with faire Dana it was no other thing as Isidore sayth then a great masse of Golde which he made slyde in to the handes of her kéepers to betray the chastety of that fayre Lady When they make him to transforme himselfe into Amphitrio it was no other thing then the consent that Amphitrio gaue him to lye wyth his wyfe and that for the rewarde of a great summe of money The Metamorpheses that he suffred into a Bull to steale Europa was no more but the Image of a Bul painted on the sayles of the ship wherein Iupiter bestowed her when he toke her away Such like were the transformatiōs of Iupiter wherin may be discerned the simplicitie and great blindnesse of such as worshipped that licencious king for a true God gouernour of heauen and earth he that was the most vnbridled brydled and dissolute man and most drowned in his proper lustes of all other in his time And séeing vpon him they imposed the title of God of al gods by him we may iudge the qualety of the other gods of whom the most part called him father as in déed most of them issued of him as Phoebus the god of science Mars the ruler of battles Mercury the infuser of cloquēce Bacchus the image of epicurity Vulcan the spirit of fier Venus the vaine idoll of loue others there were that wer his parents as Pluto prince of hell Neptune the directer of the waters Ceres the disposer blisser of corne and Diana the figure and example of chastety And so reckoning by degrées they established particuler gods to all thinges that might be imagined estéeming one God to be insufficient to reigne alone to lead the vnuersall worlde within the power of his gouernement yea they adioyned to this Idolatry the worshipping of certaine beasts planets trées by reason of the properties they saw in them the Egiptians as Iueuenal saith were so far drowned in this superstition that they worshipped as gods Onyons Léeks attributing much to their felicity happines who had of those plants in their gardins as the ignorance of those blind people led them to do honor sacrifice to such things as to gods so they held it for religion to giue obedience to them holding such accursed as were not forward in the seruice and ministery of such vaine triffling things M. Varo wryteth that Brasillius the Philosopher found at Rome MMD. CCC Gods which caryeth no smal possiblity of truth séeing the abuse there was so great general that they gaue cerimony worship and sacrifice as to a God to all things wherof they had receiued any benefit or that they supposed had any power to kéepe them in feare Tullus hostillius third king of Rome being vexed with a feuer tertiā which had tourned his complexion to a pale and yellow did sacrifice to his ague the soner to make it to leaue him Flora a publike curtisan a woman whose body was abandoned to all lust allurements of the flesh was canonized honored with an Image or figure for that of al the goodes she had got with the filthy sweat trauel of her body she cōstituted the Senate to be heire they gaue her diuine honor celibrated her feast euery yere wherin as a special cerimony there was liberty to al yoūgmē to be naked to exercise their pleasure with the first woman they founde S. Augustine writeth that the consuls and wise men of Rome tooke councell to abollishe that vile and abhominable custome But albeit for certaine perils and impediments they durst neuer execute it yet to deface the memory of that lewd woman giue greater apparance to their supersticions the named Flora the Goddes of flowers Amid these great darknesses obscurities of ignorance wherin this people of the Gentils was plunged there wer many notwithstanding in whom was some impression of light possessed with those natural iudgments reasons which drew them out of that blindnes as in déede all the schole of philosophy generally acknowledged one author mouer of al things from whom as out of a spring proceeded al the vniuersallity of things were fed enterteind by him as the true soueraigne gouernour of the whole of this knowledge Socrates was not depriued who being at poynt of death sayd he was willing to dye to confesse on onely Lord to whom he had alwaies labored to doe seruice according to the power of his humayne frayelty neuer hauing intention to offende him Aristotle at the article of death recommended himselfe to the soueraigne Creator saying Oh cause of all causes haue pytie on me Plato and Cicero in their treatises of common weales were of the same opinion it was the fayth of Virgill that al procéeded of God and that as wel the heauen and earth as the aire and water are ful of his greatnes acknowledging by that the essence of one onely God. Cicero speaking of the nature of Gods and Varro in his vayne Etimologies being albeit both Pagans and much addicted to their ceremonies scoffed notwithstanding at the feastes and assemblies which the populer sort made to honour their Gods partly through ignorance more by flatterye but most of all for feare It is no néede here to proue by the doctrine of the scripture that all those Gods were but illusions dreames procéeding of the inuention of man and abuse of the Diuell séeing that since the sonne of the euerlasting trueth is appeared wich is the sonne of the onely God all these damnable superstitions are not onely discouered but by the beames of that sonne shining in the myndes and eyes of men they are put to flight and vanished as the clowdes giue place when the sonne approcheth They are falne into ruine as buildings ill foūded and méeting the firme vessel of the word of God their tickle ship driuen by the wind of abuse and deceyt is confounded and swallowed in the golphe of Christian religion Thus much for the first poynt of your demaunde which I doubt not is eyther sufficiently aunswered or at least nothing left doubtfull There resteth now to touch what opinion the Poets and other auncients had of these Gods and the plurality of them As Hesiode Archilachus Horace Menander Esope Apuleius Ouid and many other wryters of great grauety and authority who published not their inuentions and fictions to other effect then to disclose to men the meanes to become more wyse and draw to a more Ciuill fourme of lyfe in the world For which purpose they spred many fictions and fabulous metaphors tending to sundry artes and professions For fables according to the opinion of Apthonius and Hermogenes haue taken their name of Fari in Latine signifying to discourse and speake so that a fable may be taken for a discourse fayned inducing oftentimes vnder an honest recreation and delitfull resemblaunce the readers to consider the morrall sence and doctrine hyd vnder those fabulous discourses which discouering
