over-much either in abundance of friends or riches and not to be so familiar with any man but that he may be angry with him if there shall be cause without danger or alteration of things And what felicitie can a Prince have that hath under his government so many thousands of people who must wake for them all heare the complaints of every one haue care for all their safetie His waking defendeth all mens sleeping his labour all mens rest his industry all mens delights that he is occupied bringeth to all men case for as if the Planets of the world make never so little stay or swarue aside it is to the exceeding hurt of all things so a Prince cannot rest nor be idle without the great detriment of his people whose care is no lesse to maintaine his people in peace then to defend them from the invasion of their enemies besides many other calamities that accompany Scepters whereof a meane estate never findeth any taste For rightly saith one that it is not sufficient for a Prince to draw to him all vertues but hee is bound also to roote all vices out of the Common-wealth These be the thornes they have for a counterpoyse of their brightnesse and royall dignities which ought to be like a lampe that giveth light to all the world But if it be eclypsed with any vice then it is more notorious and subject to greater reproch then in any other private person for they are not onely blame-worthy saith Plato for the fault they commit but for the evill example they giue And it is a great felicitie saith St. Augustine not to be ouercome of felicitie Great compassion saith Marcus Aurelius should be had upon a Prince because all follow him for their owne profit but none for his loue and seruice as appeareth by that when he leaueth to giue them they begin to hate him The Emperour Dioclesian said that there was nothing more hard then for a Prince to rule well for three or foure of those who haue credit with the Prince ioyne sometime together in one speech and of purpose tell fained things for true whereby hee is often deceiued CHAP. III. The estate of Popes and Prelates St. Bernards complains of the Clergie Eberard Archbishop of Salisburch Oration against the Church of Rome Alberius a learned Divine to the same purpose with other Coherences The estate and charge of the meaner Clergie The estate of Marriage The Commodities arising from Marriage confirmed by many noted Histories The discommodities of Marriage approoâ—…ed by sundry examples Of Solon and Thales two of the Sages with other pertinent stories Of the goodnesse of peace and the bad effects thereof c. LET us now enter into the consideration of Prelates beginning with Popes who as they chalenge the Supremacie over all other estates so they seeme to be placed in the highest degree of Felicitie they come by their dignitie without labour and for the most part without effusion of blood and preserue their estate without perill commanding all The Monarkes and Princes of the world honour them they are rich and seeme to want nothing that men desire in this world to make their life happy although those whom they represent were the very patterns and examples of povertie But he that will with an upright judgement consider of their estate shall finde them rather unhappie for if they will take upon them the government of St. Peters ship according to the commandements of God they must be not as they professe in words but in deeds the servants of the servants of God which must not regard his owne life in respect of the care he should have of them under his charge which being wisely considered of Pope Adrian a learned man and of good life finding by experience that dangers and troubles of principality specially of his calling would confesse oftentimes to his familiar friends with teares that among all the estates in the world there was not any that seemed to him more miserable and dangerous then that of Popes and Bishops for although the throne and chaire where he sate was richly garnished with divers pompes yet it was full of thornes and the costly cloake that covered him was full of sharpe needles and so heauy to be carried that it made his shoulders ake how strong soever he were that did beare it and for the trimme myter which covered their heads it was a very flame that burned them even to the inmost part of their soule And if to enter into the dignity of the Apostleship not called thereto by the Holy Ghost and not to enter into the Church through the doore which is Christ but by the window by the favours of men by corruption by the authority of Princes is not to be the Vicar of Christ and successour of the Apostles but is a theefe and the Vicar of Iudas Iscariot and of Symon Magus what case are then the Popes in that have come into the Church by all these wayes and also by the Divels helpe as appeared by the example of Syluester the second They take vpon them to keepe the keyes of heaven but they shut vp the way thither that neither themselues will enter in nor suffer others they procure wars they vexe Princes and trouble the people they excite the subiects against their naturall Princes the Prince against his subiects When Otho the 4. and Fredericke the 2. were in contention for the Empire Pope Innocent the 3. maintained it vnder hand yet notwithstanding he made a very cloquent Oration of the vnity concord that ought to be betweene Christian Princes A Citizen of Rome perceiving his dissembling said vnto him Holy Father your words seeme to be of God but the effects and drifts which are contrary to them come from the divell They build sumptuous Palaces they are clothed in Purple and Gold to the infamie of religion and intolerable burthen of the people exceeding in pompe and pride the most notable tyrants that have beene A holy and learned man in a sermon in the presence of a Pope reprehended their manners thus that they were not hired men for shepheards nor wolues for hired men but divels for wolues And yet they are not ashamed to call themselues the successors of Saint Peter who might rightly say to them as unworthy to succeede him You wicked dissembling men depart from my house Fallaces prauique domo discedite â—…ostra Bernard thus complaineth of the Bishops of his time The Bishops to whom the Church of God is now committed be not teachers but seducers not Pastours but deceivers not Prelates but Pylates And if felicitie can not easily be found in temporall principality how much more hard it is to be found in their estate that challenge Empire over all Monarkes and Kings and supremacie over all spirituall functions so as they take vpon them authority over body and soule which estate and dignity being by their vsurpations exalted above all other estates
of life and so far beyond the imbecillity of mans nature to beare with that moderation it ought so as such men as were of good condition before being once made Popes many of them become the most wicked of all others hardly will felicity be found in their estate for besides that the Popes have beene Atheists Heretikes Conjurers Adulterers Murderers and given to all kinde of vice and wickednesse their pride vaine toyes and illusions of the people make it apparant that religion is with many of them but a scoffe and mocke The Cardinall Benno writeth thus of Hildebrand called Gregorie the seventh The Emperour Henry the third saith he used often to goe to pray in the Church of S. Mary in Mount Aventin Hildebrand having by spiall watched all his doings caused the place where the Emperor used to pray to be marked and hired one with promise of money to lay secretly great stones vpon a beame of the Church so as he might let them fall directly upon the Emperours head as he was praying and knocke out his brains which thing when this wicked fellow made haste to accomplish as he was about to place a stone of great weight upon a beame the stone by his weight drew the fellow to him breaking the thin boords that were under the beame both the stone he by the judgement of God fell downe to the pavement of the Church with the same he was crushed to death which thing being knowne to the Romanes they tyed a rope to his feete and drew him three daies together thorow the streetes This Hildebrand by the report of the same author after he had asked something of the consecrated hoast which they call the body of Christ against the Emperour he cast it into the fire though the Cardinals that were present perswaded him to the contrary And nothing sheweth their infelicity more apparantly then their illuding and deriding of religion abusing the world with their fabulous figments and seducing the people from the Word of God and the true Christian Religion to their vaine toyes and childish inventions dealing with the Scriptures as a naughty painter did when he ill-favouredly painted certaine cockes he caused his boy to dirâ—… away the naturall cockes out of sight lest they should discover and disgrace the evill workmanship of his counterfeit cockes So when the Popes had set forth their owne traditions and their Fryers figments they caused the Old and New Testament to be laid out of sight knowing that the true Word of God would discover and disgrace the vanity of their traditions and counterfeit illusions as the fables of Fryer Francis and Dominicke and such like miracles which are receiued into the Romish Church and must be beleeved vpon paine of heresie such as the Poet might well cry out vpon O 〈◊〉 Credula mens hominis erectae fabulis aures Oh how credulous is the minde of man and how ready are his eares to listen to fables And if so many evils happen to men by the Popes not onely in their bodies goods and possessions as appeareth by Histories and the writers of their owne liues but also to the danger of their soules by the opinion of learned Diuines that estate cannot be a happy estate that bringeth men to so great vnhappinesse Which Popes are so puffed up with pride and vaine-glory that a Pope was not ashamed to accept the name but gloried that Constantine the Emperour called him God Eberard Archbishop of Salisburge in a publike assembly of the Princes and States of Germany two hundred yeeres since in an Oration spake thus of the Popes These Babylonian Flamines or Gentiles Priests covet to raigne alone they can suffer no equall they will not leave untill they have cast downe all thiâ—… under their feete and sit in the Temple of God and be lifted vp above all thing that is worshipped Their hunger after riches and thirst after honour is vnsatiable the more yee giue to the greedy-gut the more he desireth offer him your finger and he will coveâ—… your hand He that is the servant of the servants of God desireth neverthelesse to be the Lord of Lords as if he were God He speaketh great things as if he were God himselfe This cast-away changeth lawes establisheth his owne he defileth rifleth spoyleth deceiveth killeth which lost man they vse to call Antichrist in whose fore-head the name of blasphemie is written I am God I can not erre he sitteth in the Temple of God he ruleth farre and wide And Chrysostome saith Whosoever desireth the supremacie vpon earth he shall finde confusion in heaven Neither shall he be accounted among the servants of Christ that seeketh after the supremacie And Alberius a learned Divine saith that the rulers of the Romane Church by their crafty and subtill wits observing times sometimes lift vp the Empire another time by leasure abase it againe and to what purpose saving that by little and little they may cast downe vnder their feete as themselues vaunt all heavenly and earthly things all spirituall and temporall things And searching the old Histories saith Hierom I can finde none that devided the Church and seduced the people from the house of God but them that were appointed Priests to God But the pride and covetousnesse of Popes with many other vices and their illuding the world discovereth their hypocrisie and sheweth them plainely not to be the men they professe Besides advancing themselves above Emperors and Kings and making them hold their stirrops and leade their horses as hath beene said and glorying to be called God it is established among them that all men of what dignity or preeminence soever they be as soone as they come into the Popes sight a great way off they must make three courtesies and kisse his feete Saint Bernard speaking of their pompe saith Saint Peter was never knowne at any time to have gone apparelled with precious stones or silke not covered with gold nor carried with a white horse not attended upon with souldiers nor compassed about with great traines of servants he beleeved that without those things that healthfull commandement might sufficiently be accomplished If thou love mee feede my sheepe The same Bernard detesting their pompe and couetousnesse called them Antichrists and saith thus The offices of dignity of holy Church are translated into filthy gaine and the workes of darknesse it remaineth that the man of sinne be revealed the sonne of perdition a spirit not onely of the day but also of noone-light that is not onely transformed into an Angell of light but is also advanced aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped And the extreme couetousnesse of the Popes and their Court was more truely then eloquently thus set forth by one of their owne authors Curia vult marcas bursas exhaurit arcas Si bursae parcas fuge Papas Patriarchas Si dederis marcas 〈◊〉 implever is arcas Culpa
