this madnesse so blinded they are and deluded as to thinke their Mistresses the most beautifull lovely sweet amiable neat fine witty wise and the onely Paragon of their Sexe when in the eyes of others that are not so mad blinde and deluded there is no such matter but rather they see them perhaps very homely however vaine fraile and perchance unworthy things And yet these brainsicke Inamoratoes will say and thinke forsooth that they are sweeter than all the severall or compounded flowers and perfumes fairer and brighter than Lillies Ivory Glasse Silver Gold Pearles Stars Moone Sunne Angels yea even as heaven it selfe All these are but thought on and brought to expresse and delineate her All former and all other beauties â—hat ever the world could or now can shew all the Nymphs Graces and Goddesses must stand behinde hold the Candle to and waite upon her beauties worth c. Also to thinke how servile and slavish they are to their Mistresses even as if they were their drudges lackeyes bondmen they will refuse no labour no toile saying they will goe as farre as Jericho and grand-Caire or to the worlds end for their sakes undertake as great adventures as all the Knights Errants suffer all perils fight with all opposites doe wonders for her sake Yea and as Dido for Aeneas Piramus with Thisbe that they will even die for their sakes And also to consider how they plunge themselves into a multitude of biting cares feares suspitions perturbations discontents jealousies and sorrows how they pine languish looke pale leane anâ— how they doe even neglect and spoilâ— themselves Yea how that many havâ— run into fowle errors flatteries crimes immodest prankes impudency slanders detractions treacheries enmities hatred malice envy cruelty bloodshed murders and madnesse for love And here perchance I also may bee taxed of folly for writing this Love-discourse Well since I am in a humour and in a Section to write of the folly and vanity of Love I would if I thought it would doe any good confesse it I know some very wise men indeed have confessed it to be a folly to love and to write thereof c. As one of the most famous of them saith in one of his Poems D. I. Donne I am two fooles I know For loving aad for saying so In whining Poetry But where 's that wise man that would not be I If she would not deny c. And perchance Momus will say that I am a third foole also that is in Print and here Momus shewes his discretion chusing to be perchance a Cobler or a foole in Love rather privately than What doe you thinke that I le be so disgracd Quoth Momus as to go beyond my Last No no said he It is not my intent To shew my selfe to be a foole in Print He is perhaps so sottish or braine-sick as not to be capable of such an heroicall quickning and delightfull temper as true love yet it is like he can be foolishly fond talke baudily and doe worse then he talkes but leaving Momus againe to his carping fretting pining folly I returne and proceed The truth is that lawfull true love is good and commendable and it is only an over-fond unfit or undue Love that I write against in this Section We may plainly see the difference if we be wise for from the one proceedeth as hath been said a multitude of good blessed pleasant and happy effects and from the other as hath also been shewed commeth a multitude of evils sorrows strange dotages and miseries Insomuch as me thinkes I could willingly againe write of the vanity and folly of this over-sottish and fond love though I have been so long already It is a vehement passion and perturbation of the minde