make great accompt either to be called to the Religion by the will of God or to come to it by any necessitie or misaduenture For the Seruaunt of God which trauelleth towardes his saluation in a religious lyfe ought not to remember so much how God called him as to consider wherefore God called him There be many religious men in Monasteries and elsewhere who atribute much to themselues for that they entred religion in infancie others chalenge more for that they tooke the habite in the heate of their youth Some there are that ascribe to their aduauntag for that they professe an order very strayt and reformed and others for being the followers and Disciples of men of holy lyfe And many there be with whome it is no small reputation to haue continued in Religion thirty forty or fiftie yeares and they in respect of their prescription holde all others but Nouices Yea most of them sticke not to referre all their perfection to the long time they haue dwelt in Monasteries hauing no regarde to the little they haue profited in them But to enter Religion in infancie in youth or in olde age to the man of God ought to minister no occasion of aduantage or estimation ouer others but rather let him as a good steward make a good accompt of his time and trauell more in the studie and seruice of God then to kéepe reckoning of the yeares of his continuance For what estimation can prescription bring to any man when he can shew no fruite of his time séeing that much more doth the religious man deserue for his knowledge and humilitie then for his olde age or continuance Judas remayned thrée yeares in the Apostleship of Christ and thrée houres and no more dyd the good théefe hang by our sauiour on the crosse and yet by faith we are assured that more did profit the théefe those thrée hours in torments then the thrée years did good vnto Iudas being a folower of Christ In the parable of the vineyard in the gospel was no more hire geuen to him that wrought from morning till night then to those that entred the vineyard at the last houre whereby we are instructed that our merit or not merit standes not in the seruices which we doe to God nor in the little or great charitie which we expresse but chiefely as it please his goodnes to accept or reiect vs All the Apostles were called by Christ before his death sauing S. Paule yet who doubtes though he was the last in vocation but that he was euen the first and chiefest in perfection because he laboured more then all the rest So that albeit to enter religion in infancie in youth or to remaine there long time can not be but commendable yet vnder this condition that it be not to this ende to haue a greater portion in the profites but to be more humble in their profession Beware therefore you that he Auncientes in houses of Religion that you fall not into the deceits and circumuentions of the deuill who in recompence of the great nomber of yeares that you haue dwelt in religion the many temptatiōs that you haue endured there will perhappes go about to pay you with the best chamber in the Dorter make you proude with the first voyce in the chapter Which you must eschew for that how much lesse comfort and cherishing you haue in the estate of religion so much more is your perfection and reuerence In like sort in the good religious man ought to appeare no vain glory for the he professeth the habit of a strait order or a vocation of liberty or whether he be obseruāt or cloisterer for the perfectiō of the Gospell consistes not in the monasterye wherein we enter but in the good and holy lyfe we lead The children of Jsraell worshiped one onely God in Egypt and being come into the lande of Promise they reuolted and misknewe him So that in what place so euer we are let our vertues geue dignitie to the house and not the place seduce or alter our deuotion Albeit Joseph dwelt amongst the Egiptians Abraham amongst the Chaldees Tobias amongst the Assirians and Daniel was cruelly handled amongst them of Babylon yet were they alwayes holy and happie And by them we are taught that to the perfect man the whole worlde is his Monasterie as of the contrarie the prophane and wicked man of his Monastarie makes a worlde The same appearing in many wanderers delighting in change and to raunge from one house to an other vnder couller of perfectiō which more properly may be called temptation they are not without their excuses and haue ready tongues to blame their gouernours for that their Monestaries are not reformed complayning perhaps more by opinion then that there lackes perfection For there is no place in the world so prophane where a man may not labour to be good if he will or which to the man of God helpes not to the seruice of his perfection Let not the seruant of God also be glorious for that in his order he was estéemed of holy lyfe For great is his shame to be taught by a good May ster forget to follow his vertues farre greater is his abuse if he be renoumed for holinesse and be founde an Hypocrite Dathan and Abiram had Moyses to their maister Achab had Helias Ananias had S. Peter and Judas had Jesus Chrict who albeit they heard their wordes and Preachinges yet dyd they little profite by their Doctrines And as in workes made by mans hande we haue a custome first to prayse the worke and then the workeman that made it so touching a lyfe religious it is to small purpose for a disciple to beare prayse by his mayster The good Religious man ought not to vaūt if the Lord cal him more to one religion then to an other for after that a man be baptized there is no estate in all the Church of God wherein the good man may not be saued and the wicked condemned And therfore to take rather the habite of S. Benet then of the Augustines to professe more the Dominicanes then the Franciscanes and to follow the Charterers rather then the Trinitaries or Mercenaries or to be affected more singulerly to one order then to another I hold it of smal difference since the albeit they are al habits aūciētly instituted by holy parsonages yet in truth they are but traditional subiect to alteratiō chang wher Christs religiō is of it selfe pure firme simple hath no affinitie with outward obseruations ceremonies So that as God doth more consider the hart of him that serues him then the habite which he beareth So I thinke that any man that is a good Christian delites in the true swéetnesse of the gospell may enter into what religion he will haue libertie to beare such habite as best sets forth his grauitie For for men to chuse the habit of one religion more then of another ought to