arrogant to take upon him to enter into the knowledge and secrets of God as to prescribe a rule by which God is to be worshipped We must flye unto God for his helpe poore wretches as we are to whom wee are not able to goe except hee vouchsafe to come downe unto vs. The Sunne cannot be seene without the Sunne no more can God be knowne without his helpe and light No man can worship God except he know him and no man can know him except hee discover himselfe to him And therefore what worship is meete for him can be knowne of none except hee vouchsafe to reveale himselfe in his word and oracles For that God cannot be worshipped but by the prescript of his owne will both the consciences of all men and God himselfe in his holy word doth testifie Esay and Matth. In vaine doe they worship mee who teach the doctrines and commandements of men And this therefore is the second marke that the religion teacheth the worshipping of God leaning upon the word of God and revealed of God himselfe But this neither is sufficient that the religion we seeke for teacheth us to worship the true God and that by Gods word and appointment for God gave us a law out of his owne mouth according to his holinesse and justice that wee might be holy like him But if we cannot of our selves know God nor how to worship him how can we after he revealed himselfe to us and gave us a law to worship him performe our duty to God and fulfill the law We ought to loue God above all things and for his sake whatsoever beareth his image though wee never knew or saw him before But who dare arrogate to himselfe such a perfect charity to love his neighbour as hee ought and for his sake that hee ought that is no otherwise than for himselfe and for God But if wee examine our coldnesse in the love of God wee shall perceive the reflexion thereof to our neighbour to bee frozen And therefore the third marke is that the religion we seeke must helpe us to a means whereby Gods justice must be satisfied without which not only all other religions are vain and of none effect but that also which seemeth to have the keeping of the worshipping of God So that the Heathens saw by instinct of nature and by reason that there is a God and that mans soveraigne good is to bee joyned with God and that some way to the same was necessary which they thought to bee any religion which they had invented to worship and adore him And hereof came their magicke and idolatry and superstitious ceremonies of their owne invention But the right way is beyond their reach and a great deale higher than it can be found out by men for there is a great difference betweene to know that God must bee worshipped and to know how hee should rightly bee worshipped Hierocles saith that religion is the study of wisedome consisting in the purgation and perfection of life by which we are joyned againe and made like to God And the way saith he to that purgation is to enter into our conscience to search out our sinnes and confesse them to God But here they are all gravelled and at a stand for of the confession of our sinnes followeth death and damnation except God that is Iustice it selfe and most good and to evill most contrary be pacified and made mercifull to us sinners But we seeke for the true and everlasting life in religion and not immortall death Seing then that the end of man in this life is to returne to God that hee may bee joyned with him in the other life which is his soveraigne good and felicity or beatitude and that the way to returne to God is religion and that as there is one true God so there can be but one true religion whose markes be to worship the true God and that by the appointment of his owne word and such as reconcileth man to God let us see what religion hath the same markes and meanes That the Israelites worshipped the true God the Creator of heaven is apparant by the confession also of some of the learned Heathens Seneca said the basest people meaning the Iewes gave lawes unto all the world that is they onely worshipped the true God the Creator of all things for the Israelites onely of all the world worshipped the true God the knowledge of whom they received from hand to hand even from the first man and how hee would bee worshipped among which people hee wrought wonderfull matters But the Painims worshipped goddes of their owne making sometimes men and sometimes divels that are enemies to God Such was the blindnesse of man in the matters of God and his vanitie and negligence in the matters pertaining to his salvation after the corruption received by his fall But it is certaine and manifest by that which hath beene said that man was placed in this world to worshippe God his Creatour which worshippe wee call religion and therefore as soone as man was in the world there was without doubt also religion for mans band and covenant towards God was made even with man the very same day that hee was created that is the duty of man towards God which is religion or godlinesse And because it is not doubted but that the first habitation of men was in the country about Damasco wee may also with reason beleeve that there the first man was created which Countries thereabout have beene of great antiquitie the habitation of the Israelites and even from the beginning of them from whom they descended who alwayes 〈◊〉 from age to age certaine bookes those which wee call the Bible or old Testament which they followed and had in great reverence as the true word of the true God in which hee did vouchsafe to reveale himselfe to men and to give them a law how to bee worshipped which bookes bee continued without intermission from the creation of the world and by little and little leadeth us even to Christ which have alwaies beene of such authority with the true 〈◊〉 that they have given no credit to any other books neither could they bee drawne from their beleese in them by no warres calamities exiles torments nor slaughter which cannot be sayd of any other people All the bookes histories or chronicles of the Romanes Grecians Egyptians or of any other nations be as yesterday in respect of the antiquitie of the Bible Therefore wee are assured in that booke is contained the true religion that is the true worshipping of the true God and Creator of the world in which hee hath revealed unto us himselfe by his owne word In the religion also contained in that book is the third marke that is the means by which men may be reconciled to God And because this is the principall part of religion to make it more plaine wee must make a repetition of some thing that hath
man saith he after an hundred 〈◊〉 nor after a thousand despaire of Gods mercy but yet so let him not despaire as he seeke presently without all stay to reconcile hunselfe to God by amendment of life Custome of sin taketh away the sense of sin he be not able to deliver himselfe from the 〈◊〉 of the devill although he would This life is a 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 in which we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the world the 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 and when we see 〈◊〉 so hardly charged himselfe and not only 〈◊〉 them that do fight like valiant men that is like true Christians but also after the end of the battell 〈◊〉 them with a victorious crowne and those that faint and 〈◊〉 themselves to the fury of their enemies hee suffereth to be led captive and perish with them 〈◊〉 sayth Vertue cannot bee vertue except it have some equall in overcomming of whom it may either exercise or shew his force and valour For as victory cannot bee without fight no more can vertue bee without an enemy Therefore as soone as our Creator had endued us with vertue hee 〈◊〉 gave us an enemy left vertue languishing by idlenesse should lose his nature And a man cannot otherwise attaine to the highest degree of felicity except hee provide for his owne safety by continuall fighting like a man of waire For God would not have a mortall man attaine to immortall beatitude by a delicate and smooth way but that he should wrestle and strive with all his might strength against the authour of errors and deviser of all mischiefe who worketh exccrable miraculous things to deceive us For our adversary looketh saith Gregory into every mans complexion and manners and therafter hee layeth snares to take and tempt them which he bringeth the better to passe because certaine qualities of mens manners are neare to certaine vices For rough and sharpe manners are commonly joyned with cruelty or pride smooth maners and some thing more given to 〈◊〉 than is comely are sometimes joyned with 〈◊〉 and dissolutenes The devil therefore beholdeth every mans maners to what vice they are neare and then hee setteth before their eyes those things to which he 〈◊〉 their minds will most willingly be inclined 〈◊〉 before them that be merrily disposed he setteth oftentimes luxuriousnesse somtimes vaine glory to rough and hard dispositions anger pride and crueky to those that bee sad he proponeth the sin of discord and sedition And because he seeth that lofty minds are puffed up with prayses he draweth them on with flattering favours to what they will And thus he layeth snares for every man according to the vices to which he is inclined We must labour therefore watch like good souldiers and not passe our time in idleness lest our enemy come suddenly and find us unprovided Wee must not only bee occupied in doing good to our selves but also to others For he deserveth not the name of a good man that forbeareth to do evil though it be a common custome so to cal him as though good were a privation and a defect only from evill but wee must proceede further wee must give helpe and â—…rofit others as the Poet saith Quo te cunque die nil sancti egisse videbis 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 deperiisse puta What day thou of no holy deed canst bost Account that day unto thy selfe quite lost For good is not a defect but an effect not placed in idlenesse but in doing not in hurting but in profiting 〈◊〉 not for gaine or for ostentation or for vaine 〈◊〉 but for it selfe and for the duty we owe unto God This rule is not sufficient what thou wilt not have done to thee that doe not thou to another but rather what thou wouldest have done to thee that doe thou to another And this agreeth with Christian charitie which is indivisibly joyned with true Religion For though charitie be not religion it selfe not the marke of true religion to speake properly and plainely but rather the markes of a religious man yet it is so great a vertue and so fast joyned to true religion that religion cannot stand rightly without it as heat is not the proper marke of fire because many other things are also hot but heat is so joyned with fire that so soone as we see fire we may presently affirme that there is also heat but not contrariwise so charitie though it bee not true religion it selfe yet it is a vertue so joyned to religion that wee cannot say this man hath religion but it followeth necessarily that he hath also charitie Wee must in all our actions in the whole course of our life in every estate high or low rich or poore set before us as a marke the end for which God created us and for what cause he sent us hither that woe may imploy our labour and study upon that businesse lest by our negligence wee doe not only defraud our selves of the reward appointed to that service but also receive punishment due to remissenesse If a man have suits in law send his servant up to the Terme to follow them and hee bestow his time in Tennis courts in the danncing and fencing schooles or in banquetting and carowsing neglecting his masters businesse doth not this servant deserve to be severely punished when hee hath yeelded up his account how vainely he hath bestowed his time and neglected his masters affaires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was sent So will the time come when we shall be called to account how we have imployed our time here how we have done the businesse for which we were sent hither that is the service of God whereof ensueth the enjoying of his heavenly kingdome which is our end and beatitude which service if we neglect and bestow our study and labour apply our mindes and cogitations upon any other 〈◊〉 than upon that for which wee were sent 〈◊〉 as upon advancement honour riches pleasures gorgeous apparell 〈◊〉 buildings favour of Princes or any other worldly vaniâ—… that appertaineth not to this end If I say we spend our time about these 〈◊〉 and set our care and mindes more upon these things than upon the great and 〈◊〉 affaires for which wee were sent hither that is the service of God and enjoying his heavenly kingdome for which hee made us and placed us in this world then are wee in the way to perdition except we alter and change our course For wee may be sure that whosoever shall not attend upon the service hee came for shall not attaine the reward assigned and promised to that service But hee that considereth with himselfe who made him and the world and all things therein for him and to what end that he should serve him here and participate his glory with him in heaven and that 〈◊〉 his mind and imployeth his time and labour eyther wholly or principally to this end service of God making no more account of honour riches and such like worldly things than is