is an infallible propertie in his iustice to minister rewardes to good men aboue the rate of their merittes and prepare punishment to the wicked vnder their deseruinges And where Christ commaunds not without great misterie that we should hold in our handes our candles lighted and neither vse the seruice of the candlestick nor appoint others to hold them for vs it is to aduertise vs that if God ought to saue vs it ought to be through his great mercy onely and not by any meane of our proper merittes although in our actions we ought alwaies to expresse a holy industrie and diligence In like sort it is not enough in the profession of religion that we be girt that we haue cādles that we hold thē in our hands or that we haue many candles but it belongs to our christianitie to haue thē burning with light not as dead and stinking snuffes wher by we are warned the better were it not to enter into religiō at al if in the same we correct not the abuses of our liues gather profit by the fruit doctrine of the gospel by the example of the great prophet S. Iohn baptist being himself as the scripture saith the candle that burned gaue light are boūd al sincere vertuous religious men to take hede that they want no wax of good life to burne and be lesse replenished with vices to giue impedimēts to their lights so that no other thing is the religious man vndeuoute then a candle dead it can not by any similitude resemble a candle light but rather a snuffe troden out quenched where the man of the church hath no other good thing in him then his habit by the which he ought neuer the more to exalt or glorifie himself since afore the maiesty of God it is no no other thing to be reputed a holy man holding nothing of vertue but his habit then a candle whose light being quenched his qualitie lieth dead The virgins that had not their lamps lighted according to the iudgement of the gospel deserued not to enter with the bridgrome euenso the man by whom is not performed the dutie of a good Christian and muchlesse hath fulfilled the office of a Churchman may stande assured that when de dyeth he shall not be founde amongst those that are inuited but past ouer to the fellowship of such as are deceiued That great is the grace which God sheweth to that man whom he withdrawes from the world and reduceth into holy religion for that there is more suretie to stande and not so much subiection to fall and if he suffer him to stumble he hath appoynted him helpes to hold him vp and many readie meanes to repentance Since that in the Church he hath more oportunitie to serue God and lesse occasion to commit sinne And albeit being compounded vpon humors and complexions of corruption we cannot but erre in thinges corrupt and worldly Yet such is the care and protection of God ouer those that he loueth and hath called and chozen to the seruice office of the Church that if sometimes he suffer them to fall the better to make them know him it is not without the readie assistance of his hand to helpe them essoones to ryse agayne Yea he seldome suffereth them to slyde into such faultes as may geue him occasion to be angrie with them Therefore who vnder the habite of religion riseth into a minde of Pryde Ambition Epicuritie or Malice is amongest the children of God the same that Satan is to all Christians Dathan amongest the Jsraelites Saule amongest the Prophets and Judas amongest the Apostles Wherein let all men be warned that haue will to enter into Religion that afore they séeke it they may know wherefore they follow it since for no other cause ought they to come to the cōmunion of Religion but to amend and reforme their liues For albeit the sinceritie of Religion receiue great sinners yet it is with no tolleration to commit heynous Crimes after they be inuested What other thing is ment by that Discipline of the Scripture wherein the Lande of Promise for traueling in small labors on the Holydayes they were commaunded to be stoaned But that to the man of the Church sinning lightly in Religion was merit of great seueritie punishment for that a small sinne committed in the world beares an estimation of a grieuous crime in the Church Take héede sayth S. Paule that you receiue not the grace of our Lorde in vaine And what other thing doth he then receiue it in vaine who makes no reckoning of his election and cares not to be called to the Church and deuided from the worlde For as by baptisme we are sanctified euenso by the profession of the ministerie we are regenerat Let euerie one then take héede what it is that he takes in hande afore he beginne to manage so holy a function and whether they be professors by will or by necessitie For all religions being of the institutions of holy personages as it can not be tollerable that in their ministers be any imperfections or want of perfect deuotion and vertue So who in the habite of religion will liue prophanely or follow the libertie of the worlde in that man is no apparance of reformation and lesse argument of fayth or vertue And therfore in the church for some perticuler mento be more exempt and priuileadged then others or to aspire aboue the congregation and communitie of the Church in any priuat or familiar prerogatiue although it may be suffered for a time yet religion can not holde it tollerable long For no more then the Sea can beare bodies that be dead no more hath the Church a nature to brooke in her ministers mindes of Ambition and Pryde for which cause it is called order as wherein are conteined all thinges well ordered which without this order cannot but beare to cōfusion Who hath once taken the habite of religion and will still continue entangled with the customes of the worlde and exercise his minde in vanities can not but breake the statutes of Religion and stande in perill of infidelitie since the doctrine of the gospell and the libertie of the world could neuer holde societie or fellowshippe together A discourse in the presence of a great assemblie of Noble Ladyes of the good and euill that the tongue doth Mors et vita in manibus linguae IF to men of the worlde were power of election to demaunde the thinges they desire most afore all other temporall felicities they would require to liue long And if on the other syde they had libertie to contesse what thing in the World they abhorred most who doubtes not but all men loth nothing more then to dye Wherunto there is to be made this readie reason that as liuing they enioye that they haue and dying they leaue to be that they are So with life all things are remedied by death there is nothing which hath not end