the Angelicall and brutish nature 631 Of friendship and divers tenents held by 〈◊〉 634 The Commodities of poverty 635 True friendship doubleth prosperity 636 〈◊〉 fable of the Larke 637 No friendship to be made with covetous men 640 Corruption of these times 641 Of learned Emperours and of Q. Emperours 642 These times compared with the former 643 Prophane Schismaticks 644 A fearefull eclipse 645 Equivocation of the Divell 646 The wickednes of these times 647 Of Hypocrisie 649 Chasticement necessary 650 The way to injoy happinesse 651 The counsell of 〈◊〉 653 Gods service brings felicity 654 The Contents of the sixth Booke 〈◊〉 MAn the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Gods Creation pag. 656 Mans estate before his fall 657 〈◊〉 alteration after his fall 658 The soule opposite to the flesh 661 Man only declineth from his originall nature 665 Why God suffereth evill 666 God the only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 668 Mans 〈◊〉 to escape the 〈◊〉 into which he is fallen 669 God the end of his own work 670 Two Simitirudes 671 672 Of the vegetive sensible faculty of the understanding 674 675 Of the dangerous effects which the world breedeth 676 CHAP. II. Mans greatest knowledge meere ignorance 678 Opinions of beatitude 679 Christian considerations 680 Of invocation c. 682 All nations acknowledg a Ged 683 3. marks of true Religion 684. c One true God and one true Religion 687 Religion 〈◊〉 all men to the reading of the Scriptures 690 The necessity of a 〈◊〉 691 Who that Mediator is 692 All Oracles struck dumb 〈◊〉 the comming of Christ 693 Tâ—…erins would have erected a Temple unto Christ 694 Strange prodigies hapning at the birth of Christ 695 The means to get pardon 696 Custome of sinne taketh away the sense of sinne 697 Crosses the way to Heaven 704 Examples to confirme our Resurrection 706 The conclusion of the worke worke The Authours Apologie 714 FINIS The Creation of Angels and Men. The fall of the Angels The sell of 〈◊〉 The Mercy of Christ. The maâ—…ce of the Dâ—…well No feheâ—… but in Christ. How good distict slow wicked Three things in which men imagine selicitie to consist Of Pleasure A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Application 〈◊〉 Mistery of Sardanapalus The end of the first Monarchie The history of Heliogabalus His 〈◊〉 His Ryot Curiosity Gurmundise Pride Excesse Disorder Prodigality Vanity â—…eliy Defpaire His infamous end Of Nero. His Palace Ridiculous prodigality His luxury Repeatance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Despaire His cowardize His wretched end A costly 〈◊〉 Frâ—… tastings Ruine followeâ—… 〈◊〉 Against immoderace drinking A limitation of drinking A remarkeable example A pretty experiment The Ierffe an Embleme of gluttony A memento mori A counterfeit spirit Drunkennesse the roote of other viccs Of luxury Of 〈◊〉 Of Murder Herodocus A uniferable end Old Drunkards The Romanes imitated the Grecians 〈◊〉 5.11 Drunkennes the lelle of 〈◊〉 Examples of tempetance But one mcale a day used of old Vanitie and excesse cannot bee hid Alexander Medices A politick 〈◊〉 Against immoderate dauncing Rape the subversion of kingdomes A looking glatle for Ladies A masculine Spirit His name was 〈◊〉 Called Claudius An unjust iudge A cruell pitty The end of the 〈◊〉 Octivian 〈◊〉 and Lepidus 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Pride in in death A 〈◊〉 Cardinall An 〈◊〉 brother A foolish lover 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A ridiculous lover No 〈◊〉 with the 〈◊〉 Love captives conquerours The like we reade of Rygnialion Prop. Lecherous Friers Horrible blasphemy A wicked imposture Silly men soone fool'd Lust turnes to Tyranny Tyranny rewarded Incestuoâ—… love An indulgent father An holy medication Carriage not becoming a King A miraculous accident Vaine curlositie Excellent observations In voluptuousnesse there can be no felt That age was called the golden The Commodities of temperance Hunger the best lauce Nature contented with little Cicero Soneca Modest poverty preferr'd before superfluous plenty The Divell carefull to maintaine his owne Tyrants mocke at sacriledge A commendable cunning Whicâ—… now 〈◊〉 Tunis A cruell cunning â—…phus Heaven Iustice. The 〈◊〉 of the Dâ—…vell The blessednesse of peace Salust Wilfull 〈◊〉 The Luciâ—… pride of Church-men A 〈◊〉 resort Reverence cannot bee 〈◊〉 in ragâ—… Installable prooâ—…es Which was in those dayes not now This may â—…ly be 〈◊〉 upon these times salust A wonderfull modesty in the 〈◊〉 of Greâ—… Aâ—… excellent reproofs of 〈◊〉 A 〈◊〉 Cardinall A necessary Law Money beslowed as i ought to be An ominou dreame A Tâ—…ant murderer first gave Rome the Supâ—… macie over other â—…shope 〈◊〉 No Guie Guev Great â—…perance A resolute answer Magicians punished Mercur. The boly Text against Coâ—… Examples of avaricious men Examples of men continent Few such Popes Charitie rewarded Answers worthy observation Imitable examples Wise men not free from avarice Killing 〈◊〉 Adâ—…rable Continency Honâ—… change mâ—… Saâ—… Lâ—… â—…r A disoâ—… worth observâ—… Plaine but to purpose An excellent answer of a Hethen No felicity can be in richer Vertue to be preferred before honour The end of â—…bition Ambition hath no limit Of 〈◊〉 A 〈◊〉 beggar Aâ—… Queâ—… The effects of lust and 〈◊〉 No predictions can prevent â—…ate But three out of 〈◊〉 three 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their beâ—…s A charitable wish of an Ethnick The Empire â—…et to sale Gold that bought the 〈◊〉 would not save his life Clances and chanâ—…es 〈◊〉 war Nothing in this life 〈◊〉 No crown to a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Many miserable that seeâ—… happy Danger 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A cunning 〈◊〉 The speech of a worthy friend The modesty of 〈◊〉 The troubles of pitâ—… A Kingdom and a wife two hard things to governe The greatest 〈◊〉 iâ—… in a mean 〈◊〉 The cares that attends on 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Richard 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 in the time of Henry the sixth A remarkeable modefâ—…ie â—…ange ambition in 〈◊〉 Tyranny A disputable 〈◊〉 A kingly conâ—…ction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gâ—…ude in death Curtefie 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 A 〈◊〉 reward The death of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the death of the Pâ—…e A kings â—…diculous solly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 of a Prâ—…eft A prety jugâ—…g Their 〈◊〉 found out by the beaâ—…ten A witty saying of Erasmus A â—…est of some Papists These 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his governoâ—…ent A â—…refull â—…lling off Gods great mercy Simplicity in buâ—…ility Vaine cutioâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An in 〈◊〉 of that Taâ—…e did to 〈◊〉 A pâ—…y construction A peremptory letter A prince like answere A 〈◊〉 answere A woman 〈◊〉 That 〈◊〉 is called the 〈◊〉 Pride 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The craft of the Divell to those that speake to him Ambition in men of base condition The Conjurer conjured Needlesse cuâ—… Quick cookeâ—…y A 〈◊〉 and a 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the best wits Strange superstition Cnustin His parents His countrey His bringing up Mahomet an horse driver A prophecy of Mahomet Prodigies Fearefull blasphemy His marriage Mahomet becomes a monarch The ground of his religion lust liberty Meere imposture Mahomet poysoned The meaning good though the course indirect Thevet 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 for murder Brave 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 Turkes Diabolicall
assembly of people going backward of purpose and seeing euery one laughing him to scorne asked them alowd if they were not ashamed to mocke him for going backward when hee walked whereas they did so all the daies of their life As if hee should say that no man followed the right course of life but rather that all liued contrary to that they ought For all men desire to be in a happy estate Hecopus hic labor est But few take the right course to attaine to it It is commonly said that wise men differ from fooles in this that they set vp a marke to shoot at these shoot their arrows vp into the ayre at random without any certain marke And again that good men differ in this from the wicked that some propose to themselues a good end others an euill end some that which is good indeed others that which is good in shew only Many set vp no marke or end at all to which they should direct the course of their life but fall from one kinde of life into another as chance offereth without any certaine end or purpose Some direct the course of their life to some end as to a marke but because they mistake one thing for another they neuer attaine to that they desire Others though they see what the marke or end is to which they should direct the course of their life which is felicitie yet as men who vse to take vpon them blind-folded to finde out a post or hillocke or such like wander vp and down without finding that they secke so they being made blinde by their affections which as Plato saith bee very euill counsellers and clogged with worldly cares and carried away with vnsatiable desires bestow their labour in vaine and can neuer finde that they seeke for And though all men desire one thing that is a happy estate yet the great difference we see in the course of their liues argueth their mistaking some other thing for that they secke after by meane whereof they can neuer attaine to the end of their desires Let vs looke into mens labours and consider what the things bee for the obtaining whereof they imploy all their trauell and study for that seemeth the thing which they take for felicitie or a great meane to the attaining of it For euery man naturally desireth that which he thinketh to be good Three things I obserue that the most part of men greedily hunt after and leaue no stone vnturned as the prouerbe is to attaine to them Some desire to liue in pleasure many seeke for riches others labour for honour and glory in these things according to their seuerall inclinations they put their felicitie But how farre they are from the true felicitie shall hereafter if God will appeare rather by the common iudgment of men that will vse reason for their guide than by Logicall arguments and by examples of them whose miserable estate and vnfortunate end hath discouered the error of their disordered and licentious life that by seeking felicitie where it was not they found in felicitie