are we al reuiued and raised again in Jesus Christ This accomplishment appertaines to the liberalitie of the dyuine maiestie which hath reestablished and restored vs to the benefittes which he hath already communicated to vs Our death is vanquished on all partes and on all sides our life is eftsons reestablished Wée are absolued and made frée of all thinges séeing we haue on our side the death and lyfe of Iesus Christ the soueraigne bownty drawes vs from sinne the sacrifice is offered and we haue obtained pardon for our iniquities being but poore wretched slaues we are made rich and haue obteyned libertie to be the children of god And if we loose this benefitte it is eyther for some newe falt of ours or that wée will not cast or chaunge our olde skinne In effecte in this Article is disclosed the great humility and mercy of the Sonne of GOD who refused not to go into the darke prisons of the Earthe to deliuer the Soules of the iust there deteined and dispoile the Deuill of all his force and power to the ende that men may with more ease vanquish and surmount him We sée also that after all this he rose againe the thirde day and returned into true lyfe yea a life so excellent that death hath no more power ouer it nor any possibilitie eftsoones to preiudice it We haue shewed how this resurrection hath ben sufficiently iustefied euen by the places of Scripture accordinge to the testimonye of the créede That Christ rose againe the third day accordinge to the Scriptures which séemes to haue ben taken of the Apostle Wée haue also declared how necessary was this resurrection for the approbation of the dignitie of the person and doctrine of Christe séeing that in the same he is expressed the Sonne of god Wee haue also debated how it is to be vnderstanded and practised this great mistery partly for the regarde of our Lord and partely for the resurrection spirituall and corporall which he workes in vs by vertue of his restitution There remains nowe to declare who they be that practise the contentes of this article in faith and workes and who they bee that satisfie it not Such as professe and practise the substance ot this Article as appertaineth are those that perseuer in the mortification of their sinnes their fleshe and their disordered suggestions of the olde Adam that they reduce and bring him euen to the graue that is that they make a full and perfecte victory of him with a great remorse in themselues and a resolute hatred to all wicked and ill actions returning by the same meane into a newnesse of lyfe new desiers and new operations and actions Béeinge lastly altogether conformable to that newenesse which the Sonne of God is wont to coÌ„municat with suche as are risen againe with him Those be they that accompanie our Sauiour For as he is risen againe to be neuer after made subiect to death so the faithfull risen againe spiritually féele themselues so conuerted and out of taste of the woorkes of sinne that the spiritual death can not pearce so déepe as their hart And as our Lord rose againe triumphing so shall they also haue a glorious restitution beinge repurged of all wicked affections and enclyned to all good thinges to whom the yoke of the gospell shall séeme easie and swéete and shall trauell in great thirste and appetite to obserue the comaundementes of god Their charitie shall enflame their patience prepared to suffer all paines and tribulations they are glorified in the glorie of Iesus CHRIST they haue an honestie and purity of conscience they are chaste they loue their neighbour perfectly and pardon with all their harte suche as doe offend them They retire themselues from the thinges of this worlde and abandon the pompes and ambitions of the same as though they were vnapte therevnto and had no mindes affected to such transitory vanities For they are made newe men restored and raised againe by the Sonne of God who hath triumphed both ouer death and all dead thinges And so are they made his that hath raised them to serue him with new fruites which their new life bringes forth They feare not to suffer death to maintaine that which God hath ordeined they care neither for reproche nor hunger to defend iustice truth For their new life kepes them from smelling of those thinges which might hinder their faith perseuerance and constancie of hart in the traine of the gospell and ioynes vnto them a certainty of a better life which assureth them of all thinges Of the contrary such as be estraunged from this practise haue no other thinge but the simple name of those that are raised againe They are as painted sepulchers set out to the show without and within conteine nothing but rottennes and corruption such were the Pharasies with whom they haue only the title of lyfe and liuely and in effect are nothing els then dead rotten and corrupte Reteyninge that stinke and loathsomnes which is wonte to be aboute dead bodies Such be many of our christians who vnder thys name hyde a pride and arrogancie which the deuil teacheth them instructing them withall to be couetous and impatient the more to make them sauour of their stinke and filthynesse Lastly those be they that haue not chaunged nor cast their skinne and who being not mortefied can not be raised again For resurrection presupposeth death as there can be no death but there muste first be a life wherewith I ende the exposition of this article yéeldinge thankes for all thinges to GOD whom I beséech to continue his people in that proportion of faith which he thinkes necessary to their saluation Certaine testimonies of Pagan Authors seruing to approue christian Religion written in forme of a letter to a Noble man. ACcordinge to your requeste I haue sente you here with my opinion though not so liberally as you looked for yet with that faith industrie as may very well serue to satisfie your conscience and leaue me â—â—quited of my promis estéeming it to appertaine to me to instruct you séeing of your selfe you expresse such desier to know and learn. And albeit the matter it selfe drawing many circumstances requires a long time yet where thinges are debated faithfully and the resolution accepted diligently that that is long séemes not tedious and though it be little yet it may be enough for instruction beseechinge you to waye my reasons which I haue not drawn out of dreames but written them out of the best resolutions and agréementes of my bookes The vertue of christian religion is so great the miracles that haue confirmed it haue ben so publike and euident and the innocencie holynes of lyfe of such as haue professed it haue bin so cleare and manifest that the very enemies haue bin driuen to beare testimony with it notwithstandinge that they impugned it with all their industrie Yea it is a thinge wonderful seruing sufficiently to declare that our religion is