where it was By whose example after Diogenes counsell wee may become wise by another mans harme for he is wise very late that is made wise by his own harme For as Seneca saith Longum iter per praecepta brene efficax per exempla The way by precepts is long by examples short and pithy And first to beginne with Pleasure wherein some learned men of account among the ancient Philosophers as Epicurus and others seeing how willingly men are drawne to pleasures held that felicitie or soueraigne good should consist They reasoned thus That action is the end or felicitie of man to which by nature of his own accord he is most willingly ledde But all men of their owne accord are most willingly led to pleasures Therefore Pleasure is the end or felicitie of man But the Epicures were in this greatly deceiued for man as in the substance of his body participateth with brute beasts so in his spirituall essence which is a reasonable soule hee participateth with Angels And though hee be by the worst part of his nature giuen to pleasure yet reason reprehendeth and blameth his brutish affections But the cause of this dissention in mans nature the Philosophers saw not only Christian Religion sheweth why his affections are repugnant to reason If felicitie as the Philosophers affirme bee the proper action of man then can it not bee in Pleasure for that is common with him and brute beasts but after them it must bee an action peculiar and proper to him alone And seeing that man is made of two distinct natures though by the great wisedome of the Creatour wonderfully vnited together it is more reason that his felicitie should bee agreeable with the best part of his nature which is a reasonable soule and resembleth the Angels that are made after the image of God than with the worst part of his nature which resembleth and is of the like substance to brute beasts But he that will enter into the due consideration of mans felicitie must haue respect to both his natures the body and the soule both which it must in a sort touch yet according to the proportion and difference of excellencie that is betweene them the one representing the image of God being immortall the other participating with brute beasts being subiect to death and corruption Such a felicitie as consisteth in the momentany pleasures of this life the Indian captiues may challenge The Indians haue a manner when they haue taken one of their enemies prisoner whom they meane not presently to cate not to imprison him as the vse is in these parts of the world but they bring him with great triumph into the village where hee dwelleth that hath taken him and there place him in a house of some man that was lately slaine in the warres as it were to re-celebrate his funerals and giue vnto him his wiues or sisters to attend vpon him and to vse at his pleasure They apparel him gorgeously after their manner and feede him with all the daintie meats that may be had and giue him all the pleasures that can be deuised When hee hath passed certaine moneths in all manner of pleasures like an Epicure and is made fat with daintie and delicate fare like a Capon they assemble themselues together at some festiuall day and in great pompe bring him to the place of execution where they kill him and eate him This is the end of this poore captiues pleasures and the beginning of his miseries whose case is nothing inferiour to theirs who enioying the pleasures of this life for a small time wherein they put their felicitie are rewarded with death and perpetuall torments For as he was taken prisoner by his enemies so are they captiued by the Diuell who feedeth their humours with variety of pleasures that he may at length deuoure and destroy them both body and soule Many examples are
finding there a Lion shee hid her selfe for feare leaving behinde her for haste the things which shee did weare upon her head which being taken away by the Lyon and found by Pyramus supposing his love was devoured by the Lyon he slew himselfe Thisbe not long after returning to the place appointed and finding her lover dead slew her selfe with his sword But this love that followeth wrought not so evill an effect A French Gentleman lying with his love a Courtisan in Rome as hee was in the morning about to put on his chaine of gold which was wont to come foure times about his necke it would then go but three times about And as hee was musing with himselfe how this matter should come to passe the Courtisan who had untyed secretly the lincks and stolen part of the chaine away made shew as though shee marvelled why hee looked so sad and asked the Gentleman whether hee felt any griefe It seemeth quoth shee you have taken some cold because your head is waxed great and your face swollen and therewith she put a glasse in his hand of that sort that maketh things shew greater and larger than they are indeed The Frenchman looking in the glasse beleeving that his head was swolne and that hee was fallen into some strange disease left musing upon his chain bewailed himselfe afterward to his friends as though he had been dangerously diseased There was a young man in Friburge so desirous of the companie of a young maiden with whom he was in love that being promised by a Necromancer hee should enjoy her companie and for that purpose withdrawing themselves into a secret place of the house he caused the divell to shew himselfe to them in likenesse of this Virgin and when the young man offered to take her by the hand the spirit casteth him against the walls and slue him and cast his carkasse with such violence at the conjurer that hee lay halfe dead a great while Abusahid King of Fez by the report of Leo of Africa was slaine and his sixe children by his Secretarie for abusing his wife In the time of Philip the Fayre King of France two Knights were flayed alive for whoredome with the Queen of Navarre the Countesse of March and they condemned to perpetuall prison Iulius Casar that great Monarch after hee had made conquest of Germanie Spaine France England Italic Greece and of Pompey his enemy had like to have suffered a shamefull death through the pleasure he tooke in the fond love of Cleopatra whose company to enjoy he went to Alexandria in disguised apparell where an Eunuch and a childe were like to have slaine him if hee had not cast himselfe from an high tower into the sea and saved his life by swimming to his campe under the galleyes of his enemies These passions of love doe worke wonderfull and strange effects in many that yeeld themselves to bee overcome by them Historiographers report of a yong man in Athens of very good parentage and rich that was so enamoured upon an Image of Marble very artificially made and set up in a publicke place that he would embrace it and make love to it as though it were a living Creature and could not endure it to be out of his sight but alwaies remained by it And if it chanced him to be from the Image he would weep and lament so grievously that it would pitty any hard heart to behold him This Passion grew so strong in him that hee made sute to the Senate to sell the Image to him for such price as themselves would demand that he might remove it from thence to his own dwelling place But the Senate denying his request because it was a publicke thing he caused to be made a rich Crowne of gold with other jewels and sumptuons attire and put it upon the Image which hee beheld and adored in such extremitie that the people being moved at his folly forbad him to come any more neare it whereat he conceived such griefe and displeasure that he killed himselfe Durius in terris nihil est quod vivat amante Nec modo si saplas quod minus esse velis None suffers more than they that love professe Which the more wise we are we practise lesse And though this bee very strange yet that which credible Authors write of the King Xerxes is more strange or rather monstrous They report that he was so farre enamoured upon a Plane tree that hee would make love to it as if it had been a very faire woman The desire of this fleshly pleasure brought forth a most vile and wicked sect among the Friers and religious men at Naples in the time of Pope Egidius As there happened a dissention among the Popes these Friers in contempt of Christian Religion would assemble themselves together in the night both men and women in caves and secret places fit for their purpose where to cover their villanie with some shew of honesty the Priests that were among them would sing Psalmes after the manner of Christians Which being finished the Priests as it were beginning a Sermon would say something to confirme their wicked errour the effect of whose speech should bee That above all things Charitie ought to bee embraced which by the testimonie of holy Scripture was the head of all vertues and that the principall exercise of this Charitie among men God himselfe being Author thereof consisted in the coupling together by the holy Ghost of male and female in the worke of Venus And when every man had defiled that woman the lights being put out whom before hee had set his eyes upon then the divine service was finished These men taught publikely that this was not the Testimonie of Christ My peace I give unto you my peace I leave unto you But this Increase and multiply and replenish the earth And if any of these women happened to be with child the Priests commanded the childe to be brought to them who assembling together in a place appointed for their sacrifices after a solemne sort would burne the infant to ashes which they would gather up and keep in a pot as a holy thing And when any new Priest was to receive Orders by them he must drinke of those ashes in wine And when their chiefe Bishop happened to dye to avoyd envie and that a new might seeme to bee chosen to supply his roome rather by some divine power than by themselves they would command the mother of some childe borne in that wicked sort to bring it to some of their secret places appointed for that purpose and the Priests as they sate the people standing by would take the childe and deliver it from one to another every one brusing it with his hands continuing this order still untill the poor wretch were killed then in whose hands it dyed that was the man that must bee the chiefe Bishop These be the effects that the desire of fleshly
strange to all men and that they might procced orderly with her she was committed to prison and examined where shee confessed all that had happened But this EthiopiaÌ„ Divell would not so leave her societie for as she was kept close in prison whilest her cause was examining when the Nuns after midnight used their ordinarie service in the quire the Divel would transforme himselfe into her likenesse and sit in her place and kneele upon his knees as though he prayed they all thinking it had beene Magdalen and that shee had that liberty given for her repentance But the next day when they understood that shee was kept in prison and the night following seeing her againe in the quire they told the visitors who examining the matter found that shee went not forth of the prison And when the cause was known to the Pope through her repentance he pardoned her and gave her absolution But Sathan never found so fit an instrument to serve his purpose with such effect as was that false Prophet Mahomet who through ambition and an unsatiable desire of glory wherein his life shewed him to put his felicity not content to become of a base fellow a Monarch of divers goodly kingdomes but must also take upon him to be a holy Prophet sent from God to give laws to his people whereby he hath not onely damned his owne soule but also sendeth dayly infinite numbers of soules to the bottomlesse pit of hell to whom the Poets saying may be aptly applyed Alsquid tamdudum invadere magnum Mens agitat miht nec placida contenta quiete est My mind hath in long labour bin nor yet In quiet is some great thing to beget And that it may the better appeare what pernicious effects the desire of vaineglory hath wrought and therefore contrary to that Summâ—… bonum or felicitie wee seeke after it will not be impertinent to the matter to make a briefe narration of the course of Mahomets life whereby we shall see how by the helpe of the Divell his owne subtil wit by Gods sufferance for our sins hee was advaÌ„ced froÌ„ a poore wretch to a mighty Monarch and reputed Prophet and law-maker This Mahomets father was an Arabian called Abdalla his mother an Ismaelite called