charge of buzines in nothing must he faile that may furnish the countenance reputation of his riches lest his honor be blemished so that by the miserable qualety of this worlde men do rather accomplishe with opinion then with reason With this toyle is also accōpanied for the most part this further trouble to richmen that whē their fortune or folly hath raised them to an estate of habilitie power they had rather die then abate their pomp albeit they be sunck in substāce yet must they kepe vp saile as the saying is wash their face with faire water drie it ouer with a dishclout so that how much so euer a worldly man hath of worldly wealth in in this world yet hath he not so much but that he hath want of somthing seing that if he haue to supply his lacks he wāteth to accomplishe the desires of his prodigall youth with whom néede is not satisfyed with hauing plentie of things for that hauing aboundance he liues still in desire to haue more And suche men as they traueyle more for that that is superfluous then for that that is necessary so if they would controule that which they haue and be discrete in that which they spende they should finde that the trauell they endure is not to satiffie the necessities they féele but to accomplishe the vanities wherein they liue Riche men the more they beginne to finde out the secret and suttletie of traffyke the more doe they fall into the bottomlesse troubles thereof as to buye to sel to exchaunge to retayle on creditte yea to beguile rob deceiue and which worse is when they protest most to geue it ouer it is then they are most drowned in it So that the more they haue the more they séeke to get the more they buye the more bargaynes they make yea the more they desire the more doe they rob and yet such is their wretchednes that that which they haue seemes but little to them the little that others haue they estéeme a great deale yea being neuer satisfied they holde that they haue but little in comparison of that they desire to haue Lastly temporall riches bring with them this error that as afore we get them we haue an insaciable appetite to them so being possest of them we grow to loath them as in all other things fulnesse altereth the tast So that in getting them we passe thorow infinite passions and difficulties and hauing them we receiue with them perplexities and cares reaping of our sweat and labours a croppe of care sorrowe and anguishe By all these we may proue it a faulse testimonie of him that calleth riches goodes séeing they haue no propertie nor nature of God but worke the effect of much euill For if there be any euill in the worlde at this daye riche men doe bréede it and the poore sort endure it And therefore ryches can not bee called good for that greater is the nomber without comparison of such as being good become euell by riches then of such as being wicked are by riches holpen to be good For riches are rather the ministers of vices then of vertues and ready instrumentes to doe hurt euen agaynst those that get them with payne and trauell and kéepe them with care and cost If they be in the kéeping and power of an olde man his age will not suffer him long to enioy them and if they be the portion of one that is young they will neuer giue him rest til he haue spent them So that I may wel mainteine that they be not goods but euils not simple euils but most great and hurtful euils seing they put our bodies in daunger trouble our spirites bring gréefes to our harts oftentimes takes awaie our liues put our soules in hazard That if riches were good as the worlde sayth and not euill as all men sée there would not be areared so cruell warres betwéene Princes so many reuolts and troubles amongst estats and countries so many quarrels amongest neighbours nor so many sutes and processes betwéene bretherne amongst all which is seldome séene one man to contend with another for the correction amendmēt of his life but rather for the vsurpation of their goods possessions wher in I sée no reason to call that good which is the occasion of so many euils since that no other thinges are the riches of the world but a desire of vaine men a stumbling blocke for the wicked a limebushe for the good and a perpetuall perplexite for all sortes Let this suffize to warne chiefely such as are entred into religiō afore whose eies ought alwais to stand as a burning lamp that heauenly change which they made with the worlde that same day that they left the world entred religion wherin they exchanged pride for humilitie ire for patience crueltie for charitie He that being in religion thinkes he hath left in the world much golde siluer possessions temporall goods knows not what he hath left nor what he hath taken For in leauing the worlde he hath left but misaduenture aduersitie and in entring religion he hath chozen a lyfe of suretie for that to the good vertuous religious man it is more hard to passe one day in the world then to suffer a whole yeare in a monasterie Therfore he that wil be poore patient abstinent continent may with suretie be a member in al monasteries but if he delight in epicuritie dissolutnes impatiencie let him know that a religion well gouerned is to hungry for a glutton to seuere for him that is dissolute verie iudiciall against all transgressors For ende let all men take hede how they folow the world since it leads them out of the way let no man serue the world for that it is vnthankefull who trusts the world shal find it a traytor and who delights in the worlde shall be deceiued for that it hath allurements to intice men charmes to cast them into a sléepe which neuer takes ende till they die Such as know not the world desire it and receiue therein their distruction euen as in swéete drinke brewed suttelly which poyson men sucke vp the fatall syrup of their death and destenie But the religious men enclosed within the circuite of their cloisters ought to close their eyes from the sight of vanities let their ears blud not to be rauished with the noise charme of riches Instructions still tending to men entred religion SO good hath God bene alwayes to those whom he loueth that from the beginning of the world he hath vsed to deuide seperate them from the world from the societie of worldly things as he did by Abraham when he drue him out of Chaldee called Jacob from Sciria chused Moyses out of the palaice of Pharao by which we are instructed that with God it is none other thing to lead a man into religion then to take frō him
heauie for want of exercise become vnapt and idle they are not tired by labour only but withall through custome of ease and rest and by the heauie waight of their owne bodies euen so that felicitie that hath suffred no communitie with misfortunes can haue no great continuance but when it hath kept long warres with his incommodities and by suffring iniuries is made hard then is he in his perfection and armed to resist all harmes God suffring his people sometimes to encounter very rude and hard aduentures the better to prepare them to a true iudgement and examination of themselues We haue no great néede to exercise mercie to a good man for that though in apparāce his estate séeme néedie yet his vertue makes him no way miserable No no man is vnhappy but he that estéemes himselfe so by the base reputation of his courage Demetrius was of opinion that there was no man vnhappie but hée to whom aduersitie neuer hapned And as vertue and wisedome are hid oftentimes in those persons whom eyther malice pursueth enuie oppresseth or fortune contemneth so for the most part God suffreth aduersities to exercise their force against such as are most strong not to tempt them aboue their power but through exercise to make them better established Fortune proued the force of fire in Scaeuola the violence of pouertie in Fabricius the perplexities of banishment in Rutilius torments in Regulus poyson in Socrates ingratitude in Scipio persecution in Caesar and death in Cato There is nothing that sooner makes a man great and mightie then the triall of a peruerse fortune nor any thing bréedes a more stabilitie of fayth and patience then the exercise of aduersities as was well expressed in the wonderfull constancie of Scaeuola whō wée may not call vnhappie for that hée burnt his right hand in the fier of his enemies nor repute Fabricius wretched for that whilest hée was absent from the gouernement of the common weale he laboured his groundes with his owne handes and much lesse may we referre to the conquest of fortune the vertue of Regulus who béeing led to the Gibbot was made there a monument of fayth and an example of patience Let vs not estéeme those men wretched who suffer so great things for that by the passion of them they are made happie yea they are the preparatiues to true felicitie and the comfortable guides that leade men to the perpetual ioyes and tranquilities of heauen The Author vnder termes to reproue his friend that had charged him to haue taken out of his chamber a Pomander speaketh iustly against such persons as delite to be perfumed IN a singuler combat betwéene two Romane Knightes in the time and presence of Quintus Fabius it hapned that the victor holding in his mercie vnder his féete him that was vanquished Thou shalt sayth he denie in this presence that thou hast sayd and acknowledge thy report to bée false and wicked or otherwise this sword shall minister reuenge to the vntruthes which thy lying tongue hath pronounced Oh sayth the other that thou knewest aswell how to vse the victorie as thy fortune hath suffred thée to winne it or that there were in thée as good desert or merit of Knighthode as thou art my mortal enemie then wouldest thou not be more desirous of my life then to preserue thine honour suffice thée that thy counsell shall not tempt me to the preiudice of mine innocencie for if my strength fayle to fight further thou shalt find in mée no want of hart to die By the discourse of this auncient example I am bolde to make insinuation into the wronge you haue offred mée making mée guiltie of the Pomander which you lacke which you haue not onely layed to my charge in expresse termes betwéene you and mée but also you haue of late accused mée by a publique letter compounded of the vapoures of your braine more full of choller then furnished wyth discreation which giues mée occasion to say with the Romane Knight that forgetting the regard of a friend you are falne into the malice of an enemie séeing you estéeme more your Pomander then mine honour I am not determined to make accompt of the iniurie and much lesse to answere your letter in passion bearing more regard to the profession I followe then to the house I am come of since it is most sure that after my death there wil be no accompt demaunded whether I haue vsed my selfe as a Knight but rather if I haue liued as a Christian And therefore the weapons wherewith I am bound to fight are patience hope abstinence charitie and humilitie armes alwayes sufficient to defend my person and without the which I would not liue But albeit for many good respectes I forbeare to ioyne reuenge to this iniurie yet it is not without reason and libertie that I say my fancie The thinges which the men of this worlde doe by passion onely and without aduise procéede indifferently of want of wisedome superfluous hope or ouerwéening which in man of respect ought to be eschewed for that they be two humors so factious in mans bodie that the end drawes him to doe nothing but what anger prouokes him vnto and the other is hatefull to all reason and Councell And if for euery storme of fortune we become weake and complaine it can not follow but in time we shall imbrase dispaire and hasten the vntimely destenie of our lyfe Which seldome happeneth to a man resolute and wise with whom patience and reason haue more custome then choller and passion It is without fruite to speake fruitfull thinges to a man possest with passion for that he hath neyther sense to tast them nor wisedome to féele them Yea it is in vaine to communicate with him that is obstinate furious or incredulous for that when we thinke them most apt to be perswaded it is then they are furthest of from Councell and in laboring to appease them oftentimes we geue encrease to their anger specially if we reduce to their memorie thinges that were the cause of their paine By these Sir you haue to gather that to men of vertue honestie and estate euen such as you ought to be it apperteynes to take héede that they doe nothing to make them hatefull For that one fault onely suffiseth to make infamous a whole race dishonoring as well those that are past as such as are present leauing withall an infection of bloud to such as are to come In Cassianus it is mencioned that certaine Pagans vsing outrage and iniurie to a religions man of honest lyfe asked him by disdaine what fruite or profite he had by his Christ Is not this answered he a singuler fruit not to be moued with the bitter wordes which you pronounce agaynst me and so easely to pardon the heauie wronges you haue done to me an aunswere sure worthie to be written in the hartes of men since thereby we are instructed how great is the vertue of patience and of