Enyma he was borne in a little village not far from Mecha called Itrarip about sixe hundred yeares after Christs incarnation The Turks say that the same day he was borne there fell downe to the ground of their own accord a thousand Churches one which was a signe that in his time there should bee a great decay of Christianity Being in his youth brought up by his parents in two religions every of them desirous to draw him to his opinion when he came to be a man he was of no religion He was sent no doubt by the Divel to the shame of mankind who cannot endure the sincerity of Christs Gospell but finding so apt an instrumeÌ„t to worke the dishonor of God and the destruction of men and knowing the disposition of the world to embrace new things he practised by his meanes to plant a new religion having fit opportunity therto by the wavering minds of the Arabians and Affricans who were at that time he was borne in doubt whether they might follow the religion of the Christians or of the Iewes or Arrians There was great fâ—…iendship about this time betweene Mahomets father and a Iew that was an Astronomer well learned in the old law in the Christian religion It chanced that Mahomet was borne when his father was gone to Ierusalem and at his returne this Iew having calculated his sonnes nativitie told him that he should be mighty in dominion law Not long after the birth of this apostle of Sathan Abdalla the father died When Mahomet was 4 yeres old this Iew devised a notorious and most shamefull lye He said that he saw two Angels take Mahomets hart out of his bodie divided it in the middest and tooke out of it a drop of bloud and afterward washed it cleane with faire water put it in a paire of ballance weighed it with ten other hearts because his heart weighed them downe all Then one of the Angels said to the other if his heart were set against all the hearts in Arabia it would over weigh them all This said the Iew the Angell Gabriell shewed him When Mahomet was viijyeares old his mother died and committed him to his uncle by the fathers side who delivered him to the Iew to be brought up in learning The Iew instructed him in naturall Philosophy but especially in the Iewish and ChristiaÌ„ religion wherin he proved so good a scholler that it holpe to work the destruction of his own soule many others Some write that when Mahomet was thirteen yeare old as he wandred abroad he met with merchants that were going into Egypt desirous to be of their company they tooke him with them to helpe to keepe their camels horses and wheresoever he went there was many times seene a blacke fellow standing by him And when they came to a village in Egypt where at that time were divers Christians the Parson of the towne invited theÌ„ to his house they followed the Parson left Mahomet to keep their camels The Parson enquiring whether all their coÌ„pany were come into his house they are all here said they saving a boy that stayeth without with our camels As the Parson went forth he saw a black fellow 〈◊〉 by the boy which put him in mind of a prophecie that he had read of one that should descend of pareÌ„ts of two sundry natioÌ„s who shold establish a religion against the christian faith by whom for a signe should many times stand a black fellow The parsoÌ„ desired the merchaÌ„ts to cal in the boy understanding his name to be Mahomet he remeÌ„bred him so to be called in the prophecie that he should be a mighty man a great trouble to Christendome that his religion should not continue above 1000. yeers then it should vanish away When the Parson had considered of his name of the black fellow staÌ„ding by him he perceived that it was he the prophecie spake of and set him at his table above the merchants and did him great reverence After they had eaten the Priest asked the merchants whether they knew the boy who told him the manner how they came by him The parson enformed theÌ„ of the prophecy he ha 〈◊〉 read who affirmed that they had seene such a blacke fellow stand by him Then sayd the Parson to the boy Thou shalt be a great learned maÌ„ and shalt establish a new religion among the Heathens and with they power thou shalt bee great annoyance to the Christians and thy successors shall be mighty men Now I desire thee that thou wilt suffer my country men the Armenians to live in peace Mahomet promised that he would so doe and went forwards with
solueris quaqua ligatus cris Intus quis tu quis ego sum quid qâ—…ris vt intrem Fers aliquid non sta foris fero quod satis intra The Court must haue money It Exhausts both purses and coffers If thou shewest thy purse thou must neither haue To deale with Popes nor Patriarchs But if thou wilt giue money and supply their coffers Thou shalt bee absolued of what crime soeuer Who 's within what art thou t is I. what wouldst thou I would enter Bringst thou any thing no stay without then I bring what is sufficient come neere then And Mantuan noting likewise their vnmeasurable covetousnesse singeth thus Venalia Romae Templa sacerdotes altaria sacra coronae Ignis thura preces calum est venale Deúsque Temples are to be sold in Rome Inquire The Priests the holy Altars crowne and fire The Incense and their prayers are to be sold There thou maist buy both heauen and God for gold But now that they find the want of that which was wont to feede their vnsatiable humours of covetousnes and ambition by meane that the better halfe of Europe being reuolted from them both their credit and treasury is greatly decayed The Popes rage of late yeeres like as the Asses of Thuscia are reported to doe when they haue fed vpon hemlockes which as Matheolus writeth casteth them into such a sound sleepe that they seeme to be dead in so much as the countrey men goe oftentimes to take off the skinne and haue halfe flayed him before the Asse will awake And when they haue taken off the skinne to the middest of his backe the asse riseth vp suddenly vpon his feete and halfe his skinne hanging downe breaketh out into such a roaring that he putteth the husbandman many times into a great seare The like is vsed by the latter Popes who haue beene a long time in a sound sleepe untill they hauing felt the one halfe of reuenewes reuenewes and dominion taken away from them fearing the rest will follow they fall into such a roaring and thundring with their Bulles arming subiects against their Princes and Kings against their subiects and one of them against another that they put all Christendome many times in a great feare which in these dayes in many places worketh effect like vnto that which Chaucer if I forget not speaketh of when he describeth a great feare that hapned in the breake of the day the dogges barkt the duckes quackt the cockes crowed and the Bees ranne out of the hyue Iohn Peter of Ferrara a learned man taxing the Popes ambition and covetousnesse after many other things writeth thus above one hundred and fifty yeeres since The Pope laboureth to have superiority of the Emperour which is ridiculous to speake and abominable to heare And note how and by how many meanes the Clergie men lay snares for the Lay men and enlarge their jurisdiction But alas ye vnhappie Emperours and secular Princes that suffer these and the like things and make your selues servants unto the Popes and see the world abused by them infinite waies And yet ye thinke not vpon reformation because yee give not your mindes to Wisedome and Knowledge And Saint Hierome saith Italy will never be at quiet vntill the Church of Rome doe not possesse all the Cities and Castles and that the gift of Constantine be by some good and mightie Emperour utterly revoked because saith hee non benè câ—…eniat Psalterium cum Cythera neither was it granted of Christ to Peter that they should possesse such things but that which is Caesars should be given to Caesar and that which is Gods to God Now if the Popes bee the Antichrist spoken of in the Scripture after the opinion of learned Divines or if hee set foorth vaine and wicked fables and horrible blasphemies in place of true Christian Religion as the miracles done by Fryer Dominicke and Francis to bee more and greater then those done by Christ and his Apostles and the rest of the Fables written by them by their owne Authors also their imagined purgatory worshipping of images invocation of the dead their daily renewing of the sacrifice of Christ in their Masse Christening of Bels absolution for him that hath killed his father or mother and many other such like things this cannot bee a happie estate that opposeth it selfe so directly and apparantly against Christ and his doctrine whereby besides the danger of their destruction they draw infinite numbers of soules to the danger of eternall damnation except Gods mercie bee the greater Gregory the Great doth testifie plainely that the Pope is described vnder the person of Nabâ—…chodonozor For Kings and Princes in hell that are damned are brought in as though they came to meete the Pope after his death comming to them to salute him who mocke him thus Hell was in great feare of you when it heard of your comming all the dead Princes of the earth rise up to you all Kings of Nations rise out of their thrones and speake to you after this sort Art thou made subject to the same infirmities as wee are and art thou become like unto us Thy pride hath brought thee downe to hell When diddest thou fall Lucifer from heaven thou sonne of the morning and art come into the earth that wert terrible to all Nations But thou saidst in thy heart I will goe up to heaven I will lift up my seat above the Starres of heaven I will ascend above the height of the clouds and will be made like the highest They that shall see thee will say Is this he that troubleth the earth and ouerthrew kingdomes Thus they deceiue the world who at last are deceiued themselues Liuie saith There is nothing more deceiueable in shew then false religion when the power of God is made a cloke for wickednesse And if the Popes were of that holinesse and vertue they would be taken it could not be but by their example instruction and discipline their Imperiall Seat and Citie whereof they are Head would not deserue for their abominable vice and wickednesse so infamous speech by the learned Italians themselues Petrarke Mantuan and many other call Rome the shop of all wickednesse Babylon Sodom the Schoole of errors the Church of heresies an Harlot with a shamelesse face Mantuan thus noteth the vice there vsed I pudor in villas si non patiuntur easdem Et villae vomicas Roma est iam tota Lupanar Goe shame vnto the villages If they as yet be free From the same filth for now all Rome Is nought saue brothelry And Pasquil confirmeth the same when one hauing beene at Rome at his departure taketh his leaue thus Roma vale vidi satis est vidisse reuertar Cum leno aut meretrix scurra cynedus ero Rome farewell I haue seene and now Am glutted with thy sight I will returne when I am Bawd Whoore Iester Catamite Thus much of the ambition and manners of the Popes whereunto I
king of Arragon who would say that he had rather lose his pearles and precious stones than any book And divers other Kings Emperors were excellently learned among which number I account by a rare example the noble Queene of England my gracious Soveraigne The Mathematicallsciences were had in such estimation for their excellencie that none might study them but Kings that they might excell others as well in worthinesse and singularitie of knowledge as in dignity of estate but now Kings children bee brought up in Machiavels schoole â—…s an Authour sufficient for their instruction Hee that will compare this time with that of former ages shall find a wonderfull Metamorphosis in mens minds and manners Vertue was never lesse in use and vice did never more abound the truth was never more knowne and never lesse regarded never better taught and never worse followed men were never lesse idle and never worse occupied worldly 〈◊〉 were never more carefully sought for and heavenly 〈◊〉 â—…ever lesse effectually thought of Men were never moâ—… religious in words and never more prophane iâ—…deeds The divell never bestirred himselfe with more dilligence to allure men to all manner of vice and men were never more negligent to make resistance nor more ready to further his labour and though hee cannot stop the utterance of the word yet hee prevaileth in that which is next to it to hinder his bringing forth of condigne fruits It happeneth to us as it did to Tantalus that though the water ranne by his mouth yet none would enter in to quench his thirst so the sound of Gods word beateth continually against our eares but it entereth not in to coole the heate of the wicked motions of our inordinate desires and to quench our thirst after worldly vanities In every place is talke of divinitie even among them that know not what belongeth to humanity Many are with their tongues blazers and talkers of vertue but all their other members they suffer to administer to vice Few men are so covetous of their owne good fame and honour as they are greedy of other mens goods and envious of others vertue Most men seeme to hate pride and yet few follow humility all condemne dissolutenesse and yet who is continent All blame intemperancie â—…nd yet none lives in order All praise patience and yet who resisteth the sweet passion of revenge He that possesseth much oppresseth him that hath little and hee that hath but little envyeth him that hath much Wee condemne Papists for their superstition confidence in their good works and we blame Puritanes for their affected singularitie and formall precisenesse and in the meane time that we may be unlike the one in grossenesse and not much resemble the other in precisenesse we neither have sufficient regard to the true devout service of God and to Christian charity nor sufficiently shew the zeale of true Christians to the sincerity of religion and least of all expresse it in our lives and conversations as though godlinesse consisted in a theoricall kinde of beleeving without any respect to the exercise of Christian charitie and vertue And when we go about to shake off the clogges wherewith our consciences are burdened by superstition to enjoy the true and Christian libertie wee fall into such a licentiousnesse of life and dissolutenesse of manners that the Poets saying may be aptly applyed to many Dum stulti vitant vitia in contraria currunt Whilst fooles shunne vices they run into contraries Some hold that God may be better served in â—…eir â—…ber than in the Church others preâ—… a 〈◊〉 or a barne before any of them both Thus doâ—… 〈◊〉 old Serpent labour 〈◊〉 sow division in mens minâ—…s and manners to 〈◊〉 â—…nour of true religion that whilst the Magistrates bee occupied in reforming these new schismes the professed enemie to the Gospel may multiply and encrease his flocke under hand But in the middest of this generall wickednesse and depravation of manners being almost as we may conjecture at the highest this comfort remaineth to the well-minded that the day of deliverance cannot be farre off When Dionysius at the time that Christ was crucified beheld with admiration the Sunne eclipsed contrary to nature the Moone being at the full and opposite to the Sunne he pronouneed these words Either the God of nature suffereth now or else the whole frame of the world shal be dissolved And as Dionysius divined rightly in the one so may he do in the other that wil behold the generalitie of all maner of vice and wickednesse of this time contrary to the nature of Christianity and opposite to the word of God which was never more plentifully taught and boldly pronounce that this generall and unnaturall eclipse of Christian manners doth presage the destruction of the world to be at hand Hee that will looke into the manners of this time shall he not find cause with trembling and feare to thinke that the time is at hand that the Prophet Ionas spake of to the Ninivites There be yet forty dayes and the world shall be destroyed but our hearts be so hardened with worldly desires that wee will beleeve nothing that feedeth not our humours and is not plausible to our inclinations And nothing is more dangerous to a Christian than to accustome himselfe to harden his conscience For in such unhappy people there is no will to be amended nor meanes to be remedied The Affricans had a Prophecie that when the Romans sent an Armie into Affrica Mundus cum tota sua prole periret the signification of which words is The world with all his issue shall perish which made them thinke that the world with all the people should be destroyed But afterward the Romanes sent an Army thither under the conduct of a Generall whose name was Mundus who in battell with his sonnes were slaine by the Affricanes and fulfilled the effect of the Prophecie and discovered the illusion of the Divell But these Heathens were not so easie to be deludâ—…d by the Divell as we are hard to bee perswaded by the true Prophets of God and Preachers of his word that the destruction of the world cannot bee farre off for the mindes and manners of men are so transformed and changed and declineth daily from evill to worse that if the men of former ages were to walke againe a while upon the earth they would thinke that this world were not the same which before it was but rather another substitute in his place Horace found this fault in his time that the age of their parents was worse than that of their grandfathers and themselves more wicked than their fathers and their children would be more vicious than they And as wee are worse than our fathers so our posterity is like to be worse than wee be if vice bee not now at the highest and the world almost at an end The Poets observed diligently and with great consideration the mutations of
sensitive and understanding Now let us see in which of these wee may lay the end or felicity of mā The soul giveth life to the body the perfection of life is health If we respect nothing else in this life then he that was first created healthfull had nothing wherewith to occupy himselfe But if sithence our corruption our principall care ought to bee of our health what thing is more unhappy than a man whose felicity standeth upon so false and feeble a ground Seeing the body is subject to an infinite number of perils of hurts of mischances weak and fraile alwaies uncertaine of life and most certaine of death which commeth to him by many means and wayes who is he that is so sound of body or so feeble of mind that if his choise be given him will not rather chuse a sound mind in a sickely body than a little frenzie or imperfection of mind in a very healthful body In the mind therfore our chiefe good must be seeing we be willing to redeem the perfect estate of our mindswth the miseries of our bodies Next unto this is the sensitive part whose felicity seemeth to bee in pleasure but then were beasts more happy than men that feele pleasures more sweetly and fully And how soone are these pleasures ended with repentance also It pleased the gods said Plautus that sorrow should follow pleasure as a companion But wee seeke for the greatest or soveraigne good and if it be good it will amend men aud make them better But what doth more weaken and corrupt men than pleasures and what doth lesse satisfie men and more weary them But wee looke not for that which doth finish but that continueth our delight whereas these pleasures contrariwise soone decay and quickly spoyle us As Petrarke saith Extrema gaudii luctus occupat The extremity of joy and pleasure sorrow doth possesse The delight of the mind is greater and more meet for a man and more agreeable to his end than the pleasures of the senses And if choyce be given to him that hath passed all his life in pleasures and hath but a few houres to come either to enjoy the fairest curtisan in Rome or else to deliver his countrey who is so beastly or barbarous that will not presently chuse rather to delight his mind with so noble an act than to satisfie his senses with pleasure And to conclude the place of pleasures is in the senses which are decayed taken away by sicknesse by wounds by old age And if these pleasures that be exercised by the sensitive part will not sooner be abated yet death will utterly extinguish them But seeing man hath two kindes of life mortall and immortall the one of which he preferreth as farre the better before the other we must not seeke for such an end or good as perish both together but such as maketh men happy indeed everlasting and immortall which cannot be found in these transitory things Now followeth the third part of the soule which is understanding which is occupied sometimes in it selfe sometimes in the matters of the world and other while in the contemplation study of divine things Of these three operatiōs springeth three habits vertue prudence sapience And seeing that understanding is the most excellent thing in man let us see in which of these we may place our soveraigne good For in this part of the soul the end beatitude of man must needs consist for what thing can be imagined beyond man beyond the world beyond the Creator of both That vertue cannot be his end or soveraigne good hath bin shewed before For vertue is nothing but the tranquility quietnes of the affections what be affections but a sodaine tempest in the soule that are raised by a very smal wind which overthrow the mightiest ship that is in a moment and maketh the most skilfull mariners to strike saile and reason it selfe to give over the stern And if our end of felicity should be in vertue what were more miserable than man that must fight continually against his affections which neverthelesse will not be overcome as the mariners labour to save themselves in a tempest from the raging of the sea that gapeth every moment to devoure them So that in this life vertue cannot bring us to felicity and in the other life it can stand us in no stead where wee shall have no affections Therefore vertue cannot bee our end or Soveraigne good Neither is prudence the thing we seeke for which is nothing but the right use of reason in exercising the affaires of this world And what bee the affaires of this world but contention strifes sutes warres bloudshed spoile murders burnings and sackings of townes and countries with an infinite number of such like stuffe Neither can they that have the charge of government in common-wealths which are all subject to these things be accounted happy but they rather are happy that are defended from them by their cares and unqui◅nesse for the Physitians care is more profitable to the f◅che body than to himselfe Besides that men are turned to dust and the world will be destroyed but the soule liveth and forsaketh these kind of affaires Therefore prudence cannot bee the end and felicity of man that is included within the limits of this world CHAP. II. Divine co◅ the best wisedome That our greatest knowledge is ◅eere ignorance Of wonderfull and strange secrets in nature The excellency of faith Religion our reconciliation to God All nations acknowledge a supreame Deity That no vertues are vertues that swerve from religion and godlinesse Of the only true religion Salvation of man the only true beatitude Markes by which the true religion is knowne The necessity of a Mediatour Who and what our Mediatour is And that the soveraigne beatitude is onely to be attained unto by our blessed Saviour Christ Iesus the Righteous LEt vs now examine sapience after Morney as we have done the rest or that part of wisedome which is conversant in the contemplation of God and divine matters for that in all mens judgements seemeth to bee a mostexcellent thing By instinct of nature every man knoweth that there is a God for the workes of God doe present him continually to us But how should we enter throughly into the knowledge of the Creator of all things when we know not the things before our eyes Socrates confessed freely that he knew this one thing That he knew nothing Which confession as himselfe thought was the cause he was by the Oracle called the wisest man of his time And Porphyrius said that all Philosophy was but a conjecture or light perswasion delivered from one to another and nothing in it that was not doubtfull and disputable But he that knoweth God in this wherein is hee the more happy Reason sheweth us that God is good that he is just that hee loveth the good and hateth the evill Our conscience whispereth us in the