Corinthe of the nature of his owne name So that the great and famous Cytie of Corinthe tyrantes firste builded it tyrantes alwayes gouerned it and tyrantes lastely destroyed it The beginning of the riches wealth of Corinth procéeded of the spoile of the famous and goodly Cytie of Tyr which much about that time was reuersed by the great Alexander the Cytizens repairing to Corinth carying with them such great foyson of Marchaundise of Asia and Greece which made Corinth boch riche and renoumed The Salamins the Athenians and the Corinthians people very auncient and famous had long time amongst them great difference and warres and all for that the enuie of the one coulde not endure the glorie of the other albéeit the estate of Corinthe continued longer then the two others For firste Athens was destroyed by Ptholome and Salamana by Arfctades and lastely Corinthe was reuersed by the Consull Scaurus It was the chiefe and Metropolitane of all the Prouince of Achaia wherein was alwayes holden the resort or Residence of the Prynce And in it was alwayes kept the Stampe or Mynt of all the Money that Serued the Prouince It hapned to Corinthe as oftentymes it chaunceth to other great Common Weales and Cyties that sometymes it was gouerned by Kynges sometimes by Tyrauntes and sometymes by Popularytie Amongest whom though there was diuersitye of state and dignitie yet they suffered no difference of rule and Pollecie for that the Common Weale was alwayes vnder Tyrannie and oppression Amongest others there was in this Cytie a riche Tyrant famous and full of vice named Herius He buylded in the middest of the Cytie a most sumptuous Temple and Dedicated it to the Goddes Venus the Solicitor and Patron of Louers and fraule Loues wythin which Cursed Temple were enclosed more then fyue Hundred of the fayrest maydes of Asia whom their Parentes did there Consecrate to the Goddes Venus to the ende they might be Louers and stales to drawe Louers to them holding her for most Religious and Holy which was most Amarous and dissolute And vppon Condition that they issued not out of the house euery one of them had lybertie to Sinne accompanying wyth whom shée lyked beste and in what sort shée woulde so that their Religion consisted not to bée good Women but to bée most kept in and and not goe abroade vsing their pryuate howses not to straytnesse and chastetie of lyfe but to a lybertie to sinne wythout controlement This Law was well obserued amongest them that if any of them were disposed to take a Husbande she should first gayne her maryage portion by the sweat and infamie of her body hauing withall this foule prerogatiue that being maryed she might also call vnto her the companie of a frend for that being consecrated to the Goddes of loue they would not lose their names nor practise of louers Their filthines was so great that they could brooke no societie of a wife or wyddow in that Colleadge but receiued all maydes who in short time of virgins dedicated became women abandoned They were Cunning in musicke studied stories and bookes of loue which to their beautie and youth gaue such further power of entisement that there were none escaped their handes which were not eyther plumed or plucked The Hystories beare wytnesse that there was no people nor Prouince in all Asia where was greater resort and Traffyke of all Marchaundise then at Corinthe and where was better Woorkemanshippe of Golde Siluer Leather Brasse and other Mettall And about the Cytie great aboundaunce of Corne Wyne Oyle Hony Saffron Sylke Linnen and so many sortes of commodities that the inhabytauntes would vaunte that it was a Regyon more conuenient for the Goddes then worthie of men And for Fleshe Fishe and Spyces comming as well by Sea as Lande it was so prodigallie furnished that it made the Citizens swell in vice and sinne and gaue occasion to straungers to be more effeminate and delicate And therefore as well by the occasion of the Golde and Siluer that there was stampped the Skarlet Silke and fine coollered cloth there made as also the lybertie of vices anexed to the place there was suche haunte and frequentation of diuerse nations that in greatnesse Corinth séemed a seconde Babilon and in aboundaunce an other Memphis The libertie and fréedome of the place drew many not onely out of Asia but from the furthest part of Europe to inhabyt at Corinth to whom was giuen such reputation of wealth and dignity that if there were any man in any part of Asia very welthy and rich he was called by a common phrase a Corinthian Also in this cytie dwelt dyed the most faire famous Curtisan Lais whose loue was the guid that led many notable men to their destructiō Of this womā it is written that she was of goodly personag her aspect swéet and drawing her spéech gracious and pleasing her haire aberne disposed into locks honorable in liberality sumptuous in attire temperate in reasoning and graue in aunsweres and lastly altogether giuen to amorous conuersation by occasion wherof she was sought vnto not onely by the great princes of Asia but by euen the mightiest potentates of Europe making greater industry to be receiued in to her seruice then to achiue any great enterprise Amongest others the Philosopher Demosthenes practising a Couenaunt of Loue wyth her and shée Demaunding a greater sume of money perhaps then agréed wyth his habylitie hée aunswered that hée woulde not so dearely buye the hazarde of his person and honour in a thing whiche he shal no sooner haue done thē he féels thesting of remorse and repentaunce In the consideration of all these thinges it may be presupposed that the Prouerbe tooke his inuention by one of those thrée reasons The first that as the Cytie of Corinth was riche and plentifull in variety of marchaundise furnised wyth vitteiles and full of vices so it happened that many or the most part of such as drewe thither out of diuerse and farre countreys eyther they dyed by the way or perished in the Sea. The second by reasō of the fame of Lais remaining there many princes and great Lords of sundry regions comming thither for her seruice retourned so wel plumed as she had wherevpon to smyle and they good occasion to complayne The thirde reason may be referred to the Temple of the Goddes Venus beautified with fiue hundreth faire amorous maydes to whom many resorting many perished and many byting of such baytes many swallowed vp the poyson of their destruction and left behinde them their lyfe and goodes So that we may conclude that of these occasions roase this common Adage Take heede of going to Corinth beware what you doe at Corinth for Corinth is not for all men As also the Prouerbe Non omnium est adire Corinthum Sprong eyther by the daunger to come thither or by the occasion of the amorous Lays dwelling there or by the rereligion of the Temple of the infamous maydes or