fall our knowledge being turned into ignoâ—…nce though wee have some fight of our end and beatitude yet we are notable about selves to attaine to it And as the cause of our misery is our separation from God so our felicity is to be joyned with God againe And seeing the same which was the soveraigne good of the firstman is also 〈◊〉 which by his revolt from God he lost from himselfe and from his posterity and the way to recover the same is to reâ—… to God â—…ine Let us see whether God of his great meâ—…y hath not left us some meanes by which we may be 〈◊〉 the right way to him againe whether 〈◊〉 doth â—…each forth his fatherly hand to us thorough the clouds and 〈◊〉 to call and draw us to him though like bastards and rebels we be altogether unworthy of his favour and mercy All men acknowledge one God the parent and Creator of mankind that hee made the world for man of nothing and that he governeth both the world man by his providence Then must it needs follow that obedience is due to the Father faith and invocation and all manner of duty belongeth to so bountifull a Lord and governour And seeing man is by nature immortall hee ought with all his mind to aspire to immortall things And because by sinne he is fallen from God and from himselfe he ought to aske pardon that hee may pacifie the wrath of God which he purchased by his pride and love of himselfe It is requisite therefore that hee acknowledge his frailty and misery that hee may with all humility submit himselfe to God And what betoken all these things but that there is one God one man one religion that is a duty of man toward God a reconciliation of the degenerate children to their father of the rebellious subjects to their Lord whose favour we lost by our fall For all the exercises of religion proceed hereof that men know God made and ruleth the world that man is immortall that he fell by transgression out of Gods favour that created him to worship and glorifie God which is his end and soveragne good And 〈◊〉 commeth all our sacrifices our adorations our ceremonies our singing of Psalmes and â—…hankesgiving and such like So that religion which is a reconciliation to God is the way that 〈◊〉 us to out felicity and Summum bonum or sovâ—…raigne good But not every religion but the true religion by which God is rightly served as he himselfe hath appointed and not as is grounded upon the inventions and phantasticall devices of men For the Heathens and 〈◊〉 and barbarous people have their severall religion of their owne invention some adoring the Sunne some the Moone others the first thing they meet in the morning some a red cloth hanging at the end of a long staffe others images of men and other creatures For there is no people so brutish or voide of humanity but by instinct of nature he knoweth there is a divine power above man whereupon he grooâ—…deth some religion The ancient wise men and Philosophers highly exalted religion above all things as the onely way to lead them to the soveraigne good which is God Plato saith the beatitude of man is to be made like God that is if hee bee just and holy which must come by godlinesse and the love of God which is the greatest vertue among men And Aristotle saith that in godlinesse all our felicity consisteth And 〈◊〉 saith If wee be of any judgement what shall wee doe but continually worship God sing Psalmes and give thankes unto him whether we digge or plough the ground whether wee labour or rest Simplicius saith He can doe nothing diligently how necessary soever it bee that is â—…othfull and negligent in the service of God Religion saith Hierâ—…cles is the chiefe and leader of all vertues which is referred to Gods cause to which all other vertues have relation as to their end For vertues are not vertues if they swerve from religion and godlinesse Fortitude referred to any other thing than to godlinesse falleth into temerity or rashnesse prudence into fraud and subtilty and so like wise of the rest But all other religions saving the true religion doe lead men to the brinke of hell or at least shew them Paradise afarre off but betweene them and it is a great deepe gulfe over which no man is able to passe nor all the world is able to fill it up yet there must needs be a passage over somwhere for the end of man is certaine to bee joyned with God And that he may be joyned with him in heaven it is requisite that he be reconciled to him in earth And the onely way to be reconciled is that God pay our debts and untill they be payd he doth not absolve us That therefore is the onely true religion that leadeth us directly to that passage by whose conduction we find out the right way over it which onely leadeth us to the end of religion that is mans salvation for true religion is the right way to reconcile us to God whereof ensueth the salvation of man And that the true religion may be discerned from those that bee the inventions of men it hath three markes by which it is made apparent But first this foundation must be taken for certaine and immoveable as laid upon a rocke that true religion is a rule of the worshipping of God by which man is reconciled and tyed to God for his owne salvation This salvation of man is his beatitude his beatitude is to be joyned with God For neither the world nor any thing in it maketh a man happy or blessed but God onely that made man maketh him happy And seeing it is manifest that he and no other must bee worshipped in the earth that will make us happy or blessed in heaven what religion soever though it shew to be very singular and very holy diverteth and draweth our minds and prayers from the Creator to the creature is idolatry and wickednesse And what religion shall perswade us to seeke our soveraigne good and beatitude any other where than with him that is onely good and the only author of good is not only vanity and erroneous but it leadeth out of the way to kill and throweth down head long to destroy And though they have offerings and thankesgiving sacrifices prayers and other observances they are vaine and blasphemous if we attribute that to a creature how excellent soever he be which we received of God and desire pardon of creatures for the sinnes and offences wee commit against the Creator Let this therefore be the first marke of true religion that it doth direct us and our prayers and advocations to one God the Creator of heaven and earth who only searcheth mens hearts with which hee will bee chiefly worshipped But this is not sufficient to worship the true God but he must bee rightly worshipped But who is so
been said Man is immortall his soveraigne good or beatitude is not to bee had in this life but it is to bee joyned with God in heaven to which hee shall attaine if whilst he is here upon the earth he love and worship God with all his heart and bee obedient continually to his will But our first parent that was by nature free and capable of goodnesse revolted from God that is from his soveraigne good and by his rebellion was made a flave to sinne by means whereof he fell from God and from his beatitude And therefore except he find pardon by grace he is fallen into extreame misery which we call hell From this man wee derive our pedegree whose 〈◊〉 hath begotten our flesh and made us the servants of sinne as hee was made himselfe so that naturally we are to expect the reward of sin that is death for wee are heires to our father whose inheritance is death onely and damnation And we heape daily more coales upon our heads For no man performeth that to God which the law most justly requireth and therefore every one daily offendeth God many waies in thought word and deede so as they sinke continually deeper And against whom do wee commit these offences Against our Father our Creator that hath bestowed so many things upon us from whom we revolt to the deuill his enemy And as the offence doth multiply and encrease according to the respect of him against whom it is committed so doth the offence against his divine Majestie that is infinite deserve punishment In what case then are wee miserable creatures that dayly commit sinne upon sin except God himselfe discover some way how his justice may by satisfied and how wee may come into his favour againe In this distresse religion presenteth it selfe to us which sheweth us the true God But what is that but to present the guilty before the Iudge What doth religion then availe us It leadeth us to the Scripture which sheweth the expresse will of God to bee that we should love him with all our heart and our neighbour as our selfe and to them that obey his will he pronounceth eternall life to the disobedient eternall death Seeing the same Scripture sheweth that mankind is corrupted from the beginning and that all our imaginations and 〈◊〉 are wicked and seeing we all feele in our selves and in our members motions contrary to the will of God and therefore wee detest with horrour the botomelesse pit of hell But as this Scripture pronounceth against us our condemnation and a severe sentence of death so doth it also shew us a Mediator by whose helpe and meanes we may obtaine pardon and grace and be reconciled to God againe In which conjunction that beatitude and felicity may bee restored to us for which wee were created at the first And this is the third marke of the true religion for it is certaine that the religion which God hath so deepely engraven in our hearts is not in vaine Now he that will enter into himselfe and duely consider his owne insufficiency to performe the justice of the Lawe shall easily see how necessary it was for us to have a Mediaâ—…our to pacific Gods wrath and to satisfie his justice and how greatly we are bound to our Creator that would not reject or utterly destroy us as our demerits required but rather would leave us a meanes to returne into his favour againe without which wee must have all suffered eternall death and damnation which favour sheweth us plainely that as God is just so he is mercifull This Mediatour therefore must bee such as will not onely 〈◊〉 his wrath by fulfilling our obedience due to our Creator and purchase his grace and procure us his mercy but also satisfie his justice which is immutable And for as much as the offence is infinite and the punishment likewise being committed against the Creator which is infinite the satisfaction of the punishment must also be infinite If man should offer the world to God hee received it of God and by his owne fault hath lost it againe And seeing God made the world of nothing which must also have an end the world can bee no sufficient satisfaction for the offence that is infinite If man offer himselfe what doth hee offer but an unthankfull and rebellious mind blasphemous wordes and perverse deeds by which hee shall provoke the wrath of God and incense him the more against us If an Angell should intreat for us a creature will bee no sufficient Intercessor to pacifiethe the Creator and though hee bee good yet not being infinite hee cannot cover an infinite evill So that we must needs say that God must set himselfe between his justice and his mercy and that as hee created us at the first so he must new make us againe and as he created us in his favour so hee must absolve us from his wrath and as hee declared hi wisedome in creating us so hee must shew the same in restoring us But who then is that Mediator God against God Infinite against Infinite that can both cancel that infinit obligation satisfie that infinite punishment It is even Iesus Christ the only Sonne and wisedome of the eternall Father both God and man A man that he may be borne under the law God that he may fulfill the law a man that he may serve God that he may redeem a man that he may submit himselfe with all humility God that he may submit himself above all things a man that he may suffer God that he may overcome a man that he may die God 〈◊〉 hee may truimph over death It is also necessary to our salvation that our Mediatour be a man that he may suffer punishment for our sins and reconcile mankinde to God againe For except he were descended of the same kinde we are wee could not bee partakers in any sort of him nor he of us so should his satisfaction merits appertain nothing unto us therfore it is requisit that he should be borne of our progeny that he may be flesh of our flesh bones of our bones that as we be all in Adam the servants of sinne so we may be in the Mediatour free and discharged of the reward of sin that is from death againe he must overcom sin he must be without sin and because he must make us cleane he must be without spoâ—… for we are conceived in iniquity borne in filthiness and corruption insomuch that as it is necessary he should be a man so it is requisite hee should bee conceived in another sort than after the manner of men And after so many great miracles which God hath wrought we need not wonder at this that 〈◊〉 was conceived of the holy Ghost and brought forth by a Virgin Hee that could draw out a woman from a man without a man could also bring forth a man from a woman without a man Many things seeme unpossible if
at 〈◊〉 if forthwith hee give us not what we desire For he refuseth not to heare us that he disliketh us but because hee will convert it into a better cause Hee knoweth what hee doth and wee understand it not He knoweth what he doth deny but we know not what we aske hee measureth all things with reason and we but with appetite Hee denyeth that which is hurtfull to us and granteth that which is profitable wee ought on him only to depend Qâ—…icquid facimus venit ex also To whatsoever we our selves apply Or doe or suffer all comes from on high A young sicke child seeth an Apple in another mans hand and desireth it but the parents denyeth it him or taketh it from him knowing it hurtfull A farre greater or rather incomparable proportion is there betweene the wisedome of God and that of men than is betweene the reason and knowledge of a child and that of a man For wee are as young children and sicke our nature beeing corrupt in respect of the exact knowledge and perfect wisedome of God And therefore he only knoweth what is good and meete for us A learned Heathen saith I see that my selfe oftentimes do things wherein my servants are blind and conceive no reason and little children will cast into the fire 〈◊〉 of great price and their fathers writings of great learning and wisedome for that they are not of capacitie to understand the value and worthinesse of the thing Let us leave then to set our joy in vanities and unsatiably to desire these worldly things that men have in such estimation and if they happen to us let us apply them to such uses for which they were of God ordained to serve our necessity and lift up our minds and 〈◊〉 by Christ to those heavenly joyes where our minds will be fully satisfied Non habit at templis manuum molimine factis Omnipotens The Omnipotent dwelleth not in temples made with hands And not to feare the losse of worldly things which unquieteth the wisest nor death it self which is terrible to all seeing death is not the destruction of the body but a renewing of it nor the extinguishing of nature but a steppe and gate towards the other life and the first passage to the heavenly Kingdome and entrance to eternity For hee that made all the world of nothing without the helpe of any matter can easily repaire and renew that which is fallen to decay Hee that made the body of man without any labour of nothing it is much easier for him to raise him from death and give him life againe not of nothing but of the like matter that is agreeable with his substance which is turned into ashes or by some other meanes is resolved into the ayre For as the Artificer that casteth mâ—…all can repaire or new make his worke that is broken or bruised of the same matter and give it a better forme so God will rayse up the resolved into dust in his due time and call him to life againe in the very same forme he was before but without any earthly mixture and uncleannesse And if wee marvell at an Artificer for some notable painted table or any other thing that is excellently well handled as was that of Gaditan wherin hee set forth exactly the historie of Livie how much more ought wee to wonder and reverence him that hath set before our eyes and presented to our mindes so many marvellous things which can neyther bee numbred nor by reason comprehended For to prove the renewing of mans body by the least things of nature A Grasse-hopper when hee is old casteth his skinne and becommeth new and lusty againe A Canker becommeth a flying Butterfly An Ant a Fly with wings A Silke-worme reviveth againe being dead The Phenix that riseth againe out of his ashes sheweth an example of our resurrection That which is in nature to lay the corne which men sow covered in the ground the same is in the resurrection to bury the body that which is there to spring up againe and grow into a lively stemme the same is a man to revive againe And as the seede or corne laide in the ground putrusieth and is turned into another forme or thing than it was before and afterward being sprung up becommeth the same thing againe so happeneth it to man that being buried putrifieth and is turned into another thing and yet afterward riseth againe and becommeth the same he was before And though the body bee put into the ground diversly affected and subject to putrifaction yet hee shall revive and rise againe with a lively countenance cleansed from all the defects and corruptions of nature A sicke man that is vâ—…xed with a grievous disease his colour is gone he looketh pale sallow and wanne his body is become so leane and bare like a dead carkasse and the vitall moysture of his body so consumed that he cannot be knowne to bee the same man but after hee hath received apt and appropriate medicines and used a wholesome diet hee receiveth his health againe his colour is come to him he is faire and fat and lusty as at any time before So in the resurrection the same body shall rise againe but more gorgeously in whom shall appeare nospot nor signe of the former corruption This example was first begunne in Christ who in nothing shewed his divinitie more effectually than by the tryumph of his resurrection the same things by his vertue shall happen to all men As St. Paul saith They that fall asleepe in Christ shall bee raised againe by the word of God and shall with him for ever and ever have the fruition of him and his joyes And as by the opinion of learned men one starre is more bright than another so will there be like difference in mens minds and one 〈◊〉 will be more glorious than another For as much then as our felicity and soveraigne good or beatitude is to be joyned with God in heaven from whence we are fallen by the transgression of our first parent and the way to return to him againe is true Religion which teacheth us to worshippe and serve the true God by his owne word and appointment and sheweth us our Mediatour Christ Iesus who onely can reconcile us to God againe let us reject all other religions and inventions of men as superstitious and idolatrous and all other mediations and meanes of reputed reconciliations and submit our selves wholly to the mercy of God by our Saviour Christ Iesus and cleave only to him who is able and will bring all them that with a right faith beleeve in him into Gods favour againe with him to enjoy our 〈◊〉 good and beatitude in his heavenly kingdome to which place God grant we may all come Now to conclude this discourse with a briefe repetition of the summe of that which hath bin said It appeareth by many reasons and examples that the felicity of man wee seeke for consisteth not
Good counsell of a friend A strange chance Fortunes inconstancie An ominous dreame No man happy before death Foure sure Ankers A proper application Necessary obseruations So many heads so many minds Iob. Seneca Seuerall dispoâ—…tions in children Note Caluin Reason is concraâ—…ed by will Our gratitude that ought to be to God Meanes that ought to be â—…cd To examine our selues The wrong way Seneca The vanity of feare Simile The benefit of a quiet and contented mind Things necessary to nature A limitation for pleasures Auarice neuer satisfied Senec. Sentence Xen. The best riches A riches in pouerty A pouerty in riches Of Midas and Pythius â—…neu Eccle. Extreme couetousnesse worse then extreme pouerty Richest men the greatest slauâ—… Riches in themselues neither good nor euill Similies No true felicity in riches Aust. A Princely modesty The best in a geâ—… Honor an hinderance to 〈◊〉 Clâ—…ud A companion â—…cellent modetation A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Three kinds of men in euery Common-wealth Proper 〈◊〉 Ign. Wherein happinesse most consisteth Sâ—… A dialogue Prouidence requisite Necessary obseruations Death not terrible to a good Christian. The women of Narsinga Valer. Max. The women of India Casar Necessary meditations of death Charles the 〈◊〉 Euery man is his owne greatest enemy Note A true saying Things abouâ—… the power of fortune The effects of vertue Things most pleasant in mans life â—…olly Magistrates cald Prâ—…gadi Pride and vain glory beget confusion The greatest part of felicity consisteth in the minde Note A comparison Ecclesiast A necessary obseruation Three principall impediments False felicity consisteth in fiue things * 〈◊〉 A simile The vse to be principally obserued The lesse mony the lesse care Strange but most true The necessity of industry Alex. Scucrus A wise man The ignorant liâ—…e with the least trouble The best wits haue not the soundest Iudgements Of Kings and Princes Empire maketh men monsters Profitable obseruations The Princeâ—… Court a Theater Quiequid deliraâ—…t râ—…ges 〈◊〉 Achivi All cstateâ—… strive to imitate their Princes The expression of a good King Note Proverbs Aâ—…iani The counsel of a good King Siâ—…con Who is an happy Prince Seneca â—…alust Epiâ—… Cur. Cap. Truth necessary to be whispered in Princes cares Simeon Truth scarce in Princes Courts The education of perâ—… Princes Good Princes court schooles of vaâ—…ue Whom good Princes should make â—…heir familiars Rare luâ—…ice Gifts ought to bee given ouely to the worrhy A wittie courtier or cunning begger The maje of God honoured in a Prince The felicity of the moan estate Note Troubles of this life Good fortune the greatest 〈◊〉 Good same the greatest losie The best bravery Marius Eras. Moral principles oncerning law suits The way to purchase quicnâ—…sse Non videmus id manticae quod in tergo est Three things to be avoyded Three things to be praâ—…sed Wholesome counsell Of envie To 〈◊〉 commendable envie Imitable precepts A manifest signe to bee out of Gods favour Necessary parsimony Who is happy Vnnecessary sorrow Creature intermediate A third sort of men No man contented with his estate Horace Ou. Gu. No one man can enjoy all things Octav. The end which all men should ayme at Plin. Friendship The commoditie of poverty True friendship doubles prosperitie proverbs â—…sops fable of the Lark Alexander and Ephestion Chuse welwillers rathe than friends How to chuse or retuse No friendship to bee made with the covetous man Custome amongst the Romans The application Manutan The change of times Learned Emperours Queene Elizabeth Simile One thing spoke another practiâ—…ed Prophane 〈◊〉 A fearefull eclipse Guev The foure Ages The wickednesse of these times â—…e Sinne in the height â—…punubed 〈◊〉 An Atheisticall answer Chastisement necessary The way to injoy happinesse What prouidence is to be used Manâ—… regeneration Man before his fall Mans fall Mans alteration after his fall Man of more dignitie than the world The corruption of mans nature The terrour of the conscience A Parricide The soule opposite to the sinner of the flesh Comparison Mâ—… 〈◊〉 of the nature of beastâ—… Mans senses over-rule hiâ—…reason Mor. Note Man onely Needfull conâ—… Why God suffereth evill Pride the fall of man God the only Summum bonum The meanes to escape these dangers into which wee are fallen God the end of his own Works A Siâ—…tude The application A necessary distinction An apt similitude The facuâ—… of the soule The Vegeraâ—…ve The sensitive The understanding Nothing certaine in philosophy Our greatest knowledge meere ignorance Secrets in nature A minore ad maâ—… Faith The Philosophers concerning beatitude Christian considerations The way to recover our losse Invocation Humility Religion All â—…tion acknowledge a God All true vertue grounded on religion and godlinesse True religion to what it 〈◊〉 A gainst prayer 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 A second marke of true religion A third marke The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worshipped the true God Damasco the 〈◊〉 habitation of 〈◊〉 The Bible 〈◊〉 the true 〈◊〉 of God Religion leadeth us to the scripture 〈◊〉 The necessity of a Mediatiur Who and what the Mediator is 〈◊〉 Submission the only way to obtaine pardon The temptations of the Devill All goodnes 〈◊〉 in Action Charity allied to Religion A 〈◊〉 wisdome Make you friends of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The weaknesse of mans nature Gregory No greater temptation than not to be tempted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A comparison Examples to confirme our 〈◊〉 The Sonne only can reconcile us to the 〈◊〉 The Conclusion of the worke The meancâ—… to attaine to this felicity The Authors Apologie