the punishmeÌ„t of some notable offence he hath done in the church being in the fauor of God we are come into the Church and being in his disgrace we are discontent disdained in the same wherupon it foloweth that the minister well instructed liueth alwaies content where such as are dissolute trauell for the most part in sedition and Emotion And therefore to those may we refer the malediction of Cayne who wandering prophanly from place to place séeke out new companioÌ„s and conuersation to entertaine the time with idle and dissolute exercise and turne their function into a forme of euill life and example vpon him doth fall the malediction of Cayne in whom remaines a mind wauering and inconstant séeking change of church and cure without occasion and desireth to liue vnder new Bishops and ordinaries not with intention to amend his lyfe but to séeke out where he may liue in greatest liberty Yea such one findes no time nor place better agréeing to him then where he may liue out of subiection of superiors vpon that man is thundred the malediction to whom it is troublesome to pray greeuous to study and hatefull to instruct and preach but rather as a man repenting his vocation wandreth vp and downe ill contented shewing wycked example by his complayntes And lastly to that man is referred the malediction who is factious in his ministery at contention wyth his bishop and séekes occasions to retourne eftsoones to the worlde procuring businesse to solicyte and being denyed licence to follow his worldely causes hee is full of murmure and obteyning leaue he runnes headlong to his owne distruction The ende of this discourse rebuking such ministers as are wanderers MAny be the meanes which the Minister wythin his Church hath to serue God wythall For if the humor of Pryde reigne in him if enuie disquiet him if Gluttony tempt him if Ire prouoke him or the lusts of the flesh pricke him vices albeit hable to moue him yet of no power to make him fall neyther can he so easily resist them hauing conuersation in the world séeing he is no sooner tempted then subiect to fall The building without his couering shrinketh easily the Marrow without the bone is soone dryed vp the trée without his barke is subiect to renting and the man of the Church leauing the Church runnes easily to destruction If Dina daughter to the Patriarke Jacob had not gone from the place where her Father bestowed her neyther had Emor ben killed nor she defamed If wretched Judas had not swarued from the colleadg of Christ nor deuided himselfe from the company of the Apostles he had neuer done the sin whose vilenes caried him to a desperate death By which notable examples all men of the Churche ought to bée warned not to leaue the profession whereunto God hath called them nor to be deuided from the Companye of whom he hath made them members For that much will be to his profite the good examples which he shall take of some and of no lesse auaile the wholesome counsels which he shall giue to others By meane whereof the man of the Church deliting to wander vp and downe the world if he consider vprightly of thinges shall find that for the most part he retorneth to his ministerie more enuious more ambicious more moued more pensife and lesse deuout then when he went out and so shal he alwayes féele within his sorowfull hart great occasions of remorse and no lesse cause of complaint against himselfe Beware therefore you men of the church of the illusions of the Deuill and that he entise you not out of your ministeries vnder cooller to do some good Séeing if he once preuayle so farre as to seperate you from the fellowship of good men he will by litle and litle infect you and make you of the nomber of the wicked For the shepe that straieth from his flocke the Wolfe deuoureth him the Pigeon that flieth farre from her houfe is a pray to the Faulcon the trauailer that goeth alone is subiect to robbing the riuers that come out of the sea to the fieldes do hurt and the Minister that is deuided from his congregation beares perill of destruction Peccatum peccauit Hierusalem propterea instabilis facta est the wretched Citie of Jerusalem heaped sinne vppon sinne sayth the Prophet whereby God enioyned her to penance to be alwayes errant and a vagabond euen so then doth the Minister commit sinne vppon sinne when he forgets the profession hée hath made Retorning eftsones to the dangers of this miserable world the affliction of such men is that they liue alwayes in perplexitie neuer contented with themselues So that the seruant of God professing Religion ought withall to make this promise neuer to change it till he exchange his life neither abandoning the estate he hath taken in hand nor forgetting whereunto he is bound Assuring himselfe that where in his Ministerie he shall find tranquillitie and small occasions to sinne the world will giue him nothing but disquietnesse wyth great liberty to offende and little helpe to amende his lyfe S. John Baptist was commended of God particulerly for his perseuerance in straytnesse of lyfe and the great courage he shewed in Preaching according to this question he made to the Hebrues what are you come sayth he to see in the Desart doe you thinke that the sonne of Zachary is a willow leafe mouing with euery winde Christ commended not Saint John onely for that he went barefoot liued solytary fedde vppon Locustes ware nothing but Cammelles skinne and slept vppon thornes But he allowed his constancie for that he would neuer goe out of the Desart entring therein euen in his youth In which respect we haue to belieue that in so many yeares and in such sharpe desertes Saint John endured great hunger extreame cold many temptations gréeuous sicknesses and infinit cares Of all which afflictions Christ makes not such expresse mencioÌ„ as of his vnfayned constancie many sayth the Apostle issue out of the lystes to iust and many gee to runne the caryar but in the ende he that goeth best caryeth away the pryce and who aryueth soonest gayneth the wager Euenso you ministers of the Church forget not so to runne the cariar of this mortall lyfe that you aryue in time to winne the rewarde This councell which the Apostles giueth is not of will but of necessity For that better should it be to the man of the Church neuer to haue entered religion nor taken the habyte if he perseuere not in that he hath begene and is carelesse to kéepe that hee hath promised In the last supper that Christ made wyth his Disciples after he had sayde vnto them Vos isti qui per man sistis mecum in temptationibus meis gaue them then his comfort Et ego dâ—spono vobis regnum Séeing you and no other haue continued wyth mée in my trauelles and troubles following mée also in my greatest daungers Bée you assured that your place